Sandy Countryman  I had to laugh when I read some of the comments that accompanied the photos of Wink, TX.  They were colorful, but true.  I lived in an oil camp near Orla, TX. until I was 6.  I am 51 now.  My mother said that we moved to Wink so that I could go to school, but in hindsight, I realized that the oil camps were gradually closing.

My grandparents first came to Wink in appx. 1929 in a wagon from MONAHANS. I can remember Granny (Thelma Green) telling me that they lived in tents at first until material could be brought in to build homes.  My granddad  (Benjamin Green) worked for Oren (Owen ?) O. Whitten with Humble Oil Co.  I can remember him showing me where the graves were that you talked about &  they were under water at that time.  We drove there by way of driving to Wink Falls near the airport.

I can remember as a child before Urban Renewal came, walking down wooden sidewalks along the main street (Hendricks Blvd ?) & finding old coins & trinkets between the cracks. We lived in an old stucco house that no longer exists on Cross Ave or St. in Wink.

Every now & then I get homesick to smell the characteristic smells associated with petroleum products that are so prevalent in West TX.   All I have to do to recapture that smell is to drive to nearby Luling. My brothers still live in the area (Midland).  They have the Phillips Eye Clinics in Kermit & Midland.
Thank you for your photos.

Sandy Countryman
 

Hi!

I just read with interest the History of Wink to my husband, William Reader Wagnon, Jr.  He said, his parents always told him that he was the first boy and the second baby born in Wink, Winkler, Texas.  He was born 3 Nov. 1927. ( 74
yrs as of Yesterday)

His parents were Wm Reader Wagnon & Arlena Bell (Green Wagnon).

Just thought this little bit of trivia might be of interest to you.

God Bless,
Best Regards,
W.R. & Mildred Townzen Wagnon

BDC1931@aol.com

Hi, what a good site. Sure brings back old memories. I am Bobby Callaway and
lived in Kermit from 1950 till about 1953 when we moved out to Dollarhide in
Andrews Co. till 1957 . Our two sons were born in the hospital in Kermit. An
aunt and uncle Ralph and Lula Mae Brown lived there for years. Both now
deceased and buried in the Kermit cemetery. Keep up the good work I enjoy
this site very much.

Hi

You have a wonderful Web Page for Kermit, Winkler County, Texas.  I have
been trying for at least two years to find anything on my Grandmother's
brother James Merredith Martin who went to Texas when he was about 16 years
old in about 1910.  I was told that an Uncle visited him in Kermit in the
1960's.  Today, thanks to your information I found out there he and his wife
Zora are buried.  Would you by chance also know the dates that are on his
tombstone or how I might go about obtaining this information also?

Thank you very much.  You indeed have a very informative and well thought
out Web Page. Not only that, it has worth while information for genealogical
researchers.

Bob Carpenter
 

 9-14-01  Bill Dalton  roadhog@neto.com

NOTE:  [THE PHOTO SHE MENTIONS WAS SCANNED OUT
OF THE 1949 KERMIT ANNUAL]

What a great job you have done with my "old home" of Winkler County. I graduated from KHS in 1950 (those good old days) and heard about this site through a former classmate. I also am enjoying the YellowJacketalumni.com site.
 Thank you very much.  Nelda McBride, Holman  nelda001@msn.com

Charlene, I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you have done
on Winkler Co.  I left Wink about 1940, but always had such fond
memories of it. My grand father was City Manager of Kermit twice. Would
have to look up the dates. He name was W. H. Wilson. His son Billy Wilson
went to school in Kermit, you might remember him.  Had his e-mail
address but had a computer crash and lost his address. Hope someday to
make contact with him. I really loved the pictures of Wink. We visited
there a couple of years ago and now with your pictures My husband can get
an idea of the town I lived in.
Thanks again for all the time you have spent

Hello:
        You mention on your website some information concerning the Old Wink Cemetery.  Mention is made of 26 persons having been buried there during the early days of the oil boom.  Do you have any information on the names of these persons.  My great-grandfather is reputed to have died in the Wink area during this time period.  Just wondering.  Thank you.

----- Original Message -----
From: SAMMYMAL@aol.com
To: cbodessa@hotmail.com
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 3:08 PM
Subject: Correction

Hi Folks:
    My names is Samuel Malone. David Strauss Malone was my brother. My
mothers name is Ollie May Duck and my fathers name is Luscious Strauss
Malone. Any one looking up David will not recognize that this is just spelt
wrong. Is there any way it can be corrected? Please if you would let me know
one way or the other. Thank you very much.
                                      Sammy

GENERAL BIRTH INDEXES
1940  DAVID  STRASA    7-29-1940  m  WINKLER   ALLIE MAE DUCK   LOUIS
STRASS MALONE  

Jesus is Lord

Samuel Malone
From the great State of Texas
sammymal@aol.com

Hello Mrs. Beauchamp:
Enjoyed your website, especially the historic photos. I came to your website looking for  possible links to my grandmother's family (her name was Winkler), but am not aware of any relation to C.M. Winkler and my family. But thanks for the information, and keep up the good work on the website!

