William Walker Echols Sr.

William-Walker-Echols-Sr-cropped.jpg

Born September 1889 (Rock Creek, AR)
Died December 19, 1933 (Fort Worth, TX)
Parents Josephus Bryan Echols and Martha Ellen (Wilson) Echols
Spouse Della Lee (Anderson) Echols
Children Avinelle (Echols) Cason, William Walker Echols Jr., Edwin Maurice Echols

Summary

William Walker Echols was born in Rock Creek, Arkansas and came to Texas at 6 years old. He lived in Waxahachie, Italy, Roscoe and Snyder before coming to Fort Worth. He was a deacon in the First Baptist Church, a Shriner and member of Masonic lodge No. 148 (The Fort Worth Press Tuesday, December 19).

He worked in a variety of professions through from the 1910s to the early 1930s, including:

  • Bank cashier (different occupation than a modern "cashier")
  • Mayor (of Snyder, TX)
  • Drug store owner (of Echols Drug Store)
  • Banker (in collections department)

His ancestry is summarized in Agnatic Descent to William Echols.

Timeline

Date Event
September 1889 Born in Rock Creek, Arkansas to Josephus Bryan Echols and Martha Ellen (Wilson) Echols (The Fort Worth Press December 19, 1933; NARA).
1900 Living in Scurry County, Texas, age 11, with Josephus/Ella Echols household (per Josephus Bryan Echols).
October 7, 1901 Father, Josephus Bryan Echols died.
April 23, 1909 Referred to as "of Hermleigh"; traveled to Plainview (The Western Light April 23, 1909).
1910 Listed as "William W." in federal census, with his mother as head of the household (1910 Federal Census, Texas).
February 2, 1912 Traveled to Snyder as cashier of the State Bank at Hermleigh (The Snyder Signal February 2, 1912).
July 4, 1913 Business visitor to Snyder as cashier of the Hermleigh State Bank (The Snyder Signal July 4, 1913).
September 18, 1914 Drove to Snyder as cashier of the First State Bank of Hermleigh; remarked on cotton sales at Hermleigh (The Snyder Signal September 18, 1914).
September 25, 1914 Purchased a bale of cotton at 10 cents per pound in Snyder while visiting from Hermleigh (The Snyder Signal September 25, 1914).
November 11, 1914 Traveled to Snyder as part of/representing the Hermleigh State Bank (The Snyder Signal November 13, 1914).
January 15, 1915 Business visitor to Snyder as part of the Hermleigh State Bank; reported Hermleigh cotton warehouse completed (The Snyder Signal January 15, 1915).
October 5, 1917 Unanimously elected as alderman (The Snyder Signal October 5, 1917).
January 16, 1918 Elected as assistant cashier of the First National Bank (The Abilene Reporter January 16, 1918).
September 6, 1918 Creation of Anderson–Echols Drug Store (Echols Drug Store).
December 13, 1918 Issued proclamation/ordinance disbanding public gatherings and closing schools as mayor (Spanish Influenza measures) (The Snyder Signal December 13, 1918).
July 4, 1919 Went to Lubbock to play in the Fourth of July band (The Snyder Signal July 4, 1919).
October 31, 1919 Made a business trip to Dallas (The Snyder Signal October 31, 1919).
December 26, 1919 Hosted C. E. McDaniel, wife, and son of Big Spring (The Snyder Signal December 26, 1919).
January 16, 1920 Brother J. P. Echols (Dallas traveling salesman) visited Mayor W. W. Echols (The Snyder Signal January 16, 1920).
March 12, 1920 Newspaper notes he did not want to succeed himself as mayor (The Snyder Signal March 12, 1920).
March 17, 1920 Sold the Echols Drug Store (deal completed mid-March) (The Snyder Signal March 19, 1920).
March 19, 1920 Issued notice of a special election in the newspaper as mayor.
March 26, 1920 Issued notice of a special election in the newspaper as mayor (The Snyder Signal March 26, 1920).
April 9, 1920 Advertised 7-room cottage for sale in East Snyder (The Snyder Signal April 9, 1920).
April 17, 1920 Special election to consider adopting commission form of city government (as mayor) (The Snyder Signal March 26, 1920).
May 7, 1920 Listed under "New Subscribers and Renewals" for the Snyder Signal ("W. W. Echols, Fort Worth") (The Snyder Signal May 7, 1920).
September 17, 1920 Telegram to William Henry Anderson reports a baby boy born to Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Echols in Fort Worth (The Snyder Signal September 24, 1920).
December 8, 1920 Returned early to Fort Worth due to bank force being sick (The Snyder Signal December 10, 1920).
December 10, 1920 Visiting in Snyder; said he liked his work at the First National Bank in Fort Worth (The Snyder Signal December 10, 1920).
November 19, 1926 Pleaded guilty to embezzlement from the First National Bank; two-year sentence suspended (The Fort Worth Press November 19, 1926).
Circa 1932 Connected with the American Seed Company (later noted in obituary) (The Fort Worth Press December 19, 1933).
December 19, 1933 Died at his Fort Worth home (1517 Alston Ave.) (The Fort Worth Press December 19, 1933).

He is listed as "Wm Walker Echols" in his death certificate (NARA).

Misc

His marriage to Della Lee Anderson may have occurred in Hermleigh, TX on September 4, 1910.

He was mainly referred to as "W. W. Echols" in the newspaper, but he is also referred to as "Will Echols" on occasion.