The Archer County News (Archer City, Tex.), Vol. [19], No. [16], Ed. 1 Monday, November 11, 1929 Page: 1 of 27
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Archer County Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Archer Public Library.
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Archer County Court House, 1891-1925
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Present Archer County Court House
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The County Prior
to Organization
County Organized
Fifty Years Ago
Homecoining
Celebration
Nov. 11-12
— * ■=■—Golden Jubilee - Hard Surface Highway Edition ~~ * =
The Archer County News
=.. Historical Section ■=■ —<■
Archer City
Texas, Nov.
11,1929
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WELCOME!
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The Time that Tried the Souls of Men
The Drift of Eighteen Eighty-Six
Archer County’s Three
Court Houses
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Archer County. The required petition had
been signed and presented to the Commis-
sioners Court of Clay County, to which the
unorganized county of Archer was then
attached for judicial purposes. The peti-
tion was protested and delayed b y t h e
more
F. E. Dycus, C. M. Mays, R. M. Taylor,
R. M. Graham, G. G- Dickey, T. A. Mat-
thews, John Robertson, A P. Neal, P. U.
Neely, Harve Allman, Jeff D. Lyles, J. B.
Hestand.
Archer was named a U. S. Postoffice
and M. J. Baughman was appointed as
postmaster. The postoffice in after years
was changed from Archer to Archer City
to conform to the name of the town.
Dr. C. B. Hutto, the founder of the town,
started a small supply store and sold out
to '
The Archer County Chamber of Commerce herein extends
its whole-hearted officio* welcome to all ex-residents of the
county, and joins the old timers of this section in most particu-
larly welcoming all those old, pioneering souls who in former
years helped to lay the foundation for what is fast becoming one
of the most progressive of all Northwos* Texas counties. This
organization f mnded in 1926, includes in its membership
smail number of those same old timers \who tl^roiiNirni
JS ana '' “
times and bad, have ever stood in the forefront of tfe battle-lines,
fighting for Archer county, its future and the future of its chil-
dren.
J. S. Melugin, president of the organi-
zation, will be remembered as one time
! tion throughout the
A RCHER County was created from Clay
County by an Act of the Legislature
January 22, 1858, and contained an area
of 900 square miles. At the time of its
creation there was no settlement of any
kind in the county and the Indians and
buffalo controlled the range, and there will
be no attempt to write anything concern-
ing Archer County from 1858 to 1878.
In 1878 scattering herds of longhorn
cattle were brought in and established at
different points in the county, and those
hardy pioneers will be mentioned, for they
paved the way for civilization by beating
back the hordes of Indians and the vast
herds of buffalo that used our valleys and
prairies for a feeding ground.
These cattlemen made it safe and blazed
the way for the actual settlers to rest and
pursue the development of the country by
building homes, pre-empting homesteads,
establishing communities, and later on or-
ganizing county governments.
These men were heroes and many of
them paid the price of their pioneer spirit
with their lives, for the Indians considered
them intruders on their territory and
fought them as an invading enemy, and
ofttimes overpowered the cowman, de-
stroyed his property, scattered and drove
off his herds and left his corpse to bleach
in the sun or to be eaten by the wolves.
These men wrote history with their blood
and should ever be honored as heroes.
Some few of these old pioneers are liv-
ing today, but most of them have passed
over the river and await their remaining
partners to ride up the Sunshine Trail to
that Great Round-Up in the Skies, where
the Head Boss will assign them to the
green pastures of Heaven as their eternal
home as a reward for carrying out His
plan for the development and opening up
the vast territory of West Texas.
and paupers; making saints and sinners;
one of the greatest industries known to
the American continent. Gushing up from
the bowels of the earth in an endless stream
of wealth. Oil from innumerable sands at
various depths. Sands underlying all sec-
tions of the county. Oil produced in such
immense quantities that for years Archer
county was recognized at the premier oil
producing county of the State, and still
stands near the head of the list, and yet, it
is universally recognized that the poten-
tialities for production of this commodity,
in this county, are far greater than ever be-
fore realized.
We invite the attention of all the old
timers, and the many thousands of visitors,
to the innumerable pipe lines gridironing
the county; transporting this liquid gold
to the marts of the world.
We call your attention to the gas mains
bearing that cheapest and best of all modern
fuels into the midst of the thousands of
comfortable homes; taking the place of
the “prairie chips” of long ago.
