elders were divided. Some
thought the baptism valid,
others wanted him to be
rebaptized, and still others
thought that baptism of the
recalcitrant arm was all that
was necessary to give him full
standing. But he, convinced
that his baptism was valid,
refused to be re-immersed and
coupled with his mischievous
nature, was forever under a
cloud of suspicion by the faith-
ful. His brother wrote him 70
years later, wanting him to be
rebaptized before it was too
late, but he would not recon-
sider.
Given his past, Art had no
qualms about visiting other
faiths, and Baptist theology
fit
very
closely
with
Christadelphian theology on
many points. He did have a
bad habit of arguing theologi-
cal points in a stage whisper
during the sermon, but most
people thought it charming.
So one fateful Sunday
morning in 1914 at First
Baptist Church, Fort Davis,
Texas, Mr. William Arthur
Oatman made the acquain-
tance of Miss Lessie Gertrude
Odell, a young schoolteacher
from Balmorhea who was serv-
ing her first term of duty as a
governess/teacher on a Jeff
Davis County ranch. Soon the
Sunday afternoons before
evening worship services were
filled with courting on the
grounds of the old fort, usually
picnicking under the huge cot-
tonwood trees and climbing on
the palisade rocks behind the
fort. He and Gertie were mar-
ried in a parlor ceremony at the
Odell home in Balmorhea on
Dec. 5, 1915. Even though
one of his sisters-in-law
referred to him as that “jack-
legged gambler from Fort
Davis who stole our Gertie
away,” the family absolutely
adored him.
The newlyweds set up
housekeeping in Marfa.
Though they lived in other
places as the work required,
they always called Marfa
home. In 1917, shortly after
their first child was born, they
moved to Sanderson, and he
built railroad bridges.
While living in Alpine in the
20s, he contracted out of the
old Story-Whiteside Lumber
Company and built many
homes and public buildings,
including the new First
Methodist Church building.
He hand-built all of the interi-
or woodwork and cabinetry in
that building. He also worked
on the Holland Hotel at its
expansion in the 20s.
In Marfa, in addition to the
First United Methodist Church,
Alpine, c. 1925-26 (contractor and
finish carpenter/cabinetmaker)
Brite Mansion, c. 1913-14 - first
job Oatman worked on in Marfa,
(but not as contractor)
Brite Home, he built, remod-
eled or worked on many build-
ings, including the St. Francis
Hotel, the Paisano Hotel, the
Avant home, the Captain
Gillette home and 30-odd
other homes. In Fort Davis he
worked on the Limpia Hotel
annex,
contracted
the
Anderson School Building and
built or remodeled numerous
homes.
In Balmorhea he built many
hay barns, homes and public
buildings.
In Marathon he built the
last school building on the hill
before the new brick school was
built in the 30s.
In the late 30s and early 40s
the Oatman family returned to
Marfa, and he worked on con-
struction at Fort D.A. Russell,
construction at the Marfa Air
Base and built the Crews Hotel
(now the Judd Foundation
Building.)
After the war they moved to
El Paso, and he worked for a
dozen or so years on FHA
housing. To say he was a pro-
lific builder is an understate-
ment. And in his free time he
built furniture and cabinets,
and he and Gertie raised a
family of five.
In 1959 the Oatmans
retired to Marathon where
their daughter lived, but he
kept right on working.
Although he never took on
public-building projects after
that point, he did have a thriv-
ing business remodeling homes
and ranch houses. As the years
wore on he reduced his work-
load, but he spent every day in
his adobe workshop in
Marathon, building inlaid pic-
ture frames and refurbishing
old furniture, anything to keep
busy. He cut his smoking back
to a pack a week and cut out
the hard liquor on which he
had thrived, but he still put
away a six-pack of beer a day.
In fact, a few years ago the
Gage Hotel tore down his old
shop building, and as it came
crashing to the ground the
workers were astonished to see
literally thousands of beer cans
pouring out of the disintegrat-
ing attic. Now it was known
where he threw his empties!
Art Oatman passed away in
Marathon at the age of 86 on
May 21, 1973, preparing to
spend another day in his shop.
He literally dropped dead in
his tracks, as sharp as a tack
and with no hint of illness.
Thus ended a life of great
accomplishment but little
fame. We often hear praises
sung to the architects and
dreamers who had a vision for
an edifice or a place. But the
unsung hero was the builder
who took the dream and gave
it form and substance. In the
early days, the Big Bend had a
select few who could execute
the plans and bring the dream
to life with style and craftsman-
ship. W. A. Oatman, the little
man from Marfa, was a promi-
nent and shining example.
Cenizo
Baxter Studio and Gallery
Paintings of the Big Bend
Rabbit Building, Marathon
hours vary, please call first
432-386-4041 • baxtergallery.com
First Quarter 2010
9