Tillman Herbert ("Curley") Vaughn

Tillman Herbert (Curley) Vaughan was born August 2, 1892, at Farewell Park, Texas. He was the son of John L. and Cordelia Vaughan.
The family came to Winfield in 1908, where John L. Vaughan established the Vaughn Floral Company. The Vaughan’s later sold the greenhouse to “Dugan and Cain,” who created the Winfield Floral Co. They then moved to Dewey, Oklahoma, where he owned the Dewey Gas Company. Mrs. Cordelia Vaughan died January 13, 1923, at Nowata, Oklahoma. She was killed in an automobile accident and was buried in Highland Cemetery, Winfield, Kansas. John L. Vaughan died March 2, 1927, in Warrensburg, Missouri, and was buried in Highland Cemetery.
Upon arriving in Winfield, “Curley” Vaughan was en­rolled in the Southwestern Academy. The academy was the equiva­lent of High school, and he graduated in the class of 1911. In 1914, he received his A. B. degree from Southwestern College.[1] He then went to Kansas University, where he attained his Master’s degree. He then began his teaching career at Winfield High School. World War 1 interrupted that career by calling him to serve as a Captain in the Field Artillery for two years.
“Curley” returned to Winfield and resumed his teaching and coaching career. He was the Tennis coach, a teacher of chemistry and physics, an assistant principal, and finally princi­pal of Winfield High School.
He married Gladys Irene Nelson on September 1, 1937. They had no children and she died September 10, 1958.
He retired in 1958 and became a science demonstrator for the Winfield Schools until 1962.
In 1963, Vaughan won the Marlboro Award, an interna­tional award for outstanding service to tennis.
The T. H. Vaughan Tennis Center at 1700 Booth Street was dedicated in his honor in 1965.
T. H. “Curley” Vaughan died on Saturday, August 13, 1966, as a result of injuries received in an accident.

     [1] Check Southwestern to verify these graduation dates.