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Belgian native Victor Joseph Josselet (1846-1946) joined his brothers, Felix and Paul, in immigrating to the United States in 1873. After working as coal miners in Chicago, they purchased a small farm in Sherman (Grayson Co.). While in Sherman, Victor met and married Catherine Hugon (1860-1928), a native of Rosario Oriental, Uruguay. They lived for 18 years in Gainesville (Cooke Co.) before moving to Haskell County. The couple had nine children. In 1900, Victor purchased a large tract of land between Weinert and Haskell and began ranching and farming, building a large home with several barns, outbuildings and water tanks. The family also bought a home in Haskell to attend Haskell schools and the Methodist church. In 1906, the Wichita Valley Railroad extended their line from Wichita Falls to Haskell, completing a connection to Abilene in 1908. That year, the railroad paid Josselet $350 for a railroad siding on “a strip of land 100 feet wide, being 50 feet on each side of the line of railroad.” Josselet Switch linked area farms and ranches to national markets and became known as an important cattle shipping point to Fort Worth and Kansas City stockyards. An empty boxcar was maintained at the switch for loading cattle. Josselet Switch also received a depot, grocery store, and oil and gasoline refueling station for equipment. Each of the Josselet children inherited a 200 acre tract, and the families contributed to area growth that supported the Belew, Gilliam, Powell, Meyers and Pleasant Valley schools and the Josselet Home Demonstration Club. Cattle auction barns in Haskell, Seymour and Munday helped lead to the decline of the community. Today, most of the Josselets’ original land is still owned and operated by descendants. (2013) |
