The Weekly Local (Ennis, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 25, 1975 Page: 1 of 6
six pages : ill. ; page 23 x 18 in. Scanned from physical pages.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
!
One of A Series of Articles on Ellis County Towns —
Possum Trot” Alive and Showing Progress
m By Elmer Fincher
Weekly Local Editor
“Possum Trot” is making
progress. If you have never
heard of Possum Trot it was
once the tag hung on Red Oak.
When Ellis County was
organized in 1850, a post office,
which was located at Mitchell’s
mile east of Highway 35E on
highway 342. These two high-
ways plus a railroad through
the business district have
promoted industrial develop-
ment for the community.
The first settlers in Red Oak
were recorded as Thomas
Calvin Marchbanks, his wife
and twelve-year-old son,
and several negroes in 1851.
The first house, it was
recorded, was built by Isaac P.
and Elijah Jeffers. Elijah died
during the Civil War. Robert
Harper Goodloe, with his four
children settled in the com-
munity in 1853 and after his
death in 1878 he was buried at
Bell’s Chapel. The W.H. Get-
pointed county commissioner at operated by J.W. Bell, Flower
that time. Sherly, Wm. Hosford and J.C.
One of the first doctors to Culbertson. It was noted that as
locate in the new town was Dr. early as 1881 Red Oak had a well
Robert White in 1874, who later conducted school. Also there
moved to Palmer married Miss were four church organizations.
Elizabeth Andrews and in 1881 The Baptist Church was
moved to Ennis. organized July 18, 1869 with a
In 1881 the town of Red Oak total of six members,
had a population of about fifty In 1894 the Russell Hooks
1972 the city was served by Lone
Star Gas Company, Texa^,
Power and Light Company and
Southwestern Bell Telephone
Company and at that date water
was supplied by two deep ar-
tesian wells. The city had a well
organized government com-
posed of mayor, five city
councilmen and two city
Branch, was moved to the town B.F., Mrs. Anne Sullivan, Mr. zendaner articles reveal that people. J.B. Daniels operated a store and post office moved to * marshalls. The fire department
now known as Red Oak. Red and Mrs. P.A. Thomason, j.w. Couch, a progressive general merchandise store the present Red Oak townsite on composed of a chief and twelve
Oak is located m the northern Elizabeth Ann Thomason, Mr. farmer and citizen settled in Miss E. Short ran a Grange Co- the Katy Railroad, and has volunteers plus two fire trucks,
part of Ellis County about one and Mrs. Burton Marchbanks Red Oak in 1853 and was ap- op Store, cotton gins were lirown into a modern town. In Industry is beginning to
locate in Red Oak with Trego
Industries, manufacturers of
Commercial Door Hardwear
and Trim, organized in 1947 by
R.R. Stokes, E.A. Orr and C.C.
Randell. Bell Brass and
Aluminum Foundry, Thomas
Ceramics Works and others
have their sights set on this
ideal metropolitan location.
No article, about Red Oak,
would be complete without
giving some space for credits
for the Red Oak High School.
Red Oak High is ranked as one
of the finest in the state. The
school is accredited and offers a
college preparatory
curriculum. Through the years
the school buildings have been
added to and new additions
have been built. With the
hundreds of new homes that are
being built in and around the
town there certainly is a chance
that this school will continue to
be a pace-setter for other Ellis
County High Schools.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IN RED OAK...AIthough rapid transportation has kept many businesses
from coming to Red Oak recent construction of many new homes will probably change the picture.
RED OAK HIGH SCHOOL..Red Oak High School already one of the finest in the state is destined to contin-
ue to be a pace-setter for other Ellis County High Schools.
THE WEEKL Y LOCAL
ELLIS COUNTY NEWS IN REVIEW
ENNIS, ELLIS COUNTY, TEXAS 75119
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25,1975
VOI. 50—NO. 39
Sims
Funeral services for Mrs.
Mary Frances Sims, 86, of 403
West Crockett, Ennis were held
at 2:00 p.m. Thursday in the
Bunch Funeral Chapel with
Minister Tex Stephens of
Houston, officiating.
Interment was in the Bristol
Cemetery with the following
serving as pallbearers: Tom
Colan, Willie Murff, Loren
Murff, Jack Sparkman, Bill S.
