1. Occupation: Farmer
1. The Cotter Courier-Baxter Co., AR issue Jan 29, 1994 - "Died: Aunt Margaret Hand Monday on Clabber Creek". (Exerpts by Margie Garr)
1. Rhonda is TWIN to Randy
1. Randy is TWIN to Rhona
1. Sources: A History of New Mexico by Charles F. Coan, Ph.D, Volume II, page 502 & 503
2. Torrance County History:
In 1905 William Drayton Wasson and wife, Flora F. Wasson, migrated from Runge, Texas to Estancia, New Mexico. As a lawyer, he practiced in Estancia for twenty five years. They first lived in an old adobe building north of the City Park. Their first son, Drayton Elias, was born here August 13, 1906. They then homesteaded just southwest of Estancia adjacent to the Estancia Cemetery on the north.
Two more sons were born to this couple; Lawton L. in 1908 and Elton in 1911. Lawton died at the age of twenty and Elton died as an infant.
They built a wooden three bedroom, frame house where they lived until Judge Wasson, as W. D. Wasson was known, died in 1933. Flora Wasson died in 1944 in Estancia at Donald and Mary Shirley's home.
This history is written by Drayton E. Wasson and I shall continue in the first person.
When I was a lad, Estancia Valley was thickly populated with homesteaders who filed on 160 acre parcels of land given to them by the United States government provided they made certain improvements on them, such as fences, homes, wells, etc. Also, they had to live on the homestead a certain number of years. Most homesteaders lived out their time and received title to their land; but by that time they were broke and realized they couldn't make a living on the small acreage. They sold to the loacal ranchers and their improvements were gradually destroyed. Many houses were burned or moved. Others were torn down for firewood.
In the early twenties there were several schools in Estancia Valley and surrounding hills. Most of these schools have been adandoned and destroyed or moved due to a statewide concentration or merger.
I graduated from Estancia High School in 1925 and New Mexico State University in 1939. I taught school in some rural one-room schools; one year each at Liberty and Lonestar, both southeast of Mountainair; one year at Abo, west of Mountainair. I taught ten years, then got my college degree. I worked eighteen years for F. H. A. and other Federal Farm Agencies. I spent three years in Mexico with Bureau of Animal Industries; five years in Bolivia, So. America with International Development Services, a company who contracted with the U. S. to develop similar to the F. H. A. in the United States.
While in Mexico, I married Elisa Chavez. We raised to daughters; Marilyn Flora , born Nov. 22, 1951, now married to Larry Felts and stationed in Germany; Helen Elsie, born Aug. 28, 1954, now married to Donny Smith and stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Both girls have graduated from college.
My mother, Flora Wasson, was cared for by the Donald Shirleys while I was in the Army during World War II.
My family and I went throught the dust bowl, the 1918 flue epidemic, the 1918 and 1919 blizzard and the 1930's great Depression. Drayton E. Wasson
1. John Wasson emigrated to this country in 1811, and soon after connected himself with the Church at Fairview. He was a member of the presbyterian Church for 43 years. [Eulogy]