WILLIAM J. HARMON 

The following bio was taken from page 226 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission. 

Transcribed by Shirley Koym 

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Texas 

I am Esterlene, one of four children born to William Jasper and Victoria Colwell Harman.  I live in Overton. 

My father worked for the Cotton Belt Railway in Tyler, then moved to Henderson, where he bought a home known as the Baxter farm.  It was located five miles out of Henderson on what is now Old Jacksonville Highway.  I am the only living child of my parents, who had two sons, Georgia and Earl Aaron, and two daughters, Ella Mabel Harmon McIlveen, and me, Esterlene Harmon Gauthreaux. 

I was only five years old when my father died, and I have little knowledge of his family; but my mother left many stories and tales of her Colwell and Colburn families, who came to Texas from Virginia and Georgia. 

My mother, Victoria, was born July 25, 1876.  My memories of our life as children, with Mother, go back to the horse and buggy days.  I recall our homemade games, our Christian home, and my mother’s steadfast efforts in the rearing of us three children after my father’s death.  Mother died March 17, 1946 in Pecos, Texas and is buried in the Woodville, Texas Cemetery. 

Victoria was the daughter of John and Annival Colwell.  John was born November 10, 1834 in Georgia and died September 25, 1887.  Annival was born June 12, 1837 in Virginia and died December 25, 1910.  John and Annival came to Texas when it was first settled and the Indians were still here.  My mother’s grandparents were the Colburn family, who came from Macon, Georgia. 

This story comes from searching memories for bits of information that my mother left for me. 

Submitted by Mrs. Esterlene H. Gauthreaux