Upshur County’s County Agents and County Fairs
The first county agent Upshur county ever had was H. L. McKnight, who was appointed to that office in the latter part of the year 1908. The idea of a county agent was quite new to the farmers of Upshur county at that time and they did not know how to take it. McKnight was greatly interested in his work, and advised the farmers as to the best varieties of crops and the best methods of cultivation.
There was a standing joke told on McKnight at that time. It was said that he told the farmers they were raising the wrong kind of cotton, as it bore both red and white blooms. He advised that they adopt a variety that produced only white or red blooms. McKnight got just as much kick out of this joke as anyone else. The farm demonstration work was so new in Upshur county, that many of the farmers thought that he was a revenue officer or spy, sent into the county to see if they were really working, or putting in too much time fishing.
McKnight was succeeded by M. L. Kuykendall, who came from Hallsville. He traveled over the county in a gig, or two-wheeled cart. He was a long-winded fellow, and it was told that he would talk his audience to sleep before he quit, and when they began to wake up, he would begin all over again. However, jokes or no jokes, McKnight and Kuykendall laid the foundation for the Farm Demonstration work in Upshur county.
J. O. Allen, one of the best known cotton raisers in East Texas, was the first district agent to cover all Northeast Texas. He was the owner of the old Holly McGee farm at Concord, which, at that time, was considered the best farm in the county. In the summer of 1910, Allen, with the help of some of the leading citizens of the county, organized the first Upshur County Fair. He was assisted by Lon Phillips, who was county judge at that time, Jack Obyrne, J. M. Perdue, W. M. Dunagan and all the business men of Gilmer. The Fair was held in buildings constructed around the court house square, and with the traveling shows and carnivals, a great show was produced. Every one looked forward to the opening day, and they came from all the surrounding country for three days recreation. This Fair was also a source of education for the citizens of Upshur county, demonstrating the resources and possibilities of the county.
Dock Douphrate, Bob Barnwell, and Berry Futrell had new Buick cars at this time, and they gave the Corn Club Boys a free ride out to the end of Montgomery Street. This was the first automobile ride for those boys and they enjoyed it very much. But during these trips, teams of horses and mules that they met, became so frightened that they climbed the steep banks along the road, carrying wagons and drivers with them, while barrels of flour rolled out of the back of the wagons. Someone, too, ran an old Model-T Ford out to the circus stand for ten cents a round trip. Many of the older people got their first automobile ride during the first Upshur County Fair. The cars caused so many runaway scrapes of the farmers’ teams that they became very resentful against them. County Fairs and automobiles hit Upshur county about the same time, and the car added a big attraction to the Fair.
The County Fair was kept up in Gilmer for a few years, but soon interest began to lag, and now the County Fair exists only in memory. The old time County Agent who began the Farm Demonstration, passed with the County Fair, and now that work is on a more business-like basis, and the agents are no longer looked upon as spies or secret revenue agents, the farmers no longer seem to fear that the County Agent is trying to pry too deeply into his affairs.
Upshur county has had a number of County Agents since 1908, and among them were, W. M. Dunagan, of West Mountain, and A. W. Kinnard, who was the first A&M graduate to serve as county agent. He was sent from Brazos county. Many others have followed them, and all have done a noble work for the county.