A Brief Account of the Hetherington and Broughton Families

Compiled by Charlie Tillery

George Kile Hetherington was born at Monroeville, Monroe County, Alabama, December 31, 1879, being the fourth boy and last child of John M. and Margaret Ann Hetherington. When he was five years of age, his family moved to Reagan, Texas, and settled on a farm one mile south of town. As a young boy, he attended the Reagan Public School and assisted with the farm work. At times when he was free to do so, he went fishing and hunting with his brothers or boys in the neighborhood, or played baseball and other games with them. He developed into an enthusiastic fisherman and became unusually accurate with a rifle and shot-gun. He could catch more fish and kill more quail and squirrels than almost anybody in the neighborhood. His boyhood was the usual happy, busy, more or less care-free kind enjoyed by most boys of his time and station in life.

But his time was not all taken up with hunting and fishing and playing games. He finished the required work available for him in the Reagan Schools, and he took to tilling the soil and cultivating cotton and corn like a duck takes to water. He enjoyed farm work and became very skillful as a farm hand. He was outstanding as a cotton picker. His record for a single day was seven hundred and eighty pounds of seed cotton, which is more than a half bale. By the time he had reached manhood, he was capable of running a farm and doing any of the operations in connection therewith.

George Hetherington, who was seventeen years of age ans unmarried when I was born, took quite an interest in me and his other nephews and nieces, and felt as much responsibility for our conduct and safety as if we had been young brothers and sisters. I remember on several occasions when I was out too late picking up pecans or hunting birds, he sent me home, so my parents would not worry about me; and at other times when I was older, if he heard about some activity in which I was engaging that might lead me into trouble, he gave me good advice and set me straight on the way a young boy should conduct himself. He took me hunting and camping with him, and he surely had all the love for the woods and fields that his pioneer ancestors had before him. A few times we went ‘possum hunting at night, and it was my job to climb the tree and shake possums down for the dogs to catch. Fishing with him and some of my other uncles on the channel or the Brazos provided good sport and also some mighty good eating. He also knew how to locate bee trees, and how to rob the bees of their honey, a most welcome item of food for a growing boy. On rainy days there were sessions of forty-two and dominoes. None of these activities were permitted to interfere with the farm work; and I sometimes worked with him chopping or picking cotton.

George Hetherington’s courting day were happy days. He had a new buggy and a high stepping trotting horse, and he took his young lady to church, to picnics, and to parties. Once a coach whip snake became entangled in the wheel of the buggy and somehow got into the buggy with the young couple. The snake was harmless, but did create quite a bit of excitement. The young lady he went with was Fannie Herridge, who was born in Llano County, Texas, February 29, 1884.

George Hetherington and Fannie Herridge were married December 17, 1905, at the home of his sister, Mrs. G. W. Shaunfield, at Reagan, Texas, the ceremony being performed by the Reverend Cal Adams.

As a young married couple, George and his wife worked hard and prospered. She was ambitious and industrious and sensible, a good cook and home-maker. For two or three years they rented land from his father, J. M. Hetherington; then they bought a farm on the Little Brazos, on which they lived and worked a good many years. While living on the Little Brazos they purchased the Herridge place; and some time later they acquired the Hetherington home place, and moved into the old Hetherington homestead. This move likely occurred about 1915. In the late twenties, the old Hetherington home was torn down, and a new residence was built on the same site. This place is very attractive and comfortable, but does lack a permanent ample water supply, especially during dry seasons. While living on the Little Brazos and on the old Hetherington homestead, they reared a family of five children, all of whom grew to maturityexcept the youngest boy, who was injured on a hay rake when the team ran away with him, and he died from the injury when he was seventeen years of age.

All his life, George Hetherington has been very generous and considerate of his friends and neighbors and relatives, especially when they were in trouble or having some hard luck. After papa died he invited mama to live in his home. He also helped her with the renting and supervision of her farms and other business matters. Several young people were provided a home by him and his wife until they married or were able to make their own way.

He was energetic and industrious and possessed plenty of initiative. When crops were poor, or prices were low, he milked cows for additional income, or butchered calves and peddled the meat from house to house. He is the type of man who would expect his family to be thrifty, but would make every effort to provide them with everything they needed.

Uncle George and Aunt Fannie have reached the age for retirement. However, she still does the housekeeping and he likes to work a garden and plant a watermelon patch. They have built a very fine reputation for being good neighbors and good parents. Their most notable accomplishment the rearing of five very capable children. George, the oldest, is a successful business man of Texas City, Texas; and Travis, a graduate West Point, is a colonel in the U. S. Air Force. Harold lost his life in an accident when he was seventeen years old. The two daughters, Evelyn and Mary Ethel, are housewives, busy with young families.

George Hetherington belongs to a generation which is almost gone. There is no pretense about him, absolutely honest in all his thoughts and actions. He is neighborly and charitable. He is not highly trained, but is practical and possesses a large amount of native ability. He is independent and not easily influenced. He would be incapable of waste or extravagance. Judged by what he stands for and by what he has accomplished, his life has been successful, and he has earned the respect and admiration of all of us.

Below is a list of the sons and daughters of George Kile and Fannie Hetherington, together with their wives, or husbands, and their children:

George William Hetherington was born October 11, 1906. He married Bertie Adams February 18, 1932. Their children are Martha Ann Hetherington, born November 10, 1933, and George William Hetherington, Jr., born February 5, 1937.

Travis Monroe Hetherington was born February 20, 1908. He married Louise Herridge May 13, 1940. Their children are Susan Elaine Hetherington, born August 25, 1942, and Mary Carolyn Hetherington, born August 15, 1943.

Evelyn Marguerite Hetherington was born November 2, 1915. She married Joseph Funderburk October 5, 1935. Their children are Billy Kile, born August 10, 1936; Harold Monroe, born May 24, 1939; Joseph Durwood, born September 28, 1940; and Ruth Elaine, born December 10, 1951.

Mary Ethel Hetherington was born August 12, 1917. She married John H. Matthews December 7, 1942. Their children are Samuel Stephen Matthews, born July 5, 1946; and John Michael Matthews, born September 17, 1951.

Harold Hetherington was born June 10, 1910, and died June 10, 1927, his death resulting from an accident which happened when a team he was driving ran away with a hay rake.

In June of 1952, George K. and Fannie Hetherington had living four children, ten grandchildren, and no great grandchildren.