The small town of Gouldbusk is located about 20 miles south of Coleman on Farm to Market Road Road 1026.  The town has kept its small town charm by not having a highway pass through town.  One must want to visit Gouldbusk and not pass through hurriedly.

Many of the employees of Mr. Busk wanted to settle down on some land of their own, so he sold several plots of land to his employees.  Some of these were Eddie Davis who broke wild ponies for Mr. Busk and was rewarded 200 acres of his own; John W. Cox bought land and established the Cox Ranch near the Colorado River.  He and Mr. Starkweather were agents in selling land for Mr. Busk; Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Smith; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hogan and family; Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Griffith and sons, the Slates, and many more.  Mr. Starkweather began to advertise land around the small settlement.  Mr. Busk’s policy was to sell on long terms with low interest rates.  He instructed his agents to never press a farmer who was trying to pay for a homestead.

In 1905 or 1906, a small town with a drug store, grocery store and several other businesses were being established.  A. D. Griffith and sons, Ernest and Fred, moved to the area in 1906 and built a cotton gin.  They brought with them a man who helped build the gin and many of the houses in the area.  His name was J. F. “Dad” Flannigan, who was an accomplished carpenter and cabinet maker.  He built many of the stores which were operated by the Smith Brothers.  His family had been drowned in the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and he spent the remainder of his life in Gouldbusk and was buried there.

A. D. Griffith was joined by another son, Laroy Hunton, who operated the gin.  In 1908, the gin was operating around the clock.  The Smith Brothers, T. H. and W. A., hauled freight from Coleman or Santa Anna and in return, 50 to 100 bales of cotton, about 500 lbs. each, to the railroad daily.  The cotton seed and other farm products formed a constant market.  The farmers were making a bale to the acre; with about 4300 bales of cotton ginned in 1908, and 40M lbs. of freight were hauled by the Smith Brothers in a single week.  In 1909, the Griffiths sold the gin to R. L. and H. R. Stewart of Rockwood; this gin burned.  S. R. Hale bought the gin from C. J. Dibrell, H. J. O’Hair and H. R. Starkweather about 1912.  By 1927, a new boll-cleaner was installed.  This machine must have been the one used in connection with the regular cotton gin.  It was called “A Double Gin.”  The years 1926 to 1929 were boom years in Gouldbusk.  Tom Hunt came to the area and bought cotton from E. C. Edens and L. H. Griffith, who owned the grocery store at that time.  Tom, and a friend, Charlie Gordon, bought and sold cotton during these years.  They had the first large truck in the area to take cotton to the railroad.  In 1940, Mr. Hale sold the gin to W. E. Wallace from Santa Anna and he built a new gin.  In 1953, Elmo Wallace was operating the gin.  Bill Moore from Ballinger bought the gin and made it electric.  Later it was sold and the equipment moved to Coleman.  The old gin was abandoned and the building vacant for a long time.  The storm in 1976 badly damaged it.  Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Avants owned the building and was using it for storage in 1982, when a home burned across the street.  A high wind fanned flames across the street to the old gin and destroyed it.

Just after the cotton gin was established, Mr. Starkweather began selling the last of the Busk Ranch.  In his advertisements he mentioned a gin in operation, daily mail, rural delivery, telephones, churches and school.  John W. Cox was still selling lots in Gouldbusk. The Methodist Episcopal Church began to build, the tabernacle and the city water system had been established and later was improved.  A school had been established.  Public roads were being fenced off and improved.  A. D. Griffith and others donated the right-of-way for roads around the community.  Some of the first garages were run by E. H. Griffith, Bud Wheeler and George Bowen.  Sam Huskisson among others had business here.  During the “Boom Days” there were 17 businesses located in Gouldbusk, including the gin, flour mill, theater, several churches, five service stations and even a bank.

