What goes around, comes back around, eventually...

Well, this might have been one of the most nostalgic visits for me, since the Latham Kids came to town and went above the 'City Cafe' (City Hall) into the hallways and rooms where they once played as children.

The Coffman Kids once again treaded across the tiles of the bank/drugstore. Their parents were Walter (Cut) and Kate Coffman who had an insurance company. They lived in the upstairs and unbeknownst to them, they walked all over those newspapers nestled under the rugs and linoleum. So, for the first time they laid eyes on a secret of their home place as they gazed upon the tables.

I'm a little confused on the 'timing' of it all. Remember how we found Dr. Taylor's 1940's secret newspapers under the carpet upstairs? How and when did they get there? And then there is Mr. Rogers who ran the drugstore? Was that at the same time these folks lived there or after they moved? These Coffmans remember the white carved scrolls in the carpet that kept the neswspapers a hidden mystery. Sooo, I don't know the time frame as well as I'd like to know. And I forgot to ask.

They recall going to Mr. Nix and paying him nine cents for a movie in the theater next door. If they were return customers and had already seen that particular show, then it was on the house. Skating was another pastime fondly filed in their memories. After school, if you ventured into the drugstore you might trip over a pile of school books littering the floor tiles. It was 'the hang out' spot for kids.

Joel (Joey) Lynn Coffman was bestman in Doug Moore's wedding, or at least that's what I think I overheard him telling Kent while I eavesdropped from the other side of the room. It may have been the other way around, not sure. Gail, Joey's wife, has done extensive research on the family ancestry. She found them as far back as Switzerland.

Alpha Ann Coffman was among the bunch. (Hope I spelled that right) She pointed to a scar that began at her forhead and went down through and under her eye. She would've lost it, had her dad not done an amazing thing. They had a car accident in the snow out by the turn before Hefner. None of the cars would start and Cut, her dad, scooped her up and ran with her all the way back to town. Dr. Heard stitched her up and saved her eyesight.

They peered at the poster announcing the Western Swing Street Dance on the 10th of July, and that jogged their memory, too. If memory serves them right, there was a city ordinance forbidding dancing after Lois had one at her house. And they recall having one in the upstairs living quarters of the bank during their lifetime. So, Caroline you better dig deep in those city annals and see if we are lawbreakers. There is a bingo ordinance, so surely we can get us a street dance ordinance overturned. They may decide to reopen them 'ole jail cells.

So now, some of their stories are carved here on this blog and in my heart. The past and the present for a moment were stitched together in time. There are some fuzzy puzzle pieces still to be found, but there's always the future.

Guess Who...

...walked into the Goree Bank/Drug Store today? Keith Chamberlain...and this is what he said on facebook, of all places:

I asked Tammie for a withdrawal and then, a milk shake. The answer to both was a firm 'nope' and I was handed a red plastic cup of ice water. Can you believe that, a Bank with three safes and a Drug Store??? She did inform me that I could make a deposit. A short time ago, only fifty-five years, I drank one of the best ever milk shakes in that very room.

Now, if you do visit the Goree Bank/Drug Store, one thing you do get is excellent hospitality and interesting conversation. Nancy and I really enjoyed visiting with Tammie and the pretty young lady, Caroline Garcia, working with her today. Also they have done a fantastic job restoring the old building. You really need to see it to appreciate the work that has been done.

Now to let you in on something that I figured out after a tour around the building and seeing all the improvements and reconditioning. Money has to come from somewhere. If you are in Goree and need to make a withdrawal, go to the old Trainham Grocery building, now an ice plant, and look up Kent. I doubt you can get a loaf of bread, can of beans or package of potato chips, but Tammie has to be making 'withdrawals' somewhere, so ask Kent.

The Doodlebug

Trudy Coffman Trainham and her sisters, Peggy and Glenda, have fun recalling their adventures on the Doodlebug. There are stories to be heard when in their presence about their beloved trips to town on the Doodlebug.

