John Ed Millhollon and Nettie settled in Martin County in 1899. The landmark Millhollon home was built in 1906 pr 1907, a show place with fourteen foot ceilings (the design of those days), a swimming pool and room enough for young people to gather for socials. The contractor for the construction of this landmark house was N.H. Hunt of Big Spring, "Uncle Ed" and Aunt Net", as they were known had no children and loved to invite the young people of the area to the place for various events. Their swimming pool was very popular as it was the only facility of its kind in the area.
There was a period of time when the place remained empty and fell into disrepair until purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hull, then was purchased by Norman and Betty Wright. A restoration as began and continued after the home was purchased by the Don Tollison family in 1976. The ceilings have been lowered from fourteen feet to ten feet to allow for new wiring and air conditioning and heating duct work, but the owners have made every attempt to retain the original style.
An interesting story exists about the Millhollon family as his niece, Leola was kidnapped by the Indians near Sterling City. The kidnapped child was tracked and recovered unharmed by members of the family and volunteers after only a few days.
In 1968 the Millhollon house was utilized by the makers of the movie, The Midnight Cowboy, along with scenes in Big Spring and other West Texas locations. The movie, starring Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight and Sylvia Miles was released in 1969, and to the amazement of the local citizens, after they viewed the finished product, was rather risqué for the times and this part of West Texas.
Many local residents were employed to have parts as extras. One of the local actresses was Mary Prudy Brown, who was featured in crowd scenes during the filing of a baptism at Moss Creek Lake. Though Mary Prudy had no speaking lines, she did raise her voice in song during the baptism scene. The filming created quite a bit of excitement in a community where hardly anything ever happened. Jon Voight made his presence known at Stanton Drug where he became acquainted with Glenn Brown, the proprietor. The production crew also requested that the drug store make fresh lemonade daily.
The Millhollon home east of Stanton, is a charming residence filled with antique furniture and nicely restored. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and feature a windmill. The home is designated as an historic site.
In keeping with their interest in young people, the Millhollons established the Millhollon Foundation whose funds are used to furnish scholarships for young students.
This article is courtesy of
THE OLD SOREHEAD GAZETTE
Lindsey, A.L. (Bud) "The Millhollon Place" The Old Sorehead Gazette
Summer 1999: 48