Sure had some fun that day.

Writings by Clara Ada Johnson Clepper Smith
about her husband, William Wesley Clepperand her time living at Decker Prairie, Texas.
Transcribed by their grandson, Conan L Massey Jr.

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The night I met Wesley C. was 26 Dec 1931 at a party at Grogan Mill at Charlie Netams. He bought me home form the party.
The 2 of Jan 1932 I gave a party Wesley and his brother Lim [Lemual] came then we went after Lillian Weindorff.
Edd J_____ jumped Lim about bringing Lil to the party and he would not go back again Thursday night.
Wesley and I went to the party at Vaughts, sure was a big crowd, sure had some fun.
Saturday night 9 Jan, Wesley came and took me to the party at Grogans Mill that night.
He said that he loved me, i asked him how long would it last, he said just as long as he lived. I'll always remember that night 9 Jan 1932.
Sunday Jan 17, 1932 Wesley and I went to Houston to Ethel’s got there about 4 oclock, had some trouble finding the place left about 7,30 went to a show got home about 12 oclock.
Saturday evening 23 Jan we went to Houston to a party at Ethels, went to his sisters in Camp Logan. His baby sister gertrude went to the party with us we sure had some fun.
Alta went down with us she came back with Rolland. Wesley came back to Ethel’s Sunday eve after me then we came home.
Wesley drank some beers that eve and I told him if his beer was worth more to him than going with me o.k. but he said "I could get along without it, but I need you to go with me. I wont drink any more if you wont get mad."
I wont drink any more. Wonder how long that promise will last.

Sunday evening Jan 31, 1932 he spent the evening with me, we ate supper then he and I went to church at D.P.
Saturday night 6th Feb Wes cam and we went to a party at the Mill, where we met. Leon and June Perry went with us.
I went to Houston Monday with Ethel and Howard. He came after me Saturday even.
13th, got over there while we were gone to town. We had not been back long when he came back over there. That night, Cloyed, Madeline, Calci, Wes, and I went to the Green Derby Long Shoreman's dance. we came home Sunday, carried Mrs. Clepper home, then Wes brought me home.
Last night he said "I have been looking for you for five years until the night we met."
Wes said he was coming back Sunday 28, and he decided that was so long he came Wednesday night 24 Feb 1932. I was sure surprised. we ate supper and went to the show at Hufsmith. He gave me my choice that night of going with him or another fellow. I chose him. He said "I want you to be satisfied about it and don’t forget that if you choose him, I’ll always love you any way." Those few words let me know I loved him. "so unselfish." Six months is a mighty long time to wait for my answer he said. I told him my answer was yes if he would wait for me until I wasn’t needed at home so badly. He said they will need you at home just as bad next year as they do now. Probably true.

Friday night Wes, Morris Clepper, Lil W and I went to the party at Damuths. Sure had some fun. Lil and I told the boys we would rather to with their brothers than them anyway because they said we flirted with their brothers. Ha Ha. Wes asked when did I want him to send his brother to see me. I said anytime.
I gave a party Saturday night March 5, 1932 for Alta Bentley and Rolland Bruner wedding shower. Wes and Morris came by after Lillian Weinderff and came to the party. Wes cam Sunday evening Mar 13. We went to church at Hufsmith that night.
He said he was coming Sunday 20 but he came on Saturday night 19th and carried me to a party at his cousins house, Lily Thomas. Then we came back about 2 oclock. Sure was a long ride. Sweet dreams.
Easter Sunday Wes came. We went to the ball game at Hufsmith then came back. After supper we went to Pine Hurst and came back.
Saturday night April 2, Wes came over here. Cloyed went with us by Sherfields after Gertrude and went to a party at Tom Goodsons. Got home at 1.30 oclock.
Sat April 9, Wes came over and we went to D P to church. A large crowd was there. Sunday morning 10th, Cloyed, Gertrude, Wes, and I went to Houston to Ernest Lloyds. The day we figured the plans for our house.

