Tribute to B.M. "Buster" Quillin

 

As I reach the place of documenting my great-grandfather, Beverly Johnson Quillin, I feel compelled to honor my first cousin, one time removed. Buster was my greatest source of moving forward with the Quillin name. 

I will begin my story about Buster through the lens of a child. Buster was born in 1916, making him much older than myself. I was fortunate enough to know him, though, and remember the times I spent with him. He married a lady named Hazel Parker on 28 March 1941 in Altus, Oklahoma. I grew up in Vernon, Texas, and Buster and Hazel lived in the nearby city of Wichita Falls. They would occasionally drive over to spend the afternoon with my family. There are just some people you share a kindred spirit with, and Buster was one of those people for me. There was an aura of kindness that surrounded him. He was honest, sincere, and genuine. I always enjoyed being around him and often wished that I could spend more time with him. Being that he was a distant relative for me, the times I spent with him were infrequent.

When I began my study of family history, it didn't take long for my daddy to suggest that I contact Buster because Buster was raised by my great-grandparents, B.J. Quillin and Polly (Sprowls) Quillin. Buster was the illegitimate son of Cathleen "Corintha" Melvina Quillin, daughter of B.J. and Polly. B.J. gave Buster the Quillin name. The interesting thing about Buster was that I never sensed any resentment from him about this situation. He was able to give me the "low-down" on a very intimate level. Buster's mother, Cathleen, eventually married a man named Thomas Bagby and had a legitimate child named Opal Christine Bagby, named after Cathleen's sister. Problems have definitely formed in family tree documentation because of this situation. It often appears that Buster was the child of B.J., but with careful inspection, the census sheets clearly state that he was the grandson of B.J. I have tried to correct this in many places in order to make the Quillin tree as pure as possible. Buster had a memory like an elephant; I could never write my notes fast enough as I visited on the phone with him. I often had to backtrack with him to make sure that I had recorded the information correctly. 

As an adult beginning my quest as a genealogist, I visited Daddy in 1990, and he took me down memory lane, carrying me all over the countryside showing me the places of my ancestors. Daddy also took me to Wichita Falls to visit Buster. At that time Buster's wife, Hazel, had passed away and Buster was living with his Aunt Opal to care for her. Opal was the daughter of B.J. and Polly, making her the sister of Cathleen. It just so happened that Buster's half-sister, Opal Christine Bagby was there for a visit as well. It was a lovely afternoon getting acquainted with her and looking at old family albums with Aunt Opal. 

The last memory that I have of Buster will stay with me forever. Daddy spent his last days on earth in the hospital in Wichita Falls. Buster came up to visit Daddy. It meant the world to me to see Buster appear in the doorway. It was not a good day for Daddy, as he was not in a coherent state on that day, so Buster only stayed for a short time. Buster was a very old man by then. He said he had parked a long way from the hospital and that he must go. Daddy's room was over the entrance to the hospital, and I remember watching out the window as Buster walked back up the hill to his car. Oh, how I wish that I had accompanied him that day back to his car. I have the image of an old man with a cane making his way uphill until he was out of sight as my last image of one of the sweetest men I ever knew. 

Below is a picture taken on the visit to see Buster in 1990. 

left to right: Truman Bryan Quillin, Sr., Opal (Quillin) Balch, Buster Quillin, Thomas Jefferson Taylor, Opal Christine (Bagby) Taylor.

Below is Buster's obituary: 

B. M. "Buster" Quillin, 95, of Wichita Falls died Monday, March 19, 2012. Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 PM Thursday, March 22, 2012 at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Howard Chapman officiating. Interment will follow in Crestview Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the visitation scheduled from 6:00 until 8:00 Wednesday evening at the funeral home.
Buster was born on September 1, 1916 in Seymour, TX. He started working for the Ft. Worth & Denver Railroad in 1934 and retired from Burlington Northern Railroad in 1976 after 42 years. Buster was a member of the First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls for over 70 years and drove the church bus for several years. He was a member of the Maskat Shrine Temple here for 66 years, joining in 1946. He was also a member of Joseph A. Kemp Lodge #1287 AF & AM. for over 50 years. Buster was dubbed 'The Fruitcake King' by the Wichita Falls Times Record News for all the fruitcakes he baked over the years for dozens of family members and friends.
Mr. Quillin was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel Quillin in 1987; his mother and step-father, Cathleen and Tom Bagby; sisters, Mildred Gervasi and Christine Taylor and her husband, T. J. Taylor, III. Survivors include nieces, Sally Loner and husband, Dennis and Nancy Taylor and devoted, special friends Mike and Carol Patterson of Wichita Falls. Also surviving are several other nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Rd., 76310.
Please visit www.hamptonvaughancrestview.com to post on-line messages of condolence to the Quillin family.

Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home and Memorial Park
Wichita Falls, Texas

F. S. Ewing Censuses

1880

 F.S. Ewing, age 11, was listed as a son of James H Ewing in Montgomery County, Arkansas on line 31.  John and Martha Ewing are living nearby. There are several McKinley families next door.  Frederick Short Ewing eventually married for a second time to Mary Short McKinley after his first wife Emma Frances Woodall died in 1910. 

1900

Frederick Short Ewing and Emma Frances are found in

Caney Township, Montgomery County Arkansas

line 79-82 with two daughters, Ludie and Ula.

1910

F. S. Ewing and Emma F are listed on lines 11-18. They have 6 children, including my grandmother Murphy "Mephia". Emma died later that year and F.S. remarried to Mary Loren "Short" McKinley. 

Record of Birth - B.J. Quillin

 Register of Births

in the District of Charles Addington

Commissioner of the Revenue for the

4th District of Scott County Virginia

during the year ending on 31 Dec 1853

On line 26, Ira D Quillin gave the information about the birth of a son, Beverly J Quillin. They were living in Fowlers Branch and B.J.'s mother is listed as Edney E Quillin.

Daddy and His Siblings

Paul Bryan Quillin

with Francelle, Truman Bryan, Billye Merle

Merphia Hart nee Ewing,Quillin

with Francelle, Truman, Bobby Carver, Billye Merle, Merphia

 

Oscar Hart's 1939 Pontiac

 These pictures were sent to my daddy when he was overseas during WWII. They must have been very proud of this vehicle. 

Granny Hart (Merphia Hart nee Ewing)

          

 

Billye Merle Quillin 

 

Daddy, Truman Quillin Sr, back home on leave.

Granny Hart

Oscar and Merphia Hart

 I always knew my daddy's mother as Granny Hart. She was born in 1901 as Merphia Ewing. Merphia married Paul Bryan Quillin in 1919. They had 3 children, one of whom was my daddy, Truman Bryan Quillin, Sr. 

Merphia and Paul divorced in 1940, and she remarried to Oscar Clifton Hart in 1941. Paul Bryan Quillin passed away in 1957. I was born in 1956 so I never knew my grandfather. I always associated Granny Hart with her second husband, Oscar. 

Granny and Oscar didn't live far from us in Vernon, Texas, and that was a place that Mother allowed me to ride my bike to go see them. I was a thrilled to be independent at 8 years old. I loved spending the mornings with Granny. Oscar built me a rabbit hutch, and I rode my bike nearly every day during that process. 

Granny was a special lady. She had a big heart and she gave great bear hugs. I remember her making me chocolate cakes from scratch. It was such a treat and it seemed to please her that I loved these cakes. It is welded in my memory the day that Granny wanted to give me some pottery that she had purchased in Mexico. She was a large lady and she climbed up on the kitchen countertop to retrieve the dishes from the overhead cabinet.  I was horrified when she began to lose balance and I knew perfectly well what was about to happen. I was a tiny child, smaller that most, and there was no way that I could try to keep this from happening. And sure enough, she fell backwards, hitting her head on the kitchen table. She was out cold. I felt so guilty that I couldn't help her. In remembering that fall, I see it in slow motion. I ran next door to get help from the neighbors whom I knew very well. They were able to quickly revive Granny. There were no broken bones, and when they determined that she was okay (which was a miracle), I don't remember much after that.  Later on, though, someone DID get the pottery down, and it was given to me. 

I remember Oscar sitting me down in the living room near the record player and pulling out the old 78 rpm record of "One Day A Time, Sweet Jesus." We would listen to it multiple times. I never knew quite what the reason was at the time, but now as an adult, I can only imagine what he was hoping that I might learn from that song. 

Paul Bryan and Merphia Quillin

1920 Census

Paul Bryan Quillin and his wife Merphia "Ewing" are living in Seymour, Texas. They are found on lines 6-10.  Living with them is Ludie Montgomery and her two young sons. It says that Ludie is a widow, but I believe that her first husband, John Bunyan Montgomery, died in California in 1966. Ludie was probably separated from John and in the process of a divorce.