On March 7, 1939, the Jal Flare contained an article that recounted the first oil wells in the area. The first discovery well was a wildcat, the Rhodes #1. Drilled in 1927 by Donley Brothers it produced a gas and sweet oil well that flowed mostly gas and some oil. It was quickly followed by … Continue reading Oil Discovery in Jal
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The Fort Family
One of the early families to come to the area were the Forts. Benjamin Herman Fort was born December 15, 1857 in Scott County, Arkansas to John Gabriel Fort and Dorinda Jane Bell Fort and was the youngest of their eleven children. Benjamin married the former Louisa Swilling "Lou" Bramlett in Paris, Arkansas in 1879. … Continue reading The Fort Family
William Standifer Williams and Minnie Alice Anderson Williams
William Standifer Williams was born in the early 1860s in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Samuel Lowry Williams (1807-1898) and Katuriah Taylor Williams (1825-1893), a farming family. His father was one of the earliest Anglo residents of that area and is known as the Father of Chattanooga. William was one of the youngest of some thirteen siblings … Continue reading William Standifer Williams and Minnie Alice Anderson Williams
Henry Harada Named Lea County Conservation Farmer of the Year (1969)
The Lea County second water Conservation District Board of Supervisors have selected Henry Harada as Conservation Farmer for 1969. Henry was born and raised at Rocky Ford, Colorado. In 1942 he went into the armed services where he served until 1945. In 1946 he married Amy Watanave, also from Colorado. ... Henry farmed one year … Continue reading Henry Harada Named Lea County Conservation Farmer of the Year (1969)
Pearl Ditmore – Owner/Operator of Pearl’s Restaurant in Lovington
It's not all that often that someone from Lea County gets written up in a state wide magazine, but in 1977, the Hobbs Flare told of Lovington resident Pearl Ditmore's write up in the June issue of New Mexico Magazine. Pearl came to Lovington shortly after World War II and in her first local restaurant … Continue reading Pearl Ditmore – Owner/Operator of Pearl’s Restaurant in Lovington
T. P. Bingham
On last Friday evening, June 8, 1928, at 6:30 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Gaither, near Pearl, New Mexico, our beloved friend T.P. Bingham, closed his eyes on the pain and suffering of this world to open them in that City beyond where pain and suffering are unknown. He had been a … Continue reading T. P. Bingham
Col. C. D. Woolworth Dies
Col. C. D. Woolworth Dies in San Angelo Friday. Prominent Lea County Oil and Cattleman Dies After Illness Of Several Months. Col. C. D. Woolworth, widely known politician and prominent cattle and oil man, died Friday night, October 28th at 10:30. He was receiving treatment in the Shannon hospital in San Angelo, Texas at the … Continue reading Col. C. D. Woolworth Dies
Pioneer Woman Tells of First Days of Jal
Mrs. A. Q. Cooper First Saw Site of Jal in Eighties Mrs. Cooper first visited Jal at the age of eleven. She came from Palo Pinto. She later went to Chattanooga, Tennessee to attend school. After marrying Mr. A. Q. Cooper in Midland, Texas she moved to Jal in 1896 to make her home. Mrs. … Continue reading Pioneer Woman Tells of First Days of Jal
Harold L. Runnels
Harold Runnels was born May 17, 1924 to Elbert Dewey Runnels (1898-1969) and Stella McCutcheon Runnels (1898-1964) in Dallas, Texas. Dewey, his father, had grown up in a farming family living in nearby Kaufman, Texas. By the 1920 Census, Dewey and Stella had married, Dewey was working for a tractor company and they were living … Continue reading Harold L. Runnels
Creation of Lea County
Governor Lindsey has affixed his signature to the Lea County bill, which creates the twenty-eighth county in New Mexico. Lea county takes a strip off the eastern side of Eddy county, also a big piece from the southeast part of Chaves county and will have an assessed valueation of about $6,000.00. Lovington is named as … Continue reading Creation of Lea County
Old Lea County, N.M. 