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Submitted: 5/5/20 • Approved: 5/5/20 • Last Updated: 5/8/20 • R309729-G0-S3
December 8, 1864 - August 21, 1918
Temple Daily Telegram
Thursday, 22 August 1918, page 8
P. E. Cheeves, who for the last twenty-seven years has been one of the foremost businessmen of Temple and central Texas, died at his home on French avenue at 6:25 yesterday afternoon. Mr. Cheeves was surrounded by his wife and children and other near relatives of the family when the end came. He was conscious up to a very few minutes before he expired, and while talking to his wife, quietly lost consciousness and passed away.
Mr. Cheeves was born in Alabama, Dec. 8, 1864. He was, as almost all successful businessmen, raised on a farm and taught many of the lessons that served him so well in his business career later on. Leaving the farm and going to Atlanta, Ga., at the age of eighteen, he worked there for some time in a dry goods establishment, subsequently, he employed his Atlanta employer to work for him after he had established a business in Texas.
Leaving Atlanta, he came to Texas and was for some years associated with his brother, T. A. Cheeves, in a general mercantile store in Reagan. Twenty-seven years ago that business was turned over to other hands and Cheeves Brothers launched a greater one here in Temple, with P. E. Cheeves as its guiding genius. How well he succeeded in this enterprise all Temple, Bell county, and central Texas know.
In 1893 the business was destroyed by a fire in which a brother of Mr. Cheeves, who was also associated with him in the company, lost his life. The business was not heavily insured, but with this work doubled with the loss of his brother and handicapped by the financial reverses caused by the fire, Mr. Cheeves worked for the next several years as few men could have done, almost to the undoing of his health, but giving his time, energy and strength to the development of the company, it grew as never before. Besides directing the mercantile establishment, Mr. Cheeves was associated with the Farmers State bank of Temple, of which he was vice president. His farming interests were also extensive.
In April 1900, Mr. Cheeves was married to Miss Erra E. Tweedle of Oenaville, Tex., from which union there were born three daughters of the home. Misses Leah, Ferrol and Mildred. Only a little over a year ago, Mr. Cheeves acquired the lovely home on French avenue in which the family has lived ever since. He has been in declining health for more than a year.
Only a short time ago, Mr. Cheeves suffered the loss of both his father and mother, who died within a few months of each other.
Besides the immediate family, Mr. Cheeves leaves three brothers and three sisters to mourn his departure: Richard Cheeves of Temple, A. A. Cheeves of Marlin, and S. W. Cheeves of Cameron; and Mrs. E. C. Johnson of Temple, Mrs. Rogers of Bosque county, and Mrs. Frank Rodgers of Waxahachie.
The funeral services will be held at the family residence at 4:30 this afternoon, Dr. J. W. Bergin officiating.
Honorary pall bearers: Messrs F. F. Downs, C. B. Hutchison, T. J. Laramey, A. L. Flint, J. W. Mick, Dr. J. K. Campbell. Active: Messrs E. W. L. Hartmann, Brad Hunt, Frank Doering, Barrow Talley, C. D. Seybold and Ben McGowen.
Contributed on 5/5/20 by texasfindagraver
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Record #: 309729