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Theodore Priour
Theodore PRIOUR was born on August 26th, 1855 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was christened on September 6th, 1855 in St. Patrick's, Corpus Christi, Texas.
Certificate of Baptism
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Corpus Christi, TexasThis is to Certify that Theodore Priour, Child of Jean Marie Priour and Bridget Rosalia Priour, born in Corpus Christi; Texas, on the 26 day of August 1855, was Baptized on the 6 day of September 1855.
According to the Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, by the Rev. Bernard(?) O'Reilly, the sponsors being Theodor Le Duc(?), Margaret Cody, as appears from the Baptismal Register of this Church.
Dated June 8 1936, Rt. Rev. JJ Lau???, Pastor
Theodore's father was Jean Marie PRIOUR, born April 25, 1812 in Rennes, France. He married Bridget Rosalie Hart in Mobile, Alabama, October 29th, 1844. Jean Marie died on new-years eve 1880 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Theodore's mother was Bridget Rosalie HART, born August 1, 1825 in Wexford County, Ireland. Rosalie was the daughter of Elizabeth O'LEARY HART and Tom Hart who immigrated to Texas with the Powers Colony in 1834. Rosalie died August 23rd, 1903 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Rosalie recorded her memoirs in "Rosalie Hart Priour Autobiography," -- The adventures of a family of Emigrants.
Excerpted from "Of Pride & Pioneers"
by Sally Garwood Robeau
Theodore was born on August 15, 1854 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He lived his entire life in Bee and Nueces Counties. He married Martha Laura Barber in the Corpus Christi Cathedral and raised a large family. Martha Barber's family was from Barber's Hill near Mt. Belview and Daytona in east Texas.Theodore's claim to fame as a child was his capability for having every illness known to man to keep from going to school. One day he went on to school but he supposedly had a sick stomach. His teacher, a man, immediately reached for an old stomach remedy called "lightning oil." One dose of that and Theodore was well forever!
After the Priour land on the Aransas had been sold, Theodore wanted a ranch down there. So he bought 360 acres and ranched it until the early 1900's. While on the ranch he raised horses and hogs. After selling the ranch he moved his family to Skidmore, Texas and took up carpentry and hunted a great deal of the time.
Many times Theodore would go to Corpus to help his brother Julian or his nephews. He was a great one for "family" and loved to go visiting. Loading his wife and kids in a carriage or covered wagon at 8:00 A.M. he could be in Corpus by four that afternoon. The trip even included crossing the Nueces River at Borden's Ferry. Theodore also had quite a sense of humor... His sister Elizabeth was no sooner getting good help at her Papalote boardinghouse, than her brother Theodore would pull some stunt and run them off.
Theodore said when he was real young that the Priour boys would have to stay at the ranch on the Aransas alone. He said that when they would finish the milking and would return to the house they always felt like someone might be in the house. As they entered they would casually look under all the beds and in the closets all the time calling "Goatie, her Goatie." In their young minds they thought anyone in the house would think they were only looking for a lost goat, instead of knowing they were scared.
Theodore also tells about the time that his mother and all the little children were alone at the ranch on the Aransas. His father had gone for supplies... Suddenly they heard a lot of noises down by the river crossing. Since bandits were a constant menace, his mother hid them all in a corn patch. The yelling continued and one of the boys finally said, "Mama, that sounds like Papa yelling." It was.... He had returned early and had gotten stuck in the middle of the river, where he was calling for help. I can imagine how impatient Jean was by the time he arrived!
A copy of "Of Pride and Pioneers," dedicated to the memory of Albert Bernard Priour, is available for viewing in-library-only at the Corpus Christi Public Library Family History Center.
Theodore married Martha Laura Jane "Mattie" BARBER. Their Children were:
Emily Ida PRIOUR was born on 2 February 1893 in Bee County. Her marriages were to Tommy HUBBARD and Oscar Lee SMITH. Emily and Oscar had at least one daughter, Romaine Lee SMITH.
Ida married Oscar Smith and they live in Rockport where he owns his own garage. -- Of Pride and Pioneers, Sally Garwood Robeau.
Francis Theodore "Buck" PRIOUR was born on 1894. He died in 1953 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Skidmore, Texas. He married Virginia Lee McGEEHAI. She was born on 1903. She died on 1958 and is also buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
Francis Theodore, or "Buck," worked with the Humble Company for 29 years until his death several years ago. He married his wife Virginia Magohay and they raised a large family. -- Of Pride and Pioneers, Sally Garwood Robeau
Ella Cecelia "Billie" PRIOUR was born on 3 Jan 1899 in Rockport, Texas. She died in Odem, Texas in 1986 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Skidmore, Texas. She married Julius Raymond Petrus in 1918. More about Ella Cecelia.
Daisy Violet Pearl PRIOUR. Her first marriage was to Claude LILLY. Her second was to Henry "Rusty" FAKTOR.
"Daisy & Rusty would send us hard fudge with cherries & pecans on top, delivered faithfully every Christmas. -- Keith Petrus"
Richard Edmond "Dick" PRIOUR was born on January 17th, 1907. Richard was a private 1st Class in the U.S. Army during World War II. He died February 25th, 1984 in his sleep at his home in Skidmore, Texas and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. More about Richard.
Richard Edmund has remained a bachelor, lives at the old home place, and works as a carpenter now. -- Of Pride and Pioneers, Sally Garwood Robeau
"Uncle Dick was a recovered alcoholic who drove around in one of those weird, half-van/half-truck vehicles that came out in the 70's. He would make little animals out of chewing gum to decorate the frame of his bed. I remember him playing dominoes and drinking Coca-Colas at the local beer joints. -- Keith Petrus"
Leroy PRIOUR was born on December 12th, 1910. Leroy died April 12th, 1932 at the age of 21 of strep-throat and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Skidmore, Texas.
Lizzie Geneva PRIOUR -- No information to date, may have died as an infant.
Lola Marie PRIOUR was born May 1st, 1915 in Goliad, Texas and died January 4th, 1984. She was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Skidmore, Texas. Lola's marriages were to Jack LOCKARD and William Arthur KRAFT.
Lola Marie married William Kraft and she is raising her family in Skidmore where she operates a cafe. -- Of Pride and Pioneers, Sally Garwood Robeau
"One time, aunt Lola had me mow her lawn. I ran over a bunch of lilies that were planted in a row but she never said a word to me about it. I never had to mow her lawn again though. -- Keith Petrus"
Annabelle Priour/Thiele shares some memories of her father:
When we lived where we come from on the big ranch out there. Papa was the foreman, well we had such a good time on those ranches. You can just look back and see the good times you had, you know. Well, so we lived across the railroad track, that big old stable is still there, the old horse stable where they used to rent buggys, and horses, wagons and things you know. Henry Bisset was the sherrif and he lived right down the street from us. So Henry, he would come and deputize Papa, you know to go and help him when something bad happened. And Papa would never take a gun, said "Naw, just give me a stick." He'd take a baseball bat or something. And Henry would say "I'll swear they were scared'r of him with that stick than they are me with my gun." They'd get in them boxcars and Henry said "Old Theo just crawled into those boxcars with that stick just like I would with my gun." -- Annabelle Priour.
Theodore died May 29th, 1938 in Bee County and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Skidmore, Texas.
Theodore Priours gravestone in Evergreen Cemetery, Skidmore, Texas.
Email comments & suggestions to: ckpetrus@mac.com
