Memorials › Lycurgus Cincinnatus “Curg” Lair

Lycurgus Cincinnatus “Curg” Lair

24 Mar 1848 – 1912

Birth	24 Mar 1848
Death	1912
Cemetery	Dreamland Cemetery Canyon , Randall County , Texas , USA
Added by	Smilydino on 24 Jun 2013
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72967315

Bio

(Canyon, Texas 50th county anniversary issue of newspaper): "Lycurgus C. Lair was born in Russell County, Kentucky in 1848; came to East Texas in 1857, during the pioneer days of that section; and then settled in Randall County just two years after it was organized; he spent a large part of his life in new countries. JOURNEY TO TEXAS. Dr. Lair, with his family, his sister Mrs. Martha Buster, and her family, their slaves, stock, and household goods traveled the long journey to Texas in home-made covered wagons.... Lycurgus Lair was nine years old when he came to Texas. He was educated in the common schools of ---- Academy in Fannin County. He remained on his father's farm for the most part until 1876 when he became engaged in the mill and grain business. In 1874 he married Betty Parris who had been his schoolmate both in the common schools and at the academy at Ladonia. Her father had come to Texas as a boy and had fought in the Mexican War; after the war, he went back to Illinois, married Hannah Gould, and returned to Texas settling in 1866 near the home of Dr. Lair. CAME TO CANYON IN 1891. In 1890 Lycurgus C. Lair went out west with a party to investigate the prospects for a home. In 1891 he came to Canyon City, bought several lots in the original site of Canyon and a section of land six miles west and one mile north of Canyon. He built a house, sowed wheat, and made other preparations for a home. He brought the family in 1892 by railway as far as Amarillo. G.C. Long and I.N. Hix came in wagons to carry them and the household goods to the new home. The neighbors were glad to have a family of children come in to make out the required number to establish a school. They soon held a trustee election, moved a house out from Canyon, which answered for a school house, and in September 1892 school opened at "Choice Avenue" as it was jokingly called. This school had nearly as many pupils as the one at Canyon. EARLY EXPERIENCES. Like other early settlers, the Lairs had their difficulties and their hard ---- fires, grass hoppers, lobo wolves, coyotes and prairie fogs, but not all their time was spent in struggling for a living; parties and candy pullings were frequently enjoyed in their home and in those of their neighbors. Sometimes Sunday School and Church services were held in the Lair home, but the family attended services at the court house. Mr. Lair was church clerk and an active deacon in the Baptist Church from 1892 until a short time before his death in 1912. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, was a loyal Democrat, and was chairman of the county executive committee for years. COUNTY OFFICIAL. In 1892 he was elected County Surveyor and served two terms; he surveyed and laid out roads, and school districts, and abstracts; he surveyed the northern and western county boundary lines and was paid $1.50 per linear miler for the work. In 1896 he was elected county judge and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. He entered the real estate business in 1989 with L.G. Conner as partner. G.C. Long was his partner in 1906. In 1907 while working alone he became agent for the block pasture which was opened that year. L.E. Cowling was his partner from 1908 until 1912. He devoted the most of his time to the real estate business, but after 1902 he owned and operated a large farm on which he sowed the first alfalfa grown in the county; he was a stockholder and president of the Canyon Supply Company, and he was a director and vice president of the Canyon Supply Company, and he was a director and vice president of the First National Bank. When subscriptions were made for the college, he gave liberally to that cause. The six children living are Mrs. John Davis and Tom Lair of Canyon, Walter Lair of New Mexico, Harry Lair of Jacksboro, Thad Lair of Plainview and Louis Lair of Newton, Kansas." From THE RANDALL COUNTY STORY, p158. "JUDGE L.C. LAIR, 1891...{as above}... Lycurgus C. Lair was born in Russell County, Kentucky in 1848; came to east Texas in 1857 during the pioneer days of that section, and then settled in Randall County just two years after it was organized. For five generations his ancestors had ventured westward. The first Lair (or Leher as it was then spelled) left a comfortable home on the Rhine in 1736 to make his home in America. He married Katherine Mayer in Philadelphia, lived there for several years, and then settled in Virginia where he patented hundreds of acres of land in Orange, Augusta, and Rockingham counties. They built a large stone house and reared eight children. One of these, Andrew Lair, the great grandfather of Lycurgus, with his wife Lady Frances Hubbard Lair, lived in Logan's Fort at the place where Stanford now stands. He fought through the Revolutionary War as lieutenant under General Logan, General Rogers Clark, and Colonel Bowman. "The