{Editor's Note:The following is the beginning of a chronological information, clue list and general diary of what is hoped to be the solving of a longtime mystery. As information and clues are recieved, a date will be shown for ease in "following the trail". Enjoy the search.}

Received 07/02/01 from David Stewart
For years, ever since I found them in the early 50s, I have wondered and been mystified about two pair of initials around a heart carved in the rock on top of Texon hill. At the time that I found them, I didn't think too much about them, except that I knew that they had already been there for sometime, probably from the 30s or 40s, and that someone had devoted considerable time and patience to the carvings. The limestone there is very hard and the initials are 3 to 4 inches tall.

Over the years as I become older, however, I realize how history, heritage, and geneology are so important. We need to preserve and identify as much of it as we can for our future generations; otherwise, it will be lost. So, when Diane Massey Secord wrote me asking for ideas on how to generate interest and interaction on her Owl Spirit alumni website at http://www.geocities.com/owlspirit1964/, I saw it as an opportunity to at long last solve the mystery of whose grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. to whow the initial belong. We will perhaps add a little romance to someones family history. Who knows what sketetons and geneology we may uncover?

By now, you are no doubt asking.... Okay, what are the characters of the initials? Forgive me, but I have slept a few times since the 50s and can't remember them. I do, however, intend to go out to Texon during this week and take photos and etchings of the carvings. Then, Diane can publish them on the website for your discernment. When they are published, please go back into your memory and if you recognize them, please notify us for sharing on the website for all to see.

A copy of this message is also being sent to the Big Lake Wildcat which, at their discretion, can also join us in this project.
David Stewart
2808 Waco
San Angelo,Tx.76901

Received from David Stewart on July 22, 2001 I was finally able to get touch with Macie Garrison Harvey in Iraan re. the lovers initials carved in rock around a heart on top of Texon Hill. Macie is now 82 years young and still as sharp as tack with her memory and recollections of early days in Texon. She says she knows nothing about the initials but, as we talked, she gave the best possible lead thus far in solving the mystery. She says her late husband, Joe Harvey, worked at the Texon Dairy for Buck Schaible's dad, "Dooley" Schaible, as a young man and would take the dairy cows out each day to watch them graze around Texon. One of the places he would take them was to the lush grass that grew around the lowlands of the headers at the bottom of Texon Hill. So, he would have had much leisure time on his hands during the day and could have very easily had the time to sit up on the hill watching the cattle graze and carve the initials, MACIE, around the heart. Then too, she says she had a couple of other suitors who could have performed the deed, namely Fred Goepinger or Mark Wilkerson, but she says she prefers the former theory of her late husband, Joe Harvey, as doing it. Macie says she married Joe at the age of 16 and moved from Texon soon after that. She says the time frame as to when Joe could have performed the feat was between 1937 and 1941. One other possibility is that, if one starts with the letter C and reads from left to right, the initials spell the Spanish word CIEMA (whatever that translates to?). So, everyone keep scratching their heads for other theories. In the meantime, unless someone comes up with other plausible theories or has first-hand knowledge of the feat, the best lead thus far is that Joe Harvey did it for his girlfriend, Macie Garrison. David Stewart 2808 Waco San Angelo,Tx.76901

More from David Stewart received on 07/15/01{Editor's Note: A link has been built below to contact David directly. Give your clues or other info to him for coordination of the "mystery"}
Well... In between helping Kenny Mann get his ranch ready to turn back over to The University Lands for re-leasing and getting chased by a Javelina sow with two piglets, I was finally able to find and photograph the initials and the heart on top of Texon Hill. The carvings, however, are not where previously reported. They are in a header between the old #2 tee box (still there) and the #2 fairway. So, after teeing off, one had to walk around the header to get to the #2 fairway to play his ball, (unless one hit the ball into the header, in which case one had to go into the snake dens in the header).

Anyway, the carvings are located in a large expanse of bedrock about 70' by 70' and, as shown by attached hand drawn sketch, cover an area of about 5' by 5' with the heart in the middle. Each of the initials and the heart are about 3 to 4 inches tall.

Now, for the thickening of the mystery... there are 5 initials rather than 4 as previously reported!?! The initials are E, M, A, C, and I. However, they are arranged and inverted around the heart in such a way that it is hard to determine where to start reading from left to right to determine the pairing of the initials. Then too, if one starts reading with the M from left to right, the 5 initials spell MACIE!?!

So, this mystery will no doubt get a lot of traffic between now and the next Texon Reunion. Hopefully, we will be able to solve the mystery of whose kin the initials belong. Scratch your heads and let us know of your theories on this as we know that everyone would like to know to whom the initials belong. I have attached the photos to this email and, hopefully, Diane will be able to load them on her Owl Spirit website for all to see and ponder.

Warning, if you go looking for the carvings on your own, look out for the Javelinas.. there won't be any snakes as the Javelinas have eaten them all ... Respectfully,
David Stewart

Received 07/16/01 from David Stewart
OW.... Thanks for the input. I am putting Diane Massey Secord and David Werst on distribution of this to continue to stir the pot and perhaps solve the mystery. ... David
From: "O. W. Parker" To: "david stewart" Subject: Re: The Mystery of The Lovers Initials on Texon Hill Thickens Asked Richard this morn 'bout this and he remembers a "Macie Garrison Harvey from the 40's-she was married to Joe Harvey & now is a widow living in Iraan????
O W Parker

Received 07/17/01 from David Stewart
I have already sent you an input from OW Parker re. the Macie name. However, as I look at the photos and the way the initials are arranged, I am beginning to wonder if the "I" is a carving or is a natural crevice in the rock. It is offset to the west from the heart more than the others and appears out of synch. It may be that the "I" should be ignored and people should try to identify the other 4 initials (MACE) as two pair. For those who are really interested in this mystery, they need to go to see the carvings and make their own judgement as to what is there. You may want to enter this message on the site as another possibility for people to ponder.
David Stewart

Received 07/21/01 from David Stewart
Diane Massey Secord.... By now you have probably received the last issue of Big Lake Wildcat and have seen that David Werst has given us front page exposure re. our quest to solve the Mystery of the Lovers Initials on Texon Hill. I already have a lead on the mystery in that OW Parker gave me a phone # of a Macie Garrison Harvey who now lives in Iraan. She lived in Texon in the 40s. It could be that she had a boyfriend who carved her name around the heart to show his devotion!?! Anyway, I have tried the phone # numerous times and get no answer. I will continue to try and the # and get more leads. The article in the Wildcat is getting considerable attention in that I have been approached by several people (e.g., Mrs. Joe Daughtery, Chili Holt, etc.) in the local gossip center (Shots' Convenience Store) wanting to know more info re. the initials and where they are located. I also went back up to the hill and outlined the carvings in chalk and was able to get better photos of them all together in one photo, rather than the individual photos as sent earlier. I will send them to you as soon as I get time in between running back and forth from Kennys ranch to here in San Angelo.
David Stewart
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