Jones County, Texas - History - George H. Brockett

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The Western Enterprise
Anson, Jones County, Texas
Thursday, August 26, 1933
50th Anniversary Edition


AN ANSON MAN ONCE RAISED MANY HORSES

George H. Brockett, who was 83 on 23 March 1933, celebrated the 50th anniversary
of his arrival in Jones County in March 1933. Coming from New Haven, Conn., he
settled on two sections of land Nos. 94 and 100 BBB and c. Lands in the
Plainview and Fairview communitieis, one of which Claud Allen owned for a number
of years. This land, filed on at $2.00 an acre, was during the dry years allowed
to forfeit, when the county judge classified a lot of land as dry grazing, of
which new legislation allowed one to file on four sections. The fear in
forfeiting was the "jumper" who looked out for forfeited lands and tried to beat
the settler or former owner in filing on same. Some jumper beat him to Section
94, the Allen land, and the result was a case in court that went to the State
Supreme court when Mr. Brockett got his title perfected. In the meantime, he
filed on three sections of land in a radius of five miles, including the two he
first owned.

Mr. Brockett stocked his land with horses, and for years operated perhaps the
biggest exculsive horse ranch in the country or Jones county. He specialized in
Percheron horses, one of his horses winning first place for two-year old
stallions at New Orleans at an exposition. He got his breed from Dillon, the
best known Percheron horse man in the U.S. who lived at Norman, Illinois.

The Brocket stock used the open range up to about the time he moved to near
Anson. His horses including stock, numbered some 400-500 head at the peak.

A bunch of thieves, once gave Mr. Brockett lots of trouble in stealing horses
off his ranch. Other horsemen were likewise molested. The gang was broken up by
Jim Cunningham, district attorney, in the early days.

Mr. Brockett, remained on the ranch for 25 or more years, when he moved to the
place now owned by J.F. McElroy, two miles north of Anson, building the house
still standing and occupied by McElroys. His home on the ranch had burned. Later
he moved to Anson where he served as mayor. He, his son, B.B. Brockett, and J.H.
Barrett, both deceased, operated a dry goods and grocery stores for a number of
years on the west side of the square.

Mrs. Brockett died in May 1930. his only son, B.B. Brockett, died at Waxahachie
in 1932. Both are buried in Mount Hope cemetery at Anson. A daughter, Mrs. F.W.
Raymond resides in Oak Park, Illinois. Her husband is assistant superintendent
of the Congressional Christian Conference of Illinois; Mrs. T.P. Hudson, another
daughter, whose husband served a number of years as Jones County Sheriff.