We call your attention to the high volt-
age power lines traversing the county,
bringing uninterrupted service and the
multiplicity of modern conveniences and
luxuries into the homes of all.
In Archer City, the old court house with
its domes and turrets has been remodeled
into a modern structure equipped with ai’
modern conveniences and affording ample
room for officials to carry on the greatly
increased business of the county. Note
the beautifully terraced grounds, the pav-
ing around the square, the concrete ribbon
of all-weather highway leading away into
the distance.
Note the new City Hall and Masonic
Temple, the new hotel, the new Post Of-
fice, the new printing office, the new
church buildings, the many new and beau-
tiful homes; note that the City is literally
gridironed with adequate water mains, and
the sewer system with its new and modern
type of disposal plant is second to none
in the State for a city of this class.
Note the new high school building, with
all its modern facilities; interview its corps
of high grade and efficient instructors; in-
vestigate its twenty-one affiliated credits;
note the numerous high class schools I County, erected himself
throughout the county, and know that Ar- laid off a town that he n
cher county is looking out for the proper
instruction of its children.
Bus lines, trains and truck lines traverse
all sections of the county; assuring the
highest type of transportation for the con-
venience and comfort of the traveling pub
lie.
To those who still have a penchant for
the “wide open spaces,” out where “Men
are men,” we recommend the more than
four hundred and fifty thousand acres of
unbroken ranges “where the coyotes howl
and the bob cats yowl and the rattlesnake
dens in the branding pens and the cowboy
Continued on Back Page
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First Settlers--Other First Things
7TE._ FIRST settlement of Archer!
County, by actual settlers was in the
year 1878 and the first actual settlers
'were Dr. R. O. Prideaux and wife, but
it was not long until other families mov-
ed in until the spring of 1879 showed at
least twenty families besides the cow
camps and the camps of the buffalo hun-
ters. Dr. C. B. Hutto, located about
three miles east of the center of Archer
’fa log cabin and
town that he named Archer City.
The first settlers of this town and com-
munity surrounding the town, besides the
founder C. B. Hutto, were: F. M. Baugh-
man, M. J. Baughman, Tom Elmo, J. G.
Marshall, John Brown, W. B. Hutcheson,
J. P. Hart, W. W. Man, John Baxter, Geo.
Baxter, S. S. Moorehead, J. S. Moore,
John Rambo, G. W. Dugan, A. Llewellyn,
L. W. Hart, W. H Ground, T. M. Coul-
son, W. M. Cound, Robt. Kerr, Walter
Daniel, T. M. Gillespie, W. S. Scott, James
S. Scott, W. W. Duren, A. Ingalls, E. H.
East, Bob Milton, W. 0. Covington, F.
general supply store for many years. The
postoffice was in this store that stood
where the Ikard Dry Goods Store is now
located.
Alex Hutcherson and Mike Baughman
were clerks in this store where the Eugene
Hooper building now stands.
The first blacksmith shop was located
on the N. E. corner of square and was
run by a man by the name of Shepherd,
____________________ _________ who soon died and was the first body buri-
In the next few years were added many ed in the cemetery at Archer City. This
famines and included W. M. Powell, shop was continued by John Brown who
” ' bought the lot, shop and tools. The lot
is now occupied with the old land office
of the W. C. Young Land Company.
The first white child born in Archer
County was Archer Baughman, son of Mr.
and Mrs. F. M. Baughman.
The first livery stable was run by F.
Lewis on the west side of the square near
where the Leader Dry Goods Store in the
C. R. Conner Building is no wlocated.
The first saloon was opened up by Jim
Smith and run in a house and on the lot
W. B. Hutcheson, who run the only Continued on Back Page
jmE FIRST SETTLERS of Arche coun-
ty went through many hardships in
holding their homes and herds and also
suffered equally the hardships and pri-
vations. For when the dry years came and
the hot west winds would dry up all veg-
etation, even wells, springs, pools, creeks
and rivers went almost bone dry, it was
then that the man with the large herds suf-
fered equally with the nestor with only
a few head, for all had to look out for them-
selves and drinking water at times was a
very scarce article.
I think the years 1886 and 1887 were the
hardest I ever witnessed in the West. The
creeks and rivers came very near going
dry in Archer county and our people seem-
ed to “shrink up” from the continued op-
pressive heat and there was great suffering
among both man and beast. Stock drifted
down the dry beds of streams for hundreds
of miles. Those that followed the West
Fork of the Trinity, where the worst drift
of cattle occurred, were found as far
southeast as Fort Worth the following year,
and many were never gathered and return-
ed.
