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History in
a Pecan Shell
The
Fort Worth and Denver City railroad established Rowe as a shipping
point for cattle in
1890. The name is credited to Alfred Rowe, the English immigrant rancher
who founded the RO Ranch. A post office opened the following year
and the streets were named and the town was platted in 1893.
The town soon developed all the essential businesses including school,
bank, newspaper and passenger depot. By the time the 20th Century
arrived, Rowe was ready and horizons seemed limitless. But considering
the geography in this
part of Texas, many towns enjoyed limitless horizons. Disputes
arose on the way the town was being managed - and in 1907 disgruntled
residents were moving their houses and businesses (including the post
office) about a mile to the southeast. Rowe was abandoned and in its
place, the town of Hedley grew.
The old Rowe cemetery sits alongside FM 1932 - just a mile N or Hedley
on FM 1932. |
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Forum:
Rowe, Texas
and the Naming of Claude, Clarendon
and Mobeetie, Texas
Letter from Col. Bain of Plentywood, Montana:
[Dear Editor] "Note that Mobeetie
was named after W.Henry Fleming's wife who was a beekeeper and had
a garden of flowers there. Her name was Maudie Fleming and she was
always busy as a bee...therefore being named mabeetee then Mo bee
te...
My great grandmother is buried in Rowe, Texas. A lot of my family
came from Texas and they still live all over it.
Here is another piece for you - Reaves burned down Rowe, Texas because
he owned the land where Hedley now
sits. This can be verified. My great-great-grandfather was Omel Hill
( O.C. Hill) or M. Thomas Giovanni Augustino - both were the same
person. He is also buried in Rowe. The only Hill left is [a relative]
who lives in Amarillo.
My dad Otho Bain (1923-2000) was born in Claude
which was named after Uncle Claude Bain. Clarendon
was named after grandmother Clarise Hodges Bain. They felt it might
jeopardize them [by revealing] their location to bounty hunters who
wanted my family dead; so it was called Clarendon.
I am a Monk and teacher and will be releasing a three book series
in Montana and doing some documentaries on the old west. I reside
in Plentywood, Montana way to the north - close to Bainville where
John S. Bain and Chaz Bain named the settlement. He is [included in]
one of my books to be released in 2008. Sometimes books are not all
made in truth nor documents either. When my books come out, it's hoped
the information will serve as research tools for children to learn
about things seldom told. I have been collecting His-story for over
thirty six years." - Colonel R. H. Bain, Historian-Theologian, Plentywood,
Montana, February 5, 2005 |
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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