Published: February 10, 2008 03:22 pm            

John Watson: Sand Flat still a small country community

Sand Flat, a small community midway between Cleburne and Grandview, is one of the older communities in Johnson County.

According to a letter in the “Johnson County Scrap Book, Volume 3,” at the Cleburne Public Library, George N. Logan and his family left Kentucky in a wagon pulled by oxen in 1853. When they arrived in the area that is now Johnson County, they found the land was not what they expected it to be and went back to East Texas, where they lived for five years.

While in East Texas four of their eight sons died, one having been killed by Indians. In 1858 they packed up again and returned to Johnson County, where they had friends living. This time they settled in Sand Flat.

Two things that held the early communities together were the school and church. This is where things get interesting. While visiting with Danny and Jo Stanford at the Sand Flat Country Store, the subject was brought up that Sand Flat was once known as Cuba. The school was known as Cuba School.

Jo Stanford said some residents claim Sand Flat was never known as Cuba; they say Cuba was on the rise east of Sand Flat where the school was. Now, where’s Cuba?

J.L. Irby’s wife wrote a short history of the Sand Flat Church in 1950. The following is taken from that history.

“On Aug. 30, 1868, a group of Missionary Baptists met in Sand Flat for the purpose of organizing a church of like faith. The church was called the Baptist Church of Christ, New Hope, at first. It bore that name till September 1874, when it was changed to Sand Flat. The first deacons were: R. W. Rowland and D. Boyd. W. C. O’Rear was elected church clerk. Rev. J. W. Carter was the first pastor.

“This ‘country church,’ which is located almost mid-way between Grandview and Cleburne, is one of the oldest churches in the Alvarado Association.”

This was as of 1950; the church is now in the Southwest Metroplex Baptist Association.

The history continues: “The church was once (?) destroyed by fire, and in April 1929, was wrecked by a tornado. The present Building [1950] was then erected. It is a modern building with an auditorium, five classrooms, electric fans and lights. The latest improvements are the venetian blinds.

“Some of the other pastors over the years are, Rev. J. R. Clark, W. J. Brown, O. C. Kidd, W. F. Harris, Cloud Adams, C. M. Woodson, and Chas. E. Pitts.”

By 1990 the foundation of this building was getting bad, and the ceiling had started to sag. A steel beam was added to the attic with extra posts to help support the ceiling. The repair lasted for a while, and then in 2003, the building had to be torn down.

The church has been meeting in the Wynn Family Life Center at the back of the property, which includes the recreation hall, kitchen and Sunday school rooms.

Work is well on the way on building a new sanctuary. The Rev. Ben Stricklin, the pastor, said this is a pay-as-you-go project. They recently received the funds to brick the front of the building and will have enough left to install the windows and doors. The next big project will be installation of the duct work for the heating and air-conditioning units and putting the electricity in.

When the First Baptist Church of Cleburne purchased the old Crosier-Pearson Funeral Home building, they gave Sand Flat Church the pews out of the sanctuary. The pews are now stored in the new building and covered with plastic.

Many notable businessmen of Cleburne and Johnson County were from Sand Flat. According to a Times-Review article dated Aug. 27, 1950, the following business and professional people were from there.

“J.M. Peacock, for years a prominent grocer in Cleburne, got his start at Sand Flat. Bill Meals, of Woolridge and Meals Wholesale Grocery, handled his first prunes while working in his father’s store at Sand Flat.

“Dr. L.L. Harris, beloved Cleburne physician of bygone days, practiced at Sand Flat. Dr. E. P. Smith, Dr. Seal, Dr. Hudlow and others, practiced medicine in the little community before seeking wider fields.

“Truett Bailey, manager of one of the most successful projects in Texas, the Johnson County Electric Cooperative, lives at Sand Flat now.”

Jim Bailey, Truett’s son, still lives at Sand Flat. Jim told me his father helped organize the Johnson County Electric Cooperative in 1938. He was manager of the cooperative until his retirement in 1970. Truett Bailey moved to Sand Flat in 1940 and lived there until his death in 1977.

Sand Flat, never having a major highway or a railroad, has always remained a country community full of good-hearted friendly folk.



John Watson is a Cleburne

resident who can be reached at texastraveler@sbcglobal.net.

        

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