Hicks McCormick, one of the early settlers and pioneers of Dickens County, was born in Kaufman County in the late 1800's.Rumors of the advantages of West Texas led him to travel to this country in the year 1910, making the 350 mile trip by covered wagon.
"During the entire trip, the only bridge I crossed was the swinging bridge across the Brazos River," McCormick states.
All the other steams and rivers were forded.
After reaching the point "where the west really began," there was few fences and not many roads. He traveled 14 days and nights to reach Spur, which at that time was one year old.
In 1911 he started work at Spur´s first lumber yard, operated by his late brother, J.V. McCormick. The town, as he remembers it, consisted of Bryant-Link Co., Love Dry Goods, railroad depot, and the Spur Inn.
There were a few board sidewalks and soon a hitching post was built in front of Bryant-Link.
With the railroad having its beginning in 1909, there was a great demand for building supplies and ranches were growing and bringing in many new people.
The first round-up that McCormick recalls attending was held on the side of the hill near the Spade Tank on the Swenson Ranch.
McCormick drove one of the first freight wagons which carried supplies such as fence post, barbed wire, staves, cotton seed, etc. that was shipped into Spur then from Roaring Springs, Afton and surrounding ranches and towns. He helped carry the first boiler that was shipped to the gin in Afton.
On freighting trip he remembers being stopped by the Pease River, about where Roaring Springs swimming pool is now located, by high water. On the other side he could see a man in a brand new Model-T Ford, waiting to cross. McCormick unhitched his team, crossed the swollen river and hooked on to the Model-T.
McCormick asked the man where he was headed, and the man promptly uncovered two brief cases of whiskey bound for the Pitchfork Ranch; due there for the Spring Round Up.
When asked the man´s identity, McCormick replied:
"I have never squealed on a bootlegger yet,
and after all, we got a good drink of corn likker."McCormick was married to Miss Jodie Spencer in June, 1913. The wedding ceremony was performed in front of the minister´s house in a buggy. The couple settled at Afton where he remained in the freighting business.
To this union was born six children, five of whom still live in the West: Mrs. B. Kidd, Spur; Walter McCormick, McAdoo; Mrs. Buddy Hoover, Spur; Neal McCormick, California; Mrs. Virgle Hawley, Croton and Mrs. George Johnson, deceased.
The McCormick´s have 24 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
McCormick says he can recall many more events of early days in Spur. The first carnival that stopped here, he and the late Charlie Austin made the music for the merry-go-round by sitting in the center with guitar and fiddle.
Mr. and Mrs. McCormick are now living one mile east of Spur on a small farm. They enjoy their friends and neighbors and love to get together for a good old time talk.
©The Texas Spur, Jubilee Addition, 1954, page thirteen
Funeral services for Lillian Hicks McCormick, 68, are set for Thursday, (today) at 3 p.m. at the Spur Church of Christ, Dell Young officiating.McCormick died December 27.
An early day freighter, he came to Dickens County in 1910 making a 350-mile covered wagon trip from Kaufman County. The only bridge he crossed during the trip was a swinging bridge across the Brazos River. The trip took 14 days and nights.
McCormick married Miss Jodi Spencer in June, 1913. The wedding ceremony was performed in front of the minister´s house in a buggy. The couple settled in Afton where he set up and continued in the freighting business.
Survivors include his wife, three daughters, Mrs. A.V. Hoover, Spur; Mrs. B. Kidd, Spur; and Mrs. Virgil Hawley, Spur; three sons: Walter McCormick, Armona, CA; Joe Dell McCormick, Fort Worth, and Neal McCormick (unreadable).
Pallbearers will include Mit Young, Joe Latham, Chester McAlpine, Elmer Cross, John Dunaway and Lewis Arnold.
Interment will be in Spur Cemetery, Campbell´s Funeral Home in charge of arrangement.
©The Texas Spur, December 29, 1960
Funeral services are scheduled today at 3 p.m. for Mrs. Jodie McCormick, 79, George Calvert, Midland, will officiate at the services to be held in the Spur Church of Christ.Mrs. McCormick died Tuesday afternoon in the Crosbyton Hospital following an extended illness. A member of the Church of Christ, she had been a resident of Dickens County since 1928.
Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. B. Kidd and Mrs. Buddy Hoover, both of Spur; Mrs. Virgil Hawley, Dickens; three sons, Walter McCormick, Dickens; Neal McCormick, Hansford, CA; and Joe Dell McCormick, Ft. Worth; one sister, Mrs. W.L. Dorough, Kaufman and one brother, W.C. Spencer, Tucson, Ariz.; 24 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Floyd Faubus, Billy Bingham, Jack Simmons, Bill Dement, Marion Jordan and Elmer Cross.
Interment will be in Spur Cemetery.
©The Texas Spur, July 17, 1970
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