One night imagine those luminant words shaping the headlines of the leading newspaper – had there been a newspaper in the hamlet to announce the death of “Summit” and the birth of “Howe” in 1872. 

 

Like most other towns in the early history of Grayson County, Texas, “Howe” was born on the day the railroad came through the vicinity. At that time, it was Houston and Texas Central later to become Southern Pacific.

 

Early history bears out the fact that the “first comers” to homestead the blackland of North Texas came by the most primitive means:  on foot. As early as 1836, the squatters inhabited their “Summit” with high hopes – looking forward and upward during the challenge of white man survival. Prior to that time, the Indians, the Spaniard, and the Frenchmen had crossed the prairie leaving the effects of their hunting and camping. The last battle with the Indians in Grayson County is said to have erupted in 1843 in a large grove, a site which now is knows as Old Howe Road.

 

With the birth of Howe there have been many challenges – and its people have always met the challenge with economic stamina and determination to recover from their economic-ills. Howe, with its solid Christian foundation, reinforced with a pioneer spirit, it today is meeting the challenge in an area where the impact of industry is stirring the people to awareness of needs. An alertness to meet the demand of an expanding economy by removing boundaries that would tend to separate progressive knowledge of the challenge of integrity. 

 

When the functions of industry and state growth in highway networks began to expand, the Howe area is indeed fortunate, in that, its location changed to be in the center of a new expressway and booming new industry. 

 

A thinly populated area in the posture of economic and population growth can certainly be progressive. By the present extension of educational facilities, new developing housing communities, new and additional businesses and recreational facilities, Howe’s changing skyline reflects character – keyed to success. 

 

With a foundation built by fortitude and foresight, reinforced by its people imbued with a pioneering spirit, the posture of Howe can certainly be magnified beyond the range of eyes in surmounting the dynamic impact of industry. Howes’ challenge of today.

 

HAMLET BOWS TO MAN’S QUEST TO CONQUER THE FRONTIER 

 

Down through the ages, Americans have attached certain prominence to the magic word “first.”  To be of the “first comers.”  The “first families,” “the first born in the county” and so on, would have, seemingly, given the “first right” to go down in history.  Historians have failed to answer the age-old question: “Who was the first “white man” to settle on “Summit?”

 

Perhaps it would be wise to remember that those who were “first” were not always the key-men to go down in history and is more important to preserve that which is lasting rather than which is first.

 

Among early settlers, were lawyers, teachers, ministers, farmers, and homemakers – all seeking opportunities which they were confident they would find in this location, for here was a rich blackland for farming, plenty of water, a high and healthful location for family living.

 

To match their high hopes, they named the little settlement “Summit” located on the highest elevation between the Red River and the Gulf of Mexico, which is said to have been 810 feet above sea level. The summit loomed above a thicket of trees and brush smothered with tall thick gypsum weeks and cockleburs. This sort of growth typifies the rich blacklands that can become so muddy and sticky after a rain of North Texas and more localized in the southern part of what is now Grayson County.

 

The real history of Grayson County probably begins no earlier than 1836, the year Texas declared its independence from Mexico and became the Republic of Texas.  Prior to that time, it was overrun by European explorers and Indians.  

 

History records, however, in the later 1830’s people came to Grayson County whose names have remained a matter of record.

 

ERAS MARK HISTORY OF HOWE AND RELATED AREAS

 

From the Frontier Village of 1874, the “first comers” of Howe, looking ahead with confidence, plotted the course for its first boom. 

 

The railroad brought growth and prosperity to Howe. From that day forward, Howe has been on the move. The first store, run by Samuel Wilkerson Young, and the post office were moved to a new location. An inn was erected by one of the first settlers, Major J.S. Quinn. Jabez Haning built the first house which took form of a cabin. When the railroad was built, contracts were given for only a few miles at a time. During this period, a feed room was built in the vicinity of what is now known as the Tom Bean Highway. Sheds were built all around the feed room to feed and take care of the many mules that were used to build the railroad.

 

Howe was incorporated in 1884. George M. McCrary was its first mayor, and W. W. Smith, J.T. Edwards, Henry Stevens, S.W. Young were the first “city fathers” who were then called Aldermen. J.M. Culver was appointed town marshal. Later, Culver served as mayor for twenty years.

 

The town took on an air of law and order which was timely as the mule traders were thick. As the story goes, a dispute led to the town’s first killing. Following the course of history, the vices of drinking and gambling naturally thrive in boomtowns. At the peak of the era, Howe had three saloons. One was housed in a building which gave way to Howe’s first bank and later to become a modern food store.

