A.B. (Dick) Harmonson

He attended elementary school at Justin and high school at Denton.  He was a student at Texas Christian University and at Fort Worth University.  For a business education, he went to Tyler Commercial College.  As a graduation gift, he received from his mother, his first pocket watch.

Success came to Dick Harmonson in various fields of endeavor, the one for which he was best known being the hatchery business started in Justin in 1916.  The first incubator of 1,000 egg capacity was housed in a storm cellar and heated by kerosene.  By 1931, the egg capacity had grown to 10,000.  In 1936, kerosene heat was replaced by electricity.

In the late 1930’s, two events occurred which were to change the location of the hatchery.  The Santa Fe railway planned to discontinue two schedules to the north, a severe blow to a business which was shipping hundreds of thousands of baby chicks every year.

 Mr. Harmonson opposed the move, but was unsuccessful.  Ironically enough, it was his grandfather who also had waged a vigorous, but unsuccessful battle to keep the Santa Fe from building a railroad through his property.  In 1939, the hatchery, with a capacity of 114,000 eggs, was destroyed by fire.  Because the Keller area afforded better shipping facilities and paved instead of gravel roads, the hatchery was moved from Justin.  Nine days after the fire, the Harmonson’s purchased forty acres of land north of Keller.  The house, in the process of being built, was not ready for occupancy until December 26^th, but a barn already standing was converted into a hatchery which began operation with a 260,000 egg capacity.  This structure was destroyed by fire December 1, 1948.  The business was relocated in a fireproof building in the 300 block of Main Street in downtown Keller.  Approximately eight employees were required for its operation.

A flock of 10,000 hens supplied hatching eggs.  One third of the hatchery capacity was set each week over a period of six months.  During World War II, increased demand made it necessary to extend operation to nine months.

Mr. Harmonson coined the expression “baby pullets.”  Since the chicks did not require food for their first sixty hours, it was possible to ship them by parcel post to distant places, even as far as Mexico City.  Postal expense often reached $800.00 per week.

The Harmonson hatchery was the largest in the world, dealing in a single breed, English White Leghorns.  It was the first hatchery to use radio advertising beginning with KFJZ in 1934, changing to WBAP during the same year.  In peak production, the gross yearly income often reached $250,000.  The entire operation covered forty five years.  Mr. Harmonson retired in 1963.

During his busy life, he found time to travel with his family over the United States, Canada and Mexico.  He was a member of the Church of Christ and was active in Church and community affairs.  He is remembered as a generous contributor to worthy causes and as an enthusiastic sports fan.

At the time of his death, he had been in failing health for four years.  He passed away at his home, Friday, December 8, 1967 and was buried the following Sunday in Bourland Cemetery.  Survivors include his wife Polly, two daughters, Miss Jackie Harmonson of Amarillo and Mrs. John M. Perrigo of Abilene, two granddaughters, Debra Sue and Anne Harmonson Perrigo.  A daughter, Orlou, passed away in 1943 and is buried in the family plot in Bourland Cemetery.