W. L. stood for Willard Lafayette.
The Granbury Voice Thursday April 20, 1981
Vol. IX, Number 7
"Tall Texan
by Burl McClellan
Everyone has such occurrances in their lives, but this week two close brushes many years ago with other people's lives came to the surface.
In writing the story of the death of Mr. W. L. Dent it came to light that he received his master's degree at ETSTC in Commerce in 1948. There were only two to three thousand students in school then, so we probably passed many times.
W. L. Dent's name does not mean much to many of the people who have just arrived in the county, but to hundreds and possibly thousands of earlier residents of the county, he was their key to knowledge.
He spent 42 years teaching school and most of it was in the country schools of Hood and Johnson Counties. If memory is correct, when the Acton school consolidated with Granbury, he retired.
He had many old school pictures and after many, many years could still identify most or all of the students. One day I commented on this remarkable feat. His answer was 'It really hasn't been so long ago.'
Apparently he came from a non-talking family. He was the youngest of a large family. One day he casually commented that his daddy had been on some of the large and long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. I asked him what his father had said. 'Oh, he never talked about it.' was his answer.
One day two or three years ago, he related an interesting story while standing on the top of Comanche Peak. A group of Historical Society members had gone to the top of the Peak. Mr. Dent was looking toward the northeast, saying nothing.
I mentioned that he had probably been on the peak many times. He said that day was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.
When he was a child, his family went from Temple Hall to Weatherford for trade and business. He said he would run ahead of his father and the wagon and climb 'tater nob' a small peak between his home and Weatherford.
From 'tater nob' he could see Comanche Peak. He wanted so bad to come to Granbury and climb that 'mountain'. In later years the owner of the peak closed it to the public. Mr. Dent waited until his mid-80's to go on the peak.
Even though he had lived and witnessed lots of history, he still looked ahead. He had a good garden growing and stakes cut where he wanted to plant some new fruit trees. A neighbor planted the trees two days after Mr. Dent entered the hospital, so they would be growing when he came home.
A close neighbor told me this story. In the past few years Mr. and Mrs. Dent had attended a funeral service where much time was spent extolling the past life of the deceased. On the way home Mr. Dent told his wife that if his life took that much explaining at his funeral, not to bother.
The tearful neighbor said no one had to explain anything Tuesday."
" W. L. DENT dies
Mr. W. L. Dent, one of Hood County's outstanding men, died Sunday afternoon in a Stephenville Hospital at the age of 87.
Funeral services for Mr. Dent were conducted at 2 pm Tuesday in Martin's Chapel with the Rev. Marty Watson and Dr. C. G. Carter conducting the service.
He was born September 29, 1893, on the farm near Temple Hall where he was living at the time of his death.
He attended Mayo College in Commerce and received a degree in 1915. After serving in World War I, he returned to the college and received a Bachelor's Degree from East Texas Normal College and in 1948, he received a Master's Degree from East Texas State Teachers' College. All were the same school, just different names.
Mr. Dent was active in the Mayo College Alumni association and was one of seven Mayo students who attended homecoming at East Texas State University last year in Commerce.
Most of his teaching career was spent in the rural schools of Hood County. He taught for many years in Acton, but he also taught in Santo and in West Texas.
Around 1940 he served as County Judge of Hood County. He was active in the Retired Teachers of Hood County, was a member of the Baker Baptist Church and Sunday School teacher there for 20 years. He was also an active member of the Hood County Historical Society.
Survivors are his wife, Dovie of the home, nieces, Mrs. Eula Fox and Mrs. Ruth Dent, both of Yuba City, Calif.; nephews Ralph Wade Dent of Mineral Wells, J. C. Goodlett, William Blackwell and Homer Blackwell, all of Granbury; a sister-in-law Mrs. Josephine Dent of Granbury."
I remember him as a lean, quiet, gentle man. I wish I could have known him better.
The Granbury Voice Thursday April 20, 1981
Vol. IX, Number 7
"Tall Texan
by Burl McClellan
Everyone has such occurrances in their lives, but this week two close brushes many years ago with other people's lives came to the surface.
In writing the story of the death of Mr. W. L. Dent it came to light that he received his master's degree at ETSTC in Commerce in 1948. There were only two to three thousand students in school then, so we probably passed many times.
W. L. Dent's name does not mean much to many of the people who have just arrived in the county, but to hundreds and possibly thousands of earlier residents of the county, he was their key to knowledge.
He spent 42 years teaching school and most of it was in the country schools of Hood and Johnson Counties. If memory is correct, when the Acton school consolidated with Granbury, he retired.
He had many old school pictures and after many, many years could still identify most or all of the students. One day I commented on this remarkable feat. His answer was 'It really hasn't been so long ago.'
Apparently he came from a non-talking family. He was the youngest of a large family. One day he casually commented that his daddy had been on some of the large and long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. I asked him what his father had said. 'Oh, he never talked about it.' was his answer.
One day two or three years ago, he related an interesting story while standing on the top of Comanche Peak. A group of Historical Society members had gone to the top of the Peak. Mr. Dent was looking toward the northeast, saying nothing.
