Fawn Adams Blackwell Family
 

Fawn Adams Blackwell (June 27, 1916), the fifth child in a family of nine children, was born in Ganado, Texas, to John and Rachel Weynandt Adams. John Adams was born in Goliad, Texas, and Rachel was born near Cuero, Texas. John Adams farmed cotton near Ganado until the late fall of 1924, when he decided to move to Collegeport, Texas, to farm rice.  The family move to Collegeport was made by wagons, and the roads and weather were so bad that it took six, and sometimes eight, mules to pull each wagon during the three day trip. The young boys who drove the cows and extra horses became separated from the group in the wagons, and consequently spent the three cold and miserable days and nights without food or bedding.

The Adams house which was located five or six miles south of Collegeport was not ready for occupancy when the family arrived, and the Adams' stayed for several days at the Ed Hildquist's home, Fawn's uncle and aunt. Fawn remembers that her aunt had a large box of fresh apples which made the whole house smell so good, and that she was allowed to polish a bowl full and put them on the table so that everyone could have one.

The Adams family moved into their new home shortly before Christmas, and John Adams drove his Model "T" Ford to Palacios in order to buy groceries and a few presents for the children. While he was away, the terrible blizzard of 1924 blew in and the ground was soon covered with snow, sleet, and ice. The cattle in the area turned their backs to the cold winds and drifted south, where they waded out into the Matagorda Bay and stood until they froze to death. Those owners who lived near the bay skinned the cattle and sold the hides in order to have enough money to buy groceries and survive the winter.

John Adams planted and harvested his first rice crop and was able to buy a small tractor which helped immensely with the farm work. During the spring, the children walked two and one half miles to catch the school bus each day. The roads were dirt, and during bad weather, it would sometimes be almost noon before they arrived at school, and almost dark when they arrived  home. The County School Superintendent, Clare Pollard, visited the small country schools often, and when students completed the seventh grade, there was a county graduation ceremony at which all who were eligible were issued diplomas and promoted to high school.

During her last year of high school, Fawn married Wade Blackwell, a young farmer who lived at Tin Top, Texas. Fawn and Wade had three children: Neil, Dean and Jean. The three children were graduated from high school in Palacios.

After Wade Blackwell's death, Fawn moved to Bay City to be near her son and daughter, Neil and his wife Willeen Crosson Blackwell, and Jean, who was married to Samuel R. Starks. Fawn's other son, Dean, and his wife, Fay Reid Blackwell, lived in Chandler, Texas.

Fawn Adams Blackwell - 1984

Historic Matagorda County, Volume II, pp 42 - 43
 

Copyright 2007 - Present by the Blackwell Family
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