
J.R. Henry Bought Land In 1908
John Robert Henry, born 1858 in North Carolina , came to Colorado City , Texas , in January, 1883. In the spring he rode horseback to Wheeler County where his first job was hauling rock to build a wall around a livery stable east of Huselby Hotel. He helped build Red Deer Dam and worked on several ranches, including the Diamond F and the Z-Z. In 1889 he bought sheep and went in business for himself near Laketon.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
Mary Walter Brown, daughter of A.J. Jasper, was a widow with a small daughter, Gertrude LaNora Brown. In 1889 she came from Tarrant County to the Laketon area with her father and two brothers because she thought that the men must have someone to keep house for them.
At first Mary, a former teacher, hated the cowboys and did not hesitate to say so. A friend bet her gray horse that Mary would marry one of the cowboys within a year. Mary won the horse but she soon married John Henry on April 9, 1890.
When Mary was asked how she happened to break down and marry John Henry, she answered, “Oh, I don’t know. He was the wittiest piece of humanity I ever met. I watched his best friends and decided that no better people ever lived than the early settlers.”
After the Henrys lived near the Laketon area for several years, they moved, house and all, to Miami where John helped to organize the First State Bank of Miami. They moved back to the Laketon area, rebuilt, and then moved to McLean before coming to Pampa in 1909.
When Gray County was organized in 1902, the Henrys were living in the Laketon area. J.R. Henry was the election judge and his home was the voting place for Precinct 1. Mary helped to organize the first Baptist church and Sunday school in the county while the Henrys lived at Laketon.
In 1908 Henry bought part of Section 78, Block 3, I&GN Survey from the White Deer Land Company. (In 1935 he sold this land to the City of Pampa for Recreation Park). In addition to farming his land, Henry was a director and vice-president of the First National Bank in Pampa .
The Henrys lived in a large three-story house built on their farm. Later the city limits were extended to include the house that had the address 905 (or 911) East Beryl.
On January 20, 1942, a fire started in a bedroom on the second floor of the house, and the entire third floor, part of the second floor and the roof were destroyed before firemen could get the blaze under control. The fire did not reach the first floor, but there was water damage.
After the fire the J.R. Henrys moved to 121 North Wynne where he died on December 1, 1943, and she died on January 17, 1946.
Mrs. Henry had wanted the property at 905 East Beryl to be used in some way in the work of local Baptists, and it was sold to the Reverend E.G. Barrett who hoped to establish a Baptist orphanage. After it was determined that an orphanage was not possible, the Rev. Barrett gave the house and land to the First Baptist Church whose membership funded the Barrett Baptist Chapel. The first afternoon services were held on April 4, 1954, in the former home of J.R. and Mary Henry.
Gertrude LaNora Brown, daughter of Mary Henry, married Lawrence C. McMurtry (an uncle of author Larry McMurtry). Gertrude was one of Pampa ‘s first dance teachers and owned the first studio in Pampa .
Clinton Henry, son of J.R. and Mary Henry, married Fannie Fern Pope, daughter of Dave Pope and Mary Olive White. Clinton was bookkeeper and assistant manager of the J A Ranch when T.D. Hobart was manager. Later Clinton ranched near Red Deer Creek.
Jack Henry was an orphan reared by J.R. and Mary Henry and regarded as their son.
Over 200 Articles, written by Eloise Lane, were published in the Pampa News. These articles may be accessed by clicking on each section below. A list of articles will be revealed that are linked to a page containing the text of the article.
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Articles 1-20
- Origin Of The "White Deer" Name
- The Log House On White Deer Creek
- Obtaining The Land
- The Lands Organized
- Cattle Brands Tell Story
- Ghosts And All
- Southern Kansas Railroad
- Fire Guard Dam
- When The Railroad Came
- The Sutton RR Station
- Post Office At Pampa
- The Bell Family
- J.C. Short
- Pampa 1892-1902
- Pampa Laid Out In 1902
- Crystal Palace Founded
- Gray County Organization
- Organization - Continued
- Gray County - Lefors
- McLean - The Largest Town
Articles 21-40
- Gouge Eye
- The "Mother Road"
- German Family Reunion
- Desks From Hopkins
- Grandview School Begins
- The Oil Money
- History Wall Painted
- Boydston Or Boydstun?
- Ontario???