The writer was a young deputy sheriff
of Archer county and was sent to quell any
disturbances that might arise from this
great drift of thirsty, maddened, lowing
brutes that were drifting by the scent of
water and were followed by their owners
in an effort to keep them located. While
ahead of this mass of thirsty, dying brutes
were great bunches of armed men threaten-
ing to shoot them down if they intruded
on their possessions. Such was the sit-
uation that this young officer had been
sent to control.
He talked to both sides and soon saw
that if the shooting once commenced there
would be more than animals shot, and he
reported to the sheriff of Archer county,
who at that time was T. M. Coulson, the
situation, with the suggestions that if this
disturbance must be stopped he had better
send the Governor a request for a company
of soldiers or the whole Ranger force.
But this was not done and there was no
killings over the great drift, but wire fences
were cut and the cattle were allowed to
look out for themselves.
The memory of this awful time, I al-
ways thought, inspired the gifted writer
of verse to compose the beautiful poem
that so accurately described the conditions
of man and beast in the years 1886 and
Lewis, Wm. Hutton, Dennis Yoakum, Jno.
H. Stone, J. B. Gholson, L. A. Snider, A.
J. Ikard, Whig Harris, Frank Peters, Jim
Roberson, Thos. J. Longley, L. C. Gar-
vey, John Garvey, R. D. Andrews, Mrs.
Kate Turbeville, W. C. Mayes, J. B. Tay-
lor, Anderson Troxel, Samuel Abercrom-
bie, S. R. Stiles, Ben Melton, Wm. Palk,
Allen Parmer, Hillary Bedford, Jones Leon-
ard, Perry Harmonson, Jasper Herron,
Newt Jones and Joe S. Benson.
W. E. Forgy, one time known as the “Saw
Bones” of this section, helped to found the
organization and “engineered” the County
Road Bond Issue which is today giving
Archer County one of the finest systems
of modern roads in this part of the State.
T. L. Looney, old time real estate dealer;
W. C. Young, erstwhile hereford breeder;
Joe Eichler, old time prohibitionist; R. S.
Morrison, old time attorney; C. E. Gra-
ham, old time cattleman, now famed as
the “Will Rogers of West Texas.” Chas.
Martin, ex-surveyor and prohibitionist; T.
B. Wilson, C. E. Goodwin, C. J. Long, Z.
» T. Burkett, Joe Sheldon, and numerous oth-
ers, all staunch supporters of the progres-
sive development of Archer County.
The Chamber of Commerce wishes to in-
vite the attention of all old timers to the
numerous good roads now under construc-
5 county, affording an
all-weather outlet to the various marketing
centers and bringing the world to our
doors.
Attention is called to the extraordinar-
ily high grade of cattle which they have
taken the place of the long-horns of long
ago, our cattle breeders having time after
time topped the market of the world with
this high brade beef.
The sheep industry, one time bane of
the catleman, is now of growing impor-
tance in Archer County; some of our best
cattlemen having turned to that industry
as offering a quicker turnover and a great-
er profit. This proving to be one of the
best sheep-raising sections of the West.
Poultry-raising is also coming into its
own; evidenced by hundreds of breeders
throughout the county.
Turkey breeding is proving both practical
and profitable as is demonstrated by the
highly bred flock of Z. T. Burkett, at Arch-
er City, and many thousands of turkeys
throughout the county.
Of all the various agricultural interests,
perhaps the dairy industry has witnessed
the greatest development in the shortest
space of time. County Agent G. R. Mc-
Niel, secured through the efforts of the
Chamber of Commerce, has toiled unre-
mittingly in building up some of the finest
dairy herds in this part of the State; hav-
ing organized in the short space of six
months no less than five bull circles, and
created a milk testing association. The
revenue from this industry alone is bringing
to a single community a payroll of five
thousand dollars per month. The possibi-
lities for development of this industry in
Archer county are absolutely unlimited,
this having been proven to be one of the
best sections in the United States for dairy-
ing, and a ready market being available
for unlimited quantities of milk.
