SEPTEMBER 1990, VOL 6 NO 4

At 4 o'clock in the morning of May 8, 1881, Horace [L.] Hervey made his appearance as son number 3 in the household of Captain Albert G. Hervey and Griselda E. (Kirby) Hervey, of Chatfield, Navarro County, Texas. Five minutes later his twin brother, Herbert [E.] Hervey was born.⁵ According to one family tradition² the middle initials of the twins were added in later life, and the letters did not signify a name; however, according to descendants of Horace, the "L" stood for "Lee".

The twins were identical and it is said that at times even their father Albert could not tell them apart. Horace claimed that he received punishments from his father that were meant for his brother and at least once this seems to have had a basis in fact. Herbert had been taking advantage of his younger brothers but their father had caught him in the act. He set Herbert down in a chair with an order not to move and went for his belt. As soon as his father was out of the room Herbert got up from the chair, ran out, and hid under the house. Meanwhile, Horace, completely ignorant of the proceedings, happened to come along and sat in precisely the same chair his brother had been ordered not to leave. In came their father, belt in hand, jerked up Horace and wore him out. Their mother Griselda, seeing the injustice being perpetrated, came in yelling to him, "Albert, you've got the wrong one!" Horace claimed it was always like that.⁴

During the early adult years of their lives, the brothers farmed part of the estate that had belonged to their parents at Hester, Texas (located between Chatfield and Corsicana). Their farms were adjacent to the lands of their brother Ernest Kirby Hervey and very near several other relatives. The children of each family grew up playing together. Eventually, however, during the 1910-1920 era, the twins moved away from the farm, Horace to Chatfield to run a drugstore including a telephone switchboard and Herbert to Tupelo to manage a general store. They continued to enjoy Sunday dinners together however.

As adults Horace and Herbert continued to enjoy getting the most out of their identical appearance. The pastor of the church served both Chatfield and Tupelo. When a new minister came to Chatfield, one of his first stops happened to be the Hervey home next door to the church where he met Horace. During the conversation he happened to mention that he was about to go to Tupelo. The minister was not well out the door before Horace was on the phone prompting Herbert to meet the parson as soon as he showed up. Upon arriving in Tupelo, the minister was greeted by Herbert. The minister's eyes kind of bugged out and he asked, "Well Mr. Hervey, do you know a shortcut over here? How in the world did you get over here? I drove straight here from your house!" Herbert milked the gag for all it was worth.⁴

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Horace's daughter-in-law, Lois (Gable) Hervey, wrote the following remembrances of him. [The lives of Horace and Fannie Lee Hervey have been extensively documented in Mayflower to the Moon4.]

HORACE L. HERVEY (May 8, 1881 - June 21, 1949)
By Lois Hervey

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Children of Frances Leonora "Fannie Lee" (McCants) and Horace L. Hervey were:

Several members of the family have shared reminiscences about Herbert and Golden Hervey: Their eldest son, Albert Burdine wrote²: I have heard my dad and Uncle Horace talk, kid and laugh about when they were dating that they would each pass one another off for the other and that their dates just would not know which one they were with. They both had lots of fun!" Herbert Auvin, the younger son, shared some memories:⁶ I can remember Dad bought an old car---he cut cordwood one year. I stacked it and burned the brush, across from the Montfort that lived on the Roane Road. He took the cordwood and sold it [to buy the car]. He was driving [the] old car up that road by the house at Hester and the closer he got to the house, the louder he started hollering, "Whoa". He hollered "Whoa, Whoa" and came right through the picket fence, up on the front porch with this old Ford. The "Whoa" didn't work.

Lois and Hubert Hervey remember when the home of Herbert and Golden blew away: Uncle Herbert's and Aunt Golden's house was lost in a storm. After the tornado, Herbert and Golden were found under a mattress which probably saved their lives. The Red Cross paid for the rebuilding of their house and they had a very nice neat little home after the rebuilding. They were still operating the little store. After they were no longer able to operate the store they [continued to live] in this little house for quite a long time. About Herbert Lois wrote: He didn't have a very pleasant old age. He was very sick for many years. While Grandmother Hervey [Fannie Lee] worried so much about Granddaddy Hervey's [Horace's] death, she always felt very grateful that he didn't have to live on and on and suffer like his twin brother did.

