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The
Old Settlers by Ralph Terry
(From A
History of Coleman County and Its People,
1985
It has always been the nature of the
elders to congregate and talk of the good old
times. Apparently sometime in the 1920's
the older folks of the area began to have
get-togethers to visit. As time went by,
these meetings became more and more organized
until in September of 1935, a Coleman County
Pioneer Club was formed. To be eligible,
you had to be a resident of the county and
have lived in the county for at least 50
years. L. E. Collins was elected
Chairman, R. V. Wood, Secretary, and a
committee to work with these officials were H.
R. Starkweather, J. B. Warren and L. W.
Hunter. Plans were to hold an Old
Settlers Reunion that October at the
fair. In the accompanying photograph,
all of the charter members are
mentioned. These reunions were held
annually for many years and one of the last
was held during the 1958 Coleman County
Centennial Celebration.
 Some old-timers of Coleman County - 1934 Coleman Greaves, Joe Brooke, Harvey Miller, Earl Greaves [rear], George Lobstein, Lou Story, Wash Morgan, and Johnny Elkins [front]. ............................................................................... image to be added Members of the Coleman Pioneer Club - November 1935 A. P. Townsend, H. R. Starkweather, R. V. Wood [Secretary], L. E. Collins [Chairman] [front] L. W. Hunter, C. K. Hunter, unidentified, E. E. McElrath, Sid Sackett, J. F. Henderson, J. W. Golson, G. F. Givens, J. I. Morgan [middle], Barclay Martin, B. I. Watson, J. W. Cox, J. F. Armstrong, J. H. Close, J. R. Brooke, J. J. Roberts, E. S. Cox, J. B. Warren, W. L. Day, I. M. Griffis, W. T. Knox, S. D. Harper, N. A. Jameson, and George Rae [rear]. Tom A. Hunter and E. M. Jones were also listed as charter members... the unidentified man could be one of these. ...............................................................................  1936 - Texas Centennial parade, taken at the city park after the parade At left: Weldon Allen and to his left, Geneva McCulloch, At right: standing front, Doris Miller, to her right, Will Gideon, and to her right, the now Mrs. Carl Fleming. ............................................................................... image to be added Old Settlers Reunion - July 31, 1938 W. G. Anderson, G. M. Gray, Marcus Weatherred, Colonel T. A. Burns,? Henderson, L. E. Collins, J. T. Warnock [front]. Oscar McDermett, J. C. McDermett, unidentified, Arthur Young, unidentified, George Rae, Will Burns [rear] ............................................................................... Meanwhile
at Santa Anna, the Rangers
were meeting. They
had formed an organization
of former Rangers in 1920,
meeting in various towns
from year to year.
In 1935, the Ex-Rangers
Association was invited to
Santa Anna with sessions
at the high school and
many homes in town opened
for the members and their
families. J. J.
Gregg, owner of the Santa
Anna News, was keenly
interested in Texas
history and in the lives
of the Ranger veterans;
his publicity and
influence promoted the
meeting to great
success. The
auxiliary, composed of
wives and daughters of
Ex-Rangers was organized
that year. Mrs. R.
C. Gay, daughter of C. M.
Grady was in the forefront
of the activities and was
elected chairman.
The Ex-Rangers were
invited back to Santa Anna
in 1936.
A block of land at the east end of the mountain became available and donations were secured for its purchase. Gregg and Mrs. Gay applied for and got a grant for a building, to be put up with W. P. A. labor, and a rustic-type assembly place of two large rooms with a porch facing many miles of valley to the southeast was built of an odd red-striped stone donated by the Millard brothers, Sampson and Lindsey, from their farm east of town. Camping spots around the house were prepared for those who did not wish to put their cots inside or on the porch. This was all ready for the 1937 meeting. As time went by, the younger men leaving the Ranger service did not show an interest in maintaining the original group, and with the passing of the older men the Ranger Park was not used; reverting to the town of Santa Anna, it has been divided and a part of the land sold for a nursing home and church building. The rest of the land was sold and a motel built, the old Ranger Park building being used as the office.  Building the Ranger Park building at Santa Anna |