T. Hartwell Smith (1873 - 1952) operated the first grocery store and W. Arch Smith (1882 - 1963) operated the first drug store.  Dolph Smith (1880 - 1967) will be remembered as operating a threshing machine for years.  Lonnie H. Smith (1889 - ca 1970) married the foster daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Griffith.  After the Smith Brothers closed their grocery store, the Walker Mercantile was chartered in 1909.  The stockholders were: H. R. Starkweather, president; J. W. Cox, vice-president; and M. L. Walker, secretary-treasurer.  Other stockholders were A. F. Martin of Coleman and M. H. Crockett of Austin.  Later, E. C. Edens became one of the stockholders.  The Walker Mercantile was located where the Gouldbusk Grocery is now.  E. C. Edens was the bookkeeper for Walker Mercantile, which became the Gouldbusk Mercantile in 1912.

Gouldbusk had an undertaking parlor at that time. Mr. Edens did no embalming, but sold caskets.  In 1915, Clyde Edens bought the Gouldbusk Mercantile and became postmaster of the post office, which his wife, Mrs. Willie Belle Edens, operated.  He operated the Mercantile until 1925 when the west side of the street burned.  It was said that within 30 minutes after the fire, Mr. Clyde was in business across the street in the garage owned by E. H. Griffith.  One of his employees, who started working for him in 1918, was L. H. Griffith.  The fire started in the old Smith drugstore building occupied by John Manes and wiped out all of that block.  Clyde Edens sold his business to H. J. Glover, and bought the Hardware and Furniture business from J. E. Stevens and operated the store for less than a year as the Stevens wanted to buy it back.  He and L. H. Griffith, who he had asked to go to Coleman with him, returned to Gouldbusk as partners in 1926.  Edens and Griffith General Mercantile bought the business of H. J. Glover and leased the building.  They continued in this partnership until L. H. bought the business in 1929.  Mr. Edens went to Coleman to work at the First Coleman National Bank.  The store affiliated with the Red and White Grocery chain for several years.  L. H. Griffith promoted the sale of groceries by giving tickets to persons who bought a certain amount of groceries.  On Saturdays, tickets would be drawn.  There were about 350 people in Gouldbusk by that time.  The prizes were for $5.00, $10.00 and $15.00.  Business was very good and people loved to win.  The custom continued until area merchants complained.  Mrs. L. H. Griffith, “Miss Effie” had charge of the dry-goods side of the store in 1926.  She worked in the store until 1971, when they retired.  Mr. Griffith sold his store to Mr. and Mrs. W. W. (Pete) Skelton in 1971.  He, in turn, sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Griffin, then Mr. and Mrs. Don Williams, and it is now owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. D. I. Davis.

H. H. Martin operated a store here about 1925 when the stores burned.  He was located in the Rock Building, which was owned by Dr. Spruiell.  After the fire, he moved his store to Dr. Spruiell’s garage until the rock building could be rebuilt.

In 1916, John W. Slate, Jr. opened a barber shop.  At one time there were several barbers working for him, including Barney Martin, who began in 1918.  During the 1920’s Barney cut hair for many women who wanted to be stylish and have short hair.  He also cut the hair of many children and young girls who wore the “Wind Blown” cut, or the “feathered” style.  Barney inherited the Busk Barber Shop from Johnny.  In 1943, he sold the barbershop property to L. H. Griffith and moved his shop across the street, where he barbered until his death in 1958.

Bull Creek was a clear, running stream in the 1920’s.  The area just east of the town was reserved for drinking water.  Dams were built just above the shallow water to back water for the town and the cotton gin.  It is not known when the dams were built, but believed that (Sam) Hale built them when water supply for the gin was inadequate.  The first water system was a windmill on the west side of
the creek.  The water was pumped into a large cypress overhead tank on the south side of the stores on the east side of Main Street.  This system was installed about 1906.  The second water system was a gasoline pump on the creek to replace the windmill.

