Brown Family Came From Wales
W. H. and Cornelia Ann Brown came to Moore County in 1890 and homesteaded four sections of land northwest of Four Way.
W. H. was a native of Wales. He had always wanted to have a cattle ranch, but knew that was not possible in Wales so he went to England where he met his wife, Cornelia. Her father was the head librarian to the King of England.
The couple came to New Orleans, LA, in the late 1880s, then settled in Silverton, TX, for a short time.
They had three children, Florence, Alfred Oliver, and Albert (Bert) William. Cornelia died in 1894, a few months past the birth of Albert.
W. H. was left with the three small children and was trying to find work in Silverton, but there was not much stone and brick work available. He built the Silverton jail in 1893, but was forced to travel to find work. He boarded the children with neighboring families.
Cornelia's sister, Mary, wanted the children returned to England to live with her. W. H. wanted the children to stay with him. Mary worked as a secretary to Queen Victoria, keeping records in her art gallery. She came to America arriving in New York when W. H. met her. Neither one felt it would be proper for them to travel across the country together, so they were married in New York.
They returned to Silverton and made plans to move to Moore County. W. H. came to select land for them to settle on. He hauled lumber and built a house for the family. He returned to Silverton for the family and their belongings. After three years of required residency, they recorded the deed to the land on March 10, 1899.
W. H. continued working as a mason, building the vault for First State Bank and the jail in Channing. He built chimneys for homes in Dumas and Channing and the surrounding area.
Mary Brown died in 1926 and W. H. died in 1941.
W. H. was a native of Wales. He had always wanted to have a cattle ranch, but knew that was not possible in Wales so he went to England where he met his wife, Cornelia. Her father was the head librarian to the King of England.
The couple came to New Orleans, LA, in the late 1880s, then settled in Silverton, TX, for a short time.
They had three children, Florence, Alfred Oliver, and Albert (Bert) William. Cornelia died in 1894, a few months past the birth of Albert.
W. H. was left with the three small children and was trying to find work in Silverton, but there was not much stone and brick work available. He built the Silverton jail in 1893, but was forced to travel to find work. He boarded the children with neighboring families.
Cornelia's sister, Mary, wanted the children returned to England to live with her. W. H. wanted the children to stay with him. Mary worked as a secretary to Queen Victoria, keeping records in her art gallery. She came to America arriving in New York when W. H. met her. Neither one felt it would be proper for them to travel across the country together, so they were married in New York.
They returned to Silverton and made plans to move to Moore County. W. H. came to select land for them to settle on. He hauled lumber and built a house for the family. He returned to Silverton for the family and their belongings. After three years of required residency, they recorded the deed to the land on March 10, 1899.
W. H. continued working as a mason, building the vault for First State Bank and the jail in Channing. He built chimneys for homes in Dumas and Channing and the surrounding area.
Mary Brown died in 1926 and W. H. died in 1941.
George Brown and his favorite horse, Cotton Tail
The oldest son, Alf, married Etta Calvin. They were parents to Alfred, Alice, George, Cecil, Lillian, Burdette, Albert, Robert, and James. As the children grew up, most left to make homes in Washington D.C.; Clayton, NM; San Francisco, CA; Amarillo and Pampa, TX. George remained on the land in Moore County until his death in March of 2007.
George was born July 19, 1920, and began riding horses when he was two years old. He attended Sunray school from 1927 to 1933, then graduated from Dumas High School in 1939.
He entered the Army Horse Cavalry in 1942. He spent two years as a riding instructor at Fort Riley, KS, then two years in Burma and India packing horses and mules up the Burma Road to infantry units. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Moore County to start a quarter-horse ranch on the land his grandfather had settled.
He married Fay on March 30, 1947, and they became parents to two daughters, Georgina and Janice.
George was known for having a top quarter-horse line. He had 30 to 40 head of top blood lines horses. One stallion, "Veto Nick", won many grad and reserve championships in the New Mexico and Texas areas. He also ran about 400 head of cattle. He was usually seen with a stub of a cigar in his mouth. He said he never lit one, but chewed on it.
He was a member of the Golden Spread Quarterhorse Association for 30 years, serving as secretary and president. He was on the board of directors of XIT Quarter-Horse Association and served as president. He was a judge for the American Quarter-Horse Association for 16 years.
George was active in many organizations, most were those that guided children. He was a 4-H leader for 46 years. He served as county commissioner for precinct three for 16 years. During those years, Killgore Library was built, the courthouse was renovated, the community building was constructed, the rodeo grounds were built, right of ways to Lake Meredith were secured and many miles of county roads were black-topped.
In a May 1966 edition of the Moore County News-Press, an article reported a group of 32 British farmers and livestock ranchers toured Middlewell and stopped at the Brown Ranch "for a thorough look at a Texas-sized ranching operation."
George rode at the head of the Dogie Days parade for 22 years, beginning in 1947, the first year the Noon Lions Club sponsored the event. He was always on Cotton Tail. According to George, "he was the best horse I ever owned."
Fay became a Methodist preacher, attended seminary in Dallas, the serving churches at Vigo Park and Fairview, southeast of Amarillo, a 204 mile round trip form the ranch to the churches. In 1972, she was appointed to the Channing and Middlewell churches, where she served until shortly before her death in 1992.
George ran the ranch southwest of Dumas until his death in 2007. The land is now owned by the fourth generation of the Brown family.
George was born July 19, 1920, and began riding horses when he was two years old. He attended Sunray school from 1927 to 1933, then graduated from Dumas High School in 1939.
He entered the Army Horse Cavalry in 1942. He spent two years as a riding instructor at Fort Riley, KS, then two years in Burma and India packing horses and mules up the Burma Road to infantry units. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Moore County to start a quarter-horse ranch on the land his grandfather had settled.
He married Fay on March 30, 1947, and they became parents to two daughters, Georgina and Janice.
George was known for having a top quarter-horse line. He had 30 to 40 head of top blood lines horses. One stallion, "Veto Nick", won many grad and reserve championships in the New Mexico and Texas areas. He also ran about 400 head of cattle. He was usually seen with a stub of a cigar in his mouth. He said he never lit one, but chewed on it.
He was a member of the Golden Spread Quarterhorse Association for 30 years, serving as secretary and president. He was on the board of directors of XIT Quarter-Horse Association and served as president. He was a judge for the American Quarter-Horse Association for 16 years.
George was active in many organizations, most were those that guided children. He was a 4-H leader for 46 years. He served as county commissioner for precinct three for 16 years. During those years, Killgore Library was built, the courthouse was renovated, the community building was constructed, the rodeo grounds were built, right of ways to Lake Meredith were secured and many miles of county roads were black-topped.
In a May 1966 edition of the Moore County News-Press, an article reported a group of 32 British farmers and livestock ranchers toured Middlewell and stopped at the Brown Ranch "for a thorough look at a Texas-sized ranching operation."
George rode at the head of the Dogie Days parade for 22 years, beginning in 1947, the first year the Noon Lions Club sponsored the event. He was always on Cotton Tail. According to George, "he was the best horse I ever owned."
Fay became a Methodist preacher, attended seminary in Dallas, the serving churches at Vigo Park and Fairview, southeast of Amarillo, a 204 mile round trip form the ranch to the churches. In 1972, she was appointed to the Channing and Middlewell churches, where she served until shortly before her death in 1992.
George ran the ranch southwest of Dumas until his death in 2007. The land is now owned by the fourth generation of the Brown family.