Saturday night April 16 Wes, Lem, Vergil and Guy Sherfield Ludy, Mr. and Mrs. Jones came down here to go fishing on Spring Creek. Wes carried them down there and came back. Ethel, Howard, Wes, and I went to a farawell party at Mary Netams. Lem cam back with us and I went on the creek with them sit up all night. Came home about ten oclock Sunday.
I gave a party April 23, 1932. Wes came that we had a good crowd that night.
Saturday night April 30 Wes came. We went to a party at Vaughts. Jim, Allen, Buck Sanders and Cloyed went with us. There is a party at Youngs and Bentley Saturday night May 7.
Wednesday night the graduation excercises at Oklahoma and D.P. Thursday. 5 May sure had some fun both times. Lillian Weindorff and Lucy Sanders D.P. Graduates 1932.
Picnic on Spring Creek May 6. I went to the party at Bentley’s Saturday night. I went over there that day and cooked Wilks birthday cake. Wesley came about 9.30 oclock . He and I went by the party at Young's but it was over already then we came back. Lem and another boy was waiting. Lem asked me what time did i run Wes off.
Sunday night May 22, Wesley came and we went down to Bud Springers where Mrs Hanks died that day.
Saturday night 28, Wesley came and stayed until ten-thirty. The next morning he came back and I went home with him spent the day and came back by church at Magnolia where Stockwell is holding a meeting. Got home about twelve oclock.
Sunday evening June 5, Wesley came we went to the ball game at Hufsmith, then to Tomball where Ethel, Howard, Cloyed and I left him. We went to Houston.
Saturday evening June 11 Wesley came to Houston over to Ethels about 6 oclock. He, Cloyed and I went over to Jim’s after Gertrude, ate supper then went to the party at Alta’s. Sure had some fun that night. Wes and Gertrude went back to Jim’s.
Sunday June 12. He came back over to Ethels after us then we came out home ate dinner and Cloyed, Gertrude, Wesley, and I went to Rose Hill to a ball game and picnic. Came back just before sundown. Then Wesley and Gertrude went on home. Wesley felt so bad that evening he did not go to church.
Sunday June 26 Cloyed and I went to Cleppers, they were looking for us. afternoon
Lem, Ruby Jones, Cloyed, Gertrude, Wesley, and I went to Hockley and Waller got some films and t_____ pictures, rode around all the evening. Stopped to eat a watermelon under a bridge. They went off and left Wesley and I, but we did not know it until they came back. Sure had some fun that day.
Sunday July 3 Wesley came to Oklahoma church where the kids and I were. We had dinner down there and then came home.
I went home with Wesley, went by after Luda and Vergil. We went to the picnic the next day 4th at Fields Store. Sure had a fine time rode around nearly all day.
Wesley and I went with Morris after his girl. We got wet while eating dinner. Got home about 11 oclock
Saturday night 9 July, Wesley came before dark. I was picking beans when he drove up. That night Allen, Jim, Leon Davis, Wesley, and I went to a party at LeeAttiway’s
Saturday night 23, Wesley came before dark. We went with mama to vote. Then we went to Goldens.
Saturday night 30, Wesley cam. I was sick so we stayed home. left at 11.30 oclock.
Saturday night 13 of August. Wesley came. Allen, Jim, Leon, Wesley and I went to Pinehurst after Gertrude then went to the party at Hosfords the night of the storm. Wesley and Gertrude spent the night with us. The next day 14 I went home with them. Stayed until Monday night 15, Wesley and his mother brought me home.
August 27, wesley came. We went to Bonnies that night but did not stay long. Saturday night September 10 Wesley came, we went to Caraway to take them some pears. did not stay very long.
Saturday night September 24, 1932 Wesley came to the party at Caraways after I had gone with Wilkie Bentley, Willie C Elvin Carraway, Lillian and Edna __________. He said that I went with Wilkie and should have come back with him, but I came back with Wesley.
Saturday night 1 day of October. Wesley came and we went to a party at Bentley’s there wasn’t very many there. He spent the night with us. We went to Houston the next day and saw Ethel’s new baby Billie Gene. Got home about 5 oclock and he stay Sunday night for the lights would not burn when he started to leave. He left Monday morning before anyone else was up.
Saturday 8th Oct night first he came and stayed until 11 oclock
Sunday 9, Wesley came and all of us went to Houston to shop. They stayed till Monday night 3 of October. 2 stayed down there. Sat. 15 we came by Jims. Lela and Gertrde came out with us. We were married with a big oyster supper and a big party.
Present at the wedding
Mrs Weindorff
Lillian Weindorff
Mollie Smith
Mrs Lela Clepper
Gertrude Clepper
Mrs Ada Jones
Mrs Claude Jones
Ruby Jones
Cloyed Johnson
Edd ___________
Mrs Ethel Bruner
Howard Bruner
Mama
Papa
Allen
Alma
Erma
Harvey
Eunice
Donald Ray
Arline
Jim

Brother Gill performed the marriage ceremony.

The Winslow Place

The picture is of Clara Ada Johnson Clepper (left) and her sister-in-law Ada Leona Clepper (right). The information below from a letter written by Clara Ada Johnson Clepper when she was a student at the Decker Prairie School. Her father, John Wesley Johnson, is the last renter noted in the story. The original story is in the genealogy collection of her daughter, Susan Clepper.

