biography – Page 4 – Texas History Notebook

Dr. Charles W. Graham

Charles Wesley Graham was born on July 13, 1932 in Thorndale, Milam County, Texas to John Wesley Graham and Iva Lee Clark Graham. He was the oldest of three children born to the couple. Dr. Graham was among the fourth generation in the Graham family to have been born in Texas. As a youth, he showed livestock though FFA and 4-H. He attended Wharton Jr. College and later earned his undergraduate degrees in animal husbandry and animal science from Texas A&M (Class of 1953). After serving in the United States Army and working at a summer job for a veterinarian in Elgin, he returned to Texas A&M where he earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in May, 1961, graduating with honors.

Ricky Nelson

Eric Hillard “Ricky” Nelson was born on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey to Oswald George “Ozzie” Nelson and Peggy Louise “Harriet” Snyder Nelson. Ricky was their youngest child, about four years younger than his brother David Oswald Nelson. Ricky and six other individuals died in an aircraft accident near DeKalb, Texas on December 31, 1985. The aircraft was on its way to Dallas for a performance which had been scheduled for that evening.

Brad Johnson, Actor

Brad William Johnson (1959 – 2022) was an American actor. His parents were Grove Johnson and Virginia Scala Johnson. Brad was born to the couple on October 24, 1959 while the family was living in Tucson, Arizona. It has been suggested that he graduated from high school in Dallas but most likely, he graduated in Grants Pass, Oregon. Online genealogy sources note that he was in the school yearbooks when he was in the 11th and 12th grade. Also, he appears to have attended but did not graduate from college.

Dawson Murchison, Texas Game Warden

The December 21, 1938 issue of the McAllen Daily Press carried the sensational headline “Game Warden Slain By Hunters,” describing the incident in which Dawson R. Murchison was murdered in a confrontation with a group of poachers that he was investigating.

Padgitt Saddle Companies of Texas

It may be difficult to imagine today, there was a time when personal transportation (besides walking, of course) relied on horses and mules, buggies and coaches. For decades, local saddle makers enjoyed a thriving business.

Two such companies were Padgitt Bros. of Dallas and Tom Padgitt, Inc. (also known as Tom Padgitt Company Wholesale Saddlery) of Waco. James Robert Padgitt and Mary Jane Bond Padgitt had three sons who lived to be adults. They were Tom (1846 – 1926), William Clinton (1849 – 1909) and Jesse David (1851 – 1948).