The Land and Its People, 1876-1981: Deaf Smith County, Texas Page: 42
652 p.: ill., map, ports. ; 29 cm.View a full description of this book.
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cle, as well as the sugar beet growers of other
areas, that the cane sugar importers and
refineries of the Eastern Seaboard finally
withdrew their opposition in order to stop the
clamor building up through the efforts of this
committee throughout the country and settled
for a change in the law which would
permit five new sugar beet factories to be
established, one being in Hereford, Deaf
Smith County, Texas. The others were in
Arizona, Red River Valley, New York and
Maine.Beet digger machine
Sugar beets have proved to be one of the
best paying, most sure crops now growing in
our area.
The history of any county or area will
coincide not only with the history of its
founders and pioneers, but also with the
history of its institutions serving the people in
the area. Such early institutions in Deaf
Smith County would comprise, among others,
the Hereford Brand which has always
been an outstanding publication.
The Public Service Company was founded
by F.H. Oberthier and served the electric
power needs of the homes and businesses in
Hereford until its ownership passed to Southwestern
Public Service Company, which also
serves a wider area and has always been out in
front in services rendered and in its cooperation
and assistance in the development and
growth of the area.
Mr. Oberthier gave an example of the
character of the pioneers in an incident when
the Jim Hill Hotel was being built in 1946, a
modern four-story hotel of which the people
of Hereford were proud. The workmen called
a strike, and Mr. Oberthier, then past 90
years of age, in defiance of the marching
strikers' placards, put on his shoulders, back
and front, placards with words which would
defy the strikers, and he marched up and
down in opposite direction to their marchers,
regardless of threats made to him, all to the
amusement and applause of Hereford citizens.
In the early 1940's one of the first radio
stations in this country was established in
Hereford by Marshall Formby and his nephew,
Clint Formby, and today it can proudly
boast of being one of the largest-reaching
broadcasting beams of any radio station. This
institution has contributed to recognition
throughout the United States of the community.
Clint Formby has served on the National
Broadcasting Board for many years and is
recognized as a knowledgeable and competent
leader throughout the United States and
in Congress.
The E.W. Harrison Grain Elevator Company
became an institution known for its
benefit to the farmers over a large area. Its
ownership passed to McLean and Pitman in
the late 1920's, and after the death of Mr.
McLean, it became the Pitman Elevator,
which grew from a small tin building to aseveral million bushel storage elevator. It is
now one of the largest Farmer Cooperative
Elevators in the country.
The Pitman Elevator pioneered the concrete
storage, upright concept of grain elevators,
and at one time was known as the largest
inland grain storage elevator throughout the
whole country. Its owner, John Pitman,
would attest to the fact that service and fair
dealing to his customers resulted in such
fabulous growth.
A similar institution was the Fraser Country
Elevator, starting from a car-loading station,
following the example of the upright
storage of the Pitman Elevator, together with
the Fraser Flour Mill in Hereford, which was
operated by Mr. Fraser for many years,
making and selling a fine brand of flour
known as Sunny Boy Flour. This elevator is
still owned by Alton Fraser of Hereford and
is presently leased to the Continental Grain
Company.
Jack Bradley followed with the Hereford
Grain Company, from only an idea, which
was later bought by the Co-op Grain Company,
after first acquiring the Sears Elevator,
which likewise had grown to large proportions.
All of such elevators are now owned by the
Farmers Co-op and managed by Joe Artho,
the son of a county pioneer, Paul Artho, who
came to this country as a lad from Switzerland.
Many of his sons, daughters, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren still live in
Deaf Smith County.
Another example, one of many, for an
institution which has grown to be of international
importance, is the Packard Milling
Company and the Turner Whole Grain
Crushed Flour, later becoming Arrowhead
Mills which, under the leadership of Frank
Ford, has become a national health food
instutition.
Similarly, George Warner, in the seed
business, established the George Warner
Seed Company which has become international
in grass seeds and national in hybrid
grains.