The following paragraph about Herbert was written by his daughter-in-law, Marie (Cochran) Hervey: "Dad Hervey ... was such a kind, loving, gentle man ... He loved children and animals and they loved him. I can still see him out in the yard imitating the mockingbird and the bird swooping down to eat raisins from his shoulder. He trained his dogs to carry the newspaper to the house and to carry the mail. He ... was an avid hunter and he and Auvin [his son] always looked forward to their hunting trips for dove, quail, and squirrel. He also kept bees and the honey was wonderful as was the rich, thick cream be brought in from milking the cows. How wonderful the house smelled at Thanksgiving and Christmas when the Ozgood pies were baking, the home raised turkey roasting and the canned, home grown vegetables opened and served. Happy Memories of old fashioned holidays and two wonderful people, Mother and Dad Hervey..."

II. Herbert Auvin Hervey started to school at the one-room Hester School right in front of the grandfather's (A. G. Hervey's) homestead. Of this Auvin said, I finished up the primer and went to second grade all in one recess period there.⁶

On the farm with the Earnest Hervey family on one side and the Horace Hervey family on the other side Auvin used to like to run away. He said, I used to run off all the time. They used to tie me to the bedpost to keep me from running off. Today (1980) you'd get put in jail for child abuse if you tied a kid to the bedpost.⁶ Auvin and his first cousin Hubert Hervey used to enjoy simple games such as swinging out over a stream and back to the same bank using a grape vine that climbed the side of a tree. Auvin enjoyed dove hunting and the cream sodas at Uncle Horace's drug store. Auvin finished the grades taught out at the Tupelo school and continued in Corsicana High School. He and Clyde Robinson roomed with the Burkhalters to attended school during the summer of 1924 and to start his senior year of 1924-1925. A new school was built and Auvin boarded with the McKeown family: Kelly and May and their children Maudelle and Lucille, who lived across the street from it. May McKeown thought Auvin was a fine young man.⁶ Auvin attended Southern Methodist University at the same time his cousin Hubert was there. Auvin had been in the infirmary for two or three days sick with a swollen gland in his jaw when his dormitory and two others, Rankin Hall, North Hall, and Old South Hall, caught fire. Auvin was in the infirmary in Rankin Hall when the fire and accompanying excitement broke out. Auvin left the infirmary and went up to his room on the second floor. He grabbed his trunk, threw everything in it, and was taking it out in the field to the north of Rankin Hall when Hubert came from Main Building and helped him carry it. Hubert went back in and got the stuff in the drawers. A fire truck had driven into the courtyard surrounded by the blazing buildings. The buildings burned rapidly and the firetruck burned up with them. Auvin sat on the trunk watching the fire while everyone gave him a wide birth because of his swollen jaw which they assumed erroneously to be the mumps.⁶ Auvin lettered in baseball his freshman, junior, and senior years at SMU. Auvin got his degree in Business Administration majoring in marketing. He chose marketing so he could get his major out of the way in his junior year. He loved marketing and wrote his thesis on chain store retailing. He had started operating the grocery store when his family moved to Tupelo when he was 11 years old. In Corsicana he worked at American Bakery (where brother Burdine worked) after school and on Saturdays. Auvin went to work For GMAC on June 17, 1929. It was suggested to him by one of two sisters who roomed downstairs in the house where he boarded. She knew that an SMU athlete, Johny McBrooks, was to open a branch office in Amarillo so she suggested that Auvin approach him. He did and got a job offer for $80 per month.⁶

Auvin and Marie went to visit the Colorado Herveys in 1930 after he had worked a year. He visited his Uncle Edgar and Uncle Will and got to know their children Irene, Russell, Doreen, Don, Maureen, and Bud.⁶

Auvin's widow wrote the following biography of him: "Herbert Auvin Hervey was born March 7, 1909 in Hester, Texas, a farming community in Navarro County. He was the second son of Herbert E. Hervey and Golden Burdine Hervey. He spent his childhood in Hester and in Tupelo, Texas, also in Navarro County, where the family moved when his father began operating a general store. He was called "Auvin" by his mother and relatives and friends of his early years, however, as he grew older and especially upon entering business he was known as "Herb" or "Herv". "Herb received his high school education in Corsicana and entered Southern Methodist University's School of Commerce at the age of sixteen. To earn his first semester's tuition, room and board, he farmed his aunt's five-acre tract in Tupelo. He later bought this tract of land from his aunt and it remains in the family today. Alone, he cultivated, planted, hoed and picked the cotton crop which he also hauled to a local gin. He received $125.00 for his efforts, the exact amount needed. For the remainder of his years at the University he worked in a tea room, washing dishes, waiting on tables, helping in general wherever he was needed, to support himself and pay for his education. His great love in sports was baseball and he found time from his busy schedule to play on the varsity team and to earn his letter in this sport.

