At 95 years old, Lester Ray Wisegerber has watched Dayton grow from a small farming community with dirt streets and little traffic into a bustling city where motorists sometimes spend more time waiting on trains than traveling through town.
He remembers when children could ride horses across Dayton, when the Rio Theater drew moviegoers downtown, when rice fields stretched across land now occupied by subdivisions, and when nearly everybody knew their neighbors.
He also remembers the people who helped build the community, most of whom are no longer here to tell their stories.
During a recent interview on Bluebonnet News’ “Headlines and Heartlines” podcast, Wisegerber reflected on his childhood, his decades of public service, his work as a rice farmer and inventor, and the family he built with his late wife, Betty Jo.
His memories frequently wandered from one subject to another, often leading to another forgotten piece of Dayton’s history.
Wisegerber, who will turn 96 on March 25, 2027, has spent nearly his entire life in Dayton, except for several childhood years when his family lived near Pearland.
When asked what he remembers about Dayton as a boy, his answer was simple.
“Dirt streets,” he said. “Not much traffic. Could ride my horse from one side of town to the other.”
He laughed about the difference today.
“Now we’re famous for our traffic,” he said.
In those days, Main Street was one of the few paved roads in town, and much of the surrounding area remained rural. Wisegerber remembers the Rio Theater on Main Street, where a pharmacy now stands, and the post office that once operated across the street near the present-day Cowboy Cleaners.
He recalled a time when Dayton’s City Hall, police station and fire department shared a single building near Cook and Church streets.
The town’s businesses were gathering places where residents could catch up on news and enjoy a meal. Among his favorites were Frank’s Cafe and the Rainbow Cafe, both of which are gone.
Wisegerber also remembers a small restaurant operated by a couple known as Little Anna and Little Richard, near the present-day Prosperity Bank. The couple served hamburgers, and Little Anna seemed to know everything happening around town.
“She knew all the gossip,” he recalled.
Football was another major part of life in Dayton. Wisegerber played running back for the Broncos and competed in track, running the 100-yard dash and relay races.
With fewer entertainment options, Friday night football games attracted large crowds.
“There was big crowds there,” he said.
He remembers the rivalry with Liberty and, later, Crosby. One particular game against Crosby during his senior year still stands out. Both teams entered the game undefeated, but Crosby won 7-0.
Wisegerber recalled that a newspaper headline afterward referred to Dayton as “Satan,” something he said can still be found in a 1949 annual at Dayton’s Old School Museum.
From rice fields to subdivisions
Much of Wisegerber’s working life revolved around agriculture, particularly rice farming, an industry that once played a major role in Dayton’s economy.
His father, Joe Wisegerber, was a farmer, and Lester Ray followed in his footsteps. Their family farm was northwest of Dayton, including land near what is now the gas plant on FM 686.
He also helped establish Seaberg Rice Company with his father and several other local farmers and businessmen, including Frank and Elmer Nelson, Clarence Aldrich, Pat Flowers and Roy Seaberg.
The company brought in an experienced manager from the Beaumont Experiment Station and became involved in the seed rice business, supplying rice to other farmers.
At the height of the local industry, meetings of the American Rice Growers Association could draw approximately 125 people. Today, Wisegerber said, only a couple of rice farmers remain in Liberty County.
He has watched former agricultural land disappear beneath residential and commercial development, including the River Ranch subdivision.
One of his most striking memories involves the old rice dryer in Dayton. About two weeks after their graduation in 1949, Betty Jo went to work as the first secretary for the American Rice Growers Association as construction of the dryer was beginning.
Decades later, as Betty Jo’s life was coming to an end in 2024, the dryer was being demolished.
The timing struck Wisegerber as remarkable. A structure that had stood throughout almost their entire married life was disappearing at nearly the same time he was losing his wife.
As rice farming declined, Wisegerber eventually sold his cattle and farming equipment. He also tried growing soybeans but discovered that the crop was not particularly suited to the area.
He retired around 1979, having saved enough to live comfortably.
An inventor with a practical mind
Although farming was his livelihood, Wisegerber also developed an interest in inventing things, often looking for ways to make everyday tasks easier.
One of his inventions, Dr. Hennessey’s Dental Flosser, grew out of a childhood injury. When he was in first grade, Wisegerber fell through a window and nearly severed his right hand. Dr. E. R. Richter repaired the injury, but the damage left him with limitations that made certain tasks difficult.
