In My Backyard--and Yours?
Yesterday at the Abilene Public Library, I sat reading archival tapes of elected officials by county for Texas elections from 1950 through 1954. I had been surprised two tapes earlier to find Dora E. Cobb became a Justice of the Peace in my own county, Taylor County, in 1945. I asked at the Courthouse, and even longtime employees didn't know we had a woman JP that early. Then comes the shock yesterday: By the election in November of 1952, half of the eight justices of the peace in Taylor County were women! They were Mrs. J. L. Beard in Tuscola, Mrs. Ada Traylor in Bradshaw (probably--that's where she had been before although the record in 1952 shows Abilene), Mrs. N. D. Cobb of Merkel, and Mrs. J. N. Lawrence of Ship.
At this point the women judges of non-record courts are amazing me with their numbers. I've long since given up the idea of writing a biographical sketch of each of them. Now I'm hoping for those with longevity or some other special distinction, with a few others sprinkled in for the flavor. I welcome information on any of them, though. I've had great luck in getting people to find me in order to tell me about the pioneer Texas judges they know of. That's why I'm taking the step now of listing those non-record judges and special judges I've found during the time I've read tapes--from 1906 through 1954, but not counting the election of November 1954--here on public display. I'm hoping when somebody is starting in genealogy and looks up his or her grandmother's name, you'll see me and write me and tell me what you know. Here, then, is the list so far:
| NAME | COURT | PLACE | YEAR |
| Ophelia "Birdy" Crosby Harwood | Municipal | Marble Falls, Burnet Co. | 1917 |
| Mary C. Robertson | JP Pct. 3 | Maverick Co., eagle pass | 1922 |
| Juliet Barron Crump, Mrs. A. L. | JP | Gaines County | 1924 |
| Beulah Taylor | JP | Harrison Co. (Marshall) | 1925 |
| Mrs. Mary H Peel | JP Pct. 8 | Kaufman County (Kemp) | 1926 |
| Dollie M. Ray | JP | Lipscomb County | 1928 |
| Mrs. Carl, Mrs. M. A. Steelman | JP | Harrison Co. (Marshall) | 1930 |
| Mrs. Don Crow | JP | Bell County | 1931 |
| Betty Dunman | JP | Chambers co. | 1932 |
| Mrs. A. S. Crump | JP | Cottle County | 1933 |
| Mrs. Turner/ Lola? Sadler | JP Pct. 2 | Comanche Co. | 1934 |
| Iris Loraine Stokes (Mrs. R. F.) | JP Pct. 4 | Randall Co. | 1934 |
| Eclan Smith | JP Pct. 6 | Robertson Co. Franklin | 1935 |
| Mary M., Mrs. George L. OÂ?Neal | JP | Crane Co | 1936 |
| Rosa H., Mrs. A. S. Vankirk | JP Pct. 1 | Fannin Co. Bandera | 1936 |
| Grace Holt | JP | Rockwall Co. | 1937 |
| Lillian (Mrs. Clem) Bowles | JP Pct. 2 | Kaufman County (Forny) | 1938 |
| Velma (Mrs. Fred) Davenport | County Judge | Wise (Decatur) | 1938 |
| Grace Deweese Seely | JP Pct. 1 | Rockwall, Rockwall Co. | 1938 |
| Mrs. Lena C. Duller | JP Pct. 4 | Matagorda Co., Blessing | 1938 |
| Mae Ballard Flesher | JP Pct. 4 | Randall County | 1938 |
