Charles and Emma Tullis
George West, Live Oak County, Texas
Marker Inscription
CHARLES AND EMMA (LEWIS) TULLIS Charles (Charlie) and Emma Tullis, native live oak county residents, shared roots preceding the republic of Texas and Live Oak County. Charles’ (b. Oct. 10, 1873) forebears, James and Rhoda Creel Beall Winters and family, walked from Tennessee to Texas in 1834. James, who fought with Sam Houston in the war of 1812, provided three sons and supplies in the Battle of San Jacinto. Winters’ daughter, Lillie Ellen, widowed by Thomas Adams and later William Cude, married Charles O. Edwards. Their grandson, Andrew Mitchell Tullis (Charlie’s father), defended against one of the last Indian raids in south texas in 1872. Emma’s Texan roots began in 1835 with a Mexican land grant procured by her ancestor, John McGloin, killed with Fannin in the Goliad Massacre. A portion of the property passed to Mary McGloin. It later passed to granddaughter, Margaret Ellen Dolan, married to Simeon Wise Lewis, owner of a Gussettville General Store. Their son, W.H. Lewis (Emma’s father), preceded Charlie as sheriff and tax assessor-collector. Charlie assumed the office in 1909 and, shortly after, his first wife, Jessica Kay, died of cancer. Charlie and Emma married on Jan. 1, 1913. Known to deliver tax notices without a gun, Charlie served during tough times including county seat transition from Oakville to George West. Emma supported him in the tax office during his tenure until 1922. As founding president of First National Bank of George West, Charlie served the bank thirty-eight years. His leadership and integrity in banking, ranching and law enforcement earned him the title of “Mr. Charlie.” He and Emma are buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Gussettville, established by Irish Catholic pioneers. (2014)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Charles "Mr. Charlie" Tullis and his wife Emma carried deep Texas roots: his forebears walked from Tennessee in 1834 and gave sons and supplies to the San Jacinto campaign, while her ancestor John McGloin died in the Goliad Massacre. Born in 1873, Charlie served as Live Oak County sheriff from 1909 — known for delivering tax notices without a gun — through the county seat's move from Oakville to George West, and later spent thirty-eight years as founding president of the First National Bank of George West. He and Emma married in 1913 and are buried among the Irish Catholic pioneers at Gussettville.
Why it matters
Their intertwined family stories thread the whole Texas saga together — the Revolution, frontier Indian raids, and the ranching and banking that settled South Texas into a modern county.
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Related people
- · Charles Tullis
- · Emma Lewis Tullis
- · John McGloin
- · W.H. Lewis
Themes & tags
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