The_Piner_Family

HONEY GROVE, TEXAS

The Piner Family

Written by H. P. Allen, assisted by W. J. Erwin about 1938

Mr. Piner's family consisted of four sons and one daughter. The writer is not sure he can name them in regular order, but knew personally each one. Walker was the oldest. He was born in Kentucky, but the family came to Honey Grove when he was quite young. He grew to manhood here, secured his education principally in the Honey Grove schools, studied for the ministry, was ordained and started on his career as a Methodist minister. He had been gone from Honey Grove several years, when as a visitor to relatives in Kentucky, we were being driven through the streets of Bowling Green, when we came to a large building under construction. My relative who was driving stopped and pointed out a man standing on a large stone, and said he was from Honey Grove. We looked and recognized Walker Piner. The street was so congested we could not stop for long. Later we went to his home to see him, but he was out of town, and we only had the pleasure of talking a few minutes with his wife. She was the daughter of David Bolivar, who was then a citizen of Honey Grove. We learned while visiting at Bowling Green that Walker Piner was the most popular preacher in the city. He had so revived the Methodist congregation that the old church building would not hold them, and they were then building a large, fine house of worship for him. The last we ever heard of him, he was pastor of a large congregation somewhere in Florida.

Howell, the second son, was a bright boy, and after going thru the Honey Grove schools was given a term at Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tenn. He then taught school two years, then was agent for the MK&T Railroad at Leonard for two years. He then moved to Whitewright in Grayson county, bought the school property there, then built a fine building, which in 1887 was chartered under the firm name of Piner and Anderson as Grayson College, and grew to be one of the best institutions of learning in Texas. In 1881, he married Miss Bernie Lockhart of Honey Grove. Not many years after this he became an invalid for life. His mind was not affected and he spent the time in writing, and became the author of several books. We have read only one. His subject was Psychology, and we soon was convinced that he had burned much midnight oil. He passed away not long ago, and his body was brought to Honey Grove for burial.

(there are some lines missing in the copy of this article. it starts back with the following:)

He fell from a tall building in Texarkana and was killed. Robert has been in the T&P Railroad service for many years. Miss Fannie married a Mr. King, and they live in Denison.

A short time ago Mrs. Piner, the mother, passed away and the body was brought to Honey Grove and tenderly laid beside her husband, with whom she had cooperated so efficiently and faithfully in his religious work.

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