   W. B. Barbee started the phone system in Paluxy, Texas.  Apparently, the phone company asked him to start a system in Gunter, Texas.  He moved there with Luther and Winnie.  Winnie was the telephone operator which was located in someone's home.  W. B., Luther and Winnie lived in a home near the railroad tracks in Gunter.  After seven of their children were born, they built a two story home two miles north of Gunter on Hwy 289 on the left at the curve.  The farm of 130 acres had two barns, one small and one large tank, a hill and several pastures.  Bessie Jo Barbee was born in this house as well as Barbara Williams, a granddaughter, daughter of Mary Rose Barbee and S. A. Williams.   Both were delivered by Dr. Bounds who owned Gunter Drugs.

        W. B. lived upstairs and only came down for meals or special family occasions.  His great-grandchildren visited him upstairs where he let them read the books stored in the attic off his room (Zane Grey, Byron, Scott, etc).   And on occasion he would take a special bead and rub their warts which sometimes appeared on a toe or a finger and the warts would mysteriously disappear in a few days! 

        After Luther and Winnie were no longer living in ther home due to health reasons,  it was leased to a gentleman.  One night while he was sleeping, the house caught on fire (electrical wiring).  A truck driver on Hwy 289 saw the flames, went into the home and saved the occupant.  The house was completely destroyed.  The property was sold and is no longer owned by the Barbee family.

--B_Vogl (ancestry.com)

