Death claimed Samual Palmer (Slats) Starrett - a member of the Sam Starrett family, early settlers who helped mold the East Plains and Floyd County into a budding agriculture area was claimed by death at 7 p.m. Saturday in Crosbyton Hospital Clinic. Mr. Starrett died nine days shy of his 74th birthday.He served Crosby County as district clerk from January 1955 to April 1961. When failing physical health made him unable to fill the position, his wife, Geneva, succeeded her husband and was district clerk until her retirement last year.
The physical disability which gripped Slats Starrett failed to dim his dry humor, for which he was noted. His illness was diagnosed as multiple sclerosis in 1952.
Memorial services were conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, April 9, in Crosbyton´s First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Johnnie Williams, pastor, officiated, assisted by Rev. Lee Crouch.
Interment was made in Crosbyton Cemetery. Adams Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Samual Palmer (Slats) was one of nine Starrett offspring who were inside a covered wagon as the family moved in 1909 to their new home near Crosbyton. Mrs. Fannie McNeill observed as the wagon stopped at the McNeill Ranch for fresh water that the children "looked like toad frogs hopping out of the Jim Leatherwood´s wagon."
Uncle Jim Leatherwood was the father of Belle Starrett, Slats´ mother. Uncle Jim arrived on the Plains 11 years before his daughter and son-in-law reached Crosby County in search of a new life in an infant country. Three other Starrett offspring were born in this county.
S.P. (Slats) Starrett was a tow-headed lad who observed his fourth birthday while the wagon was moving west. He was born April 16, 1905 in Johnson County, Texas.
Starrett told friends that he wasn´t sure where the nickname "Slats" originated. He seemed to have had the name "forever."
"Slats" gained experience as a storekeeper as a youngster. His father and an older brother, Carl, operated a general store at Broadway after his dad built a house there. One Sunday, Carl informed his younger brother that he had a ranch job beginning the next morning and Slats would be forced to help with the store.
Slats protested that he knew nothing about operating a store. "There´s nothing to it," Carl replied, "just pull the invoices and add 20 percent to the cost." Life as a storekeeper never appealed to Slats.
Following his graduation in 1924 from Crosbyton High School, he headed for Abilene to study two years at Simmons University.
In 1929, he met Geneva Belle Finch, who was visiting the Bennett family. She later moved to Floyd County with her parents, L.A. and Maggie Finch, four sisters and a brother.
Slats and Geneva were married Oct. 21, 1933 in Crosbyton. Their attendants were his cousin, Cotton and Jewel Leatherwood, who accompanied them on their honeymoon.
In 1940, two years after the birth of their first daughter, Geneva and Slats realized "a dream come true" when they bought their own 244 acres of farm land. The young couple was able to have running water for the first time, thanks to a windmill. Slats had hauled water for the family for seven years.
The Starretts started crops on their new farm, as well as adding chickens and livestock and moving in a house.
The enterprising couple planted 600 trees provided by the Soil Conservation Service to provide a windbreak against West Texas dust storms. They carried water by bucket to water each tree individually.
One thing desired by Slats and Geneva was that their three daughters receive an education. This dream also came true as Linda was graduated from Sul Ross State University in 1961, Sammie received her degree from West Texas State University in 1971 and Cheryl was graduated from Texas Tech University in 1975.
Each of the daughters presently is a public school teacher; Linda at Paris, TX, Sammie at Crosbyton and Cheryl at Canyon.
Slats Starrett has been active in his community. He and his wife formerly were 4-H sponsors, he was a member of Crosbyton Lions Club from 1956-61.
In addition to his wife, Slats Starrett´s survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Linda Hicks of Paris, Mrs. Sammie Brakebill of Crosbyton, and Mrs. Cheryl Adams of Canyon; one brother, Conda Starrett of Kalgary; four sisters, Mrs. Shadie Woods of Houston, Mrs. Rella Ratheal, Mrs. Hallie Sullivan and Mrs. Lena Givens, all of Crosbyton community; and five grandsons.
Crosbyton Review, April 12, 1979
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
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Crosby County TXGenWeb Project
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