John was born Mar. 22, 1885, near Chalk Mountain in Erath County. His schooling was at Emma and Mt. Blanco schools. He helped build the first gin on the Plains and was manager. It was located back of the fire station in Crosbyton, 1977. The nearest farm was ten miles away. It would gin two or three bales per day. The gin was a little Two Stand Murry Gin, no cleaners, just ginned picked cotton. It was built by C.B. Livestock Co. in 1905. Some of the first customers of the gin were: Bill Lamar, S.M. Walker, Edd and Jim Crump, S.A. Oliver, W.H. Hames, and H.H. McDermett. This was before the town (Crosbyton) was started. It was just a cow camp in the middle of 160 section ranch. The last round-up was made at this location in 1907 on the site where Pioneer Memorial Museum now stands.John was instrumental in organization of the following in Crosby County. He served on school board, director in the first bank, shipped first cattle by rail from Crosbyton, first couple to be married in Crosbyton, clerk in first store in Crosbyton, John and Belle were present at the first Literary Society which was organized February 1909. He helped organize a Commercial Club, Apr. 1909. July 1911 he organized a Farmers Union at Crosbyton and Cone, he attended the first meeting of Crosby County Ranch Association. In 1927, John helped write the constitution for Old Settlers Reunion Association.
In 1907 John joined Masonic Lodge and in June he took the Master Degree in Masonry. In 1913, he was installed as Senior Warden and July 4, 1914 was installed as W.M. of the Masonic Lodge.
In 1909, John met at the Hall to organize a Sunday School. He was converted, and a week later joined First Baptist Church in Crosbyton. John remained a faithful member and was active until his death Mar. 27, 1965.
John began ranch work at Two-Buckle Ranch, at that time owned by Kentucky Cattle Company, at 15 years of age. Later Two-Buckle Ranch was bought by C.B. Livestock Co. in 1901. He worked as a cowboy from July 1903-05. He became ranch boss at the age of 21 from 1905-09 and 1911-17. Next he worked for TM Ranch in 1902 and part of 1903, owned by Tom Montgomery, south of Floydada in Blanco Canyon. He drove herds of cattle to Portales, NM, Bovina, Canyon City, Plainview, Panhandle City, Clarendon, Midland and Knox County.
At age 17 John worked at Bar-N-Bar (-N-) Ranch which was owned by the Coonley Brothers of Chicago and managed by Julian Bassett.
He lived in Louisiana in 1918 and worked for Julian Bassett. He traded in horses, mules and cattle. He returned to Crosbyton in 1919. Later he was in the real-estate business.
John was elected sheriff and tax collector of Crosby Co. in 1922 and served four years. He was a faithful law enforcement officer.
In 1930, John moved to Silver city, NM, was assistant manager of Moon Ranch and Heart Bar Cross Ranch seven years. After he left the ranch, he had a grocery store in Tyrone, NM for two years. He then moved to Datil, NM where he was a member of Sanitation board as cattle and brand inspector and moved to Tucumcari, NM in 1940, and continued this work 19 years until he retired in 1959. He moved back to Silver City, NM and lived there until his death.
John was married to Belle Ellison, daughter of B.W. Ellison, in 1909. Belle was born Jan. 8, 1888 near Speedwell, TN. To this union were born six children: George, Rubalie Wesley, John E., Louise "Billie", Francis Hawkins and Nannie Mae, who died in infancy. There were 15 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. Belle was a charter member of First Baptist Church of Crosbyton when it was organized Aug. 11, 1909.
Source: "Crosby County History Book 1876-1977", Crosby County Historical Commission, ©1977
John McDermett was the son of Hugh and Jeanette McDermett, grew up in Crosby County, one of the younger generation of pioneers, and has shown that he has the qualities for handling the duties and responsibilities of modern times, as a businessman, a rancher and public official. His early schooling was in the Mt. Blanco Public School. Early in life he learned to trail the herd; at the age of eighteen he went to work as a full-fledged cowboy for the C.B. Livestock Company, one of the large cattle ranches then operating in Crosby County. He worked for the company fourteen years; he had the management of the ranch at the age of twenty. When a gin, the first in Crosby County, was built by the C.B. Livestock Company, John was put in charge of the new gin.He was elected sheriff of Crosby County six years. He was a faithful, law-enforcing sheriff. He did not run for the fourth term, and later moved to Tucumcari, New Mexico, where he has been Cattle and Brand Inspector for the New Mexico Sanitary Board or many years.
John McDermett married Miss Belle Ellison, daughter of pioneer settlers of Crosbyton; theirs was the first marriage in Crosbyton.
Mr. McDermett is a Democrat, a member of the Baptist Church, belongs to the Odd Fellows, has various degrees in the Masonic Order, being a member of the Kiva Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Amarillo.
The John McDermetts are the parents of five children: George, Rubalie, Francis, Mary Louise, and John Elmer.
Source: Through the Years, A History of Crosby County, Texas by Nellie Witt Spikes and Temple Ann Ellis
SILVER CITY, N.M. (Special) - John D. McDermett, 80, area pioneer and a former sheriff of Crosby County, died here Saturday afternoon.Funeral services are slated at 2 p.m. Monday in the First Methodist Church in Crosbyton. Burial will be in Crosbyton Cemetery under direction of King Funeral Home.
McDermett came to Crosby County in the 1890´s as a small child. His father also was sheriff at one time.
For about 30 years McDermett was employed by the Cattle Raisers Association of New Mexico and moved to Silver City upon retirement.
He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Ruby Lee Wesley, Gallop, N.M., Mrs. Francis Hawkins, Silver City, and Mrs. Billy Houston, Midland; two sons, George, Silver City, and Johnny, 4311 43rd St., Lubbock; four brothers, Charlie and Linnie, Ralls, Fred, Denver, Colo., and H. C., Abilene; and two sisters, Mrs. Ethel Trammell, San Angelo and Mrs. Nora Freeman, Crosbyton.
Lubbock Avalanche Journal, March 29, 1965
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
Mrs. John (Sarah Isabell Ellison) McDermett, who died March 9, in Midland at the age of 92, was among the last remaining true pioneers of Crosbyton.She was born Jan. 8, 1888 near Speedwell, Tenn., the daughter of B. W. and Mary Ellison. She moved with her parents to Crosby County in 1908.
Her father built the first house in Crosbyton, the house now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Holcomb. Another first for her was to be a charter member of First Baptist Church, organized in 1909.
Sarah Isabell Ellison married John McDermett in 1909. They were the first couple married in Crosby County.
They made their home in a rock house on the Bar-N-Bar Ranch, where he was employed as foreman. Later he served as sheriff and tax collector of Crosby County.
Mr. and Mrs. McDermett moved in 1930 to New Mexico, where he was associated with ranches. Later they moved to Silver City, N.M., and lived there until his retirement in 1959. Mr. McDermett died in 1965.
Mrs. McDermett moved to Midland in 1966 and made her home with a daughter until her death.
Belle McDermett is listed in the Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum as "one of the pioneer mothers of Crosby County. With her pioneer spirit, she shared all the hardships in the settlement of a new country. She often visited in Crosbyton with her sisters and many friends. To know her was to love her."
She is survived by four children; Mrs. Billie Houston of Midland, Rubalie Wesley of Gallup, N.M., George McDermett of Silver City, N.M., and Johnnie McDermett of Lubbock; three sisters, Moda Reed and Tina Harvey, both of Crosbyton, and Viola Gray of Hereford; 15 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.
Memorial services were at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, in First Baptist Church of Crosbyton. Interment was in Crosbyton Cemetery.
Crosbyton Review, March 20, 1980
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