
William Thomas and Katherine Lard
William Thomas Lard, born in 1828 in Bedford County, Tennessee, was one year old when he moved with his parents to Clay County, Missouri.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
He became a freighter and an Indian trader and was known as “Uncle Billy” to both Indians and whites. On April 4, 1848, he married Katherine Staley Chittun, and they became the parents of nine children: Sue, Jennie, twins Elida Ellen and John, twins Emma and Tom, William Simpson (Mage), James David (Dave) and Albert Lee (Bert). W.T. Lard moved his family from Missouri through Kansas and Old Fort Elliott (Mobeetie) to Roberts County, Texas.
They were in Council Grove, Kansas where twins Emma and Tom were born, died and were buried. The family was living with Indians and outlaws on the Kaw Indian Reservation near Council Grove in 1863 when James David (Dave) was born. The W.T. Lard family came to the area of Fort Elliott in 1881 and lived for a time on the McCamey ranch, seven miles from Mobeetie. For three years Katherine Lard did not see a white woman.
She had a three-legged black pot in which she washed many clothes and also made soap. Bert, about eleven years old, was assigned to cut wood for the stove and to build a fire under the pot. For his use, he had a bright red hatchet that W.T. had bought while on a trip to Fort Dodge for supplies. One day Bert began to chase a squirrel and dropped his red hatchet. Two blanket-clad Indian squaws7appeared out of nowhere and one of them began to roll on the ground as though she was in great pain.
While Katherine hurried for turpentine and camphor, the squaws disappeared and so did the hatchet. When W.F. heard of this, he went to the Comanche village and threatened to kill all of the inhabitants if the hatchet was not returned. The hatchet was returned. Katherine Lard, who became known as “Grandma Lard” in Mobeetie, was an angel of mercy in pioneer homes as a midwife at childbirth or illness of any kind. She had a skill for nursing and always knew just what to do. W.T. Lard helped with civic affairs in Mobeetie.
In 1886 he was one of five men appointed to view and lay out a road from Mobeetie to a point on the Canadian River near the mouth of Red Deer Creek in Hemphill County. Also in 1886, he was an election judge or foreman for Precinct number one in Mobeetie. In 1887, W.T. and Katherine Lard moved to Chicken Creek in Roberts County. W.T. died there in 1888 after a horse kicked him in the stomach. After his death, Katherine lived with her sons, still helping the sick or needy.
In December 1895, she received a letter from Billy Dixon asking her to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Her visit to the Dixon home is told in John L. McCarty’s book, “Adobe Walls Bride”, about the life of Olive King Dixon. The baby, Dora Miles Dixon, was born December 29, 1895. Katherine, “Grandma” Lard died September 9, 1903 and was buried in the cemetery at Miami.
Over 200 Articles, written by Eloise Lane, were published in the Pampa News. These articles may be accessed by clicking on each section below. A list of articles will be revealed that are linked to a page containing the text of the article.
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Articles 1-20
- Origin Of The "White Deer" Name
- The Log House On White Deer Creek
- Obtaining The Land
- The Lands Organized
- Cattle Brands Tell Story
- Ghosts And All
- Southern Kansas Railroad
- Fire Guard Dam
- When The Railroad Came
- The Sutton RR Station
- Post Office At Pampa
- The Bell Family
- J.C. Short
- Pampa 1892-1902
- Pampa Laid Out In 1902
- Crystal Palace Founded
- Gray County Organization
- Organization - Continued
- Gray County - Lefors
- McLean - The Largest Town
Articles 21-40
- Gouge Eye
- The "Mother Road"
- German Family Reunion
- Desks From Hopkins
- Grandview School Begins
- The Oil Money
- History Wall Painted
- Boydston Or Boydstun?
- Ontario???
