Mother's Maiden Name: Grigsby
The following is the story explaining how Guymon, Oklahoma was named, as told by the co-founder's son, Edward Tyndal "Ned" Guymon, Jr. in 1983:
My father, Edward T. Guymon, was born in Illinois in 1859 but in his early 20s came west to McPherson, Kansas. There he was employed as a clerk in a grocery store and later acquired a partnership interest. During those years he made frequent trips back to Illinois where he met my mother, Frances Flagg, and married her in 1887. they returned to McPherson where he continued in the grocery business.
The Rock Island Railroad had been pushing southwest and in the spring of 1888 reached Liberal, Kansas where it terminated. With the idea of establishing a branch there, my father took in a large shipment of groceries which he first sold from a flatcar, then from a tent while he built a building. He had fallen in love with the country and so returned to McPherson where he bought out his partner and then went back to Liberal where he established the Star Grocery Company. My mother came to Liberal on the first train carrying passengers.
The Star Grocery became one of the leading institutions in southwest Kansas. Farmers and ranchers from all over brought their produce and cattle to the end of the railroad for shipping and bought their supplies from the Star Grocery. It even functioned as a bank until the first bank was organized.
During the 1890s my father, well aware the Rock Island would some day build on, asked those coming in from the southwest where they would like to see the next town. The unanimous opinion was that it would be west of the Beaver River. On the strength of this he purchased the 160 acres which became the Original Town of Guymon.
The town was first named Sanford, but it was felt there would be confusion with the town of Stratford farther down the line, so the officials of the Rock Island decided to change the name to Guymon and telegraphed my father for his permission. It is said that upon receiving the message, the station agent at Liberal ran down the street waving it in the air.
My father was never interested in Guymon as a real estate venture. He saw it as a location for another grocery store, bank, and lumber yard. He established the Star Mercantile Company on the site now occupied by Stanfield Printing Company (SPC). He was the largest stockholder and first president of City National Bank. He founded the Star Lumber Company, afterwards named the Youtsler Lumber Company and now the Wirtz Lumber Company.
My father was a true pioneer in Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. He had faith in the country and his faith has been fully justified. I salute his vision.
Contributor: Chris Perkins (49527141)
The following is the story explaining how Guymon, Oklahoma was named, as told by the co-founder's son, Edward Tyndal "Ned" Guymon, Jr. in 1983:
My father, Edward T. Guymon, was born in Illinois in 1859 but in his early 20s came west to McPherson, Kansas. There he was employed as a clerk in a grocery store and later acquired a partnership interest. During those years he made frequent trips back to Illinois where he met my mother, Frances Flagg, and married her in 1887. they returned to McPherson where he continued in the grocery business.
The Rock Island Railroad had been pushing southwest and in the spring of 1888 reached Liberal, Kansas where it terminated. With the idea of establishing a branch there, my father took in a large shipment of groceries which he first sold from a flatcar, then from a tent while he built a building. He had fallen in love with the country and so returned to McPherson where he bought out his partner and then went back to Liberal where he established the Star Grocery Company. My mother came to Liberal on the first train carrying passengers.
The Star Grocery became one of the leading institutions in southwest Kansas. Farmers and ranchers from all over brought their produce and cattle to the end of the railroad for shipping and bought their supplies from the Star Grocery. It even functioned as a bank until the first bank was organized.
During the 1890s my father, well aware the Rock Island would some day build on, asked those coming in from the southwest where they would like to see the next town. The unanimous opinion was that it would be west of the Beaver River. On the strength of this he purchased the 160 acres which became the Original Town of Guymon.
The town was first named Sanford, but it was felt there would be confusion with the town of Stratford farther down the line, so the officials of the Rock Island decided to change the name to Guymon and telegraphed my father for his permission. It is said that upon receiving the message, the station agent at Liberal ran down the street waving it in the air.
My father was never interested in Guymon as a real estate venture. He saw it as a location for another grocery store, bank, and lumber yard. He established the Star Mercantile Company on the site now occupied by Stanfield Printing Company (SPC). He was the largest stockholder and first president of City National Bank. He founded the Star Lumber Company, afterwards named the Youtsler Lumber Company and now the Wirtz Lumber Company.
My father was a true pioneer in Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. He had faith in the country and his faith has been fully justified. I salute his vision.
