BLOOMDALE
(northwest
of McKinney and east of Rhea Mills)
BLOOMDALE JOTTINGS
Daily Courier Gazette, February
11, 1938
By Mrs. O. S. Scott
Upon visiting at the home of Mrs. C. L. Weeks, Daily
Courier-Gazette and Weekly Democrat-Gazette faithful correspondent in this
important Bloomdale community, located about seven miles northwest of McKinney,
we found her to be indeed a busy housewife. At the particular time of our call,
she was re-arranging her collection of 210 pitchers - an interesting hobby with
her through the years. Included in this unusually large collection of pitchers,
we noticed almost every conceivable shape, size and material used in the
manufacture of such household necessities. She has received some of them from
points as remote as New York City in one direction and Mexico City in the
opposite.
Mrs. Weeks is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. C. T. Lewis of
McKinney, but who were formerly residents of the Franklin community, adjoining
Bloomdale on the north where she was born, educated and married. Her husband is
a son of the late A. C. Weeks, reputed to be one of the neatest and most
successful farmers of the long period that he was a resident of the Bloomdale-Vineland
community here, where he reared the family and passed away perhaps a quarter of
a century ago. Carl L. Weeks is also rated among the highest class citizens and
farmers of Collin county. His mother was a sister of the late Eld. R. C. Horn,
beloved pioneer Christian minister, who passed away in McKinney two or three
years ago. It was a joyful experience to be a guest even for a short while in
this interesting Weeks' home.
Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Weeks have recently had their hospitable
farm home remodeled inside and out and now awaiting favorable weather to have
the painting done. Their home has modern conveniences, including Delco lighting
system. This worthy couple have reared a family of four or five fine young
daughters. Those parents continue to be interested and active in home community
affairs. At the present time Mrs. Weeks is President of the Bloomdale Home
Demonstration Club, which organization held its first meeting of the year
Thursday at their clubhouse located on Bloomdale School campus. At this meeting
the club made its plans to cooperate with the teachers and pupils in landscaping
the school ground and to plant shrubbery of an ornamental nature around the
schoolhouse and on the grounds.
This Daily Courier-Gazette and Weekly Courier-Gazette roving
representative enjoyed a visit in another Bloomdale home whose occupants are
Mrs. And Mrs. J. J. Harlin. Although it was his birthday Mr. Harlin and son
Johnnie, were busily engaged in hauling up stovewood for the ensuing spring and
summer use, while they will be busy with their seasonal farmwork as it comes
along from time to time. The good wife and mother did not forget the importance
of the event in her husband's life and was making him a fine birthday cake for
his dinner.
It is generally recognized that Bloomdale has one of the best
rural schools in our county. Teachers for the present school year are Prof.
Clarence Cox, Principal; Miss Hylah White and Mrs. Leroy Richardson, associate
teachers. This three-teacher school has a standard curriculum for the advantage
of its pupils whose teachers are all capable and deeply interested in their
important profession. When these facts prevail, any community can have a
creditable and meritorious school.
Bloomdale School Board is made up of the following: J. J.
Harlin, Chairman; Mrs. L. D. Franklin and Walter L. Scott. These trustees are
deeply interested in the progress and success of their school and in the
direction of its business management. The woman trustee on the Board, Mrs. L. D.
Franklin, is one of our county's most public-spirited women and mothers, being
active in farm women club work, as well as in school matters. We were gratified
to observe that most everything in the way of playground equipment is available
on the Bloomdale School campus for its pupils such as slides, see-saws, swings,
acrobatic poles, etc., etc.
Bloomdale Home Demonstration Club held its first meeting of
the New Year with its beloved President, Mrs. Carl L. Weeks. Its Vice-President
is Mrs. L. D. Franklin and Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Clarence Cox. Mrs. Franklin
is also County Council Delegate. As stated above, the Club decided to lend its
active and moral support to the teachers and pupils in beautifying and
landscaping the Bloomdale schoolground with shrubbery and flowers and thereby
help make the school more attractive community center and the pride of its
entire neighborhood.
