Wichita County Texas Tidbits

Reminisces of Mrs. Rebecca E. Humphrey
Cowboy employees of Burnett & Ikard came to see the Humphrey 
girls. Andy Shahan, Clay Burnett (cousin of Burk Burnett), 
Frank Smith, Tom Addington. Had a camp near Beaver Creek -
brought us fresh meat & Mrs. Humphrey made them cornbread or 
biscuits.
Families living around Beaver Creek Area -Mr. Campbell, wife 
and daughter Nancy; 
Mrs. John Conners, daughter Ethel, still lives on Beaver 
Creek; 
Banta family, 2 1/2 miles from Humphreys, raised good crops -
had watermelons -would go stay all night;
Pinkertons -big family;
Geo. Ancell -Humphries sold 160 acres to him.
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Dist. Court Records -S. Armstrong was deputy under dist. 
Clerk W.E. Brothers -1885 -Also Robert Cobb, Jr. -charged 
$ 0.50 to serve a subpoena - 1885
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Reminisces of Mrs. J.A. Kemp
Stock yards then was in the west part of town -Cowboys 
“painted the town red” -John Samuels 1/2 brother of Jessie 
James and 2 other boys rode on Mrs. Kemp’s porch one night. 
Apologized to Mrs. Kemp the next day.
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Wichita Falls City Election -April 7th, 1908
For Mayor -W.E. Skeen
Councilmen:
J.M. Bland
Dr. Reed
A.M. Walker
A. Richolt
John Young
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Sept. 7, 1907 -W.F. Times
J.H. Jones, who lies 3 miles south of Wichita Falls, brought 
in the county’s 1st bale of cotton Saturday. It was purchased 
by Trevathan and Bland at $4.50 per hundred and weighed 1400 
pounds. Jones, also will receive a $35 cash bonus for 
marketing the first bale of the 1907 crop.
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June 21, 1907 W.F. Times
Wichita Investment Company has purchased a 20 acres tract of 
land just west of the corporation line from W.A. McCutchen. 
Purchase price was said to be $10,000 or $100 per acre.
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From: The Standard -June 25, 1888
Mr. J.B. Donoho who returned from Clay Co. on Sat. reports 
everything favorable; good grass & cattle doing well; corn & 
millet crops very fine. Says Henrietta is a pleasant little 
town; is highly pleased with Gainsville, which is extending & 
handsomely built.
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From: Wichita Daily News -May 14, 1907
Frank Kell purchased 2 lots in Archer City from Sanford 
Wilson for $100 each.
Also: Mr. J. Markowitz of Galveston bought the “Lysaght Farm”
 
