Rudd Crawford Spinks

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Rudd Crawford Spinks. Now, some men are content to pick one thing and do it well. Rudd Crawford Spinks was not that kind of man.

Born February 13, 1857, he came into Houston County in 1878, and from that point on, the county was never quite the same. He started out running a jewelry and music store in Crockett. Fine watches and fiddle strings under one roof.

But apparently that wasn't enough to hold him, because Rudd Crawford Spinks became a farmer. And a freighter. And a cotton gin operator.

And a sawmill operator. And a prominent landowner. And if that still sounds like he had some spare time on his hands, he also built several area homes and bred registered livestock.

The man was not what you would call idle. He raised six sons, which, given everything else on his plate, is its own kind of marvel. But here is the thing people remembered most about Rudd Crawford Spinks.

All that enterprise, all those acres and operations, and what made him widely known was his mouth. He was an outspoken observer of the events of his day, and he had comments, pointed ones, on government and political figures. You can imagine how those comments landed around Houston County.

Some folks probably agreed with every word. Others probably found somewhere else to be when they saw him coming. He kept on living and, one assumes, kept on talking until November 24, 1938.

A Native Texan, start to finish, who squeezed about eleven occupations and a lifetime of opinions into one life. Houston County knew he'd been there.

What the marker says

(Feb. 13, 1857 -- Nov. 24, 1938) Native Texan Rudd Crawford Spinks came to Houston County in 1878. The owner of a jewelry and music store in Crockett, he became a farmer, freighter, cotton gin and sawmill operator and a prominent land owner. In addition, he built several area homes and bred registered livestock. The father of six sons, he was an outspoken observer of the events of his day and was widely known for his comments on government and political figures.