Verbie Hayes is erecting a new store building which to near
completion. It is located near the schoolhouse. He intends to carry a
well-balanced stock of groceries and confections, gasoline, and oil. His sister,
Mrs. Ida Kerr, assisted by Mrs. W. D. Calhoun, were engaged in repapering two
rooms in the rear of the store building where Mr. Hayes will reside. They are
getting everything in readiness for the opening of the store, at once. Mr. Hayes
is a brother of Roy Hayes, a well known peace officer of our county, who resides
in McKinney.
On our visit in the community, we were pleased to learn of the
improvement of the condition of Mrs. Thomas Howard, who has been ill for the
past two weeks.
An event of interest to this entire community was the recent
return of Mrs. Ruth Flippen Parks, who has come back to permanently reside at
her native childhood and girlhood home near the Bloomdale School. During her
absence of a good many years from the community, she prepared herself for the
career as Home Demonstration Agency work, which profession she followed
successfully in New Mexico and later in Louisiana, from which latter state she
returns to live again in the old farm home here of her father, D. C. Flippen,
now of Austin, Texas.
A new residence is being built on the site of the home of Mr.
and Mrs. C. L. Sims, which was recently destroyed by fire.
The Bloomdale-Vineland community has been one of the most
important rural centers of Collin County ever since the county was organized
ninety-two years ago. Among the more familiar names of pioneers who settled and
founded this community and typed its citizenship as one of the highest class and
most honored of our county were the Horns, Kerrs, Weeks, Talkingtons, Joel
Stewart, who was one of the county's earliest County Clerks, and McKinney's
second Postmaster, also the Howards, Franklins, Baxters, Dr. Lewis, Scotts,
Flippens, Fosters and others who might be mentioned. Numerous descendants of
these early pioneers are still living in the community at McKinney and at other
points in the county. Some of them have played most important parts to the
civic, business, social, church and political life of our county and section of
the state.
BLOOMDALE JOTTINGS
August 4, 1938 Courier Gazette
by Mrs. O. S. Scott
In company with Mrs. Virgil Stovall of the Daily
Courier-Gazette and Weekly Democrat-Gazette reportorial staff, the
representative recently had the pleasure of a visit in the hospitable home of
Mr. and Mrs. L. Dow Franklin in the Bloomdale community, six miles northwest of
McKinney. This is an ideal farm home set in the midst of beautiful shade trees
and surrounded by a velvety grass lawn located on a high elevation; it affords a
view well worth driving out to see.
Both native and nursery shrubs protect the home from the sun's
rays and help to keep the rooms cool and comfortable. L. Dow Franklin is a son
of the late Daniel (Doc) Franklin. His mother and father came from Tennessee in
1844 and headrighted 640 acres of land next to where J. M. Bounds now resides
near the Franklin School house. In fact, Doc Franklin gave the land for the
school that bears his name. These old pioneers are sleeping in the family
cemetery located near what the formerly the Ed Burge farm. The lot is fenced and
cared for by their children and grandchildren.
L. D. Franklin has one half-brother, the late Poston Franklin
and the following full brothers and sisters: Jim Franklin and Jarvis Franklin of
Phoenix, Arizona; Mrs. C. T. Lewis of McKinney and Mrs. Joe Peck of Austin who
passed away a short time ago. The latter's daughter, Miss Lee Peck, is a teacher
in Texas University. Mrs Lula M. (Scott) Franklin was a daughter of the late Mr.
and Mrs. J. P. Scott. She was born and reared one mile west of Bloomdale and
although a new house has been built there, the old home also still stands.
Mrs. J. P. Scott was the former Miss Margaret Smith, sister of
the late Mack Smith, County Commissioner. They reared several children as
follows: Mrs. John Applebee, who died in her young womanhood. Mrs. Frank M.
Scott, who passed away a few years ago at her home in Jacksboro. Mrs. J. P.
Hayes, J. T. Scott and Joe Scott, all of whom have passed on, leaving Mrs.
Franklin the only surviving member of her fathers family.
Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Franklin were married October 26, 1895, and
moved in their present home located five and one-half miles west of McKinney.
