Lubbock County TXGenWeb
Days Gone By

This is from the LUBBOCK LEADER, July 31, 1891, published by Robert E. Lee Rogers. This is four months after the county formation.

Just think of it! A man can get 160 acres of land in Lubbock County, FREE. You are required to live on it three years. This land cannot be excelled in the older settled counties for $25 per acre.

The people of Lubbock are God-fearing, law-a-biding citizens. Religious services regularly. This alone should speak for a new county.

CLIMATE

The climate is all that one could wish for; the winters are mild and the summers are pleasant.  All kind of stock do well with  little feed during the winter.

WOOD

Fuel is scarce yet, but a portion of the county has a growth of mesquite and grubs make nice fuel.

WATER

Water obtained at about 35ft. and is of the very best at that.

LAND

Nearly every foot of land in Lubbock County is tillable. There is 190,324 acres of school land ready for actual settlers. This land can be bought for $2 an acre and either three or forty years to pay at 5 per cent interest. There is also in Lubbock County acreage of vacant Public Domain subject to homestead, a married man can take up to 160 acres of this land and obtain a title to it by living on it 3 years. Entire cost will not exceed $21. An unmarried man may take up to 80 acres under the same rule.

LUBBOCK

The County seat of Lubbock County is only four months old and now has 250 people, making it the fastest growing town on the Plains. Lubbock is here to stay. It has a fine hotel and other substantial buildings. A courthouse is to be erected at once. Lubbock is in the exact center of the county, and is beyond a doubt the future town of the Central Plains and town lots are dirt cheap.

Lubbock needs a daily mail, and should have it. The citizens will work on this.

LOCAL NEWS

First burial was in March 1892!

Henry Jenkins, Cochran County cowboy, died in the Nicolette Hotel after an attack of pneumonia on March 10, 1892. When Cowboy Jenkins died in Lubbock, which then had a population of 50 persons, there was no preacher in town. There was not an embalmer on the South Plains. The Cowboy's relatives livied in Rhome, Wise County, and due to the absence of transportation facilities, it was impossible to notifiy them in time for the burial. Thus he was buried, without services. Thirty-eight years after his death, Lubbock pioneers paid tribute to this cowboy with a funeral service attended by 1,000 citizens of Lubbock and the South Plains.

The cages and other materials belonging to the jail has arrived!

Mr. C. Knight has been quite sick, but is convalescing.

W. C.  Henderson has been sick all week.

Lubbock was blessed with a shower Monday evening.

Mr. GM Hunt has been somewhat on the sick list this week.

Mr. JD Caldwell has recently put up a nice wind mill at his residence.

Mr. WD Crump moved to his farm, 4 miles north of town, this week.

Treasurer, U. G.  Moore went to Crosbyton last week on business.

Mr. and Mrs. J. B.  Legett are the proud parents of a fine boy, born on the 23rd.

Remember, the LEADER is Published every Friday... Subscription rates - One year - $1.50, six months - $1.00 - strictly in advance.

By 1908 things have changed a little:

There are now 10 school houses in the county, employing sixteen teachers. Teachers get a salary of $50 to $125 per month.

The present population is estimated to be 2500, with 1000 of those in the town of Lubbock.

The town of Lubbock has three banks, two daily mails, and excellent school system with a nine month session, a $5,000 cotton gin, a telephone exchange with 200 subscribers.

There are 50 business houses, eight lawyers, four doctors, one dentist, two abstract companies, one newspaper, four good church buildings, seven church organizations and NO saloons.

Lubbock seems to be growing by leaps and bounds!