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The Earl Van Meter family lived on a farm near Rhome, Wise County, Texas before moving to Dickens County, on November 3, 1925. We moved to a farm, two sections of land, that we had bought several years prior. Our farm was located about five miles southeast of McAdoo. We had three children: Marjorie, age 11, Frances, age 7, and Earl Jr., age 4.We moved our mules, farming implements, and household good in two freight cars. They were shipped to Spur. They drove the miles from Spur to our farm and hauled the farming implements and household goods in wagons. Claude Flemins and family were living on our farm at that time. Earl had come out that summer to help build a two room shack for us to live in until we could get possession of our house. He got sick before the shack was quite finished and had to come home.
We came to Dickens County in a one seat Model T. Ford car, and believe me, it was rather crowded. When we arrived in Spur we learned that our shack hadn't been finished, and we had to spend three days in a hotel in Spur. It was finally finished, and we had moved in. The family was as happy as if they were moving into a mansion. A hard freeze had come for three consecutive nights, October 26, 27, and 28. The cotton was killed, and of course things didn't look too promising.
Marjorie and Frances started to school immediately. The school house was a wooden building with three or four rooms, and the same number of teachers.
The children all graduated from McAdoo High School. Marjorie got her B.A. Degree from Texas Tech. Frances attended Texas Tech until the second semester of her junior year.
Marjorie taught school at McAdoo for eight years, and at present is bookkeeper for the McAdoo Farmers Gin. Frances is administrator of Nichols Convalescent Home in Crosbyton. Earl Jr. has been on the McAdoo School Board since 1951, and has been president of the board for the last three years. Earl was on the County School Board, also on the McAdoo School Board until he had a stroke in July of 1938. He died on June 7, 1947.
The farms are all farmed by members of the family. Most of us are members of the Methodist Church. The children all take an active part in church and civic work. There are seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
Earl C. Van Meter Sr. was born on November 24, 1889 on a farm near Rhome, a small town in Wise County, Texas. It was the same farm to which his grandfather had come to in 1872.He was married to Roxana Morris on September 29, 1912 at Fort Worth, Texas. Their three children, Marjorie, Mary Frances, and Earl Jr. were all born on the farm which was the home of their great grandfather, their grandfather and their father.
The family moved to McAdoo on November 3, 1925. They moved to a farm that had been purchased a few years earlier. The farming equipment, mules and household goods were shipped by rail to Spur. The five member family came to Dickens County in a one seated Model T Ford car, which got a little crowded before they arrived in McAdoo to begin their new life. The farming equipment and furniture were brought from Spur by wagon with the family driving the miles. The first few months were spent in a two room shack while the family waited for their new home to be vacated. The first year didn't look very promising as a hard freeze had hit the cotton early and the prospects were very dim.
Marjorie and Mary Frances started to school immediately at McAdoo, Earl, Jr. who was only four at that time had to wait awhile. All three children graduated from McAdoo High School.
The family had been active in church and civic work in the community. Most of the family are members of the Methodist Church. Earl Van Meter Sr. served on the County School Board for many years. He became manager of the Farmers Co-Op Gin during the year following its organization and served in that capacity until he suffered a stroke in July of 1938. He passed away June 7, 1947. Mrs. Van Meter passed away on November 17, 1975.
Marjorie attended Texas Tech and graduated with a B.A. degree. She and Harold Hardy were married on December 29, 1934. She taught school in McAdoo for eight years, worked as bookkeeper for NIckels Butane Company, and as bookkeeper for the Co-Op Gin for twenty-five years before retiring in 1982. She and Harold have two children, Norman Earl and Linda Gayle. Harold passed away on July 31, 1963.
Mary Frances attended school at Texas Tech for two and a half years. She and T.J. Taylor were married December 23, 1937. She worked for the State Department of Public Welfare for several years, and as Administrator of the Crosbyton Nursing Home before suffering a heart attack in 1973. She and T.J. have two daughters, Frances Ann and Mary Elaine.
Earl Jr. and Doris Ruth Brownlow were married February 19, 1941. They have three children, Betty Ruth, Rita Ann, and James Earl. Earl Jr. served on the Farmers Co-Op Gin Board and on the McAdoo School Board for many years. He is engaged in farming near McAdoo.
"Top of the Cap" by Mildred Jackson Cornelius © 1985; Catclaw Printing
Van Meter, Earl Caleb
Father: Abisha Archibald VAN METER
Mother: Mary Ellen BRYAN
Van Meter, Roxana
Born: Oct 15, 1890 in Rhome, Texas
Died: Nov 17, 1975 in Crosbyton, Texas
Father: W.W. MORRIS
Mother: Annie Louise CATES
Religion: Meth.
Moved to McAdoo in 1925 from Rhome,Texas.
Source: Adams Funeral Home
Transcribed by Bettye Odom
Last rites were held at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon June 3, at the McAdoo Methodist Church for Earl C. Van Meter, 58, resident of the McAdoo community since 1925, who died at noon Saturday at West Texas hospital in Lubbock where he had been a patient for the past two weeks.Rev. Floyd Dunn of Ackerly officiated at the services. Burial was in the Crosbyton Cemetery.
Mr. Van Meter had been in ill health since suffering a stroke in 1938. Prior to 1925, the family lived at Rhome. He was a member of the McAdoo Methodist Church and of the Masonic Lodge at Rhome.
Surviving include his wife; two daughters, Mrs. Harold Hardy of McAdoo, and Mr. T.J. Taylor of Harlingen; a son, Earl C. Van Meter, Jr. of McAdoo; four sisters, a brother and seven grandchildren.
The Texas Spur, June 12, 1947
Transcribed by Dickens County Historical Commission Members, February 20, 2005
Roxana Van Meter, well known McAdoo resident for half a century, succumbed Monday morning in Crosbyton Clinic Hospital following a prolonged illness. She was 85.Memorial rites for Mrs. Van Meter were conducted at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the McAdoo Methodist Church, where she had been a member since 1926. The Rev. Johnnie Williams, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Crosbyton, and the Rev. Luther Baker, pastor of the McAdoo Church, officiated.
Interment was made in Crosbyton Cemetery, beside the grave of her husband. King Funeral Home directed arrangements.
The former Roxana Morris was born October 15, 1890 in Rhome, Texas. She became the bride of Earl C. Van Meter on September 29, 1912 in Fort Worth. Mr. Van Meter preceded his wife in death June 7, 1947.
The Van Meters moved to McAdoo in 1925 from Rhome. Their residence was three miles south and 1 1/2 miles east of McAdoo.
Surviving are one son, Earl Van Meter of McAdoo; two daughters, Mrs. Marjorie Hardy of McAdoo and Mrs. Frances Taylor of Crosbyton; two brothers, Charles B. Morris of Crosbyton and Grady Morris of Decatur; one sisters, Mrs. E.C. McCurdy of Rhome; seven grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren.
Crosbyton Review, April 2, 1981
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
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