They have two daughters, Alma, who is now Mrs. J. D. Parson and lives in Snyder,
Oklahoma: and Lora Mae, who is Mrs. J. Voyh Fagg and who with her husband and
little son, J. V. Jr., live in the home with her parents. Mr. Fagg goes to and
fro to McKinney each day to his position as Teller in the Central National Bank.
The Franklin home has been signed up for the Rural
Electrification line project through that territory. Water is piped from a
natural spring by a windmill to an elevated tank for use in the home, a large
concrete cellar no only provides a storage place for canned products, but also
is large enough for a bed in case of storm clouds at night where the family can
rest in comfort and greater security. Mrs. Franklin is a charter member of the
Bloomdale Home Demonstration Club and has served various offices. At the
Present, she is Vice-President. She has also been a member of the School Board
for the past nine years.
The farm of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin is well adapted to fruit
growing and stick farming. Their large orchard not only produces for home use,
but also some for market as well. A grape arbor in their back yard is one of the
beauty spots on the farm. The vines were loaded with luscious fruit when we made
our visit. Mr. Franklin raises all kinds of livestock, such as sheep, hogs, cows
and horses.
Mr. and Mrs. Thad Ganzy reside on the farm and assist Mr. and
Mrs. Franklin with the farm work.
The afternoon that we visited the pretty farm home of Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Scott, we found everyone busy. But Mrs. Scott took time out for a
chat with the representative. Mrs. Scott is a daughter of the late J. A. Neal
and wife, who were early settlers in McKinney. Mr. Neal was born in Finley,
Illinois, came to Texas with his parents when a young man. They settled in
Denison. He was one of a large family of children, none of them living now. J.
A. Neal was the last to die, passing away October 12, 1937, at the ripe old age
of eighty-five years.
Mrs. Scott's mother was the former Miss Elizabeth Majors. Her
parents came from Missouri and settled in the Forest Grove community. Mr. and
Mrs. Neal married when quite young and moved to McKinney where he was a
well-known contractor and paperhanger. To this union were born three girls and
one boy. They are as follows: Mrs. W.L. Scott of the Bloomdale community. Mrs.
Ed Cromer of McKinney; Mrs. Dollie Hinton of Bowie, Texas; the son, George Neal,
passed away in January, 1936.
Walter L. Scott is a son of Mrs. J. W. Scott and her late
husband. They came from Denton County and settled near Bloomdale when W. L. was
a youth. Mrs. Scott was the former Miss Emma Hunsaker, daughter of the late Rev.
Hunsaker and wife. He was a member of the Church of Christ. This worthy couple
reared eight children. They are: Walter L. Scott, prominent farmer and landowner
of the Bloomdale community, Mrs. Mattie Hall, deceased; Mrs. Chas E. Talkington
of Norman, Oklahoma; Prof. F. M. Scott, Principal of the J. L. Greer (North)
Ward School of McKinney; Rev. Harvey Scott, pastor of the Christian College
Church of Christ, at Abilene; Mrs. J. O. Garrett, Abilene, Texas, with whom Mrs.
J. W. Scott makes her home. Mrs. Mattie Hall, deceased; Mrs. Mabel Crim,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Mrs. Ora Moffett of Houston.
Eula Neal and Walter L. Scott were united in marriage July 23,
1904. They settled on their present farm bought from the late W. H. Horn,
located four and a half miles northwest of McKinney. They own thirty five acres
of land a short distance north from there that was given to Mrs. Scott by the
late A W. (Uncle Gus) Wilson; Mr. and Mrs. Scott have one son, Jimmie Lee Scott.
He married Miss Aurelia Dickerson. They have three children, J. L., Jr., Ruby
Alice, and Charles Wayne. They live on a nearby farm, but there is seldom a day
passes that the youngsters do not visit their grandparents who idolize them.
