Remembering friends and heroes

I like to give “flowers to the living.” Here, we can celebrate the living treasures we have among us in the Hopkins County community, many of whom have made lasting positive contributions to society.

Mack Pogue

Born in Sulphur Springs in 1934, Mack Pogue began with a strong work ethic and blazed a trail in the real estate business. He grew up when cotton was king in Hopkins County, and his dad ran a cotton gin. An early morning newspaper route was his first job. After graduating from Sulphur Springs High School, he served in Korea with the U.S. Army, then earned a degree from Texas Tech University. In 1960, he married Jean McMullen, who became his hometown life partner.

After working various jobs, including high school football coach, he would find his destiny in real estate. Pogue met Mr. Tramel Crowe in Dallas, who would become his first partner and mentor. He formed Lincoln Property Company and found success across the U.S. and Europe during his 58-year career. Dedication to the company, his partners and his employees, as well as to his family, was his hallmark. Pogue was quietly generous and remained humble and appreciative of all those who helped him on the journey. According to an obituary posted Feb. 4, 2024, Mack Pogue’s survivors are Jean, his wife of 64 years; his sons; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Like Mack Pogue, there are so many remarkable people in and from this community whose stories should be remembered and never forgotten. I welcome suggestions here.

Amos and John Wofford I finally got to visit the Union Cemetery in the southern part of the county. I’d heard it was the final resting place of Wood County Deputy Sheriff Amos Wofford; he and his brother, Constable John Wofford, were killed in a 1907 ambush in Winnsboro, Texas. The brothers were gunned down as they attempted to arrest a pair for liquor violations in the Bowery. Their bodies were transported in caskets to Sulphur Springs by train car as a gesture from the Woodmen Company, as both of the heroes were policyholders. From Sulphur Springs, most likely the family members of the men carried the caskets south by wagon to their home community.

Upon Deputy Wofford’s grave is an elaborate vertical stone placed there by the Woodmen of the World Insurance Company. I looked, but did not find the grave of John Wofford.

I did see a remarkable tree there, not far from Wofford’s grave. It is a huge live oak tree with very impressive branches. They start down low on the trunk and arc outwards to spread almost horizontally from the tree. They can live to 300 years or more. I wonder if this one was there when Sheriff Wofford was laid to rest.