Contributor: Chris Perkins (49527141)
Mother's Maiden Name: Grigsby
The following is the story explaining how Guymon, Oklahoma was named, as told by the co-founder's son, Edward Tyndal "Ned" Guymon, Jr. in 1983:
My father, Edward T. Guymon, was born in Illinois in 1859 but in his early 20s came west to McPherson, Kansas. There he was employed as a clerk in a grocery store and later acquired a partnership interest. During those years he made frequent trips back to Illinois where he met my mother, Frances Flagg, and married her in 1887. they returned to McPherson where he continued in the grocery business.
The Rock Island Railroad had been pushing southwest and in the spring of 1888 reached Liberal, Kansas where it terminated. With the idea of establishing a branch there, my father took in a large shipment of groceries which he first sold from a flatcar, then from a tent while he built a building. He had fallen in love with the country and so returned to McPherson where he bought out his partner and then went back to Liberal where he established the Star Grocery Company. My mother came to Liberal on the first train carrying passengers.
The Star Grocery became one of the leading institutions in southwest Kansas. Farmers and ranchers from all over brought their produce and cattle to the end of the railroad for shipping and bought their supplies from the Star Grocery. It even functioned as a bank until the first bank was organized.
During the 1890s my father, well aware the Rock Island would some day build on, asked those coming in from the southwest where they would like to see the next town. The unanimous opinion was that it would be west of the Beaver River. On the strength of this he purchased the 160 acres which became the Original Town of Guymon.
The town was first named Sanford, but it was felt there would be confusion with the town of Stratford farther down the line, so the officials of the Rock Island decided to change the name to Guymon and telegraphed my father for his permission. It is said that upon receiving the message, the station agent at Liberal ran down the street waving it in the air.
My father was never interested in Guymon as a real estate venture. He saw it as a location for another grocery store, bank, and lumber yard. He established the Star Mercantile Company on the site now occupied by Stanfield Printing Company (SPC). He was the largest stockholder and first president of City National Bank. He founded the Star Lumber Company, afterwards named the Youtsler Lumber Company and now the Wirtz Lumber Company.
My father was a true pioneer in Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. He had faith in the country and his faith has been fully justified. I salute his vision.
Contributor: Chris Perkins (49527141)
The following is the story explaining how Guymon, Oklahoma was named, as told by the co-founder's son, Edward Tyndal "Ned" Guymon, Jr. in 1983:
My father, Edward T. Guymon, was born in Illinois in 1859 but in his early 20s came west to McPherson, Kansas. There he was employed as a clerk in a grocery store and later acquired a partnership interest. During those years he made frequent trips back to Illinois where he met my mother, Frances Flagg, and married her in 1887. they returned to McPherson where he continued in the grocery business.
The Rock Island Railroad had been pushing southwest and in the spring of 1888 reached Liberal, Kansas where it terminated. With the idea of establishing a branch there, my father took in a large shipment of groceries which he first sold from a flatcar, then from a tent while he built a building. He had fallen in love with the country and so returned to McPherson where he bought out his partner and then went back to Liberal where he established the Star Grocery Company. My mother came to Liberal on the first train carrying passengers.
The Star Grocery became one of the leading institutions in southwest Kansas. Farmers and ranchers from all over brought their produce and cattle to the end of the railroad for shipping and bought their supplies from the Star Grocery. It even functioned as a bank until the first bank was organized.
During the 1890s my father, well aware the Rock Island would some day build on, asked those coming in from the southwest where they would like to see the next town. The unanimous opinion was that it would be west of the Beaver River. On the strength of this he purchased the 160 acres which became the Original Town of Guymon.
The town was first named Sanford, but it was felt there would be confusion with the town of Stratford farther down the line, so the officials of the Rock Island decided to change the name to Guymon and telegraphed my father for his permission. It is said that upon receiving the message, the station agent at Liberal ran down the street waving it in the air.
My father was never interested in Guymon as a real estate venture. He saw it as a location for another grocery store, bank, and lumber yard. He established the Star Mercantile Company on the site now occupied by Stanfield Printing Company (SPC). He was the largest stockholder and first president of City National Bank. He founded the Star Lumber Company, afterwards named the Youtsler Lumber Company and now the Wirtz Lumber Company.
My father was a true pioneer in Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. He had faith in the country and his faith has been fully justified. I salute his vision.
Contributor: Chris Perkins (49527141)
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