Son of Ebenezer Buck and Mary Ralston Buck.
Husband of Kate Amelia Ross Buck.

Obit

Eben Buck Died Last Monday

When the news spread Monday afternoon that E. Buck had passed away it caused sadness among the entire population of Bandera. Mr. Buck suffered a cerebral hemorrhage several days ago, from which he never rallied, the end coming at about 4 o'clock Monday evening. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock at the ranch home. The pall bearers were Billy Burns, Walter Meadows, Burgin Davenport, Frank Montague, D. E. Conwill Jr., and W. R. Fletcher.

Eben Buck was born at Port Lavaca, Texas, Jan. 12, 1863 and moved to Bandera County in 1873, with his parents Mr. and Mrs. E. Buck, Sr. and the family settled at Pipe Creek. His father died in San Antonio in 1907 and his mother passed away in 1910. Deceased was married to Miss Kate Ross of Bandera, in May, 1897, and for many years lived on their splendid ranch on Julian Creek, two miles southeast of Bandera. Of recent years the Buck Ranch has been operated as a guest ranch, and hundreds of our summer visitors who made reservations there will be greatly pained to learn of the death of their beloved host. Surviving are the widow, four brothers, Frank Buck of Bandera, Walter Buck and Dan Buck of Pipe Creek, and Robert Buck of Winans Creek community, five sisters: Mrs. Laura Callahan of Pipe Creek, Mrs. Harriet Grew Newcomer of Pipe Creek, Mrs. Annie Callahan of San Antonio, Mrs. Mamie Buck and Mrs. Cora Mansfield of Bandera.

For more than twenty years Mr. Buck served as a director in the First National Bank of Bandera. He was a man of sound principle and sterling worth, and had the confidence of every citizen of the county. Coming to this section when just a lad about 10 years old, he grew to manhood here and knew all of the early settlers of this county. When the Buck family settled at Pipe Creek their neighbors were Silas Shirley and family, John and Jack Newcomer, Marion Hodges and family, W. H. White and family, J. L. Andress and family, the Prather family, Uncle Jerry Scott and family, John Scott and family, and A. M. Beekman and others. Only descendants of those first families are now living. For sixty-eight years is a long span, and Time in its flight has taken from the walks of men of those sturdy pioneers who were there when Eben Buck came to Pipe Creek. Following in the footsteps of those rugged pioneers, Mr. Buck bent all his energies in helping to make Bandera County a safer and better place in which to live. He was ready at all times to give encouragement and assistance to any worthy undertaking, and in the honorable upright life he lived won the admiration and respect of all with whom he came in contact.

We shall miss his kindly counsel, his pleasant greeting, his warm friendly handclasp. There is none who can take his place in this community. To the grief-stricken widow, and the brothers and sisters who today mourn the departure of their beloved husband and brother, we want to assure them that we share their sorrow and deeply sympathize with them in their great loss.

J. Marvin Hunter

Published on the front page of The Bandera New Era, February 20, 1941.

~~~

BUCK FAMILY

E. Buck, Sr., was among the pioneer settlers of Bandera county. He was born in New York state, and came to Texas when a young man, reaching Bandera in 1873, bought a homestead and located at Pipe Creek, where he remained until 1880, when he went to Del Rio and spent several years in that region. He died in San Antonio about fifteen years ago. His widow returned to Bandera to make her home, and died here about twelve years ago. Mrs. Buck, nee Ralston, was a native of Ireland, and came to the United States when a small child. Ten children of this family are living, eight of them today residing in Bandera county, and being among our most prominent citizens. They are: Eben Buck of Bandera, Mrs. Laura Callaham of Houston, Mrs. Harriett Newcomer of Pipe Creek, Mrs. Annie Callaham of San Antonio, Frank Buck of Bandera, Walter Buck of Pipe Creek, Robert Buck of Pipe Creek, Dan Buck of Bandera, Mrs. Mamie Buck of Bandera, Mrs. Cora Mansfield of Bandera.

Eben Buck, the eldest son lives near Bandera, and says he remembers when they moved to this county in 1873, and settled on Pipe Creek. Their neighbors there during the early days were Silas Shirley and family, Mrs. Mathilda Newcomer and sons, John and Jack, Marion Hodges and family, W. H. White and family. J. L. Andress and family, the Prather family, Uncle Jerry Scott and family, John Scott and family. The first postmaster was A. M. Beekman. who also conducted a store at Pipe Creek. J. W. Hamilton later built a store there. Mr. Buck recalls that he stopped at Hamilton's store one day just a few minutes after two robbers held up the storekeeper, John Scott. Jim Holman and an Englishman named Williamson. There was considerable excitement over the daring hold-up, although the robbers secured only $7.00 in money.

He also remembers the grasshopper pest in the spring of 1873. Corn was about knee high at the time the swarms of grasshoppers arrived, but in a few hours they cleared the fields. (Pioneer History of Bandera by John Marvin Hunter, Hunters Printing House, Bandera, Texas, 1922