1860 Census, Beaver Pond, Lexingon Co, SC, pg. 359 shows a daughter, age 2 years as the second child.
Ben Sturkie, 29, farmer; Margaret, 22; Lloyd O., 4; Louisa, 2; Infant, 4/12

1870 - No Record-The family emigrated from SC and has not been located on any census. Three children were born in MS en route to Texas.

1880 US Census, Erath CO, Texas (June, 1880)
BJ Sturkie, occ Farmer, 49;
M.A.E. Sturkie, Keeping House, 43;
L. O., Farm laborer, 23;
J. I. , Farm Laborer, 20;
Florence, at home, 19;
V. C., works on farm, 17;
M.A.E. at home, 15;
Lydia V., 3.
Census gives birthplace of BJ, MAE Sr, L. O, JI as SC; of Florence, VC, MAE Jr. as MS and Lydia V. as TX.20 (So we know that they left SC by 1861 and were in Texas since at least 1877. That leaves 16 years unaccounted for.)

1900 US Census, Comanche CO
Ir Sturkie Head bn. Dec 1859 SC age 40
Mary wife bn Jan 1863 age 37
William D. 17
Vesta 15
Mollie 13
Myrtle 10
Loyd 8
Dawn 3

1920 US Census, Comanche CO
John I Sturkie Head 60
Mary E. Wife 56
Melissa M. Dau 14

1930 US Census, Comanche CO (Apr 11, 1930, Justice Precinct 4)
Ira J. Starkie age 70
Mary Starkie age

Comanche County Bio

John Ira Sturkie and Mary Elizabeth Cook Sturkie

A man of few words, staunchly religious and loved by everyone, John Ira Sturkie born December 17, 1859—started his journey to Texas with his family when he was but three months old. The 1860 Census for Beaver Pond, Lexington CO, SC, where he was born, shows him as the infant son of Benjamin J. and Margaret A. Sturkie. John Ira was their third child. His older brother Lloyd O. Sturkie and sister Louisa, age 2, also accompanied the family.as they traveled westward in a homemade tarpole wagon.

Why the family left South Carolina shortly after 1860 is unknown at this point. The War Between the States was brewing and where the family spent the war years is a mystery. But it does appear that time was spent in Mississippi and possibly Tennessee and that the family did not arrive in Texas until around 1872. (They have not been found on any 1870 Census.) Subsequent censuses and other documents indicate that three Sturkie children—Margaret A., Jr.; Florence and Viston were all born in Mississippi., Whatever the facts, it appears that the family arrived possibly in Cleburne, Texas first where they remained a couple of years and moved on to Dublin, Erath County, Texas and then to Proctor. John Ira is listed on the 1880 Erath County Census living in the house with his father and mother and siblings. By 1882, he is married to Mary Eliza Cook

Between 1880, where he was listed as a farm hand at home in Erath County, and 1882, he must have taken up employment with John Benjamin Frankllin Cook, a well-to-do rancher and minister in Erath County. In this employ, John met and fell in love with Mary Eliza Cook, oldest child of Rev. J. B. F. Cook and is first wife, Elizabeth Hart Cook. The story of their courtship and marriage was told on many occasions by Wm. D. Sturkie, their oldest child:

“John Ira rode out to West Texas where Grampa (John Franklin) Cook owned several thousand acres and worked as a cowhand before he married Mary Eliza. Grandpa Cook told John Ira that he couldn’t marry Mary. Mary, her father claimed, was always used to plenty and all John Ira owned was the bush tailed pony he rode. The couple decided to wait a month and ask again. Grandpa Cook said his word was final and refused to consent to their marriage. John Ira collected his pay preparing to leave for Dublin and decided to steal his bride to be. He borrowed a new wagon and got his brother Lloyd Olen to drive the team. It took four days to drive back to West Texas. John Ira stopped a mile from the Cook ranch house. Mary was expecting him. He walked the mile to the house waiting till Grandpa Cook went to bed. Mary had her hogback trunk packed. At ten p.m. he turned the knob on the door and walked into the house removing his shoes so as not to make a sound. John Ira carried the trunk to where he had left his shoes. The couple arrived in Belle Plains just after sun up. They got the marriage license, were married and left for Dublin and then moved to Proctor, TX. In 1882.

In Proctor, Texas, they bought an old log house (16 x 16) for 15 dollars and moved it log by log to rebuild it as a new house with a shingle roof, a gallery in front and a lean-to on the north side for a kitchen. The house had a rock chimney and a dirt floor. White sand was brought from the banks of the Leon River in a flour sack to cover the kitchen floor. It took two trips to cover the lean-to floor. The fresh floor would keep for a week or two until it got dirty again and had to be scooped out and replaced with new sand. A group of dogwood switches was used for a broom.

