Blackland TX · Civic records

Blooming Grove

Who held office in each town, and when, from each town's own history and public records.

Mayors since 1936 · Postmasters, 1871–2014 · Fordyce Street, 1966

Mayors since 1936

Every Blooming Grove mayor from 1936 to today. If you can fill a gap, please send it in.

R. S. High1936–1938 · insurance, cattle farmer

T. M. "Net" Sewell1938–1940 · cotton buyer

R. S. High1940–1942 · second term

Miller Reid1942–1944 · owned Reid's Drug Store

R. S. High1944–1948 · third term, 8 years in all

R. B. "Bruce" McCormick1948–1950 · McCormick Burial Association

J. H. Playfair1950–1952 · physician

W. E. "Sam" Carroll1952–1962 · owned Carroll Hardware

B. L. Ralston1962 · resigned; First State Bank teller, later its president

R. S. "Stanford" Dugan1962–1963 · bookkeeper, Gillen Chevrolet

Drew Gillen1963–1966 · Gillen Gro. & Mkt., Gillen Chevrolet

R. W. "Royal" McGaha1966–1974 · plant engineer, Dickson & Jenkins Mfg.

G. L. "Ted" Hoffma1974–1975 · nurse recruiting

Boyd Bryant1975–1980 · building contractor

Don VonHoffman1980–1990 · fire and water infrastructure, E.M.T.

Keith Tunnell1990–1992 · BISD teacher and coach

Boyd Bryant1992–2000 · second term, 13 years in all

Ralph Dozier2000–2004 · petroleum geophysicist

Gene Hollingsworth2004–2005 · Procter & Gamble, 37 years

Ricky Crenshaw2005 · mayor pro-tem, out Hollingsworth's term; Blooming Grove fire chief

Alva Lynn "Al" Smith2005–2010 · aerospace engineer; resigned 2010, Council filled the seat that December

Jeanette Wisdom2010–2014 · mayor pro-tem, appointed mayor by Council 6 December 2010, then elected

Gary "Yig" Patterson2014–2022 · retired state trooper; elected 87–54 in May 2014

Bill Carroll2022–2024 · mayor pro-tem since

Ashley Mahone2024–present · elected with 78 votes; re-elected 2026, term to May 2028

1936–2005 from the 2005 pictorial history, p.109–115. 2005 to today from the city's own election register, 2010 to 2026, supplied by the city secretary in October 2026; the Corsicana Daily Sun, 12 September 2010; and the city council's minutes.

Postmasters, 1871–2014

Every Blooming Grove postmaster from the office's opening in 1871 until 2014, when it came under the postmaster at Italy.

William Hale Glassappointed 7 Aug 1871

Talcott F. Buckappointed 26 Feb 1873

Bartley J. Brownappointed 3 Mar 1874

Ephraim M. Ewingappointed 24 Sept 1875

Thomas F. Johnstonappointed 7 July 1879

William D. Gradyappointed 21 Mar 1882

Thomas H. Jackappointed 12 Apr 1883

John P. Howardappointed 3 Aug 1885

William D. Gradyappointed 20 Aug 1889 · second appointment

Benjamin F. Carrollappointed 7 Oct 1893

Robert A. Langstonappointed 10 Mar 1898

Alva P. Langstonappointed 6 Oct 1908

Stephen A. Robertsappointed 20 May 1913

James R. Corbinappointed 13 Apr 1922

William T. Reidacting 30 June 1928; postmaster 7 Dec 1928

John R. Griffinacting 22 Jan 1934; postmaster 10 Feb 1934

Mrs. Nadien E. Brownacting 30 Nov 1952

D. W. Springerappointed 24 May 1954

Barbara Ledbetterofficer-in-charge 2 Oct 1992

Edwin J. Chudejappointed 8 Jan 1994 · "Eddie" and "Eddy Chude" in the 2005 history

Betty M. Dortchofficer-in-charge 14 July 2003; postmaster 9 Aug 2003

Cynthia Susan Robertsofficer-in-charge 13 Oct 2007; postmaster 22 Dec 2007

Terry C. Adamsofficer-in-charge 27 Sept 2014

From the US Postal Service's Postmaster Finder.

Fordyce Street, 1966

Taken by the 1966 yearbook staff looking south through downtown. Its caption names every business on both sides of the street.

Fordyce Street in 1966, looking south, cars parked along both sides — Photograph by the 1966 yearbook staff. From the Blooming Grove Pictorial History 1889–2005, p.72.

Masonic Lodge, upstairs, over R. S. High Insuranceeast side — insurance run by Mack and W. A. Crawford

Grove Caféeast side — owned and operated by Tennie Mable Cobb

The newspaper officeeast side — owner named as L. J. Sparks

Ditt and Bea McCormick's townhouseeast side

City Halleast side

A vacant buildingeast side

McGraw's Washateriaeast side — run by Dorsey McGraw

Quality Food Storeeast side — Dorsey, Louester and Don McGraw

Gillen and Lusk Motorseast side — a Mobil gas pump out front

Carroll Hardwarewest side

The Post Officewest side — the flag stands out front

Central Baptist Churchwest side — its roof, further down

A house that had once been Central Texas Collegewest side, at the far end

From the Blooming Grove Pictorial History 1889–2005, p.72.

From Blooming Grove's own history and public records.