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Texas Agriculture Archive

January 17, 2003

After 10 years—and 10 classes—of Texas Farm Bureau Pioneers, some might think that we would run out of superlative comments to introduce each new class. That is most certainly not the case.

When an organization is founded—particularly during the depths of the Great Depression, there is very little room for error. Vision counts for a lot. The founding leaders of the Texas Farm Bureau had that vision. Their vision was born of a dream that an organization of farm and ranch families could stand with other great Texas professional organizations. In their dream, that organization could stand against adversity and make certain that Texas agriculture had a voice as strong as any that would stand against it. The result is the Farm Bureau today. We are proud of it and very proud of the Pioneers who started us on the right path.

The 140 Pioneers that we have honored since the first class in 1992 fit that mold. So do the 14 that we add to those ranks:

• Melba Razor, District 1—In its nomination, the Hansford County Farm Bureau described Melba Rasor as having, "earned the right to be called a real pioneer."

Rasor was recognized for her service to the Farm Bureau and to her community. She worked with 4-H for two decades and she continues her involvement with community youth. Rasor has been an active member in her church for more than 20 years.

Over the years, Rasor has coached several Miss Texas Farm Bureau state winners and has helped Talent Find contestants prepare for state competitions. An inspiration to the county youth, her encouragement has proven instrumental in helping them to win Free Enterprise Speech titles and to attain their professional goals.

• Grady Murry, District 2—Grady Murry has been a pillar of the Farm Bureau family for nearly half a century and in doing so has gained the respect and admiration of his friends and colleagues.

Murry has played an instrumental role in establishing a budget for Hale County FB operations. His determination made him a force through the financially troublesome 1960s when money was tight for the County Farm Bureau. He sometimes took money out of his own pocket to pay for secretaries' wages and operational costs. Due partly to his efforts, the building mortgage for the Hale County FB was paid off several years in advance of the due date.

Murry has held every office at the Hale County FB from secretary to president, and served three terms as president. He has served on commodity committees such as soybeans, corn, cotton, and sugar beets. He also served on committees involving business such as building, remodeling and finance. Murry has participated on several state FB committees.

• Delevan Bratt, District 3—Delevan Bratt, a devoted member of the Archer County Farm Bureau, has concentrated his leadership abilities on advancing the organization's activities.

Bratt was recognized for his service as a member and leader of the Archer County Farm Bureau. He joined the organization in 1962. At the county level, he has held various leadership positions, including president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer.

The Archer County Farm Bureau says, "Mr. Bratt has been an active member of the Farm Bureau since 1962. He has participated in state conventions as a voting delegate since 1978 and has attended three American Farm Bureau conventions."

Bratt served on the Wichita Valley Water Supply Board of Directors, the Archer County Beef Committee Board, and the Nomination Committee for the Production Credit Association. He is a deacon at the First Christian Church in Archer City. He's been a rancher for more than 60 years.

• Edward Powell, District 4—In its nomination, the Collin County Farm Bureau said this of Edward Powell: he is "steady, positive, loyal, dependable, dedicated—words that describe this 90-year-old man who has spent his entire life working the soil."

Powell was recognized for his service as a member and leader of the Collin County Farm Bureau. He has loyally served the organization for 50 years in a variety of roles. Powell served as president and was instrumental in the 1976 purchase of land, where the Collin County Farm Bureau now stands, currently serving more than 7,300 members.

When asked how it felt to be 90, Powell said, "I don't know how you feel when you get old. I feel great and I've got things to do."

• Daniel Gose, District 5—Daniel Gose has served at both the county and state levels of Farm Bureau. Since 1990, he has attended state conventions regularly and served as a delegate at one of the three American Farm Bureau conventions he has attended.

Gose studied agriculture at Sam Houston State University and earned both his B.S. and M.A. degrees from the university. He taught vocational agriculture and science, initiating programs to promote student involvement in agriculture courses and citizenship seminars.

He served as president and vice president of the Paris Rodeo and Horse Club and has been involved with the Lamar County Livestock Show. He is a member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association and of the Vocational Agriculture Teacher's Association.

• Alex Halfmann, District 6—At the age of 12, Alex Halfmann began farming with his father and two brothers in Runnels County. After serving in the Army Air Corps in England and North Africa during WWII, he returned to Texas and began farming cotton and grain.

He has served as a director for the CFB "working behind the scenes" in various capacities.

During his time at the Tom Green County Farm Bureau he has served on the Cotton and Grain Committee, Membership Committee, Beef Cattle Committee, and committee that plans the annual summer barbecue for Farm Bureau members.

In addition to local Farm Bureau involvement, Halfmann has represented the county at state leadership conferences, state conventions, and state summer commodity conferences.

• Billy DeBusk, District 7—Jones County Farm Bureau has only one living charter member, Billy DeBusk, who joined in 1954. He has been a Jones County Director for 20 years and has served on the Resolutions Committee seven times. DeBusk has also lent his time to many boards that help promote agriculture in the area.

The Jones County Farm Bureau stated, "Without his and our original charter directors' efforts, we might not be a County Farm Bureau today."

DeBusk's community service advocating the cause of agriculture is apparent through his membership and leadership in organizations. He is involved with the Rolling Plains PCA Board and County Growers, the National Cotton Board, the Farmers Co-op Gin, the Jones-Haskell Grain Co-op, Jones County FSA, and the Jones County Fair. His involvement with these organizations combined equals over 50 years of time and commitment.