I mentioned that he had probably been on the peak many times. He said that day was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.
When he was a child, his family went from Temple Hall to Weatherford for trade and business. He said he would run ahead of his father and the wagon and climb 'tater nob' a small peak between his home and Weatherford.
From 'tater nob' he could see Comanche Peak. He wanted so bad to come to Granbury and climb that 'mountain'. In later years the owner of the peak closed it to the public. Mr. Dent waited until his mid-80's to go on the peak.
Even though he had lived and witnessed lots of history, he still looked ahead. He had a good garden growing and stakes cut where he wanted to plant some new fruit trees. A neighbor planted the trees two days after Mr. Dent entered the hospital, so they would be growing when he came home.
A close neighbor told me this story. In the past few years Mr. and Mrs. Dent had attended a funeral service where much time was spent extolling the past life of the deceased. On the way home Mr. Dent told his wife that if his life took that much explaining at his funeral, not to bother.
The tearful neighbor said no one had to explain anything Tuesday."
" W. L. DENT dies
Mr. W. L. Dent, one of Hood County's outstanding men, died Sunday afternoon in a Stephenville Hospital at the age of 87.
Funeral services for Mr. Dent were conducted at 2 pm Tuesday in Martin's Chapel with the Rev. Marty Watson and Dr. C. G. Carter conducting the service.
He was born September 29, 1893, on the farm near Temple Hall where he was living at the time of his death.
He attended Mayo College in Commerce and received a degree in 1915. After serving in World War I, he returned to the college and received a Bachelor's Degree from East Texas Normal College and in 1948, he received a Master's Degree from East Texas State Teachers' College. All were the same school, just different names.
Mr. Dent was active in the Mayo College Alumni association and was one of seven Mayo students who attended homecoming at East Texas State University last year in Commerce.
Most of his teaching career was spent in the rural schools of Hood County. He taught for many years in Acton, but he also taught in Santo and in West Texas.
Around 1940 he served as County Judge of Hood County. He was active in the Retired Teachers of Hood County, was a member of the Baker Baptist Church and Sunday School teacher there for 20 years. He was also an active member of the Hood County Historical Society.
Survivors are his wife, Dovie of the home, nieces, Mrs. Eula Fox and Mrs. Ruth Dent, both of Yuba City, Calif.; nephews Ralph Wade Dent of Mineral Wells, J. C. Goodlett, William Blackwell and Homer Blackwell, all of Granbury; a sister-in-law Mrs. Josephine Dent of Granbury."
I remember him as a lean, quiet, gentle man. I wish I could have known him better.
W. L. stood for Willard Lafayette.
The Granbury Voice Thursday April 20, 1981
Vol. IX, Number 7
"Tall Texan
by Burl McClellan
Everyone has such occurrances in their lives, but this week two close brushes many years ago with other people's lives came to the surface.
In writing the story of the death of Mr. W. L. Dent it came to light that he received his master's degree at ETSTC in Commerce in 1948. There were only two to three thousand students in school then, so we probably passed many times.
W. L. Dent's name does not mean much to many of the people who have just arrived in the county, but to hundreds and possibly thousands of earlier residents of the county, he was their key to knowledge.
He spent 42 years teaching school and most of it was in the country schools of Hood and Johnson Counties. If memory is correct, when the Acton school consolidated with Granbury, he retired.
He had many old school pictures and after many, many years could still identify most or all of the students. One day I commented on this remarkable feat. His answer was 'It really hasn't been so long ago.'
Apparently he came from a non-talking family. He was the youngest of a large family. One day he casually commented that his daddy had been on some of the large and long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. I asked him what his father had said. 'Oh, he never talked about it.' was his answer.
One day two or three years ago, he related an interesting story while standing on the top of Comanche Peak. A group of Historical Society members had gone to the top of the Peak. Mr. Dent was looking toward the northeast, saying nothing.
I mentioned that he had probably been on the peak many times. He said that day was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.
When he was a child, his family went from Temple Hall to Weatherford for trade and business. He said he would run ahead of his father and the wagon and climb 'tater nob' a small peak between his home and Weatherford.
From 'tater nob' he could see Comanche Peak. He wanted so bad to come to Granbury and climb that 'mountain'. In later years the owner of the peak closed it to the public. Mr. Dent waited until his mid-80's to go on the peak.
Even though he had lived and witnessed lots of history, he still looked ahead. He had a good garden growing and stakes cut where he wanted to plant some new fruit trees. A neighbor planted the trees two days after Mr. Dent entered the hospital, so they would be growing when he came home.
A close neighbor told me this story. In the past few years Mr. and Mrs. Dent had attended a funeral service where much time was spent extolling the past life of the deceased. On the way home Mr. Dent told his wife that if his life took that much explaining at his funeral, not to bother.
The tearful neighbor said no one had to explain anything Tuesday."
" W. L. DENT dies
Mr. W. L. Dent, one of Hood County's outstanding men, died Sunday afternoon in a Stephenville Hospital at the age of 87.
Funeral services for Mr. Dent were conducted at 2 pm Tuesday in Martin's Chapel with the Rev. Marty Watson and Dr. C. G. Carter conducting the service.
