Peacock Texas. (original) (raw)

	Downtown Peacock Photo courtesy Jack Williams, Nov. 2002

A timeline of significant events in Peacock's history

1909: Peacock was originally called Alluvia when it was a stop on the Stamford and Northwestern Railway.
1910: The name was changed when J. W. Peacock, postmaster, moved his store to Alluvia.
The population at that time was 100.
1914: A tornado wrecked the town, but growth continued
1920: The population was 350 people.
1940: the town was reduced to 216 residents
1964: The Peacock school closed.
1980: The population was 125.

| | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Peacock community center Photo courtesy Jack Williams, Nov. 2002 | |

| | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | Another downtown view of Peacock Photo courtesy Jack Williams, Nov. 2002 | |

Peacock Texas Forum

• Subject: Peacock Naming
  I have often wondered if Peacock, Texas was named for my family. As a child my family would frequently visit Throckmorton and (I believe) Peacock. My father's side of the family all lived in that general area. My maiden name is Peacock and my father was Kenneth Don Peacock. His father was Braxton Bragg Peacock. I understand there is a reunion planned for the high school there on July 13th thru the 15th, 2007. I hope that someone has information as to the town and its naming. - Jamie Peacock Lambert, July 05, 2007
• WW2 Paratrooper from Peacock, Texas
  I am an English tour guide who takes people to visit WW2 battlefields in Normandy. I now live permanently in Normandy and I am trying to research the story of a WW2 paratrooper from Peacock, Texas who died in the house where I now live on June 8th 1944. His name was Ray C. Kennedy and originally came from Peacock in Texas. I know from your online article that this is a very small town and I am currently trying to research Mr. Kennedy's story in order to hopefully, one day, publish it. I know Ray Kennedy was born in 1917 and his parents (Surilla and Mr. C. E. Kennedy) lived in Peacock at the time of his death. Is there any resource you can think of in order to further my research and to possibly, maybe, trace any family he may have in Texas today? Many thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide. Kind regards Stuart Robertson Normandy, France, July 12, 2006 stuartmrobertson@yahoo.co.uk

Photo - Peacock, Texas ca 1916

• This is in response to Frances Gandy-Walsh's (July 01, 2005) request for information about photo - Peacock, Texas ca 1916.
  My husband, Carl Emmitt McMahon, was born and raised in Stonewall County. He and his family lived on a farm about 12 southwest of Peacock. The farm was just to the north of the Double Mountains. Carl is Delores Miles older brother. She wrote the story Memories of Uncle Bob and a Wooden Box.
  Carl remembers the train depot. He said it was on the south side of the railroad track and on the north side of the road that went to the schoolhouse. The road going to the school house crossed the railroad track just east of the building. The building faced the north so the east end behind the gate was where the passengers waited and the west end was for the freight storage. In the photo, the west end would be behind the children on the fence.
  Carl said he was probably about 5 years old the first time he rode the train. This would be in 1942. He was going to Jaytonto see his Grandpa McMahon. He went with his older sister, Bennie Faun. It was 12 miles to Jayton on the train.
  Carl said there was a tornado that almost blew the town away in 1914 and maybe that is why he doesn't remember the fence. It was probably damaged and they just tore it down. When he was small the station manager was Ed Franks. He had a son, Charles Ray, about Carl's age and he and Carl would go down there and play. Carl said Charles Ray's dad gave them each a penny to put on the railroad track before the train came in. He thought that was pretty neat.
  The cotton gin was west of the station. There was a side track that they would put the cars on to load the cotton. Across the tracks from the cotton gin was the stock yards where they would pen the cattle to ship out. Carl doesn't remember seeing them load any cattle but they played in the pens. He does remember them loading the cotton bales on the box cars. He remembers that one time the bales caught on fire in one of the boxcars. The men in town came to fight the fire and pulled out all the bales that were smoldering and loaded them onto a trailer. They carried them down and put them in the windmill water tank to put the fires out. - Jean McMahon, May 21, 2006