Oil! Black Gold! Making millionaires
1887,, and entitled, “Drouth in the Cow-
lands,” by a young woman, Mrs. Marguerite
Purcell Andrews, daughter of Judge John
Purcell of Archer City, and the wife of
R. 0. Andrews, whose stockfarm lies near
the West Fork of the Trinity, down which
stream the great cattle drift was made in
these awful years. Mrs. Andrews describes
the conditions so accurately, the move-
ments and thoughts of men of that terrible
time, that I am sure she drew the inspira-
tion from what she had been told of those
dark days that tried the souls of men and
challenged the very existence of God, for
the prayers of a suffering people seemed
to fall upon the desert air and the reason
for this great disaster to be visited upon a
people that could only look to Him for
relief. But it must have been that He was
trying the souls of his chosen people for
a purpose.
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larger cattle interests, which were bitterly 1
opposed to the organization.
Texas was just recovering from the dis-
astrous period of “Carpet Bag” rule that
followed the Civil War. President Hayes
had just recalled the last of the military
which consisted of a renegade-black com-
bination and the Southerners regained con-
trol of the State government in the elec-
tion of Governor Roberts in the fall of
1878.
Governor Roberts’ taking charge of the
State government in 1879 inspired the pio-
neers of Archer County to make a fight
for home government in Archer County,
and those patriots of fifty years ago, in
pleading for home government by organi-
zation, frequently referred to the “Carpet
Bag” rule which had humiliated the best
citizenship of our dear Southland, de-
throned our statesmen from the offices to
which they had been elected by the people,
controlled the elections throughout Texas
and the South by use of Negro troops who
heaped disgrace upon humiliation. This
condition was freely referred to in the
fight for home rule for Archer County.
In the spring of 1880 the election was
ordered by the Commissioners Court of
Clay County, and Archer County was duly
organized July 27, 1880.
The county, according to the United
States census for 1880, contained a popu-
lation of 596. In 1889 the population of
Archer County was 2090 and land values
had increased from 50 cents per acre at
the time of organization to $1.80.
The total valuation of all property as-
sessed for taxation in 1880, was $210,660,
and ten years later the valuation was $1,-
898,789.
The school population at the time of
organization was 23, and ten years later
was 159, with 11 school houses, 11 teachers
with salaries averaging $35.00 per month.
The average attendance was 40 and the
school term was 130 days. The total esti-
mated value of school property outside of
the school buildings, was $250.00.
There were in Arch er County 3440
horses and mules, 62,100 cattle, 14 jacks
and jennets, 22,458 sheep, 1952 goats and
361 hogs.
In 1889, the county tax rate was 60 cents
on the $100.00 valuation and on December
31 that year there was $565.00 balance in
the county treasury in all funds, and the
county indebtedness was $1200.00. The
total amount expended for county govern-
ment, including roads and bridges, was
$7,192.03.
There were seven persons incarcerated
in the county jail, under the following
charges: theft, 1; forgery, 1; assault and
battery, 2; rape, 1; other charges, 2.
There were in Archer County in 1889
six lawvers, th.ee mercantile establish-
ments, one saloon and two phys.cians.
/he valuation ot cattle in 1889 was $5.00
per head; horses, $20.00 per ijiead; sheep,
$1.00 per head; nn r be^A.
RCHER COUNTY, a North Central Texas county,
> was named in honor of Branch T. Archer, a pio-
neer who fought for the independence of Texas and
was Secretary of War in the Republic of Texas.
This county comprises an area of thirty miles
square of rolling prairie covered with a growth of fyea,s ag,° *n November, the
. .. . i . , i . , tight was on for the organization of
scattering mesquite with many rivers and creeks marking the ‘ ’
surface. Along the banks of thesfe streams can be found dense
growth of elm, hackberry, china, chittam, pecan and cotton-
wood trees. In the southeastern portion of the county the cross
timbers enter and several thousand acres are covered by
growth of post oak.
The big Wichita river touches the north-
west corner of the county and the Diversion
Dam of the great irrigation system is lo-
cated at this point. It supplies water for
iirigation and stock farming and the oii
wells of that section. Holliday creek and
Lake Wichita, which is almost entirely lo-
cated in Archer county, not only supply
the north portion of the county with water
for oil development, stock farming and do-
mestic use but furnishes the soft water for
all purposes for the city of Wichita Falls.
