This week’s article is still taken from the book “Blow Your Smoke Toward the Sky” written by Ashley N. Beasley. Enjoy!!

The Oscar Fleming Family

This chapter is written March 23, 1979, and there is one drive out of Center that I mean to take within the next few days. During early spring it is beautiful every step of the way. Leave Center on the Arcadia Road and soon you will see some beautiful homes and ranches. The first one that means a lot to me is the Henry Bridwell home just out of town. My father, my brothers and I along with some others built this home for Mr. Bridwell. Next, just a short distance away is the big, most unusual Jim Harris home, and Mr.Harris was one of the largest sawmill operators in Shelby County. While attending schoolat Lamar, I got to know Carroll, Levi, Babe and others who attended Lamar School with me.

Just a short distance away the beautiful, large Oscar Fleming Ranch comes into sight and here I want to pause. My family lived about one half mile away to the west. It seemed that nine was a magic number to many families at that time. Mr. Oscar (1884-1952) and Mrs. Lois Bush Fleming (1885-1965) raised 9 children at this ranch, and it was my pleasure to attend Lamar School with many of them. There was Paul, Roe, Eula Mae, Joel, Jeff “Babe”, Elmo, Lloyd who is known as Shine and who is an official of Farmers State Bank in Center, Bryan, and Juanita. Eula Mae is now Mrs. Buford Russell of Center.

I remember Mr. Oscar Fleming as a very muscular, a powerful man who worked long and hard. There was this big sawmill nearby and during World War I, everyone was crying for lumber. This big mill was turning it out daily, but the problem was to get it over rough, muddy roads to Center to be loaded on cars to be shipped north and east. Mr. Fleming would roll out of his good bed before daylight and with his teams and hands, this lumber was carried by wagon to the Depot in Center. He loved livestock and wanted them fed and housed properly in the cold winter. He wanted a big barn with four compartments, each separate, and all covered properly to protect the livestock from the cold.

He and my father set about drawing some plans. Out of these conversations came plans for a most unusual barn. Drive to the ranch and look. It is big, eye catching and most unusual and it appears to me to be standing well. It was built by my daddy in about 1916, and I had the pleasure of working on it the entire time it was under construction. Go on the inside and you will see how livestock can be cut off, cut out, segregated, separated, shifted, and shunted from pen to pen.

During this time there were two schools for his children to attend. One was at the New Lamar Consolidated three teacher school. My father had just built this school, and I was privileged to put in several days of hard work on the building. It was an excellent rural school with fine teachers, and I want to write more about them in a later chapter. The other school was conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Fleming and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bush. It was conducted for the benefit of their children. On the Oscar Fleming Ranch, his children were taught how to raise, care for and market livestock and all other farm products, cotton, corn, oats, peanuts and all the rest. The Oscar Fleming Ranch was a leader in pasture improvement and the improvement of the cattle herd. The peach orchard bull with the little crumpled horn cows was gradually being replaced with big, red, white, black brindle cows and bulls. The children were taught to ride, rope, run, feed, handle cattle, doctor them and finally to market them for a profit. To help with all this, there was The Future Farmers of America, the finest organization known to help youngsters understand them and brand ‘em. I have never heard of a Future Famers boy in any trouble.

It seems that Joel Fleming, son of Oscar and Lois, took an early liking to livestock, riding, running, roping and athletics. He was soon in competition at rodeos. On the football field for Center High School, he excelled. From the small rodeo arena, he advanced to the big time. In later years, at the Fort Worth Rodeo, where he was competing, I made my way back to where the contestants were assembled, just before the start of the program. I asked if I might see Joel Fleming. Just then several pointed him out to me. It was our first meeting since I left Lamar school about 1920. Standing tall and erect before all of us was a competitor as hard as nails, thoroughly honest and willing to take onany bull in the arena on the bull’s terms. He was qualified because he was a graduate of Lamar Consolidated Rural School, Center High School, and the school of Hardis Knockerum (Hard Knocks) owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Fleming at their ranch, for the benefit of their children.

Note: I did a quick search on Newspapers.com and found the following articles about the career and life of Joel Fleming.

Article in the Fort Worth Record-Telegram Sat., Oct 19, 1939, page 2

A cantankerous steer that refused to be thrown in the bull-dogging event dragged Joel Fleming of Center, Texas and landed him in the Garden hospital with severe cuts of the head and shoulders.

The Waco Times-Herald Thu, Jun 20, 1940, page 2

Center, June 20--(AP)- Imagine Deputy Sheriff Joel Fleming's surprise when a young man walked into the office and said: "Here are the keys to an automobile I stole in Beaumont. I got drunk there Monday night and took the car without knowing what I was doing."

Beaumont officers confirmed the story.  The young man was jailed.

The Liberty Vindicator Wed, Jul 10, 1940

Joel Fleming of Center, Texas, one of the top-flight rodeo performers of the nation, with laurels aplenty from Madison Square Garden, Cheyenne and other points, is coming, as are many other of the brightest luminaries of the Turtleback Club from all over the sports world.

The Marshall News Messenger Sun, Sep 13, 1959, page 28

Timpson - John W. Parker was re-elected president of the Shelby County Fair Association recently and plans are now underway for the annual fair, scheduled Oct. 6-10.

Other association officers are Joel Fleming, Cecil Massey and Bob Pinkston, vice president; Price Ramsey, Jr. and Mann Pinkston, co-secretary and treasurer.

Committee appointment include Frank E. Parker and Froy Stewart, front office and gate; Cecil Massey and Tommy Morrison, ticket takers; Joe Anderson, Billy Runnels and Ray Wooley, exhibit hall; Joel Fleming, Morgan Harris and Joe Ellis, Cattle; Mrs. Giles Singletary and Wiley True, parade; John Parker, carnival; Jack Motley and Andy Kraemer, commercial exhibits; Harold McDonald and M.S. Smith, season tickets; Mrs. E.B. Gann and Mrs. Thomas Gault, art exhibits; Jack McLendon and Charlie Slate, publicity and Miss Martha Clinton, homemakers' exhibits.

The Kilgore News Herald Wed, Aug 13, 1969

Center - Joel Fleming, 58, of Center, well-known rancher, died Tuesday in a hospital after a long illness.

A native and lifelong resident of Center, Mr. Fleming owned the J.F. Charolaise Cattle Ranch. He was president of the Shelby Cattleman's Assn. and former deputy sheriff of Shelby County. Mr. Fleming was a former rodeo performer and held the World Championship Bull Dogging Contest medal.

Funeral services are set for 10am Thursday at Center First Methodist Church. Surviving are his wife, a son, two daughters, five brothers, and a sister.