Dickens County
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Dickens County Trivia
photo by Ron Riemenschneider
The first drift fence in Dickens County was in 1884.
The last buffalo killed in Dickens County was in August in 1883, near Espuela by Billy "The Kid", who worked for the Triangle Outfit.
Dockum Creek - named after W. C. Dockum, an early buffalo hunter.
Dockum Postoffice - one of the earliest.
The last Indian depredations were in 1883.
General Mackenzie´s engagement on the Tule was the last Indian fight.
The Mackenzie Trail passes along the town of Spur where the Spur Inn was located.
Lee Parrish, a boy about 15, was the last white man captured by the Indians in the summer of 1882-1883.
The first white settler to bring his family to Dickens County was S. T. Pepper.
The first white child born was Tiny White, near Soldier Mound in 1872.
Espuela (Spanish for Spur) was started in 1881.
The first sermon ever preached in Dickens County was at Espuela in 1878 by Rev. J.H. Stegall, of the Methodist church.
First Church organized was a Baptist Church at Patton Springs in the Fall of 1888.
First rock house was built by W.C. Dockum in 1878.
It is believed the first wedding was that of Miss Diana Browning and Millard McBride in 1882.
First grave was that of a soldier, W.H. Kilpatrick, who died on November 18, 1877, at the age of 32.
The first public school was in a dugout at the old town of Espuela, about 1881 and was taught by Mrs. Garrett.
The first newspaper in Dickens County was "The Espuela Bulletin", first published in the year of 1891 by Mose Harris.
The first alfalfa planted in the County was in the spring of 1886 by the old Spur Company near Espuela, the seed was ordered.
Hon. Norman J. Coleman, Commissioner of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., December 3, 1885.
The first irrigation was at the Spur Headquarters, April 1, 1887.
The first private school was at Joe Browning´s place.
The first school of any size was in 1884.
The first county seat election was held March 19, 1891. Three elections were held before sufficient votes could be cast and Dickens received one more vote than Espuela.
The first bank in Dickens County was operated by R.D. Shields.
The first panther killed in Dickens County was in the late eighties. Bear tracks have been found in 1901.
The first trees planted were by W.L. Browning 1887. These were fruit trees planted at the head of Duck Creek.
The first cotton raised was by E. Luce in 1889.
The first cotton gin was built by the Spur Company in 1891. It was operated by horse power and fed by hand.
The first surveying done in the county was in the year 1873 by Captain George Spiller, of Jacksboro, Texas.
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