The Texas Mohair Weekly (Rocksprings, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 1, Ed. 1 Friday, January 16, 1953 Page: 1 of 4
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Borderlands Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
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The Texas„ Mohair Weekly
Rockgprings, Texas, Friday January 16th, 1953
Number 1
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EisenHower Urges Nation1
Support March' of Dimes
Mrs. R. A. Winn Observed Her 100th
Birthday Anniversary Saturday Jaa 10
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PlwhlMNbct Eisanhowar mMts 1953 March of Dimes Poster
Girls Pamela (left) and Patricia O'Neil, of Raleigh, N. C.
NEW YORK CITY—President-
elect Dwight D. Eisenhower called
on the American public to support
the 1953 March of Dimes being
conducted throughout the nation
during all of January.
He joined in the annual appeal
after meeting the two Raleigh,
N.C., sisters who are pictured on
the 1953 March of Dimes poster.
They are Patricia, 6, and flve-
year-old Pamela O’Neil, both of
whom were stricken with polio
but now are recovered completely.
k “It’s hard to believe that these
are the ssme little girls whose
pictures are on the March of
Dimes poster,” he noted. “Now
they’re completely recovered from
polio, thanks to the generosity of
the American people.”
He urged all Americans “to
help the others like them by join-
ing the March of Dimes.”
Later, he joined the poster
girls in making a short film which
is being shown by television sta-
tions throughout the nation.
This year’s March of Dimes
follows the all-time record polio
epidemic of 1952 in which more
than 55,000 were stricken. At the
beginning of 1953, there were
58,000 polio victims of former
years still undergoing treatment,
with financial help from local
March of Dimes chapters.
March Of Dimes
Drive On In
Edwards County
31500 is the goal set for the March
of Dimes drive in Edwards Coun-
ty, according to Mrs. J. D. Varga,
County Chaiman. This may seem
like a lot of money but its nothing
compared to the amount advanced
Edwards County Infantile Paraly-
sis Chapter by the National Foun-
dation the past few years.
One-half of all money turned in-
to the local chapter remains in the
local treasury. This point is stress-
ed- because any money sent to in-
dividual hospitals treating polio,
such as Gonzales Warm Springs
Foundation, will be used by that
hospital for improvement of its
facilities and not for treatment of
patients. Treatment of patients is
always paid for by the local chap-
ter, National Foundation or indivi-
duals.
Six Rocksprings people were
stricken with polio last summer.
They were Mrs. Jimmy Nunley,
Glynn Varga, B. W. Glynn, Le-
roy Whitworth, Kay Hankins and
sCharles Henderson.
It is not enough that we raise
money for treatment of polio pa-
tients after they are stricken with
polio, but the National Foundation
needs money to continue the re-
search to find a preventative as
well as a cure for this dreaded dis-
ease. It should be the aim of ev-
8,500-Foot Wildcat
Oil Test To Be
Drilled In County
Edwards County, which has only
one wildcat under way and no pro-
duction, had an 8,500-foot wildcat
scheduled Friday by a Pittsburg,
Kansas, firm. The new wildcat will
be at the Spencer Chemical Com-
pany No. 1 Fred T. Earwood, 30
miles northwest of Rocksprings.
The Earwood will be 660 feet
from the south and east lines of
Section,. 149 in the C.C.S.D. &
R.G.N.G. Railway Company Sur-
vey, on a 661-acre lease. Stanolind
Oil and Gas Company holds offset
acreage to the west and the Cas-
cade Petroleum Company has the
east offset acreage.
The Humble Oil & Refining Com-
pany No. 1, O. D. Collins wildcat
10 miles south of Rocksprings is
still fishing for tools lost in the
hole. Present depth of this well
is reported at 7,861 feet.
CORRECTION
Billy Dud Edwards’ name was
inadvertently left off' the list in
last week’s paper in the article
giving the names of the football
reserves receiving jackets.
ery citizen to lend a helping hand
filled with just as much money as
each can possibly give.
A TIMELY REMINDER—
Pi %
l: ' l l
(By Mary McDonald in Austin
Statesman)
To tell the life story of Mrs.
Molly Winn would be to review the
history of Texas during the past
100 years.
One would live through four
bloody wars, survive savage Indian
raids, ride down famous cattle
trails, pass through the Recon-
struction period, resist Texas out-
laws and advance into the modern
world.
