My grandfather, Calvin C. Boykin, was a self-made businessman. He spent many years in the hotel business (his hotel was in "Midnight Cowboy") in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. Later he bought the Breckenridge Eagle, the miniature riding train in San Antonio at the park.
In his hotel days he was at one time president of the Chamber of Commerce in Big Spring, Texas. Big Spring was a overnight stop-over for the trains coming through. He welcomed Linda Darnel to town one time. She was quite a star and only sixteen at the time. At some point later he dealt with Liberace and Lawrence Welk, and that was before Mr. Welk could speak English. My grandfather had entertainers at the hotels for the guests.
He did well for a man who was from Miles, Texas... a very small town outside of San Angelo. He was very particular about his clothes and a person's manners. My grandfather was quite a letter writer and I have typed nearly every letter he wrote to his daughter from around 1950 until the early 1990's.
He truly had an impact on me and I remember his soft, pleasant voice vividly. A wonderful man.
