Focus Magazine Autumn 1986 Volume 4 Number 4
"Family Tradition, Freeman Brothers Carry on Third Generation Business"
by Aletha Smith-Davis
IN THE BEGINNING
Clint and Mildred Freeman opened their first market in old Skellytown in 1936. At the close of the first business day, July 25, the lone hog and beef which had hung in the cooler had been sold. Using a muffin tin and cigar box as a cash register, the pair paid back the $6 in change they had borrowed as operating capital, paid for the initial purchase, and replenished their supply.
Almost to the day, fifty years later, grandsons Johnny and Joe Freeman were moving into a new meat processing plant in White Deer. Their new facility is an ultra-modern operation just west of the plant built by there grandad in 1945. Since Clint Freeman hung up that first pork and beef in a homemade cooler in old Skellytown, a lot of hours in the meat processing business have been chalked up by three generations of Freemans.
FREEMAN TRADITION
The Freemans eventually moved a store into new Skellytown, the building still stands on the west side of Main Street.
Clint had come to the area with his dad, "Dandy" Freeman, and worked on the Henry Schaffer Ranch. At 16 years of age, Clint spent the school months in Amarillo working in a grocery store with his uncle. "Dandy" Freeman had taught him some about butchering, but the grocery business, with a market included, appealed to Clint. He married Mildred Lee and moved back to Skellytown with encouragement from Schaffer. They sold out to Clyde Horner in 1942 and moved north of Skellytown to farm.
Having built up a successful business after the small beginning, the Freemans had bought out one grocer, built up trade and then sold. "I like to build business," says Clint today. "I like to build 'em and then sell 'em."
CLINT'S ZERO MARKET
In 1945, with two years on the farm and a small slaughterhouse operation in process, Clint was persuaded by A.J. Dauer to move to White Deer. "I'm not putting any money in your dead town," he recalls telling the civic leader. White Deer needed a slaughterhouse and food locker business, Dauer insisted.
"He tossed and turned all night that night," Mildred says. "I told him he just may as well get up and go on over to White Deer and tell Mr. Dauer he would do it. I figured he was going to anyway," she chuckles.
He did and "Clint's Zero Locker" was born. Clint didn't stop there, he remodeled, fixed and improved the location, opening the grocery portion facing Main Street in White Deer and added snappy black and white paint and neon lights to the exterior.
With over 500 frozen food lockers available, meat marketing changed forever in Carson County. "We had, (and Johnny and Joe still do,) customers from all over the area. Custom cutting and quick freezing were new tactics which changed the marketing of meat. The custom killing and cutting reputation was growing!
Joe, Sonny (Clint Jr.), and Johnny Freeman 1986
With Johnny and Joe growing up and off to college, the businesses were leased out a time or two. However, in 1977 when Johnny graduated from West Texas University with a degree in agribusiness and the younger Joe was finishing his school term as an animal science major, the pair decided to take back the processing business. "It was a business we knew, we liked it, and it was here at home." "Mac Grange brought in the first steer we ever did ourselves. Then Dad brought in eight head and helped us. When we got through with them, he said we were on our own!" "He always did like the cattle buying and selling better than butchering," the pair grins.
The old plant, just west of the original Clint and Son facility is complete with modern equipment and expanded marketing plans. Joe estimates his kill capacity has come up from 30-35 head a week to around 70. Giant walk-in coolers hold the daily inspected carcasses, halved and hung up to cool. "We learned to butcher from Dad, he learned from Granddad and his dad." The brothers' favorite picture shoes Sonny Freeman as a child, helping his Grandad Freeman butcher a beef.
A very young Sonny Freeman, knife in hand, is pictured on butchering day in the back of his grandad's trailer.
It's a family tradition and that's a lot of family and a lot of tradition!
Clint (Sonny) Freeman, Jr. 2004
Sonny's youngest son, Matt and Johnny's son, Justin, just may grow up and take over the business. Johnny sure does like to go fishing and Joe loves to rope. With CW.'s boys just a few miles away, it's not too unrealistic to believe the tradition will be handed down once more... after all, it's three generations and a countin'!
White Deer News Volume 26, Number 21, Thursday, August 29, 1985
"Construction Started for New Freeman Brothers Building"
Construction started this week on a new 4100-square foot building to be the new home of Clint & Sons Custom Processing & Slaughtering. According to owner-operators Joe and Johnny Freeman, the new building will hopefully be complete by the first of the year.
It will be located on the corner of Third and Omohundro in White Deer, which is across the alley from their present operation, and next to the slaughter house to be replaced.
The new facilities are being built by Jim Sartain of Amarillo and will be a Western Steel Building with partial brick and glass construction. Included will be a large process room, offices and bookkeeping area.
The building permit and specifications have taken over two months to be approved by the State Inspection offices in Canyon and Austin. Mandatory regulations required a separate office, shower, and welfare facilities for the government's meat inspector.
The present facilities located in the back part of Freeman Bros. Grocery & Market will all be moved to the new building , and enable the possible expansion of the grocery store and meat market sometime in the future.
Joe and Johnny Freeman are third-generation of the Freeman family in the meat and grocery business in White Deer.
"From Then To Now, A Retrospect "
Johnny, Justin, and Joe Freeman 2004
To bring things a little more up to date, brother Matt Freeman joined the business in 1996. The business expanded by adding on more cooler space, a sausage kitchen, and a state-of-the-art smokehouse in 1997. With added production capability, Clint & Sons renovated a building in Pampa, opening a retail outlet which has now evolved into a barbeque and catering restaurant plus selling all of our retail products.
Matt left the business in 2002 to pursue interests in livestock and animal health. Fortunately, Johnny's son Justin Freeman began working part-time while attending college. In 2003 Justin began working full-time at Clint & Sons and has become an invaluable asset, carrying on the family name and tradition of the meat business.
The future looks bright for Clint & Sons as Johnny and Joe have three younger sons, Gage, Hadley, and John-Payton to keep the family business thriving. But let us not forget the girls as Johnny's daughter Amanda Freeman is finishing her MBA at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and has been much help in various marketing aspects and instrumental in, guess what??? this very website! Alongside cousin Carmen Terry (Tim and Betty Timmons's granddaughter) of Texas Tech, they built this very site we now get to enjoy! Our younger daughters, soon to be much help, include Katelyn, Jaden, and Skylar. Last but not least, the girls behind the scenes, our wives, Mona and Jem Ann.
So at Clint & Sons, we leave you with, "We appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you!"
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