Pilgrimage Brings Family to Dumas
In 1990, an 80-year old man from Richmond and his three daughters came to Dumas to see the grave of an infant son, James A. Pistole, who died in 1931.
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James Pistole described the trip as a "pilgrimage" with just one purpose - to see a marker placed recently on the gravesite in Dumas Cemetery.
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"Small towns are so much friendlier than cities. It just feels good." ...Pistole Sisters |
According to a story in an April 1990, Moore County News-Press, Pistole related the events that brought him to the Panhandle. "I came to the Panhandle first when I was 16 years old because I had a sister living in Hartley. She wrote that I could get a job in the wheat harvest. When I got off the train, she had a 14-year old friend, Violet Reid, with her -- a few years later, she was my wife."
Pistole had worked as an office boy in McKinney, his hometown. When he came to Dumas, he was a carpenter. He worked on two major projects in Dumas -- the courthouse and what is now Dumas Junior High School.
Then, he got a job with Stearns Rogers as a carpenter's helper when the firm was the contractor for building the McKee refinery, now Valero, north of Dumas. He worked for Stearns Rogers for the next forty years. In the 1990 article, Pistole remarked, "I learned my craft here in Dumas working with men who were skilled in carpentry." He listed Everett Giles and Buford Oliver and an 85 year-old, Sam Oliver. "They taught me a lot," he said.
Pistole advanced through the ranks of the company, finally becoming a manager of the construction department and vice president. His job took him to all 50 states and to a number of foreign countries. He worked in climates such as the Dead Sea of Israel at 1,200 feet below sea level and temperatures as high as 135 degrees and in Fairbanks, Alaska, with a temperature of 60 degrees below zero.
Pistole had worked as an office boy in McKinney, his hometown. When he came to Dumas, he was a carpenter. He worked on two major projects in Dumas -- the courthouse and what is now Dumas Junior High School.
Then, he got a job with Stearns Rogers as a carpenter's helper when the firm was the contractor for building the McKee refinery, now Valero, north of Dumas. He worked for Stearns Rogers for the next forty years. In the 1990 article, Pistole remarked, "I learned my craft here in Dumas working with men who were skilled in carpentry." He listed Everett Giles and Buford Oliver and an 85 year-old, Sam Oliver. "They taught me a lot," he said.
Pistole advanced through the ranks of the company, finally becoming a manager of the construction department and vice president. His job took him to all 50 states and to a number of foreign countries. He worked in climates such as the Dead Sea of Israel at 1,200 feet below sea level and temperatures as high as 135 degrees and in Fairbanks, Alaska, with a temperature of 60 degrees below zero.
Marker on the grave of James Ray Pistole in Dumas Cemetery
Pistole and his wife, Violet, Lived in Dumas from about 1928 until 1922. On April 18, 1931, Mrs. Pistole gave birth to twins. The girl, Violet, survived but the baby boy died the same day and was buried in Dumas Cemetery. Violet was the only daughter to live in Dumas and she was only a toddler at the time. But, all three daughters remarked that they had the feeling of coming home. One of the daughters said, "Small towns are so much friendlier than cities. It just feels good."
The visitors drove around and looked at the town, especially the buildings Pistole had helped build. They located a house on Binkley that Pistole and a brother, Blondy, had built. Pistole said, "It's still there -- but it's been added onto."
The "pilgrimage" started with the purpose of seeing the infant's grave and the new marker Pistole had arranged to have placed there. The search for the grave had started much earlier when Pistole contacted Sophie Thigpen who handled the records for the cemetery. She could not find the site. Sometime later, Pistole learned about the Dumas Cemetery Association and contacted Darrel Reynolds, president of the association to see if he might be able to locate the grave.
Reynolds found a marking on an old map with indicated the site of the baby's burial. Pistole worked with Reynolds to have a marker placed. When the project was completed, Reynolds took a photograph of the grave, wrote them about cemetery improvements and plans for the future. He invited them to come to Dumas.
When Pistole and his daughters came, they met with Reynolds and Nelle Jones, a member of the association, and he presented the association a $1,000 donation "to help with what you are doing at the cemetery."
The Dumas Cemetery Association oversees the Dumas Cemetery. The current board for the cemetery is headed by Darren Stallwitz, president; Mark Graves, vice president; Judy Shipman, secretary; Cathy Burnett and Susan Graves. The work done at Dumas Cemetery is financed with funds from opening and closing graves, memorials and donations such as the Pistole gift.
The visitors drove around and looked at the town, especially the buildings Pistole had helped build. They located a house on Binkley that Pistole and a brother, Blondy, had built. Pistole said, "It's still there -- but it's been added onto."
The "pilgrimage" started with the purpose of seeing the infant's grave and the new marker Pistole had arranged to have placed there. The search for the grave had started much earlier when Pistole contacted Sophie Thigpen who handled the records for the cemetery. She could not find the site. Sometime later, Pistole learned about the Dumas Cemetery Association and contacted Darrel Reynolds, president of the association to see if he might be able to locate the grave.
Reynolds found a marking on an old map with indicated the site of the baby's burial. Pistole worked with Reynolds to have a marker placed. When the project was completed, Reynolds took a photograph of the grave, wrote them about cemetery improvements and plans for the future. He invited them to come to Dumas.
When Pistole and his daughters came, they met with Reynolds and Nelle Jones, a member of the association, and he presented the association a $1,000 donation "to help with what you are doing at the cemetery."
The Dumas Cemetery Association oversees the Dumas Cemetery. The current board for the cemetery is headed by Darren Stallwitz, president; Mark Graves, vice president; Judy Shipman, secretary; Cathy Burnett and Susan Graves. The work done at Dumas Cemetery is financed with funds from opening and closing graves, memorials and donations such as the Pistole gift.