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2 Room School house in 1931
at Rucker,
Comanche Co., Texas
Courtesy of Travis Flatt
Here is some early history of Rucker. My dad William Flatt
worked for MKT (rail road) in Gorman for a short time. While there my mother
would take me and my brother on the road to Rucker to visit my mother's Mother
and Father, who lived about two miles of Rucker. My grandad would come to
pick us up in his wagon and team of mules.
My dad bought a 160 acre farm about two or three miles west
of the Liberty Baptist church and the two room school. I remember our move
there January 1925. Our house was a big two story house built in the 1880's
I remember well Rucker. It has a depot and freight building, a cotton gin
west of it. North of the tracks was two general stores, grocers and some farm
tools. One store was owned by the Bunting family. The other by a Mr. Allgoods.
One of these stores had a post office, with mail boxes etc, a barber shop,
black smith shop, filling station.
I remember there was some medicine shows which was very
good. The road from Gorman to De Leon was not paved. It was good gravel
road. I think they did not pave it until about 1927-28. With the road good
and most getting autos they started to go to De Leon and Gorman for their
trades days. Soon this made the little stores fold up, and sell everything.
Not much there now. Now if you just had some letters posted
and stamped Rucker, Texas, you would have a real treasure.
I attended the two room school through the fifth grade. We
rode a homemade school bus to North Ward elementary, and to the High school.
We raised cotton until the bole worms put us
out of business. Started with peanuts. The Pair farm neighbors were Claude
and Bessie. Ask your dad if he can remember. I been off that farm 66 years.
Also did he remember John T. Singleton, John Grisham, Ruth Bunting, Bonnie
Faye Singleton. Was Martine Pair a cousin. He is 5 years younger than I. A
lot of changes are made in 5 years.
I enjoyed your Pair web site. I want to go
back and read some more of that. Have you a book on the family? I have a
Flatt Family History book published in 2000. I have a book on each of my
grand parents. Flatt, Brown, Deaton and Laymon. A lot of work, but I
have enjoyed it, Best regards, Travis
Yes, you may use the data on Rucker. I thought
it may go good along with the two room school, grave yard, and the Liberty
Baptist church. Interesting thing about the church, when they were getting
ready for the 100th year celebration-- some wondered about the name. There was
not any community, town or anything to cause the name. They got to researching
old church minutes of early years. They found they got the name from 2
Corinthians 3:17, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty." Makes
you proud of our founding fathers. Not like the present being Politically
Correct, you would not mention God. Best wishes, Travis
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