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Roy and Thelma Ward with their four daughters and one son moved to Dickens County in 1927 from Aquilla, Texas in Hill County, where they were both born and reared. His father, Sam Ward and mother, Tina McGee spent their entire life farming in the precinct in which they were both born.Roy was married to Thelma Farquhar, October 31, 1914 at Whitney, Texas. She was the daughter of W.E. Farquhar and Jennie Durham, both pioneers of Hill County. Her father, a farmer, also served as County Commissioner for a number of years between 1900-1915.
Roy and Thelma resided in The Little Community of Red Point for thirteen years before moving "West". When the family arrived in Dickens County October 17, 1927 they settled in The McAdoo Community where he farmed for thirteen years. Their four daughters married local residents during those years. Two of them, Mrs. A.G. Fox and Mrs. J.J. Griffin still reside there while Mrs. G.G. Allen and Mrs. Waid Griffin live in Lubbock.
Mr. and Mrs. Ward, with their son, Olin moved to Dickens in 1941, where they have resided since. The son and wife, Anna Mary live in Beeville, Texas. They also boast of being the happy ancestors of seventeen grandchildren.
Ward farmed in the Dickens Community and in the first year of residency was made custodian of the court house. He also served as Justice of the Peace until 1949 when he was elected County Commissioner of Precinct 1. An office he still holds and at the expiration of this term he will have served twenty consecutive years.
The Wards have always been active in church and civic affairs in the communities where they lived. He has served as Steward in the Methodist Church for fifty years. Also served as Supt. of Sunday School teacher. He is past president of Dickens Civic Club and seven years served as school trustee.
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
Roy Ward was born in 1897 and Thelma Farquhar was born in 1901 in Hill County near Whitney, Texas. They were married October 31, 1914. They resided in the little community of Red Paint for thirteen years before moving "west." Their five children were born there. They moved from Hill County in October 1927, making the journey in a Model T touring car. They got a job pulling cotton for "Grandpa Pipkin." The family of seven lived in the Pipkin's one room wash house until January 1928. They moved into a three room shack about a half mile north of the Pipkins. The family did general farm labor, pulling boles, etc. In the fall of the year school would be dismissed for two weeks as most of the farmers needed their families help in gathering the cotton. After the two weeks most of the cotton would be gathered and the children would return to school. The Ward children were kept out of school as long as there were any boles to pull. Like a lot of other families they were poor and times were hard. Some months the children would not receive a report card as you had to be present at least fifteen days a month to receive a card. They worked for the Pipkins three years. In 1930 Roy got a job with Charlie Gollihar. Mr. Gollihar was the largest landholder in the McAdoo Community. Roy rented eighty acres on the third and fourth and after he had worked his eighty acres he and Ruth would plow for Mr. Gollihar. Along with a lot of others Roy and Ruth would plow from sun to sun for a dollar a day. Ruth recalls at times there would be as many as twelve cultivators in the field at one time. Other families who lived on the Gollihar farm were, the Irvin Wards, Isaacs, Bristers, Burns, Riches, Frenches, Joplins and the Jacksons. The Ward children still had to pull cotton but didn't have to miss so much school. Lucile was a good basketball player and many times she would pull eight pounds of cotton and Mr. Ward would let her quit in time to get ready and play in a basketball game. Games were played on Friday nights. The Henderson girls were also on the team and would stop and Lucile would ride to the game with them. Even after pulling boles all day she would play a good game of ball often winning victories for McAdoo.Roy and Thelma moved to Dickens, Texas in 1941. He was made custodial of the courthouse and after his work day at the courthouse was done he would work on his farm. He also served as Justice of Peace, and in 1949 was elected County Commissioner of Precinct I, an office he held for twenty years. The Wards have always been active in church and civic affairs. Mr. Ward served as steward in the Methodist Church for sixty years. He also served as Superintendent of Sunday School and as president of Dickens Civic Club.
Roy and Thelma celebrated their sixty-fourth wedding anniversary on October 31, 1977. All of the children present. They boasted of being happy ancestors of seventeen grandchildren, thirty great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. Roy passed away in 1979. Thelma continued to live alone in Dickens until November 1981, at that time she went to live in Care Center in Crosbyton.
"Top of the Cap" by Mildred Jackson Cornelius © 1985; Catclaw Printing
 Thelma |  Roy and Thelma  Roy's father |
 Thelma and Roy's children Left to right: Gladys, Lucile, Katherine, Ruth, and Olin in front. |
Funeral services for longtime area resident, Roy Ward, 81, of Dickens were conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in the McAdoo Methodist Church with the Rev. Archie Echols, pastor, officiating with the Rev. C.L. Atkinson, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dickens, assisting.Burial was in Dickens Cemetery under the direction of Campbell Funeral Home of Spur.
Mr. Ward died at 8:25 p.m. Wednesday in Crosbyton Hospital following a lengthy illness.
The Hill County native moved to the McAdoo community from Red Point in 1927. He moved to Dickens, Texas in 1941.
He married Thelma Farquhar Oct. 31, 1914 at Whitney. He was a steward in the Methodist Church more than 50 years and was a past president of Dickens Civic Club. He also was a past member of the Dickens school board and a former justice of the peace in Dickens County. The retired farmer also served in Dickens County Commissioners Court for 20 years.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Olin of San Antonio; four daughters, Mrs. A. G. Fox and Mrs. J. J. Griffin both of McAdoo, and Mrs G. G. Allen and Mrs. Wade Griffin, both of Lubbock; a sister, Mrs. Roland Shelley of Whitney; 16 grandchildren; and 24 great grandchildren.
Grandsons served as pallbearers.
©Crosbyton Review, February 15, 1979.
Services for Thelma Ward, 86, of Crosbyton were held at 3 p.m. Friday October 16, 1987 in McAdoo United Methodist Church with the Rev. Lee Griffin, a retired Methodist Minister from Canyon Lake. Burial was in Dickens Cemetery under direction of Adams Funeral Home.She died at 1:35 a.m. Thursday, October 15, 1987 in Crosbyton Clinic Hospital after a lengthy illness.
She was born in Hill County and moved to Dickens County in 1927. She married Roy Ward on October 31, 1914, in Hill County. He died in 1979. She was a homemaker and a member of Dickens Methodist Church. A son, Olin, died in 1981.
Survivors include 4 daughters: Gladys Allen of Crosbyton, Katherine Griffin of Lubbock, and Lucile Fox and Ruth Griffin, both of McAdoo; a brother, Robert Farquhar of Itasca; a sister, Bessie Gillespie of Hillsboro; 15 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great grandchildren.
Grandsons were pallbearers.
©Crosbyton Review, October, 15, 1987
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