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William (Willie) H. Hindman, born March 6, 1891 in Florence, Alabama. He moved to Texas with his parents at the age of 2 years. He was reared in Van Zandt County, and while attending a three teacher school he met his future wife, Mary Miles. She was born January 21, 1892 in Carthage, Mississippi and moved to Edgewood when just a small child. After being sweethearts throughout their school years, they were married September 3, 1911 in the bride's home located in the Small community near Edgewood.Mr. and Mrs. Hindman stock farmed near Wills Point, Texas, during the first 12 years of their marriage. During this time three children were born, one son Lloyd E. and two daughters, Gladys and Ruth. Mr. Hindman came to Spur in 1917 and purchased raw land from the Swenson Land and Cattle Co. They continued to live in Van Zandt County until 1923. After deciding to move to West Texas, Mr. and Mrs. Hindman moved to Spur in January of 1924. He loaded all their belongings, household goods and livestock, on a fright car and started to the Golden West. The move took an entire week. He slept in the bo car with the animals, providing them with feed and water. After renting a house in Spur, he wrote for his wife and children to join him. The first event that happened to the Hindmans was contracting the measles. Being a stranger in town, Mrs. Hindman said her kindest neighbors were "Grandmother" gilmore and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Collier, who at that time operated a small dairy.
After building a house on the farm, five miles west of Spur, the Hindmans moved to their farm home in March 1924. There was much work to be done, building barns, clearing land, etc. Now living in the Dry Lake Community they joined the Baptist Church and the children attended school there. Years later, all three children graduated from Spur High School.
Mr. Hindman was elected to Commissioner of Precinct 3 in 1938 and served until 1946. Those were the years of World War II, materials were hard to get and rations were enforced. He remembers a heavy rain that washed out 44 bridges in one night.
Mr. Hindman was one of the original directors of the REA and holds the first membership issued. The original directors were: M.B. Gage, E.J. Offield, John Sharp, S.L. Benefield, W.H. Hindman and L.D. Ratliff. The REA was organized just before the war and was not developed until it ended. Electric lights and power was one of the most appreciated facilities to the farm family. After using kerosene lamps and stoves, this was a real luxury.
Again in 1950, Mr. Hindman entered politics, announcing for Count Judge. He was elected and served from 1950 through 162. Mr. and Mrs. Hindman moved to Dickens in April 1951. During his service as County Judge of Dickens County, he likes to recall the obtaining and building of Farm to Market Roads, which was another great asset to the farmer. He also states with pride that the county Bond indebtedness was paid during his term of office.
Retiring at the age of 71, Mr. and Mrs. Hindman still live in Dickens, they enjoy fishing and visiting with their many friends made through the years. All three of their children visit regularly, Loyd and his wife, the former Jessie Leach live in Spur where he farms and is manager of the Dickens County Electric Co-Op. Gladys, now Mrs. L.J. Abbot, lives in Lubbock, Ruth is employed by KFYO radio station and also makes her home in Lubbock. The Hindmans have five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They came to the county total strangers, but after these many years of working and associating with the good people of Dickens County, they are happy to call it home.
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971, page 268
Mrs. Willie H. Hindman of Dickens, a native of Leake County, Mississippi, died at 8;15 a.m. Sunday, September 30, in a hospital at Crosbyton, one week following a heart attack.Born on January 21, 1892, Mrs. Hindman was the daughter of the late John D. and Ellie Warwick Miles. At the age of one year, she accompanied her parents from their native Mississippi to Texas, settling near Edgewood in the Samll Community. Her parents were also accompanied by her paternal grandfather who was the first person buried in Oak Hill Cemetery at Edgewood.
On September 3, 1911, she was married to Mr. Hindman. He survives with their son, Lloyd Hindman of Spur and two daughters, Mrs. Lovell Abbott and Miss Ruth Hindman, both of Lubbock. Other survivors are five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Z.L. Nations of Grand Saline and Mrs. Leon Reed of Edgewood and one step-sister, Mrs. Herman Hindman of Lubbock.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hindman lived in the Small and Board Communities before moving to Dickens County in 1924. Mr. Hindman served for many years as a member of the commissioners court and later county judge of Dickens County.
Mrs. Hindman had been a member of the Baptist Church since her youth.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Monday at the Baptist church in Spur and interment was in the Spur Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were Joe Kidd, R.G. Bastic, Clarence Alexander, Buck Ballard, Cecil Meadors and James D. Lehew.
Mrs. Hindman was a sister of the late P.E. Miles and Mrs. John McBride of Wills Point.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, October 1, 1973
from the records of Lillian Grace Nay
Funeral services for former Dickens County Judge, W.H. Hindman, were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the First Baptist Church with Rev. Norris Taylor officiating, assisted by Rev. Victor Crabtree.Judge Hindman died April 11 in the Crosbyton Hospital. He was a retired farmer and had served three terms as Dickens County Judge. He also served eight years as a County Commissioner. He had been a resident of Dickens County since 1924, coming here from Van Zandt County.
He was a member of the KP Lodge and the First Baptist Church, Dickens. Mrs. Hindman preceded him in death in September of 1973.
Judge Hindman is survived by one son, Lloyd Hindman, Spur; two daughters, Mrs. Gladys Abbott and Miss Ruth Hindman, both of Lubbock; two brothers, Herman Hindman, Lubbock and Lewis P. Hindman, Lawrenceburg, TN; a sister, Mrs. Mamie Cockrell, Lubbock; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Pallbearers included Robert Hahn, Jim Turner, Bill Fy, R.G. Bostic, Toby Collett, Reuben Waddell, Billy D. Bingham and Flavious Alexander.
Burial was in Spur Cemetery.
©The Texas Spur, April 14, 1977
from the records of Lillian Grace Nay
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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