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.