The Shuffler-Molina House

Photo by Will Sadler

In 1915, Ralph Shuffler, the editor of the Olney Enterprise, bought several adjacent lots in the J.M. Bloodworth addition and built a house on lot 12 and part on lot 11. In 1926, the Olney City Council passed an ordinance to pave several streets with bricks, and N. Avenue F was one of them. Consequently, the property owners were to pay their assessments, and those who were unable to come up with the cash, took out mechanic’s lien with Olney Building & Loan Association, including Shuffler.

In 1928, Shuffler sold the property to Carl T. Griffin, the son of Tom Griffin, one of the largest beneficiaries of the Swastika Oil Boom. In 1934, Griffin and his wife Edwina were evidentially in financial difficulty, and First National Bank got a judgment on them and forced a foreclosure sale on the property, which did not occur until 1938, which brought Olney Federal Savings & Loan (OFSL) (note: the name change) into the mix.

Immediately following the foreclosure sale, OFSL sold the house to A.J. (1913-1992) and Louise “Jack” (Drum) Graves. A.J. and Jack’s brother Dick Drum were outstanding football players for OHS just before and after 1930.

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In 1939, the Graveses sold the house to Henry Butler (1901-1981), who moved into town from the J.T. Richardson Swastika pasture where he worked for Sinclair Prairie Oil. Three months later, the company transferred him to Holliday. His daughter Eva Joy went to Megargel schools with the Swastika pupils, finished high school in Holliday, and later married DeWayne Strealey.

Three months later, in 1939, Butler sold the property to G. S. Sullivan (1888-1972). Sullivan and his wife moved to Olney in 1926, and they operated a laundry and dry cleaning plant located at the corner of Avenue B and Elm Street. Mr. Sullivan retired in 1970. They had three children--two sons, Lawrence and Foster, and one daughter named Margaret.

In 1974, Sullivan sold the property to Dexter Lee Whitaker and his wife, Cindy. In 1976, the Whitakers sold the property to R.M. Shelley and his wife, Debbie.

In 1979, the Shelleys sold the home to Howard Walker, and just one month later, he flipped the property to Fernando Molina (1954-2011). Currently, David Molina, who has roots in Wichita Falls and Olney, is the current owner.