of 712 acres situated just west of the irrigation dam, at a 
cost of $25 per acre.
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From: Wichita Daily News -Sept. 2, 1907
School of Music -Voice, Piano, Violin & Harmony
3 Terms beginning Sept. 16 -Dec. 23 -Tuition $17.50
Jan 1 -Mar. 26 - Tuition $15.00
Mar. 29 -June 15 - Tuition $15.00
Miss Rilla Ingram
Also: Seed wheat for sale $1 per bushel -Mrs. J.C. Powell
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From news file at paper office -no date:
Joe S. Carr -Mabelle
At 17 -left Parker Co. - 1877 worked on cattle drives
Mar. 1882 -worked for Hash Knife Ranch in Baylor Co.
1877 -Trailed herd over So. Tex. Cattle Trail to Olgalla, 
Neb. (Longhorns)
1882 -Trailed longhorn herd to Honey Well, KS.
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Reminisces of Ikard
Bought “Tea Rose” -Hereford cow from England Royal Herd, 
purchased from Armour & Co. at auction in Kansas for $1,125.
Cow & Calf both died of Texas Fever
Sire of calf imported by Gudgell & Simpson Importers.
Cow “lovey” had no calves that were not blue ribbon or a 
champion.
Dispersion sale of Hereford cattle -Ikard sold out.
Mr. Bogg Scott paid $1000 for 1 bull.
Ikard got $500 for 2 cows & $800 for 1 bull.
Sold carload to Larkin.
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Reminisces of J.B. Marlow
During Prairie chicken season -sold them to J.H. Keller to 
ship -for $ 0.75 to $ 1.00 per dozen.
Wichita Falls only town beside Ft. Worth to ship Plover. 
Marlow had contracted with Berry & Hollis of NY to ship 500 
dozen plover per day during plover season. Marlow paid $ 0.50 
a dozen.
1896 -Birds plentiful -Berry sent representative -set up 3 
camps -Jolly, Iowa Park & Wichita Falls -shipped in 
carloads of crates -arranged for cold storage with Mr. Newby 
-had 75 or 80 men out getting birds -had no trouble getting 
carload of birds
Had specially loaded shells: lots of powder & not many shot -
shells were $ 5 per case -used two teams -1 morning, 1 
afternoon
State Legislature passed bill prohibiting the shipment of 
birds (about 1896)
Company in NY followed birds to Argentine -killed there also 
-would notify Marlow birds were coming -marked some birds -
found they flew from Argentine to Wichita Falls in 3 days.
Also: Families arriving in Wichita Falls in 1878 & 1879 -
Ficklings, Barwise, Ballews, the Harris family, Judge Seely 
family.
Also: 1886 drought -April 1, 1886 had very light snow -
ground barely white -had no more rain until Oct. 1887 -
Henry Ford sowed 200 acres of wheat seeds fall of 1886. It 
didn’t come up until fall of 1887.
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Wichita Valley Railway Company -Information furnished by Mr. 
D.T. Bomar.
Incorporated Feb. 4, 1890 by E.W. Taylor; W.F. Somerville; 
W.A. Adams; J.G. Jones; J.T. Granger; Morgan Jones; G.P. 
Meade; J.P. Smith; G.M. Dodge; L. Tillman
1st board of directors: E.W. Taylor; Morgan Jones; W.F. 
Somerville; ; G.P. Meade; J.P. Smith; J.G. Jones; G.M. Dodge; 
L. Tillman ; J.T. Granger
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Wichita Falls & Oklahoma Railway -Information furnished by 
Mr. D.T. Bomar.
Organized Oct. 21, 1903 by Morgan Jones; W.E. Kaufman; Frank 
Kell; N. Harding; J.G. Wilkinson; E.W. Taylor; A.M. Young; 
Ben W. Fouts; H.C. Edrington; D.T. Bomar.
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Railway incorporated to build from Seymour southwest Oct. 5, 
1905 by: J.G. Wilkinson; Ben F. Fouts; N. Harding; K.M. 
VanZandt; D.B. Keller; W.C. Stripling; W.E. Kaufman; C.A. 
Sanford; Morgan Jones; D.T. Bomar.
1st board of directors: G.M. Dodge; H. Walters; B.F. Yoakum; 
Edwin Hawley; L.M. Buie; F.G. Alexander; Frank Trumbull; 