Luther, D. Casey Jones.
Mrs. Sims died Tuesday af-
ternoon at 3:15 at her home. She
was born July 2, 1889 in Bristol
the daughter of Dr. C. Fane
Mattie Harry Bell Hefley.
March 19,1919 she was married
to Sim Brown Sims of Bristol.
Mr. Sims died June 29, 1961.
Mrs. Sims had made her home
in Bristol before moving to
Ennis three years ago. She was
a member of Daughters of
American Revolution and the
Church of Christ in Bristol.
Survivors include two
daughters; Mrs. Glenn Luther
of Bristol and Mrs. Barbara
Andrews; one grandson, Bill S.
Luther, Dallas; one grand-
daughter, Mrs. Glynna Y.
Jones, Dallas; five great
grandsons; one sister, Mrs.
Trulie Hamm of Clarksville. A
number of nieces and nephews
also survive.
Upwards to 2,000 Take Part in
Ferris Pioneers Day Celebration
THIS GRANNY IS FOR
REAL...Mrs. John Turner, wife
of a Ferris Chamber of Com-
merce member, is not just
putting on a show for she is
really making lye soap. The
black iron pot contains parts of
pork meat which are being
simmered to collect grease.
After the meat is rendered lye is
added to the mixture, in the
right proportion, and then
presto you have a potent potion
called lye soap. The black iron
pot and lye soap certainly
played a big part in the lives of
early pioneers. Of course the
lye soap was a must for many of
the early day ailments as well
as cleaning. Many senior
citizens will remember this
phrase “If you don’t watch what
you say I’ll wash your mouth
out with lye soap”, remember?
The pot is as much of a
tradition as the covered wagon
it was used to wash clothes in, to
render lard at hog-killing-time,
to make cracklin’ cornbread
ingredients. In recent years,
the old iron pots were collec-
tor’s items but not so now for
they are available in .many
stores. Mrs. Turner said that
she had made lye soap for many
years but she said that it was
some time ago. It’s very
doubtful that Mrs. Turner would
trade her washing machine for
one of the old rub boards and a
cake of lye soap. Somehow
things were never the same
when P&G came out and the use
of lye soap vanished from the
country American scene.
(Photo by Elmer Fincher)
Coker
Chamber of Commerce of- people packed into the down-
ficials were well rewarded for town section of Ferris for the
their efforts as a crowd Firist Annual Pioneers Day
estimated upwards to 2,000 Celebration held in that small
Water Supply Corps
Of Telico and Rice
Authorize Merger
A special meeting of mem-
bers of the Telico Water Supply
Corp. was held recently in the
meeting room of the Forson
Grocery Store at Telico.
The purpose was to consider
merging the Telico Water Corp.
with the Rice Water Supply
Corp.
Dist. Supervisor William
Boyd of Waxahachie and
Consulting Engineer' Joel
Wilkinson of Austin were
present to discuss the proposed
action.
The members state they
became aware of the many
advantages of the merger, the
advantages and benefits to
accrue to both organizations
and to members.
The vote was unanimous to
merge.
A special meeting of the Rice
Water Supply was also held
recently in the auditorium of the
Rice School. The motion to
merge carried unanimously,
resulting in 100 per cent vote of
both corporations.
Directors of Telico Water
Supply are as follows: George
Trojacek, president; Frank
Liska, vice-president; Mrs.
Robert Forson, secretary-
treasurer; Marvin Hosek and
Ansley Grant, directors.
Directors of Rice Water
Supply are Robert Bailey, J.
Worth Benton, James E.
Fortson, O. L. Gilbert, Don
, Mahaley, Rufi^s Riddle, G.
Herman Wear.
The City of Ennis has contract
to supply both corporations.
town located in north Ellis
County.
The highlight of the occassion
was a parade down Main Street
which contained many and
varied attractions; vintage
cars, horses, floats and citizens
in pioneer garb. Kathy Nalley
was crowned Homecomming
Queen Friday as Pioneer Day
celebration plans were un-
derway. Exhibits lined the
street and around the old
historical depot. All types of
handcrafted items were of-
fered for sale as momentos of
the event. All kinds of hand-
crafted jewelry, painted shirts,
handmade plaques, candles and
one of the most interesting
exhibits was the art of making
lye soap.
Other attractions were:
Hogcalling, wifecalling, horse
shoe pitchin’, woodcuttin’,
bingo and dart throwing. The
Ferris Chamber of Commerce
is to be commended for a well
organized, well publicized and
successful first annual Pioneers
Day Celebration.
When you have holes in the
toes from walking around look-
ing for a job, it’s pretty hard to
put anything in the sock.
Countian Is
In Service
in Germany
BAD KREUZNACH,' Ger-
many (AHTNC )--Army
Specialist Four Eddie R.
Avinger Jr., whose wife,
Wanda, lives in Modlothian,
Tex., was assigned September 2
as a truck driver with Company
B, 8th Supply and Tran-
sportation Battalion, 8th In-
fantry Division here.
The specialist entered the
Army in 1971 and was last
assigned at Ft. Will, Okla.
His father, Eddie R. Avinger
Sr., also lives in Midlothian.
Promotion For
Ellis County
Serviceman
Terry L. Wagoner, 19, son of
Mrs. Ines Wagoner,
Midlothian, was promoted to.
Army private first class Sept. 3
while serving with the 1st
Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood.
Pvt. Wagoner, a jeep driver
in the Combat Support Com-
pany, 1st Battalion of the
division’s 12th Cavalry, entered
the Army in October 1974 and
completed basic training at Ft.
Polk, La.
He is a 1974 graduate of
Midlothian High School.
His wife Robin lives in
Midlothian.
Chautauqua Show Termed A Success
39 CATHOLICS SERVING
IN COMMONS
* LONDON (AP) - The House
of Commons elected last fall 39
Roman Catholics among its 635
members, the highest number
for half a century. Twenty-two
of the ^Catholics are in the rul-
ing Labor Party and 13 in the
Conservative opposition. There
are also two Scottish Nation-
alists and two from Northern
Ireland — one Social Democrat-
ic Labor party and one Inde-
pendent.
Military Origi
A margrave was the German
title of the count (graf) in
charge of a mark, or march,
one of the large frontier
military districts set up by
Charlemagne and his
successors to protect the
Frankish Empire. Of the six
marches, two frontiers lent
their names to modern nations
— the Danish march gave its
name to Denmark and the east
march of Bavaria, Ostmark.
evolved into Osterrich and
Austria.
Whether the Will Rogers
Show by Will Rogers Jr. was
judged a success by the
Chautauqua Preservation
Society has not been revealed.
Local residents who attended
the show were very enthusiastic
in their comments on the talent
presented. Most reported, to
this reporter, that Mr. Rogers
gave a fine performance and all
praised the Sunshine Boys for
their very excellent music.
Funeral services for Mrs.
Ruth M. Coker, 89, of 205 South
Clay Street, Ennis, were held at
10:30 a.m. Saturday in the
Bunch Funeral Chapel with L.
G. Thomas of Ennis as the
Reader. Interment was in the
Bristol Cemetery.
Mrs. Coker died Thursday
morning at 11:15 in the Ennis
Nursing Home. She was born
January 2, 1886 in Glooming
Grove, Texas, the daughter of
R. C. and Euphemia M. Carroll
Mabry. Mrs. Coker was a
daighter of a Pioneer family of
Navarro County. In 1908 she
was married to Charles Curtis
Coker of Bristol. Mr. Coker
died in 1964. Mrs. Coker had
been a resident of Ennis since
1918. She was a member of the
Christian Science Church and
, also a member of the Eastern
Star No. 160 in Ennis. Survivors
include two nieces, Mrs. Hollis
Pitts, Blooming Grove and Miss
Mabel Mabry, Corsicana. A
number of other relatives also
survive.
m % ®
B * * * *
ENNISITES ENJOY FERRIS PIONEERS DAY CELEBRATION..From left to right in the picture seated.
Mrs. Thomas Holland, Mrs. Denny Tucker and son Gregg, Mrs. Lloyd Barker and Mrs. Charles Gentry wife of
Charles Gentry publisher of the Weekly Local. Although it was two hours before parade time when this pic-
ture was snapped a good crowd had began to line the streets of Ferris.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Weekly Local (Ennis, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 25, 1975, newspaper, September 25, 1975; Ennis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth846991/m1/1/: accessed May 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ennis Public Library.