The Little Wichita river and its tributaries
pass through the central portion of the
county and furnish an ample supply of
water for the vast oil fields through which
they pass as well as for domestic use on
the many stock farms that comprize this
territory. The West Fork of the Trinity
river and its tributaries traverse the south-
ern portion of the county, and the tribu-
tary streams of the Brazos river the south-
western portion of the county furnishing
the many large oil • fields, ranches and
stock farms of this section an abundance
of water for all purposes.
Archer county was attached to Clay
county for judicial purposes up to the
year 1880. In the spring of that year an
election was held on the organization of the
county and carried. Archer City, lying
about three miles east of the center of
the county, was chosen as the county seat. *
Archer county in 1879 was occupied by
stockmen owning vast herds of long horn
cattle, a few herds of horses and sheep and
scattering settlers over the various sections
of the county had “squatted” with their
families and a few stock, opened up small
farms and built their houses, consisting
of anything from a dugout, log cabin or
boards to stone houses where they had
located vacant lands and preempted small
homesteads in various sections of the coun-
ty.
Herds of longhorn cattle and semi-wijd
horses mingled freely with the wild game
that existed in abundance. Imaginary
lines were drawn and established by agree-
ment between the owners of the various
herds that were uesiguated b} brands.
Thest lines were ridden daily b} cowboys
to beat back the animals and cojif 'ne them
to the territory that had been » 'reed upon,
and several times a year round-ups would
be made and those that had escaped the
~lalo was' aimosV ext 'dm- jy.-'d b<-.
. ---a s si< -en to J1.7 prdjjer nerd.
Barbed wir; was first introduced in
the fall of 1880 and vast territories were
fenced. Archer county was seemingly di-
vided into three sections, north, central
and south. The T Fork and 99 pastures
controlled the north section, the OX and
Circle pastures the central portion, and
the LM, TIP, JJ, CLA Bar, Mule Shoe, County Judge of Archer County. Judge
GAR, Figure 3, Lazy H and other small
ranches, occupied the southern portion.
Interspersed throughout the county were
settlers that had located on vacant or un-
patented lands and were building up homes
and struggling to survive and it was this
latter class, combined with the small ranch
men, that made it possible for the county
to be organized.
These old pioneers and trail blazers who
marked the way for the present civilization
were looking ahead when their children
would need churches, schools, roads and
Continued on Back Page
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bridge
/YN THE organization of the county and
the voting of the county seat to be at
Archer City, a one-story box house, with
four small rooms and one large room
20x30 feet, was donated by C. B. Hutto,
the founder of the town, to Archer Coun-
ty to be used as a court house. This
building was located where the present
modern structure now stands and was ■
used for ten years as a court house.
The smaller rooms were used for the
county clerk, sheriff and tax collector, .
county surveyor and county treasurer. The
larger room was used as a court room
and the county attorney had a desk in
this room that he used. The tax assesor
also used this room, when not occupied
by the court. This house was destroyed
by fire in 1890.
In 1891 under the administration of
Judge Alfred Llewellyn a modern two-
story stone structure was erected, with
spacious court rooms and offices for all
county officials and vaults for the county
records, in the office of the county
clerk, county treasurer, sheriff and tax
collector and tax assessor.
This building was supplied with the
very finest furniture. In 1925 this build-
ing was remodeled and another story add-
ed. under the admin- tration cf Tnrl<r« F
being
____ conveniences, Uiie original and remodeled
\..•i«X1£-ror'i879l. Baylor Ci-unt/, April 13, ! bun ,j'0.(7 trniture and equipment is
county in ' lof'J; Wilbargc^ County, October 10,1881; I $200 ' 7]ie, •
’ 1 ' inty June 21, 1882; Clay | The .irt yard is all set in trees, flow-
County in 1873, Young County in 1874, ers and shrubbery. The walks and square.
30,000 bushels of wheat, 75,000' bushels of and Jack County on July 7, 1857. | surrounding are all paved in cement.
--—---------—---------——---------------—---— --
oats and 4,0G8 of soiglinm. being an
The county expended bads and 1 furnld^UUjtnd. I di
bridges $2500.00 in 1889. This included ^XeniZ , d?
■one iron bridge across the Widiita riv«- , -ij- uen.ces’ Uue origi
. BSyior County’ April 13,'bun -miture
i h.'eao.
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Martin, Charles. The Archer County News (Archer City, Tex.), Vol. [19], No. [16], Ed. 1 Monday, November 11, 1929, newspaper, November 11, 1929; Archer City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1234437/m1/1/?q=Hilltop+Lakes: accessed June 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Archer Public Library.