Years later, he developed a dental flossing device that could be easier to use for someone with limited hand function. With the help of a cousin in Houston and approximately 18 local investors, he began marketing the product. For a time, it appeared promising.
“I got letters from all over the United States from it,” he said.
The group eventually entered negotiations with another company interested in purchasing the product. Wisegerber took the proposed deal back to his fellow investors, but they decided against selling.
He said the competing company eventually squeezed them out of the market. Despite the disappointment, Wisegerber said he did not hold a grudge against the other investors.
“Of course, I didn’t lose any friends over it at all,” he said.
He also developed an idea called “Easy Start,” which would allow a person to start a small engine using a drill rather than pulling a starter cord. Another concept involved a fuel-saving motor, although he did not pursue it beyond drawings.
His latest invention may be the one that means the most to him.
Drawing on his years with the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department, Wisegerber developed a device intended to help firefighters control grass and wildfires.
He remembers fighting grass fires with makeshift tools consisting of wooden handles and large flaps used to beat down flames.
“I said, there’s gotta be an easier way to fight this fire,” he recalled.
His invention, which he calls “Wildfire Fight,” uses a nozzle designed to spray water in two directions, covering approximately 50 feet.
Wisegerber said he has obtained a patent, and a woman in Friendswood has been working to advance the invention, including pursuing foreign patent protection.
Even at 95, he remains interested in seeing whether the idea can help firefighters.
A lifetime of service to Dayton
Wisegerber’s public service has touched nearly every part of Dayton.
He spent more than two decades involved with the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department, served 15 years on the Dayton ISD school board, completed two terms on Dayton City Council, served as president of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, served as chairman of the Liberty County Republican Party, and held leadership roles in numerous other organizations.
His contributions were recognized in 2008 by then-U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, who honored Wisegerber in the Congressional Record, describing him as a model citizen whose accomplishments would have lasting effects on the community.
Of all those activities, Wisegerber said the fire department holds a particularly special place in his heart.
During his active years, the volunteer firefighters met every Thursday night. Attendance was taken seriously, and members who arrived late without a good excuse could be fined.
He remembers several major fires, including those involving B&B Auto Parts, Jackson’s store, Frank’s Cafe and the Rainbow Cafe. Although he no longer responds to fires, he remains a member of the department and enjoys being invited to its gatherings.
His years on the school board also included some memorable decisions. Wisegerber was on the board when Dayton ISD hired Superintendent Kenneth Almond. He was also there when the school district made a change that generations of Dayton residents may take for granted.
The school’s mascot had previously been spelled “Bronchos,” with an H. Wisegerber recalled that Almond questioned the spelling, and the board eventually voted to remove the extra letter.
His service on Dayton City Council included another milestone: hiring the city’s first city manager.
Wisegerber recalled traveling to Orange with fellow city leaders George Craig and Jim Sterling Sr. to interview Phil Morrison, who ultimately was hired for the position.
He also remembers being on the council when Joe Caballero became the first person to hold the title of Dayton police chief.
Public service was not always easy. Wisegerber recalled making a decision he believed was in the city’s best interest, only to have some residents refuse to shake his hand afterward.
“I said, I don’t need this job,” he recalled.
After two terms, he left the council. The experience reinforced something he still tells people who seek public office.
“You’re not gonna please everybody,” he said.
Wisegerber also helped secure improvements to Dayton’s drainage system, working alongside M.W. Ford, Bobby Harris and Jack Manning on a bond issue that funded construction of a major drainage ditch near Lover’s Lane.
The project helped move stormwater out of neighborhoods and toward the river bottoms.
How Dayton’s FFA rodeo got its start
Another of his lasting contributions began when he was still a teenager. In the fall of 1948, Wisegerber was a senior at Dayton High School and president of the local Future Farmers of America chapter.
One day, agriculture teacher Anson Rigby called him into his office and asked him to organize a meeting. Rigby had an idea.
“He said, ‘We need to build a rodeo pen,'” Wisegerber recalled.
The students voted unanimously to move forward. With help from neighbors, carpenters and other volunteers, they built the first rodeo arena on N. Cleveland Street.
The first rodeo was held in May 1949. The original arena was rough, built of wood, but it served its purpose. As the years passed, improvements were needed, including stronger fencing and better facilities that continue to be used by Dayton FFA students today.
Wisegerber takes satisfaction in knowing that the rodeo tradition continued long after the students who built the original arena graduated.
He also helped organize the Bronco Booster Club Oyster Supper, which became a popular fundraiser and attracted visitors from outside Dayton before it was discontinued.
