Bester was born m Sturgis, Mississippi, on March 13, 1899. He is a graduate of Pecan Gap High School and of East Texas State College. Bester married Martha Haddock on December 2, 1919, m Cooper, Texas. Bester taught school to help earn his way through college.
From 1932 to 1954, Bester was chief real estate appraiser for the United States government m the Dallas District which includes Texas and parts of adjoining states.
Bester has always been active m civic and m church work. He is now city councilman and mayor pro tem of Lewisville, Texas. He is a member of the Advisory Board to the County Judge of Denton County. Bester is past president of the Engineers Employees Credit Union. He is a member of the Lions Club, and he is a Mason. Bepter is chairman of the Board of Stewards and superintendent of the Sunday School of the Methodist Church at Lewisville.
Gus Lindsay was born m Sturgis, Mississippi, on August 19, 1896. He is a graduate of East Texas State College. Gus married Valeta Lindsay on November 29, 1923, m Dallas.
Gus has been associated with the Metropolitan Savings and Loan Association since 1923. He is now president of this organization. From 1954 to 1955, he was president of the Texas Savings and Loan League. He is a director of the Southwestern Savings and Loan League. Gus was chairman of the Civil Service Board for nine years. He is a member of the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce. He is a director of the Kiwanis Club. Gus is also a member of the Dallas Bar Association and of the Texas Bar Association.
Gus and Valeta are active m the Cliff Temple Baptist Church. He is now chairman of the Board of Deacons, and he is also a trustee of the church. He is a director of the Relief and Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Valeta has taught a Sunday School class for young mothers for thirty years.
Gus and Valeta have two children: Gus Lindsay, Jr. and Marilyn.
Charles Daniel Berry
Charles Daniel was born m Sturgis, Mississippi, on October 5, 1894. He graduated from the Academy at Cooper, Texas. He then went to East Texas State College where he earned a B.A. degree. On February 1, 1920, he married Frances Haddock m Cooper, Texas.
In 1922, Charles was elected County Judge of Delta County. He succeeded his brother, Joel Halbert. He practiced law m Cooper from 1923 to 1933. Since 1933, he has been Judge of the Eighth Judicial District. His record is particularly distinctive m that he must be elected every four years. His district encompasses four counties. He is known throughout East Texas for his knowledge of the law and for his equitable judgments m the cases that come before him.
Charles has been very active m civic affairs. He has been chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee of Delta County, and he has been president of the Delta County School Board. He has been chairman of the Delta County Red Cross. He has also headed all the Boy Scout work m Hunt and Raines Counties. He is a commander m the American Legion. He has been president of the Lions Club of Cooper and has been vice-president of the Knife and Fork Club. He is active m Masonic work.
Charles has been active m church work. He has been moderator of the Baptist Association. He is a senior deacon of the First Baptist Church m Greenville. He has taught the Berry Sunday School class for over twenty-three years. Frances is church hostess of the First Baptist Church.
Charles and Frances have one child, Charles Daniel, Jr.
Carris was born at Pine Forest, Texas, on July 24, 1903. He attended school at Emory, Texas, and then taught school in that area. On January 12, 1927, he and Lillian Shoffit were married at Commerce, Texas. When Ida moved to Glendale, California, Cares and Lillian went with her. There he was associated with his mother in the grocery business. After several years, Carris and Lillian moved back to Texas, and they settled in Grand Prairie. He opened a grocery store and became very successful in this business. Carris then turned to other fields of business. He was a developer of several parts of Grand Prairie. He became president of the Grand Prairie Savings and Loan Association; while at the same time he was vice-president of an insurance company.
Carris has been very active in civic work. He has given much of his time to the development of Grand Prairie. He has been a member of the school board, and he has been active in the Chamber of Commerce. In April, 1955, he was elected mayor of Grand Prairie. Carris was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Grand Prairie, and he is active in Masonic work. Carris and Lillian have two children: Clarisse and Ralph.
Jesse Morris was born in Necdmore, on February 27, 1901. On August 28, 1920, he married Lauenia Dunlap. Until he opened a tire repair and retread shop in Prescott, Arizona, Jesse had always been engaged in sales work. He is active in Masonic work. Jesse and Lauenia have two children: Jesse Morris, Jr. and Patricia Joann.
John Estol was born m Sturgis, Mississippi, on December 28, 1892. A few years after he and his parents moved to Texas, he
started selling hardware. He continued m this work until World War I when he enlisted m the Army. After the war, he came back to the same job. He was an excellent salesman and did very well m this work. On May 6, 1923, Estol married Neta Wenona Williamson.
From 1928 to 1942, Estol had the Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler agency m Spur, Texas. For two consecutive years, he was a member of the One Hundred Car Club. Since 1952, he has been city judge and justice of the peace m Spur.
Both Estol and Neta have been active m civic affairs. He is a member of the Cap Rock Peace Officers, the American Legion,
and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Neta has been president of the City Federation. Estol and Neta have two children: Ernestine and John Estol, Jr.
Ruby was born on January 30, 1892, m Sturgis, Mississippi. She attended Needmore High School. On December 28, 1907, Ruby married George Claud Apperson. Ruby has been active all her life m all phases of church work. For over seventeen years, she has been a member of the North Fort Worth Baptist Church. She has also been active m the Eastern Star.
. Ruby has devoted all of her time to her family. All of her children live near her m Fort Worth. Her home has always been the meeting place for the entire family. For over twenty-five years, the familyreunions have been held at her home. Ruby and George have five children that are now living: Harold Claud, Mildred, Teresa Earl, William Berry, and Gwendolyn.
Emma Jane was born on December 9, 1886, m Sturgis, Mississippi. Shc attended high school m Needmore. On March 13, 1904, she married Calvin Hatton Perry m Gough, Texas. After their marriage, they lived m Delta County, where they owned a drug store. Later they moved to Spur, Texas, where Calvin was county treasurer. About 1933, Emma and Calvin and their family moved to Glendale, California. On March 13, 1954, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with their six children, their thirteen grandchildren, and their ten great-grandchildren. Emma and Calvin have six children: Jesse Clyde, Byron Bruce, Sybil Louise, Lou Dello, Leon Velma, and Kathryn Elizabeth.
Velma Leon Berry
Velma Leon was born in Sturgis, Mississippi, on December 26, 1885. She attended public schools in Sturgis, and in Need-more, Texas. Velma married William F. Terry on May 31, 1903, at Needmore. Velma has been active in church work all of her life. She was one of the organizers of the Baptist Church in Lueders, Texas. She has held at one time or another every office in the Woman's Missionary Union. She has been a class officer ever since there has been an organized Sunday school. Velma shoveled the first spade of dirt for the educational building of the Baptist Church at Lueders, in January, 1951. Velma has also been active in the Eastern Star and has held several appointive offices. Velma and William have five children: Blanch Edith, Claude Albert, William L., Una May, and Lois Velma.