Lizzie Campbell - Angel of the Matador Ranch

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Famous People from Motley County, Texas.

Lizzie Campbell

Elizabeth Bundy (Lizzie) Campbell was born in 1852 in Navarro County. In 1880, she followed her husband, Henry H. Campbell to the Matador Ranch . She was one of only two women in the area. The only other woman was more than twenty miles away. Lizzie took good care of the ranch hands in the area. Her work as cook, seamstress, doctor, and surgeon, even though she had no medical training, earned her the nickname "Angel of the Matador."

In addition to serving the needs of the cowboys in the area, she explored on her own riding alone across the rough country of the Matador. On one of her treks, she discovered a hill covered in petrified wood. Old county maps show her discovery as "Mrs. Campbell's Petrified Hill."

After Motley county was organized and Matador was named the county seat, Lizzie served as the first Matador postmistress from 1891 to 1911. She died in 1931.

Reference:

Texas State Historical Association

The Golden Spread History on Facebook

Motely County, TX History and Genealogy on Facebook

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