PARTNERSHIP E.W. “Shorty” Clark (left) was a key business associate of W.E. Connell (right) in the early 1900s. He partnered with Connell and John Scharbauer in acquiring ranch lands in Garza and Kent Counties, which together became the OS Ranch. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY CONNELL MANAGEMENT LLC
FIRST COUNTY COURT The first county court in 1907 marked the beginning of formal governance in Garza County, and it took place on land made available by Connell and his partners. That meeting bridged the transition from vast ranchland to an organized civic community. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY CONNELL MANAGEMENT LLC
Recapping parts one and two: In the first segment, W. E. Connell’s early life was explored, highlighting his transition from herding cattle as a teenager to earning $12,000 by age 16. Born in 1858 in Bell County, he ventured through West Texas and founded a mercantile in Sweetwater with his brother. His marriage to Hattie Millican and friendship with cattleman John Scharbauer...