Sincerely,
Matt Demecs

I really enjoyed your Wink and Kermit photos. As a Humble Oil kid I have lived in almost all those towns in those camps. I once heard that Frank Gifford , husband of Kathie Lee and football announcer, hails from Wink. Do you know?

Glenn

Hi Charlene - Was just browsing the site and found it very interesting.  I recently came into possession of a picture of my mother, 2 older sisters and brother and on the top of the picture is written "Christmas at Kermit."  This
picture was most likely, taken in December of 1937 as I was born in 1938 and I'm not in the picture and my brother appears to be about 4 years old.  I was born the next year in June.

Anyway, to make a long story even longer - I'm not sure what my folks were doing in Kermit at that time, but they moved on to El Paso county as I was born in Tornillo in June 1938.  I think they were following the cotton crops.
 It appears that my mother's brother and family were also living in Kermit in 1937 as there is a picture of all the little kids with their Christmas gifts.  Was there a carbon plant there during this period?

My family was Richard and Ollie Brown and mom's brother was Charlie Marrs and his family.  They evidently didn't hang around the area very long.

I say all of the above just to let you know that I appreciate the site and all the work you do to maintain it.  I've gained a world of genealogy knowledge since I got my computer a couple of years ago and it is people like you who have made this possible.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

Hazel Brown Sanders
Arkansas

Hi Charline,

My name is Wm. Sidney Birdwell, jr

Has the soot that once blacked out the sun in Wink, from the carbon Black plants, finally worn off the sage brush; and are the old plant buildings still standing off to the south of hiway 80 - the old Bankhead hiway?

On a hot, still, and cloudless West Texas summer day, there were times when it just as well been midnight. and it covered that part of West Texas like a blanket, all the way to Kermit and drifted on occasion as far as Hobbs, NM.

Just so you know I am no stranger, and have been to Wink and Wicket many times n my life.

But, of course, that isn't why I write. I had a relative who, back in the early to mid 1940s, was a Mule-skinner in the oil fields of west Texas. He drove a team of four huge mules, stood 6' 81/2" and weighed 405 lbs.

His name was John W. Green, and when work was slow in the oil patch, he worked as a bouncer in a night club in Kermit. (north of town and on the west side of the hiway.)

John or "JW" or "Peaches" Green married a young devorcee, first name Ella Rae or EllaRay, who had two children. I believe her home was in Kermit, probably, because she named her son Kermit.

I am doing a family work-up and find that I can no longer remember her last name or what their wedding date was. I know they were married in Winkler County.

Is there any way you can help me find that name?

Both their children drowned in a tank, on the Birdwell Ranch, in Big Spring. The boy's name was KERMIT, but the girl was called "Sissi" and they were both under eleven years old.

Just hopping you might help. If so, I would surely be grateful.

Thanks,
Bill Birdwell, Whitefish, MT wsbj@webtv.net

Hello Charlene

I would like to know if you have an information, or could direct me to someone who might have information on the James Merideth Martin family who lived in Kermit, Texas in the 1960's.  His wife's first name was Mary and they had eight children, the oldest was Bessy and their youngest was Wilma. James was a brother to my Emma Lee Martin and according to her daughter, my Aunt Mae, James left Georgia for Texas when he was sixteen years old, which if true, would have been in 1910, since he was born in 1894.

Thanks very much.

Bob Carpenter

Hello:  My name Is Judy Kiser and I came to your site looking for information on the  Cates in Winkler county.  Your web site was a big help.  I think it is wonderful that such sites are available for people to use.  Thank you so much

Just a note to tell you that I was just browsing and viewed 31 pages of your Kermit Cemetery.  I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a website more than I did this one. You did a beautiful job on the cemetery pages.  I enjoyed  viewing the stones and the music I really enjoyed.  Sang along with them while viewing.  What a wonderful site.  I am interested in any Tuxhorn history that might be available.    Thank you            Linda

HIS FATHER,1965, WAS SHERIFF WINKLER COUNTY, TEXAS both lived kermit during. Roy Sage and I shared an apartment during this time(1965) any info contact me ,jerry guinn at dena@clnk.com please help ----jerry

Charlene you are doing a great job.  Every time I visit your site I am impressed.  Tonight I got the picture of Cleave Lamar Swafford & his wife Mary Jane.  Though they were cousins of my Grandfather I am delighted to have the picture.  As I wrote before I am still glowing after getting my grandmother's date of death (Betty Wilson Moore) from your site.  Thank you so very much.
La Wanda

I was born in Wink,Texas in 1938 in the new Wilson Hospital my father worked in the oil fields and I was the first baby born of the new year in the brand new hospital.In fact I won the baby derby and my parents won lots of  prizes.There was a write up in the newspaper and I would love a copy of this write up but I do not know how to get it could someone tell me how to do this? I would greatly appreciate all the help I can get.My maiden name was Ceveta Berldean Yott and I was born on Jan.5,1938 my parents were Marvin Berl Yott and Laura Pace Yott and I was born in Wink.Texas. If anyone can help me please e-mail me at berldeanfincher@aol.com Iwould greatly appreciate any help. Thank you very much, Berldean Fincher

Hi
I am trying to find some information for a friend who is not on the internet.   She is looking for information on a ball team who played for Sid Richardson Oil co  in the early 1950's.    The  name may have been Tops Cafe or something of that order.   Where  would be the best place to look for any info on this baseball team.

Thanks
Bage Neimeyer

Looking for John Ellis.  He died in Kermit, Teas on January 14, 1948 and family records indicate that he was buried in Wink Texas.  Who would I contact to establish the names of the Wink cemeteries and the people buried in each?  As he was a black man, was there a separate community or church graveyard for black community members?

Thank you for any any assistance.

This is one amazing age that we are living in today. My dad, Floyd B Crunk, started working for the Atlantic Pipe Line Oil Company in 1929. I was born in one of the "camp" houses on Nov  7, 1929. The camp originally consisted of five house. From left to right for those living in the houses were: Creech, Red Hanley, Floyd Crunk, Levi Garrett, and
> Woodie Woodward.  I remember that Peavey had the dairy and delivered milk each day from house to house. Dr Lyle was the doctor,; I was bitten by a rattle snake at age of three. Mr Baker had the drug store; double dip home made ice cream was a dime. Appreciate very much your using your skills to provide this opportunity to communicate.  Keith Crunk

Hello Charlene,

I wanted to compliment you on the Winkler Co. Gen Web page. What a great start. I've been using the gen web pages for Kentucky and other states where my family originated, and just came across this page today. I wondered if you plan to add anything about migrations? My family moved to Kermit when I was 9 months old in 1949 and we left with the oil bust in 1969. Many others came and left for the same reasons. (My mother told me that the day they drove into Kermit there were no trees at all. She broke down and cried, and then proceeded to create beautiful gardens in the desert for her whole life there.) Because of the huge economic upheavals, I think it is important to capture who came when, why, and when they left. Following the migrations of my family (many of whom were 2nd, unlanded sons) is a major issue in my family geneaology. I love sites that keep these records! I also wonder if the history of the oil camps is captured anywhere? There were environmental issues around the oil camps, especially the infamous Carbon Black
Plant that was closed down by EPA. I read many years later that it was considered a really hazardous site. The rate of cancer in the Carter Oil Camp nearby was quite terrible. I think there are public records that relate to the Carbon Black plant. We lived in town, but we knew many people who died of cancer before it was a big deal.

I also have a publication that the paper put out when Kermit celebrated...hmmm...perhaps its 50th birthday. I was in junior high or high school at the time I thnk. We had a huge festival at the football field, the center of community
life. If you're interested, when I have time, I could go through it and perhaps scan the pages in and send them to you. Maybe it is already in your possession. It had a lot of early stuff in it.

I have one factual contribution for your cemetery records. My mother had a stillborn child, Vicky Jane Ehlers who was birthed on Oct. 26, 1950. I know that she is buried at the Kermit Cemetery. I hold the deed to her plot and an adjacent plot. I will look up the location and send it to you if you are interested in starting a listing of names buried there. I have not seen the grave for many years. I think it is in a back corner, perhaps with the babies. Can't recall exactly.

Although my family are not  originally from Kermit, I do have newspaper articles and other assorted records pertaining to the Community Church, Rainbow Girls, Girl Scouts (troop and council records/things on establishing the first day camp- an effort my mom led), Garden Club, the formation of the first Republican primary, oral polio
vaccines first given in Kermit, and the effort to establish a Charter Community. I probably have things on oil and gas also. My father was district engineer for Sid Richardson which became Perry Bass. I also have yearbooks dating from
1961-1967, and some old phone books. I worked in preservation in Ohio for some years and serve on the Tucson Pima
County Historical Commission. I also have a master's degree in planning. I'd be happy to respond to any inquiries that fall in the above arena, even though I'm not in the county.

Please let me know if any of this would be useful...and in what form. Thanks.

Georgia Ehlers
gehlers@u.arizona.edu
Tucson, Arizona