Page 38 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2021- Online Magazine

Slaughter Ranch’s “Zavala Camp” and stock tank with
Cottonwood trees that are probably over 100 years old.

are also the last two counties drought, the extreme weather, as a working ranch but is on
organized in the lower 48 states and the remoteness. Those who land that has some of the richest
of the United States. Hockley and stayed through hard times were reserves of oil and gas in Texas.
Cochran counties are known as rewarded by bounty in many David DeVitt helped establish
the “Last Frontier” in Texas. forms: a land with beauty all its the ranch in 1885, and his
own and the people who made descendants have used proceeds
Hockley County was named for it a special place to live. Native earned from this land to fund
George Washington Hockley. grassland here attracted bison the CH Foundation, Helen
Hockley had served as Sam and other animals. The nutritious Jones Foundation, and the Plum
Houston’s aide and chief artillery grasses and the rich soils made the Foundation. These entities have
officer at the battle of San Jacinto. land ideal for cattle ranching. benefitted the entire South Plains
Hockley later served as Houston’s area by providing grants and
Secretary of War and, in 1843, Hockley County has a unique scholarships, touching countless
went to Mexico on Houston’s history. The southern boundary lives in the arts, education, and
behalf to arrange an armistice. of the 3,000,000-acre XIT Ranch medical fields.
George W. Hockley died in is here. This land was given
Corpus Christi on June 6, 1854 to the owners in exchange for Since the first oil well was
and is buried in the Old Bayview constructing the state Capitol completed on April 6, 1937, south
Cemetery. building in Austin in 1885. The of Sundown, Hockley County has
Yellowhouse Ranch still operates continued to be one of the top
Settlers first came to this area on land that was part of the XIT. producers of oil and gas in Texas.
attracted by cheap land. They Production has far exceeded a
were willing to work hard The Mallet Ranch in southern billion barrels of oil.
despite the difficulties of Hockley County has continued

Photo of the Hockley County Square with windmill and patch of black-eyed peas anyone could pick. This photo was taken on August 6, 1925 and shows
a celebration of the coming of the railroad to Levelland. The image was taken by Daniel Studios of Lubbock and is in the author’s collection.

38 Lubbock Senior Link