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Biographical Sketches - V

    VAUGHAN, EDWIN CEPHAS, son of Mr. and Mrs. James J. Vaughan, was born on the Vaughan plantation near Selma, Alabama, May 13, 1866.  He spent his youth in Alabama on the family plantation and later moved to Calvert, Texas.
    On December 25, 1889 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Tempe Willis at Beck Prairie near Franklin, Texas.  Mrs. Vaughan was born at Memphis, Tennessee and moved to Texas with her family and settled in the Beck Prairie Community.
    Two children were born to Edwin Cephas Vaughan and Elizabeth Tempe Willis Vaughan: a daughter Vera who died during the "flu" epidemic in 1917 and a son Edwin R. Vaughan.  One child was born to Vera, a son Edwin Grant Scott.
    Edwin Cephas Vaughan and his wife and family moved to Hearne in February 1900 from Calvert and purchased land that was formerly the old Van Iron farm located two and one half miles northwest of Hearne.  The roadway leading from State Highway Number 190 to this farm is still known as Vaughan Lane.  Mr. Vaughan lived on the farm up to the time of his death that occurred February 6, 1931.
    Mr. Vaughan was the first farmer in Robertson County to irrigate his crops.  He installed on the bank of Little Brazos River, which ran through his farm, a centrifugal pump powered by a gasoline engine and pumped water through a six-inch line and irrigated 30 acres each year.  This irrigated acreage was usually planted in Fall tomatoes, and the tomatoes raised on this farm were known as Vaughan Brazos Valley Tomatoes and were in state-wide demand.  Other truck crops that Mr. Vaughan raised on this irrigated land were: lettuce, onions and cantaloupes.
    In addition to his farming and ranching interests, Mr. Vaughan served as office manager for the Robertson County Road Commission for a two year period and maintained his office in the old First National Bank building on the corner of Third and Market Streets.  This commission was in charge of all expenditures for the graveling of all rural roads leading into Hearne.
    Mr. Vaughan was one of Hearne's and Robertson County's most active citizens in business, farming and civic activities. 

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