Morgan Jones; W.E. Kaufman; D.T. Bomar; R.V. Colbert; H.G. 
McConnell; J.H. Glasgow.
Under charter line now being constructed from Seymour through 
Munday, Haskell to Stamford in Jones County.
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Early Electra History -some items from “History of the Oil 
Industry of Electra” by Leonard (Thesis)
Saloon -owned & operated by Charley Predgeon
Hotel -by John Henry Marriott & Bob Cook
Lumber Co, - Owned by Cicero Smith
Land Office -P.S. Allen
1st Market -operated by Bill Smith -a wooden box was the 
counter.
1st Newspaper -Electra Daily News, dated Aug. 2, 1907, editor 
& publisher Harrold Howler, then later T.L. Allison.
Population -1900 -75; 1907 -350; 1910 -640
Joe Beckhom robbed a store between Beaver Creek & Harrold 
called “Bailey Store or Rhundo P.O.” -Beckhom killed -3 men 
escaped -Electra News 4/12/1918 gave account of Mrs. L.P. 
Doriglass
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Unpublished manuscripts on Electra -
Virginia Bagley -“Early History of Electra” 1926
Alma Barker -“A Legend of Electra” 1926
Wilma Brownlee -“The Oil Industry of Electra” 1926
Mrs. N.D. Cooper -“Electra, Texas” 1946
Mary Agnes Dorsey -“The City of Electra” 1926
Nina Sanders -“Electra & Surrounding District” 1926
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From 1904 Texas Almanac
Population of Wichita Falls in 1900 -2,480
Population of Wichita County in 1900 -5,806
Assessed value in 1903 - $3,899,660
Land prices - $15-$25 per acre (valley land) & $5 -$15 per 
acre (Prairie land)
20 Public schools -1124 students
Wichita Falls schools 740 students
Iowa Park about 600 population -162 students
Texas Federation of Womens Clubs -Wichita Falls Clubs -
“Unity” Mrs. G.R. Magruder, pres; Miss Minnie Young, sec; 
“New Century” Mrs. J. Mittenthal, pres.; Mrs. Flora I. 
Huckaby, sec.
Wichita Falls National Guard -4th Infantry, Company H -Seth 
M. Mayfield, capt; Thos. A Hubbard, 1st Lieut.; Duncan M. 
Perkins, 1st lieut.; Samuel H. Burnside, 2nd Lieut.
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From the Texas Handbook:
Population of Wichita Co. in 1880 -433
In 1881 was a drought -Wichita Falls community had 8 
families -3 small box houses & several dugout homes -a 
public school with Jack Humphries teaching opened in 1880.
In 1882 Wichita County had 3 post offices -Wichita Falls, 
Gilbert & Toksana -had 1 Methodist Church, 2 Baptist 
Churches and 3 Free schools attended by 70 pupils
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From Wichita Daily Time -Sept. 10, 1907
Rev. W.F. Fry of Goldsboro, N.C. has accepted the pastorage 
of the First Baptist Church here. E.W. Morris, chairman of 
the church committee said Monday.
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From Wichita Daily Time -Nov. 29, 1907
Rev. W.A. Stuckey, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
South, has been appointed the pastorate of the Methodist 
Church at Bonham and will be succeeded here by Rev. J.A 
Stafford, formerly presiding elder in the Gainsville 
district.
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From Wichita County Commissioners Court Minutes:
Feb. 12, 1883
Ordered a citation to be served on Walter Parker for his 
appearance at this term of the court & present bond as Keeper 
of a Ferry as required by law.
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From Wichita County Commissioners Court Minutes:
Mar. 27, 1884
R.E. Montgomery donates Block 149 of the original town of 
Wichita Falls to the county for erection of courthouse and 
jail. Came to a vote to accept or reject offer: for accepting 
Jas. McFarland & C.P. Coble; against accepting J.H. Barwise & 
T.J. Williams.