- Laketon - Early Farming
- Laketon - Continued
- First Couple To Marry
- Hoover
- Water Well Drilling
- Kingsmills Visit Pampa
- George Tyng Left
- Tragedy In Utah
- T.D. Hobart - Manager
- M.K. Brown Arrives
- Rider Livery Stable
Articles 41-60
- The Pioneer Cottage
- Pampa's First Doctor
- Doctor Makes House Calls
- A Red Cross Nurse
- Pampa's First School
- Hobart Went To London
- Cemetery Began In 1904
- First Business District
- C.P. Buckler Arrives
- Five Barrett Brothers
- Influence Of The Santa Fe
- Trains Still Roll
- John V. Thomass - Teacher
- Cattle-loading Center
- Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
- A.H. Doucette Arrives
- Lands Are Advertised
- The Holland Hotel
- Wheat Left Pampa
- First National Bank Begins
Articles 61-80
- Pampa News Begins
- First Denominational Church
- 2nd Office Of WD Lands
- J.N. Duncan Arrives
- Nels Walberg Sells…
- Dormer Simms
- Fourth Of July Celebrations
- Pampa's First Cars
- Pampa In 1907-08
- J.S. Wynne Family Arrives
- Gray Count State Bank
- Baptist Church Organized (Under Construction)
- Joe & Lizzie Bowers
- Threatened By Prairie Fire
- Library Began In 1907
- J.R. Henry
- Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
- Three Vicars Brothers
- Dodd Grain And Produce
- December 29, 1991
Articles 81-100
- D.C. Davis Family
- Long Christmas Celebration
- First Christian Church
- Facts About Pampa
- Buster Brown
- The Last Hanging
- Bones Hooks
- The "Red Brick" Is No More
- The Purviances Family
- The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
- Boards Of First Headquarters
- Mary Jane Purvis
- Cook - Adams Addition
- Nativity Scenes
- Clyde Carruth
- The Mine Tragedies
- Additions To Pampa
- Third Family In Pampa
- Frank Dittmeyer
- Bricklayer Indian Jim
Articles 101-120
- A.A. Tiemann
- First Movies And Lights
- Pampa Incorporated
- Mark And Sara Fletcher
- Annie Baker Daniels
- Pampa's Business District
- Birthday Tea Of 1919
- Former Pampa Minister
- John Mack Patton
- The First Brass Band
- Early Graduating Class
- "How We Met"
- F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
- George Tyng's Father
- L.H. & Lula Greene
- John & Lena McKamy
- Robert & Mary Yeager
- "Dear Old PHS"
- Supt. Believed In People
- William A. & Ruth Green
Articles 121-140
- Jason A and Alice Poole
- Wayside School
- Pampa Football Begins
- The Pampa School Building
- Rev. C. E. Lancaster
- Panhandle Lumber Co.
- Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
- An Unusual Valentine
- Charles A. Tignor
- O. A. Barrett
- Poppies In Flanders Fields
- Barnard & Williams Families
- 4th of July Celebrations
- Cuyler Street Underpass
- The King Family
- Kretmeier and Baer Families
- Stephen B. Oates
- Phebe Worley
- Organization of Gray County
- First Courthouse
Articles 141-160
- Pampa Laid Out in 1902
- Pampa in 1902
- W. R. Kaufman
- The Pampa Country Club
- Living In Pampa in 1902
- Pampa Buildings of 1902
- May Foreman Carr
- Scaffers - Early Residents
- Nita Luna
- Former Sub Debs Reminisce
- PHS In 1932
- PHS Appreciated
- The Forth Worth and Denver
- From Pampa to Childress
- The Origination Of "Taps"
- The Warners
- J. C. Studer
- Floyd, John and Otto
- Our American Flag
- Stories and Memories
Articles 161-180
- Museum in Pampa?
- The Franklin Farm
- The Franklin Family
- Beryl Wayne Vicars
- Historian Made Cookies
- The Pioneer Cottage
- The Orginial Swastika
- Library Clerk
- Women's Clothing Store
- Jon and Pat McConal
- Whitey Walker Gang
- How Rudolph Began
- Gwendolen Avenue
- Jerry Kerbow
- Two Paintings
- Second Part - Paintings
- Bones Hooks
- Original Nativity Figures
- Why "V" Instead of "U"
- Pampa Incorporated