DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, Tom Green County has its share of notable characters, but let me tell you about a man named Charles B. Metcalfe — because his story has a way of sneaking up on you.
Starts out like a frontier tale, ends up changing the course of Texas history. Born in Lawrence County, Tennessee, Metcalfe came to Texas in 1872, and he didn't exactly ease into things. He helped map the town site of Ben Ficklin — the first county seat of Tom Green County — which tells you right there that he was the kind of man who showed up early and got to work.
He grew the first bale of cotton in the county. He installed the first cotton gin in the county — water-powered, no less. He was one of the first ranchers to push for law and order by fencing the rangeland, back when that was not a universally popular opinion, if you follow my meaning.
He served six years as County Commissioner. The man had his hands in just about everything that shaped that corner of Texas. But here's where the story turns, and you want to pay attention.
Metcalfe served in the Legislature of Texas from 1915 to 1919. And in 1918, when an election bill came up for consideration, Charles B. Metcalfe offered an amendment.
Just an amendment — quiet word for something that loud. That amendment gave Texas women the right to vote in primary elections. Three years before the national adoption of woman's suffrage.
Three years. Now, the frontier work, the cotton, the fencing, the mapping — all of it matters. But that amendment is what time kept.
One man, one measure, and Texas women walked to the polls ahead of the rest of the country. That's the kind of thing that deserves more than a marker. Though a marker's a fine place to start.
What the marker says
Sponsor of 1918 measure to give Texas women right to vote. Born in Lawrence County, Tenn. came to Texas 1872. Helped map town site of Ben Ficklin, first county seat, Tom Green County. Grew first bale of cotton and installed first (water-powered) cotton gin in county; was one of first ranchers to work for law and order, in fencing rangeland. County Commissioner 6 years. Served 1915-1919 in Legislature of Texas. There his amendment to 1918 election bill gave vote in primaries to women of Texas three years before the national adoption of woman's suffrage. (1968)