WINNINGKOFF COMMUNITY
[W. A. Norman]
GRASS ROOTS AMERICAN
Winningkoff's Blacksmith
by Col. Tom Emerson
It is refreshing, in
these days of parental government, to meet and visit with a man who personifies
the type of person who made America the greatest nation the world has ever
known. This person, like thousands of Americans, goes about his business,
unnoticed by a sophisticated world.
This man is Mr. W.
A. Norman of the Winningkoff community. Norman is a tall, slender man who
appears to be in his early fifties. Actually he was born June 16, 1904, in
Dallas County.
He attended grade
school in the Shiloh community near Garland—before the family moved to East
Texas near Jacksonville. Finances were such in the Norman family that he had to
go to work full-time at the age of 14. Drove Miles.
Norman said: "I had
to drive the mules and do a man's job on the farm so I did not have the
opportunity to complete my education."
Mr. Norman moved to
McKinney in 1919—here he did odd jobs working in the cotton mill and at cotton
gins, striving always to improve his lot in life.
Is the world better
or worse?
"I hate to think
it's getting worse, I'm not too sure it is or isn't." Norman moved to the
Winningkoff community in 1929 and worked on a farm owned by Dr. Morrow. He quit
farming and opened his own business in 1932—a Blacksmith shop—the only remaining
place of business in this community.
With
determination—and he started from scratch—just a few tools and within a few
short years he acquired various types of machinery, building most of it. Today,
he can and does handle and repair most everything. He has learned his trade by
doing it. His success in proved by his list of customers.
Where do they come
from? Wylie, Allen, Princeton, Garland and McKinney.
While this reporter
was interviewing Mr. Norman, a customer brought a job of welding to him—the
customer lived in Lucas. Oldtime Shop.
The shop is a
typical old time blacksmith shop and is built just behind his home. The shop
hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Do you have charge accounts?
"I used to but I now
operate on a cash basis," he replied.
The old Winningkoff
grocery and market closed about three years ago—so—Mr. Norman is the one and
only business place remaining.
Ed Knight was the
owner of the Winningkoff store in 1932 and it was Mr. Knight who was responsible
for Mr. Norman going into business for himself. Knight made the suggestion to
Norman and thus a business was born and is now 34 years old and still going
strong. Two Children
In 1926 Norman
married the former Miss Cora Talbot of McKinney and to this union two girls were
born—Jackie Norman, now Mrs. Doris Wardlow of Richardson; and Betty Norman, now
Mrs. Betty Moore of Winningkoff.
By faith the Normans
are Methodists and they attend the Blythe Chapel Methodist Church. Norman is a
steward of this church.
This good man is a
shining example of our free enterprise system. America needs more people like
Mr. W. A. Norman.
Surname Index
Recommended Citation:
"Grassroots American, W. A. Norman,
EARLY SETTLERS OF COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History
and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13, 2004 ].
| 