In the last days of the Civil War, three of Michael B Blocker V and
Polly Graham's sons, William, John and Michael Patrick and all their
families, came by covered wagon from Alabama to Texas. "Buck"
Blocker, grandson of Michael B Blocker V was seven years old at the
time and remembered the journey very well. There were several
wagons in the train, eighteen wagons in all. The wagons were
pulled by oxen and there were several young men along. Ben Blocker
was only fourteen at the time, but responsible and very daring, and
was an outrider or scout for the group. There may have been
other scouts also. A few of the men were still in the Army.
Some of the people were in-laws. The Dockery's were in the wagon
train. Some hard and trying experiences came their way which
made the journey rough and long. Once they were attacked by
road bandits. Another time they were caught in a flash flood
and their wagon beds almost floated away. Another time, they
found themselves in the middle of a bloody riot between newly freed
slaves and land owners, and so on.
When they reached Texas they camped in several different places looking
for good land and good water and a desirable place to make their homes.
One brother, John, went on to southwest Texas and went into the cattle
business. He later moved back near the old home place near Hull,
Alabama, Tuscaloosa County. William Blocker took his family
and first settled in Wood County, Texas but later moved to Nash in
Bowie County, Texas. He was killed there in a tornado which
passed through in 1893 and is buried in the old Handley Cemetery at
Nash, along with other members of the family. His son David
Blocker and his wife Bell R Jones Blocker reared a big family of good
solid citizens. Michael Patrick Blocker settled on the Red River
north of DeKalb. Soon he lost his wife, Mary Ann Dockery, and
two daughters, Sarah and Lecretia "Crecy". They are
buried in the old cemetery at Spring Hill, northwest of DeKalb, Texas.
Michael P Blocker married second Mollie Lockhart; he moved his family
north of Oak Grove and established a home in the little community
of Gravel Hill. He had several children by his second wife.
George Washington Beauregard "Buck" Blocker, 1859-1937,
married Lida Phillips. They also settled near Michael Blocker
and his brother Ben, 1852-1909, who married Emmaline Butts.
Eliza Rachel Rosser (Roschel) Johnston Blocker Mozingo moved to Bowie
County in 1880 and settled near Red Water. The Blockers can
be taken back to the immigrant, Michael Blocker I, who came from Prussia
to America about 1715 and died in 1753 in Bladen County (Cumberland
County), North Carolina. The name was originally "Blucher"
and Michael Blocker was the nephew of General Von Blucher who opposed
Napoleon at Waterloo.
The children of Michael Patrick Blocker, born 1829 in Alabama, and
his first wife, Mary Ann Dockery, were:
1. Benjamin F "Ben" born 1852, married Emmaline Butts
2. Lucretia V, born 1856
3. Michael B "Ben", born 1858
4. Sarah Virginia
5. Mary Annie, born 1862, married George Hamblin
6. George Washington Beauregard "Buck", 1859-1937, married
Eliza Jane "Lida" Phillips
The children of Buck and Lida Blocker were:
1. Eva, 1887-1976, married Charlie Durham, buried at Gravel Hill
2. Effie Blocker, 1890-1896
3. Oak Cliff, 1891-1895
4. Ott William, 1893-1934, married Emma Lou Duke, buried at Woodman
Cemetery
5. Ora "Shack", 1895-1960, married Mary A Davis. Their
son was Dan Blocker who played the part of Hoss in Bonanza, the TV
series. They are buried at
Woodman Cemetery
6. Daisy, 1897-1970, married W O Buttram, buried at Gravel Hill
7. Bonnie, born 1902, married Louis Stout
8 . Gladys Marie, born 1904, married Dick Lumpkin
9 . Willie Bernice "Bobbie", 1906-1960, married Albert Chilcote,
died at Amarillo, Texas
10 . Mary Avis, 1909-1985, married Storey Williams, no children
11. Richard Ben, 1912-1934
12 . Jake, 1914-1983, married Evalyn Crane, lived at Paris, Texas
13. Doda, died 1979, married Simeon Hayes