Hay! Happy Father's Day!

Okay, that's corny, but I've been looking for an opportunity to use this photo of the hay-stuffed house on Scott's Corner. It makes me feel full when I look at it.

I have a bookmark folder with Story Ideas written on it, and it's just full of sites that I come across that I think are interesting, so I'm going to share some of these with you before I get to the paper review.

• At USA.gov, you can check to see if the government owes you money.


• TexAgs, is a forum about strange West Texas connections with references to Fisher County.


• USGS has information about Texas earthquakes.


• A Hog Fest Biker Rally will be held in October at the old rodeo grounds west of Rotan, and this site has the 411 on that.

I could really just go on and on, but then I would need to have another website just for my favorite links and I believe someone has already created a site for sites, so we'll move to another subject, now.

Here is the synopsis for The Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record June 12, 2008 issue:

• Storm rages through Rotan area (I didn't mention that before, did I, see you really need to subscribe to the paper to get all the info!) (photos)
• Roby CISD Board hires Amy Huseman and Nick Dickson
• Rotan resident Rachel M. Martinez, 24, killed in one car accident (photo)
• Frank Cockrell Association hangs murals (photos)
• New Directions to perform at FBC tonight
• Josh Love skateboarding at Summer Youth Program June 17 & 19
• Obituary for Mary Ella Wright Brown
• Letters to the Editor: Justin Moffet complains about grassy ditches; response from Mary Mahaffey regarding school on Memorial Day letter from last week
• USDA deadline for Livestock Disaster Program
  
• YHQ artistic students (art examples)
• Summer Youth Program report
  
• Tumbleweed Smith: Running 100 Miles Uphill
• Fisher County Sheriff's Report
• HOBBS High School "Brighter Baby Baskets" Service Learning Project (photos)
• Joy Walker's Fisher County Roundup
• FCAA meeting minutes(photo)
• Commissioners Court hires Riley Barnett as Fisher County Ag agent
• Progressive Agriculture Safety Day July 1
• Birth announcement for Cole Aiden Barr (photo)
• Fisher County Historical Commission meeting minutes
• Jared Welch graduates from China Spring High School
• Recipe Corner: Tasty Tuna Pasta
• Rotan Elementary honor rolls

I hope you all enjoy Father's Day and the chances for rain we have through Wednesday. Good thoughts to all of you!

When pigs carry sticks...

...the clouds will play tricks, according to June weather lore from The Old Farmer's Almanac. I haven't tested that one out, but I do know it is good weather for holding onto your hat and not wearing skirts. My step-dad told me yesterday that June is actually the windiest month of the year, although everyone thinks March is. What amazes me is that I am always surprised by what the weather does, even though I have lived in a 30-mile radius all my life. Silly human.

I realize that the entire month of May has gone by without a newspaper update on my behalf. I think this would be the perfect opportunity to apply for a subscription of The Rotan Advance - Roby Star Record and to also back-order all of the May issues. Just click on the newspaper link to the right-hand side of this page.

I believe the Rotan paper to be the best local newspaper around, and I mean that they beat out Abilene, Sweetwater and Snyder. I will agree that all contain useful information, but the Rotan paper only puts local news on the front page, the subjects of the photos are identified, and the news within is local and relevant to the community. Get yours today!

Okay, I'll give you a little taste of what you would be purchasing. Here is the bare bones of the June 5, 2008 Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record issue:

• Rotan Pool to open June 13
• Fisher County Senior Scholarships
• Rotan City Manager Harold Sanders retires (photo)
• Deputy Kenneth Martin retires (photo)
• Bertha Johnson and Emily Harris named Yellowhammer Band president and drum major (photo)
• John Flores recognized by the United States Achievement Academy (photo)
• Levi Posey winner in Financial Literacy Challenge test (photo)
• Obituaries for Vesta Lee Orr and Molenen Burnes Sumerlin (photo)
• Annual Yates Reunion held at Roby
• Birth Announcement for Jett Preston Taylor (photo)
• Rotan Elementary 2008 Awards
• Rotan High School Academic Excellence Awards
• Tumbleweed Smith: Calling Varmints with Burnham Brothers
• Cassidy McBrayer receives Doctoral Degree (photo)
• Rotan Jr. High honor roll 6th six weeks
• Letters to the editor: Ed Patton enjoyed the "Apples, Oranges and Hardrock Candy" article; Danny Coker feels that school should be closed to commemorate Memorial Day; Ken Taylor can't quit making "Fond Memories" lists
  
• Rotan Jr. High Second Semester Honor Roll
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Fisher County Hospital announces scholarship awards
• Rotan High School 2007-2008 Extra-Curricular Awards
• Jeffrey Turner named to President's List
• Ag Safety Day to be July 1 at the Taylor County Expo Center
• Rotan Jr. High Academic Excellence Awards (photo)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• William Gruben receives scholarship
• Rotan ISD Subject Awards
• Fisher County earns Gold Star Safety Award

There you go, I hope I have helped you with your Fisher County addiction. I don't blame you, this is a great place to be.