| Elizabeth Freeman | JP Pct. 1 | Falls Co., Marlin | 1938 |
| Mrs. Jessie Tunstall | JP Pct. 4 | Ward Co., Pyote | 1938 |
| Mrs. Mabel Yeates (Yeates-Dryden) | JP Pct. 1 | Terrell Co., Sanderson | 1938 |
| Miss Virginia Young/ Granger | JP | Brewster Co., Marathon | 1938 |
| Marion (Mrs. G. M.) Florence | JP Pct. 2 | Rusk Co., Overton | 1939 |
| Miss Agnes Songbird (sp?) | Special Co. | Gillespie Co./San Saba Co. | 1939 |
| Mrs. Lizzie Hahn | Columbus Co., Columbus | 1940 | |
| Hilda Huber | JP Pct. 7 | Austin Co., Belleville | 1940 |
| Miss Nettie Kinney | Special Co. | Bexar Co. | 1940 |
| Miss Ruby Koen | JP Pct. 1 | Hamilton Co., Hamilton | 1940 |
| Mrs. Z. E. Shaw | JP Pct. 6 | Hardin Co., Thicket | 1940 |
| Mrs. Luis Varela | JP Pct. 3 | El Paso Co., Socorro | 1940 |
| Miss Lucille Hannold | JP Pct. 4 | Brewster Co., Hot Springs | 1941 |
| Laura Lee Hampshire Phillips | County Judge | Brazoria County | 1941 |
| Mary Lee Bradley | JP Pct. 4 | Moore Co., Sunray | 1942 |
| Esma Morris Cash | JP | Garza County | 1942 |
| Mrs. A. A. Green | JP Pct. 3 | Brewster Co., Marathon | 1942 |
| Mrs. Mildred Kirk | JP Pct. 1 | Dimmit Co., Carrizo Spg. | 1942 |
| Mrs. W. E. Pakerson | JP Pct. 3 | Johnson Co., Joshua | 1942 |
| Mrs. Jennie Ross | JP Pct. 3 | Clay Co., Petrolia | 1942 |
| Mrs. J. M. Barron | JP | Cottle Co., Paducah | 1944 |
| Mrs. Abbie Copeland | JP Pct. 7 | Clay Co., Shannon | 1944 |
| Ella C. Fischer | JP Pct. 5 | Bexar Co., Van Ormy | 1944 |
| Aileen Jo Gibson | JP Pct. 3 | Upton Co., McCamey | 1944 |
| Grace Hendricks | JP | Ector County | 1944 |
| Clarence LaGrove Holland | JP | Panola Co., Logansport | 1944 |
| Miss Kathleen Joerges | Special | Ft. Bend Co. | 1944 |
| Mrs. Henrietta H. Johnson | JP Pct. 7 | Wilson Co., Stockdale | 1944 |
| Mrs. Marion A. Lawson | Co. Judge | Red River Co. | 1944 |
| Mrs. Beatrice R. McCormick | Co Judge | Navarro County | 1944 |
| Mrs. Ellie Bonner Rolston | Co. Judge | Angelina Co. | 1944 |
| Mrs. C. T. Towns | JP Pct. 6 | Robertson Co., Franklin | 1944 |
| Dora E. Cobb | JP | Taylor Co., Merkel | 1945 |
| Mrs. Ollie Mae Cunningham/Fleming | JP Pct. 8 | Callahan Co., Putnam | 1945 |
| Helen Wade | JP Pct. 5 | Carson Co., Groom | 1945 |
| Hellen E. Wright | JP | Limestone Co., Mexia | 1945 |
| Mrs. Hattie B. Hunt | JP | Kenedy Co., Armstrong | 1946 |
| Mrs. Homer Moon | JP 6 | Callahan County, Cross Plains | 1946 |
| Mrs. Berneice Seale | JP Pct. 1 | Hardin Co., Kountz | 1946 |
| Pearl M. Wade | JP Pct. 2 | Ochiltree Co., Perryton | 1946 |
| Mrs. Frances Watson | JP Pct. 4 | Sherman Co., Stratford | 1946 |
| Billie Davis | JP Pct. 1 | Bastrop Co., Smithville | 1947 |
| Mrs. J. J. Lucy | JP Pct. 5 | Gregg co., Longview | 1947 |
| Mrs. Eunice or Ennis Mitchell | JP Pct. 6 | Robertson Co. Franklin | 1947 |
| Mrs. Lena Tullis | JP | Kerr County, Center Point | 1947 |
| Mrs. Henry A. Busk | County Judge | Robertson County | 1948 |
| Mrs. J. H. Craig | JP Pct. 8 | Ellis Co., Italy | 1948 |
| Mrs. L. O. Fowler | JP Pct. 5 | Tarrant Co., Ft. Worth | 1948 |
| Mrs. Jim Holleman | JP Pct. 1 | Leon Co., Centerville | 1948 |
| Mrs. Johnnie Johnson Sweeten | Co. Judge | Edwards County, Rock Springs | 1948 |
| Mrs. Dora Rogers | JP Pct. 3 | Palo Pinto Co., Gordon | 1948 |
| Mrs. Ada N. Traylor | JP Pct. 4 | Taylor Co., Bradshaw | 1948 |
| Lena York | JP Pct. 3 | Jack Co., Jacksboro | 1948 |
| Miss Anne Davis | Special | 1949 | |
| Bonita Moore Potter | JP | Potter County | 1949 |
| Vera P. Street | Special | Kaufman Co. | 1949 |
| Mrs. Fay Castleberry | JP Pct. 3 | Van Zandt Co., Wills Point | 1950 |
| Mrs. Zela S. Cathings | JP Pct. 1 Place 2 | Johnson Co., Cleburn | 1950 |
| Mrs. R. E. Franklow | JP Pct. 1 | Walker Co., Huntsville | 1950 |
| Mrs. R. M. Leath | Co. Judge | Rusk Co., Henderson | 1950 |
| Helen Lee | JP | Ochiltree Co., Perryton | 1950 |
| Mrs. W. P. Midkiff | Co. Judge | Gonzales County | 1950 |
| Mrs. W. H. Neimeyer | JP Pct. 8 | Van Zandt Co., Edgewood | 1950 |
| Mrs. John Starnes | JP Pct. 2 | Madison Co., Midway | 1950 |
| Mrs. Stephen Tucker | JP Pct. 1 | Harrison Co., Elysian Fields | 1950 |
| Mrs. Alma Walters | JP Pct. 4 | Crane Co | 1950 |
| Mrs. Ivy Wilkinson | JP 1 place 1 | Potter Co., Amarillo | 1950 |
| Mrs. J. L. Beard | JP Pct. 2 | Taylor Co., Tuscola | 1951 |
| Bernice J. Allen | JP Pct. 5 | McClennan County, McGregor | 1952 |
| Mildred Barnes | JP 1 place 1 | Rockwall, Rockwall Co. | 1952 |
| Mrs. Edmundo Barrera | JP Pct. 1 | Jim Hogg Co., Hebbronville | 1952 |
| Mrs. M. E. Broome | JP Pct. 1 Place 1 | Rusk Co., Henderson | 1952 |
| Charlye O. Farris | Special County Judge | Wichita County | 1952 |
| Mrs. Emmie K. Fountain | JP Pct. 1 | Orange County, Orange | 1952 |
| Mrs. H. H. Janszen | JP | Jim Wells Co., Orange Grove | 1952 |
| Mrs. Earl C. Jones | JP Pct. 4 | Limestone Co., Mexia | 1952 |
| Mrs. J. N. Lawrence | JP Pct. 8 | Taylor Co., Shep | 1952 |
| Jettie Lee Lockhart | JP 2 | Crane Co | 1952 |
| Mrs. Estelle Le Sassier | JP Pct. 1 | Falls Co., Reagan | 1952 |
| Jean Strawn | County Judge | Archer County | 1952 |
| Miranda (Mrs. C. C.) Travis | JP Pct. 3 | Nacogdoches Co., Garrison | 1952 |
| Mrs. Edward Vaughn | JP Pct. 2 | Winkler Co., Kermit | 1952 |
| Louise Sharp | JP Pct. 5 | Calhoun Co., Port O'Connor | 1952 |
| Mrs. Lucille Burnap | JP Pct. 6 | Williamson Co., Taylor | 1953 |
| Mrs. D. M. Campbell | JP | Dawson Co., Lamesa | 1954 |
| Ann Green | Municipal Judge | Houston | 1954 |
| Mrs. E. A. Vance | JP Pct. 1 | Gray Co., Lefors | 1954 |
In case you're counting, that makes 108 on this list, but my whole list, including judges of courts of record and others I know of that fit in non-record courts but I've not reached in the archives yet total 176. It is a daunting task, but they deserve it. They won't be forgotten if I can get somebody to remember them and let me write down the knowledge.
posted by Barbara Rollins @ 8:48 AM
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