TEXMO
PHOTO COPYRIGHT - MICHAEL O. WEBB 2003
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TEXMO-LEEDEY, ROGER MILLS - DEWEY COUNTY OKLAHOMA
(The following is from an article in THE LEEDEY STAR - 18Feb1965. "It Wasn't Easy - The Autobiography of Roy Walton" Installment IV)
"Texmo was the largest town in this area, between the Washita and Canadian rivers. One time was all that I remember being there. Father and I were in Mrs. Russell Massey's father's store. Jim Mullins gave me some persimmons - not the green kind newcommers generally get, but ripe, juicy ones. By next day Mr. Mullins most likely had forgotten, but 60 years later, the only thing I remember about Texmo was this man's kindness to a small boy.
I had to call on so many people for help in writing about communities, that instead of this being MY story, several have spent long hours of hard work, writing. I think they should get the credit, like they do on tv news. We are now calling in our Texmo correspondent, Mrs. J.A. (Lois Yetter) Smith.
TEXMO
(This article was written by Mrs J.A. Smith of Elk City, assisted by Mrs. E.H. Smith, sr., of Leedey and A. ("Smithy") Smith, Elk City, who were early day residents of Texmo.)
Before the turn of the century, Jim Parks, was sent to northeastern Roger Mills county as U.S. land commissioner. He laid off a townsite and since his wife was from Texas and he from Missouri (as were many of the settlers on the land) they called the new town Texmo.
The town grew and prospered under territorial government, having a wide trade territory that extended from Cheyenne on the southwest, to Rhea on the northeast. Weatherford was the nearest railroad town, from which supplies were hauled in horse drawn wagons, called freighters. Later, the Rock Island railroad reached Elk City, which was much closer. In this new town civic, religious and cultural life was carried on and educational foundations were sternly laid.
Texmo had a weekly newspaper called the Texmo Times, published by J.H. Hawkins, and later, by Al Bradshaw, whose wife, Effie, was the town postmaster.
Main street had the usual businesses found in any town. There were the Parks hotel and central telephone office; Cotton Exchange bank, owned by Mr. Wheatcroft, (C.A. Horr andAustin Goode, cashiers); J.R. Mullins and Wes Holmes, general store; a drug store owned by Dr. F.W. Allen and operated by A.A. Butler, who was killed in the Leedey tornado of 1947; Billy Wells and A. Smith lumber yards; Sherm Sturgess hardware; R.J. Ratliff and "Ballie" Martin dry goods and general clothing stores; John Dick grocery store; Wayne Tackitt restaurant; A Masonic and Odd Fellows hall over the Ratliff store; Gip Moore and T.L. Turner, attorneys-at-law; Francis Crow loan office; Lovelace pool hall; Dan Saling grist mill; Gillie Garwood wagon yard and livery stable; a rooming house where "drummers" (traveling salesmen) "pu up", run by Charlie Rector, Buddy Edwards and Gip Moore at different times; A.L. "Happy" Smith and Ed Smith blacksmith and tin shop anda cotton gin. Carpenters who lived in or near the town were John Dillon, Tom Styron and Ed Guiler. Mr. Guiler was also the town photographer.
A Methodist and Baptist church held religious services. Rev. H.C. Gulledge officiated at the wedding of Sadie Yoesting and E. Smith. Mrs. Smith lives with her son, Edward, and family near Leedey today.
A four room school was educational home to the youth of Texmo. Will Adams, "Uncle Billy" to everyone, was principal. Some teachers we remember were Miss Emma Pozman, Miss Grace Hinds, Mr. Dame, Miss Margaret Goodman and Mr. Burch. One of the four rooms was built with a stage and was used for community gatherings, plays and traveling shows.
Texmo's resident doctor was Frank W. Allen, then just graduated from medical school in Virginia, who, with his young bride, Mary, a registered nurse, decided to "go west" and lend their services to the hardy pioneers.
Dr. Allen never spared himself or his horses when he received a call that someone was ill and needed him. Ofter he carried his pill bag on horseback when roads were impassable for his buggy because of snows or washouts, knowing he would not receive money in payment for his call. Sometimes he was paid in salt pork, chickens, eggs, grain and even wild game - and often was not paid at all.
Mrs. Allen was an accomplished musician who sahred her talent with music lovers in teaching and entertainment. Another music teacher who worked for years to bring inspiration and instruction to the community was Mrs. Lee (Mary) Harris. Although she now is an octogenarian she enjoys the music class she teaches in Pampa, Tex.
many farmers in the Texmo area were leaders in the development of the religious and civic life of the town. Some of these families haved been lifelong friends and would be able to tell more of the early day activities than I remember.
Those within a mile or two of town were: The Watson family, just across the canyon from town; The Art Burnetts, E.Z. Pages, Henry Stices, Jack Balls (Both Mr. and Mrs. Ball were deaf mutes but seemed to enjoy life as much as anyone), Jim Vosburgs, Tom Styrons, John Thomases, the Harifords, Lowes, John Ayers, Lee Harrises, Frank Grahams,the Browns, E.J.Gibbs, E.P. Moores, John Wilsons, Darrell Goodwins, Clyde Harrises, Tom Manns, J.R. Russells, Chaney Mullins, Joe Ratliff, and J.H. Yetters and the Donathans.
A natural bridge a few hundred yards south of the town and west of the Whitson place was the favorite spot for picture taking and picnics. The bridge is there to this day but years of silt accumulation has almost filled the canyon.
When the M-K-T railroad was built from Wichita Falls, Tex., to Forgan, Okla., in 1910-99, it bypassed Texmo by a little more than two miles, thereby sealing its doom. Merchants moved their buildings to the new towns of Moorewood nad Leedey, on the railroad.
Should you drive by the "deserted village," stop long enough to salute the old town that had its "day in the sun", then gave way to progress, as all things must. Remember the hard working settlers who fought drought, prairie fires and floods to bring the good earth under control and to give life abundant to their children and those after them who came to live on the land."
(The following is an excerpt from "Spanning the River" published by the Dewey County Historical Society. Copyright 1976)
"The first building in Leedey was built by Amos Leedey, the man for whom the town of Leedey was named, in 1899. This building was in the NW corner of the 1/4 section now owned by Otha Graybill. It served as a general store, post office and living quarters for Mr. and Mrs. Leedey. The Leedey post office was established Jan. 6, 1900, and Amos Leedey was the first post master. This building burned about 1906 but was unoccupied at the time, as the store and post office had been moved accross the road west.
In 1903, J.R. Mullins built a much larger store directly across the road west from the Leedey building on the NE corner of the 1/4 section now owned by Lester Rounds. This new building was painted red and was known as the Red Store.
Building of the Red Store put Old Leedey on quite a building boom. From 1903 until 1909, Old Leedey was a lively country town. Then, IN 1909, most of the business moved to a new location called Texmo, which was about 6 mi. south and a little west of the present Leedey. IN 1911, upon the completion of the MKT Railroad, which by-passed Texmo, the business men began moving back to the present Leedey. By the end of 1911, Old Leedey was practically a ghost town, the only occupants being Sam Massengale, the post master, and Dr. W.E. Seba.
Dr. Seba, when a young man, came to Leedey in 1907, where he practiced until his health failed and he died in 1956. On comming to Leedey, he bought Dr. Walker's practice. Dr. Frank Allen settled in Texmo when he first came to Oklahoma, and then came on to Leedey with the coming of the railroad. The only means of conveyance of both of these doctors was the horse and buggy. The last few years of Dr. Seba's practice he owned an airplane and made some calls with it.
The year 1911 was really the beginning of the present Leedey. This was because the railroad came through Leedey. Business boomed after this. The first school house was 1/2 mile south of town, approximately where the cotton gin is now located.
Some of the early business men in Leedey besides J.R. Mullins and the doctors, were, E.B. Dycus; J.A. Massey; W.H. (Tiny) Roberts, produce operator; R.J. Ratliff, dry goods; A.L. (Happy) Smith; Ed Smith, blacksmith and tin shop; and George Smith who operated the Rex Theater and a small cafe where you could buy 10c Chilliburgers and homeade taffy candy.
Leedey has withstood many hardships such as the dust bowl days, the school building burning in 1935; the tornado on May 31, 1947, two World Wars taking their toll of lives, and then the abandonment of the railroad in 1972.
In spite of all of these, Leedey is still a pretty good little town."
(This is from the family history of Mary Edith Byford - 1970)
TEXMO - The business found in this little town consisted of a newspaper called the Texmo Times, a weekly paper; Park Hotel; general store, owned by John Wesley Holmes; Central Telephone Office; Cotton Exchange Bank; a drugstore owned by Frank W. Allen, a medical doctor. It was operated by A.A. Butler, who was killed in the Leedey, Oklahoma tornado in 1947; a lumber yard owned by Billy Wells and A. Smith; hardware owned by Sherm Sturgess; dry goods and general store owned by R.J. Ratliff and Ballis Martin; grocery store owned by John Dick; restaurant owned by Wayne Tackett; Masonic and Odd Fellow Hall over the Ratliff store. The newspaper was published by J.H. Hankins, later by Al Bradshaw, whose wife, Effie, was the town postmistress; Attorneys at law Gip Moore and T.L. Turner; Loan office, Frank Crow; grist mill and livery stable, owned by Dan Sailing; travelers, drummers, salesmen etc., put up at the rooming house, which was run by Charles Rector - at different times it was run by W.N. (Buddy) Edwards and Gip Moore; blacksmith; tin shop; and cotton gin. Al (Happy) Smith and Ed Smith, carpenters, Mr. Giles, John Dillon, and Tom Styron lived in or near Texmo. Mr. Giles was also the town photographer. Buddy Edwards was an uncle of Artimessa Holmes
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A Baptist and Methodist Church held religious services. Pastor H.C. Gulledge officiated at weddings. The four room schoolhouse was the educational home of the youth of Texmo. The four rooms were built with a stage and was used for community gatherings, plays and traveling shows. Frank W. Allen then just graduated from medical school in Virginia, who with his young bride, Mary, a registered nurse, decided to go west. They served the folks of this community. He carried his pill bag on his horse when the roads were impassable for his buggy. If paid at all for his services, alot of times he only got paid with salt pork, chickens, eggs, grain, and even wild game - whatever the people had to pay with for his services. He later moved his practice to Leedey, Oklahoma.
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