Then and Now, Lea County Families, Vol I, 1979
White
Submitted by: Thelma White Murphy
John Thomas White, known as T-, because of his brand, was born in 1868, grew up in Collin County, Texas. While working as a cowboy near San Angelo, Texas, he became acquainted with Allen C. Heard. They pooled their interests, acquired a heard of cattle and became known as the High Lonesome Outfit. About 1893 they purchased the New Mexico portion of the "Mallet" ranch which included the headquarters which was located on a high ridge and could be seen for miles around. High Lonesome was a very appropriate name and was applied to the new holdings, which were located about seven and a half miles east of Lovington.
T Bar was married to Helen Gifford in 1894 and took his bride from Midland to the new ranch to make their home. Helen had her piano crated and sent to the ranch. It was thought to be the first piano on the plains.
T Bar's sister Emma visited them a lot. Once while visiting, all the men were out on the range and Emma, wearing a red dress, went to the outdoor toilet. Cattle were all around the house. When she came out, a bull chased her back in. Every time she came out he chased her back in. Finally Helen came out to see what was keeping her so long. Seeing the situation, she got a 22 rifle T Bar had given her and thought she would fire the gun and frighten the bull away, which she did. When the men came in, they found the bull a short distance away dead; Helen had to explain she had accidentally killed him.
On October 8, 1898, Thelma, their first and only child was born in Midland, Texas. They maintained a home there. Thelma going to school and visiting the ranch during vacations.
About 1908 T Bar turned over the High Lonesome to Allen Heard, took his cattle north of Lovington where he had bought some holdings from Mr. Littlefield known as East Jim and West Jim. Later he acquired land in Gaines County, Texas.
While living in New Mexico T Bar became very ill. He was at the home of Charlie Miller. Helen and Thelma came out from Midland in a car bringing a doctor. They spent the night with them. Rosemary Robertson was staying in the Miller home attending school at Knowles. She was studying Latin. Thelma helped with the translations and when bedtime came, the two girls climbed the ladder to the attic and slept on a corn shuck mattress.
TTT Bar died November 1926. As a young man, Pat Murphy had worked for him on the Texas ranch. After his death, Helen sold the ranch and house in Midland, purchased a ranch in White Oaks, New Mexico, in 1927, which came up to the famous old gold mining ghost town. She purchased the old Hewitt House, built in the gold rush days, and used it as headquarters. She also had a farm at Tularosa, New Mexico. Pat had stayed on operating all the holdings. Helen died in the spring of 1951, Thelma never married. On November 28, 1951, she and Pat were married and are still making their home their. They have no children.
1919 White School and students
Lea's Vanished Towns, Camps and Schools
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