William Calmes Buck's Children: Silas Calmes Buck (1847-1908)

Silas Calmes Buck and his twin brother, Paul, were sons of William Calmes Buck and Isabella Miriam Field.  They were born on November 1, 1847 in Louisville, Kentucky. Paul was born at "20 min. after 5 and Silas at half past 7" according to the notes of their father. 

Paul died on July 5, 1848 of “cholera infantum” - an acute noncontagious intestinal disturbance of infants, now relatively rare.

Silas’s sister, Emma, wrote in her diary of February 14, 1862 that Silas and his brother Field were in school at Carrolton (probably Alabama).

While only fourteen years old, Silas accompanied and assisted his father who served as a missionary to the soldiers of the Civil War. Before he was sixteen, he joined the 16th Confederate Cavalry as Color Bearer.  This group was still fighting a week after Lee's surrender. When word of the surrender reached his unit, Silas removed the flag from the staff and hid it under some leaves.  Later, Silas retrieved the flag and gave it to his commanding officer Colonel Philip B. Spence.  Many years later, Col. Spence brought it to Texas to an old soldier's reunion in Dallas.  A photograph was taken of Silas with the flag and he was allowed to keep it for a year.

Silas also served in Company D, 12th Mississippi Calvary having enlisted on October 15, 1864 at Pickensville as a private.  He was surrendered at Citronelle, Alabama on May 4, 1865 and paroled at Cainesville, Alabama on May 14, 1865.  Philip B. Spence was lieutenant colonel of the 12^th Mississippi Cavalry which was also known as the 16^th Regiment of the Confederate Cavalry.

After the war, Silas studied law at Waco University (now Baylor).  He moved to Stephenville, Texas about 1875 where he continued the practice of law and was soon elected District Attorney.  He helped to bring law and order to those fourteen counties.  One of the most notorious criminals that he prosecuted was John Wesley Hardin whom Silas Buck sent to the penitentiary.  Overwork in his office resulted in ill health for much of the later years of his life.  With his poor health came financial hard times.

His daughter, Emma Virginia Buck, wrote that some thought him severe but he was actually was not.  He was "just in his disciple and a most loving and self-sacrificing father, and a devoted husband.  He was a humble sincere Christian, taught his children the Bible, tried to train them in its precepts and to instill in them a vital faith in God."

Silas Calmes Buck and Georgia Rebecca Titus were married on July 25, 1877 in Texas.  Georgia Rebecca Titus, daughter of Peter Wright Titus and Susan Torrence Hines, was born on June 9, 1854 in Texas. Her daughter, Emma Virginia Buck wrote that "No woman ever lived in Stephenville who was more beloved than my mother."  More than twenty nieces, nephews and grandchildren were taken into her home to attend the Stephenville schools.

Silas Calmes Buck and Georgia Rebecca Titus had the following children:

•         Mary Susan Buck (1879-1966); married Harrison D. Buck, 1918.  Harrison D. Buck was the son of Giddings Judson Buck and Mary Cottingham Halbert.
•         Emma Virginia Buck (1880-1975); married Rube Hendrix.  She lived in Stephenville all her life. Emma Virginia Buck was the author of a well-used and appreciated Buck family history.  In a letter to Gordon S. Buck, Sr., Emma wrote:  "... Cousin Charlie told me that his brother, Will, was the very best man he knew."  (This would be Charles Willis Buck, Jr. speaking of William Calmes Buck, II, grandfather of Gordon S. Buck, Sr.)
•        Silas Calmes Buck Jr. (1883-1963); married Ada Williams.
•         Mattie Buck (1887-1887)
•         William E. Buck (1887-1887)
•         Georgia Buck (1893-1977); married Thomas Jewell Arnold.  Thomas Jewell Arnold applied for a Confederate Pension for Georgia Rebecca Titus Buck in 1928.  The pension was approved October 1, 1928.  Her application and the approval process included information and even some letters from Silas.

Silas Calmes Buck signed his will on March 27, 1904 in Erath County, Texas.  His wife, Georgie Titus Buck, was the sole executrix of his will which was witnessed by Susie Buck (probably their daughter) and L. N. Frank.

Georgia Rebecca Titus Buck died on August 15, 1939 at the age of 85.  She was buried in West End Cemetery, Erath, Texas.  Silas Calmes Buck died in 1908 at the age of 61 in Erath County, Texas.

William Calmes Buck's Children: Willis Field Buck (1845-1888)

Willis Field Buck was a son of William Calmes Buck and Isabella Miriam Field.  He was born June 26, 1845 at “11 ½ pm” in Louisville, Kentucky according to the notes of his father.  He was usually called “Field”.

His sister, Emma, wrote in her diary of February 14, 1862 that Field and Silas were in school at Carrolton (probably Alabama).  A few days later, she wrote that Field was begging for his father’s permission to join the army which “Pa does not intend to give.”  On July 23, she wrote that Field had joined the 36^th Mississippi Regiment.  He was 17 years old.  Emma often wrote of making clothes, socks and gloves for Field.  On November 1, she wrote of Field “Poor boy, he must have suffered during his imprisonment.  I hope the Yankees won’t get him again.”  Apparently, Field was captured at the Battle of Corinth.  On December 30, she wrote that Field had been sick.  Field had applied for the rank of lieutenant but was denied because he was not yet 18 years old.  Field was stationed at Vicksburg, Mississippi in May, 1863 when it fell to the Union army.  In 1864, Emma wrote that Field had arrived on July 24^th on his way to the Parole Camp at Demopolis, Alabama.  She visited him several times at that camp.  After Field was “exchanged” he was sent to Tennessee and fought in the Battle of Missionary Ridge.  He was then hospitalized for several weeks in Montgomery before returning to his regiment just before Christmas.

After the Civil War, Field entered Louisville Medical College and graduated in 1867.   He then joined his father in Waco, Texas and began his medical practice. 

In 1868, Field and his brother Giddings visited their sister Mary and her husband Rezin Davidge in Staton Island, New York.  Apparently, they were attempting (unsuccessfully) to find a publisher for a book by their father, William Calmes Buck, and they stayed in New York for several months.  In a letter to his wife, Giddings wrote “Field is not much of a stroller and sight seer, loves to sit in the house, read and smoke.”

In Texas, Field married Anna William Harrison, daughter of Richard Harrison and Mary Ragsdale on October 27, 1872, in Waco.  She was called “Nannie”.

Sometime in 1879, Field and his family moved to Stephenville, Texas.  His brother, Silas, also lived in Stephenville.  Apparently, Field was not in good health and hoped that his health would improve in Stephenville.  He lived in Stephenville at the time of the 1880 census and gave his occupation as “M.D.”. 

Field’s health did not improve in Stephenville and he moved to Pecos in Reeves County.  Pecos was said to be truly the “wild west”.  Field built up a large practice in Pecos but was so isolated that he had to be his own druggist, surgeon, obstetrician and oculist.  He even furnished a charity ward.

Willis Field Buck and Anna William Harrison had four children:

• ·        Mary Ragsdale Buck (1874-1875)
• ·        Margaret Earle Buck (1875-1887)
• ·        Richard H. Buck (1878-1879), said to have died of croup in Comanche, Texas.
• ·        Miriam Field Buck (1881-1887).

All of their children died young.  It seems that some sort of epidemic must have been active in 1887 and into 1888.  Anna William Harrison Buck died on March 11, 1888 in Waco, Texas.  Field committed suicide a few months after the death of his wife and died August 14, 1888 in Baird, Texas.  At the time of his death, Field was said to be about 5’8” tall and weigh about 130 pounds.  He was reported to use alcohol and opiates regularly and was writing about spiritualism as he imagined that evil spirits were after him.  Both Field and Nannie are buried in the old First Street Cemetery of Waco, Texas.