Henry and Fannie bought land in Coleman County.  Henry died when P. O. was fourteen years of age.  As the oldest son, P.O. had full responsibility for his mother and siblings.  He farmed, traded horses and did any kind of work to make a living.  They were building a house on the Coleman County farm when Henry died, P. O. finished it.  Papa’s grandmother, Martha S. (Allen) Hughes lived with them at the time.

Pleasant Omer Hughes, born January 17, 1885 in Bethehem, Georgia, married Maggie Dell Ray December 14, 1904 in a buggy.  She was born April 5, 1884 in Cross Plains, the daughter of John and Sarah Ann (Beach) Ray.  Soon after, they moved to West Texas to be near Maggie’s sister Emma and husband Bill Brooks, who lived in Howard County.  Their first child - a son - Vennie Ray, was born November 19, 1906 near Big Spring.  They moved back to Cross Plains. Papa started a Wild West Show, trading horses or any work to make a living.  I, Ruby Marie, was born May 19, 1912, in Cross Plains, and was a little girl when my family moved to Coleman County to live with my widowed grandmother, Fannie Hughes.  Vennie’s first school was at Echo.

Grandmother had people come by selling Lee Manufacturing articles and dishes.  I still have some of the carnival glass she bought from them.  I can remember smelling the coffee as it was ground each morning on the old hand mill on the wall, and the Baptisms in the Jim Ned Creek - all denominations used it.  A well digger came through the country on foot.  He dug a well for Grandmother and she married him.  His name was Christian.  Grandmother sold her farm and bought one in Hardeman County, after he died.

I rode papa’s big Paint horse “Teddy” that he used in his Wild West Show.  He would buck with a man but carried me as if I were a basket of eggs.  I got an early start at riding and am fortunate at 70 years of age and still ride.  Papa worked in the oil boom towns, ran a meat market, later did team contracting.  Grandmother later lived with her daughter, Thirza Morris in Lamesa.  Papa bought ranch land in Martin County in 1922 that we put into farm land, we raised dry land cotton.

Cecial Allred and I married July 25, 1934 and have one child, Joan Marie who married Derwood Blagrave.  They have two sons, Stan Arlyn and Steven Lynn.