Merrill, Homer T 1976, 1977, 1985
Tape 1: Homer Merrill relates portions of his father’s life in the late 19th century on side two. (Side one is miscellaneous conversation and Gordon Sinclair’s "The Americans.") Tapes 2 and 3: Merrill discusses his life, including military service in the Philippines in the 1910s, both World Wars, and the history of the Lubbock area in addition to his experiences in the oil and ranching industries.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Homer T. Merrill
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: December 25, 1976; c. 1977; November 11, 1985
Location: Petrolia, Texas
Interviewer: Unknown, Richard Mason
Length: 3 hours 30 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Christmas conversation,
News commentary,
"The Americans," by Gordon Sinclair,
[Blank tape].
Tape 1, Side 2: [Blank tape halfway through],
Merrill’s father,
Birth (circa 1851),
Travel,
Elizabethtown, New Mexico,
Silver City, New Mexico,
Apache Indians,
Anecdote, buffalo (1869),
Stock,
Wife drowned,
Wildlife,
Wife drowned (again),
Deputy sheriff,
Moved,
Merrill,
Born in a lean-to,
Sister stillborn.
Tape 2, Side 1: New Mexico Military Institute, 1912,
Philippines, 1912-1916,
Blackwater Malaria,
Punishment detail,
Penal colony duties,
Prisoners escape,
Prisoners captured and killed,
Homer T. Merrill,
Family history,
Born: Hale County, Texas (May 4, 1892),
State land policy, 1890s,
Ranching in Hale County,
School,
World War I,
Service,
National Guard,
McWhorter school,
World War I (again),
Artillary,
Fort Sill, Oklahoma,
Bolo sword,
Other swords,
World War I (again),
Air Corps,
Photographs,
Philippines (again),
Use of Filipino troops,
Conquest of the Philippines,
World War I (again),
Airplanes,
Discharged (1919),
Wichita Falls, Texas,
Mexican oil fields,
Topeka, Kansas,
Malaria (again),
Los Angeles, California,
Met wife, Ada,
Marriage (May 1925),
Oil work,
Depression (1930s),
Drilling fraud,
Texaco.
Tape 2, Side 2: Petrolia, Texas,
Description, 1929,
Businesses,
Lone Star Company,
Automobiles,
Oil work,
Rotan, Texas,
Independent oil business,
Arkansas ranch, 1945,
Stock,
Spring,
World War II,
Glider assignment,
Rotan, Texas (again),
Farm supplies business,
Tire scam.
Tape 3, Side 1: Discussion of photographs,
Buffalo Springs, 1897,
Yellow House Canyon,
Fishing,
Traveling by wagon,
Lubbock Country Club,
Lubbock Square, 1909,
Financing land,
Photographs (again),
Mortimer E. Merrill,
Born: March 20, 1848, Rising Sun, Indiana,
Died: January 19, 1928, Venice, California,
California,
Childhood in Missouri,
Civil War,
Mining in New Mexico,
To Dallas, Texas,
Trip to Dallas,
Work,
Return to Missouri,
Marriage, 1874,
Return to Texas, 1874,
Loss of family in flood, 1875,
Remarriage, 1890,
Occupation; Sherwood, Texas,
Deputy Sheriff,
Second marriage (again),
Children,
To Hale County, Texas,
Files on school lands.
Tape 3, Side 2: Filing on school lands (continues),
Fencing problems,
Ranching activities,
Orchard,
Location of Merrill ranch,
Watering cattle,
Fencing, 1890s,
Location of ranch (again),
Jarrett murder,
Monroe and Molly Abernathy,
Alleged reason for murder,
Slide Community,
Naming,
Neighbors in Hale County,
Stock farming,
Open range,
Purchase of cattle,
Financing,
Sale of cattle,
Loco weed,
Shipping,
McWhorter school house,
Red paint,
Beginning school at age 5.
Tape 4, Side 1: School at age 5 (continued),
Church attendance,
Farming,
Crops raised,
Garden,
Vegetables raised,
Mother’s work load,
Seed,
Farming (again),
Acreage,
Implements,
Breaking outland,
Planting,
Mr. Brown,
Living in the courthouse,
"Shiner" Brown,
Anecdote: Skipping school with Shiner Brown,
School, age 17,
Whipping students,
Railroad to Lubbock,
Rollie Burns transport service,
Education, Clarendon College,
Military service,
Philippines, 1912,
Artesian wells, Roswell, New Mexico,
Effect on flowing water in Lubbock area.
Tape 4, Side 2 Spring Creek; Roswell, New Mexico,
Farming; Roswell, NM,
Military service (again),
Philippines (again),
New Mexico Military Institute,
World War I,
Health problems,
Insurance and real estate business, 1920,
Oilfields of Mexico, late 1920s,
Jobs performed,
Laying pipeline,
Building Railroad in Mexico,
Catching malaria,
Philippines,
Return to California, 1923,
Working for oil company,
Depression,
Wholesale gas and oil business,
Rotan, Texas,
Ranching, Arkansas, 1945-1952,
Operating motels,
Kansas,
Texas,
Working for oil company (again),
Depression prices,
Oil production in Petrolia,
Singer’s Store, Lubbock, Texas,
Credit extended,
Necessity for cooperation.
Range Dates: 1848-1984
Bulk Dates: 1848-1945
Access Information
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