Cotton Belt Engineer: The Life and Times of C. W. "Red" Standefer 1898-1981

by Edwin C. Cooper

Overview

This is the story of a Texan. This is a TEXAS story. We spell it big here because it is a big story. A big story about a man from TEXAS. A story about a man who as a young boy saw what he wanted to do, set out to do it and accomplished his lifes ambition. The mans name was Cecil Standefer. The events in this book primarily happened in Texas between 1898 and 1981. He struggled some; had some personal losses and he overcame them. He grew up in a time when the United States of America grew to be recognized as a world power. His part in all that was that of a railroad employee. And not just any employee as Cecil Standefer was in engine service. He was in engine service for the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company and he was in this service for 50 years. Cecil Standefer wanted to become a locomotive engineer from the very first time he ever saw a train. He achieved his lifes ambition by becoming a Cotton Belt Engineer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781449069216
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	08/12/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	172
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Edwin Cooper became interested in railroads and their history at a very young age. His interest in the Cotton Belt stemmed from an article about that railroad by the late Jim Boyd in Railroad Model Craftman. C. W. Standefer's youngest grandson Mark lived in the same dormitory as the author. During his first year in college at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas the author was introduced to C. W. Standefer by Mark Standefer. Years later while writing an article for The Cotton Belt Star, a publication of the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society, the author renewed contact with Mark Standefer and found out about C. W. Standefer's photo album. The idea for the book Cotton Belt Engineer proceeded from that point. The author operates his own consulting business in Kentucky. He consults with public housing authorities and has worked with HUD programs since 1990. The author has been married to his wife Cindy since 1977, they have four children and eight grandchildren.

Read an Excerpt

Cotton Belt Engineer

The Life and Times of C. W. "Red" Standefer 1898-1981

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By Edwin C. Cooper

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Edwin C. Cooper
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-6919-3

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Chapter One

EARLY LIFE IN HAMILTON, TEXAS 1898-1917

Cecil Willard Standefer walked with his grandfather William Rufus Standefer through the woods and across the fields that Sunday. Little red-headed Cecil was 8 years old that summer 1907 day. He was going to see the tracks of the new railroad being built by the Stephenville North & South Texas Railway. Cecil lived in Hamilton, Texas. He watched the construction train coming to deliver the materials needed to build the line on toward Hamilton. An SN&ST Ten wheeler would have been on the point of this train, either the #50 or the #51. This was the first railroad, first steam locomotive, and first train that Cecil ever saw.

Usually Sunday was a day of rest and relaxation, but the SN&ST crews were working on this Sunday. Sunday socials and community events centered on the church were a more commonplace thing in those days. But the coming of the railroad had the whole town in a whirl. What Cecil Standefer saw that summer day in 1907 was the broad sweep of construction needed to create a new railroad. He saw Fresno scrapers moving a yard of fill, each drawn by two mule teams. Each Fresno had an operator and each team of mules had a driver. Thus, two men were required to move that yard of earth for the fills for the embankment. Other mules worked the large field plow to loosen the fill material for the Fresnos. Other horse teams were used to pull the pile driver to the top of its reach. This lead was then released to let the pile driver fall upon the piles being driven for the new bridges that would carry the rails over the small streams and the bigger one that was the Leon River. the horses were then led around for another pull at the lead and the rail building work went on.

This building of the first 43-mile installment of the SN&ST was a very labor-intensive activity. The hustle and bustle of men and animals striving to create a pathway for the new railroad was a sight to behold. This was no machine driven event. The people of Hamilton turned out to watch the progress of the line. Two of the townsmen were busy documenting the progress of the railroad with their cameras. The only real mechanization on this first railroad to Hamilton was the steam locomotive and its construction train. The construction train was composed of flat cars with ties, rails, spikes, timbers, and the other materials necessary to build a rail line in the early part of the 20th And driving that construction train engine that summer day was Engineer Ernest L. Hickey. Hickey had recently become an SN&ST Engineer on August 15th. Over time, this Ernest Hickey would guide young Standefer on his chosen path.