Graveyard Excursions

I've found a new hobby that I can see is going to be addicting and also costly. Perfect!

I've been logging into Find a Grave and contributing photos and memorials. And you (or, rather, I) thought that it would be fairly easy to find graves and take photos and bring happiness to the world, but after two hours of looking for my own grandparents graves in the Snyder Cemetery, and, mind you, I had been there before, I decided it might be a little more challenging than I anticipated.

This morning, just as the sun was coming up, I went to take a photo of the Grady Cemetery up by Rough Creek. This is an off the beaten path, farm to market road that eventually turns into dirt. Let me tell you, right at 7 a.m. it became Grand Central Station. Well, there were at least 5 cars, and around here that's busy.

I think I'm fixing to try to find Cottonwood Cemetery. There is a request for a photo there and it would be a nice excursion off into the rough. It just seems like anytime I've ever found it has been by accident, and then I accidentally find my way home from there. I also hear it is haunted. I looked closely at the map, though, and hopefully that will help. If nothing else, I can throw bread crumbs out the window on the way there. Think that will work?

Hargroves on BBC Broadcast May 31

Tom Hargrove just sent me this e-mail and I wanted to share it with you all:

The program “Kidnapped” will be broadcast through a new series called “Reunions”—bringing together people who have shared dramatic experiences in the past—on Friday, May 30, over BBC World Service Radio.

In February, BBC brought together and interviewed, in it's London studios, Claudia Greiner, David Little, and me. The Greiners are a German family who were our next-door neighbors in Cali. They played a key role in the kidnap and negotiations. The Greiners now live near Frankfurt.

David Little was one of the two professional K&R (kidnap and ransom) hostage negotiators who handled my case. He is former Scotland Yard, and now lives in the UK

My brother, Raford Hargrove was also interviewed extensively, from a studio in Abilene, Texas.

Broadcasts will be at 3:05 p.m., 6:05 p.m., and 1:05 a.m. (May 31) Central Time. (BBC announced the program as 1005, 1305, and 2005 Greenwich Time.) Go to the BBC site and click on “Listen Live.” The program will be at least 30 minutes long.

The new Texas A&M University Press edition of my book, Long March to Freedom, was mentioned.

Also, the Discovery Channel came to Alabama in April to film for a 1-hour TV documentary on a new program called “Paradise Lost”. The program will be both interviews and re-enactments, with actors.

I don’t know when Paradise Lose will be broadcast, but Discovery brought Raford to Alabama for an interview, and Oscar Tejeda, the former FBI agent who was assigned to my case and who became a lifelong friend of my family. Oscar now runs his own security company, also in K&R, with offices in Miami and Bogata.

Be sure to tune in to the broadcast, which will air next Saturday. To check out Tom's books and affiliations, go to the links list for Tom Hargrove on the lower right of this page.

Dylan & Mary

Fred and I are happy to announce the wedding of our son, Dylan Morgan, to Mary Hembree, daughter of Michael Hembree and Janet Bonnette of Aransas Pass, the late Flora Hembree of Colorado City, and sister of Michael James Hembree of Sweetwater.

Additional members of the groom's party are Dylan's father, Michael David Morgan, of Sweetwater, Dylan's grandparents, Bill and Rosemary Tucker of Sweetwater, Mickey Templeton of Sweetwater, Jeanette Templeton of Snyder, and Dewayne and the late Jerri Morgan of Nolan.

The ceremony took place May 1 in the Nolan County Courthouse in front of Judge Tim Fambrough.
Dylan and Mary are residing in Sweetwater.

Cattle Call

Some folks have expressed interest in the book Cattle Call by Tanner Laine, and I have even made a couple of purchases of it for one of my readers. Today, I found five available at amazon.com. They're hard to obtain and I've seen the prices as high as $250, so these are good prices, ranging from $47 to $80.

