Judson J.
Cleveland
Judson J.
Cleveland
Page last updated: Feb. 24, 2008
Judson J. Cleveland came to De Leon to oversee his family’s oil interest in the area. His family was that of President Grover Cleveland.
Mr. Cleveland was a very large man not unlike the president, and was called “Fatty” by friends and others. He played football at Yale and Andover College and primarily coached the Bearcat line in 1921. He never taught in De Leon and was never paid a nickel for his services.
He is credited with bringing the game of golf to De Leon for the first time. He built several holes near his home which was located in the area north of the intersection of Mosley and the Sipe Springs Highway. He taught both young and old men to play the game. He was also one of, if not the first to play Bridge in De Leon. Like golf, he taught the game to numerous people and helped organize a club which met regularly for games of Bridge.
He left De Leon late in 1921 or early 1922 and no further information has been located.