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The Hamilton County News was founded April 10, 1931, by J. E. Laney. Later he sold a half interest to John R. Thacker. They published the paper together until Mr. Thacker bought Laney’s interest. In the later part of 1932 Chas. Kellum purchased half interest in the plant from Mr. Thacker, buying the entire plant in 1933 and continuing the publication alone until it was purchased by W. F. Billingslea in September, 1933.

W. F. Billingslea was born in Hinds County, Mississippi and came to Texas with his parents when he was three years of age. He received his education in the Public schools at Elgin, and served his apprenticeship in printing plant in that town. He has worked in many of the larger printing establishments over the state and has published papers in Lometa, Trinity, Burkburnett, Corpus Christi, and Waco before coming to Hamilton. He has been engaged in some branch of the printing business ever since leaving school with the exception of six years during which time he was in the oil business and later colonization work.

In 1911 he was married to Miss Louise Randolph, daughter of Judge and Mrs. J. C. Randolph of Coleman, Texas.

Vivian Billingslea, daughter of the publisher, is reporter on The News. Her previous newspaper experience was in Burkburnett. She attended public school in Austin, Wichita Falls, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and graduated from the Sherman High School and attended Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio.

Mrs. C. C. Baker, Jr., is a new member of The News reportorial staff. She was born in Los Angeles, Calif., and attended the public schools in San Francisco, Berkeley, and graduated from High school in Roswell, New Mexico. She attended Mary Baldwin Seminary in Stanton, VA, University of Arkansas, University of Texas, Barnard College of the University of Columbia, New York City. Made educational trip to Europe in 1924. She was married to Dr. C. C. Baker, Jr., October 30, 1926, and has made her home in Hamilton since that time. She began her newspaper career May 15th of this year. She has been of valuable service in assisting in compiling data for this Historical Edition of The News.

To Mrs. Eloise Nicholson Parker goes much of the credit for the completeness of the Historical Edition. She has worked untiringly in gathering data and writing articles for this paper for the past six weeks. She is the widow of John Weatherford Parker, a native Texan. His father, Lacey Parker was a Georgian and a Confederate veteran. His mother, Louise Russell, was a Mississippian. Judge Parker studied law under the tutelage of the late J. A. Eidson, and later was admitted to the bar and trained in the ethics of its practice under such legal lights as J. A. Eidson, C. K. Bell, and Greene H. Goodson. He served as county attorney, county judge, and district attorney successively. He moved to Stephenville while serving as district attorney. He moved to Pecos later and practiced law there until his death in 1919.

Mrs. Parker was born in Texas and reared in Hamilton, having moved here with her parents at an early age. She taught school in Hamilton public schools two years. While in Pecos she did newspaper work after the death of her husband. She returned to Hamilton a year ago to look after her estate, and being a newspaper woman, she willingly consented to assist in compiling data for this issue. Last year she organized the 20th Century Club in Hamilton. She is a student and a historian. Her father, M. R. Nicholson, was a Tennessean. Her mother Catherine Boone, was a Texan, and resided in Hamilton before and after her marriage. Mrs. Parker is related to General Sam Houston on her father’s side and to Daniel Boone on her mother’s side.

Mrs. Parker requests The News to extend her thanks to all those who so kindly assisted her in gathering data for this edition try their helpful information.

Leland Aiton, who has completed a University course in advertising has been with The News force since the present publisher took charge of the plant. A more detailed sketch of his life and work will be found in another column of this issue.

W. W. Hicks is also a new addition, to The News force. He is an expert machinist and Linotype operator. He was born in Arkansas and came to Texas 35 years ago. He has held situations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Texarkana, and Brownwood, and for the past year has been residing on his farm near Brownwood. But is it hard to keep a printer on the farm. He is married and has two children. He expects to move his family to Hamilton in a short time.

Newton Grice, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Grice, was born in Beckville, Texas, but has resided in Hamilton for the past eight years. Newt started school in Hamilton and three years in a private school in San Angelo. He has been working in the printing trade less than a year, and started with The News about a month ago. He is learning the trade in a fast way, and in a short time will be on his way to becoming a journeyman printer.

Leo F. Rendessy, who has been assisting The News in getting out its big edition, was born in New York City, and reared in Johnstown, PA. After finishing the public schools of that city, he attended the University of St. Francis at Loretta, PA, where he studied law but never practiced. He studied music under his father and became an accomplished musician. He moved to San Antonio in April, 1918, coming to Hamilton in 1919. The same year he accepted a position with the Carlton Citizen, remaining in its employ until 1924, at which time he purchased the plant. He became instructor of music in the Hamilton Public Schools in 1925 and still holds this position as well as director the Lions Club Band. He will leave in a few months to attend the Lester Harris School of Music through the summer months. For the past several years he has leased the Carlton Citizen to other people. On June 6, 1928, he was married to Miss Lena Walton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carter W. Walton, pioneer citizens of Hamilton. She was born and reared in this city.

L. A. Parton, publisher of the Evant News, also assisted in the publication of this special edition work by selling some of the advertising.

The success of this Historical and Trade Expansion Edition is due to combined efforts of the above members of the force and the hearty cooperation given by the business and professional men of Hamilton.

[William Franklin Billingslea was born December 25, 1887, and died October 19, 1961. He was a son of William Franklin Billingslea and Henreitta Holiday. His daughter, Vivian R. Billingslea (January 6, 1913--May 15, 1991--married Main W. Brunk.]

The Hamilton County News, Vol. IV, Number 11--Section Three

Historical and Trading Expansion Issue

W. F. Billingslea, Editor-Publisher

Subscription Price ONE YEAR ..$1.00

June 29, 1934