There are not many of the pio-
neers left—but tiny Mrs. Winn,
who celebrated his 100th birthday
Saturday, represents to the present-
day generations the quiet deter-
mination and God-fearing brand of
people who vividly lived the hard-
ships and heartbreaks which built
Texas into the great state it is to-
day.
The span of 10 decades has not
dimmed the memory of this deeply
religious lady who was brought to
Texas from an Alabama plantation
in 1856—at the age of three years.
Her family settled on Cher-
okee Creek in San Saba, later
moved to Brown County, then es-
tablished a log cabin home in Men-
ard County.
Not many years later a gallant
young cowboy changed the name of
16-year-old Mary Elizabeth (Mol-
ly) Vaughan to Mrs. Rufus Allen
Winn, and the couple moved to
Edwards County.
From then on, she was a frontier
ranchman’s wife, riding in round-
ups and spending many sleepless
nights near a loaded shotgun, wait-
ing anxiously for the return of her
husband from the wild ranch ter-
ritory.
The Winns became parents of 13
children, four of whom are living:
J. A. Winn, Uvalde: J. T. Winn,
Junction: Mrs. J. N. Whitworth,
Rocksprings; and Mrs. Luther
Randerson, 2003 Sabine. Austin,
with whom the century-old woman
now lives.
Mrs. Winn was said to have
taken in all the stray dogs, cats
and children in the country. Be-
sides her own 13 children, she
raised four orphans, one of them
a colored boy. Two of the children,
Billy and John Bannister; arrived
at her ranch after having walked
from Missouri to Texas armed with
an old shotgun. M. J. Allen was
another child, and Dick Winn was
the colored hoy who took the name
of his "foster parents."
Mrs. Winn’s formula for endur-
ance on cruel frontier territory and
for ability to live through 100 years
is “keep happy, keep busy and
never lose faith in God."
Her living children, 36 grand-
children. 57 great-grandchildren and
six great-great-grandchildren will
testify that she is, indeed, happy
•—though she has been blind for
the past three years—and is op-
timistic and still interested in things
about her.
As far as keeping busy, there
were few leisure hours in Mrs.
Winn’s life. She had to cook, hear
children, spin and weave. Nothing
was supplied in the frontier homes.
She made hers one of the most
livable and hospitable in the West.
Mrs. Winn's faith in God touched
all those around her. If she moved
into a territory with no church, she
organized and built one. Her
daughter. Mrs. Randerson, remem-
bers the little path leading through
the trees on their ranch near Rock-
springs to her mother's “praying
place.’’
When asked if she was acquainted
with any of the notorious outlaws,
Mrs. Winn replied:
“Don’t know, but guess I’ve fed
every one at one time or another.”
Billy the Kid worked on her
ranch. Mrs. Winn, who was fond of
the “nice, quiet hoy,” still refuses
to believe he did all the “wrong
things” they claim he did. She
knew well the Taylor boys who
were "always getting into a racket."
The five-foot, three-inch woman
ran the ranch three years while
Mr. Winn was on a far ranch
outpost. “I just bossed the cow-
hands, “she explained, “and kept
the 1,400 head of cattle in fine
shape. I was a good cowhand,” she
added, “but refused to brand cat-
tle. The calves just bawled and
bawled. I couldn’t do1 it.”
When Mrs. Winn first came to
Texas, the Indians were the prob-
lem. The white settler* lived in
constant fear; many were massa-
cred; all lost their horses at one
time or another.
&Fhe Navajos and Comanche*
had “wireless signals long before
the said, remembering
the smoke signals which were con-
stantly in the skies about their cab-
in in Brown County.
One of the most vivid times she
recalls was the Reconstruction Era
in Texas. “I haven’t gotten in a
good humor with the Yankees yet,”
she firmly states. During the war,
when she was around 10 years old,
she helped the Confederates by
knitting socks and other clothing.
Her husband, a native of Beau-
mont and a former Confederate
soldier, died about 30 years ago.
Before Mrs. Winn lost her eye-
sight at the age of 97, she read
a great deal and was quite a trav-
eler, visiting relatives throughout
the United States. She Ts "sold” on
flying and can explain all about
how the plane "banks and goes
above the clouds. Her last flight
was made from Houston 3 years
ago.
In thinking back over the past,
Mrs. Winn admits she’ll “take
these days—I wouldn’t like to cord
and spin like I had to then.”