- Laketon - Early Farming
- Laketon - Continued
- First Couple To Marry
- Hoover
- Water Well Drilling
- Kingsmills Visit Pampa
- George Tyng Left
- Tragedy In Utah
- T.D. Hobart - Manager
- M.K. Brown Arrives
- Rider Livery Stable
Articles 41-60
- The Pioneer Cottage
- Pampa's First Doctor
- Doctor Makes House Calls
- A Red Cross Nurse
- Pampa's First School
- Hobart Went To London
- Cemetery Began In 1904
- First Business District
- C.P. Buckler Arrives
- Five Barrett Brothers
- Influence Of The Santa Fe
- Trains Still Roll
- John V. Thomass - Teacher
- Cattle-loading Center
- Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
- A.H. Doucette Arrives
- Lands Are Advertised
- The Holland Hotel
- Wheat Left Pampa
- First National Bank Begins
Articles 61-80
- Pampa News Begins
- First Denominational Church
- 2nd Office Of WD Lands
- J.N. Duncan Arrives
- Nels Walberg Sells…
- Dormer Simms
- Fourth Of July Celebrations
- Pampa's First Cars
- Pampa In 1907-08
- J.S. Wynne Family Arrives
- Gray Count State Bank
- Baptist Church Organized (Under Construction)
- Joe & Lizzie Bowers
- Threatened By Prairie Fire
- Library Began In 1907
- J.R. Henry
- Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
- Three Vicars Brothers
- Dodd Grain And Produce
- December 29, 1991
Articles 81-100
- D.C. Davis Family
- Long Christmas Celebration
- First Christian Church
- Facts About Pampa
- Buster Brown
- The Last Hanging
- Bones Hooks
- The "Red Brick" Is No More
- The Purviances Family
- The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
- Boards Of First Headquarters
- Mary Jane Purvis
- Cook - Adams Addition
- Nativity Scenes
- Clyde Carruth
- The Mine Tragedies
- Additions To Pampa
- Third Family In Pampa
- Frank Dittmeyer
- Bricklayer Indian Jim
Articles 101-120
- A.A. Tiemann
- First Movies And Lights
- Pampa Incorporated
- Mark And Sara Fletcher
- Annie Baker Daniels
- Pampa's Business District
- Birthday Tea Of 1919
- Former Pampa Minister
- John Mack Patton
- The First Brass Band
- Early Graduating Class
- "How We Met"
- F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
- George Tyng's Father
- L.H. & Lula Greene
- John & Lena McKamy
- Robert & Mary Yeager
- "Dear Old PHS"
- Supt. Believed In People
- William A. & Ruth Green
Articles 121-140
- Jason A and Alice Poole
- Wayside School
- Pampa Football Begins
- The Pampa School Building
- Rev. C. E. Lancaster
- Panhandle Lumber Co.
- Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
- An Unusual Valentine
- Charles A. Tignor
- O. A. Barrett
- Poppies In Flanders Fields
- Barnard & Williams Families
- 4th of July Celebrations
- Cuyler Street Underpass
- The King Family
- Kretmeier and Baer Families
- Stephen B. Oates
- Phebe Worley
- Organization of Gray County
- First Courthouse
Articles 141-160
- Pampa Laid Out in 1902
- Pampa in 1902
- W. R. Kaufman
- The Pampa Country Club
- Living In Pampa in 1902
- Pampa Buildings of 1902
- May Foreman Carr
- Scaffers - Early Residents
- Nita Luna
- Former Sub Debs Reminisce
- PHS In 1932
- PHS Appreciated
- The Forth Worth and Denver
- From Pampa to Childress
- The Origination Of "Taps"
- The Warners
- J. C. Studer
- Floyd, John and Otto
- Our American Flag
- Stories and Memories
Articles 161-180
- Museum in Pampa?
- The Franklin Farm
- The Franklin Family
- Beryl Wayne Vicars
- Historian Made Cookies
- The Pioneer Cottage
- The Orginial Swastika
- Library Clerk
- Women's Clothing Store
- Jon and Pat McConal
- Whitey Walker Gang
- How Rudolph Began
- Gwendolen Avenue
- Jerry Kerbow
- Two Paintings
- Second Part - Paintings
- Bones Hooks
- Original Nativity Figures
- Why "V" Instead of "U"
- Pampa Incorporated