 

With the coming of the “Red Rust-proof Oats” Howe became widely known as the largest grain market inland, thus, increasing its market for grain, cotton, corn, hogs, and cattle. Such a market demand led to the forming of a Farmers’ Alliance Co-operative Association of Howe, Texas in the late 1880s, which was assumed by the Howe Grain and Mercantile Company in 1894. This era marked the beginning of a number of major grain companies to follow, such as the Paul Bean Grain Company, Ferguson Seed Farms, Kimbell Milling Company, and Lupher Wheat Company.

 

The influx of trade placed money into the circulation and the first bank was established in the late 1880s. The Bank of Howe was organized by W. H. Bean and William Tolbert, who also promoted the first well for Howe. The Bank of Howe was later changed to the Farmers National Bank. 

 

From her beginning, Howe has taken a back seat to no one as far as education is concerned. Before the turn of the century, Howe, a proud town, boasted of outgrowing three schools. A lawyer organized and taught the first school in his home. In 1897 the Bean-Marshall College was built to replace the three-room frame building built in 1884. Later, the Bean-Marshall College was replaced with the brick building that was erected in 1938 through federal aid, which is Howe’s present elementary school building while awaiting the completion of a much larger and modern building now under construction. 

 

The beginning of a new era in Howe turned with the century. Prosperity was just around the corner, interrupted at times by panics as in 1907 by wars, and disasters. To clinch Howe’s second boom, the “machine age” arrived. In 1908, the first interurban car on its initial run from Dallas to Denison on the newly completed Interurban Line which was to bring unbelievable advantages to the small town for forty years. Ticket sales were heavy during special events like the Dallas Fair and weekend excursion trips to points of interest which reached from Denison to Waco.  By 1914, an Interurban Postal Service was established between Denison and Dallas with two mail cars running each way every day. 

 

After the turn of the century, the saloons thriving in Grayson County were forced to go as whiskey was voted out. Where once a boisterous saloon beckoned on the south side of the street, the site took on the dressing of a drug store with a Dr. Pierson practicing medicine at that time. Howe boasts of having had six doctors and as many as three practicing at the same time. Dr. Lemmon was Howe’s first doctor, followed by Dr. Higgenbotham, Dr. Sadler, Dr. Bowen, Dr. Matthews, and Dr. Shelley – all have been a part of Howe’s history.

 

Before there were any funeral homes, a Mr. Haizlip used his hack and a pair of white horses to carry the deceased to the cemetery for the entire community. This service was done free of charge – Howe’s people still have some of this man’s finest characteristics – a virtue which concretes their tolerance to any condition – whether it be adverse or growing pains!

 

The foundation of the history of Howe has been laid to its churches. Dating back to the beginning of Howe, the first Sunday School classes were held in the same one-room building in which was taught the first public school. The first church services were held by groups in homes. 

 

As the community grew, church buildings were erected. Among the first was First Baptist Church built on a lot donated by Uncle Billy Jackson. The late W.H. Brown was first to donate for the First Methodist Church located at its present site (Editor’s note – at the time of this article the present site would be 101 E. O’Connell Street across from Summit Gardens). The First Christian Church was founded by early Texans – The Millers, Hughes, and the Si Collins along with the McCoys and Henry Stevens.  The pulpit in the First Christian Church was donated by the late Governor of Texas, Charles A. Culberson – a close friend to one of Howe’s first settlers, J.A. Hughes. The Church of Christ is one of the younger churches, built on land and money donated by the Kreager family. The Presbyterian Church, now vacant, was once a leading church in the area. All four churches are located along U.S. Highway 5 and are dominant as a protecting arm over the town. They have been likened to the “Heart and Soul” of community life, and welcome passers-by. “It used to be said that Howe was the only town in Texas that had more people enrolled in Sunday School than it had inhabitants. 

 

With the coming of 1914, a shadow of unrest was overcast with business depression due to the great suspense of the war in Europe. The outbreak of the European War affected cotton and wheat prices to drop, and the cost of flour and sugar went high jumping as much as 80 percent. However, this condition did not prevail for long and the war clouds failed to darken the high-spirited pioneers - the wheels of progress turned steadily. 

 

The second bank for Howe was organized as the Home Guarantee Bank which was later known as the Howe State Bank. Mr. W.A. Callaway served the bank as its first president.