These children attend school at Bloomdale. They ride a Shetland pony three and a
half miles to school and like the school and teachers fine. J. L. Jr. is twelve
years old and in the eighth grade; Ruby Alice is seven years old and in the
third grade, while Charlie Wayne is only six years of age and in the second
grade. The Scott home has seven rooms and a bath. They have had a Delco plant
for fourteen years. Their home, barn and chicken house and concrete cellar are
electrically lighted. They have an electric churn and an electric iron, a
washing machine and power separator. They milk several cows and churn and sell
cream and butter. They have regular customers who have used their products for
years in McKinney. Concrete walks lead to the smoke house, the washhouse,
chicken houses and cellar. We noted every convenience in the kitchen of this
home, including built-in China closets, modern refrigerator that is supplied
with ice by the ice truck that passes their door each day.
We noted two stoves, one range that burns wood and a modern
oil stove, setting side by side. We learned that the family prefers hot biscuits
baked in the range for breakfast each morning. Mrs. Scott is an artist in the
culinary line and cans fruit, meats and vegetables for home use. She is a
charter member of the Bloomdale Home Demonstration Club. She is also a lover of
flowers with which she has had great success. We counted thirteen beautiful
ferns that she has grown from seed- Rex begonia, Caladiums, roses, snapdragons,
etc. Over an archway, a trumpet vine an wisteria vine were entwined. Eleven
varieties of cacti were growing in her rock bed. We were shown all kinds of
needle work, beautiful crocheted bedspread, candlewick spreads and curtains. All
too about the clock that Mr. Scott's father and mother started housekeeping with
pointed to the lateness of the hour and we had to leave this hospitable home.
Mr. and Mrs. Scott raise Rhode Island Red chickens, selling
their eggs to McKinney hatcheries. They also raise sheep, hogs cattle, mules and
horses and use a tractor on their farm. They are longtime readers of the Daily
Courier-Gazette and a radio keeps them in touch with the world of music and
entertainment.
While we were visiting in the W. L. Scott home, their good
neighbor, Mrs. E. S. Howard came over and we enjoyed a chat with her. Mrs.
Howard was before her marriage, Miss Elizabeth Horn, daughter of Mrs. Retta Horn
and her late husband J. W. Horn of McKinney. Her father was a son of Charlie
Billie Horn, who married Miss Retta Scott, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
John Scott, all residents of the Bloomdale community. This old Scott home was
located south of the Bloomdale school. They reared the following children: W. S.
Horn, banker, whose home is at Crowley, Texas, but who at the present is located
at Jacksonville, Texas; Mrs. Dow Martin, 209 East Thirty-Third Street, Bryan,
Texas, her husband laving been Mathematics instructor at Texas A. & M.
College for sixteen years. A. P. Horn, wholesale grocer, 2407 E. Main Street,
Lubbock, Texas; Mrs. W. T. Waddle, who lives with her mother, Mrs. Retta Horn,
on North Church Street, McKinney and Mrs. K. S. Howard of the Bloomdale
community, four-and-a-half miles northwest of McKinney.
Miss Elizabeth Horn and Kerby Howard were married, August 4,
1906, and have only lacked form October to December, living in the same home all
of her life. Kerby Howard was a son of the late John and Martha Howard. He was
also reared in the Bloomdale community. His brother and sisters are: Sam Howard,
Spanish American War Veteran and retired Post Office Chief, San Francisco,
California; Jesse Howard, R. F. D., Calera, Oklahoma; Doc Charley Howard, who
lived on the old homeplace, Route 4, McKinney; Mrs. R. P. Scott, McKinney; Mrs.
Jack Wilson, Oklahoma City; Floyd Howard, Fort Worth, Texas; Otis Howard, 1306
Denver Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas.
Mr. and Mrs. K. S. Howard are the parents of the following
children: Mrs. Clyde Chandler, McKinney; Leon Howard, Celina, Texas; Eugene
Howard, 6901 Reiger Street, Dallas: Monroe Howard, connect with Knott's Bakery,
McKinney. Mr. and Mrs. Howard have several cows, which supply milk, and they
also sell cream, raise chickens and a variety of livestock. Mrs. Howard is an
artist with a needle She does all kinds of needlework, such as crochet, laces
and quilts.
Communities
Index
- Recommended citation:
"Bloomdale- Collin County
Communities," Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by
Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].
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