Lela PAGE

Submitted by Frankie Mae Coudt Fusselman:
It was during the time Frank and Lena Cloudt lived with their children on Copperas Creek that the following incident took place. Approximately this same story has been told in the family over the years. I am repeating, as accurately as possible, the story as told to me by my father (Eric) when he was 93 years old.

'Real slept in a tent out with flocks on open grazing land. He was a good worker, tall and strong. He whistled for the sheep to follow when he took them to grazing. Sheep sold for $2.00 and $3.00 per head to buyers who came to the ranch.

When Eric was eight years old he was just learning to ride horseback and follow his father, Frank. They left early and went by Real's camp. Real was out of sugar, so Eric's father asked him to take some out to Real. On his way back Eric wanted to see a new fence being built. Jim Lynn was boss of fence building. Eric became lost. When night came Eric unsaddled his horse and slept on his blanket and saddle. The next morning he started riding again and finally camp to the Fort McKavett road. There he ran into someone hunting for him. There were one hundred men out looking for him.'

I do not recall my father saying he was afraid during any of this adventure.

When Eric was a young man his father moved the family to Edwards County. Frank Cloudt owned land out from Edwards County toward Sonora. Eric attended Business College in San Antonio, Texas, and then came back to Edwards County to help his father on the ranches.

Eric was a rancher until the early 1920's when he began managing his father's store, the "Rocksprings Supply Co." This store was completely destroyed by the tornado in April 1927. A new building was built at the same location and a Piggly Wiggly grocery store opened. My father could speak fluently to the Mexican people with whom he came in contact, which was a plus in working ranch hands and in the store business. I believe he served as a city councilman sometime in the 1920's. He and his wife were faithful Christians and active in church work in the Church of Christ.

In 1929 he decided to move his family to Ozona and opened a Piggly Wiggly store. This store prospered until the depression really began to be felt by the ranchers in that area. This store was a cash and carry operation and the ranchers needed long-term credit at this point. Then Eric, with his wife and daughter, moved about eighteen miles west of Junction (close to where he was raised) where he operated a filling station and little store for about six months before moving back to Rocksprings.

Eric, or Erie as most called him, opened a grocery store in the same location in Rocksprings in which he had previously operated his father's general supply store and later the Piggly Wiggly. This location is now occupied by Rocksprings Wool and Mohair, Inc. Soon after Eric opened this store he became ill and in a few months he decided to close it. After his daughter graduated from Rocksprings High School he again moved his family. This time to Hondo, Texas, on June 19, 1933. Except for approximately six years, he made Hondo his home for the remainder of his life. He worked at various jobs during the depression years. He was employed by Kollman Bros, Red & White grocery, and at the Hondo Air Base during the early 1940's. He was engaged in various occupations during his later years prior to retirement. ¹¹⁶ ²²⁴ ²³⁴ ²⁴¹ ²⁴⁹

5222. Lela PAGE ¹¹⁶ ²³³ ²³⁴ (William Clements¹) was born on 1 Aug 1884 in Blanco, TX ^¹¹⁶ and was buried after 13 Feb 1973 in Oakwood Cem., Hondo, Medina, TX.^¹¹⁶

Death Notes: 13 Feb 1973

Lela married Eric Ferdinand CLOUDT,¹¹⁶ son of De Frank CLOUDT Sr and Lena Caroline BROCKMANN, on 17 Mar 1907 in Rocksprings, Edwards, TX.¹¹⁶ Eric died on 9 Apr 1975 in Medina, TX ^¹¹⁶ and was buried after 9 Apr 1975 in Oakwood Cem., Hondo, Medina, TX.^¹¹⁶

Marriage Notes: By Judge Hough. ¹¹⁶

Birth Notes: 17 May 1881

Noted events in his life were:

• He was member of the Church of Christ. ¹¹⁶

• Erie: Erie. ¹¹⁶ Aka

(Duplicate Line. See Person 4565, Eric Ferdinand CLOUDT)

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