The Story of Bert and Annie Lard |
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Albert Lee "Bert" Lard, the youngest child of William Thomas and Katherine (Chittum) Lard, was related to the Ledricks and Walstads because his oldest sister, Amanda Jane "Jenny" was married to Henry Ledrick. Annie Zeporia Newby was the daughter of the John Henry Newbys who came from Graham, Texas and bought land in Roberts County. When the Newbys decided to return to Graham, Bert and Annie, who had married in Roberts County in 1891, bought the Newby ranch on Tallehone Creek 24 miles north of Pampa. Like the Ledricks and Walstads, Bert and Annie moved to Pampa about 1906. They brought six children: Jennie Katherine, Frank Lowe, Jeff David, Elida Ellen, John Newby and Roy Lee. (A still-born daughter had been buried on the Ledrick ranch in Roberts County,) Three younger children, Elsie May, Albert Thomas and Amy, were born at At first the Bert Lard family lived at the Meers house in the 200 block of East Francis-- just across the street from Your Laundry and Dry Cleaners. ~ While they lived in the Meers house, the Lard boys had wonderful times in a little wagon to which goats were attached and driven for some distance. On return trips the goats would run at full speed and go through the yard fence while the boys hung frantically to the wagon. The boys were never hurt, but the fence often needed repairs. Later the family moved to 201 East Francis and lived in a house that was sold to Mr. Pipkins in 1909 when Bert built a larger house. In 1929 Annie and her sons, Albert, Jeff and Roy, lived at 215 North Wynne. Soon after coming to Pampa, Bert with J. S. Wynne started a business known as the Lard and Wynne Land Company at 123 South Ballard (Post Office Service for many years). In 1907 a Miami newspaper reported that the A. L. Lard Real Estate Co. was having an office building erected in the rear room of the Crony Printing Office. (The Crony later became The Pampa Daily News.) Bert traveled extensively for several years promoting, buying and selling land and cattle. He was ~ne of the signers of the petition, dated February 17, 1912, for the incorporation of the town of Pampa. When Annie expected Bert to return from his trips, she left a lamp burning in a window so that he could find, his way home after he got of f the train. The light was especially needed in the winter months because of the snows and blizzards. During the winters there were chickens to dig from under several feet of snow .. and wood and coal to bring inside for fuel in the stores. The family had wonderful times at the "draw" (Red Deer Creek that runs through Central Park). After the spring and summer rains, the water would freeze over and provide skating for miles. M. K. Brown and Jennie Katherine "Kate", who could not kate, had a smooth place where they could run and slide. When skaters came up to their smooth place, Brown would say to the skaters in his British accent, "Skaters! Skaters! Get. of f of our slide!
Have you no manners?" There were places for picnics under a grove of trees and visits to friends and relatives. Often they went to the depot to watch trains come in and depart. They liked to see who came and who left and to watch baggage being unloaded and replaced by other baggage. The land seemed so level that they could see a train leave Panhandle and watch the headlights until the train pulled in at Pampa. Annie Z. Lard died May 20, 1937. Albert Lee Lard~ died December 25,1945. Both are buried at Fairview Cemetery. Frank and Jeff, who enlisted to serve their country during WWI, were both sent to France. When they left Pampa, they thought that they might never see each other again -- but one day while Frank was watching troops unload near Brest, France, he saw his brother Jeff. They crossed paths two other times while they were in Europe. After the war, Frank was a. water well contractor in Pampa and later built and operated Pampa's first motel-- the L Ranch Motel at East Frederic. Jeff was involved in the construction of many of the homes in the north part of Pampa. John moved to Phoenix, Arizona and began his business of water well drilling. Roy, who served in WWII, returned to Pampa where he worked in the oil fields. Albert Thomas, known as a fancy skater on the ice in4present Central Park, was one of the~"Four Horsemen" of Pampa High School Harvester football fame. (The other three were Don Saulsbury, Ray Chastain and Durwood "Pest" Martindale,) Albert served in the Seabees during WWII and then settled in Amarillo where he was an electrical contractor and owned Lard's Electric. Elida Ellen, at the age of 12, died from a ruptured appendix. Amy was an executive with Frost Brothers in Corpus Christi where she lived with her husband, Mickey Brooks. Jennie Katherine and Elsie May will be the subjects of future Mementos. * * * (Stories of the Lard, Ledrick and Walstad families are in the histories of Roberts and Gray counties, Kay Lard of Phoenix, Arizona has sent additional material to the White Deer Land Museum. Zip Hall of the Lard family and Katy Wilde and Mary Kneisley of the Ledrick family have assisted in preparing the articles about their families.)
Have you no manners?" There were places for picnics under a grove of trees and visits to friends and relatives. Often they went to the depot to watch trains come in and depart. They liked to see who came and who left and to watch baggage being unloaded and replaced by other baggage. The land seemed so level that they could see a train leave Panhandle and watch the headlights until the train pulled in at Pampa. Annie Z. Lard died May 20, 1937. Albert Lee Lard~ died December 25,1945. Both are buried at Fairview Cemetery. Frank and Jeff, who enlisted to serve their country during WWI, were both sent to France. When they left Pampa, they thought that they might never see each other again -- but one day while Frank was watching troops unload near Brest, France, he saw his brother Jeff. They crossed paths two other times while they were in Europe. After the war, Frank was a. water well contractor in Pampa and later built and operated Pampa's first motel-- the L Ranch Motel at East Frederic. Jeff was involved in the construction of many of the homes in the north part of Pampa. John moved to Phoenix, Arizona and began his business of water well drilling. Roy, who served in WWII, returned to Pampa where he worked in the oil fields. Albert Thomas, known as a fancy skater on the ice in4present Central Park, was one of the~"Four Horsemen" of Pampa High School Harvester football fame. (The other three were Don Saulsbury, Ray Chastain and Durwood "Pest" Martindale,) Albert served in the Seabees during WWII and then settled in Amarillo where he was an electrical contractor and owned Lard's Electric. Elida Ellen, at the age of 12, died from a ruptured appendix. Amy was an executive with Frost Brothers in Corpus Christi where she lived with her husband, Mickey Brooks. Jennie Katherine and Elsie May will be the subjects of future Mementos. * * * (Stories of the Lard, Ledrick and Walstad families are in the histories of Roberts and Gray counties, Kay Lard of Phoenix, Arizona has sent additional material to the White Deer Land Museum. Zip Hall of the Lard family and Katy Wilde and Mary Kneisley of the Ledrick family have assisted in preparing the articles about their families.)