ARCHIE AND ELLEN WRIGHT BEALL

The following bio was taken from page 108 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, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Harriett Ellen Wright was born November 10, 1888, and died October 31, 1964. She was the daughter of Cole and Margaret Lanford Wright. She was married to Archie A. Beall, Sunday, October 11, 1908 at the home of her parents in Oak Hill, Rusk County. Archie was born February 11, 1884 and died July 14, 1940 at the age of fifty-six. He was the son of Robert A. Beall and Ida J. Peek Beall, and both he and Ellen were born in Rusk County.

As a teenager Ellen began teaching school with her brother, Memory. She taught at Chalk Hill (or Campbell) and at a community called Pepper, where there was a post office. Several of her cousins received teaching certificates at the same time she did, including Arra and Stella Brown, Emma Yandle, and Lizzie and Tommie Wright.

After their marriage in 1908, Ellen and Archie moved to Henderson were he was employed at "Strong Bros. General Merchantile Store." He later worked for the Mayfield-Alford Company where he gained his basic training for the merchandising business.

In 1923, Archie and his brothers, Willie F. and Robbie, decided they would like to own and operate a store of their own, so the famous "3 Beall Bros. 3" was launched with $500.00 for their operating capital and a small rented building on North Marshall Street for their headquarters. From this small beginning the growth has been phenomenal and there are now Beall Department Stores all over Texas and New Mexico. They now number one hundred and twelve.

Archie and Ellen had three children. Franklin was born August 25, 1911, and died December 17, 1919. Harris Bailey born September 14, 1914, married Jewel Ross December 30, 1932. Their five children are: Linda Sue, September 3, 1934; Archie Ann, July 26, 1937; Ellen Kathy, February 9, 1940; Sunny Harris, June 14, 1942 and Mary Angel, December 7, 1946.

Mary Ellen, born November 9, 1919, first married Dowell Baker September 17, 1939. Their children were David, September 1, 1942; Gilbert Earl, July 10, 1944, who married Linda Brooks. Mary Ellen’s second marriage was to Ben Pinkston, October 25, 1954, and they have one son, Larry Pinkston, born October 31, 1958.

After Archie’s death, Ellen married C. E. (Edd) Summers, who died January 11, 1959. Ellen was one of the best loved women in the entire town of Henderson. She was a faithful, hard-working member of the First Methodist Church, a famous designer and maker of beautiful dresses and lingerie carrying the label of "Lady Ellen," and lovely handcrafted articles for the home. Her home was always open to everyone and her friends and relatives enjoyed her hospitality. When her nieces, great nieces, grandchildren, and friends needed a pretty dress for a special event, "Aunt Ellen" could create a costume for any occasion. And when she died, she left a void that can never be filled.

Submitted by Margaret W. Brown