Remembering the people who built Dayton
Throughout the interview, Wisegerber frequently returned to the names of people who helped shape the community.
One was former Mayor Jim Sterling Sr., whom Wisegerber remembers as a man who took his responsibilities seriously.
Sterling owned a business that sold paint, but Wisegerber said he refused to sell even a gallon of paint to the city while serving as mayor in order to avoid any question of ethics.
He also recalled Sterling’s frustration with a railroad spur that contributed to flooding near the old Valley Motel Courts.
According to Wisegerber, Sterling confronted railroad officials and threatened to remove the troublesome section himself with dynamite if they did not correct the problem. The railroad eventually removed the spur.
Wisegerber also remembers a time when trains that blocked crossings for more than 10 minutes could face fines.
The railroad remains one of Dayton’s biggest challenges, he said, although he hopes planned improvements will eventually make it easier for motorists to get through town.
Another important figure in his memories is a teacher who taught three generations of his family.
Wisegerber recalled that a teacher at the old Griffith School south of Dayton taught his mother, whose maiden name was Maggie Griffith, and later taught him and eventually taught his oldest daughter, Janice Enloe. The teacher’s name was Fredda Alice Nottingham.
Nottingham was the educator for whom Nottingham Elementary in Dayton was named.
For Wisegerber, those connections illustrate how closely tied Dayton’s families once were.
Seventy-two years with Betty Jo
For all his accomplishments in business and public service, Wisegerber made it clear that his greatest pride is his family. He and Betty Jo were married for approximately 72 and a half years before her death in 2024.
Betty Jo moved to Dayton as a small child and grew up in the community. She and Lester Ray knew each other during their school years.
She was elected the most beautiful girl in her high school class during both her junior and senior years and served as head drum major for three years.
“She was a beautiful lady,” Wisegerber said.
Betty Jo was also a musician who played piano and organ for many years at the First Baptist Church in Dayton. Lester Ray served as a deacon for many years.
One of the funniest stories Wisegerber shared involved his wife’s birth certificate.
Although everyone knew her as Betty Jo George, her original birth certificate listed her simply as “Baby George.” The error remained uncorrected for decades.
About 15 years before her death, the couple decided to straighten out the paperwork. What they expected to be a simple correction turned into repeated trips between offices, with officials sending them back and forth because no one seemed to know how to handle the situation.
After several attempts, they finally got it corrected.
The couple raised four children — three daughters, Janice, Leah Hight and Lee Ann Wisegerber, and a son, Emzey Joe “E.J.” Wisegerber — and their family has continued to grow through grandchildren, great-grandchildren and now great-great-grandchildren.
Wisegerber recalled a recent Thanksgiving gathering that brought together five generations of his family.
When asked what he was most proud of after a lifetime of farming, inventing, volunteering and serving his community, he did not hesitate.
“Family,” he said.
Later, during a round of rapid-fire questions, he was asked to name one person from Dayton’s past with whom he would most like to have lunch.
“My wife,” he answered.
It was one of the simplest and most touching answers of the interview.
The blessings and challenges of 95 years
Wisegerber continues to live independently and still mows his own yard.
He said he tries not to dwell on his age, although he acknowledged that growing older brings challenges, including declining eyesight from macular degeneration.
“I don’t think about my age, I guess,” he said.
He also understands that living a long life means saying goodbye to many people. His father died at 60, an age Wisegerber once considered old.
Now, nearly four decades beyond that age himself, he has outlived most of his friends and former classmates. He recalled that Patsy Arnold of Dayton is among the few remaining members of Dayton High School’s Class of 1949.
Asked whether it is difficult to live long enough to see so many friends pass away, Wisegerber acknowledged that it is.
“Oh, yeah, because I want to ask them a question or talk to them,” he said.
Yet he remains grateful for the people who continue to surround him.
Friends regularly bring him meals, check on him and invite him to lunch. He mentioned Connie and David Arnold, who help make sure he stays connected and has company.
“I don’t know what I would do without friends,” he said.
That gratitude extends to his family, which remains the most important part of his life.
When asked what advice he would give young people, Wisegerber encouraged them to stay away from drugs and treat others fairly.
Fairness, he said, is something he has tried to practice throughout his life, including during his years in politics and public service.
“I’m not perfect, but I try to be fair,” he said.
As for the future, Wisegerber said he no longer makes elaborate plans.
“Just one day at a time,” he said. “Man can stop a lot of things, but you can’t stop time.”
To listen to the full interview with Lester Ray Wisegerber, click the link below: