James
Lee Bomar, son of James Riley Bomar and
Louisa Davis, was born January 22, 1852
in Smith County, Tennessee. His
family moved north of Richland Springs,
where he grew up. He had one
brother and four sisters. He left
home early to work as a cowboy on West
Texas ranches; joined the Texas Rangers,
Company D of the Frontier
Batallion. He was discharged from
the Rangers in December 1874. He
married Elizabeth Norsisis Rainey, born
April 4, 1852, died October 3, 1927,
buried at Talpa. They bought land
near Richland Springs, but sold out in
1899, bringing his family, first to
Ballinger. On February 5, 1900, he
bought a place between Talpa and Valera,
remained there and in Talpa for the rest
of his life. The Butterfield Trail
went through their place and had a relay
station there. Their house on the
farm also had a telephone exchange for
the community in the early days.
He died February 3, 1933, buried at
Talpa. Engaged in farming and
cattle ranching, he also raised mules
for resale. He was a special
deputy sheriff under John Banister - he
and Banister had known one another in
their Texas Ranger days. Children
of James Lee and Elizabeth Norsisis
were:
(1) Riley,
married (1) Ethyl Evans O'Donnell; (2)
Ida Mae Fall.
(2) Wess.
married Anne Dial Brown (see Jas. M.
Brown):
(3) Bianca
(Anca) married Enoch Cox (see Joe B.
Smith);
(4) Mary,
married Dave Cox, (the Cox men were
brothers);
(5) John
Calvin, April 18, 1894-October 12, 1973,
buried in Coleman, married Sarah Jane
Bedell, born December 7, 1900, March 13,
1920 (see E.I. Bedell). They
bought the old Bomar home place between
Valera and Talpa. Sarah still
lives there. Their only child,
Louise Elizabeth, born May 11, 1922,
attended schools in Valera, Talpa and
post-graduate courses at Coleman.
She married Robnette Lee (Bob) Gordon,
May 2, 1942, one son, Roxy Lee (see
Gordon Family).
In 1947, Louise
was appointed Postmaster at Talpa by
President Harry S. Truman and served 31
years, from 1947 to 1978.