A History Of Clay County

WILLIAM CHARLES TAYLOR

Publication: Jenkins Publishing Company, 1972, Austin and New York

First edition. 8vo. Orange - colored pebbled cloth, titles stamped in black on the front cover and spine, xii [4], 168 pp., acknowledgements, foreword, illustrated, portraits, bibliography, footnotes, appendix, index. Clay County is east of Wichita County and adjacent to Oklahoma. It was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1857, organized in 1860, and de-organized in 1863 when the forts in the area were abandoned during the Civil War which resulted in depredations by the Comanches and Kiowas. After the war ended and the forts were reoccupied, the county was reorganized in 1873. There is a chapter devoted to the early exploration of the area with material on the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, Snively Expedition and the expeditions of Randolph B. Marcy. Another chapter examines the first attempt at permanent white settlement with information on the early ranchers, first settlements, and their ultimate abandonment. The permanent settlement, initiated by Henry Whaley in 1869, is covered in a separate chapter. There is material on oil and gas resources, education, churches, local governmental entities, farming, and, of course, ranching. The appendix contains a list of Civil War veterans buried in the county. A tiny split to foot of spine else a fine tight copy in a bright, fresh price-clipped dust jacket with one tiny old water stain to the foot of spine and not affecting the book itself.

Inventory Number: 53205