References:

Camp Coldsprings
Feby 28th 1865

Dear Matt,
As Lieut Tate leaves for home in a day or two I will write you a few lines though I have no news of int. to write you more than peace rumors still afloat but I dont see any foundation for them[.] true there may be Commissioners sent to confer with the Lincoln Govt yet I cannot believe that Govt will make or accede to any propositions favorable to the South at this time from the fact that they claim great advantages over this time last year which they claim from Shermans successful march through Georgia. but we cannot look upon it as they do[.] we were very much relieved when Sherman withdrew his Army from the centre to the border of that State even at the cost of Savannah[.] they have in their possession as much of the Teritory in Arkansas & Louisiana by many Thousand Square Miles[.] they have withdrawn from Brownsville Tex. which leaves them considerably wonted in the Trans Miss Dept[.] they stand about the same in Missouri. On the other side they have lost largely in Tenn & Miss, Ky, & Georgia[.] they have gained nothing around Richmond & Petersburg[.] taking everything into consideration I think we are in for better condition than we were last year[.] our army is better armed & disciplined than ever before. our Brig is by far in a better condition than last year. I think it is one of the most efficient Brigs in this Dept, we have brave and willing men. I trust peace may be made soon that we may all once more return to our happy homes to live in peace & happiness with loved ones, without interruption[,] not for 60 days but forever. how my heart swells in anticipation of that happy event. We should guard against peace rumors that suffer ourselves to be too much exalted in our feelings for fear the reaction should make us the more unhappy in disappointment,

Page two of letter
I was agreeably surprised this evening when I was handed a letter from my dear little wife, by the kindness of Charlie[.] it is the first line from you since I left home but I attributed to no fault of you my Dear. you have recd mine by Johnny Bains before now[.] I have written two[,] one by John Westbrook. I regret exceedingly to hear that you are suffering from cold[.] I hope you are fully recovered before this time. you have no idea my Darling little wife how anxious I feel about you and our dear children. would to god that you could know or that I had language to express my love for you. you say I will think you have grown young by the tenor of your letter[.] you cannot write too much love for me[.] if we are getting old our hearts are still young and can more fully appreciate true worth[.] we have lived together long enough to fully know each other & when man & wife can love so truly at our age it is certain that they are satisfied with their lot. may we ever live & love to an old age[.] My health is very good[,] no serious sickness in the camp[.] Lieut Drake is sick[;] MW. F. Stokes has been having 3rd day chills since he returned to the comp[.] we get along very well here have had plenty good ?bown? potatoes or &c no flour[.] we move from this camp to morrow to get nearer forage[.] we go 8 miles in the direction of Waverly. if the Yankees dont make a move soon I think we will work our way out towards the Brazos[.] it is not yet certain where we will go when we leave this country[.] peace rumors still come in[,] not reliable[;] otherwise all seems to be quiet[.] have had considerable religious excitement in the Brig[.] Wm Fortson professed[,] Jim Fortson & Fitz Kenner Moaners. wish all much success in their undertaking, there is from 100 to 150 moaners every night preach in camp & at two churches every night[.] Parson ?Cordon? is here[.] they say that they will follow us wherever we go as long as they c?? ?u??in? good

Page three of letter
I want you to send me Dave as soon as you can[.] it goes hard with me to get through all my duties & cook & attend to my Horse[.] I would not want him but that I know he is not of much advantage there[.] I will not have time to write Harry by Trent Tate as I am now writing by a pine torch[.] he will start by daylight tomorrow morning[.] you must find when he leaves and write by him[.] I was very proud to receive a letter from my boy[.] it does very well he will improve[.] I am very proud of my little boys and girls[.] it makes me feel very proud to know that they are learning so rapidly and trust they will not tire but continue to improve that they may make themselves useful in future. One thing I desire very much that is, to give them all a good education if we can give them nothing more. if Harry has to go into the service he will most assuredly go in my Comp & line[.] I think I would have no difficulty in getting him assigned here but there is no law as yet putting 16 year old boys into the service and I hope that we may never be under the necessity of calling them out. I think your plan is a good one in regard to farming[.] the 10 acres of corn will bread the family if it turns out well and keep 2 or 3 horses very well[.] Geo Hogan will not get off home until the absentees under the order report back[.] it is pretty tight on men absent without leave[.] I report eleven on that list today[;] the men are too careless. Say to Mollie Hodge that I regret very much that I cant be at her wedding but I think it would suit better if she would exchange with Betty Street and marry the old man instead of George, Billy Street dont like the idea of Bettys marrying the old man[.] I would like to have been at home to enjoy the chases with them and to kill some of the deer while the River was ___?___ (smeared)

