George A. STAMBAUGH

April 1, 1864-May 25, 1925

*Photo, courtesy of Mary (Coggin) Russell

*Obituary
George A. Stambaugh, Pioneer, Died Here Monday

The thinning ranks of Hereford's pioneers were further depleted on Monday, May 25, by the death of George A. Stambaugh, veteran merchant, who succumbed to pneumonia after an illness extending over ten days or two weeks. Funeral services were held at the First Christian church Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Fred W. O'Mailey of Amarillo, and burial took place at the Hereford cemetery.

Mr. Stambaugh was 61 years of age. He is survived by his wife and one son, George Vivian Stambaugh, two brothers, Ollie and Willie Stambaugh of Celina, Texas, and two sisters, Mrs. A.E. London of Beeville, Texas, and Mrs. Joel Eller of Clovis, N.M. The son, Geo. V., who recently graduated at the University of Southern California, arrived Tuesday in time for the funeral. Other relatives present were Walter and Boyd London, nephews, of Hereford, Dr. and Earl Stambaugh, Mary Ellen and Iva Stambaugh of Celina; nieces and nephews.

Deceased was born April 1, 1864, in Collin county, Texas, where he lived until he moved to Claude in 1898. He also resided a few months at Clarendon. He was married December 27, 1894, to Miss Inez I. Harris. He removed to Hereford in 1898.

After deciding upon Hereford as his home, he bought land and built the home which the family still occupies. He was engaged in the coal and grain business with the father of John Patton, a Mr. Garner and A.J. Lipscomb as partners, but after four or five years they sold out. He then purchased the old Smith-Walker business located on the site of the present Stambaugh store, and outside of one year spent in California has been continually in the general merchandise business here ever since.

Mr. Stambaugh had the distinction of being perhaps the second merchant to do business here. D.R. Gass being the first beyond question. Mr. Stambaugh was an active member of the Christian church all his life and was affiliated with the local lodge of Odd Fellows. His death is a blow to a wide circle of friends in this section of the Plains.

(Published in The Hereford Brand, 25th Year, No. 19, Hereford, Deaf Smith County, Texas, Thursday, May 28, 1925, Page 1)
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STAMBAUGH, GEORGE A.
Helped Clothe The Town

Yards and yards of material, from calico to silk, and other supplies were sold to pioneer Deaf Smith County families by Mr. and Mrs. George A. Stambaugh, who came to Hereford a few months after the town was established. He had come in January of 1899 to establish a grain and feed store just across the railroad track on South Main where Pitman Elevator now is located. He managed Rockwell Lumber Yard just across the street also.

Mrs. Stambaugh joined him here in March of that year. She came from Salina, Tex., their former home, in a passenger coach attached to a long line of freight cars. Because there was no hotel here, they were welcomed into the C. G. Witherspoon home until they got a house of their own.

Mrs. Stambaugh recalled that first winter as a hard one. Cattle were dying, and as ranchers came for feed they brought wagon loads of cow hides for sale. Houses were being moved to Hereford from La Plata at that time.

Stambaugh bought a part of the Hereford Mercantile in partnership with Patton, Lipscomb, and Garner. About 1904 he established the Stambaugh Dry Goods Store. Mrs. Stambaugh worked with him in the store, and their son, George V., who was born in Hereford, helped during vacations and after school as he grew up. After graduating from Hereford High School, he attended Wentworth Military Academy and was graduated from the University of Southern California.

Following the death of his father in 1925, George V. Stambaugh returned to work with his mother in the store until they disposed of it in 1930. He operated a dry cleaning business for a time and is now associated with the West Texas Rural Telephone Company serving Deaf Smith County and the area.

George A. Stambaugh was born in Collin County, Texas, on April 1, 1864, and was married to Miss Inez Harris in Collin County. She was a native of Illinois and came to Texas at the age of 16. After remaining a widow for many years, Mrs. Stambaugh was married to Jim Hill in Clevis on Sept. 11, 1942. She has continued to maintain her home on East Fourth Street since Mr. Hill's death.

Two pioneer families were united when George V. Stambaugh was married to Miss Mabel Gass here on May 1, 1938. The D. R. Gass family had arrived in Hereford the same week as the Stambaughs. The young people had been born in neighboring houses, attended school, and grew up together.

All the Stambaughs have been active in the First Christian Church through the years. As businessman, the father and son were active in the development of Hereford through the chamber of commerce-or board of development, as it was known in the early years. (A History of Deaf Smith County, by Bessie Patterson, 1964 - Transcribed by Patty Evernden)

Texas, Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1965
Name: G A Stambaugh
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 27 Dec 1894
Marriage Place: Collin, Texas, United States
Spouse: Inis Harris
FHL Film Number: 1007997

Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000
Name: George A. Stambaugh
Death Date: 25 May 1925
Death County: Deaf Smith
Certificate: 17386

Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
Name: George A Stambaugh
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 61
Birth Date: 1 Apr 1864
Birth Place: Texas
Death Date: 25 May 1925
Death Place: Hereford, Deaf Smith, Texas, USA
Father: R I Stambaugh

Contributed on 9/1/22 by neldapat
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Record #: 534975

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