 

At this period in history, Howe was enjoying its first newspaper, the Howe Herald, published by the Hall brothers at the subscription price of $1.00 per year. The Herald carried the news of the death and tribute to one who organized the first bank in respect to Captain W.H. Bean, one of Howe’s first honored and leading citizens.

 

Howe, for many years, has had the distinction of harboring the roots implanted by the Fergusons – a name synonymous with Texas. Mr. A.M. Ferguson, a well-known agronomist, former instructor of University of Texas and Texas A&M College, founded the Ferguson Seed Farms in Howe, which attributed much to its economy uprisal. After the death of A.M. Ferguson, brother of former Texas Governor, Mrs. Ferguson managed the seed farm until her retirement in the early 1950s.  Mr. A.M. Ferguson also ran for the office of the governor but was defeated. After James E. Ferguson’s administration as governor ended in 1917, he later joined his brother A.M. Ferguson in the publication of Howe’s second newspaper, The Howe Chronicle, in the early 1930s.

 

In this area of varied resources, men were learning new methods of business in this town set in rich farmland which fed its own and a surplus for factories. Growth was natural. In 1916 the first automobile hearse was put into service in Grayson County. At first, very few people cared to use it as it was too fast. 

 

Even though the depression era lifted in 1933, Howe’s townsfolk plotted along in a depressed state of mind, slowly disappearing into the shadows of defeat. By the late 1930s, the town had become engulfed by unsightly signs and unkept buildings. Trash and weeds had claimed the roadsides which earned for her: the “down at the heel” village by her passers-by.

 

In the meantime, her parent city, Sherman, and Grayson County continued to grow. Concrete roads replaced gravel ones on the main highways. Loy Lake was built by CCC labor and today is one of the outstanding recreational sites to this area. Much stress and study had been put on soil conservation, thus saving many fine farms through this effort. In 1936, the beautiful white limestone Grayson County Courthouse was built – a lasting monument to those men of Grayson County who are builders of cities, counties, and nations. 

 

The spirit to grow was in the blood of Howe leaders and leaders of the county. Howe’s citizens could not help but rally from their despondency! The challenge came – Howe accepted the challenge. The movement began to put Howe back on the map, and community pride takes hold. The transformation of Howe all started by a civic minded resourceful woman, Miss Mame Roberts, who had been saddened by the ugly sights and the forgotten-and-could care less attitude of her hometown.  While attending the University of Texas, her classmates felt sorry for a girl who “had lived to such an ugly little town.”  She felt sorry for herself and decided to do just what her mother had suggested to her: “If your town has nothing to give you, why not give something to your town?”  These words of wisdom stuck with Miss Roberts until the time came that she could put them to use.  It was when Eddie Dunn, a well-known radio personality in this area, was saluting Texas cities that Miss Roberts wrote a little verse of protest of his saluting only the cities and neglecting the little town.  He read it over the radio and letters and cards rolled in. And Lynn Landrum column suggesting that Howe quit feeling sorry for itself and clean up and dress up. 

 

Miss Roberts, a retired schoolteacher who had returned to her hometown to live, took up the challenge and invited Mr. Landrum to a banquet in Howe to tell them how to get started on the job.  

 

That was all the citizens needed to begin. The next day the townspeople took a good look at their town as they had never looked before, and a planning committee was set up to supervise the work of the churches, schools, clubs, city officials, and individuals. They selected a spot just off the highway near the center of town which was particularly ugly with weeds, junk, and trash. Miss Roberts literally flung a hand full of zinnias.  When they began to grow, the place began to brighten. This spot of beauty was soon landscaped into a park. Businessmen began to redo the fronts of their stores and the beauty campaign went into full swing – civic groups, boys and girls, - the whole town began to clean up vacant lots and plant seed as Miss Roberts had done.  Other towns took notice and donated trees and shrubs. 

 

Lynn Landrum wrote in his Dallas Morning News column: “All Texas will be watching Howe” - adding, “The thing Howe faces will be full of discouragement. Howe is starting out with a paintbrush, plow, and hoe to attain beauty. It will seem less worth doing when the hot sunshine begins to glare. But Howe is brave enough to face all that. Surely you will feel like taking off your hat and saying, Hurrah for Howe.” 

 

“Three decades after that was written have seen millions of Americans take off their hats to Howe…” were the echoes written by another news columnist 27 years later.