• My great grandfather, Lewis Marshall Delano (1874 Indiana, d. 1943 Ca.), worked for the Railroad in Peacock.....He was married to Stella Catherine Phillips (1881 Ala - 1941 Ca.).....They had Clara, Edward, Mae Etta, Lewis Harley (he was born 18 Jun 1912, in Peacock, Stonewall, TX.)...and last son Forrest who was born 1918 in Jack Co. Texas.
  I can pinpoint the timeline of this photo..........as a photo post card, addressed to L. M. Delano, Peacock TX... in this post card is a cousin, George Wright, a baby, who at that time was about one year old., George was b. 1915 Knox Co. Tx.......
  If you look close you will see the railroad tracks, this might have been station house.....I think Lewis Delano was a Section Forman, or what might be called a Station Master.
  Don't know if any one can identify where in Peacock this photo was taken. I would like to know if it still exists.
  Thanks for all your efforts to gather up information on towns of Texas. - Frances Gandy-Walsh, July 01, 2005

• Your pictures and stories of Peacock are most interesting. I was born in 1941 to Aubrey and Lanie McMahon. Both are now deceased. My Mom passed away in October of last year. She was 102. She would of been able to identify the building in the picture. I was not raised in Peacock but on a farm at the foot of the Double Mountains. I graduated from Peacock High School in 1959. It is always nice to go the Peacock Reunion and visit with both the old and young people that grew up calling Peacock home. Hopefully I'll see you there sometime. Wish I could help with the picture.
  I have a story I wrote about a visit to Peacock when I was very young. I will send it you might enjoy it and pick up on the spirit of the time. - Delores Miles, April 18, 2006
  Delores Miles' Story:
  Memories of Uncle Bob and a Wooden Box 5-6-06

• PEACOCK REUNION

The 2009 Peacock Reunion will be held on July 10-12, 2009.

For more information call -
Jean Collom Bachman @ 806- 331-4135 or write her @ 6620 Estacado Lane, Amarillo, Texas 79109 or
Bill Blanton @ 806-254-2922 or write him @ P.O. Box 835, Aspermont, Texas 79052
Every other year two classes have their class reunion. There are a number of RV hook-ups with water to them for $10.00 a night.

• The last 2 years they have held a Bluegrass Music Pickin' & Grinnin' on the first week-end in May at the Peacock Reunion Pavilion. In 2007 it will be May 3-7. This is non-amplified music. There are 15 - (30amp) electric/water hook-ups and a dump station for RVers. The cost this year was $10.00 a night but because of the utility rate increase it may have to go up a bit. Though this year musicians started coming in on the Sunday before and others came in all during the week. It is not a formal festival, just everyone sitting around playing and singing, jam session style. Bands that have their band members there can play about a 20-30 minute session if they want to. But mostly it is just come sit and play. There is no restaurant in Peacock, so it is furnish your own meals or drive to Aspermont or Jayton to eat. We have 1 big potluck supper on Saturday but may change it to Friday. For more info contact: Carl McMahon -325-947-8549 (home)
  There is a new antique/gift shop in Peacock. The Shop in Peacock, Texas is the name of it. It is across the street and in the photo listed as Another downtown view of Peacock. It is the white building on the left. - Thanks, Jean McMahon, May 21, 2006
  Area Hotels - Book Here & Save:
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• Subject: Peacock Texas
  My mom and her family grew up in Peacock as children. Of course my Mom is 70 and I am 51.
  As a child we use to travel from Beaumont Texas to Peacock for vacation and it always amazed me that we lived in a big city and there always seem to be more to do in Peacock.
  My Aunt and her husband go to the reunion every year there. The last time she was there she bought a book about the history of Peacock. I would like to know if you know where I would be able to get that book.
  My mom always said that Peacock was a "Black and White town" meaning because it is so old. Thank you - Debbie Brown, Beaumont, Texas, June 29, 2005
  Area Hotels - Book Here & Save:
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  Abilene Hotels
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