Wiley G. Clarkson, Architect

Corsicana:  June 1908 to Dec. 1911

Fort Worth: Jan. 1912 to May 5, 1952

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Bennett, Texas

The Home of founder of Acme Brick West of Weatherford and south of Mineral Wells.

It was in May of 2017 that I received a private message on Facebook from the great great granddaughter of George E. Bennett, the founder of Acme Brick Company in west Parker County.  Acme Brick has long been a name in my family history through my grandfather.  He consistently pushed and recommended Acme Crick for his projects.  Anne told me that while researching her family ancestry, she had found a book written by her grandfather,  Dr Fred C Rehfeldt, and had seen my grandfather's name in the book connected to their house as the architect.  As luck would have it, we both enjoy reading the historical writings on Fort Worth done by Mike Nicholes of "Hometown by Handlebars".  She had made a comment on one of Mike's stories about her house and I just happened to see it the next day and make a comment about her comment.  Mike forwarded my email address to her and we got together. She had found my web site and wanted me to know that her great grandfather's house in west Parker County that sits on a hill overlooking the Acme Brick Plant that he started there was designed by my grandfather.  She sent me several older photos of the house along with the story of the house and how it came to be built.  The story was told in the small book written by her grandfather.  I have that story shown below.  My grandparents and my parents were friends with the Bennett family for many years and when I was reviewing some old records my mother kept on mine and my wife's wedding in 1974, I found where Mrs. Walter R. Bennet had given us a wedding gift and I never knew the connection until forty two years later!  Anne and I arranged a meeting with her parents at the house in Parker County in late May.  It was a most enjoyable time with a tour of the house and stories to go with the tour.  A review of their guest book from the early 1930's showed many names I was familiar with when growing up in Fort Worth.  Especially interesting to me were the signatures of my grandfather, my grandmother, and my father, who was probably sixteen at the time.  Many of the men who signed the book were members of a hunting "club" who were very active bird hunters.  It became evident that Anne's great grandfather, who was about the same age as my grandfather, was apparently part of that group and my grandmother was a part of the group of wives of those men.  The following older photos are property of the Bennett family and used with permission.  The newer photos, of course, are mine.  One last note on this particular design of house.  Even though my grandfather did use a Spanish design occasionally, it was a different style.  This is the only Santa Fe style house that I know of that he did.  The new color photos show the house as it is now.  The obviously older color photos show the house before additions were made along with the original color of the brick.  That was the color of brick used in many of my grandfather's projects.  Of course, in the future who knows what will come to light as more discoveries turn up.  In his life, my grandfather was probably responsible for about 1500 projects.  Of those 1500 projects, less than 500 projects are found in written records.  This project is not recorded in any records that I have making it a valuable addition to my web site.  Thank you Anne for contacting me!