The following biography is based on information provided by Jeffrey Pirtle, Museum/Archives Manager of J.C. Penney of Dallas, Texas who, in turn, credits the web site, "Handbook of Texas Online:"

Noted Texas artist Merritt Thomas Mauzey was a lithographer and author- illustrator of children's books. He was born at Clifton, Bosque County, Texas, on November 16, 1898, the son of Henry Clay and Amanda Elizabeth (Crowe) Mauzey.

In 1900 his family moved by covered wagon to Oak Creek Valley to begin dry-land cotton farming on rented land. They purchased 160 acres of railroad land east of Decker in 1902. In 1912, Mauzey went to live with a married sister in Blackwell in order to attend high school. He first studied drawing through a...