history – Page 2 – Texas History Notebook

Don Williams, Country Vocalist

Donald Ray Williams was born in Floydada, Texas May 27, 1939 to James Andrew Williams and Loveta Mae Lambert Williams. His grandfather on the Williams side was Emory Rains Williams who was also the grandson of Emory Rains, namesake of Rains County. Don’s father was a carpenter and the family moved from time to time. Don was the youngest of three sons of James and Loveta Mae. By the time Don reached high school age, the parents had either separated or divorced. James remained in West Texas. Don was living with his mother in Portland, Texas where he graduated from Gregory-Portland High School in 1958.

Isaac Parker, Legislator

Isaac Duke Parker was a son of John and Sarah White Parker. He was born in Georgia on April 7, 1793 and came to Texas as an adult with his family, finally settling in a stockade fort near the current town of Groesbeck in the early 1830s. The circumstances of the raid are probably familiar to many. To summarize, the Parker family consisted of about two dozen people and there were numerous others living in the compound. Many names are similar, adding to the confusion, but below is a rough listing of the family members and close relatives in or near the fort at the time of the attack:

John Parker (“Elder John Parker”) – a widower
Silas Mercer Parker, Sr. – husband of Lucinda Duty Parker
Lucinda Duty Parker – wife of Silas Mercer Parker, Sr.
James W. Parker – son of Silas, Sr. and Lucinda
Cynthia Ann Parker – daughter of Silas, Sr. and Lucinda
John Richard Parker – son of Silas, Sr. and Lucinda
Silas Mercer Parker Jr. – son of Silas, Sr. and Lucinda
Orlena Parker – daughter of Silas, Sr. and Lucinda
Sarah Pinson Duty (“Granny Parker”) – mother of Lucinda and Clara Elizabeth
Clara Elizabeth Duty Kellogg – sister of Lucinda and recently widowed
Benjamin Franklin W. Parker – brother of Elder John
Isaac Parker – brother of Elder John
Sarah Parker Nixon – daughter of James William
Lorenzo Dow Nixon – husband of Sarah Parker Nixon
Luther Martin Thomas (“L. T. M.”) Plummer – husband of Rachel
Rachel Parker Plummer – wife of Luther, daughter of James William Parker
James Pratt Plummer – son of Luther and Rachel
James William Parker – father of Rachel
Abigail Parker – sister of Elder John
Daniel Parker – brother of Elder John
Martha “Patsy” Dixon Parker – wife of Daniel

Ferdinand Jakob Lindheimer

Perhaps less known than others of his time, botanist and naturalist Ferdinand Jakob Lindheimer is called the Father of Texas Botany. Lindheimer was born May 21, 1801 in Frankfurt, Germany. He received his early education in Germany and was teaching there before he was 30 years old. According to accounts, he held political views that were controversial and unpopular for the day in Germany and around 1833, he decided to leave Germany. At that time the prevailing form of government was described as being a loose union of 39 states, dominated by Austria. It is presumed that Lindheimer held to a minority opinion favoring liberalism and democracy. Lindheimer relocated to the United States, living for a while in Illinois and for a year and several months in Mexico with other German expatriates until around 1836. About this time, articles note, he served in the Texas army. Some say that he fought in the Battle of San Jacinto while others hold that he joined soon after the battle.

Two Early Bullfighters, George Doak & Junior Meek

It’s been said that in rodeo, eight seconds can seem like an eternity. In the early days of rodeo, the role of rodeo clowns began. Initially they provided entertainment by dressing up with face paint and garish costumes. Between events, they would sometimes do stunts, tell jokes and the like. They also stayed in the arena most of the time and during bull riding events, they attempted to distract the bulls after the rider either completed the timed event or got bucked off. As American rodeo expanded and professional organizations developed, the need for specialized protection for the contestants increased.

Lubbock Tornadoes – May 11, 1970

Spring is often a vulnerable time for West Texas residents when supercell storms pass through the area. Newspapers noted that two people were killed the evening of May 6, 1949 when a tornado struck the north side of the small oilfield community of Sundown, roughly 45 miles west of Lubbock in Hockley County. The next morning, reports announced that two individuals were killed including a young Church of Christ pastor and his three year old daughter. Two more unnamed people were reported missing. Several others were injured and more were said to be trapped in the rubble but no more fatalities were reported. All the missing individuals were located. That same night, tornado activity, part of the same huge storm, was reported in Morton and the wheatland outside Dalhart but there were no fatalities. Near Dalhart, the tornado was said to be on the ground for about twelve miles, but it only destroyed crops. About two weeks later, a twister dropped down in the Soldier Mound community a few miles north of Spur, killing one person and injuring several others. The fatality and a number of those injured were in a residence that was destroyed. A small child, a grandchild of the deceased, was found 100 yards away from her, the but miraculously the child was uninjured. A Baptist church and five farm houses were also destroyed, but there were no other fatalities.