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Robert Burns Dewitt
b.2 Jun 1888 DeWitt Farm, Peter Pender, Franklin Co., Arkansas
d.4 Jan 1964 Dallas, Texas
Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 18 May 1876
Facts and Events
According to the Sallie DeWitt 1981 Genealogy, Robert Burns DeWitt left the DeWitt farm in Franklin County Arkansas when he was only 16 years old. He lived with a family by the name of Hutton, while working on farms around San Antonio and studying accounting. "Bob" DeWitt, as he was called, taught school in Haskell County, Oklahoma at age 20, for a salary of $50 per month. A copy of his "Teachers Contract" is contained in the Sallie DeWitt 1981 Genealogy. He later became the County Auditor in Limestone County, Texas while living in a town called Groesbeck. He eventually made his home in Dallas, Texas at 5934 Tremont Street. In 1917 he recruited, housed, fed and clothed a company of volunteers for WWI. These men were eventually accepted into the army, but Robert was not reimbursed for the expense until 1961. Robert himself was a first lieutenant in the war. In the 1920's he audited the books for Edinburg, Texas and was paid $60,000! He later was paid $100,000 by the City of El Paso to get their books in order. In the 1950's he started his own company, BDK Geophysical. In 1955 he authored and published a book called "One Man's Opinion", which dealt with politics and the economy of the time. His obituary in the Dallas Morning News ran as follows: Robert Burns DeWitt, resident of Dallas since 1908. President of BDK Geophysical Company, buried at Calvary Hill Cemetery; service at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. His home: 5934 Tremont. Independent oil operator, farmer. In 1915 he moved to Groesbeck and served as Limestone County Auditor until 1928 when he returned to Dallas. Recruited a company of volunteers during WWI and personally paid for their quartering until they were accepted into the Army. In 1961, the U.S. Senate passed a bill (Lyndon Johnson) paying him $4100 for the cost of quartering the men. In 1955 he wrote teh book, "One Man's Opinion", which was published privately and distributed to members of Congress. Reprinted in the Congressional Record, the book dealt with the governmental economy and other matters related to the national government. He was interred at the Calvary Hill Cemetary, Dallas, Texas. References
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