biography – Page 76 – Texas History Notebook

Molly Ann Dyer Goodnight

Mary Ann “Molly” Goodnight was the wife of Charles Goodnight and was highly involved in the Goodnight ranching operation. She was born September 12, 1839 in Tennessee to John Henry and Susan Lynch Miller Dyer and her grandfather was the first governor of Tennessee. The Dyers were well established in Tennessee but her father, noted for his service in the Battle of New Orleans and a former Attorney General of the state, moved the family to a settlement near Fort Belknap in North Texas in 1854. Ten years later, her mother died shortly to be followed by the death of her father in another two years, after which Molly became the head of her family for her younger brothers. The oldest, Leigh, went to work for Charles Goodnight in 1867 while Molly continued to raise the younger brothers, several of whom also went on to work on the Goodnight ranches. Molly served as a teacher in Young County though she had no formal education. Continue reading Molly Ann Dyer Goodnight

Lt. Truett Jay Majors

The following death notice appeared in Texas newspapers on January 14, 1942: “TRUETT J. MAJORS GREENVILLE. Jan. 13. (UP) – Lieut. Truett Jay Majors, 25, U. S. Army Air Corps, was killed in action over the Philippines, Jan. 5, his family was notified today. He was the son of Rev. and Mrs. W. O. Majors and was believed to be the first Greenville youth to be killed in the second World War.” Continue reading Lt. Truett Jay Majors

Gene Autry, Tioga’s Singing Cowboy

Gene Autry was born on September 29, 1907 in Tioga, Texas in Grayson County. There is some sentiment for him having been born in a neighboring county, since Dr. Eugene Ledbetter, who delivered Autry, gave nearby Cooke County as where Autry was born. Autry’s biography lists Tioga as his birthplace.

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Denison, Texas

The town of Denison, Texas (located at 33°44′59″N 96°33′27″W) in Grayson County was founded in 1872 by the Missouri, Kansas City and Texas (the Katy) Railroad as it pushed its way southward into the state. It was named in honor of Katy Railroad Vice President George Denison. The town no doubt owes its success to the railroad. The Interurban also started here, eventually connecting the 70 miles to Dallas and on another 100 miles to Waco.

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Clarence Scharbauer, Sr.

The Scharbauer Cattle Company is well known in West Texas. Clarence Scharbauer, Sr. was born August 18, 1879 in Albany County, New York to Christian and Jennie Scharbauer and was also the grandson of Ferdinand Scharbauer who had come to America from Holland. Christian’s brother John had come from New York to Eastland, Texas in 1880 where he established a sheep ranch. A few years later, John moved further west to the Abilene area and then in 1884 he moved again to Mitchell County in the general vicinity of Colorado City. His sheep business prospered but John became interested in raising cattle, purchasing his first bulls and cows in 1888. Encouraged by his success, by the mid to late 1890s, he had shifted his production entirely to cattle and become one of the leading cattlemen in the state.