 

Since Miss Roberts set out to earn distinction for her hometown as “the prettiest small town in Texas,” some 500 towns have caught the spirit of civic beautification and have improved their appearance and living conditions.  She led 75,000 members of the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs into cleaning and beautifying drives. She is personally responsible for planting more than 500 trees in Howe and has led the drive to plant thousands of native Texas redbud trees all the way from Lake Texoma to the Gulf of Mexico.  

 

Howe has a “Roberts” street named in honor of Miss Mame, on which a new high school, a modern $186,000 building, was completed in 1967.  The citizens bow to “Miss Missionary of Beauty” as she is truly a lady who spreads the gospel of beauty everywhere she goes. She considered beautification a sacred mission during the early 1940s when the country was plunged into the midst of another great war – World War II.  This generation was caught between the decades of two wars, and it was evident the townspeople must do everything possible to counteract the ugliness and confusion these wars had brought.

 

In 1940, the population of Howe was 565. When her young men answered the call to war , Howe, as did other small towns, suffered by her decline in population. However, before the war began, the population drift-away from Howe and the farms in the area was motivated by the sharply reduced income from the agriculture – they had nothing to support them in its place. The existing plight was wrecking the economy. This same trend could accelerate after the war unless efforts were made to make Howe attractive to “come home from the war.”

 

To implement her program, Miss Roberts influenced the Federation to promote five-year improvement campaigns to continue the good work through 1950.  Again, the citizens of Howe took up the challenge to lure their own back home – and attract newcomers and new industries.  It was not easy to attract the absent ones back to their former environments. But the enthusiastic townsfolk rallied behind her campaign and put it across!

 

HOWE’S SURVIVAL:  THE UPS AND DOWNS OF ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

 

With the coming of a new decade, Howe’s book of economic struggles was closed to preserve lessons learned, well and hard.

 

Howe emerged from her pitfall upright and stronger – with a backbone that would not bend to any task. Her pioneering spirit revived, strengthened by the present generation, she prepares with foresight and determination to meet the challenge. Even then, Howe was a big little town with a big future.  Always building to the rhythmic yardstick: “It’s not the size of the town, but the size of the people in it.”  Howe has a lot to make it desirable and durable.

 

Spacious and substantial residences characterize the town. It’s high moral and religious sentiments are reflected in its splendid buildings and faithful workers.  During the Postwar Progress era, Howe unveiled from her drabness of time and hardships and took on a fresh “new look” she had 30 businesses dressed up with fresh paint, cleanliness, and new fronts.  Prosperity was returning. Much credit for the “new look” was given to Miss Roberts – better known lovingly by her people, “Madam Flowerseed” for her efforts in the direction of Howe’s survival.  She received national recognition for her efforts when Eleanor Roosevelt named her “Woman of the Day” on her radio program. Howe is still harboring the fruits of her efforts. 

 

Agriculture continued to be a major contributor to the economy of Howe and Grayson County, despite the longest drought this area has ever had. Farming flourished as a result of the study and stress of the Soil Conservation Service to control the rich black soil’s worst enemy which was soil erosion. However, before this program was implemented, much of the topsoil was lost. 

 

Since the 1930s, farming in Grayson County has become somewhat diversified. A large percentage of the cotton land was put under peanuts, hay crops declined, but the yield in tons per acre increased.  The production of Irish potatoes rose as did sweet potatoes. Much of the land was being retired from cultivation and was put under seed crops and pasture. 

 

This change in the agricultural pattern touched off a spark of concern by an area farm wife as she appealed: “Impress upon the people for the need for saving and restoring Grayson Soil.  If the soil of the Far East, after centuries of intense cultivation is still producing a maximum – why can’t ours?  Do not let people forget this job is too big for one farmer, one county, one country, or one state. Since the welfare of the world depend on farmer’s welfare, all the people should be made to think about it until more is done.”

 

With the coming of oil to the area in the 1950s, putting a glitter on bank accounts, the economic structure has grown rapidly, “reflecting a declining dependency upon agriculture alone.”  In a changing picture, automation advanced, and excellence statewide farm-to-market road system and consolidated school has put an end to the rural isolation of this area, thus, increasing the population and demands for a diversified economy. 

 

Through the “up and downs” of Howe’s economic structure, agriculture has remained the principal source of economy only to diminish with the impact of industry surrounding its domain. 

 

Open lands are vanishing, agriculture methods have changed, row crops are declining, and pasture is expanding. A new decade of population explosion in the area would inevitably unite Howe and Sherman, Howe’s neighboring, and parent city, in a challenge to meet industrial dispersion which had moved south. 

