100 years ago in TEXAS

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Well its midsummer with the second half to go. One hundred years ago the Stephenville, North and South Texas Railway was building the 43 miles south from Stephenville to Hamilton. The subject of my book was living in Hamilton at that time. It would have been a walk of about four miles from Hamilton to the bridge site on the Leon River.

CHAPTER -1

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.

Ed Cooper
Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society

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The newly-built tracks of the SN&ST 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 new station in Hamilton was accomplished by December 24, 1907. Cecil Standefer would have seen these events, he was nine years old at the time.

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The first SN&ST passenger train to Hamilton from Stephenville arrived on Christmas Day 1907 behind Ten Wheeler #51. The whole town showed up to celebrate the arrival on the new railroad and the promise of prosperity that it made. Hamilton, TEXAS was finally on the railroad map and it happened 100 years ago today.

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As of January 1, 1908 the Stephenville, North & South Texas Railway began regular service between Stephenville and Hamilton. You can find out a little bit more about the SN&ST here on R J McKay's website www.geocities.com/lokomac8/snst.htm

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A great flood took out the Leon River Crossing and the Alexander, Texas station in April 1908. SN&ST Ten Wheeler #51 went in the ditch and had to be repaired. Because of the flooding and resultant high repair bills to a then new railroad, the Stephenville owners went looking for a buyer for their railroad. And so the Stephenville, North and South Texas Railway would be sold to the Commonwealth Trust Company of St. Louis. Two more years would pass before another St. Louis concern would become interested in the little SN&ST.