On June 6, 1923, Mrs. Margaret Alice Busk, the widow of Wm. Gould Busk and her sons, Joseph, Wadsworth Richard, and Richard Dawson, with H. R. Starkweather as agent, deeded a plot of land in front of the Methodist Church; and included the land that the tabernacle and the water tanks were situated on.  Mrs. Busk also deeded the land south of the gin to the town to be used for a water system, together with the right of way for laying of pipe and maintaining of pipe lines for conveying water.  She also donated one-half the expense in building the system.  Pipes were installed all over town with about 2 inch water mains along with fire hydrants.  Water was pumped from the creek into large galvanized tanks on a high tower built of large timbers.  It was situated on the hill west of the town.  This system created a gravity flow of water to all the homes.  The tanks held 16,000 gallons of water.  These water tanks stood for many years.  Our third water system was from a lake southeast of town.  L. B. Kennedy and J. W. Cox donated the land on Long Hollow Creek.  It was the first project of the Central Colorado River Authority and was built by W. P. A. labor.  It was begun about 1936 and completed in 1937.  L. H. Griffith was instrumental in getting the reservoir built soon after the lake filled in 1938, he was asked to open the gates or valves, thus providing much needed water for the drought-stricken town.  Our final water system was a Godsend.  We are receiving good, clean chlorinated water from the Coleman County Coop.

Gouldbusk, as well as other small towns so far from a good fire department, has a fear of fire.  The exact date when Gouldbusk received a cart with a rolled-up fire hose on it is not known.  It was placed behind the stores near a fire hydrant for many years.  In case of need, the hose was connected and the town pump started, everyone hoped that we would have enough water, or that the pump would not stop.  The old fire hydrants are still in place but no longer in use.  Our present fire protection is an old Army tank truck, which is kept ready if it is needed.

One of the first doctors in the Gouldbusk area was a Dr. Shoate, also a Doctor Washam.  Dr. Sam Houston Spruiell came in 1907, and established an office in the building of the Gouldbusk Drug, which was operated by W. Arch Smith.  In 1908, it was struck by lightning and burned.  Evidently the building was rebuilt because in 1925, a fire that destroyed the west side of the Main Street started in this building.  Dr. Spruiell bought the property south of the “Old Rock Building” and built a drug store about 1918, with his office in the rear.  He made his own pills by a pill press.  The front of the drugstore held an ornate fountain and bar.  Dan Shuford operated the drug store and fountain for many years before the war era.  In 1940, “Miss Carrie” (as she was affectionately called) Spruiell began to operate the drugstore.  The old fountain did not work, so she installed an electric cold drink case from which she sold bottle drinks.  She also sold ice cream from an electric freezer case.  The old fountain became a favorite meeting place for the local coffee drinkers who gathered while waiting for the mail to be put up.  Aunt Carrie’s coffee was famous and cost only 5 cents a cup.  She loved to make coffee for her customers.  “Miss Carrie” continued to operate her drugstore and fountain until 1975.  The drugstore fixtures were bought by B. B. Nunley, Jr. of Coleman, in 1978 and moved away.  The building is now owned by Mrs. Mary Slate, a neice of Mrs. Carrie Spruiell.

In 1917, S. R. Hale and H. R. Starkweather built a two-storied building which was to be the cultural center of the town. It was furnished with folding opera seats - the kind with the rack under the seat for a man’s hat.  There was a fairly large stage with 
a curtain that rolled up and down.  It was covered with advertisements and pictures of the early 1900’s.  Traveling shows came to town and were featured. Ernest H. and Laroy H. "Pearl" were operators of the bi-weekly silent movies.  There was a western (usually) a serial, and a two-reel comedy.  Our father was the projectionist.  There was a “Crow’s Roost,” the balcony, where he would come and tell everyone what the next attraction would be.  This was always between the last two reels of the comedy.  There was no running water in the “opera house” and families brought their own water bottles.  After the movie was over, we two girls were allowed to wind the last two reels by hand and back into the cans they came in, ready to send back by return mail.  In 1922, Mr. Hale sold his interest in the Opera House to Mr. Starkweather, but in 1939, Mr. Hale bought the Opera House from the estate of Mr. Starkweather.  The old Opera House stood vacant for many years and finally was cut in two and used for dwellings.  One of those houses was moved across the creek on land now owned by Charlie Avants.

