A History of Crosby County 1876-1977 Page: 21
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played the parts of judges, trustee or train
conductor. Mamie and Myrtle Assiter
(twins); Dera and Flossie Cone, Ruth Bart-
ley and Flossie Travis enjoyed many femi-
nine roles. The school participated in inter-
school spelling and ciphering matches
many Friday afternoons and pupils looked
to "no lessons" after recess those Fridays.
The pupils came across the road to the
R. E. Chapmans, the Casper Littlefields or
the P. D. Bartleys (as ownership changed)
to get water from the windmill. A cup, on a
string or wire, hung from the tower. Buck-
ets of water were carried to the school and
passed in the rooms after recesses. The
students all drank from the same cup.
The Chapman, Littlefield or the Bartley
house was the "infirmary." Cold cloths
were placed on fevered heads or a rock to
someone's feet. Occasionally a tooth was
removed. Turpentine soaked woolen rags
were applied for nail injuries.
The community outgrew the physical
and educational dimensions of the one-
room school and the building was sold to
Clifford Pass. In 1914 a new school,
framed structure, consisting of two rooms
and a large hall that could be converted to
a classroom was built. Later this was inad-
equate and temporary structures were pro-
vided. Two additional buildings were
moved to the campus and a one-room
school was provided eight miles east,
called Canyon Point.
John J. Bugg returned to teach as prin-
cipal, and Mrs. Willie Armstrong Thompson
taught primary. Later came the George
Tummins, whose daughters, Merle and
Madge, were students. Next, W. T. Cook
and Sallie J. Brown, who later became Mrs.
Robert D. English, taught. Through the
years, though not necessarily in chrono-
logical order, other teachers were: the
Thurston Walls, Mrs. Alta Buchanan,
Maude Anderson, Ruth Bartley, Emma Lou
McKinney, Grace Wheeler, B. B. Chamber-
lain, Copeland, Holloman, Amy Reed,
Rena and Clara Osborn, Mrs. Stella Gibson
Bowman, J. M. Rankin, Lela Kenerium, the
Gambrell Rankins, Charles Lawson, Mrs.
Jack Harder, Mr. Wofford, Mrs. Glenna
Jackson, Corinne Colvard, Ruby and Ozell
Gilbert, R. L. Gibson and Mrs. Mary Lynch.
In 1923 a large brick building was con-
structed, with six spacious class rooms
and a large auditorium which later was
used as a classroom providing for seven
teachers. Following are the names of the
trustees of the Independent School District
who led in the construction of the new
brick building: Charlie Bolinger, Pope D.
Bartley, Minor Wideman, C. Bishop Travis,
Carl Noble and Tom Assiter.
Some teachers during this period were:
Oscar Hodges and sister Alma, Mrs. Pau-
line Reed Sparkman, Jewel and Frances
Mara, the John T. Singletons, Mrs. Edna
Phillips, the Claude Johns, Wayne Ogle,
Bill Dunlap, Mrs. Delta Taylor, Hubert Haw-
ley, Mrs. Brack Burton, Corine Holcomb,
Mrs. Ann Brashear, Mrs. Emma Beaird,
Mrs. Velam Umber, Reba Travis, Mrs.
Pierce, Mrs. Ann Vardman, Blanche Files,
the Ted Newmans, Mrs. Edith Newman
Davis, Mrs. Dennis Taylor, the "Doc" Sta-
ples, Mrs. Wanda Jackobson, the George
Hamers, Mrs. Lee Lemonds, and the Har-
vey Rileys.
Formal graduating exercises were
observed each spring for high school andgrade school pupils. Many and varied stu-
dents have attended Cone school, some
with outstanding records.
After enjoying the advantages, prog-
ressive activities, the inherent responsibili-
ties of a community school for 65 years, it
was not easy to accept the mandate for
consolidation with Rails Independent
School District. In 1965 the pupils of Cone
Independent School District boarded
buses for Rails Elementary, Middle and
High School. (Compiled by Mrs. Roxie Tra-
vis and Ruth Bartley in 1971) (Revised and
submitted by Mrs. Clinton Denning)
Cone Post Office was established in
1903, with R. E. Chapman as first postmas-
ter. The mail was carried to Cone from
Emma by R. E. Chapman and/or J. Stan-
ton Cone, a ranchman for whom the office
was named. Postmasters from Chapman's
time to 1977 are Casper Littlefield, Pope D.
