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Surveyor missing in Texas 1930s

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Last Post by alswann 7 months ago

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alswann

(@alswann)

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Hello everyone, and thank you to Wendell for allowing me to post here.

My grandfather, Parks B. Deaton, left NC for Texas in 1929 when his job was terminated due to the Depression. He wrote home that he had found a job as a surveyor and planned to bring his family out when he had saved enough money. He wrote home regularly and sent money. The last letter his wife received stated that he would be surveying near the Mexican border. This was in approximately 1934. He was never heard from again.

My mother was only five years old when her father disappeared and didn't remember a lot of details. I'm not able to tell you where the company he worked for was located, though he did have a friend in San Antonio who he visited when he arrived in Texas. I did not get the impression that his job was in San Antonio, however.

As surveyors, where do you think I should turn next? He is not on the 1930 US census, nor is there a death certificate or any record that he ever applied for Social Security. I have not found any newspaper articles that mention the disappearance of any surveyors in that time period. I'm not finding much information on what was going on in the surveying business in the 1930s, most everything is either earlier or later. Have been searching for him all my life. Any help or suggestions would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you all so much. Anne Swann in NC

Posted : November 12, 2025 6:32 pm

hpalmer

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I do have a list of suggestions, some long but the short list is:

Public Works Administration (PWA) not wpa. They funded channel improvements in the Brownsville area and the Lower Rio Grand Floodway project. Don't forget about the railroads, oil, and West Texas.

Do not forget about the LCRA projects to include the Buchanan Dam completed in 1936 - takes several years of surveys, studies, design so 1933/34 time period would fit in.

You would have to dig deep to find any payroll records. Also, the Corps of Engineers had stuff going on in the Valley and Galveston. You have come to the right place to ask questions and hope someone can provide the missing piece.

Would be helpful if you knew what County he was working in or the postmark from your grandmothers letter.

I wish you the best and maybe someone here can guide you.

This post was modified 7 months ago by hpalmer

Posted : November 12, 2025 7:46 pm

mathteacher

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@hpalmer

WPA -- Works Progress Administration

Posted : November 13, 2025 8:03 pm

alswann

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Thanks so much. These are sources I had not thought about.

Posted : November 16, 2025 2:42 pm

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Surveyor missing in Texas 1930s

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