 

Howe, with its area roots encircling communities of Bells, Whitewright, Van Alstyne, Tom Bean, Gordonville, Pottsboro, Gunter, Tioga, and Whitesboro, faces a far-reaching BOOM…The 1960s.

 

DYMANIC BOOM – INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSION

 

Howe stands ready – she has built a strong foundation on which to build this economic BOOM!  

 

“Howe has a fine citizenry ready for progress, and she will work hard for it. Every person will have a job to do…an important job – maybe a hard one and a long one unless all get together and pull together for bigger and better things which will make for progress and better living.”  These are sentiments uttered by the townsfolk in viewing the challenges of today…tomorrow…and the years ahead. 

 

In looking at the past decade and marked progress, Howe faces the future with an immense confidence. A confidence that is bolstered by its industrial and commercial civic, and municipal leadership backed by its dedicated men and women.  

 

To absorb the impact of industry, the city must grow. What makes a city grow? Opportunity, location, industries, people, highways, railroads. Yes, it takes all these, but the main thing it takes is the WILL to grow. A city can be ideally located but still die for the lack of push, planning, and stability of its people.

 

Howe has the opportunity with the industrial sites to the north. She has the change to supply a big part of the living quarters of the employees. However, with these people come obligations. Howe is obligated to furnish adequate utilities, schools, churches, fire, and police protection. 

 

Howe is fortunate to be a small city expecting to grow. Research shows her first pang of growth was felt in the middle 1950s when some blue-chip industries chanced to locate just up the road. The choice site for these industries is on Highway 75, a heavily traveled national highway that runs from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, which connects Howe to Sherman-Denison to the north and Dallas to the south. In 1967, the section of Highway 75 through Howe was opened as the new “Collins Freeway” in honor of a pioneer family. Mrs. W.W. Collins, representing the pioneer Howe family, cut the ribbon at opening ceremonies, which included other members of the Collins family.  Miss Mame Roberts, Howe’s “Madam Flowerseed,” a sister to Mrs. Collins was present along with Mrs. Collins’ son W.W. Collins Jr., who heads the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Ft. Worth.  In 1964, Mr. Collins received national recognition, as “Civil Servant of the Year for the Southwest Region,” and in 1963, he represented the United States Government at Cairo, Egypt in a conference relating to financing and housing sponsored by the United Nations. It is befitting to add, Mr. Collins is a long-time close friend of the Howe-area Congressman Ray Roberts of the Fourth District, which includes Grayson County.

 

At the ceremony opening the new expressway, County Judge Les Tribble stated: “The opening of the highway is a boom to all residence of Grayson County. It opens many new roads for industry in this area.” 

 

The imminent growth of Howe had begun with the coming of IBM (International Business Machines) plant in 1956, bolted by the “big five” industrial establishment signifying the size and importance of industry of our economy. “Whether the visitor is an economist or whether he knows no more economy than a door-to-door salesman, he knows that where there’s smoke – industrial smoke – there’s prosperity and stability and regular payrolls.”

 

“PAYROLLS – that’s the main thing lying below the skyline, at once unseen but the quality is always there – like the 21 jewels hidden in the fine watch.”  The skyline, the writer of the foregoing statement referred to is Sherman’s. “The Industrial Center of North Texas,” which is within a stone’s throw of Howe.

 

The first “big five” industrial establishments to contribute to Howe’s prosperity was the Hardwicke-Etter Company where 450 employees take home over a million dollars a year. The Sherman Manufacturing Company boasted of 300 workers with a $600,000 payroll.  While Pool Manufacturing Company surpasses that number with her 325 employees of more than half a million-dollar payroll. To get a true picture of the industrial economy of Howe and its related area, it is necessary to bring into focus the remaining 59 industries and their annual payrolls amounting to many more millions of dollars.

 

With all this money in circulation, bolstered by the commutable distance on excellent roads such as U.S. Highway 75, certainly broadens the area for industrial impact. This factor, no doubt was the drawing power of giant industries moving into the shadow of Howe with the 1960s.

 

The giant industry site includes Johnson & Johnson, manufacturers of medical supplies, located on 437 acres complex and employing 525 men and women in 1966, with an expansion program having been completed in January 1968. With 160,000 square foot expansion – the distribution center is to be completed in April 1968 which will have more than doubled their operation since it opened here in 1963.