DeBusk is also involved in other civic activities in Anson such as the Hospital Board, the Independent School Tax Equalization Board, and the Planning and Zoning Committee. He attends First Baptist Church and serves as a deacon. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1942-1946.

• Don Rhoades, District 8—Coryell County nominated Don Rhoades as a Farm Bureau Pioneer because, "Anytime Don can lend a helping hand, he is there. Today we stand on his efforts of prior years."

Rhoades was recognized for his service as a member and leader of the Coryell County Farm Bureau. He joined the organization in 1948 and has served as director and vice president.

Rhoades is a member of the Southwest Coryell County Wildlife Association, a deer management program, and of the Midway Church of Christ.

• H.K. Hargis, District 9—Some Farm Bureau members refer to the late H. K. Hargis as the "father of Sabine County" agriculture. He had served continuously as president of Sabine County Farm Bureau since it was organized on Nov. 17, 1970.

Hargis was a farmer and rancher for more than 40 years, raising broilers, hogs and cattle. He was the man people came to for farm advice and was always willing to help a fellow farmer when times were hard. He always knew where to buy hay during a drought. He was always up on the weather and was called on by many in his community for that information. Whatever the situation or circumstance, Hargis was always willing to help any way he could.

Active with 4-H clubs and FFA chapters, Hargis also devoted time to the county Farm Bureau's National Affairs Committee. He went to Washington in the 1980s to promote congressional understanding of the plight of farmers and ranchers in East Texas.

In making its nomination, the Sabine FB said, "through his selfless dedication to Farm Bureau and to the local community, H. K. Hargis truly exemplifies what a pioneer is and makes him deserving of this honor."

• Rudolph Schott, District 10—Rudolph Schott is a trusted leader of the Bandera County Farm Bureau. He served as a director for 22 years.

The agriculture industry has played an important part in his life. In the 1890s, his father, Charles Schott, acquired the family's 5,100 acre ranch. Schott assumed control of the ranch in 1943, and today, he and a son continue to own and operate the property, raising Angora goats, cattle, hogs, and assorted field crops.

Currently, Schott is a director of the Mohair Council of America. He was a member of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association and the Bandera Agricultural Soil Conservation Service. Also, he served as a trustee for the Bandera Independent School District for more than 21 years.

In 1991, the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association honored Schott by appointing him a Lifetime Director.

An avid music lover, Schott enjoys playing the piano, and he taught himself to play the guitar, saxophone, flute, and piccolo.

• Aubrey Chudleigh, District 11—Aubrey Chudleigh has helped the Harris County Farm Bureau grow from 350 to more than 8,000 members.

Chudleigh joined the Farm Bureau in 1956. He served his County Farm Bureau as president, vice president, and director. Also, he was a member of the Resolutions, Youth Contest, Membership, Young Farmer and Rancher, Policy Development, and Commodity committees.

Chudleigh served as a director and president of the American Rice Growers Board. He is a member of several civic organizations, including the Lions Club, the Masonic Lodge and the Shriners. He was a school board trustee and a member of the Appraisal Review Board. Chudleigh served as a Precinct Chairman for more than 40 years and as an election judge for more than 20 years.

• McKinnley E. "M.E." Jacobs, District 12—The late M.E. Jacobs is recognized for his tireless efforts to make the Lavaca County Farm Bureau and his community the best it could be. Jacobs served as Lavaca County Farm Bureau president for 24 years. His commitment to the organization will be remembered because of the growth and stability he inspired. There were 925 members when he was named president in 1959, and 2,396 members in 1983 when he stepped down.

Born in the Hope community, Jacobs and his wife, Myrtle, had three sons. He served on the county Farm Bureau's Legislative, Auditing, Resolutions and Service committees.

Jacobs was "a Farm Bureau pioneer" in the real sense because of his many contributions to the organization over four decades, said the Lavaca County Farm Bureau.

• Theodore Vos, District 13—Over the past four decades Theodore Vos has exhibited a relentless determination to provide a voice for local farmers as well as a deep passion for upholding the principles of Farm Bureau.

Since becoming a member of Farm Bureau, Vos has held every office from secretary to president. He was secretary for 14 years, vice president for 10 years and was president for three years from 1999-2001. Vos also served on numerous committees, such as Cotton, Grain, Vegetable, and Labor, to improve policy. He served at the local, state, and national level. He attended over 40 state conventions and served on several committees involving State Resolutions.

Vos's devotion to the community extended beyond the agricultural industry and led to his involvement in various civic organizations. He worked with fourth graders in the local Omus Ag Fair and was a member of the school board for the Weslaco Independent School District for several years. His dedication and contributions to the community have made him an asset and role model for all citizens.

• Dick Mitchell, Texas Farm Bureau Staff—The late Dick Mitchell will always be remembered for his tireless efforts in promoting Farm Bureau as a member of the field staff and later as head of Field Operations.

Mitchell's memorial is a living one, as many Texas Farm Bureau staff, still serving today, were trained by Mitchell and inspired by his life and service. Not only that, he introduced many county leaders who are still active today, to Farm Bureau. That is his legacy.

Born in Indiana, Mitchell moved to Tennessee as a young child. He received his bachelor of science in agricultural education from the University of Tennessee. He later attended Texas A&M and earned a master's degree in poultry nutrition.

He worked as an assistant county agricultural agent in Anderson County before joining Farm Bureau in 1961. He worked 20 counties in South Central Texas before being named director of Field Operations in 1989. Mitchell served Texas Farm Bureau for 29 years before he passed away, far too soon, in 1990.