I've found a few copies of Rope Burns by Lee and Lela Karr, but they're running $300 to $350. If you see these cheap at an estate or book sale, you better scoop them up!

Mid-spring Sunday

This morning I realized I didn't have a photo to post, so I drove up to Nash Myer's old house, figuring I could either find something to take a picture of there or on the way.

I thought I would just walk right in, as the house is in ruins, with open doors, windows and ceilings, and get my photo. Well, the house may be dilapidated, but it is not vacant. Some kind of bird, bat or lizard started hissing at me before I even crossed the threshold. So, I was going to walk in through another door, and I heard something yip and scuffle from back in the kitchen. It had my heart racing until I remembered we don't have bears out here. I managed to just slip in the door and get this shot through the window, which I jacked up with a little editing. Then a starling quickly shooed me away.

I remember being at the Myers when I was little and it was a fully-functioning household. My sister used to take piano lessons there. My mom told me she used to go up there and buy fresh milk, which she loved the taste of. It seems contradictory to be having memories that are so alive while looking at the wreck of a set they were made on.

Okay, three papers worth of headlines to tell you about, so let's get started.

Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record, April 17, 2008:

• Rotan School accepts resignations, in process of interviewing applicants for new superintendent
• Roby CISD Board approves stipend for coaching staff
• Big Country honors for Roby Lady Lions basketball (photo)
• Storm damage (photo)
• Higginbotham-Bartlett is now Rotan Mercantile Co. (photo)
• Rotan Once Act Play to be presented April 17
• Roby Lit Crit wins district (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Notice of Election
• Local judge attends seminar
• News Briefs: Cottonwood Flat Cemetery work day; Wilderness survival for adults; Men's breakfast
• Notice to creditors
• Emergency farm loan applications
• Rotan FFA members participate in area competition
• Engagement announcement for Dayme Alison to Marcus Price Walther (photo)
• Think Texas by Todd Staples
• SPC names new Texas Cheerleaders for 2008-09 (photo)
• Roby and Rotan baseball report (photos)
• Beef Cattle SPA workshops to be held
• Randy's Roundup
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Addiction is not a disease, article
  
• Invitation for proposals, Roby CISD

April 10:

• Rotan Lions Club Mop & Broom sale
• Gordon Pippin re-elected Fisher County Commissioner Precinct 1; Mark Thomson carries Fisher County for Railroad Commissioner
• YHQ After School Programs jump into Spring registration
• Area gins post record high totals
• Jeff Dennis and Dora Earl arrested on drug charges
• Burglary at Z&Z Flowers in Rotan
• Advance Directive workshop & lunch sponsored by Fisher County Hospital District
• Roby High School cheerleaders announced for 2008-09 year (photo)
• Roby Band Major & Flag Corps announced 2008-09 (photo)
• Rotan & Roby Regional UIL Qualifiers posted (photos)
• Obituaries for Lizzie Lenora (Lee) Young, Thomas Franklin Leach, Midred Guydell (Finch) McCullough, Jackie Layne Holcomb
• Roby 2008 UIL District Meet academic results (lots of photos!)
• Fisher County Historical Commission meets April 1
• Nice Letter to the Editor from Viola Benson
• Recipe Corner: Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast
• Roby Lions baseball & track report; Rotan track report (photos)
• Rotan ISD District UIL results (photos, photos, photos)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Roby City Council hires pool manager, discusses clean up days
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Invitation for proposals, Roby CISD
• Rotan School Library hosting Book Fair
• Rotan ISD Gifted / Talented Program

April 3:

• One millionth bale delivered to Rolling Plains Cooperative Compress (photo)
  
• Rotan Jr. High cheerleaders announced for 2008-09 year (photo)
• Rotan High School cheerleaders announced (photo)
• Roby Jr. High cheerleaders announced (photo)
• Roby Methodist revival (photo)
• Joe Heflin honored by West Texas County Judges & Commissioners Association (photo)
• Obituaries for Eula Vern (Rushing) Thornton, Joe Allen Hardin, Sr., Annie O. Hill, and Larry Alan Hale
• Fisher County democratic convention elects three delegates
• Fairy Tale fashion show is huge success (photos)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Grass fire burns up vehicle (photo)
• USDA authorized emergency use of CRP in 100 Texas counties
• Roby & Rotan baseball reports (photos)
• Roby Middle School Band rewards (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• New Briefs: AARP tax aide; flags for veterans
• Tax Planning by Gerald Rodgers
• Fisher County Hospital Boards holds regular meeting
• William Shelby, PA-C (?) now practicing at Roby Rural Health Clinic (photo)
• Justin McCall introduced into Mathematics Honor Society
• Tumbleweed Smith: T & P Railway History

Until next time, have a good day!