Eddie Reinauer Sr. and sons, Eddie Jr. and
Bill, and daughter Sissie, have contributed to
the success of the vegetable industry in the
county and presently have one of the largest
modern vegetable packing sheds.
Howard Gault, Lamar Cramer, Cliff Potter,
Fred Barrett and Dan Larsen, to name a
few, came to Deaf Smith County to grow
vegetables in the mid-1940's. Howard and his
son, Cameron, not only operated a large
packing shed, but also established cattle feeding
facilities. Fred Barrett and sons, Dick,
Frank, Fred and Bob, have extended their
operations of growing and packing vegetables
to several counties and have demonstrated
that a small beginning in Deaf Smith County
can reach out and cover other areas.
It has been these industries which have
accounted for the growth of Deaf Smith
County from 2,500 of 50 years ago to 20,000
population of today. The county has afforded
employment in the fields and in industry for
many well-deserving minority residents who
likewise have taken advantage of the opportunities
and become successful businessmen intheir own right. The Spanish population presently
approaches 50 percent of the Deaf
Smith County population, and this has made
it possible to furnish labor to Holly Sugar
Beet Plant, Armour Packing Plant, Sue Ann
Garment Factory, the many feedyards in the
area and numerous other businesses.Various churches and religious organizations
have always caused Deaf Smith County
to be known as a place where religious activities
came first in the lives of its people and in
their pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. All
the religious institutions, including St.
Anthony's Catholic Church, the First Baptist,
First Christian, Presbyterian and First
Methodist Churches, early built large and
beautiful church buildings and still offer
outstanding religious accommodations today,
in beautiful modern edifices.
The outstanding present-day institution in
the preservation of pioneer life of the county
is evidenced by the Deaf Smith County
Museum, standing just north of the courthouse
and located in what was the early St.
Anthony's Catholic School building, and
enlarged to include one of the first mansions
of the city, the old E.B. Black home, located
on West Third Street, both of which are
viewed by many visitors every year. The
person to be given credit for its establishment
is Mrs. J. Henry Sears, assisted by Johnnie
Turrentine, Mrs. Juston McBride and many
other citizens who have helped these leaders
in the fulfillment of a dream that would
preserve the pioneer spirit of the county.
It would not be amiss to mention at this
point that the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame
and Western Heritage has, by national vote,
been established and located in Hereford.
These institutions did not just happen, but
were developed and made successful through
hard work, perseverance and foresight. The
people of Deaf Smith County have always
been proud of their institutions and there has
been cooperation where each helped the other,
without envy or jealousy, but with pride in
the accomplishments of their neighbors and
fellow citizens.
It would be impossible in a small and
limited history to name all the individuals and
all the institutions which depict the history of
the county. Thus the importance of the histories
of pioneer families.
Early pioneer days might be considered
rough according to today's standards, but
they were just taken in stride by all the people
then, and these early timers were able to
withstand the depression and drouth of the
1930's when many newcomers to the area
moved on and left the land to suffer the
drouth and wind storms.
The people of Hereford, Deaf Smith County,
were both aggressive and farsighted and
worked together in cooperation to build the
city, with the help of newcomers who joined in
the progressive spirit, the people join together
to say, "Come join us, for we will treat you so
many ways you will have to like some of
them."
We dare anyone to live in Hereford a year,
for after that you will never want to leave.
New opportunities come every day, so we will
all continue to "pioneer" together in the Deaf
Smith County spirit which cannot be beaten.
We will share together the hardships and
successes, all for a bigger, better future!!
JAMES W. WITHERPSOON
AGRI
INDUSTRYIndustry based on Deaf Smith County's
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Deaf Smith County Historical Society. The Land and Its People, 1876-1981: Deaf Smith County, Texas, book, 1982; Deaf Smith County, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth16010/m1/46/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Deaf Smith County Library.