 

With prosperity at its peak, Howe’s economy demanded many services. “Service is the rent one pays for his space in the community.”  These words were spoken by one of Howe’s public servants, not realizing she had turned the key to open the door to a way of life in her community.

 

Along with the population, services grew in favor and demand. A new and larger post office was built in the early 1960s to take care of the growing need for postal facilities, then. Now, some seven years later, Howe is looking forward to an even larger facility which is to be a reality in the near future. Postal receipts have increased by nearly 30 percent over last year, according to Postmaster James L. Davis.  Receipts for the fiscal year, which ended June 30, 1967, totaled $12,538, an increase more than four times the receipts of 1963.

 

The demand of the public for local news service was supplied by the publication of the Howe Enterprise, the first newspaper in Howe in 20 years.

 

Consequently, the growing economy and population explosion as well as the fast-growing industry in the area demanded the need for a financial institution. Thus, the Howe State Bank was established. The time was right. In 1964, a group of alert leaders in the community, united in a just cause, built the first bank Howe has had since 1930.

 

The first year’s operation ended with total resources of $758,586.76. By the end of its first anniversary date, the bank was known as “Howes’ Million Dollar Bank” which reflected a total in its resources of $1,547,209.61. Deposits and loans continued to climb in 1965, ending the year with total resources of $1,547,298.61. In 1967, total resources rose to an all-time high of $3,194,252.36 in comparison to the peak in 1966 when its year-end total resources were $2,281,239.79.

 

With the establishing of the bank in Howe during the prosperity era, the easy money flow was localized, thus, stabilizing the overall economic structure.

 

Howe reinforced its leadership with civic awareness. Business enterprises began to rise up. A Chamber of Commerce made up of young people with vision was organized to promote the interests of Howe. The Volunteer Fire Department increased its services by adding the second truck to its force. In addition to this public service, Howe benefits from its clubs. The Sesame Club, a culture club, is made up of dedicated women who promotes civic improvement and concern for the welfare of every citizen.  The strong athletic program commands recognition by its competition of excellence. 

 

With Howe’s school being located in an independent district of 75 square miles, the expansion of its facilities became urgent.  The new high school, a modern structure of brick constructed at a cost of $186,000 was completed in 1967 with the first section having been completed in 1962. The new brick high school will accommodate a maximum of 200 students.  There are now 105 students in Howe High School, but according to the school census, the school may fill quickly. “We could easily have 500 students,” Mr. Charles Thompson, superintendent of schools stated. “Even though the census predicts 448 to enroll by fall of 1967.” 

 

With banking as the rallying point, investments have increased with buying power. All are more confident to the task. The city limits were expanded by votes of the council to encircle a new development. This demanded extension of water mains. The water supply for the city was increased with a new deep well and tanks with a storage capacity of 120,000 gallons of water.

 

Karla McDonald (2023- 

Bill French (2019-2023) 

Jeff Stanley (2009-2019)  

Mike Jones (2005-2008)  

Diane Walsh (2002-2004)  

Jimmy Haynes (2001-2002)  

Ray Bledsoe (1987-2001)  

Jerry Kirby (1983-1986)  

J.W. Reed (1981-1983, 1971-1972)  

Glyn Hestand (1980-1981)  

Stan Francis (1979-1980)  

Dwain Roberts (1974-1979)  

Ray Houston (1973-1974)  

James Hall (1972-1973)  

Lloyd Butts (1971)  

Carl Wortham (1967-1971)  

C.C. Jones (1963-1967)  

Jack Hollensed (1959-1963)  

R.L. Hollingsworth (1957-1959)  

C.W. Thompson (1951-1957)  

W.P. Thompson (1922-1951) Longest in office, 29yrs. 

W.B. Butler (1920-1922)  

J.M. Culver (1916-1922, 1890)* 

W.W. Ferguson (1907-1910)* 

J.A. McCoy (1905-1907)  

T.W. Burke (1903-1905,1898-1899, 1891-1892)  

G.H. Baxter (1901-1902)  

T.H. Thompson (1899-1901)  

J.D. Hall (1896-1898)  

A.H Schooling (1893-1894, 1890-1891)  

W.R. Jackson (1892-1893)  

J.J Laurence (1889-1890)  

E.J. Hughes (1888-1889)  

J.F. Fuller (1888) 

W.W. Smith (1886-1888)  

H.P. Wilson (1885-1886)  

G.M. McCrary (1884-1885) First Mayor