| Birth Date: Sept. 6, 1872 | Birth Date: 1862 | |
| Death Date: Nov. 1951 | Death Date: 1952 |
Sallie Mae Hale was born in Caddo Mills, Hunt County, Texas, September 6, 1872, to Marion Lafayette and Ira Mattox Hale. In 1887 she moved with her family to Thorp Springs, Texas where she completed four years work at Add-Rann College, the school that was the beginning of the present Texas Christian University of Fort Worth.
The family moved toward the Plains, and Sallie drove one of the wagons on this two-week westward trek, and arrived in Dickens City, October 1, 1891, where eighteen-year-old Sallie Mae´s teaching career began.
That winter Sallie Mae substituted occasionally for the Dickens school teacher, the Reverend Minor Wilson, but her first job was to teach a three-month summer school located in the northeast corner of the county for $30.00 a month, $5.00 of which she paid for her room and board in the home of one of the trustees, a Mr. Parker. She had twelve pupils ranging from 6 to 16 years of age, no course of study recommended other than the 3 R´s and no school books in the county to buy. They used the books the children had or what she could borrow - the old Blue Back Speller and readers of various grades. There was no blackboard, so the children used slates. Each student was examined and then given individual instruction. The schools then were not graded.
The last day of school was festive. Only a few classes were held; some patrons brought dinner; speeches were given and good-byes were said. She was asked to take the fall term but declined because the 20 miles from her home was too great a distance during winter.
Back in Dickens, she accepted the Espuela school offer - a six month term a better building and equipment including a blackboard, and a salary of $50.00 a month. Espuela, prior to the county seat election, had been the largest community in the county, but now most of the residences and business buildings had been moved to Dickens. The Spur Ranch still maintained its store and the post office. She boarded with the Gilmores for $10.00 a month.
On January 19, 1893, she was bridesmaid and her sweetheart, W. R. Stafford was best man at the wedding of Minnie David and John Smith in the Dickens school house. Before they got back to Espuela a "blue norther" blew in and nearly froze them to death. The weather continued so extremely cold that the trustees asked her to close school until warmer weather. She went home. Her dad had bought a claim on the head of Cottonwood Creek about 4 miles west of Afton, just under the Cap Rock where she stayed until the weather warmed enough to re-open the school.
During the spring she went home about twice a month, riding the 16 miles sidesaddle on a long-legged roan cow pony furnished by her boy friend. She never forgot one experience that took place on a gloomy, cloudy spring afternoon. With a storm brewing, she left for her dad´s home about 3:00 o´clock on the three-hour trip. Just past the Browning Ranch (later owned by Press ´Goen), was a broad, flat clearing and then a dense post oak mott. The mott had always been an excellent camping site for Indians with the trees and brush for fires, and the water from Rock House Springs close by, and many frightening stories of Indian crimes were associated with the spot. In this broad clearing her stirrup strap snapped, and the stirrup fell into the tall grass and weeds. Knowing she had to retrieve it because pieces of equipment were not easily replaced, she slid off her mount and found the precious stirrup, but then she had no way to remount that tall horse. She had no stirrup, no mounting block, tree or rock, the formidable mott loomed on the horizon, and rain had begun to fall. She walked and led the horse until she was exhausted and desperate. At last, knowing she had to get on top of that animal if she were ever to reach her home, she jumped and grabbed and clawed her way to the top of her frightened mount, crouched low and hung on as she fairly raced him in and out among the dark post oak trees. Later she felt certain that if any Indian had been lurking in the area, the scene she created would surely have frightened him away.
Before the school term was out, one of the school trustees informed her that the county funds for school purposes were exhausted; they could not pay her past two weeks salary until more taxes were collected, so she would have to close the school.
On January 3, 1894, she married William R. Stafford and became a housewife and mother of one son and six daughters, thus ending her school teaching career.
W. R. (William Roswell) Stafford was born in Hernando County, Florida. He arrived in Dickens County in 1883 and worked for the Spur Ranch 7 years. He worked for the W. L. Browning Flying "A" Ranch, and bought the ranch when Browning was ready to sell.
He and Sallie Mae established their home in the Afton community where they reared their family and except for a short time when they lived in Spur, they made Afton their home until their deaths. She died in November 1951; he in May, 1952. They are buried in the Afton Cemetery.
Source: Dickens County History...its Land and People © Dickens Historical Commission; Printer: Craftsman Inc. Lubbock, Texas 1986
She was born in Caddo Mills, Hunt County, Texas, September 6, 1872, the daughter of Marion L. and Ira Mattox Hale. After the early death of her mother she and her brother Otho L. Hale lived with their grandparents Judge and Mrs. Wiley Mattox in Greenville, Texas.In 1887, and after he had re-married, Marion L. Hale moved to Thorp Springs, Hood County, Texas, where she and her brother were enrolled in Add-Ran College.
After four years another move was made to Dickens County. They arrived in Dickens October 1, 1891. That winter she did substitute teaching for the Reverend Minor Wilson when he was out of town on a preaching mission. She later taught in the Northeast corner of the county. The winter of 1892-1893 she taught the Espuela School.
On January 3, 1894, she was married in her father's home to William Roswell Stafford. They established a home in the Afton Community north of Dickens where they lived until their death. They reared one son and six daughters who dearly loved and respected them.
She died in November, 1951 and was laid to rest in the Afton Cemetery.
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
Three children, two daughters and a son are buried along with their parents.
Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Afton Methodist Church for Mrs. W.R. Stafford, 79, who died early Tuesday at her home in Glenn.Mrs. Stafford, pioneer of Dickens County, was one of the first teachers in the county. Born in Greenville, she was the former Sarah May Hale. Her husband is one of the pioneer ranchers of the area.
Survivors are her husband; a son, Wilry R. of Seagraves; six daughters, Mrs. Lonnie Harris, Mrs. Murl Hext, both of Lubbock, Mrs. Arthur Stearns of Plainview, Mrs. Rls Curd of Midland, Miss Willie May Stafford of Wichita Falls and Mrs. Ely Watson of Iraan; nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Interment was in the Afton cemetery.
©The Texas Spur, Nov. 8, 1951
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