And she keeps right up to date
with the world events, by way of
the radio. She thinks the Washing-
ton housecleaning job promised by
the Republicans will take at least
two brooms. As for herself, Mrs.
Winn, was a MacArthur backer. The
way out of the world mess, she
says, is “to get down on our knees
and ask the Lord to help us out of
the muddle.”
Since Mrs. Winn has never
been seriously ill in her long, use-
ful and inspirational life, she has
never had to watch her diet, even
in the past few years. “I love
garlic.” she declares. Her daughter
is kept busy preparing hot Mexican
dishes for her.
The nights when Mrs. Winn’s
granddaughter, Margaret Rander-
son has dates. The charming 100-
year-oldster stays up and reviews
the evening’s activities with the
young girl when she comes in.
For her birthday party Saturday
at the TFWC Building, the cake,
baked by her granddaughter, Mrs.
Dale Morris of Austin, featured
five cakes each with 20 gold cand-
les surrounding a large center
cake topped with the numbers
“100” in gold. A large gold rose
was placed between each of the
five smaller cakes.
Organ music was presented dur-
ing the reception hours of 4 to 7
p. m. by Miss Kathleen Klint, Miss
Eleanor Kimmons and Mrs. J. N.
Whitworth of Rocksprings.
Hostess fqr the party attended
by grandchildren and other rela-
tives from several states was the
honpree’s daughter, Mrs. Rander-
son.
Those from Rocksprings attend-
ing the birthday party for Mrs.
Winn were her daughter, Mrs. J.
N. Whitworth, Sr., and son, Joe
Winn, two grandchildren, Clarence
and Jack Whitworth and families,
Mrs. John Banister. Mr. and Mrs.
Walker Dismukes, Mrs. C. O. Whit-
worth, Mrs. Ivan Smart, Mrs. Fanny
Sticber, Sam Hough, Mrs. Vera
Epperson and Harold Hough.
--o-o-
Local Firemen
Attend Meeting
At Del Rio Sunday
Rocksprings Firemen Albert Fritz,
Henry Maurer, Torn Bill Taylor,
Edward Franco, Jose Reyes and
Blackie I’erez attended a busi-
ness meeting of the Winter Gar-
den Fireman's Association in Del
Rio Sunday.
The next meeting and fire drills
will be held in Rocksprings May
17th. This will be the first quar-
terly drill conducted by the asso-
ciation.
Towns composing the district
are Rocksprings, Camp Wood, Uv-
alde, Del Rio, Crystal City, Brack-
ettvillc, Carrizo Springs, Eagle
Pass, Dilley, Pearsall, Piedras
Negras, Sabinal, Castroville, De-
vine and Leakey.
Rocksprings Invitational
Basketball Tournament
To Be Held Saturday
Rocksprings annual invitational
basketball tournament will he held
the gymnasium Saturday, Jan-
uary 17 with eight teams paired
off for ten games. This tourna-
ment will be held for hoys teams
only.
Three trophies will be presented
at the end of the tournament. They
will be first and second place tro-
phies and a consolation trophy.
Admission charges will he adults,
50 cents: students, 25; for each
of the three sessions, morning, af-
ternoon and night.
Pairings for the teams are as
follows:
Morning
8:15 Camp Wood vs. Leakey
9:30, Rocksprings vs. Medina.
10:45, Barksdale vs. Harper.
Afternoon
12:30, Comfort vs. Del Rio B.
1:45 Consolation semi-final game.
3:00, Consolation semifinal game.
4:15, Chantpsionship semi-final
game.
5:30, Championship semi-final
game.
Night
7:15, Consolation final.
8:30, Championship final.
-o-o-
247 Poll Taxes Paid
In Edwards County
Only a small percentage of eli-
gible voters in Edwards County
have paid their poll taxes thus far.
247 were paid by Wednesday morn-
ing. There are only two more weeks
for these taxes to he paid. There
will he a city election and school
elections as well as constitutional
amendments to he voted upon.
There is always the possibility of
a bond election.
Don't he left out on the limb—
pay your poll tax today. Your vote
may lie the decisive one in any of
the above elections.
Lucas Sent To
VA Hospital
BELTON. Tex.—Upon recom-
mendation of two Belton doctors,
Paul Lucas, charged with ag-
gravated assault upon his wife on
Dec. 27, was committed to the
veterans hospital at Waco for a
three-month observation and treat-
ment period.
He was taken
January 8th.
Mr. Lucas was returned from
a hospital in Galveston Tuesday
night. The charge of aggravated
W. E. Thurman, Sr.
Rites Held From
Baptist Church
The community was shocked
Sunday morning at the news of
the sudden passing of Walter E.
Thurman. Sr. Mr. Thurman died
in his sleep at the age of 55 years,
to the hospital |about 3:00 A- Sunday morning.
January 11 at his home in Rock-
springs.
Funeral services were held from
the First Baptist Church Moo-
School Football
Field Being
Reconditioned
assault was dismissed upon mo-| 3a-V- January 12 at 10:00 A. M.
tion of the county attorney in or- with Rev- Bcn Stohler officiating,
der that Mr. Lucas might be ad- Burial was in the Rocksprings
mitted to the veterans’ hospital. I Cemetery, under the direction of
Statements from doctors at a | S”ith Funcral Home’
Galveston hospital, from Scott | Pr’11 hearers were John Whit-
and White Memorial Hospital and worth- {’aul Edwards, Son Varga.
McCloskey VA center in Temple
were admitted as evidence.
Peoples State Bank
Holds Annual
Stockholders Meet
The annual stockholder’s meet-
ing of the Peoples State Bank was
held Saturday January 10 at the
bank offices in Rocksprings. C. H.
Gilmer, president of the institu-
tution. presided at the meeting.
Homer Rudasill, Sam Hough and
Seth Young.
Walter Evans Thurman, Sr. was
born September 5, 1897 in Edwards
j County at the Murphy Ranch, 20
I miles south of Rocksprings. He
I was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse
! E. Thurman, pioneer ranch pco-
| pie of this county. Mr. Thurman
lived in Edwards County all his
life and attended school here. He
was married to Miss Flora Kirkland,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. H.
Kirkland, December 14, 1919 at
Rocksprings. They began their
married life on the ranch 25 miles
southwest of Rocksprings which
they still own and which their son.
Buddy Thurman, now manages.
Mr. Thurman began his third
Officers for the ensuing vear
were elected as follows-: C. H. Gil-1 term January lst as Commission-
er of Precinct One of Edwards
CHAMBER OP COMMERCE
MEETING TUESDAY
The directors of the Chamber of
Commerce will meet Tuesday af-
ternoon, January 20 at 2:30 at the
Balentine Hotel. Pinal plans for
the Edwards County FPA and 4-H
Club Livestock ShoW will be made
and plans made for the 1953 an-
nual
The football field on the Rock-
springs School campus is being re-
conditioned preparing it for next
year’s football season. The field
has been plowed and new top soil
is being hauled for fill-in from the
Mexican School grounds. County
machinery is being used for the job.
After the field is leveled off it
will he sodded with grass.
The old bleachers will also he
repaired and probably more scats
added.
Those interested in the Rock-
springs athletic program have been
very anxious to get this field in
shape for the boys. It will enable
them to play a better game and it
will not be as detrimental to their
health as playing in the dust at
the Fair Grounds.
——————o-o--- —
Terry Cowsert
Agent For Curry
Freight Lines
mer, president; L. B. Wardlaw,
vice president; J. Alton Miller, ac-
tive vice president and cashier:
Thos. L. Taylor, assistant cashier;
Mrs. Evelyn Minter, bookkeeper;
C. H. Gilmer. L. B. Wardlaw. Ivan
B. Smart. H. H. Hough, and J.
Alton Miller, directors.
The Peoples State Bank paid!
dividends of ten per cent to its j
stockholders the past year, payable !
in September 1952. This was an
County. His father was also serv-
ing Edwards County as Commis-
sioner of Precinct No. 3 at the
time of his death in 1933. Among
other civic work for his communi-
ty he served as director of the
First State Bank in Rocksprings,
while it was in operation. He serv-
ed on the City Council for sev-
eral terms.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
, . . , Flora Thurman, one son, Walter
increase over the six per cent d:v.- K Thurman. Jr., both of Rock-
dend previously paid to its stock-1 springs. and three daughters> Mrs>
Holders. ijark Brown post; Mrs c w
1 Nix, Monahans; and Mrs. R. L.
j Fred. Rocksprings; his mother.
