From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
George Washington Cootes was born March 10, 1833 in Tennessee. He married (1) Nancy, who died in 1870, married (2) July 6, 1871, Harriett Coats Johnston (born September 30, 1839). Harriett’s parents were James A. Coats and Mary Ann “Polly” Parks. George and Nancy were listed on the 1870 Dallas County Census. George and Harriett were members of the Methodist Church.
George was buried at the Pleasant Mound Public Cemetery on Buckner Blvd. When Scyene was widened, George had to be moved and is buried in Mesquite, Texas in the City Cemetery. George and Harriett’s graves are marked by two small pink stones. Harriett was not able to go when George’s casket was moved; she sent her young neighbor Annie Berry to see that it was moved to the right place.
George Washington Cootes volunteered to serve in the Civil War September 7, 1861 in Dallas, Texas. He served as a Private in Company H, 6th Regiment of the Texas Cavalry. In April of 1863 he was sent to the hospital in Huntsville, Alabama. In September of 1863 he was sent on detached service with and by order of Colonel Ross. His Regiment, commanded by Colonel Jack Wharton, surrendered at Citronelle, Alabama to Major General E. R. S. Canby, U.S.A., May 4, 1865, and they were paroled at Jackson, Mississippi, May 13, 1865. The release papers state that he was released to return to his home in Belton, Texas.
George and Nancy had three sons, Hiram born 1859, William born 1866, and George W. born 1869. After Nancy’s death, George married Harriett, who had two daughters, Susan J. Johnston born 1862 and Cora E. Johnston born 1864. George and Harriett had five (possibly six) children. The oldest was Henry Andrew “Andy” Cootes (born September 10, 1872). Others were James B. and Lou Anna (twins, born 1874), Maud Jane (born 1877), and Ida May (born 1880). They may have had a daughter named Della.
Andy married Polly Josephine “Josie” Cox (born March 13, 1876) on January 21, 1892. Josie’s parents were Hartwell Bolin Cox and Louthary Moore.
Andy and Josie Cootes’ children were: Claude Henry (born September 10, 1892) married Mary Love; Maudie May (born March 29, 1894) married Thomas Homer Sims; Nancy Earl (born January 23, 1897); Oscar Purdy (born June 25, 1899) married Exa Murray; Clyde Olan (born October 16, 1901); Nolan B. (born September 1, 1904) married Irene Whaley; Homer Lee (twin, born December 24, 1907, married Mary G. Jones; Orner Lee (twin, born December 24, 1907); Lillie Louthary (born August 18, 1913) married Howard D. Thompson and Fay Ola (born September 9, 1915 – died 1924).
Andy drove one of the early-day mule-cars on the Main and San Jacinto line for the old Dallas City Railroad Company in 1891. He liked driving the mule-cars, but he liked farming better, so they moved back to the farm after awhile. In an interview later Josie said, “Those mules were just like pets, they never gave any trouble. You could hear the bells ringing on the mule-cars from far away, so you had plenty of time to catch it.”
Andy died in January, 1918. He was going home from downtown Dallas after taking care of business. It was one of the coldest days Dallas had in eighteen years. He started out on foot evidently expecting a jitney to come by and he would ride the rest of the way home. Because of the extreme cold he stopped just west of Buckners Orphan’s Home in a small log cabin for shelter. He fell asleep and froze to death.
Andy and Josie’s daughter Lillie Louthary married Howard D. Thompson (born June 24, 1911 in Walters, Oklahoma) on May 9, 1931. Howard’s parents were Harvey Dudley Thompson, (born in Blue Ridge, Texas) and Hervie Ruth O’Mara (born July 13, 1891 in the Texas panhandle, but now the small town is in Oklahoma because of a boundary change). Their children are Helen Janice Thompson (born July 13, 1933 in Dallas) and Harold Dean Thompson (born January 12, 1936).
Helen and Robert Alan Sullivan were married October 11, 1952. Robert was born in Bokchito, Oklahoma to Burley Sullivan (born in Honey Grove, Texas) and Eltha P. Baber (born in Arkansas). Helen and Robert had three children: Kathy Ann, Bradley Alan and Joseph Howard, all born in Dallas. Helen’s grandchildren, Christy Michele and Jason Alan Sullivan (children of Bradley Alan) are the seventh generation of the Hunnicutt/Cox family to live in Dallas, the first being Anna Hunnicutt Cox coming to Dallas in 1843 or 1844.
Information sources: Civil War Record, Texas Pension Records, Dallas County Census Records and Dallas Times Herald.
By Helen J. Sullivan, Dallas.