This rail-building event and the steam train would shape his future life for at that very time Cecil Standefer decided to become a railroader, and not just any railroader, he decided to become an engineer. He wanted to be the man who was in control of the engine. It is said that Cecil Standefer wanted to become an engineer as it was the best job of his day, this would be comparable to a boy seeing a spacecraft today and deciding there and then to become an astronaut. In less than ten years, Cecil's decision became reality. He did not start as an engineer, but began an apprenticeship that would lead to the very thing he desired to do on that Sunday summer day in 1907. Such is the power of a heavy piece of steel propelled by expanding water vapor to pull the imagination of young boys toward their destiny. And Such was the focus of Cecil Standefer to work to achieve his dream. It was his life's ambition as he later described it in an interview to become an engineer, and he did it. Was Cecil Standefer prescient of his future? Many clues in his life lead one to believe that is so.

The Hamilton, Texas that Cecil Standefer was born into in 1898 was distancing itself from its frontier days. As recently as 1867 hostile Comanche had raided into Hamilton County. The last of the Indian raids on this Texas frontier had occurred by 1875. These raids had slowed growth in the area and it was only after the raids ceased that real growth began. Before that growth spurt started, Hamilton was on the frontier. It was a stark land contrasted by its flat-topped mesa highlands and slow moving tree lined streams.

Cecil Standefer's paternal great grandfather Henry Cyrus Standefer built the first house and then started the first store in 1855 in what would become Hamilton, Texas. Henry Standefer's partner in the store was James Monroe Rice. Their store was near the present location of Hamilton City hall at the intersection of south Bell and East main streets. The Standefers and the Rices also homesteaded out at what was called the Evergreen Community about eight miles to the south and East of what became the town of Hamilton. Evergreen was located just above a sharp bend on the westerly bank of the Leon river.

Not satisfied with their current conditions the local citizenry around Hamilton petitioned the State of Texas in 1856 to start a new county. Following this early settlement of Hamilton there was perceived to be a need for organization. This would be in the form of a county government starting in January 1858. Texas governor Sam Houston appointed the position of County Commissioner to Henry Standefer and that of County Clerk to his father, Isaac Standefer. An election on August 2nd the same year kept both Standefer men in office.

Early Hamilton County in 1860 had 489 residents according to the current census. These early pioneers had settled along the wooded streams in the county and were raising wheat, corn, a few horses, sheep, milk cows and beef cattle. In fact the cows outnumbered the residents of that time. The coming of the Civil war caused the founding of a local militia to defend against hostile Indian attacks.

The following 1870 census found a population of 733 in the county. A total of 75 ranches and farms were working the land. Wheat and corn were the grains harvested. The ranchers were managing 10,000 head of cattle at this time. The cattle ranching industry was the emerging industry of this time in and around Hamilton. The Hamilton herald newspaper began publication in 1876.

Real growth in the Hamilton area began with the coming of the cattle ranches and the end of the Indian attacks. The 1880 census reveals that there were 949 farms and ranches. These properties were made up of 139,000 acres of the county. The Hamilton County population stood at 6,365. A new crop, cotton with 7,000 acres under cultivation joined the previous two crops of wheat and corn. There were 14,200 cattle and 11,000 head of sheep in the county. The Texas Central railroad, an early predecessor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad began serving the northern Hamilton County town of Hico, Texas. This early rail line greatly helped with the shipment of cattle from the area. The line started in Waco, Texas and ended at Rotan, Texas.

The trends in land and agriculture noted in 1880 continued into the 1890s. More farms and ranches started in Hamilton County. The numbers of farms and ranches were 1208 in 1890 and 1872 in 1900. A total of 517,800 acres of Hamilton County were in these farms. The population continued to grow as well reaching 9,313 by 1890 and 13,520 in 1900.

Cotton farming really began to increase in Hamilton County during this time. Acres used for cotton production were 21,000 in 1890 and in 1900 more than doubled to 47,500 acres that were planted in cotton; by 1910 this cotton boom would reach its peak with 79,000 acres devoted to the crop. Wheat and corn were still important, 15,000 acres were planted to wheat and 29,000 acres were planted in corn by 1900. Livestock were still very important in Hamilton County with 28,000 head of cattle in 1890 and 27,000 head in 1900. Sheep were counted at 81,500 in 1890 and were still numbered at 68,000 in 1900. Hamilton County had a strong poultry business going by 1900 with 74,000 of the birds.

