W. P. Herrin came to Palo Pinto County from his native Georgia where he was born, May 26, 1853 and lived for several years working for H. G. Taylor as a cowhand and later as a deputy sheriff.  He returned to Georgia and married Martha Jane Rayme at Summervell, April 22, 1883.  In 1892 the couple came to Mineral Wells living for a time in the Richards Hotel until a home could be found for them.  At the time they had three children and spoke of the long train trip and especially the crossing of the Mississippi River.

In Mineral Wells, water was scarce, except the mineral water which they didn't like the taste of and the wife begged to go back to her native home.  Soon they moved to a place in the Pleasant Valley community and Mr. Herrin did his first Texas farming.  He later farmed in Village Bend and the Santo community

He always had his own blacksmith shop, shoeing his horses and doing needed repairs.  His wife learned to make soap and spin and weave back in Georgia, but now she must learn to make suits for growing children and their father and to churn and sell butter, sometimes for 10 to 25 cents per pound.  About the same price was had for a dozen eggs.

They enjoyed church and Sundays and when a camp meeting was held within reach, they attended.  They were charter members of the Methodist Church and Woodman of the World lodges at Palo Pinto.  Returning from church one night the family heard shots ring out across the valley near Lake Creek and thought someone had shot an animal that was after their chickens but learned next day that a neighbor girl and her sweetheart had been shot.

In 1901 Mr. Herrin bought a livery stable in Palo Pinto, later selling it to W. W. Fleming.  He then went to California for his health and stayed a year returning to Palo Pinto to send the children to school.  He bought a home.  He retired in 1914 and died in 1916.  Mrs. Herrin lived in the old home until 1950 then she moved to Mineral Wells and she died two years later.

Three sons, W. P. Herrin, Jr., Christopher Rayme Herrin and F. T. Herrin, and a daughter, Mrs. Otis Moon alll live in Mineral Wells.  Another son, Frank, lives in Dallas and Charles, lives in Tulsa, Okla.

Frank Herrin, eldest son of the W. P. Herrins, was the first mechanic in Mineral Wells and had the first garage.  He drove the first automobile from Mineral Wells to Palo Pinto, a car owned by the Lorenz family.

Grancchildren of the pioneer couple are Robert Herrin of Stephenville; Clayton and Merle Herrin, Mrs. Raymond Woodson and Mrs. W. K. Gass all of Mineral Wells, and Mrs. Jack Hitt of Tulsa, Okla.

Great grandchildren are Robert Jr., and Jim Herrin of Stephenville, Judy Woodson and David Gass of Mineral Wells and Jim Joseph, Johnny and Jill Hitt of Tulsa.