News Story: Garland C. Odom - One of Earliest Coke Cattlemen 

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
May 2011

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The Bronte Enterprise, September 3, 1964 {Historical and Progress Edition}

ODOM

               Garland Odom One of Earliest Coke Cattlemen


Garland C. Odom, one of the earliest cattleman into this area, was born in 
Baldwin County, Alabama, Dec. 16, 1852 and brought to Texas by his parents, 
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Odom, who settled in San Antonio in 1853.  He began 
in the cattle business on his father's ranch.

In 1879, he established the Odom-Luckett Land and Livestock Co., of which 
he was general manager, later acquiring the entire interest.  The Company 
bought up a large body of land and fenced in 100,000 acres, the first 
pasture of any important size in this section of the state.

This met with quite a lot of opposition in some quarters and wire cutting 
gave the company no end of trouble, and one time the wire cutters clipped 
40 miles of wire in one night.
 
This grant of land once covered the entire Bronte town-site and was roughly 
described as extending from Fort Chadbourne to Hayrick south to the Colorado 
River, following it to Valley Creek and back to Fort Chadbourne.
 
Odom became connected with extensive business interest interests in Ballinger, 
and the Farmers & Merchants Bank there was established by him and some 
associates in 1909 and he became president.

He was married Jan 28, 1875 to Miss Sallie M. Crigley, the daughter of the 
late Judge Ruben Crigley, a pioneer Texan and judge of Uvalde County for 
many years.

They were parents of the late Mrs. John F. (Loue Nettie) Curry of Ballinger 
and Mrs. Conda H. (Edna Mae) Wylie.

   
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