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From Wichita County Commissioners Court Minutes:
April 12, 1884
Present: J.H. Barwise, Co. Judge
Commissioners:
Pct. 1 -T.J. Williams
Pct. 2 -Joe McFarland
Pct. 3 -M.B. Byrum
Pct. 4 -C.P. Coble
F.M. Davis -Sheriff
W.E. Brothers -Co. Clerk
“It is ordered by the court that the proposition of R.E. 
Montgomery to donate Block 149 to the county of Wichita for 
the erection of court house and other county buildings be and 
the same is hereby accepted” 
The members of the court voting as follows:
J.H. Barwise -for portion of block
T.J. Williams-for portion of block
Joe McFarland -for block
M.B. Byrum -for block
C.P. Coble -for block

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11-15-1886 no reference
The new literary club of Wichita Falls held its 1st meeting at 
the home of Col. J.G. James, last week and elected:
May R. Cobb -Pres.
Miss Nellie McDonald -1st VP
Col. James -2nd VP
Mrs. B.F. Hickey -Sec.
W.A. Knott -Asst. Sec.
Miss Annie Trowbridge -Treas.

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Information written by mother of Mrs. Alleen Waggoner Jones -
From: Alleen Waggoner Jones Collection at the Museum of the 
Plains, Lawton, OK -no date given, written in long hand.
First church service held in Wichita Falls was preached by 
Rev. Anderson of St. Jo, TX, a Presbyterian minister. It was 
held in an old livery stable, which was built as an old 
stockade of posts standing on end.
Rev. Zellars of Ohio was first Methodist minister to preach 
here but did not organize.
Rev. F.O. Miller was the first pastor sent out of conf. 
(Methodist) And organized church in the Harris home with 
seven members, the old house still stands on the corner of 5th 
and Lee Streets, know as the Stearns home. The Harris girls 
sang. This was in the year 1881. Mrs. Carrigan and her father 
and mother were charter members of the Methodist church. 
First Presbyterian church where Perkins-Timberlake now 
stands.
Baptists worshipped in the Presbyterian Church until their 
little red brick church was built further down the same 
block.
First Sunday School at Seelys -later at old courthouse -
Episcopalian.
First Presbyterian organized with 9 members in 1883 - I.H. 
Johnston.
Episcopal Church was where the Hamilton Building now stands.
Methodist Church, first one built on 10th and Scott St.
The first Christian Church, I believe was on the corner of 9th 
and Lamar.
The M.E. church built on 10th & Scott in 1885 at cost of $300, 
was built on lots donated by the Town Site Co. and was the 1st 
church built in Wichita Falls.

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Graduating Class -Wichita Falls High School 1907 -Carrie 
Preston; Eula Havener; Edith Boles; Hattie Goodwin; Loma 
Peeler; Lela Morgan; Alfred Byman; Oran Simmons; Clarence 
Clapp; Avis Palmer; Vivian Mathis; Katie Lou Avis; and Carrie 
Kell.

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From Wichita Daily Times -Sept. 19, 1907
Pupils of the Thirteenth Street school made up a purse of 
$40.75 Wednesday and presented it to their schoolmate, Ella 
May Farley, whose horse was killed last Friday afternoon when 
it attempted to jump the school yard fence.

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From: Wichita County Democrat -June 1893
School opened 1st of Sept. 1893 -9 mo. term
G.W. Powell -Superintendent
E.W. Morris -Principal
Mrs. Lucy Choat -Primary Dept.
Grade Teachers -Miss Virgie Young; Miss Dora Tankersly; Miss 
Leoma Cobb; Miss Gussie Rooney; Miss Fannie ____; Miss Katie 
Haynes; Miss Helen Parker; Miss Etta Tullass; Miss Enna 
Phillips
Janitor -Joe Erwin

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From: Wichita County Democrat -June 16, 1893
Miss Myrtle Moore & Fannie Barger (sp) left Monday for Waco 
to attend the normal school.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 6-7
4 Dec 1883: Yesterday was the final day in a big cattle deal
that has been going on since mid Movember. Flethcer Cowhend was
in Henrietta on the first. He and his brother, Walker, sold their
cattle, previously purchased from Nye and Fisher, to the Falls
Land and Cattle Co. 

This deal was completed on the 26th of last month.

