Forrest Windham

    Forrest Windham, son of Hilary (Tod) Windham and Lenora Connell Windham, was born August 9, 1886. He had five brothers: Eli, Tom, Willis, Grover and Hilery. Also three sisters: Ada Thompson, Eula Preslar, and Myrtle McIntyre.

    As a boy, he worked around Tecumseh for his Dad and other ranchers. He also traveled about, hunting for treasures (which he did not find).

    He married Ernestine Straley, daughter of John H. and Addie Popnoe Straley.

    He left Callahan County to go to California where Eli lived. There he found work, at Kennett, in a copper smelter. Ernestine joined him there. Two daughters were born at Kennett. Louise was two years old when she died. Lucille Windham was born February 5, 1915.

    In 1917 Forrest moved his family to Oakland where he worked in a shipyard until the end of World War I.

    Because of the flu epidemic, they decided to leave the city and return to Oplin in 1919. There he bought a building, drug store, and post office equipment from Pete Armour. Ernestine became Postmistress. They lived in rooms at the back of the store.

    In 1921 Forrest bought a building where the First State Bank had been, moved the drugstore into it, and built a house next door. There lived there until 1939, when they sold the business to A.D. and Laura McWhorter.

    Forrest and Ernestine then bought land near Mineral Wells, Texas. In 1941 the government needed that land for Camp Walters, so they moved to Lampasas County. There they bought land and raised cattle and sheep. It was there that Forrest died in 1942.

    Ernestine lived there several years, then bought and sold several places. One of these she sold to her brother H.B. Straley.

    In 1970 she moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where Lucille lived. She died there September 30, 1972.

    Lucille went through school at Oplin, and graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1934. She returned to Oplin to teach school in 1940.

    In 1934, Lucille married R.T. Wright, son of John B. Wright and Ora Mae Peevy Wright. They lived in Oplin until 1941. A daughter, Dixie, was born there. Later that year, R.T. and Lucille moved to Lampasas County to help on the ranch. While living there, Susan and Richard were born.

    In 1946, R.T., Lucille and family moved to Ft. Sumner, New Mexico where they operated a grocery story. John was born there.

    In 1949 they moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico. R.T. worked in a Potash mine and Lucille taught school there until 1975. Sarah and Cindy were born there. All the children graduated from Carlsbad Schools and went on to colleges. Susan is now working in the Extension Department of New Mexico State University. Richard and wife live in Dallas, Texas. He has one son. John works as electrical foreman for Potash Company of America at Carlsbad. He has two sons and a daughter. Sarah works at Los Almos Atomic Laboratory. She has two sons. Cindy is finishing her Master's Degree number two in Home Economics at Pullman, Washington. She has two daughters.

    Lucille and R.T. now live in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Submitted by Lucille Wright