R. T. TRAIL

R. T. Trail Dies at Ballinger Monday
    The hearts of citizens of this town and of citizens throughout Concho county were saddened at the death of R. T. Trail, who died on Monday night, December 15, at Ballinger, after a lingering illness of several weeks.
    R. T. Trail was an old settler of this community, coming here in 1887 for the benefit of his health. Since that time he has been extensively interested in the ranching business, and at the time of his death holding large interests near here. he has also been president of the local bank since its organization, some 21 years ago. At the time of his passing, he was 75 years of age, having been born in Washington, D. C. October 11, 1885. In 1904 he was married to Miss Nellie Kemp of Paint Rock. Four children were born to this union, three of whom, and his wife, survive him. The children are James Trail, teacher in A.& M. College, Misses Frances and Verde Nell of Ballinger. He is also survived by a sister, Mr. S. E. T. Knotts of Washington, D. C. who was with him at the time of his death. The directors and employees of the First State Bank were the pall bearers as follows: J. M. Patton, H. H. Ratchford, T. A. Shultz, J. A. Waide, P. w. Wilbanks and Riley Houston. Honorary pall bearers were W. S. Waide, J. C. Jones, R. W. Morris, D. E. Sims, all of Paint Rock; R. A Hall and S. Roach of San Angelo; and E. M. Baker, E. D. Walker, E. Sheppard, R. G. Irvin, C. R. Stephens and H. C. Lynn, all of Ballinger; and V. B. Latham of Eden.

Paint Rock Herald
December 18, 1930

TRIBUTE TO R. T. TRAIL
    Another old timer 75 years old has crossed over the divide.
     It is a long call back to the colorful days of the wide open spaces and cow trails of 1881. Concho County was almost a virgin territory with cattle and sheep on the mountains and in the draws, churches and schools were few and far between and civilization hovering around its borders. Tom Trail and his partner, George Greenshield settled near Paint Rock in 1881 with a few sheep and several sections of land, and while many failed and faded out of the picture, they made good. Tom was not in good health but he lived nearly 50 years and in our little cemetery are two graves with two monuments erected, one to his brother and the other to his faithful partner, George Greenshield. How many know about them today?    
    In those early days sour dough bread, chickory coffee, rice, pork and beans and sorghum molasses was the daily ration. The same year during the Christmas holidays a few kindred spirits would gather in some ranchman's shack and drink and eggnog or two, sing some old songs and talk of home, of times past, of the present and times to come.
    In the winter cold northers would come- feed scarce, grass dead, dang of a die up in the spring, scab a cow, stance menace, monetary difficulties, drought behind and flood ahead. It was a time that tried the iron in men but they carried on. In the spring time when nature awoke the country would be covered with wild flowers of a hundred hues, and a patch or two of Buffalo Clover, now called Blue Bonnet, the State flower of Texas. this was a critical time in the lives of our early ranchmen.
    In the summer the intense heat would be tempered by broad brimmed hats, cooled from a dripping canteen of creek water and they would be sheltered by the shades of friendly mesquite trees.
    tom Trial had heard the warning of the rattlesnake in the timbers, the bark of the prairie dog on his hill, the lonesome midnight hoot of the owl in a tree close by and the howl of the coyote on a distant range or in the shadows lurking near. All these have passed and will pass but the mocking bird is still our near door neighbor and he sings to us and he sang to him and others nearby fifty years ago. After the death of his partner, Tom mixed more in the world affairs. he became a family man, always progressive and friendly. He became more and more a builder, a devoted member of his church, and while in his later years he suffered much, he bore his afflictions with courage and resignation. he was a he-man during all these years and he was a he-man when he died, and it can be said with truth, that sick or well, for nearly fifty years there was never a time that he did not extend to those who greeted him a hearty grip and a friendly smile. his successful life and find character has left an influence upon the country an this town that will be more enduring than the granite that will mark his grave and the feeble tribute is contributed by a man who is another old timer past the limit allotted to man. I have known him forty-eight years and in our frequent intercourse I think it could be said that we always met as a friend to friend and as man to man. - Gerard Huston

Paint Rock Herald
February 8, 1930