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The Winslow Place

This house was built of lumber from the Arnold saw mill, the first mill to be built in Montgomery County.
It was built by Mr. Alec Whittier in 1850 on the Syrus Nixon survey of land in the Lillie Prairie Community seven miles from Decker Prairie school in 1850.
Mr. Whittier lived on the place and kept the post office for many years during the Civil War, the first and only post office for many miles distance at the time.
This place was an old stage coach inn during the stage coach time, located on the Montgomery, Houston stage line.
Mr. Whittier died in 1860 leaving his widow, one son, and two daughters. The son entered the Civil War and was killed in action.
In a few years the Widow Whittier met and married Jim Cotton and one of her daughters married his brother Tom, he lived with her until her death two years later, then he returned to marry the other daughter , which caused trouble between the brothers, after a short quarrel Tom shot Jim and killed him instantly leaving Mrs Cotton a widow the second time.
In 1867 she was married to Charlie Louge with whom she lived until he was killed while working near Montgomery in 1869.
Mrs Louge then rented the place to William Winslow and moved to Austin. Mr Winslow decided to buy the place from the owner, so he went to Austin and bought the 200 acres of land for $800 dollars in 1873. Mr Winslow lived on the place until his death in 1898.
Many different families have rented the old place since then. Mr. Allen Pate, Mannings Vaught, it being Mr. John Lillins first home when he came to Montgomery from Lampasis, Texas where he lived for many years.
Mr Tom Harvey also made it his home when he came to Montgomery County from Abeline, Texas. After living on the place there three years he moved on a small farm near Venture where he died a few years later.
Mr Fred Neidigk rented the place in 1918 where he lived while he opperated the Neidigk saw mill at wilmot until he sold the mill in 1924 to the Grogan Lunber Company and moved to Carlos where he built another saw mill, which he still operates.
In 1925 J. W. Johnson rented the place with many parties being given for the young folks during the year of 1925. The memory is sure to last many years. This family moved in 1926 to Decker Prarie.
In 1927 Mrs W. O. Ivey and children rented the place where they lived until 1928 then moved to Carlos.
In 1929 J. W. Johnson rerented the place where they lived throughout the year of 1929. During this year on June 19 his daughter Ethel was married to Howard Bruner. At the end of the year this family moved to North Houston.
The house is still in good condition to stand probably many years.

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According to The Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/), “Decker Prairie, also known as Decker's or Deckers Prairie, is a dispersed rural community located on State Highway 249 about thirty miles northwest of Houston and seventeen miles southwest of Conroe in southwestern Montgomery County. Settlement in this area just north of Spring Creek and the Montgomery/Harris county line had begun in the 1830s. The community was named for settler Isaac Decker, whose land grant was surveyed in 1839.”

Clara Ada Johnson Clepper Smith 1912-1982

Clara Ada Johnson Clepper Smith was born on 11 Apr 1912 in Montgomery County, Texas and was the daughter of John Wesley Johnson and Belle Zora (Quinn) Johnson. She was the grand-daughter of Tom Peter Johnson.

    Ada and William Wesley Clepper (458-28-2477) were married on 15 Oct 1932 in Waller County, Texas.

    Ada and Milton E. Smith were married ca1965

    On 27 May 1982, Ada was going to talk a meal to her friend and then pick up her grandchildren from school, but was killed in a car accident (details below) after leaving her son's house.
    Ada's funeral and burial were held at the Brookside Memorial Park.

    Wesley and Ada had seven children. Harvey Loyd Clepper (1936-1997) and Cecil Leonard Clepper (1937-1990) have passed away, but the other five are still living.

A letter written by Ada states “I finished the Tenth grade and received my diploma on the 24th of April 1930 and was the only one in the class.”

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Funeral Notice from Newspaper

Clara Ada Clepper Smith, 70, of Humble passed away Thursday. Survivors: daughters, Verlie Booth, Okla., Ethlene Beard, Houston, Susan Massey, Houston; sons, Cecil of Spring, Ventis of Texarkana, Harvey of Freeport, and Ellis Clepper of Houston; Sisters Arlene Knee of Humble, Elna Fortson, Humble, Alma Rhodes, Houston, Ethyle Bruner, Fischer, TX, Erma Skaggs Ficher, TX, Eunice Hardy, Abilene; brothers Cloyd of Tennessee, Jim of Fredisburg, Donald Johnson of Leona; 19 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. Funeral services 2 p.m. Monday, Brookside Funeral Chapel with Reverend E. M. Darneal officiating, internment Brookside Memorial Park. Brookside Funeral Home, Eastex at Louder Rd., 449-6511

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Newspaper Story on Ada’s Death

Man allegedly drag-racing gets fine,
probation in death of elderly woman

A young Houston man who was allegedly drag-racing when his car hit and killed a 70-year-old woman in her vehicle on a residential street has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to a five year probation and a $5,000 fine.
James Parr, 19, of 8438 Gold Creek, was found guilty and sentenced Wednesday by a jury in the court of state District Judge Michael McSpadden for the May 27 death of Ada Johnson Smith, of 2025 N. Houston in Humble.
The judge also ordered Parr to spend 30 days in jail and to refrain from driving for during the probation period.
The crash took place at Antoine and Shady Villa at midday.
Prosecutor Elaine Marshall Bratton said Parr rounded a curve at 60 mph and hit Mrs. Smith’s vehicle which was turning from Shady Villa onto Antoine. She died at a hospital later that day.
Michael Sargent, 18, testified for the prosecution that he was racing with Parr. Sargent was not charged in the case.
But after the jury left the courtroom to begin deliberation on Parr’s punishment, the judge lectured Sargent, who was in the audience.
McSpadden, a former prosecutor, said that if he had been the district attorney, Sargent would have been charged for his role in the offense.
McSpadden said that if Sargent ever ticketed for a traffic offense, he would contact the traffic court judge and urge the stiffest penalties for Sargent.
Parr denied he was in a race and said he was going between 40 and 50 mph. But Mrs. Bratton said skid marks showed his vehicle exceeded 60 mph.