Bartley, James T. Vaughan, Wilma Spikes
Wheeler, Margaret L. Martin and Joe M.
Jackson. In 1911 Emma Post Office was
discontinued and replaced by Rails Post
Office, from whence Cone has received
mail to the present, (1977). For many years
Cone has been served by a Star Route,
which extends some 70 to 80 miles then
back to Rails. For several years mail has
been received and dispatched twice daily.
Rental boxes are available to patrons. Car-
riers to present time have been Mrs. Mary
Ramseur who came in a buggy, kept warm
in winter with a lantern or hot rocks and
heavy robes. She was assisted by her
sons, Dave and Will, and daughter Mary.
Others were Lloyd Rippy, John Irwin, J. N.
Hollingsworth, Freeman Barrington, Edd
and Elmer Evans and Mrs. Joe Farhlander.
(Compiled by Mrs. Roxie Travis and sub-
mitted by Joe Jackson, Postmaster)
The first gin in Cone was a two stand
affair built in 1907 by W. F. Montgomery.
Later, C. E. Dean constructed a larger and
more up-to-date plant, erected north of the
original site. This was managed for many
years by Virgil Newton. In 1925 Jim and
Baud Montgomery of Point, sons of W. F.
Montgomery, purchased a plot from P. D.
Bartley, and erected and operated a larger
and more modern gin plant. Successive
owners were: C. E. Dean, John P. Moss, J.
C. Dycus and Jean D. Smith. Finally
becoming a large gin corporation, it was
considered to be one of the largest and
strongest in the area. The establishment
consists of two large gins, an elevator for
wheat, grain sorghum, soybeans and an
immense fertilizer service. This is under the
management of Max Dyess, assisted by C.
L. Davis. (1977) (Submitted by Mrs. Clinton
Denning)
Doctors who practiced at Cone were: W.
F. Dial, M.D. who arrived in 1903; T. J.
Cagle, M.D. who arrived 1912; J. W. Lassi-
ter, M.D. who arrived in 1918; W. M. Ful-
bright, M.D. who arrived in 1912; and Dr.
W. R. Dale, chiropractor who arrived 1927.
Cone has always had a feeling of pride in
Dr. L. W. Spikes who was born and raised
about three miles west and 1 /2 miles north
of Cone and attended Methodist Churchhere. He practiced general medicine in
Rails several years before his death. (Com-
piled by Roxie Travis)
The land was patented by J. P. English
from the State of Texas, Oct. 9, 1897. Wil-
liam Gambrell English, father of J. P. and E.
M. English, was the first person interred on
the site, Apr. 17,1897.
Crosby Co. purchased two acres from J.
P. English 15 miles north, 10 degrees west
of Emma for $20 May 8, 1910. The ceme-
tery site was deeded to Pink L. Parrish,
County Judge and his successors.
Drawings of the cemetery have been
plotted and mapped by Ruth Bartley and
Roxie Travis.
On July 18, 1972 a community-wide
meeting was held at Primitive Baptist Foun-
dation Building (old Cone school house)
for the purpose of organizing a cemetery
association. The association was organ-
ized and a board of directors elected con-
sisting of: Joe Jackson, Wayne Mixon,
Alfred Clark, Clinton Denning, Mrs. Bill
Ashley, Mrs. Roxie Travis and Mrs. Clinton
Denning.
The Crosby County Judge, Robert Work,
deeded the cemetery to Cone Cemetery
Association and the board of directors and
their successors.
The association has, with help of the
community and other interested persons
(most of whom have loved ones interred
there) improved the grounds, built a new
fence, toolshed and made other improve-
ments. It is one of the most beautiful in the
area now, thanks to the caretaker, C. E.
Millican.
Present members of the board of direc-
tors are: Joe Jackson, Alfred Clark, Bill Gil-
breath, Clinton Denning, Mrs. Bill Ashley,
Mrs. A. J. Cowley and Mrs. Clinton Den-
ning. (Submitted by Mrs. Clinton Denning)J. S. Cone (1852-1910) gave land for a Commu-
nity Church and was instrumental in securing
the U.S. Post Office and the Cone School Dis-
trict.21
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Crosby County Pioneer Museum. A History of Crosby County 1876-1977, book, 1978; Crosby County, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91041/m1/25/: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .