As published in newsletter about 1990 by Dave Reedy & Rosa.  

I’d like to thank Sherman and his family for sending all this information in for us to publish. It has been a pleasure talking to him on the phone. 

Sherman Paul, a son of Oscar C. & Doshie Houghton, was born March 6, 1906 in Caddo, Texas, about two miles south of the home place. His father farmed over two hundred acres of cotton there, so Sherman grew up helping his father and brothers with the endless chores. At age 10, his mother died of TB. He remembers her as a warm, religious woman who read the Bible to them quite often.

At age 19, Sherman married Myrtle Lou Whitley of Caddo, on November 7, 1925.  They started their married life in Caddo, where four of their five children were born.  There were Ernest, Raymond, Juanita, and Jesse.

Work was pretty hard to find in Caddo during the war, so in 1942.  Sherman went to Fisher County, in West Texas to work on his cousin Turner’s cotton farm. Another cousin, L.C., helped Sherman get a job at Celotex, a sheet rock plant in Hamlin where L.C. worked. Later several of the relatives from the Caddo area moved to Hamlin to work there, also. Turner and L.C. were the sons of Sherman Houston Houghton.  After they moved to Hamlin, Sherman and Myrtle had one more son. He is Alvin  

Sherman worked for Celotex for 28 years before retiring. He and Myrtle are happily  retired in Hamlin where Raymond and Judy live with them. They will be celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary this year.

Ernest married Martha Braggs of Odessa, on October 9, 1946. They had Paul, Ann, Lee, Velma, and Thelma. They live in Odessa where Ernest is retired after working 37 years for the city. When he retired the city had a “Ernest Houghton Day’ parade in honor of him because he had worked longer than any other man. 

Raymond married Judy Paul of Hamlin, on January 11, 1977. His children are: Gary, Pam, and Ronald. They lived in Abilene for years before moving to Hamlin about two years ago to care for his  parents. Raymond sells auto parts and runs an antique store. 

Juanita McDaniel lives in Odessa, Texas. Her children are: Richard, Allen, Audie, Steve, Bryan, Gordon, and Kevin. She works for a contracting firm in Odessa. 

Jesse married Carolyn Jonason in Abilene on March 25, 1968. They have two children: Jerry Fred, and Ginger Ann. They live in Hamlin where Jesse works for the Highway Department. 

Alvin married Wanda McClain in Arlington, Texas, where they now live. They have two children; Serce, and Julie. Alvin is a manager for a company that handles plastic pipe.

In Memory...

Myrtle Lou Houghton passed away November 21, 1989, at her home in Hamlin, Texas. She was the daughter of Jim and Becky (Glover) Whitley and was born to them on September 7, 1908, in Mineral Wells, Texas. She married Sherman P. Houghton on November 7, 1925, in Haskell, Texas, and they enjoy 64 years together. She is survived by her husband, Sherman, Sons; Ernest, Raymond, Jesse, and Alvin, and daughter; Juanita McDaniel, one brother; Claude Whitley of California, and a sister, Lorain of Denton Texas. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

We are all saddened by Myrtle’s passing. We extend are heartfelt sympathy to Sherman and all his family. They are truly fortunate to have had her with them for these many years and the lives that she has touched are a vast number. Her influence will go on perhaps forever.  To each one we send our love.

A Look at Myrtle Lou From A Grandchild's Point of View

When the news came on that day that the one I loved had passed away, I couldn't help feeling sad and blue, but then my mind started thinking of you.

Your loving touch, your warm embrace, and who could forget that smile on your face.

I remembered all the games you loved to play, and going fishing on those warm summer days. With snuff can in hand, off we would go, in search of that perfect fishing hole.

Those oil lamps you saved, the lessons you taught, who could forget your ticklish spot.

Now I call you Granny, and that one word meant Love, for that was one thing you always had plenty of.

You never set one above the other, not grandchild or those you called you Mother.

You will be missed, it's true to say, but we all know we'll be together again someday. So I won't say goodbye, for you are not really gone, for through each of us, you still live on.

I'll stop writing now, but before I do, I want to say I'll always love you.

 (A Tribute from Allen Jackson to his Grandmother, Myrtle Lou Houghton, who passed away Nov. 21, 1989. Thank you, Allen.)