Here I am trying to finish this book.  I am still plugging away at the building business.  I guess I am about through as I am getting too old to go with it.  One thing about life, I have raised five kids and helped a lot of others.  I am one of the few my old gang of friends still around to talk over old times. 

Just a little run down of kinfolks.  1987

     July 19, 1881, William Marion Smith was born to Joseph and Mahalia Allison Smith at Calf Creek, Texas, near Brady, Texas. He was one fourth Cherokee Indian. The Cherokee was of the Tennessee variety Indian. The Indian came from his grandmother's side of the family.
     April 8, 1889, Mary Louise Murray was born to Dougal Leroy and Mary Louise Wells Murray at Eden, Texas. She was of full blood Irish descent and Murray was of Scotch descent.
     William Marion Smith and Mary Louise Murray were married November 7, 1907, in Menard, Texas. She was a Baptist and he was a Methodist.
     William Murray Smith, first child, was born July 7, 1909, in Eden, Texas. He died July 15, 1967.
     Charles Triplett Smith, second child, was born December 25, 1910, in Eidorado, Texas. The Charles came from Mr. Charley White, owner of the Hord Ranch at Brady, Texas. My father was top bronc rider for the ranch.  The Triplett was after John A. Triplett of Pache, Texas, between Brady and Eden. He was owner of the Old Pache General Mercantile Store.
     Alma Louise Smith, first girl, was born November 18, 1917. She was named after Alma Ramsel in Douglas, Arizona.
     Oma Lee Smith was born August 18, 1919, at Alexander Neighborhood Community, near Eldorado, Texas.
     William Marion Smith died at 72 years on April 12, 1954 at Springdale, Arkansas. Mary Louise Murray Smith died at 86 years on October 4, 1975, at Alpine, Texas. Both are buried at Elm Grove cemetery in Alpine, Texas.

     Mr. W.A. Oatman came to Marfa in 1913. He helped build the Limpia Hotel in Ft. Davis and he built the Alta Vista Hotel in 1913. In 1938 he came back to Marfa to make a modern hotel from the Alta Vista, which became the Crews Hotel. He built the Methodist Church in 1924, in Alpine. He put the 2nd storey on the Holland Hotel in 1925, in Alpine.  In 1920, he built a home for the old Texas Ranger, Captain J.B. Gillett, in Marfa.
     He met Gertrude Odell of Balmorhea in 1913. They married December 5, 1915. They had five children: Marjorie (b. September 23, 1917), Dorothy (b. ), Dorine (b. May 24, 1921, d. November 8, 1964), Arthur (b. ), and W.A., Jr (b. ). Mr. Oatman was born at Camp Verde, Texas, on January 2, 1887, and died at Marathon on May 21, 1973, at 86 years of age. Mrs. Oatman was born at Aurora, Texas, on October 25, 1892, and died in Alpine on November 21, 1974, at the age of 82 years. Both are buried in the cemetery at Marathon, Texas.