Hurst, Pharis

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of Pharis Hurst. Born in Pennsylvania, Pharis Hurst went off to serve in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.

And the war gave back what it gave back. He was discharged after the loss of an arm at the siege of Vicksburg. That is not a small thing to carry.

After the war, Pharis turned west and came to Texas. What he built out here, he built with one arm and whatever grit a man accumulates after Vicksburg. He became a farmer.

He became a teacher. He became a postmaster. Three callings, one man, and not a one of them easy work in frontier Texas.

He married twice. First to Melinde Beal, then to Zilla Parker. Together across those two marriages, he had four children.

And in his later years, from 1917 to 1927, Pharis Hurst called Ozona home. A Pennsylvania boy who lost an arm at Vicksburg, planted roots in Texas, and left behind a name worth marking. This marker was recorded in 1970.

What the marker says

U.S. Army veteran of Civil War, discharged after loss of arm, siege of Vicksburg. Born in Pennsylvania. Came to Texas after war. Was a farmer-teacher-postmaster. Wives: (1) Melinde Beal; (2) Zilla Parker. Had 4 children. Lived in Ozona 1917-1927. Recorded-1970