He was born September 29, 1893, on the farm near Temple Hall where he was living at the time of his death.
He attended Mayo College in Commerce and received a degree in 1915. After serving in World War I, he returned to the college and received a Bachelor's Degree from East Texas Normal College and in 1948, he received a Master's Degree from East Texas State Teachers' College. All were the same school, just different names.
Mr. Dent was active in the Mayo College Alumni association and was one of seven Mayo students who attended homecoming at East Texas State University last year in Commerce.
Most of his teaching career was spent in the rural schools of Hood County. He taught for many years in Acton, but he also taught in Santo and in West Texas.
Around 1940 he served as County Judge of Hood County. He was active in the Retired Teachers of Hood County, was a member of the Baker Baptist Church and Sunday School teacher there for 20 years. He was also an active member of the Hood County Historical Society.
Survivors are his wife, Dovie of the home, nieces, Mrs. Eula Fox and Mrs. Ruth Dent, both of Yuba City, Calif.; nephews Ralph Wade Dent of Mineral Wells, J. C. Goodlett, William Blackwell and Homer Blackwell, all of Granbury; a sister-in-law Mrs. Josephine Dent of Granbury."
I remember him as a lean, quiet, gentle man. I wish I could have known him better.
The Granbury Voice Thursday April 20, 1981
Vol. IX, Number 7
"Tall Texan
by Burl McClellan
Everyone has such occurrances in their lives, but this week two close brushes many years ago with other people's lives came to the surface.
In writing the story of the death of Mr. W. L. Dent it came to light that he received his master's degree at ETSTC in Commerce in 1948. There were only two to three thousand students in school then, so we probably passed many times.
W. L. Dent's name does not mean much to many of the people who have just arrived in the county, but to hundreds and possibly thousands of earlier residents of the county, he was their key to knowledge.
He spent 42 years teaching school and most of it was in the country schools of Hood and Johnson Counties. If memory is correct, when the Acton school consolidated with Granbury, he retired.
He had many old school pictures and after many, many years could still identify most or all of the students. One day I commented on this remarkable feat. His answer was 'It really hasn't been so long ago.'
Apparently he came from a non-talking family. He was the youngest of a large family. One day he casually commented that his daddy had been on some of the large and long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. I asked him what his father had said. 'Oh, he never talked about it.' was his answer.
One day two or three years ago, he related an interesting story while standing on the top of Comanche Peak. A group of Historical Society members had gone to the top of the Peak. Mr. Dent was looking toward the northeast, saying nothing.
I mentioned that he had probably been on the peak many times. He said that day was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.
When he was a child, his family went from Temple Hall to Weatherford for trade and business. He said he would run ahead of his father and the wagon and climb 'tater nob' a small peak between his home and Weatherford.
From 'tater nob' he could see Comanche Peak. He wanted so bad to come to Granbury and climb that 'mountain'. In later years the owner of the peak closed it to the public. Mr. Dent waited until his mid-80's to go on the peak.
Even though he had lived and witnessed lots of history, he still looked ahead. He had a good garden growing and stakes cut where he wanted to plant some new fruit trees. A neighbor planted the trees two days after Mr. Dent entered the hospital, so they would be growing when he came home.
A close neighbor told me this story. In the past few years Mr. and Mrs. Dent had attended a funeral service where much time was spent extolling the past life of the deceased. On the way home Mr. Dent told his wife that if his life took that much explaining at his funeral, not to bother.
The tearful neighbor said no one had to explain anything Tuesday."
" W. L. DENT dies
Mr. W. L. Dent, one of Hood County's outstanding men, died Sunday afternoon in a Stephenville Hospital at the age of 87.
Funeral services for Mr. Dent were conducted at 2 pm Tuesday in Martin's Chapel with the Rev. Marty Watson and Dr. C. G. Carter conducting the service.
He was born September 29, 1893, on the farm near Temple Hall where he was living at the time of his death.
He attended Mayo College in Commerce and received a degree in 1915. After serving in World War I, he returned to the college and received a Bachelor's Degree from East Texas Normal College and in 1948, he received a Master's Degree from East Texas State Teachers' College. All were the same school, just different names.
Mr. Dent was active in the Mayo College Alumni association and was one of seven Mayo students who attended homecoming at East Texas State University last year in Commerce.
Most of his teaching career was spent in the rural schools of Hood County. He taught for many years in Acton, but he also taught in Santo and in West Texas.
Around 1940 he served as County Judge of Hood County. He was active in the Retired Teachers of Hood County, was a member of the Baker Baptist Church and Sunday School teacher there for 20 years. He was also an active member of the Hood County Historical Society.
Survivors are his wife, Dovie of the home, nieces, Mrs. Eula Fox and Mrs. Ruth Dent, both of Yuba City, Calif.; nephews Ralph Wade Dent of Mineral Wells, J. C. Goodlett, William Blackwell and Homer Blackwell, all of Granbury; a sister-in-law Mrs. Josephine Dent of Granbury."
I remember him as a lean, quiet, gentle man. I wish I could have known him better.
Inscription
Married June 3, 1928
Gravesite Details
h/ Dovie