Luther H. “Luke” Edens was a butcher during World War I.  When he returned to Gouldbusk he farmed for some time.  During the late 1920’s, “Mr. Luke” started a meat delivery route to the familes around Gouldbusk.  He had a herd of cattle on his farm.  Late Friday evening he would select one of his calves, butcher it, and leave it hanging.  The next morning, about 3 a. m., he would go to the pasture, get the calf, and cut it up.  Ready for delivery.  What a treat to all of us to have fresh meat for Saturday and Sunday meals.  Sometimes Mr. Luke would make what we called “pot Barbeque” in large army surplus pots on a small kerosene stove in the “creamery” of the General Merchandise Store.  “Mr. Luke” cleared about $10.00 for his one or two days’ work, but the service he performed for the community could never be evaluated.

The two-storied rock building was built by Dr. S. H. Spruiell during the early 1920’s.  After the fire in 1925, Dr. Spruiell rebuilt the walls that needed rebuilding.  Dr. Spruiell deeded the upper floor of the brick building to the Masonic Lodge on November 5, 1925, where it remained until 1967, when the lodge transferred to Coleman.  The Masonic Emblem was placed on the front of the building in 1947.  This building was purchased by Ray Row and his son, Van. L. H. "Pearl" Griffith leased it for several years as a storage building for grain, cold drinks, and plow shares, etc.  It is now leased to Mr. and Mrs. Glyn Downey.

The Gouldbusk Telephone System dates from 1907 or 1908, and is located in the house that was later occupied by the John Day family.  Mrs. T. (Hartwell) Smith was the first operator.  It later was moved to a small home just behind the Rock Building and was operated here for most of the time.  Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Copeland operated the Gouldbusk Telephone System from 1918.  They had 4 children, Opal, Jewel, Carl, and Vera, who all helped to operate the switchboard.  Opal became a teacher in the school system, Carl became a Certified Public Accountant, Vera married Dudley West and moved to Coleman.  Jewel Copeland was operating the old system when the new dial system came to the community in the 1950’s.

The First State Bank of Gouldbusk was chartered in June, 1917.  Its capital was to be $10,000 with shares of $100.00 each, and that the seven stockholders should have at least five shares of the capital stock.  The directors were: C. F. Dumas, M. H. Crockett, W. A. Smith, J. W. Cox, J. V. Simmons, E. C. Edens, and S. R. Hale.  The stockholders were: C. F. Dumas of Coleman, M. H. Crockett, E. C. Edens, W. A. Smith, S. R. Hale, andJ. W. Cox of Gouldbusk, Tom Pauley and J. T. Simmons of Valera, J. Y. Simmons of Frederick, Oklahoma, and Pat H. Simmons of Roby.  The bank was located on the west side of Main Street just south of what is now the Gouldbusk Grocery Store.  This bank closed its doors before the end of the year, 1918.

On October 3, 1917. Wm. Gould Busk, for $1.00, sold to the Gouldbusk Milling Company, a private corporation, land to build a grist mill.  It was located on the east side of Main Street, just north of the Gin Lot.  On November 11, 1918, the grist mill burned.  Mrs. Ernest (Willie Davis) Hogan states that her father, Eddie Davis, was the first blacksmith in Gouldbusk.  He and his family came from Ellis County to Gouldbusk in 1906.  They were related to the Smith Brothers.  He worked for Mr. Busk.  The blacksmith shop has always been located on the east side of Main Street across from the General Merchandise and Drug stores.  J. D. Moore also operated the shop for several years.  The best remembered blacksmith was F. M. “Dutch” Dieterich, one of our earliest settlers.  He also operated a restaurant two different times, and became the Star Route mail carrier (from Coleman to Gouldbusk).  After his wife’s death in 1925, he returned to blacksmithing.

Gouldbusk also had the first Home Demonstration Club organized in the county.  It was organized in October 4, 1923, with Mrs. Clay Norwood as president, Mrs. E. C. Edens as vice-president, and Mrs. L. H. Griffith as secretary and treasurer.  In 1929, when the Coleman County Chamber of Commerce formed the Coleman County Fair Association, many persons from Gouldbusk bought shares.  Shares were sold to finance repairs to the present buildings, build others, and equip buildings for exhibits.