Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes Namesakes
He finally returned to Parker County as our sheriff.
His tough love with lawbreakers and compassion with
those who have been wronged is legendary, so there are
big boots to fill for the recipient of the Larry Fowler Law
Enforcement Hero Award.
Tom B. Saunders IV
Cattleman of the Year Award
20
The first Tom B.
Saunders arrived in
Texas in 1850 in
a covered wagon,
driving his small
herd of cattle. Rais-
ing a large family
with seven sons
on open range
with free roaming
longhorn cattle,
they established
a sizable ranch,
and after the Civil
War began driving
trail herds north to
better markets. Each
generation since
has known the importance of raising great cattle and
riding good horses.
Today our economy continues to be ever mindful of
the quality of cattle and horses that is necessary to build
a good business. Tom B. Saunders II saw the first indoor
cutting contest in the Northside Coliseum. His brother
Will won 2nd place and $25, and “bragging rights” on
the stockyards. Tom B. Saunders III, one of the founders
of the National Cutting Horse Association, created the
first Cutting Horse Chatter monthly report and was also
inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame.
Still raising good cattle and horses and promoting the
horse industry, the last three Saunders, Tom B. IV, a top
hand and top horse judge; Thomas V., a reputed horse-
man who has represented the American Quarter Horse
Association and Texas A&M in Argentina, Paraguay and
Uruguay in building the industry; and grandson Jordan
Williams, seventh generation and a Texas Tech Equine
Team member who won the national collegiate equine
team championship four years in a row, are still at it on
the Saunders Ranch, making top horses and doing what
they know will help Parker County preserve the prestige
of producing top performing horses and great cattle.
It is in honor of this family that the award given to
the Cattleman of the Year is called the Tom B. Saunders
Award.
Dr. Jack Eidson Physician
Excellence Award
For more than half-
a-century, Dr. Jack
L. Eidson helped
Parker County fami-
lies with their health
issues. But for most
of his patients, he
was so much more
than someone they
went to when they
had the flu. Dr.
Jack, as his patients
fondly referred to
him, was a beloved
and trusted family
doctor of numerous
local folks — he
helped bring their babies into the world (he delivered
more than 6,000 of them). He also was there to help ease
the suffering of those who were leaving it and helped
them through all their health crises, whether they were
major, minor or anything in between.
Even after Dr. Jack retired from his family medicine
practice more than 15 years ago, his patients fondly recall
his kindness, his gentle bedside manner, and the way that
nothing seemed quite as frightening as long as Dr. Jack
was there to face it with you.
One great source of pride for Dr. Jack is that both his
son and his grandson followed him into the field of medi-
cine. Even though Dr. Jack is not with us any longer, his
former patients will never forget him. Parker County will
never forget him.
Jack Borden Legal Eagle Award
Jack Borden was
a charter member
of the Parker
County Sheriff’s
Posse, a gifted
attorney and well-
respected member
of the Weatherford
community. He was
named America’s
“Outstanding Oldest
Worker” in 2009 by
Experience Works
for his dedication to continue his daily work at his law
office. Borden served two terms as district attorney before
joining the FBI during World War II. He then returned
home to practice law and later served two terms as
mayor in the 1960s. A high school dropout, Jack defied