Joe Hardin Services Set

Funeral services for Joe Hardin will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Rotan. Burial will follow at the Cottonwood Cemetery. Visitation is 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.

I also wanted to mention that services for Larry Hale, 67, were held yesterday at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Dowell Cemetery.

Landmark or Vanished

Hobbs is definitely a landmark, but I think we're far from gone.

The Fisher County Index of Landmarks & Vanished Communities links to a map that shows the latitude and longitude when you move the cursor, allowing you to pinpoint locations. The index has the name of locations and the corresponding coordinates.

This photo of the old Hobbs store was sent to me by Bobby Shanks from Newburgh, Indiana. His grandfather, Henry Clay Shanks, owned and ran the old Hobbs store for a while. Here is what Bobby wrote me:

"My uncle (Luther Shanks) would be very happy for someone to take an interest in what he had put together. I’ve brought together information from various points in a family history written by my uncle. He references a book listed on your site “A History of Fisher County Texas“, written by Yeats and Shelton. The store is shown on page 86, according to his notes.

My grandfather Henry Clay Shanks was born in Hawkins County east Tennessee in September of 1876. Having an independent nature, when he turned twenty-one he decided to move to Texas. He had in mind to work for a man named Robert “Bob” Hayter. Hayter was driving cattle from the Double Mountain area and was married to one of grandfather Henry’s cousins.

In late 1897 or early 1898 Henry bought the store from a man named Cavender.

During the time he owned the store, he sold everything from Bull Durham smoking tobacco to clocks and clothing. In one corner was the Post Office, which he ran, and also did repairs on watches. In about 1900, Henry Clay’s brother joined him, followed by a sister, Vona. They lived in a small house near the store. Aunt Lavona “Vona” Shanks married Walter Cave in 1906 and Henry Clay Shanks married Alberta “Berti” Hawkins the same year. In 1913 he sold out and bought a farm about eight miles outside of Rotan. He doesn’t say who bought the store. Uncle Luther does say that the store was run by my grandfather’s father in-law, C.C. Hawkins, for a period in the early 1930s.

After extreme dry years in 1918 and 1919 and having problems with an allergic reaction to the feed crops he grew, Henry moved to Oregon. As far as where the store stood, my uncle mentions a gin being about a mile and a half away and the Hawkins farm being nearby. The only thing that he mentions that may not have changed is some low hills on the Hawkins Farm that he refers to as being rattlesnake infested."

Bobby also sent me a photo of the Hawkins family taken around 1910. I'll post that picture later this week.

I haven't heard anything else about Joe Hardin, but I'm sure I'll have information by tomorrow.

Headlines for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record, March 27, 2008 issue:

• DPR Annual meeting Mar. 29
• Fisher County gins nearing end of season with record bumper crop
• Fairy Tale Fashion Show & Luncheon
• FUMC, Rotan Easter Cantata Mar. 30
• Blood drive at Fisher County Hospital Mar. 31
• Roby Lady Lions make All State, Tara Schroedter & Kim Williams (photo)
• Rotan UIL One Act Play (photo)
• Apples, Oranges & Hardrock Candy
• Obituary for Roxie (Reep) Etheredge
• Newsbriefs: AARP Tax-Aide; Fisher County Democratic convention
• Run-off election set for April 8
• Frank Cockrell Art Association meeting minutes (photo)
• Rotan Economic Development meeting minutes
• Recipe Corner: Slow Cooker Pork Tender Loin
• Snake den uncovered (photo)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Lions & Yellowhammers track photos
• Birth announcement for Bryce Austin McAnally (photo)
• Terry Groves earns All-State honors (photo)

Funeral services for Annie O. Hill will be held today at Cate-Spencer Funeral Home in Sweetwater, 3 p.m.

More chances for rain tonight and tomorrow. Check out KTXS weather for local conditions. Scroll to the bottom to get National Weather Service updates.

Services for Joe Hardin Pending

I just received news from Pat Porter that Joe Hardin died today. Tentatively, the funeral will be in Rotan at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday.