(Attaway, Briers, Cloud, Garrison, Glass, Hamilton, Lillich, Matchett, Merrill, Miller and Ware)

            The Attaway’s arrived in the Hockley, Texas area between 1871 and 1873, the same time Waller County came into being. Waller County was created in 1873 from Austin and Grimes Counties. Their journey to Waller County started over 40 years prior in Georgia. By 1830, Elisha and Rebecca Ford Attaway had moved from Georgia to Alabama, where Joseph Attaway (1830-1888) was born. From Alabama Elisha and Rebecca moved the family to Caddo Parish Louisiana were they appear in the 1850 census with nine children and two grandchildren. Joseph married Elizabeth Kitchen Hardaway (1831-1890) in 1851 and had three children while living in Caddo Parish; Laura Elizabeth (1853-1899), Mary Ella (1856-1925) and Joseph Isaiah 1857-1949) before moving to Jasper County Texas in the fall of 1859. Joseph and Elizabeth are listed in the 1860 census with four children, three of the children born in Louisiana and the fourth child, Freeman Roy (1860-1894) born in Texas. When they moved to Jasper they cleared the land for farming and built a house from the cut trees. After their fifth child was born in Jan 1862, Elisha Maddeson (1862-ukn), Joseph Attaway joined the Confederate Army. Joseph was able to come home on leave during the war, but was away when their sixth child was born, William Wallace (1864-1865) in December 1864. Joseph was sickly from being in the swamps when he returned home from the war and both of the younger boys were sick from malaria. William died September 1865. They harvested a good crop in 1866 and February 1867 a son, Valentine (1867-abt1935) was born and in 1869 twin boys, Thomas Titus (1869-1953) and John (1869-1907) were born. In January 1871 Edgar Lee (1871-1926) was born. Edgar was named after Robert E. Lee. Joseph’s health was not getting any better, so they decided to move to a better climate and chose Waller County for their new home. Joseph was unable to work the fields anymore, but was able to make furniture. In April 1873 Sarah Alice (1873-1893) was born and June1875 LaDonie Rebecca (1875-1962) was born. James Donce (1877-unk) was the last child born to Joseph and Elizabeth. Edgar broke is leg while riding a horse. The horse slipped on loose sand and fell. Doctor Batt from Hockley came out and set Edgar’s leg. Joseph still made furniture, but his health continued to worsen, Joseph passed away on October 18, 1888 and is buried in the Springer-Macedonia cemetery. Measles broke out in Waller County in 1890. Doctor Batt was summoned from Hockley, but nothing could be done and Elizabeth passed away on April 20, 1890 and is buried alongside Joseph. Edgar accepted Doctor Batt’s offer of training to be a doctor and a place to live. Sarah married John Miller and a couple of years later LaDonie married John’s brother, William (Bill) Miller. Sarah passed away in 1893 due to complications from delivering twin boys, Edgar V. (1892-1945) and William (1892-ukn) and is buried in the Springer-Macedonia cemetery beside her mother, Elizabeth. Freeman passed away in 1894 at the bottom of a well he was helping a neighbor dig. Freeman is buried in the Springer-Macedonia cemetery. Laura married William Matchett, passed away in 1899 and is buried in the Springer-Macedonia cemetery. After several years of studying to be a doctor, Edgar and Doctor Batt were called to Effie Winter’s house one night. Effie was pregnant and a month overdue. Dr. Batt was having problems and was unable to attend to Effie. Effie was not having contractions, so Edgar told Effie to put a duster over that bed gown and start walking, that exercise would get labor started. Edgar told Effie the longer she waited to have the baby, the harder it was going to be. As they walked you could see sheet lightening light up the sky on the other side of the county. Effie collapsed in pain from a toothache and asked Edgar if he had anything for the pain. Edgar did and told her she would not feel the left side of your face afterwards. Effie gave birth to a baby boy that night. In approximately 1900 Edgar and his nephew James Matchett were riding their horses down the rode one day and saw a young woman post a letter in the mailbox. James knew that woman’s name, Parolee Willis. Edgar said he was going to marry her someday. Edgar was able to see more of Parolee and after a few months of courtship, they became engaged. Parolee worked at a basket factory in Keenan, Texas and lived with the Moore family. When Edgar went to pick Parolee up for their wedding, the Moore’s had Parolee away from the house on an errand and told Edgar that Parolee changed her mind. Edgar sold his belongs and bought a farm in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Eventually Edgar heard about the Moore’s plan and married Parolee in 1902. Edgar and Parolee lived in Oklahoma and raised their family there. Edgar moved the family back to Houston, Texas in 1922. Parolee had passed away several years before.

Written By: Bruce Attaway
(Taken from writings of Ella Attaway Merrill (1906-1980))
Laura Elizabeth Attaway married William (Bill) Matchett 22 Sep 1874 (a)
Mary Ella Attaway married A. J. (Joe) Glass 28 OCT 1880 (a)
Joseph Isaiah Attaway married Nancy Emily Loyd 28 NOV 1880 (b)
Freeman Roy Attaway married L. H. Hays (d)
John Attaway married M. E. Vanhouten (d)
Thomas Titus Attaway married Emma Swanks (d)
Sarah Alice Attaway married (1) J.J. Parker (c ), (2) John Miller
LaDonia Rebecca Attaway married (1) William (Bill) Miller, (2) Frank Hamilton

• WALLER COUNTY MARRIAGE BOOK A Bride  1873-1881
• WALLER COUNTY MARRIAGE BOOK  A Groom  1873-1881
• WALLER COUNTY MARRIAGE BOOK 2 Bride 1882-1891
• WALLER COUNTY MARRIAGE BOOK 2 Groom 1882-1891

Descendents of Joseph and Elizabeth buried in the Macedonia Cemetery. Both Joseph and Elizabeth are buried near the center of the cemetery.

Descendents of Joseph and Elizabeth Attaway

Related to Attaway Family by marriage