Peacock

Peacock, on Farm Road 2211 in west central Stonewall County, was developed by the Stamford and Northwestern Railway in 1909 and originally called Alluvia. In 1910 it took the name of J. W. Peacock, the first postmaster, who moved his store one mile south from Lingo to the townsite. By 1910 Peacock had a school, a gin, a store, a church, a bank, and 100 people. G. A. Gray sold many of the lots for businesses and residences. A tornado devastated the town's business buildings in 1914. Although the wind was strong enough to blow feathers off chickens, all but two residents avoided injuries by seeking cover in storm cellars. The population of Peacock reached 350 in 1920. In 1940 the town had 216 residents, a school, two churches, and eight businesses. The school closed in 1964, and by 1980 the population had fallen to 125, although the town still had a post office, a store, a gas station, a gin, and a blacksmith shop. The population was still recorded at 125 through 2000.