Email Museum

White Deer Land Museum

116 S. Cuyler

Pampa, TX 79065

Five Barrett brothers came to Pampa in the early days

Five brothers, natives of Tennessee, came to Pampa in the early days. They were Edward Exum Barrett, Dr. Alfred Eugene Barrett, Charles Smith Barrett, Rev. Elmer Graves Barrett and Ernest Clifton Barrett.

The first brother to arrive in Pampa was Dr. Alfred Eugene Barrett. Born in 1869, he attended medical school at Nashville, Tennessee. While still a medical student, he came to Rockwall, Texas, selling a new fancy type of churn. There he met Bettie Keahey whose family was from Mississippi. They married on April 19, 1899, in Collin County, Texas.

Also in 1899, Dr. Barrett began his medical practice on horseback in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). He had progressed to the horse and buggy stage when he moved to Pampa in 1905. The A.E. Barrett home, at 902 East Browning, was near the first schoolhouse where the Union Church met. Dr. Barrett encouraged the Baptists of the community to organize their own church.

Because of bad health Dr. Barrett moved to Fort Stockton, Texas, in 1918. He and his son, Dr. Maurice Eugene Barrett, ran a hospital until Maurice was called into service during World War II.

Dr. Barrett continued to practice with the help of his daughter, Beatrice, a registered nurse, until he had completed 50 years of service. He died in 1950.

Another daughter, Emma Barrett Reeves, an English teacher, has done a great amount of genealogical research and has compiled a book, A Few Barrett Kin.

Other children were Mary Louise Greenwade and Selwin Phillip Barrett.

Bettie Barrett, who died in 1963, lived past 90 years of age. She was a skillful artisan in the art of carving wood and made many beautiful objects, pieces of furniture and boxes which are treasured works of art.

Ernest Clifton Barrett, born April 17, 1880, was the second brother to come to Pampa. He and his wife, the former Lydia F. Liebman, moved from Yukon, Oklahoma, in 1906 to live on their farm four miles south of town.

They were charter members of the First Baptist Church and Ernest's family reported that any time the church doors were open, he was there. The country home of the E.C. Barretts was a favorite place for fellow church members and other friends to meet for socials and games of all kinds.

Once when Ernest went to the depot to get some baby chicks that had been ordered, the chickens were not there but a deodorized shunk was. He bought the shunk and took it home where it became a family pet --- more playful than a kitten. However, it caused great consternation when unsuspecting visitors saw it without knowing that they would not receive an unwelcome shower.

E.C. Barrett died in 1952 and Lydia died in 1966. Both are buried in Fairview Cemetery. Their children were Rev. Lawrence Barrett, Loyd Barrett, Finley Barrett and Katherine Barret who married Burton "Toppy" Reynolds.

Charles Smith Barrett was the third brother to come to Pampa. Born in 1872, he attended public schools in Nashville, Tennessee and worked in a general mercantile business with W.L. Neal in New Middleton, Tennessee.

On Sunday afternoon, July 31, 1898, he and Pearl Jones set out for a buggy ride. They picked up a minister and were married as they drove along the road.

Their first son, Julian Nicholas Barrett, was born in Tennessee, and their second son, Clarence Neal Barrett, was born in Oklahoma.

The C.S. Barrett family settled one mile south of Pampa on a farm of 760 acres. They moved an existing house to the corner of McCullough Street and the Clarendon highway. Inez Barrett was born in this house on September 28, 1913.

Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Barrett were charter members of the First Baptist Church, and he was superintendent of the Sunday School for many years. He was a thirty-second degree Mason, and he enjoyed driving an antique buggy in the early Top 0' Texas parades.

C.S. Barrett was president and manager of Pampa Grain Co., Inc., established in 1912. The company bought and shipped grain to all parts of the country. It had a loading elevator with a capacity of eighteen thousand bushels of grain.

Both C.S. and Pearl Jones Barrett died in 1962 and were buried in Fairview Cemetery.

Their son Julian, a member of the first football team in Pampa, married Virginia Howard. They had a daughter and twin sons who died in infancy.

Clarence and his wife, Ruth Madden, had two daughters, Betty Tucker and Ruth Ann Hempel, both of Dallas.

Inez married Ell McCarley, a former jeweler, rancher and farmer in Gray County. Ell, who died in 1979, and Inez, who died in 1983, established a charitable foundation to benefit needs in Pampa. The H.E. and Inez B. McCarley Park at the corner of West Atchison and South Russell was developed with funds from this foundation.

Edward Exum Barrett, born in 1863, and his wife, the former Hannah Deaton, moved to Pampa in 1913. E.E. Barrett enabled each of his four children to obtsin his or her own farm. The four children were James Bennett Barrett, Henry Madden Barrett, Martha Barrett Sailors and Elbert Exum Barrett. Only Ben and Mattie's farms are still owned by family members.

E.E. Barrett also purchased lots at Fairview Cemetery with room for 16 graves. He died in 1921 and Hannah Barrett died in 1944.

The Rev. Elmer Graves Barrett lingered longer than his brothers in Oklahoma where he married Grace Julian in 1901. They arrived in Pampa on June 1, 1915.

For 12 years Rev. Barrett had a watchmaking and repair shop in the 101 block of South Cuyler. Also he raised wheat on his farm southwest of Pampa. The E.G. Barrett home was at 221 North Wynne (sometimes listed as 522 East Francis).

Beginning in 1927, Rev. Barrett devoted most of his time to ministerial work. He established and gave the building for the Amarada Mission south of Pampa. He conducted services at hours that were convenient for oil field workers who otherwise would have had little or no opportunity for religious worship. He was never too busy to assist anyone in need and was popular not only with oil field workers but also with company officials and business men of Pampa. The Barrett Baptist Church at 903 East Beryl was named for Rev. Barrett.

Rev. Elmer and Grace Barrett did much to encourage and support young preachers, especially those interested in missions. Also they helped many young people to obtain college educations.

Rev. Barrett's hobby was tinkering, manufacturing and building oddities of various sorts. He had a complete assortment of miniature lathes, saws, forges and other accessories and made many interesting and unique objects.

Grace Julian Barrett died in 1958 and Rev. Elmer G. Barrett died in 1963.

Their seven daughters were Ruth Barrett Meek, Lois Barrett, Eunice Barrett Leach, Sarah Barrett Bradshaw, Cornelia Barrett Logan, Elizabeth Barrett Finley and Bernice Barrett Johnson.

James Bennett "Ben" Barrett, son of Edward Exum and Hannah Barrett, married Allie Gertrude Poore on November 22, 1908, in Oklahoma. In 1913 they came to live on a farm two miles south of Pampa where their sons, Floyd and Raymond, now live.

Parents of nine children, Ben and Allie Barrett celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1958. Ben Barrett died in 1965 and Allie Barrett died in 1969.

A reunion of 124 members of the Ben Barrett family was held on the family farm in the summer of 1992.

(Most of this information was provided by Lois (Mrs. Paul) Barrett.)