An Elite Dallas Family

[Gladstone]

Hidden away in a drawer at an antique shop lay the old crumbling remains of a photo album and with it dozens of newspaper clippings from the 1920's and 30's. The dealer wanted $5 ...a good price. I gave it to him.

A bit of searching on the net revealed that the family in the pics was that of the R. L. Winfrey's, a Dallas family of some prominence early in the last century. This is their fascinating story.

R. L. Winfrey (1871-1923) was the Dallas City Police and Fire Commisioner from 1914-1917. He also had served apparently on the Texas State Prison Commission. Winfrey Point on Dallas' White Rock Lake is named after him.

In the attachment below he is the man on the left. The attachment next to it is the notice placed in the Dallas Morning News of his passing in August, 1923.

[Gladstone]

R. L. Winfrey was married to Florence Fisher (1873-1958) in 1893. She was from the town of Richardson just outside Dallas and in 1925 was recorded as a "pioneer of Dallas" having been in the Dallas area for over fifty years. Her father, Tom B. Fisher, had been a Dallas County Commisioner at one time.

Below is her pic (tho it's not labeled I believe it's her due to context). Next to that is the local paper's obituary telling some of her life history.

[The Blond Beast]

Do you enjoy collecting these kinds of relics?

[Gladstone]

Do you enjoy collecting these kinds of relics?

Hmmm...don't know if I'd use the term "relics". Our past is a big part of who we are now as peoples. So, I find it worthwhile "remembering".

I also like the present and future too.

[Gladstone]

The family cook Jack "Dad" Fields, maid Polly, and dog Woodrow. Apparently the dog was named after then President Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920) which may or may not have been complimentary.

Huntsville is noted on some of these photos (the bulk of which are circa 1915-17); the family either moved to that town from Dallas at some point or had a second "summer home" there. Huntsville is located in the Piney Woods of East Texas, a few hundred miles south-east of Dallas.

[Gladstone]

The Winfrey's had at least three children, from eldest to youngest Martin, Dorothy, and Virginia.

Martin (1899-1944) signed up right away in WWI having just turned 18. The postcard with a Mother's Day 1917 message was probably sent from Camp Travis in Austin TX; note the men drilling are still in their everyday street clothes, war having been declared only a month before. His sisters mobilized too!

Martin would after the war go on to school to be an attorney. In the 1930's he was counsel for the Adolphus Hotel of Dallas, by the early 40's he was representing out of state beer firms operating in Texas. Shortly after Martin's death in 1944, fellow Dallasite Tom C. Clark was to have taken over Winfrey's brewery representation but was unable to as he was appointed Truman's Attorney General and later a US Supreme Court Justice.

[Gladstone]

Couldn't find much on the youngest, Virginia Goessling Winfrey, other than the few photos in the lots purchased.

The middle daughter, Dorothy Elizabeth Winfrey was quite another story; she very much conradicted the idea that the middle child lacks direction or identity. Dorothy was born about 1907 and was enrolled early on by her parents in various schools of dance. As a teen-ager she attended Forest Avenue High School located in what is still a very fine part of the Dallas area. Apparently forgoing college she pursued dancing as a career, teaming up with a Miss Ruth Laird and her "Dallas Rockets" troupe. In 1929 Dorothy struck it big on Broadway and Vaudeville and had become something of a star.

In about 1945 Dorothy Winfrey would marry Guy L. Waggoner, a heir at one time to the Waggoner Estate who had sold his share to his two siblings a few years before. Guy had his own ranch in New Mexico and was a powerful personage in the Texas horse racing scene. The Waggoner Estate itself is a one half million acre ranch primarily concerned with cattle raising and oil production. This ranch which is still working is the largest ranch in Texas and may be the largest in the US; currently there's been a falling out between family members and the ranch is in receivership. In other words if something is not worked out soon the Waggoner Estate will simply be parceled out to the highest bidders. Guy died in 1950 and I can only presume Dorothy Waggoner in time might have remarried as she was still only 43; as of 1958 she had not. As to what happened to her ultimately I am not sure, but found someone by the name Dorothy W. Waggoner with a TX Social Security # who died at the age of 93 in Hawaii in the year 2000.

Below, some pics (circa 1917) and newspaper clippings (circa 1920's). Note in the two family/neighborhood pics Dorothy is the one up front. Last is a birthday telegram sent by her brother Martin who seems to have been a pretty cool guy.

[Rodskarl Dubhgall]

I enjoy seeing the articles featuring white souls. The black things just repulse me as they are parasites like fleas, ticks, flies and mosquitoes. Actually, I believe we can choose one parasite for each mud race.

[Esther_Helena]

it's great that you were able to find that. How did you find it and how long did it take? I have an album of old photos too. I know the people are from my location, my "grandfather" got it from his aunt when she died. Also, one of the women looks freakishly like a girl who lives near them....

[Gladstone]

it's great that you were able to find that. How did you find it and how long did it take?

Some of the photos and the obituaries had people's names...so I did an internet search and there they were. I made a few phone calls and even stopped by a graveyard or two. Took a few weeks all in all. The antique dealer selling them didn't know who they were; if he had I'm sure he would have asked a lot more.

I have an album of old photos too. I know the people are from my location, my "grandfather" got it from his aunt when she died.

If there are any names with the photos (possibly on the back of the photos too) too you might find something with an internet search. Quite a few people post their entire extended family trees on line and they may be there.

Also, one of the women looks freakishly like a girl who lives near them....

A descendant perhaps. Or maybe this woman returns every few generations to reek havoc upon the world. A female version of Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining.