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Submitted: 4/20/21 • Approved: 4/21/21 • Last Updated: 4/24/21 • R411067-G0-S3
September 27, 1909 - September 11, 1992
William Happel was born September 27, 1909. He was named for the Leatherwood family doctor in Cleburne and called Happel by very few people, other than his mother, but went by the nickname "Cotton". He was the third son born to Mitt and Cora Leatherwood. His brothers were Jake, Bud and Buster, Buster lived only seven years.
Cotton attended school at Wake, Leatherwood and Crosbyton. The family moved to Crosbyton from the East Plains in 1921 so the boys could continue their education. Jake and Cotton graduated from C.H.S. in 1927, and Bud the following year. The Leatherwood boys were very athletic, all played on Crosbyton football team, with Cotton playing right guard or center. In 1929 and 1930, having received a football scholarship, he went to school in Plainview and played under the direction of coach Frank Kimbrough at Wayland Baptist College. One of the teams defeated during this time by young Leatherwood´s team was Texas Tech. Trips were taken by the team by bus. Wayland Jackrabbits were one of the first teams in Texas to play under the night lights at El Paso School of Mines. Transportation to Wayland for Cotton was by car to Floydada and from there to Plainview by train. College life for Cotton was short. Having lost his father in death in 1927, he had to leave school at mid-team during this second year in college to help care for his mother´s farm and ranch. In Oct. 1921, John and Rozzie Lee Steadham moved their family from near Graham to Crosby Co. and one of the daughters, Linnie Jewel, born Nov. 27, 1911, later became the wife of Cotton. They were married Aug. 12, 1933 in Lorenzo.
Jewel attended school at Leatherwood, Pansy, McAdoo and Crosbyton High. She was on the basketball team at Leatherwood and Pansy which was played on outdoor courts. The teams dressed in white blouses and black sateen bloomers.
Courting for the Leatherwoods, as it was for most young couples on the East Plains during the depression years, usually meant going in groups and with whatever form of transportation the boys could secure, which might be horseback, horse drawn wagons, trucks or Model T´s and A´s.
Cotton and Jewel have one son Kenneth.
Cotton is a long time member of Masonic Lodge, and he and Jewel are members of Order of Eastern Star. Jewel is a member of First United Methodist Church in Crosbyton. They resided on the East Plains just a short distance from the place where Cotton was born.
Contributed on 4/20/21 by texasfindagraver
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Record #: 411067