George W. Small, Jr.

1902, built a dugout on his two sections east of present Wells and moved his wife and daughter, Era, here from Brown County. Mrs. Small (Eva Wright) drove the wagon while George drove 126 head of cattle.

When Mrs. Small's father died, her mother, Mrs. T.D. Wright (Mary Jane McInnis), and two children Crite and Ollie, moved in with them. George sold one section of his land and built a house for the suddenly enlarged family. He helped circulate the petition for organization of Lynn County in 1903 and voted in the election at the T-Bar box.

In 1909 they sold the Wells land and moved to Tahoka, buying land east of town. He became manager of Higgingbotham Barlett Lumber Company for the next twenty-two years.

Meantime, he built a large hardware and furniture store north of the square in the block previously occupied by A.D. Shook's hotel, which burned in 1915. J.K. Applewhite was his manager until Small sold the business to W.M. Harris and Applewhite in 1926.

In 1943 he sold his land, brought land near Petty, and retired. Born June 9, 1872 in Boone County, Arkansas, Small came to Brown County with his parents. Miss Eva Wright was born January 10. 1883 in Brown County.

The couple married their December 4, 1898. They had celebrated their sixtieth anniversary and fifty-seven years in Lynn County when Small died August 20, 1959. They had four daughters, Mrs. Irving (Era) Stewart, Mrs. J.Q. (Alice) Warnick, Burma, Ida, and one son, Maurice. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Small, Sr. were also old timers. George, Sr. was on First National Banks' board of directors" (Frank P. Hill. Pat Hill Jacobs. Grassroots Upside Down. A History of Lynn County, Texas. 1986. p. 373).

In 1902, George Small helped to get petitions signed by voters for Lynn County to organize. 150 signatures were required. Women were not allowed to sign as their right to vote didn't come into play until 1918. Rounding up enough signatures was difficult. "Mrs. George Small accused George of signing under his own name as well as the name of "Dixie Small." Dixie was their pet saddle mare"

(Frank P. Hill. Pat Hill Jacobs. Grassroots Upside Down. A History of Lynn County, Texas. 1986. p. 66).

Contributed by Pam Bradley, Tucson, AZ