The Standefer name, sometimes spelled Standifer, in Hamilton, Texas goes back to its very beginning. Isaac Standefer, was born in Marion County Tennessee in 1801, he immigrated to Texas in 1837. Texas independence from Mexico was in 1836. Isaac Standefer's son was Henry Cyrus Standefer, born in Tennessee in 1826. He came to Texas with Isaac, built the first house in Hamilton in 1854, and opened Hamilton's first store with James rice in 1855. Henry Cyrus Standefer's son was William Rufus Standefer, born in 1852 in McLennan County, Texas. William Standefer's son was Henry Clay Standefer, born in McLennan County, Texas in 1875. Henry Clay Standefer was Cecil's father. Then we have Cecil Willard (C.W. "Red") Standefer, born in Hamilton, Texas, September 30, 1898.

Cecil was the first born of Henry Clay Standefer and Lena Procter Standefer both of Hamilton. Henry and Lena had married on Wednesday August 18, 1897 and little Cecil was the result over a year later. Unfortunately Lena died on Thursday march 9, 1899 when Cecil was still an infant. Henry Standefer was a carpenter, which in those days meant building a house and everything in it, including the tables and chairs. Henry came to be known as an excellent carpenter around Hamilton. He was recognized as highly expert, a builder and a contractor of good repute. According to Harold Standefer, Cecil's son, Henry Standefer was around 6 feet tall and weighed about 200 pounds.

After the death of his mother, little Cecil was taken into care by his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Anne "Nannie" Standefer. He was younger than his older uncles were, but seemed like a little brother to them. Little Cecil grew to love his grandmother and learned from her the stories of her frontier past. She told him of arriving in Hamilton in a covered wagon and of the things that had happened to them along the way. She told him of her encounter with some Indians and how she chased them away with a broom.

After Lena's death, Henry did not remarry for some time. He later married Bertha Fergusson on march 7, 1914 and had five more sons James, Robert, Rufus, Charles and David, and a daughter Katherine. the Standefers lived on Henry street in precinct number 1 in Hamilton according to Census documents. Henry street is the first street north of and running parallel to main street. Main street is currently Texas route 36. The house is described by David G. Standefer as a having a porch across the front living area, two bedrooms and kitchen. There was an outhouse out back along with some storage buildings. There was a well at the right rear of the house and there was a fireplace in the kitchen.

Cecil Standefer went to school from 1904 until about 1912. It is doubtful that he liked it much, but he kept playing baseball, football and running track after he was no longer enrolled (they let you do that back then). Cecil always said he made it to 10th grade, but he may not have made it past about 8th or 9th, according to Steve Standefer his oldest grandson. It may be that Hamilton high school did not go past the 10th grade at that time. Cecil had a difficult time with some of his studies. Cecil was a very exacting student in his work. This can be seen in the elaborate drawings he made to illustrate his work. This was in the day when much of the learning was by rote. The teacher wrote something on the board and the students copied it down in their

Cecil had a fondness for railroads and wrote about them while in the 5th grade in his high school Composition Book. Standefer wrote, "The railroads of Texas are good roads for such a country. They are busie (sic) all the time halling (sic) in passengers and freight. The railroad men say there is more freight shipped by rail out of and into Texas than any other state in the United states. So pepole (sic) of Texas have a better home than they think they have."

Of note is Cecil's play for the local Hamilton white sox. He was the shortstop on that local semi-pro team. He was tall and lanky for his age. And according to red he had some quickness for his position that was coupled with some size as he played fullback on the Hamilton high football team. It was during this time while playing ball that Cecil became red. The locals liked to pronounce the name see sill and the teasing was not appreciated. So Cecil became red and the nickname stuck.

Cecil worked some with his father Henry as a carpenter around Hamilton for a while. He would use the carpentry skills he learned from his father later in life.

