WILLIAM FORMAN III AND WIFE OF PLANO KEEP
OPEN HOUSE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
McKinney Courier Gazette
September 2, 1936
Influential South Collin Family Settled There About
90 Years Ago — Three William Foremans I, II, III Successively Owned and
Lived On Same Farm — Original Ancestor Came There Same Year That Texas
Changed From Republic To Statehood.
Sunday, August
30, was an eventful day in the lives of Mr. And Mrs. William Forman III, a
highly esteemed South Collin farm couple. It was their Golden Wedding
Anniversary and also the birthday of Mrs. Forman. Thus, the date has a double
significance in the life of the bride of fifty years ago.
Among those
attending from McKinney were, Judge George P. Brown, Billy Gee, Walter B.
Wilson, Mrs. T. A. Porter, a relative; County Judge-elect Jewell E. Abernathy
and wife, Dr. J. Knight and wife also relatives, and others, who called between
the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 o'clock in the afternoon, which period was kept as
open house by this worthy old couple for their friends to call. Large numbers
came from their little South Collin home city and other towns, including Allen,
McKinney, Frisco, Richardson and Dallas. Many took along presents as
testimonials of their esteem and good will.
Among these many
gifts was a certified "copy" of their marriage license, presented to them by
their lifelong friend, George P. Brown, prominent McKinney lawyer and former
County Attorney, who was born and reared near Plano. Miss Bessie Keen, Deputy
County Clerk, prepared the copy of the marriage certificate for Judge Brown, who
had it framed and covered with glass by H. A. L. Greenwood, veteran McKinney
photographer and expert at picture framing. The license was issued by Joe W.
Waddill, long since deceased, "the old bachelor County Clerk of Collin County"
for so many years. The officiating clergyman was the late General R. M. Gano of
Dallas, a distinguished Confederate general and after the war, a prominent
minister of the Christian Church to which denomination Mr. and Mrs. Forman
belong. They greatly appreciated this thoughtfulness of Judge Brown and will
proudly hang the framed certificate on the wall of their hospitable big old
Southern farm home.
A beautiful big
wedding cake adorned the dining room table, where the callers were ushered and
served delicious ice cream and cake.
Mr. And Mrs.
Forman and their children all attended church Sunday morning, together at the
Christian Church, in which they have been active members ever since it was
organized.
The children of
Mr. And Mrs. Will Forman are: Tom W. Forman, 802 Sixteenth Street, Galveston;
Cliff Forman of Plano, Fred Forman of Throckmorton, Texas; Charley Forman of
Plano, Frank W. Forman IV, who is in the Government service, at 740 Washington
Street, Brownsville, Texas. The two daughters are Mrs. Maggie Dooley and Mrs.
Charley Painter, both of Plano.
Anniversary
notes.
Tom Andrews,
brother-in-law of Mr. Forman, who is in his eighty-fourth year, was present. He
came to Texas, in 1874, from Walthall County, Mississippi, where he was born. He
married Miss Ora Forman, February 17, 1886. She died, August 13, 1932. His three
daughters were also present as follows: Mrs. Walter Saigling, Mrs. Alex
Kendrick, and Mrs. Silas L. Harrington, all of Plano. Like Mr. Forman, Mr.
Andrews is one of the most successful South Collin farmers, who has acquired a
considerable acreage in choice farm land, in South Collin. He bought this fine
land years ago at prices ranging from $38.00 to $55.00 per acre.
An old glass
bottle or demi-john with a handle to it is proudly owned by Mr. Forman. It is a
family heirloom of more than 100 years in age and was brought to Texas from the
state of Kentucky by his Grandfather William Forman I.
H. S. (Swan)
Forman and wife, 3601 Princeton Avenue, Dallas, mingled among the guests. Swan
is a nephew of William Forman III, being a son of the late Clint Forman of
Plano. Two of his sisters became the wives of two prominent McKinney men—the
late Judge M. G. Abernathy and the late Clarence W. Smith. Swan Forman attended
school in McKinney. His wife was the former Miss Belle Matthews of McKinney. In
his younger days, Swan was a clerk in Smith Bros. Drug Store here for several
years. He now is the owner of a couple of drug stores of his own—Highland Park
Pharmacy and the Country Club Pharmacy.
Mrs. Ella
Thompson of Fort Worth attended the Golden Wedding Anniversary of her uncle. She
was the former Miss Ella Forman, daughter of the late Clint Forman and a sister
of Swan Forman, now of Dallas. Her husband, the late S. A. Thompson, was a
brother of K. D. Thompson of McKinney.
Mrs. Frank
Forman of Richardson and husband, who is a son of Mr. And Mrs. William Forman,
helped make the occasion a success. She was formerly Miss Ima Campbell, daughter
of John Campbell, an extensive farmer of near Richardson, well known over North
Texas.
Mr. And Mrs.
Fred Forman of Throckmorton came to Plano to be at the Fiftieth Wedding
Anniversary of his parents. Mrs. Fred Forman was the former Miss Bertie Gregory,
daughter of the late C. C. Gregory of the Parker section of our county.
William Forman
III is the third William Forman to live upon the big farm that he now owns. He
was born in it, November 30, 1860. His grandfather, William Forman I, came to
Texas from Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, to Texas, in 1846, and bought the
farm. His son, William Forman II inherited it and also spent his life on the
place, which has now been in the ownership of the Forman family for
nearly ninety years.
William Forman
I, wife and four sons and one daughter, as stated, came from Kentucky. The four
sons were William Forman II, Joseph Forman, James Forman and Clint Forman. The
daughter, Miss Lutitia Forman, married George W. Barnett, another pioneer South
Collin settler. She was the mother of Mrs. J. H. Gulledge of Plano.
The original
William Forman and son built a grist mill on their place, later erecting a gin,
built a still and ran a country store. They also operated a saw mill and a co-operage.
All of these enterprises were built on the branch, located about a quarter of a
mile, north of the present big two-story country home of William Forman III.
However, they were located on the Forman land. The branch was dammed up to
afford a supply of water for the several enterprises. These enterprises were
patronized by the early settlers until Plano was founded in 1872, when the
Houston & Texas Central railroad was built, and the town had its beginning.
The Formans
donated some land for a cemetery, which is one of the oldest burying places in
the county and beautifully kept. It is located one mile east of Plano.
Mrs. William
Forman III was a native of the state of New York. She was brought to Texas when
a little girl of only five. Her maiden name was Mary Hafnar. She and her husband
are in fairly good health and are happy in their companionship and are very
proud of their six fine sons and two cultured daughters and their numerous
grandchildren.
The Forman
homeplace is one of the best farms in South Collin. The owner made a success of
farming and bought additional land around him and also some land in West Texas.
He is a man, who has stuck to the farm and cattle raising and has made our
county one of its most estimable and influential citizens. The editors of this
paper wish him and his dear old wife many more years of companionship and
happiness together.
Surname Index
Recommended Citation:
"William Foreman III and Wife
EARLY SETTLERS OF COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History
and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13, 2004 ].
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