Arthur
and Ethie Crain along with six of their children arrived in Sudan
on January 1, 1925. Their oldest son rode in the immigrant car
on the freight train with their livestock, farm equipment, and
household goods. The rest of the family traveled in their Model
T car. Ida Rene said, “When we entered Sudan, the town was
dark, no lights to
be seen. We were use to seeing lights in town.” They had
left the rented land in McLennan County, Texas for the unbroken
land around Sudan. Arthur bought land in the Friendship community,
nine miles from Sudan, in 1924.
Ida Rene was ten years old when they came to Sudan. She said,
“The beautiful green grass and the flat land was something
that she wasn’t use to seeing.” The Crain family had
come from hilly country.
While Arthur and the older boys were building their house on
the new land, the family lived in a half dugout in the Fairview
Community. Ethie was afraid to go down into the dugout in the
late evenings, so she and the younger children would sit on top
of the dugout until Arthur and the boys got home. The family would
watch the antelope cross their land at sunset. They had never
seen antelope before. For early entertainment, the family would
take a picnic meal to Bull Lake and watch the buffalo around the
lake. They had never seen buffalo, either.
The Crain children of school age enrolled in the “Alamo”
school. That building burned on January 24, 1930. Classes were
held in various local churches until a new school could be built.
Ida Rene was a junior by then. Their junior class play was performed
on the stage of the Garden Theater,” the local movie house.
She graduated in 1932 from Sudan High School.
Ida
Rene Crain married Robert E. “Bud” DeLoach in February
1933. They had three children—a son that died shortly after
birth on January 15, 1933, Wanda born January 15, 1935, and Robert
born September 30, 1939. Bud died December 29, 1987 and is buried
in the Sudan Cemetery. Ida Rene still lives in Sudan.
Bud and Ida Rene’s two children Wanda DeLoach Swart and
Robert DeLoach both graduated from Sudan High School. Six grand
children and two great grandchildren have graduated from Sudan
High School. One other grandchild is in high school there presently.
Kelsey Swart was the first graduate of the fourth generation to
graduate from Sudan High School!
to
be seen. We were use to seeing lights in town.” They had
left the rented land in McLennan County, Texas for the unbroken
land around Sudan. Arthur bought land in the Friendship community,
nine miles from Sudan, in 1924.
on
the new land, the family lived in a half dugout in the Fairview
Community. Ethie was afraid to go down into the dugout in the
late evenings, so she and the younger children would sit on top
of the dugout until Arthur and the boys got home. The family would
watch the antelope cross their land at sunset. They had never
seen antelope before. For early entertainment, the family would
take a picnic meal to Bull Lake and watch the buffalo around the
lake. They had never seen buffalo, either.
Ida
Rene Crain married Robert E. “Bud” DeLoach in February
1933. They had three children—a son that died shortly after
birth on January 15, 1933, Wanda born January 15, 1935, and Robert
born September 30, 1939. Bud died December 29, 1987 and is buried
in the Sudan Cemetery. Ida Rene still lives in Sudan.