After their marriage on January 9, 1882, Mary gave birth to William Dudley Sturkie the couple’s oldest son in November, 1882. Will was followed by Vesta, 1884; Mollie, 1886; Myrtle, 1889; Lloyd Olen, 1892; Dawn, 1897; Melissa, the baby in 1906.

In 1902 John Ira and Mary purchased 542 acres of prime farm land on the Leon River . The property, part of the Asa Hoxley Survey in Comanche County, was purchased from Ned Holman with a down payment of $500 and 5 notes of 353.60 payable to Ned Holman for a total of $2268. In 1904, 142 acres of this parcel were sold to D. J. Burrow. After paying off Holman on the original note In 1909, Mary E. and John Ira took out a new note for $2800 using the property to secure the loan; and in 1912, 97 1/2 acres were sold to W. D. Sturkie and 100 acres sold to L. O. Sturkie, their two sons.

John I. Sturkie was a successful farmer and merchant. In the early 1900’s, he ran a dry goods store in Hasse. He raised peanuts, watermelons, pecans, peas and many other crops. His melons were shipped to Comanche for sale. His other endeavors included a blacksmith shop, a sorghum mill and a leather tanning business. In early 1920, an oil well was drilled on his property near the Leon River. This well was drilled as a result of a prediction made by the famous psychic Edgar Cayce. The Sturkie well was quite a phenomenon in Hasse and Comanche County drawing people from around the state to see it.

A devout Baptist, John Ira served as trustee of the Missionary Baptist Church of Baggett Creek in Comanche County and signed the original deed of trust for their 4.5 acre site. He was a deacon and kept accounts for the Church. John Ira served as a county commissioner of Comanche County from 1904 to 1908. He also claimed to have had one of the first Model T Fords in the county.

John Ira Sturkie died April 10, 1939 and is buried next to his wife Mary in the Baggett Creek Cemetery, Comanche County, TX.

Written and Submitted by
Mary L. Ward
Dade City, Florida

How John Ira Eloped with Mary Eliza Cook

John Ira rode out to west Texas where Grampa (John Franklin) Cook owned 50 to 60,000 acres and worked as a cow hand before he married Mary Eliza. Grampa Cook told John Ira that he couldn’t marry Mary. Mary was always used to plenty and all John Ira had was the bushtailed pony he rode. They decided to wait a month and ask again. Grampa Cook said his word was final and refused to consent to their marriage. John Ira collected his pay preparing to leave for Dublin and decided to steal his bride to be. He borrowed a new wagon and got his brother Lloyd Olen to go and drive the team. It took four days to drive back to West Texas. John Ira stopped a mile from the Cook ranch house. Mary was expecting him. He walked the mile to the house waiting till Grampa Cook went to bed. Mary had her hogback trunk packed. At ten p.m. he would turn the knob on the door and walk in removing is shoes so as not to make a sound. He carried the trunk to where he had left his shoes. Neighbor Austin, a Carmelite preacher, at Bell Plains was a judge there. They got there just after sun up. They got the marriage license, were married and left for Dublin and then moved to Proctor, TX.

In Proctor, Texas, they bought an old log house (16 x 16) for 15 dollars and moved it log by log to rebuild it as a new house with a shingle roof , a gallery in front and a lean-to on the north side for a kitchen. The house had a rock chimney. They slept on a trundle bed. {Sent WD to Leon with a meal sack to get white sand for the kitchen floor. He had to dig it out of the bank. It took two trips to cover the lean-to floor. They would keep the floor a week or two until it got dirty and took it ouside after scooping it up and sent WD for new sand. Used a group of dogwood switches for a broom.21

Find A Grave Memorial# 13990349

Texas Death Index, 1903-2000

Name: John Ira Sturkie
Death Date: 10 Apr 1939
Death County: Comanche
Certificate: 17350

From Edith Luker Carr-”Grandma Sturkie was the best woman I ever knew. She was a wonderful cook and always had good things to eat. At Christmas time, her seven children and all off-spring were there for the Christmas dinner. Grandma fed more preachers, of all denominations, than any one.”22

Mary Sturkie, my grandmother, kept a lot of her clothes that she didn’t wear any more in an old wardrobe. My cousin, Kathy and Freddie and I used to dress up in Grandma’s clothes. She had pretty chiffon blouses with beads and embroidery on them, long skirts and big matching straw hats. They were gorgeous hats. We always had fun at Grandma’s. Grandpa Sturkie liked to play dominoes and checkers, but when 12:00 Saturday night came the games had to be put away until Monday. Grandad did not believe in playing games on Sundays. He knew more about the Bible than most preachers. I loved going to see them.22 from Kathleen E. Sturkie Powell

Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
Name: Mary Eliza Sturkie
Death Date: 23 Dec 1935
Death County: Comanche
Certificate: 55487

Find A Grave Memorial# 15793309