T.S. Lambert Family Story
On January 6, 1906, a family by the name of T.S. (Severn) Lambert and his good wife, Susie, along with their entire family consisting of two boys and a girl landed at a little place known as Tap, Texas, about twelve miles from what is known now as Spur, Texas. The boys names were Orwin and Joe, the girl was Essie. They had relatives there by the name of Sparks. His mother, Mrs. Maggie Sparks, also a stepfather Mr. J.H. Sparks and a half-brother, J.E. (Johnnie) Sparks. These people came from Fisher county. They were looking for a place to settle. After spending some time with the relatives, they lived on what was known later as the Alf Manning place in a half dugout near some big cottonwood trees.They stayed there a couple of years, later moving into a small house west of the same places where they had been living and spent some time. Really long enough for the place to be known at the "Lambert Sand Hill". Later, two more girls were born to them. Their names were Edna and Eola. The family eventually moved about a couple of miles north from the Sand Hill Place onto the Sam Smith Place, into a real nice house, larger and better.
They stayed there for several years and farmed for a living. Later, they moved up to Wichita community and ran a grocery store. By then, the older ones of the children were grown and married. Orwin was the manager at the Pitchfork Ranch for a few years. Essie married Dick South and lived in Spur for a while. Joe married Florence Starrett. He helped to move the school house from the Red Top location where it was built down on the McArthur place about a mile. They moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, where they made their home and where she finally passed away in 1975. Joe still lives there, also his daughter. Eola Lambert married Don Perrin. They live away from here, I do not know where. Mr. Lambert was very active in the Baptist church also every community activity. He was a crippled man having a weak ankle and walked on the side of his left foot. He was always a very active person, never letting his affliction bother him or anyone else. He had a bad fever when he was small that left him a cripple but he was able to walk and get around enough to make his own way. He was also burned real bad from a gasoline lantern in 1926 that ruined his right hand, while he was running the store at Wichita community east of Dickens. While pumping up a gasoline lantern his chair turned over causing him to pull the lighted lantern off on him. After the accident with his hand, which almost ruined his hand and burned his face, he could no longer run the little store. They moved back to Spur to live. Still he did not lose his sense of humor and was still jolly and gay until his death in May of 1947. Mrs. Lambert passed away in 1949. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. He only lived a few years after that. She remained there for the remaining years of her time on earth.
Even though his mother and stepfather were both buried at Red Mud cemetery, where Mr. J.E. Sparks had donated one acre of land, the son chose to be buried at Spur where a grandson, Seburn South, was buried. Also the brother, Johnie Sparks is buried at Spur, but the parents, Uncle Jimmie Sparks and the mother, Aunt Maggie Sparks are resting in the old home cemetery. The family is all scattered around the Lubbock locality and nearby. Orwin and Mary live at Shallowater, their daughter Orvanelle lives at Lubbock.
Mrs. Essie Beavers lives at Lubbock, the mother of five children. Also the next girl, Edna Legg married J.P. Legg in the Wichita community and they have two girls and the family resides at Lubbock. The other boy, Joe, (long, tall, jolly Joe) lives at Hobbs. His wife, Florence Starrett Lambert, passed away in 1975 and was buried there. Orwin Lambert passed away in August 1980 and was buried at Shallowater, Texas. I would like to mention that Joe helped to move the original Red Top schoolhouse from its original location where it was built in 1909 and used until 1920 at which time Joe Lambert helped to move it about a mile southeast of the first location and placed on the corner of the old Grandpa McArthur place. Here it was consolidated with the Turkey Holler School and used for several more years.
The man who accepted the contract to move the building was a man who lived nearby. His name was Will Walker. Everyone knew and liked him, but that´s another story. Orwin Lambert worked on the Pitchfork Ranch as a supervisor for some time and as he came from Red Mud he acquired the nickname of Red Mud---still has it. Joe, who is still living at Hobbs, New Mexico, is a very jolly person, a big talker and makes many friends. He is over six feet tall and loves everybody. Mrs. Essie Beaver lives in Lubbock near some of her children, also Edna Legg. I have kind of lost track of the rest of the family but they still love Tap. The material to make the school house was brought into Spur on the first train that came into Spur.
Source: Dickens County History...its Land and People © Dickens Historical Commission; Printer: Craftsman Inc. Lubbock, Texas 1986
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
Thomas Seaburn Lambert, 72, who died early Wednesday morning after a short illness will be buried this afternoon at 2 o´clock. Funeral services will be conducted from the First Baptist church with Rev. H. L. Burnham officiating, assisted by Rev. Doc Love. Interment will be in the Spur Cemetery with Chandler Funeral Home in charge..Mr. Lambert was born at Grandbury, Texas, October 18, 1874 was married to Mary Susan Brasher at Roscoe, Texas July 29, 1895. They moved to Dickens county January 6, 1906 where they have made their home continually since. He was highly respected and leaves a host of friends who will mourn his passing.
Pallbearers will be Clarence Butler, Milton Rasberry, Wallace Hinson, Pete Jones, Lynn Rankin, E.C. McGee, Charlie Kearney, and Hub Gidding.
Flower Bearers will be Roe Berta Davis, Sue Legg, Donald Ruth Perrin, Lucille Legg, Joan South, Orwinel Lambert, Peggy Beth Koonsman, and Estell South.
Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Mary Susan Lambert, three daughters, Mrs. Edna Legg, Spur, Mrs. Eola Perrin of Borger and Mrs. Essie Beavers of Lubbock. Two sons, Orwin of Lubbock and Joe of Denver City.
A half brother, Johnnie Sparks of Spur and a half-sister, Mrs. Mamie Holt of Phoenix, Arizona. Eleven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren also survive.
©The Texas Spur, 1947
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, January 18, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Spur for Mrs. Mary Susie Lambert, age 73, pioneer resident of Dickens County, who died at 6:00 a.m. in the Lubbock Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.Rev. H.L. Burnham was in charge of the services, assisted by C. Melvin Ratheal, Spur and Clifford Harris of Denver City, Texas.
Burial was in Spur Cemetery under direction of Chandler Funeral Home.
Mrs. Lambert was born in Glory Lamar County, Texas, April 29, 1875 and moved to Dickens County in 1906. She was married to T.S. Lambert in Roscoe, Texas in 1895. She was a member of the First Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, O.A.Lambert, Lubbock; Joe Lambert, Denver City; three daughters, Mrs. C.D. Bevers, Lubbock, Mrs. J.P. Legg, Spur; Mrs. Don Perrin, Borger; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.
The pallbearers were Clarence Butler, Charlie Kearney, Edgar McGee, Lynn Rankin, Wallis Hinson, Henry Slack, J.R. Taylor and Donnie Pace.
©The Texas Spur, January 20, 1949
Transcribed June 5, 2005, By Dickens County Historical Commission members.
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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