TOM SPARKS RAGLE
Birth: 9 Aug 1904
Death: 3 Apr 1987
(age 82 years, 7 months, 24 days)
Tom Sparks Ragle and Ida Jackson Ragle are both natives of
Parker County; having been born, reared and raised our family here.
Tom is the sixth child of eight born to David Martin Ragle and Emma Ward. David came to Parker County with his father, George Washington Ragle about 1885 from Alabama and settled in Clear Fork Community.
Ida is the fourth child of eight born to George and Alma Stuart Jackson, who came to Parker County about 1900 from Tennessee.
Tom's ancestors came to America from Germany. It is believed that there was only one person by the Ragle name who came to America. Ida does not know the country from which her family immigrated to America.
Tom was born August 9, 1904 in what was then called Toto Community, about 10 miles northeast of Weatherford. That same year his father moved to a place about 2 miles northwest of Weatherford on the Zion Hill Road where the family until about 1917. They then moved to Weatherford and in January, 1918 moved to Dicey (Clear Fork) Community to a farm.
Ida was born September 15, 1903 in the Wampler Community, afterwards moved to Little Dean, then to Brock, and back to Wampler in 1918.
In 1924 the Ragles needed some help to pick cotton and the Jacksons heard about it. Luther, one of Ida’s brothers, his wife and Ida came to the Ragle farm to pick cotton. After picking cotton together that Fall, Tom began to see Ida regularly, usually at her home. After going together for some time they decided to marry.
We were married December 23, 1926 at the Jackson home. We settled on the farm where we had met. Here we farmed with Tom’s father for 20 years. When he retired, we bought part of the farm and rented the remaining acreage.
Tom and Ida had six children. The first, Ida Louise born November 7, 1927 did not stay with us long. She passed away in January 1928. Dorothy was born in November 1928; Lela Mae in April 1930; Morris in July 1931; Gerald in January 1934 and Theron in September 1936. The children got their education at Dicey and Weatherford Schools.
They are all married and have families of their own now. Dorothy Shields lives in Eunice, New Mexico; Lela Mae Watson in Weatherford, Texas; Morris Ragle in DeQueen, Arkansas; Gerald Ragle in Fort Worth, Texas and Theron Ragle in Indian Harbor Subdivision of Granbury, Texas
Our family was brought up on the farm that we settled on when we married. During the great depression of the 1930’s things were rough and debts heavy, but we made it through and are still on the place which has been in the Ragle family for 61 years.
The Tom Ragles farmed, raising mainly corn, wheat, oats, cotton and hay on about 140 acres. On 160 acres of native pasture and timber land they raised cattle. During the period 1950-1965 they ran a dairy.
In 1960 after Tom’s father passed away, we bought the rest of the farm making approximately 300 acres of farm and pastureland. About 10 years later, after the children had all married, we sold all but 89 acres.
The Tom Ragles were active in the community and church. Tom was school trustee for 7 years at Dicey School during the 1940’s. He has also been a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher in the Clear Fork Baptist Church for many years. The children all accepted Christ and were baptized into this church as they reached the age of accountability.
At present we have 11 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Written by Ida and Tom Ragle (History of Parker County Texas, published 1980)
Tom is the sixth child of eight born to David Martin Ragle and Emma Ward. David came to Parker County with his father, George Washington Ragle about 1885 from Alabama and settled in Clear Fork Community.
Ida is the fourth child of eight born to George and Alma Stuart Jackson, who came to Parker County about 1900 from Tennessee.
Tom's ancestors came to America from Germany. It is believed that there was only one person by the Ragle name who came to America. Ida does not know the country from which her family immigrated to America.
Tom was born August 9, 1904 in what was then called Toto Community, about 10 miles northeast of Weatherford. That same year his father moved to a place about 2 miles northwest of Weatherford on the Zion Hill Road where the family until about 1917. They then moved to Weatherford and in January, 1918 moved to Dicey (Clear Fork) Community to a farm.
Ida was born September 15, 1903 in the Wampler Community, afterwards moved to Little Dean, then to Brock, and back to Wampler in 1918.
In 1924 the Ragles needed some help to pick cotton and the Jacksons heard about it. Luther, one of Ida’s brothers, his wife and Ida came to the Ragle farm to pick cotton. After picking cotton together that Fall, Tom began to see Ida regularly, usually at her home. After going together for some time they decided to marry.
We were married December 23, 1926 at the Jackson home. We settled on the farm where we had met. Here we farmed with Tom’s father for 20 years. When he retired, we bought part of the farm and rented the remaining acreage.
Tom and Ida had six children. The first, Ida Louise born November 7, 1927 did not stay with us long. She passed away in January 1928. Dorothy was born in November 1928; Lela Mae in April 1930; Morris in July 1931; Gerald in January 1934 and Theron in September 1936. The children got their education at Dicey and Weatherford Schools.
They are all married and have families of their own now. Dorothy Shields lives in Eunice, New Mexico; Lela Mae Watson in Weatherford, Texas; Morris Ragle in DeQueen, Arkansas; Gerald Ragle in Fort Worth, Texas and Theron Ragle in Indian Harbor Subdivision of Granbury, Texas
Our family was brought up on the farm that we settled on when we married. During the great depression of the 1930’s things were rough and debts heavy, but we made it through and are still on the place which has been in the Ragle family for 61 years.
The Tom Ragles farmed, raising mainly corn, wheat, oats, cotton and hay on about 140 acres. On 160 acres of native pasture and timber land they raised cattle. During the period 1950-1965 they ran a dairy.
In 1960 after Tom’s father passed away, we bought the rest of the farm making approximately 300 acres of farm and pastureland. About 10 years later, after the children had all married, we sold all but 89 acres.
The Tom Ragles were active in the community and church. Tom was school trustee for 7 years at Dicey School during the 1940’s. He has also been a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher in the Clear Fork Baptist Church for many years. The children all accepted Christ and were baptized into this church as they reached the age of accountability.
At present we have 11 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Written by Ida and Tom Ragle (History of Parker County Texas, published 1980)