Mrs. J. E. Thurman, Rocksprings;
This institution will mark
its
tenth year in May of this year. In
the period since its organization in
1943. $35,000 has been added to
the original surplus of $10,000
through earnings of the bank. Total
deposits of the Peoples State Bank
as of December 31, 1952 were SI,-
224,608.35.
-o-o--
Rocksprings Places
4 In All-Dist, Band
Terry Cowsert is the new agent
in Rocksprings for the Curry Fre-
ight Lines. He succeeds Donnie
Merritt, who has been delivering
the freight since Curry trucks
started their freight line through
here. Assisting Mr. Cowsert will
be his nephew, Bobby Cowsert.
This will make it convenient as the
freight depot adjoins the Cowsert
Feed Store.
ELLIS MARTIN MADE
DEPUTY SHERIFF
Ellis Martin has been appointed
deputy sheriff for Edwards Coun-
ty. Mr. Martin has assumed this
work after completing his prelim-
inary training during November
and December as State Game War-
den.
Tryouts were held in Comfort
last Saturday for District I, Reg-
ion VI, hand students from Ban-
dera, Blanco, Burnet, Edwards, Gil-
lespie, Kendall, Kerr, Real and
Llano Counties.
Each director sent his best stud-
ents to he judged on tonal quality,
technique, a prepared work, and
sight reading. 96 were picked for
all-district hand. They were clin-
iqued for four hours and then
they presented a concert for the
public Saturday night.
Betty Fcynn placed 3rd in the
bass section, Shirley Pope 2nd in
the alto sax section, Gordon Bus-
well 3rd in the flute section, and
Jo Nell Hunt 2nd in the tenor
section.
Shirley Pope was selected for
Region VI band try outs in San
Marcos this Saturday. 165 winners
in five district meets will try one
Saturday for Regional and all-State
bands. They are representatives of
a possible 90 bands, and an esti-
mated 15,000 bandsmen in Region
VI which covers in area, one-third
of the state. 18 will be picked from
this region for the all-State band
to play at the directors clinic in
Galveston February 11-15.
L. F. Anderson states that, need-
less to say, he was both honored
and proud of the results and hopes
that this is an indication of things
to come. He appeared as one of
one brother, Lindon Thurman,
Rocksprings; and seven sisters,
Mrs. Rose Guthrie, Mrs. A. E.
Mayes, Rocksprings; Mrs. R. C.
Babb Weslaco; Mrs. E. E. Knott.
Dallas: Mrs. Claude Draper, Del
Rio; Mrs. Clifford Lawrence, Kerr-
vilie; Mrs. Roland Williams, Bra-
ckettville; and seven grandchildren.
Among those from out-of-town
attending the funeral were his
children and sisters and their fam-
ilies, and Mrs. Arthur Aiken, Aus-
tin; Mrs. Laura Scargant, Brack-
ettvillc; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Har-
ris, Mr. and Mrs. B. M. Hixson,
Mrs. I). W. Darby, Kcrrville; Mr.
and Mrs. L. A. Patton, San An-
tonio; Bill Chestnut, Sherman; Mr.
and Mrs. John Lott, Post; Mr. and
Mrs. Melvin Billings, Mr. and Mrs.
Ernest Quigg, Mr. and Mrs. David
YcAing, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Lodge,
Mrs. John Alexander, Mr. and Mrs.
George Stover, Mr. and Mrs. Ira
C. Roberts, Del Rio; Mr. and Mrs.
Pat Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. Seth
Young, Uvalde; Miss Frances Kirk-
land, Portales, New Mexico; Clay
Maddox. Junction, Mrs. Bob Fisher,
Big Lake, Mr. and Mrs. Jack M^y-
es, San Antonio.
Lt. Bob Williams visited in Rock-
springs with his wife and two dau-
ghters this week. Lt. Williams has
just returned from a tour of duty
with the Armed Forces in Eu-
rope. He left Thursday for Fort
Hood, where he will receive his
discharge from the U. S. Army.
Prior to his service he received his
degree from the University of
Texas in Business Administration
and we understand he expects to
take up this work in civilian life.
the guest conductors on the pro-
gram that night and reporta that
his students were awed—to flip
the least—by playing with such a
wonderful group.
t Aw, v- i.
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The Texas Mohair Weekly (Rocksprings, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 1, Ed. 1 Friday, January 16, 1953, newspaper, January 16, 1953; Rocksprings, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1131061/m1/1/?q=WAR+DEPARTMENT: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .