Texas History Notebook

Billy Klapper, Spur Maker

Billy Ray Klapper was born April 9, 1937 in Lazare, Texas, located a few miles west of Quanah in Hardeman County. His parents were Phillip Elbert and Minnie Helen Gooding Klapper. He was the third of five children, the others being sister Johnnie Fay, sister Dorothy Marie, brother Phillip Eugene and brother Joe Michael.

Pérez Ranch

This ranch was the oldest ranch in Texas for the better part of two hundred years. The original grantee was Don Juan Ignacio (or Ygnacio) Pérez de Casanova in 1794 from Spain during its control of the area. The ranch operated continuously under a number of names including Rancho de Purisima Conceptión, Stone Rancho, Perez Ranch, Linn Ranch, Rancho de Leon and Walsh Ranch until about 22 years ago. Some of the ranch names come from family names of spouses in marriage.

Philip Nolan, Namesake of Nolan County

Philip Nolan was an early mustanger and filibusterer in the area that became Texas when it was under the control of Spain. In historical terms, and in contrast to the current political usage, “filibusterer” referred to a person or group who made unauthorized ventures or expeditions into areas controlled by others. The term originated from Spanish/Dutch words referring to a pirate or a freebooter. The individuals’ filibustering intentions could include a desire to seek income or financial gain by taking resources, a goal of establishing settlements and also to attempt to overcome the prevailing government’s control over the territory.

Book Club of Texas

The organization known as the Book Club of Texas was conceived in late 1928 and formally created in 1929. Its purpose was laid out by Stanley Marcus of Dallas in a newspaper interview carried by the Houston Chronicle in its issue of November 25, 1928 in the copy below. Marcus said “The Book Club of Texas has been formed for the purpose of fostering arts pertaining to the production of fine books. It will function in two ways: first, by the publication of books that will typify the best standards of bookmaking, in regard to object matter, printing, binding and typographical design; second, by sponsoring exhibitions and lectures pertinent to these interests.” Marcus went on to describe the governance, membership and benefits to those who participate. The entity was set up as a not for profit and non commercial group and began operating in early 1929.

John M. Hendrix, Cattle Brands Historian

For about a year and a half, selected Texas newspapers carried short articles written by John McDonald Hendrix of Sweetwater, Texas. Mr. Hendrix was the author of hundreds of articles under the headline “Texas Brands.” Each article would begin with an image of a cattle brand followed by the history that he found. His articles covered ranches of all sizes, small to large. Hendrix was respected as an authority on the old West and Texas.