texas – Page 23 – Texas History Notebook

Dick Sparks: Early North Texas Cowboy

The Waco News Tribune issue of December 14, 1946 carried a short article about the death of Dick Sparks, a former slave and once said to be the oldest resident of Wichita County at age 117. Dick had been confined to Wichita General Hospital for about six months, the article said, causing him to leave his home and property in Electra for what would be the last time. His Electra residence had been a gift from rancher Tom Burnett for “faithful services rendered” when Dick retired his first time. It was upon his leaving the Burnett Ranch that he was given his home.

S. W. T. Lanham

Samuel Willis Tucker Lanham was born July 4, 1846 in Woodruff, South Carolina to James Madison Lanham (1815 – 1869) and Louisa D’Aubrey Tucker Lanham (1820 – 1898). Samuel was the second of about ten children born to the couple. His first three names, Samuel Willis Tucker, came from his maternal grandfather. Samuel enlisted in the 3rd South Carolina Regiment of the Confederate Army when he was fifteen or sixteen years old and served throughout the entire war. His regiment primarily served with the Army of Northern Virginia and also participated in some engagements in Tennessee. His rank was sergeant when the war ended and he surrendered with his group in North Carolina.

Big Tree, Koiwa Warrior

Neither the year nor place of his birth is precisely known, but he is believed to have been born around 1850. He is most often mentioned along side other Kiowa warriors such as Satank and Satanta. Big Tree (Ado-ete) is associated with numerous raids including the Kiowa attack of May, 1871 on the Henry Warren wagon train. Big Tree was arrested later that month, tried in June of that year in Jacksboro in the court of Judge Charles Soward. The prosecutor was future Texas governor S. W. T. Lanham. The Kiowa defendants were represented by a local attorney named Joseph Woolfolk.

Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott was a well known cattleman, banker, cotton oil mill and cotton gin owner and real estate investor in Tarrant County. He was one of at least nine children born to Samuel Haden Scott (1792 – 1873) and Catherine G. De Graffenreid Scott (1811 – 1872) in Kentucky. His year of birth is sometimes shown as 1847 and other times shown as 1849. Like many people his age, one would only need to look back a few generations in his family lineage to find individuals who had served in the American Revolutionary War. His mother’s maiden name may be familiar to Texas people as well. Catherine De Graffenreid is from the same family as was Gaines De Graffenried. Gaines was known as a long time McLennan County resident and collector of Texas history artifacts. Although the spelling of their last name is slightly different, their family trees converge. There is no obvious relationship between this Scott family and that of General Winfield Mason Scott, the well known United States Army officer and presidential candidate.

Tex Austin, King of the Rodeos

The Albuquerque Journal issue of October 29,1938 carried this paragraph on page 10.

The death of Tex Austin removed to the big corral of “the Boss in the sky” one of the nation’s greatest showmen. Texas was an actor always, when staging a rodeo on the plains, in New York or London, or when merely walking down the street or welcoming guests in his cafe and bar in Santa Fe. He brought world-wide attention to New Mexico because he was the Barnum of the cowboy show business.
Albuquerque Journal – October 29, 1938