I note , Mr Wyly, that you worked for Jewell Ramage. Could you possibly give any info on his descendents. He was the son of Hawthorne H. Ramage & Mattie Diane Laney, daughter of John Calvin Laney & Mary Jane Hollis Laney. Does Jewell Ramage have any siblings ?Any help graciously appreciated.-----Original Message----- From: Charles A. Wyly <wyly1@juno.com> To: TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com <TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Friday, July 09, 1999 8:39 PM Subject: Re: [ERATH] Introduction >Hi again, >Yes, I knew where Bess Mingus Dress shop was- have walked by it many >times. It was not far from the stairs to the pool hall where Billy the >Kid aka Brushy Bill Roberts would sit and watch when not downstairs >drinking coffee.Being a farm boy and mom made many of her own dresses, I >don't remember going in the shop. >Are you related to Rev. B.T. Stevens buried on the Duffau Creek in >Selden- Wyly Dairy? It is not the most common way to spell Stevens. The >Rev. was my great grandmother's grandfather. One of his great grandsons >teaches at Texas State Technical College in Waco- James Conally Air Base >in the past. > >I worked in Black Stump Valley one summer for Jewell Ramage, then later I >have Carey and Stone records of mom's and the info was gatherred by an >Arkansas or Oklahoma Grace Ramage Livingstone. One of her kin runs a >furniture and appliance store in Colorado City, Texas and I think there >is one in Glen Rose, Texas run by another Ramage.. > >I used to work on the thresher crew of Riggs- Hollis Thresher group with >the younger Tommy Laney and did not know he had become a preacher. He was >a hard worker and well liked. So was his dad when he was able. . Riggs >Brothers Aultman Taylor Tractor and Walter Hollis's 45 inch cylinder >Advance- Rumley steel grain thresher.kept a minimum crew of 25, who ate >with the farmer who owned the grain. Camp out workers were gone by >1940's. I remember some of them with a cook shack . Before 1950 the >Aultman Taylor had worn out the old Riggs separator with more wood parts. >With the post war supply of windrow and combine pickup equipment the >last thresher runs in Erath County faded out in 1960/s and the old >Aultman Taylor was sold to a Paluxy ranch to pull cedars. That ended 100 >years of community fellowship . A thresher move was a social occasion of >big dinners, swimming, religion, politics,.and sitting in the shade of >loaded bundle wagons with 3 and 4 genertions playing tricks, telling >stories of older times and other places, and local legends while the >thresher reset. Once dad dropped ice down 6'6"" Elmer Johnson's collar >and Elmer picked him up with one arm and rolled him over his shoulders >and stood him up, as playful at 45 as at 10, growing up together. > > The engine had 2 large John Deere type engines on same drive shaft, >open gears, a roof, , a three foot flywheel with a 1/4 turn crank. and a >chain driven one way oiling system with an adjustable oil dripper for >each bearing, Then on to the gears. In 1919 it had plowed land and built >county roads. It used 60 gallons plus of gas a day running at half >throttle with Orlan Riggs or Prentice Gristy as Engineer. 4 of us, >including Tommy Laney , I think, tried to feed it too fast one day to see >if it was possible to get a short rest, and Orlan just gave it a little >more gas. Only wet muddy botton grain slowed it. > >I suppose your family would have been nearer the Will Fouts thresher in >Black Stump.Valley or possibly the Stone thresher with 8 Model A Ford >truck Bundle wagons and no cabs. The first time the old Black Stump >Valley Anderson "640" ranch steam thresher engine came to dad's to >thresh, I hid under the bed and peeked out the window at the snorting, >clanking, and steam leaks . I thought the world might blow up. Quiet a >change from that to working on M- 47 tanks, B- 36 at Convair Fort Worth, >, F- 102, Regilus ll Missles, and teaching public school. > >I have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. My wife is a secretary and arts >and crafter. My son is a Construction Company president in Keller ( The >Construction Zone Company) and builds restaurant size and larger >buildings, including 1/3 of Grapevine Mills Mall for another company. My >daughter is a Neuclear Technician in Scott & White Hospital. and clinics. >our 3 granddaughters are below 8 th grade in Keller, Texas. Our >grandson is a Senior at Chilton High school next year and listed in Dave >Campbell's 1999 TEXAS FOOTBALL annual as a potential for a college >scholarship.He letterred and started four years at Lorena Junior and >High School, loosing only 4 games in 4 years. > >Take care >Charles Wyly > >