Mills County has had a rich history of Amateur Radio.
First there was Hulen “Hoot” Egger in the 1940’s and 50’s.
Then came 1952 when George Stanley Devoll, W5EFJ, was the Minister at the Church of Christ. Lee Tesson, W5ZTB, was hired as Goldthwaite High School Math Teacher and Principal. He had previously taught at Mullin High School, where in 1943-44 Macalee Hime took his Morse Code class to prepare for her career with the railroad. His International Morse didn't help her much then but came in useful when she became a ham operator some 50 years later.
Before that year was out, three new Novices were licensed: Allen Colburn Ward, WN5FIP; Web K. Mays, WN5FIS and Sanford Musgrove, WN5FIT. Each of these hams has enjoyed the hobby ever since, and are all now Extra Class operators. Allen is now KA5N, Web K. Mays is now AA5NZ, and Sanford still has his original call sign after some 58 years, W5FIT.
A couple of years later, in 1954, Jim Musgrove, Sanford’s little brother received his license, KN5BZH. His friend, John Mckenzie, KN5COH became a ham about this same time. John never upgraded from Novice, and lost his license after one year. Back in those days, a novice had one year in which to upgrade.
Ronnie Head, who was known to be a tinkerer with electronic gadgets in his high school years, was given his Novice license exam by Glen Dewit in the Spring of 1963 or 64. Two weeks later, before he received his Novice license in the mail, he took his General Class exam in Dallas at the FCC office. Then he shipped out to National Guard basic training and did not learn his call sign was WA5NQR until he got back home six months later.
When the FCC loosened its control of licensing in the 80’s, the ranks of Amateurs grew across the United States.
The same was true in Mills County. During the 1980's and 90's Don Padgett, AA5QV, became licensed, along with Bobby Hammond, AA5RM; Jerry Ivy, N5CBW; John Priddy, KA5SAD and his wife Rebecca Priddy, KA5YAJ; David Lewis, N5SJS; Breta Head, N5QBU and her son Robert Head, N5TZB; Jean Mays, N5WWU, her son Jesse Mays, N5SZR and daughter Christi, N5YXH; Macalee Hime, AB5TY and her husband, John Hime, KC5GLU, and several others who made Ham Radio fun around here.
By then Macalee was a retired railroad telegrapher and the other hams were awed by her Morse code speed.
Through 1994 many of the hams living in Mills County were members of the Brownwood Amateur Radio Club. They participated in--and often led--Brownwood club activities. Then in 1995 several Hams decided to hold a Field 
Day in Mills County. That first year there were just a few that participated, but the number has grown through the years. For the next several years this group, calling themselves "The Mills County Hams," participated mainly in two annual events: Field Day and Christmas dinner, both of which remain set in tradition to this day.
In 2005 several of the local hams began to talk about starting a Ham Radio club, one that would meet regularly and offer different activities to meet the interests of all the hams. When enough interest was garnered, a notice was sent to all Mills County hams of an organizational meeting to form a local ham club. The meeting was held on February 15, 2005 at the Goldthwaite Housing Authority meeting Room. The club was organized at that meeting and officers were elected. The roster of the first officers of the club was:
The Mills County Amateur Radio Club was formed that evening in February 2005, and has continued until the present. The members of this new club were quite proud of themselves 
(l to r) Macalee Hime, Joann Padgett, Breta Head sewing club vests
Jean Mays, Breta Head and Macalee Hime in front of Richard Stone, Ronnie Head Don Padgett and John Hime
The club has continued to hold Field Day each year, and over the years the scores have climbed until the 2010 Field Day which saw our score exceed 6,600 points. Field Day has continued to be the main activity of the club. However, the club has looked for other local events to participate in.
The club has operated an Amateur Radio demonstration station at the annual Goldthwaite Championship Barbecue and Goat Cook-off for the past several years. At this event our booth offers some shade and conversation to many visiting hams among the several hundred folks shopping in the vendor area.
Mills County Amateur Radio Club has supported the Boy Scouts in their annual Jamboree on the Air. This event is especially valuable in that it often provides the only exposure to the Amateur Radio hobby those scouts would ever have.
The Goldthwaite repeater, transmitting on 146.79 mhz is operated and maintained by the club. Its callsign is N5QBU, in memory of Breta Head (SK) who was one of the charter members. The transmitter is located about 10 miles northwest of Goldthwaite.
Robert Head, N5TZB, working on the repeater tower
The club continues to grow, and all licensed Amateurs and interested non-hams are welcome. The monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at the Goldthwaite Housing Authority Community Room.
Hi Richard,
Just took a quick look at your history page on K5TRO.org. Noted a couple of problems. If Hoot Egger was a ham in the forties, he may have been, then he let his first license expire and got another. His call when I was a kid was K5IBB. That call had to be issued after K5BZH which came about in 1955, my first contact was made on 02 AUG 1955, my license was issued in July 1955. John McKenzie, he was in Sanfords class (Class of 56) had the call KN5COH, so he was after me and I am sure it was issued in 1955.
Sanford, Colburn Ward, and Web Mays were all licensed in 1954, that I know for certain. Lee Tesson was either 54 or maybe late 1953. He was a novice when he demonstrated ham radio at the scout building. George Devoll, not sure if he was 1953 or 1954, my guess is 1954. Not sure if he had a ticket when he arrived in Goldthwaite or not, I sort of thought he did, but not certain.
I know one thing, Devoll was a craftsman. He was using a homebrew transmitter he made and it was beautiful. He had a Hallicrafters SX-28 receiver, before that he had a National NC-57, I never saw the National, but I spent a few hours playing with that SX-28.
One of my memories of those years is George buying an 80 meter Command receiver (like the ones used on B-17s), modifying it and installing it in his car. I stood in his drive with others, in total awe. He had found a source of those Command receivers for $3 each. My father was standing there in the drive too. I made the comment that I was going to buy one. Dad's response was, "You are going to play hell." It got to me, mainly because George was a minister. George was cool, he never said a word. Somewhat later I heard him use a golf word a time or two.
The odds are there were other hams in Mills County prior to all of this activity.
Jim