Mr. E.T. Stevens, Mr. John E. Wilson and Mr. A.S. Kindred, doing
business as Stevens, Wilson and Kindred, sold 2500 head of cattle
and 15 head of saddle horses to Falls Land and Cattle Co. yesterday.
I understand that Mr. Wilson has an interest in the company.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 9-12
31 Dec 1883: I was sorry to hear that Padgatt Br. of Dallas,
Texas, took over the stock of H.J. Stockett Hardware and Saddlery.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 4-5
16 Nov 1883: About 3 days ago I was over to Henrietta. There
was a big cattle deal. Mr. Thomas C. Nye and Mr. F.K. Fisher of 
Matagorda Co. was there. They sold their head ranging in Wichita,
Clay and Archer counties to Walker and Fletcher Cowhend of 
Jackson Co. Missouri. There were about 2300 head of cattle
and 40 head of saddle horses. The total price was $47,000.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 3
14 Nov 1886: I've been looking for a horse and buggy. Renting from 
the livery can be expensive when more trips out of town are necessary.
Mr. E.F. Hill had two sorrell horses about 14-1/2 hands high.
They are about 5 years old. He also had a Texas Drummers Buggy.
He told me he sold the whole out fit for $100 yesterday.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 2
6 Nov 1883: I saw Mr. Thomas Sullivan today. He said he sold
the 4 yr old gray mare yesterday to a Mr. S. Newman for about 
$40. I wanted that horse but couldn't meet the price.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 4-7
Item dated 10 Feb 1883: I noticed that Ballow and Williams
have about completed the addition to the storehouse and
dwelling on S. Half Lot 5, Block 152. 
It seems like everyone is buying materials from Lyon and Gribble.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 3-4
Item dated 28th: For the past 2 weeks Mr. David Dodge has
been building a resturant and hotel on Lot 10, Block 153.
I saw a Lyon and Gribble wagon unloading lumber the other
day. They have yards at Gainsville, Decatur, Bowie and Henrietta.
Some day they may put a yard here if building continues at
the pace it has the last few months.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 8
Item dated 1 aug 1883: A new brick building is going up on 
Lot 7, Block 163. M.Q. Miller is owner. Mr. A.C. Kean is
doing a good job with the brick. I asked him about his charges. 
He said brick cost $8 per thousand delivered to the ground.
If he lays the brick it costs $11.50 a thousand.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 9-10
& Deed Book F page 156-57, 160
Item: 24 Aug 1883
For the past month, Mr. M.M. Templeton and wife Jane have been building
on a home on (lot 13m, Block 176 - Big building & lot 12, Block 176 - small dwelling).
 
This is a box house covered with shingles and weatherboard. It has a
front and back porch. I have been by about every day these past four
weeks. Mr. J.S. Mayfield furnished most of the building materials.
Mr. M. Templeton bought his paint materials from L.J. Black and his son,
George M. Black. I was in their place of business the other day. Their
linseed oil was $1 per gallon. The white lead was $4. $4.25 for 50
pounds. I got a half gallon of varnish for $1.25. Back to the Templeton
house. Mr. William Ficklin and Mr. W.F. Davis sure did a nice job of
painting on the home and the small dwelling next to it.

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From Wichita Co. Bill of Sale Record - Vol. 1 Page 1
24 Aug 1883: A few days ago A.T. Edwards of Clay county was down to 
Ft. Worth. I hear he sold some 800 head of cattle to Bensley, Wagner 
and Bensley. The reported price was $10,000. That figures out to be 
about $12.50 per head.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 12-13
Filed 31 May 1883 - Rec. 21 Sep 1883
Item dated 1 Dec 1882
I was in Harry Brown's salloon down on Lot 2, Block 152 the other day.
I enjoyed the new lunch counter but the beer doesn't seem as good as 
the beer back at Mont Soleil.

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From Wichita Co. Mechanics Lien Vol. 1 Pages 1
1 Dec 1882: Date item 7th Dec. Mr. and Mrs. E.F. Hill are doing some 
work on their home and store on Lot 14, Block 136.

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From Wichita Co. Probate minutes Vol. 1 Page 2-3
The probate court had it's first case today. County Judge S. Akers
presided. Robert E. Huff, the county attorney presented the case. 

This was a sanity hearing. A young woman about 24 years old named 
Martha V. Smith had been sick since about the 26th of July. The 
jury found her of unsound mind. C.M. Seely was the foreman. The 
other five men were Frank Barwise, T.A. Babb, G.N. Humphreys, 
T.L. Williams and F.M. Wattenberger. F.M. Davis, the sheriff, was 
present to take the defendant into custidy.

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From Wichita Co. Probate minutes Vol. 1 Page 1
17 July 1882: The probate court met for the first time today. Judge 
James S. Akers was presiding. W.E. Brothers was the court clerk. 
There was no business so the court adjourned.