Page four of letter
if this letter is black attribute it to pine smoke from the torch. I dont know why Mr. Hodge should have refused you the oats[;] he seemed to have had plenty[.] I am verry sorry that you bought oats from Gus, in future I want you neither to ask or grant him any favors[.] have nothing to do with him[;] dont allow him to stay about your house[.] if he comes to see his child treat him with politeness but give him to understand that his visits must be short[.] he had better put his neck in a halter than to say one disrespectful word about you[.] he may talk about me but he cant say one word about you[.] if he consults his own comfort he will keep the council I gave him when I was at home[.] I am very glad that Green thinks so much of Harry[.] he is a high toned young man and I dont think that he will set bad examples for him[;] at least I hope not for he would have great influence over him, has Calvin ever wrote in regard to the poney, you said nothing about her [-] whether she gave you trouble or not[.] write me by every chance[.] I must close as my torch is about out[.] My regards to our friends. I will write to Mollie soon that is if she will keep up regular correspondence[.] I have not seen her sweetheart yet, many kisses and much love to our dear children and many to your dear self my Darling little wife.

Your devoted Husband
A. G. Hervey
_____________________________________________

August 14, 1990
Enclosed is a check for the book ... "Mayflower to the Moon" ... The subject listings of the back issues ... were very helpful ... Need to order the Nov. 1987 back issue. My youngest brother has Hervey as a personal name, given him by our mother Joanna Rhodes Butler Chapman (granddaughter of Joanna Rhodes 1849-1938 and William Blount Hervey 1837-1922, great-grandson of Col. Thomas Hervey ... Also the Feb. 1988 back issue to see the letter from Lady Phyllis of Ickworth who just died. ... My mother saw her several times and remembers her well. My grandmother, Worth Hervey Butler (1878-1968, Great-great granddaughter of Col. Thomas Hervey) told me when my Uncle Rhodes (her older brother, William Rhodes Hervey) visited Ickworth the gatekeeper fainted on seeing him as he looked so much like the 4th Marquess of Bristol. But studying the Hervey Bulletin and the British National Trust booklet titled Ickworth, Suffolk, they must have been distant cousins at best though it would be exciting to find a connection. I would like to find out more about Oney S. Hervey who "appeared" in Virginia in 1702. [Enclosed] is a California Federal office brochure on their historical building in Santa Ana sent by my cousin Karen Hervey Reese to my mother. This was the Santa Ana home of the William Blount Hervey family from 1887 to 1906. My grandmother talked about living in Santa Ana. Summers were hot so they went to Long Beach for a couple of months to get away from the heat. They went in a wagon pulled by horses with a cow tied to the back for fresh milk. The trip each way (about 35 miles) took three days. They picnicked along the way. Each girl (5 daughters and 2 sons) was allowed 1 trunk apiece for their stay. That was all that would fit into the wagon. The family moved to Los Angeles in a hilly area called, I believe, Angelino Hill, in 1906 into a huge home built for the family at 902 Kensington. I remember visiting often with the other cousins in the 1930's and 40's and having a wonderful time running around. There was a very large wide oak stair in the center of the house with large bedrooms opening off an open balcony going around on three sides. There were many large bedrooms and the house was planned so that as each son or daughter married they could stay and live together! In the attic there were rooms divided off but no doors, just a few large sleigh beds and trunks and boxes. A great place to play and explore. The big full basement had a corner room where the air raid warden for the block had his first aid kit, supplies and gas mask during W.W.II. There were several beautiful cane wheel chairs which we pushed each other in and had races while the adults were upstairs in the living room with the player grand piano or the sunroom. The house at 902 looked much like the house in Santa Ana. The big round sun porch was on the south with the long driveway on the other side. Lots of trees and shrubs to hide in. ...