In 1901 the W.E. Dobbins family consisting of six children, moved from Buffalo Gap in Taylor County to Haskell County, TX. The same year W.F. Watts, his wife and two daughters, one of which was later to become Mrs. J.H. Dobbins, moved from Eula in Taylor County to Haskell County. It was all wide open country and land was purchased for $4.50 per acre, then fenced and improved. The Watts family lived in a tent while building their five room house with two huge porches. Both ceilings and walls were covered with beaded ceiling and varnished with clear varnish. The children of today have possibly never seen beaded ceiling, but at that time it was considered pretty special. The cowboys were watched very closely to see that they didn´t lean against it in the cane bottom chairs, as the soft pine would scar easily. W.E. Dobbins and his family bought land improved near the school. The Watts girls walked 3 miles to get their high school educations. They attended Falt Top School and rode horseback much of the time.On one occasion two friends from the Watt´s old home of Eula came on horseback to visit. They all planned to visit a Baptist preacher and his family who had also moved from Eula, and lived some 25 miles away. The six rode horseback the 25 miles, arriving there about 4 p.m. and found more old friends visiting the preacher from Stamford. They all went fishing about 6 p.m. and caught a nice string of fish. The preacher´s daughter went to the house to get something to string the fish on, it being dark by then, she brought the lantern back. Now if you ever want to get lost, just take a lantern on a dark night into some low land with lots of narrow creeks, and thick underbrush. Well, in a few minutes, they were completely lost, it being new country to all of them. They crossed the creek dozens of times. The boys would stand in the water and try to jump the girls over, but of course they usually landed in the middle of the creek. They could see the lights of home occasionally, but would lose it in the thick underbrush. The preacher finally put the light on top of the house so they could see. They followed the light, dripping wet and cold, and finally arrived in the wee hours of the morning. The next morning, being Sunday, they hurried the preacher off to Hakell to preach. They built a fire around the wash pot and washed and ironed their clothes to wear home. In those days overnight bags, and extra clothes were unheard of when you went on horseback to spend the night.
Mr. Watts bought and sold land, he would possibly have been called a real estate dealer today. He was Commissioner of Haskell County from the first year they moved there until he died in October, 1906. At that time he had sold all his land but a 50 acre plot in Sagerion, on which Mrs. Watts and her daughter lived until the daughter married and they moved to Spur.
Homer Dobbins went away to school in 1907 to the Metropolitan Business College in Dallas and finished in 1908. He went to work with a surveying crew, surveying the railroad from Stamford to Spur. he came to Spur in 1909. He, with Gorge Williams as surveyor, surveyed the townsite of Spur. They then surveyed the Swenson Ranch from here to the tongue River Ranch, then on to the Throckmorton Ranch. From there they went to the Flat Top Ranch and last to Freeport, surveying the town of Freeport and 10,000 acres around it. By that time, it was 1915 and camping out with the rattlesnakes, coyotes, and pole cats had ceased to be an adventure, and it certainly didn´t appeal to his bride-to-be. He resigned and came to Spur, buying a six room house on Miller Street.
On June 9, 1915 Homer Dobbins and Corria Watts were married at the home of her mother in Sagerton. Brother J.O. Haymes, a Methodist Preacher from Rule married them. They were the first couple for him to marry and he assured them that they were not scared any more than he was. His first ceremony must have been successful, as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June, 1965 with a reception hosted by their three children. Over 150 guests called to wish them many more happy years. They think of it as one of the highlights of their lives.
They moved to Spur on June 17, 1915. Homer worked first for Bryant-Link Company about three years. He then worked for Sol Davis Mercantile company and Otho Hale. He did bookkeeping at night for drug stores and other businesses. In 1921 he went into business for himself - Gents Furnishing, Cleaning and Pressing. In 1924 he sold his business to Willard Chapman, brother of Alton Chapman. They then bought the Western Hotel in March 1924. They had just bought the hotel when the Spur Inn burned and they were filled to capacity much of the time. At times, people had to sit up all night in the lobby around the big coal stove.
He worked for E.L. Caraway Chevrolet Company until 1929, at which time, he went to work in the Dickens Sheriff´s office, and was there at the time Sheriff Bill Arthur was killed. He made the Dickens County tax roll in 1930, then moved to Levelland for one year. His wife was in a serious car wreck in Lubbock and was hospitalized some two months, and didn´t walk much for a year. That brought them back to their much loved Dickens County. They got their Western Hotel back, remodeled it, and turned it into an apartment house. They rented apartments until their sons finished the University of Texas in 1950. Homer was working for Godfrey and Smart when he retired. He possibly made about the first income tax to be made in Spur, and has continued that as a side line since that time. They lived in the 26 room Western Hotel -- just the two of them.
Their first child was born in 1918, Ouida Fern. She finished Spur High School and went to Hardin-Simmons University, finishing in 1939. She came to Dickens to work for Eric Ousley in the County Clerk´s office. It was there she met Mike Harkey, and they married the same year. They later moved to Abilene. Mike went into the service for four years, going back to Abilene after his service was completed. He bought an abstract plant, since he had practically grown up in one. He soon saw there was more money in oil than abstracting so he sold his interest in the abstract plant and has been in the oil business for the past 15 years.
The Dobbins´ twin boys, Pete and Pike, were born in Spur in 1927. They finished Spur High School and went to the University of Texas in 1944. Pike majored in Electrical Engineering and has been interested in Air conditioning Inc., Austin, Texas for the past 14 years. He married Jo Beth Rayn of Ausin, in 1952. Pete majored in pharmacy and has a drug store in Stamford, "Dobbins Pharmacy". He married Peggy Wilson of Spur in 1954.
The Dobbins have six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
The Dobbins attended First Baptist church and did the entire time they lived in Spur.
Funeral services for Homer dobbins, 80, were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the First Baptist Church, Rev. Norris Taylor officiating.Mr. Dobbisn died Jan. 14 in Hendricks Hospital in Abilene.
Mr. Dobbins had been a resident of Spur since 1909. He was a bookkeeper, but was retired at death. He worked for Swenson Land and Cattle Co.; Godfrey and Smart Ford Sales and Bryant Link Co. He served as a deacon in the Baptist Church for 50 years.
Surviors include his wife, Spur; two sons, James Pete of Stamford; Pike Homer, Austin; one daughter, Mrs. M. C. Harkey, Abilene; three brothers, Turner of Stamford; Elmore of Stamford; and Willard, Pine Bluff; one sister, Mrs. Guy Aycock, Aspermont; six grandchildren.
Pallbearers included Billy R. Barrett, A. J. Harvey, Fike Godfrey, R. J. Bel, Olen Daughtry, Everett Martin.
Interment was in Spur Cemetery.
©The Texas Spur; Thursday, January 16, 1969
Funeral services for Mrs. Corrie Lee Dobbins, 88, were held January 3 at 2:30 p.m. in the First Baptist Church, Spur. Rev. Norris Taylor, church pastor, officiated.Mrs. Dobbins died January 2 in an Abilene Hospital. She had been a resident of Dickens County from 1915 to 1967.
She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. M.C. Harkey, Abilene; two sons, Pete Dobbins, Stamford; Pike Dobbins, Austin; two nieces; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Pallbearers included Bill Barrett, M.C. Hurst, Thurmond Moore, Everett McArthur and Donald Dopson. Burial was in the Spur Cemetery.
©The Texas Spur, January 5, 1976
From the records of Lillian Grace Nay
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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