FROM STAFF REPORTS

Carlos Barton Griffin and his family are scheduled to be honored today in Austin at ceremonies recognizing Texas farms and ranches that have been owned and operated by the same family for at least 100 years. Susan Combs, Texas Agriculture Commissioner, said the Griffin Ranch, founded in 1849, will be one of nine ranches honored in the new 150-year honoree level in the department's Family Land Heritage Program. The ranch is located off of Texas 349 near Longview.

"The history each family brings to the program is an integral part of the solid foundation that helped build Texas agriculture into what it is today ? the state's second largest industry," Combs said in a prepared statement. Griffin owns and operates the ranch founded by Elbert Dickson in 1849, which was later sold to the great grandparents of Griffin's mother, Mable Grace Griffin for $500 in gold, Combs said. The original 160 acres of land was eventually inherited by Griffin's great uncle, Henry T. Graybill, who used the land to grow sugarcane and corn. The East Texas ranch has remained in the family since. "Hay, timber, sugarcane and livestock have been tended by seven generations of Texans," Combs said. "Today, the 160-acre property is dedicated to livestock production. This heritage represents everything that agriculture and the history of Texas are about," Combs said. "These are folks who have stuck through the tough times, whether it was severe weather, pests, or economic downturns like the Great Depression, and persevered, crafting a legacy we can all be proud of." Griffin and his wife, Margaret Ann, have been active in the community and in assisting other ranchers, donating alfalfa and working closely with the Texas Agriculture Extension Service. "You can't look at Texas agriculture without seeing real people who are willing to take the risks and brave uncertainties like drought and low commodity prices in the footsteps of those who forged our state's rich agricultural heritage," Combs said.


This information was found in the vertical files of the genealogy department of the Longview Public Library in the form of a copy of a newspaper article.