In the United States, doodlebug was the common name for a self-propelled railroad car. They were popular with some railroads during the first part of the 20th century to provide passenger and mail service on lightly-used branch lines, obviating the need to operate conventional trains consisting of a locomotive and coaches. Several railroads, mostly small regional and local networks, provided their main passenger services through doodlebugs in a cost cutting effort. However, in the railcar usage of the term it may have been derived from the phrase "doodling through town" that may have been applied to reference the function of the coaches
themselves.

History of Goree, Part 14 (New Goree & School)

The New Goree & The New School
by John H Bates

In 1906, there was a small one room school called Chigger Hill located about one and one-half miles south west of present day Goree on the land now owned by P.H. Routen. The new town of Goree had started and the Chigger Hill School was moved to the present Goree at midterm. The town relocated because of the railroad, thus being dubbed ‘a railroad town’.

Miss Minnie Nelson was the teacher at the Chigger Hill School and she finished the spring term at the new location. Goree had built a three room building consisting of two classrooms and an auditorium. Mr. & Mrs. C.S. Carter were the new teachers at the beginning of the fall term in 1906. W.P. Edwards and J.E. Crouch were trustees.

Besides Mr. Carter, there have been eight other men to hold the position of superintendent in the past 58 years. Namely J.W. Bowman, a Mr. Hargroves, Elmer Truman, E.L. Cover, H.D. Arnold who began in 1920 and taught until his tragic death in 1950.

Some time between 1906-1918, more classrooms were added to the original three room building. In the fall of 1921 and spring of 1922, four additional classrooms, a study hall and an auditorium were added. I do know if this is correct, as I was a student at this time. In 1929, the present high school building was completed and I was a member of the first class to be graduated in the new structure.

I believe Goree holds somewhat of a record in the most number of years some members of the faculty have spent teaching in one location. Mr. Arnold taught 30 years; Mrs. H.L. Moore-43; Mr. J.H. Bardwell-20; Mrs. Bardwell-17; Mrs. Bettie Taylor-19; and Mrs. Arnold -20. I believe 149 years of teaching for 6 people in the same school is quite unusual.

History of Goree, Part 12 (Town)

by John H. Bates

Time marched on and Goree grew. By 1920, we had three cotton gins, two theaters, and any number of business houses. The town had organized a band and a three day July 4th picnic had started when the first note came from the band pavilion.

Another highlight of yesterday was when Mr. Bill Glenn, of the County Seat came to asses taxes. Mr. Bill would drive up to our place late in the afternoon, in his new Model T that had cost at least $400.00 and my mother would make a dash for the milk cooler for a pitcher of buttermilk. Mr. Bill, the tax assessor, would come in, shake hands all around, and drink that pitcher of buttermilk, regardless of the size of the pitcher. After supper, the very thing we are discussing would begin. The early days on Knox prairie and do you remember when? I heard enough of it to last a lifetime, or so I thought, but here I am, a half century later, trying to tell something I heard long, long ago.

History of Goree, Part 11 (First Natl Bank)

The Bank

by John H. Bates

1906, Goree also saw the organization of the First National Bank. The new bank was in the first brick building built.

Mr. Dan Allen, Mr. W.W. Coffman, and Mr. Ernest Allen were officers of the bank.

Mr. Dan Allen told the story about the U.S. Government sending two men to Goree to make a report on the vicinity. They stayed around a few days and during this time they and Mr. Allen had become much good friends that the agents let him read the report they were sending to Washington.

In this report they had remarked that there was no reason why it would ever rain in the vicinity. For Goree was too far from the ocean and too far from the mountains, and according to all known factors those were the causes for rain, the Goree country had none of them, so they just didn’t expect it would ever rain there.

History of Goree, Part 10 (First Churches)

First Churches
by John H. Bates

The Methodist was the first to build a church, but all denominations used the building for worship. Bro. J.B. Curry was appointed pastor.

Brother Eiland and Brother Dulaney organized the Baptist Church and Brother Joe Lockhart was the first regular pastor.

The Church of Christ was organized by Brother Ed Bedford, J.D. Morton, and J.R. Mayberry. The pastor was Brother Bettercreek.

The Christian Church was started by the families of W.H. Griffin, E.W. Norris, Walter Price, John Lee, Walter Loe, Mrs. Sally Farris, and Dr. J.W. Melton, who was the community veterinary and later Knox County sheriff.

History of Goree, Part 9 (Goree Township)

by John H Bates

In 1906, the Goree Township was laid off and men were beginning to erect businesses, houses, homes and churches.

Mr. E.B. Wilson was the new railroad town’s first postmaster and also owned and operated the first Dry Foods Store and hotel, Wilson’s Hotel.

Mr. Henry Griffin and Mr. W.E. Coffman were the proprietors of the drug store operated under the name of W.W. Coffman & Co.

Mr. J.F. Crouch opened a barbershop and P.J. Camp, a tailor shop.

Hines & Wilson established Goree’s first grocery store, and W.J. Blount and George Moore a hardware store.

J.C. Woolridge & Co. added a lumber yard in Goree and Frank Davis was manager.

Goree had two blacksmith shops in 1906. J.C. Morton owned and operated one, and Mac Spears and Bud Glover, the other.

Tom Davis had a five & dime store and A.A. Brooks furnished the young people entertainment with the skating rink.

E.W. Norris and his uncle built and operated the new town’s first cotton gin.

The first residences constructed in Goree were those of J.C. Morton, J.W. Nesbitt, and J.K. Wisdom.

Small Schools, Small Towns

Keith sent this link to me tons ago, and I'm just now reading it in its' entirety. It's a cool article. The pictures of these old schools are awesome. We, in Goree, are fortunate and should be thankful. We still have activity in our school building, for how long? No one knows! But, for the moment, our building is NOT just a skeleton or a relic. Some Goree-ites were discouraged because MCISD painted the gym other colors, but we have a silver lining...we still have a gym with the hustle and bustle of athletes.

Corn, Shady, Cottonwood, and Mary's Creek...wow, cool schoolz namez!

History of Goree, Part 8 (The Doctors)

by John H. Bates

Hundreds of grateful people gathered in Goree, July 4, 1953, to pay tribute to these two doctors—Dr. Taylor and Dr. Heard—who combined 100 years of practice in Knox County and had served three generations.

The idea originated when the men of the Methodist Church were holding a meeting. From there on, the momentum grew and grew until it resulted in a well organized and conducted Appreciation Day Program.

The event was a community affair. Everyone for miles around had a hand in making it a tremendous success and a fitting tribute to a pair of public spirited professional men who had done more than minister to the physical ills of their community. Two men who became civic, cultured and spiritual leaders, as well.

After speeches of praise by representative citizens, response from the two doctors, a large framed portrait of each honoree was unveiled with a large bronze plaque bearing the doctors names and reading, “In loving tribute to him, this portrait is affectionately presented by his home town, Goree, Texas, July 4, 1953.” These portraits were hung in Goree’s Memorial Hall.

People from the states of Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Colorado and from all parts of Texas registered in the guest books that were presented to the honorees.

History of Goree, Part 7 (Early Doctors)

Goree's Early Doctors
by John H. Bates
1964

Dr. J.R. Smith

In 1891, Dr. J.R. Smith, a native of Kentucky came to what we today call “Old Goree” and opened an office. Dr. Smith practiced medicine there and over a larger territory until 1907, when he moved to Munday. He became a large land owner and was truly a frontier doctor. He passed away at his home in Munday in 1926.

Dr. E.F. Heard

Dr. Heard was born in Marietta, Georgia on April 21, 1878. He graduated from Georgia Medical College in Atlanta in 1902 and came to “Old Goree” in March of 1903. He married Miss Sidney Parks in 1904 and made Goree his home. Dr. & Mrs. Heard had four children; Pete, who died in early manhood; Mary Isabelle, who is now Mrs. Temple Dickson of Sweetwater; Angie, who is now Mrs. Hill Ritcher of Dallas; and Charles of Abilene.

Dr. Heard lived to be 81 years in history, according to the good he did his community, none could have been more wisely spent. Those in Dr. Heard’s family are my friends and without these grand people the history of our community would not be nearly as interesting.

Dr. W.M. Taylor

Dr. W.M. Taylor was born in Rock Mills, Alabama on July 28, 1887. He moved with his parents to Atlanta, Georgia. He was educated in the Atlanta public schools and graduated from the college of Medicine and Surgery in 1902.

He was converted and joined the Baptist Church at the age of 15. He began the practice of medicine in Newton County, Georgia.

He married Miss Thompson of Covington, Georgia who passed away. He was married to Miss Chloe Maloney, who passed away during the influenza epidemic. He married Miss Bettie Madole of Marlin, Texas.

Dr. Taylor came to Goree in 1907, but returned to Atlanta with his ailing wife in January, 1908. After her death, he came back to Goree in November, 1908.

He was a charter member of Goree Masonic Lodge number 1029, when it was organized on December 10, 1910. He was made a life member of the Goree Lodge on May 5, 1947.

Dr. Taylor passed away on December 7, 1960, at the age of 83; thus ended the life of an exceptional man because of his rugged honesty, his sincerity of purpose and his sympathetic understanding. He must have been high on God’s list of a chosen child. No man deserved more praise as a man, a physician, a Christian and friend than Dr. W.M. McEwin Taylor.

History of Goree, Part 6: Ample Post Office

History of Old Ample Post Office
by John H. Bates
1964

The Ample Post Office was established in the northeast corner of Haskell County within one-half mile of the cornerstone of Haskell, Knox, Baylor and Throckmorton counties, in 1885 or 1886.

Reverend D. James, Baptist, was appointed postmaster. He suggested several names for the post office when he was asked to do so, and closed by saying, “I think this is ample to select from”, so Ample it was.

He was succeeded by a Mr. McDaniels, then Mr. Cooper and then Mrs. Ruthledge. Mrs. W.P. Phillips was appointed in 1895, and served until Rural Free Delivery was established, some time after the Wichita Valley Railroad came through Goree, possibly 1908 or 1909.

All mail from Kasoga, Cliff, Munday, Rhineland and Goree was delivered to Ample and separated there, where it was picked up by a carrier from Seymour and one for Haskell.

When Mrs. Phillips took the office it paid a salary of about $7.50 per quarter, paid by cancellation of postage stamps on letters mailed there. Postage at that time was $.02. After a few years the county gained settlers until the office was designated as a separating office, since mail was heavy and granted extra pay. This about doubled the amount it was receiving at that time, which was around $37.50 quarterly. That was pretty good pay in those days. How far would it get now?

The late Mr. Walter Patton related once, that when they came through what is now Haskell, in 1882, there was only one Indian teepee there and the water in Rice Springs was so full of antelope hair they could not drink it. So, the Indians had been there only a short time before.

Early Post Offices South of the Brazos River

by John H. Bates

1964

I think the early day post offices, in the Goree and surrounding territory should be stressed in this outline, as mail was a welcome sight in the early times.

The old Goree Post Office was established June 2, 1888, with George Benedict as postmaster. On May 2, 1890, William H. Benedict was made postmaster and was succeeded by J. W. McLandon on April 6, 1891.

The Hefner Post Office was established April 21, 1904, with Graves Cayce as postmaster and discontinued June 29, 1907, when mail was sent to present day Goree.

Pueblo, an office just across the Baylor and Knox county line, was established September 30, 1891, with Elbert F. Moore as postmaster.

Old Ample was an early day Post Office that should be included in this report. The following is a history of Ample, sent me by Mrs. Walter Patton, whose mother, Mrs. Phillips was postmaster in an early day. Both the Phillips and Patton families were early day settlers on Bo Creek about nine miles southeast of Goree in 1882.

First Cotton In Knox County

by John H. Bates
1964

In 1887, two Goree territory farmers planted a cotton crop. They were Mr. A. Park's, father of Mrs. F.F. Heard, and M. L. Arnold, who was a half brother to my father, Ross Bates.

Mr. Arnold hauled his first bale to the gin in Albany and the second one to Wichita Falls. And Mr. Parks hauled his to Albany. The cotton sold for less than 5 cents per pound.

We have in our possession a green colored, glass lamp which Mr. Arnold bought in Albany as a present for his mother when he hauled the first bale to Albany in 1887.

Downtown~'77 or '78

Upon closely inspecting this picture, submitted by Eddie Hargrove, I realized that this is a time when the movie theater was still intact. It is also before the downtown fire which destroyed several buildings including the nostalgic skating rink, I think. The old water tower is also in that picture. Thank you for sharing these pieces of Goree's past.

The Jail House

Landmark: Goree Jail. Some people still alive probably stayed here at least one night in this fine establishment. Would love to hear some of the stories about this still standing piece of our history...

The First School House

The First School South of the Brazos River
By John H. Bates
1964

The minutes of the commissioners court of Knox County of May, 1888, on record in the county clerk’s office in Benjamin, record that the court appointed a Mr. Reeder (Grandfather of Knox City’s Joe Reeder) and J.H. Bates, (my grandfather) as school trustees for a district that included all of Knox County lying south of the Brazos River in Knox County.

Soon after the appointment, J.H. Bates and Newt Martin, who lived across the line in Baylor County made a trip to Albany, in wagons, and brought back two loads of lumber, which they used to construct a small one-room school house.

The new school house was built on the quarter-section west of what is now the E. A. Jones home place. This land is the northeast one-fourth of Section 19, Block 2, D & W Railways Company.

In 1890, Bill and Ab Benedict were operating a store and Post Office about one-fourth mile north of what is now the John Cure home place. The store was on the east side of Section 22, Block 2, D & W Railways. This section is know to early settlers of the community as the Benedict section, and is the section which they filed on when they came to Knox County in 1886.

T. M. Anderson was hired as the first teacher for the new school. Among the pupils were children of the Martins, Newsoms, Parks, Calthrops, Sherills, and Bates.

On opening day of school, Bud Holt came to the school house with a sulky plow, and plowed a furrow across the prairie to what is known as the Lawson place north of the present town of Goree. This furrow was for his children to follow in crossing the prairie.

Other teachers of this first school were Jeff Bowden and Miss Laura Bedford, who later became Mrs. E. C. Fancher of Seymour. Later, Miss Rebecca Bedford, sister of Mrs. Fancher, taught the school. In 1892, during the time Miss Rebecca taught, a tornado demolished the building. The community rebuilt the school, using some of the lumber that was not destroyed by the storm, but moved the school to the southeast corner of the Bedford section, later known as the John Cartwright farm, and today is land owned by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jones. The site of the school was on land that lies west of the present day Farm Road 266, and one mile south of Hefner. The building stayed there until at least 1902 and Lee Coffman taught one term there.

The building was finally sold to E. M. Coffman and used as a tenant house for many years.

Today, some of the lumber that J. H. Bates hauled from Albany in 1887 is in a house on the west edge of Goree on land owned by Mrs. Georgia Maples and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Calbert Hasken and children.

History of Goree, Part 5: Early Settlers...

by John H. Bates

When the county was organized, Steve Franklin filed on a section of land for Mr. Gulick. This land was section 6, located about three and one half miles northeast of Goree or one mile east and one mile south of what is now Hefner.

In 1885, Mr. and Mrs. Gulick sold their claim on section 6 to J.H. Bates and filed on section 12. The southeast corner of this section is one and one half miles east of present day Hefner and the west side is FM Road 266.

The Gulicks reared their family on this section of land. Their daughters are Mrs. Hamp Jones and the late Mrs. Jessie Jones of Goree and Mrs. Willie Parks of Rotan.

In October of 1886, J.H. Bates came to Knox County and bought the claim to section 6 from W.M. Gulick. He gave Mr. Gulick a wagon, a span of little mules and $125 for his claim to section 6. He went back to Den-County and on December 17, 1886 him, his wife and four boys, Ross, Frank, George Bates and M.L. Arnold (a son of Mrs. Bates by a former marriage) arrived at the claim that he had bought from Mr. Gulick. They moved into a one room house that Mr. Gulick and Mr. Calthrop had constructed for their wives. Mrs. Gulick and Mrs. Calthrop used the house as a sort of parlor when company arrived. They lived in a half dug-out.

As near as I can trace about all the people that were there in the locality in December of 1886 were the families of Bill Gulick, J.H. Bates, Ham Calthrop, Bill Benedict, Lee Newsom, Fred Franklin, Bud Holt, and Bill Gibbs.

In 1887, others began to arrive. They were Newt Martin, Jap Martin, A. Parks, Bill Newsom, Tom Anderson, Algie Sams and E.M. Coffman.

In 1890, Bud Coffman, Al Coffman, W.W. Coffman and others came.

My reason in trying to name these early settlers and bring them into the picture of Goree, is that they were the picture. And actually the seed that grew into present Goree. Everything must have a beginning and unless they were the beginning of Goree then, I am confused.

In Loving Memory~

Ruth Miller Hutchens Wilson, 89, mother of Johnnie, Brenda, and Larry Hutchens, died early Thursday, Jan. 10. Service will be at 10:00am Saturday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Sayles Blvd in Abilene. Interment will be at Goree Cemetery at 2:30pm. Family and friends are welcome to gather afterwards at Brenda's home at 813 W Oregon in Seymour.

Ruth Miller Hutchens Wilson
Friday, January 11, 2008

I was born Mabel Ruth Miller on July 24, 1918, the middle of nine girls born to Zoa Ann Jackson and Elmer Nathaniel Miller. My early schooling was at Brushy and Goree. At Brushy, my family owned the land that Miller’s Creek crossed; therefore the creek and, eventually, the reservoir, were named for our family. On May 1, 1935, my high school sweetheart, W. O. “Billie” Hutchens, and I were married. To us were born Johnnie Marie on September 10, 1937: Brenda Ferrell on March 2, 1941; and Larry Miller on September 6, 1944. Billie died April 15, 1959, turning my world upside down.

After moving to Abilene, I attended and graduated from McMurry College (now University) with high honors in August, 1962. I taught at College Heights, Jane Long, Mann Jr. High, Cooper High School and Jefferson Jr. High. It was at College Heights that I met and married Al Wilson, who had a son, Howard Paul. Al and I both retired from the Abilene ISD and managed rental property and held estate auctions until his death in October of 1989. I remained active until a stroke hit me on March 11, 2007.

A lifelong Methodist, the Woman’s Society of Christian Service awarded me the lifetime service award at First Methodist Church in Goree. Upon moving to Abilene in 1959, we joined Aldersgate United Methodist Church and I remained active in the Home Builders Class until my stroke.

In addition to Billie and Al, I was predeceased by six of my sisters as well as one daughter-in-law. In addition to Johnnie and her husband Charlie Merrill, Brenda and her husband Joe Dickson, Larry Hutchens, Howard Wilson and his wife, Cindy, I am survived by eight grandchildren: Brian Merrill; Angela Merrill Head and husband Joe; Richard Merrill and wife, Susan; Gordon Merrill; David Dickson; Juli Dickson Keehn and husband Darrell; Amanda Hutchens Turner and husband Jimmy; and Hayley Wilson. Also surviving are twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great granddaughters as well as two sisters, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Services will be as I’ve planned at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Sayles Blvd. in Abilene, Texas, at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 12, officiated by Rev. Derrell Patterson officiating, with interment at Goree Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory. Visitation will be after the service at Aldersgate.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and spouses of granddaughters, Brian Merrill, Richard Merrill, Gordon Merrill, Joe Head, David Dickson, Darrell Keehn, and Jimmy Turner.

Family and friends will gather at the Dickson Home, 813, West Oregon in Seymour, Texas.

Memorials may be made to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1741 Sayles Blvd., Abilene, TX 79605, or to Hospice of the Big Country, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, TX 79605, or the charity of your choice.

History of Goree, Part 4

by John H Bates
In 1933, my father, Ross Bates, wrote the story of W.M. Gulick, Steve Franklin, and Will Cartwright who took a bunch of horses to Houston County, near Crockett, Texas and traded them for cattle. In the fall of 1879, Mr. Gulick and Mr. Calthrop brought the cattle through Seymour and up the Brazos to the mouth of Lake Creek and turned them loose. They established a camp and stayed together that winter. Calthrop’s father and family moved to the camp and built a house where Lake Creek empties into the Brazos. Mr. Gulick worked for the Millets and Bill Irvin, a partner of the Millets during 1880-1881, and then for the Hash Knife until 1883, when he married Miss Mary Jane Calthrop, a sister of Ham Calthrop.