Gumm, Elbert
Elbert Gumm duscusses his move to South Plains in 1916, farming, Kafir corn, and the early days of Lubbock and Wilson, Texas. Note: Tape 3 fades in and out at times and is extremely difficult to understand.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Elbert Gumm
Additional Parties Recorded: Mrs. Gumm
Date: March 31, 1982; December 2, 1982
Location: Wilson, Texas
Interviewer: Richard Mason, James Senseney
Length: 2 hours, 10 minutes (total)
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Family background,
Born: Murfreesboro Tennessee (1900),
To Texas (1905),
Fannin County,
To Lubbock (1916),
Move (to Texas),
Farming methods,
Crops,
Wilson Alexander Gumm father,
Narcissa Brown Gumm mother,
Move (to Lubbock),
T. F. Lokey (Posey, Texas),
Dry land farming,
Crops,
Cotton,
Transportation problems,
Kafir corn,
Cattle ranching (1934),
Cattle prices,
Killing of cattle,
Farm chores,
Livestock trading,
Early jobs,
Early Lubbock,
Population (1916),
Schools,
Marcy M. Dupree,
Discipline,
Classmates,
Wheelock house,
Wilson A. Gumm father (again),
Freighter,
Mollie Abernathy,
Nicolett Hotel,
Murder of Jim Jarrott.
Tape 1, Side 2: Twin windmills,
Caraway Ranch,
Adolphus (Pete) Caldwell,
Move of Nicolett Hotel,
Recollections of early Lubbock,
Residents,
George Boles,
Rollie Burns,
Owen McWhorter,
Tang Martin,
Frank Wheelock,
Frank Bowles,
Max Coleman,
Growth of Lubbock,
Reasons,
Wilson Texas,
Texas Tech site possibility,
Bill Green,
Offer of land,
Texas Tech,
Purchase of land,
Senator Bledsoe,
Mr. Bernard Corpus Christi Texas,
Gumm land purchase (1912),
$12 an acre,
Dixon Green,
China Texas,
Wife,
Antique store,
South Plains (1920s),
Wilson Texas (again),
School,
Mercantile,
Decline of small communities,
Moving houses,
Slaton Texas (1930s),
Decline,
Rural Electrification Administration (1941).
Tape 2, Side 1: Early days,
Coal,
Kerosene,
Anecdote (1925),
Farming,
Grain storage,
Kaffir corn (again),
Mechanized farming (1930s),
Cotton,
Farming problems,
Wells,
Irrigation,
War years (1940s),
Cotton crop (1970s),
Rains (1941, 1960),
Boat anecdote (1960s),
Boat anecdote (1941),
Crops (1962),
Yellow House Canyon,
Singer Store,
Recollections (again),
Rollie Burns (1887),
Lif Sanders (1891),
Frank Wheelock (again),
Hunt family,
Ku Klux Klan,
Slaton (1924-1925),
Priest tarred and feathered,
Opinion KKK did not do,
Irrigation pipe (1913),
Yellow House Canyon (again),
Jobs,
Drilling wells,
Tin shop,
Loading bricks,
Anecdote,
Early Lubbock killing (1917).
Tape 2, Side 2: Blank
Tape 3, Side 1: Wife came to Wilson from China Texas (1912),
Parents’ origin,
Farming,
Father’s first farm on Green ranch,
Crops raised,
(Mrs. Gumm speaks),
Family,
Moved to Wilson Texas (1912),
Moved in October at age 8,
Father built their house,
House burned,
(Mr. Gumm speaks again),
Family,
Origin,
Reasons for coming to Texas (1905),
Farm,
Moved to Lubbock (1916),
Land deals,
Rented land from T. F. Lokey,
Dad bought his own land (1922),
Land in New Mexico,
Moved his mother and sisters,
Came back to Wilson to get married,
Marriage (December 26 1922),
Father-in-law,
Mr. Dryer,
Born: 1861 at Columbus Texas,
His father came from Germany,
Mr. and Mrs. Dryer came to Slaton (1912),
Traveled by train and car to Wilson,
Land trade,
More Germans came,
Language,
School,
Tahoka Texas,
Transportation,
Roads,
Farming,
1914 wss a good year,
Prices,
Weather,
Rain in 1914,
Livestock,
Weather (again),
Rain shortage (1917 and 1918),
Winters,
Blizzard of 1918,
Deaths,
Livestock,
Towns,
Slaton,
Post,
Railroad,
Lubbock,
Population.
Tape 3, Side 2: Frank Welop,
Built courthouse on his land (c. 1891),
Location of Lubbock changing,
North of the canyon (Old Lubbock),
South of the canyon (New Lubbock),
Nicolett Hotel moved,
Monroe Abernathy,
Two towns named after him,
He hauled cotton seed cakes to ranchers,
Lubbock attractions,
Lyric Theater (1916),
Lindsey Theater,
Farming,
Crops,
Garden,
Livestock,
Sausage mill,
Seasoning,
Wine making.
Range Dates: 1861-1982
Bulk Dates: 1891-1982
Access Information
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Transcript:
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