Larger Than Life Cousin?

With high school football, the fall season approaching,and the State Fair of Texas beginning, it brings to mind many great memories from growing up in rural Texas. These memories have also lead to great new discoveries about my family.

On a recent visit to Navarro County, doing some research, some I learned of great story that may bring good memories to some in the family. I arrived in the town of Mertens (pronounced locally as Mer TENZ) looking for the Prairie Grove Cemetery. I found it to be located south of town at the community of Emmett. I arrived at where the map indicated it should be and found a small cemetery next to the Emmett Church. The signed labeled it as the Emmett Cemetery.

As a I looked around, double checked the map, and started walking toward the gate, two painters at the old church greeted me. I inquired as to the name of the cemetery, they both indicated this was the "Emmett Cemetery", but neither of the locals had heard of "Prairie Grove". We discussed the location and possibilities for a few moments, then discussed the ancestor names of Spurlock that I was searching for. They thought there might be some Spurlock's buried in the Emmet Cemetery and so I began my search. As luck would have it, I was able to find two of the family members I sought.

As I wrapped up my search, one of the painters asked if I had been successful. After a few minutes of discussing the success, he suggested that I speak with his wife at the library in Corsicanna. He indicated that they had a nice geneaology department, s, I thanked him and headed for Corsicana.

Donna Stubbs, the painters wife, was not working until later in the day, so I left a note for her to contact me. I left a few of the local names I had been researching, including Sidney T Wade and Leanne Wade Spurlock, and having completed my research at Corsicana, I headed back home. Later that evening I received an email from Corsicana, with match a for the names I had left.

After several emails and a couple of phone conversations, with Donna Stubbs a wonderful story emerged.

Leanne Wade was the daughter of James Webster and Racheal Williamson Wade of Jackson County, Tennessee. She was born in June of 1869, the fifth of eight children. I alread knew that her siblings, Finis E, Sidney T, Isham B, and Margarett T had come to Texas from Jackson County at various times between 1895 and 1907. I was unaware that She had come to Texas as well.

Leanne married Melvin B Spurlock, October 24, 1885 in Jackson County, Tennessee. By 1904 she was the mother of 7 children, all born in Jackson County, Tennessee. Her eighth child was born in Texas, in 1908. According to census records, Melvin B was living in Smith County, Tennessee in 1910, while Leanne and the children were in Navarro County, Texas. Apparently she left with the children while pregnant with her eighth child. According to the 1910 census, both Melvin B and Leanne indicated that each of them were widowed. (This leads to a whole other set of research questions!)

Leanne's sixth child was Ottis Franklin Spurlock. He was born July 6, 1902 in Jackson County, Tennessee. In his adulthood, Ottis Franklin was a grocer in the Navarro County town of Kerens. He was said to be 6 feet tall and weigh about 200 pounds.

In 1949, the Chamber of Commerce at Kerens felt they needed an attraction for the Christmas season to keep shoppers in Kerens rather than travelling to nearby Corsicana, or even Dallas or Fort Worth for there Christmas shopping. The chamber president came up with the idea of a giant Santa Clause in the city square as a draw. Two individuals were selected to be models for the giant Santa, so that one would be available at all times in case of need. Because of their large physical stature, and similar height and weight, Hardy Mayo and O.F. Spurlock were selected to be the models.

To get the dimensions of the giant Santa, the measurements of the models were multiplied by 7. Once Santa's hat was applied, the giant Santa was 49 feet tall. Made from steel drilling casing, chicken whire, paper mache' and rope, with oil cloth clothing, Santa became a town effort. He was built laying down, over a period of 8 months. Standing him upright, became the largest hurdle of the process. Santa became a huge hit. Even the passenger train going through town would slow down so folks could get a look at him!

In 1950, a storm came through and wrecked the paper-mache head of Santa. The art department at Baylor University in Waco help restore him and he made his second appearance with a giant chimney added for him to climb out of. After the second season, the novelty wore off. Few people came to see the giant Santa, community support fell off, and with no place to store Santa, it was decided it was time to sell him.

A buyer for the steel frame Santa was found in the person of RL Turner of Dallas. Mr. Turner took the steel frame and gave Santa a make over of epic proportions. Since 1952, he has greeted millions of people making a visit to Dallas, Texas. He may be one of the best known Texans today. He makes an annual visit to Dallas for about a month at a time at the State Fair of Texas. He is now known as BIG TEX!

So when you head to the State Fair of Texas, and Tex greets you with the booming "Howdy Pardner", give a wave and say hello to my cousin for me!

To see full story of the largest Santa Clause, see the article from Corsicana Now magazine, October 2008.