Cedars", the old ancestral home of the Lairs was built in 1794. It is still a Lair possession and here, frequently, the Lairs gather for family reunions. In the past it was considered a mansion and was called "the show place of Kentucky." The Battle of Ruddle's Fort took place on the grounds and a monument has been erected there to the memory of those who lost their lives; the bodies of those slain lie in the old Lair vault. There soldiers for the War of 1812 were mustered in the large log barn near the house. William Lair and his wife, Mary Graham Lair, grandparents of Lycurgus Lair, were among the first settlers of Kentucky. They reared a large family and one of their sons, Dr. William Dixon Lair, was the father of Lycurgus C. Lair. Dr. Lair, with his family, came to Texas in home-made covered wagons. They located in 1857 in Grayson County and a year later moved to Collin County. Dr. Lair practiced medicine in Collin, Grayson, and Fannin counties. Lycurgus Lair was nine years old when he came to Texas. He was educated in the common schools of the district and in the Ladonia Academy in Fannin County. He remained on his father's farm for the most part until 1876 when he became engaged in the mill and grain business. In 1874 he married Betty Parris, who had been his schoolmate both in the common schools and in the academy at Ladonia. Their eight children were May, Walter, Harry, Martha Dixon, Thomas, Thaddus, Lillian, and Louis. Martha Dixon married John Davis and they lived in Canyon. They had two children. After Mr. Davis died, Mrs. Davis moved to California with her daughter. Both returned to the family home at 310 8th Street for the summers. Tom married Gladys Avent in 1914. They haved lived in Canyon since their marriage and their children are: George, Thomas, Avent, James, Margaret, and Standley. George married Margaret Perkins of Abeline; they live in Houston. They have two boys. Thomas married Jean Shaver. They live in Canyon at 2423 9th Ave. with their four children: Andrea, Tom, Jennifer, and Edd. Tom was county clerk of Randall County for twenty years and is now farming. He has an insurance business in Canyon and Jean has been librarian at Canyon High School." From: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, p. 607. "JUDGE LYCURGUS C. LAIR, one of the representative citizens of Randall county, Texas, where he is well known as a stock farmer, is also identified with the business interests of Canyon City. He was born at Wild Goose Shoals, on the Cumberland river, in Russell county, Kentucky, March 21, 1848, a son of Dr. William Dixon and Narcissi (Barger) Lair. The father, who was of Scotch descent, removed with his family from Kentucky to Texas in 1857, locating first in Grayson county, where the family made their home for over a year, removing on the expiration of that period to Collin county, establishing their residence twelve miles north of McKinney. There Mr. Lair spent the remainder of his life, passing away in death on the 3d of June, 1887. During the long period of over fifty years he was a medical practitioner, having met with a high degree of success in his chosen profession. Mrs. Lair long preceded her husband to the home beyond, dying in Grayson county, in 1858. / Lycurgus C. Lair was but a lad when the family established their home in the Lone Star state, and within its boundaries he has ever since resided. After attending the common schools near his home, he entered Lodonia Academy, in Fannin county, where he enjoyed superior educational privileges, and after leaving the school room turned his attention to farm pursuits, remaining at the old homestead until about 1876. In that year he embarked in the mill and grain business in Anna, Collin county, thus continuing for fourteen years. In November, 1891, he went to the Plains country, purchasing land in Randall county, but in the following January returned with his family, and since that time has resided in Randall county. His home is located two miles south of Canyon City, where he owns a section of land, productive and well cultivated, on which he raises alfalfa and the crops adapted to this section of the country, also doing a general stock business. He has done much to demonstrate that this is a region suitable for general farming and cotton-raising, and capable of supporting a large population. The judge also has an office in Canyon City, where he conducts a general real estate and live stock commission business, meeting with a well merited degree of success in all his undertakings. In 1874, in Collin county, Texas, Judge Lair was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth J. Parris, and they have become the parents of eight children. In his fraternal relations Mr. Lair is connected with the Masonic order, and religiously is a member of the Baptist church. In 1896 he was elected county judge of Randall county, to which high office he was twice re-elected, serving in all for six successive years. He is numbered among the leading and substantial citizens of Randall county, prominent alike in social, political and business circles."

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