The railroad that Cecil Standefer saw being built as a child was the Stephenville North and South Texas Railway Company (SN&ST). The SN&ST railroad was built south from Stephenville to Hamilton in 1907. At Stephenville, the SN&ST connected with the Fort Worth & Rio Grande railway Company a subsidiary of the St. Louis-San Francisco railroad Company. The SN&ST was incorporated on February 4, 1907 by Stephenville interests and built its first 43-mile line from Stephenville to Hamilton before the end of the year. The SN&ST left Stephenville on a southerly course crossing some minor tributaries of the north Bosque river. The line continued south crossing Alarm Creek and then live oak Creek. further south the line encountered Bowman ridge and then on south to the community of Alexander, Texas where there was a junction with the Texas Centralrailroadafuturesubsidiarycompanyofthemissouri-kansas-Texas. The Texas Central line ran 268 miles from Waco to Rotan, Texas. South of Alexander the SN&ST line crossed little Green Creek then followed the drainage of Black spring Creek. On south, the line went crossing the upper drainages of wolf prong Creek and Gilmore Creek before entering the community of Carlton, Texas. South of Carlton the line of the SN&ST went through Sunshine, Texas and then Spurlin, Texas. South of Spurlin the line went through some curvature as it descended to bridge the Leon River. After bridging the river, the SN&ST climbed out of the valley and ascended the other side through a draw and up to a saddle and then south to the location that would become Edson, some four miles North of Hamilton. from Edson the line proceeded South crossing the Logan Branch of Pecan Creek. The line then curves South then East bringing the railroad into downtown Hamilton on the west bank of pecan Creek.

Original motive power on the SN&ST was a pair of old ten wheelers #50-51 of Pennsylvania Railroad heritage built in the 1870s. They are known to be of Pennsylvania railroad heritage because of their Altoona machine Shop builder's plates. These two steamers powered the line from its inception in 1907 until replaced with Cotton Belt locomotives in 1912-1913. 36

The newly-built tracks were just North of Hamilton on Sunday December 22, 1907 as a crew of men was laying the rail on the freshly positioned ties. Track laying up to the station in Hamilton was accomplished by Tuesday December 24, 1907. The first passenger train behind #51 to Hamilton from Stephenville arrived on Christmas Day 1907. The whole town showed up to celebrate the arrival of the new railroad and the promise of prosperity that it made. The SN&ST began regular service between Stephenville and Hamilton in January 1908.

The little Stephenville North & South Texas Railway was built by banking interests in Stephenville. This line was operated by this company for several years from 1907-1913. The trains were sometimes met at the depot in Hamilton by local businessmen Mr. John T. James and his son Cecil B. James for photos. Serious flooding took out part of the line in April 1908. This flooding caused the owners of the railroad to wish to sell their line and seek a buyer. A half interest in the line was sold to the Commonwealth trust Company of St. Louis in January 1909. Other interest in owning the line developed in the form of the St. Louis southwestern railway, also called the Cotton Belt. The St. Louis southwestern railway of Texas acquired the line in April of 1910. The original charter of the SN&ST was amended on April 18th of that year to allow further construction between: Stephenville and Thurber, Texas; Hamilton and Gatesville, Texas; and Hamilton and Comanche, Texas. 41

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Cotton Belt Engineer by Edwin C. Cooper Copyright © 2011 by Edwin C. Cooper. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents

Contents

INTRODUCTION....................vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WRITING THIS BOOK....................ix
CHAPTER 1: EARLY LIFE IN HAMILTON, TEXAS 1898-1917....................1
CHAPTER 2: BOOMING AROUND TEXAS 1917-1920....................13
CHAPTER 3: COMMERCE, TEXAS 1920-1929....................26
CHAPTER 4: TIMES OF TROUBLE 1930-1939....................47
CHAPTER 5: WORLD AT WAR 1940-1945....................59
CHAPTER 6: RECOVERY 1945-1949....................74
CHAPTER 7: THE END OF STEAM 1950-1953....................83
CHAPTER 8: PA CHOO-CHOO 1954-1967....................94
CHAPTER 9: GONE FISHIN' 1968-1981....................108
CHAPTER 10: ON BECOMING #1 1917-1967....................118
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................123
DISCOGRAPHY....................131
FILMOGRAPHY....................131
WEBLIOGRAPHY....................131
END NOTES....................133
INDEX....................155