Vol 07 No. 04 - January 1930

Ellis P. Bean, An Early Texas Character

Story of enterprising and courageous early Texan, Ellis P. Bean.

Mentions:Mentions:: Phillip Nolan * the present town of Tehuacana * Musquis * San Luis Potosi * Chihuahua * the brave Morelos * Nautla the "Tiger," * Barrataria * Mound Prairie * Fort Teran *

"A FORTUNE IN FENCE RAILS"

"During the pioneer days of the American nation millions of board feet of American walnut were used in the construction of fence rails. Not interested in the value of American walnut as a cabinet wood, the early settlers primarily were seeking a wood with the greatest rot resisting qualities. They soon found the American walnut was this wood, and thus it was that American walnut was used in the construction of fence rails that would now be worth millions of dollars.

Due to the inherent strength and qualities of American walnut, these same fence rails proved to be of considerable value to the American nation 50 and 100 years after they had been cut and exposed to the elements.

Immediately prior to the Civil war in 1861, the subject of stocks for firearms was formally discussed at a convention of gunsmiths at Atlanta, Ga..."

A GRATEFUL LETTER

Mentions: Mr. J. P. Wilson, of Jasper, Texas * Dr. Eastland * Mr. D. Thomas, a one time Texas Ranger * Mr. H. C. Miller * L. W. Kemp, of Houston * the Rev. James C. Wilson *

Indian Jim

Mrs. Sue V. DeVany, Dallas, Texas

Account of an event that occurred in Cherokee County about a woe-begone Indian, Indian Jim who after an intense struggle over a young squaw was banished for seven years from the remnant of his tribe which was dwelling somewhere on the Trinity River, and was condemned to pass that term in continually tramping to and fro along the stretch of two hundred miles between this section and the Indian Nation.

Further Mentions: Alto, a little town in Cherokee County * Rusk (Texas) * Dr. Houston *

MOTHER AND SON REUNITED AFTER 27 YEARS

Dead to each other for twenty-seven years, Mrs. Maggie Berryman, of Lubbock, and her son T. E. Bush, of Abilene, were reunited through an advertisement Bush saw in a magazine. The boy left home in Hill County to go to the Spanish-American War and when he returned his mother was gone. Three years later he saw a story which told of the death of a woman by her name and gave tip efforts to locate her. This is the story.

"Salt"

By "Eugene Cunningham

Wage war to the death over a few bushels of salt? It seems absurd! Yet such wars have been. In fact, some of them waged in our own country, not so long ago. Into the history of Texas was written a bloody page which had, besides its tale of brutal murder and pillage, the further and much more incredible record of Texas Rangers surrendering -the only time in the annals of the famous Frontier Battalion when the white flag was raised. The cause was salt. . .and this is the story.

Further Mentions: Tularosa * the El Paso valley and Chihuahua * the Guadalupe Mountains * San Elizario * the Halfway Station * Colonel A. J. Fountain * Samuel Maverick * W. W. Mills * Luis Cardis * Ysleta * Judge Howard * Antonio Borajo * Juarez * Macedonia Gandara * the Zimpleman salt beds * McBride * Sheriff Kerber * S. Schutz * Mesilla, New Mexico * Major John B. Jones, commander of the Frontier Battalion, Texas Rangers * Lieutenant Rucker * J. B. Tays, brother of El Paso's fine old Episcopal minister, lieutenant in command * Cisto Salzedo * Captain Blair * Chico Barela * Lieutenant Tays * Charles E. Ellis * Sergeant C. E. Mortimer * John Atkinson * Billy Marsh * Jesus Telles * General Hatch of the Army * the little town of Socorro * Lieutenant Baylor * Sam H. Greene *

INDIAN STORIES TOLD BY HAYS COUNTY WOMAN

Includes old photo of Mrs. W. A. Thompson. Mrs. Thompson tells of smoke signals of war, couriers of disaster, galloping their horses to death, while over the rolling horizon came the pursuing Indians, yelping for a scalp. She was a Hays county pioneer. She is the daughter of Monroe Hardeman, one of the colorful figures that fought for the independence of Texas with Sam Houston in the battle of San Jacinto and Gonzales. Her grandfather, Thomas J. Hardeman, arrived in Texas in 1833 to become one of the hardy settlers.

During several Indians uprisings, Mrs. Thompson's father was a major of the Texas militia, engaging in several battles with the roaming redskins. Placedo, chief of the Tonkawas, once saved the life of Major Hardeman while savage warriors fought the militiamen. The "major also sat as a member of the tribunal that decided the fate of General Santa Anna after his capture.

One of the stories of Indian depredations told by Mrs. Thompson is about the saving of a woman's life because her captors' arrow was held off by a wooden stave in her home-made corset.

Further Mentions: A woman by the name of Mrs. Fretwell * Chief Placedo * General Burleson * Major Hardeman * Manchaca * Plum creek, near where San Marcos now lies *

The Truth About Tom Horn

By Chas. H. Coe

Includes old photo of Tom Horn

Life account of Tom Horn, "King of the Cowboys," valued Government scout and interpreter under Generals Crook and Miles in the various campaigns after Geronimo, the noted Apache chief, later famous cowboy on Arizona ranches and the deputy of three sheriffs of that State, and lastly cowboy and cattle detective in Wyoming. Lengthy and detailed account of the events of his life including his arrest, trial, imprisonment and subsequent efforts to clear his name.

Further Mentions: he was engaged to drive stage on the Overland Mail Route, which ran between Santa Fe and Prescott, Ariz * the Verde River, Arizona * Fort Whipple * Al Sieber, famous Government scout and interpreter * the San Carlos Apache Reservation * Old Pedro, a friendly Indian * General Crook * Geronimo * Pleasant Valley * Mr. Frank Murphy * Mrs. George Mitt * Arizona Pioneer historical Society * the Chirichua Cattle Company * three sheriffs -Owens, Reynolds, and the Bucky O'Neil. * the Apache Kid * Mammoth, Ariz. * the Iron Mountain region * General Miles * Mrs. Nannie E. Steele * The Cheyenne Leader, oldest newspaper in Wyoming * Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) * John Clay * Duncan Clark * Josh Billings * Willie Jones * the Irwin brothers * Louise Rice * the evangelist, Rev. Williams * John C. Coble * Chas. H. Coe * Chas. Camp * Dave Morris * the Swan * Muggins * Al Bowie * the Chugwater, Sybylle, Goshen Hole, and on the Laramine Plains * Sam Moore * Sam Moore

Story Of Indian Attacks On Coalson Family

Amazing eye-witness account as told by John Coalson to, W. F. (Bill) Lewis and Rhea Kuykendall.

This tragic family endured three brutal attacks against them by Indians and they are all described in terrifying, first-hand detail in this account. In the second account, young John Coalson himself (age 14 at the time) was shot and left for dead. The events occurred on Copperas Creek, twenty miles south of Fork McKavett, on Cedar Creek, a tributary of the Nueces in June, 1877, and the third one on the same location about a year later. This account is also excellent early history of the area.

Further Mentions: John was born September 8, 1863, on the Clear Fork of the Brazos, Nick Coalson, his father. * mother's name was Jennie Blackwell * George Lemons, was a Texas Ranger under Captain Jack Cureton * Menard County, six miles above Menardville * Fort McKavett * Toyah * old man Harris * Charlie Mann * a neighbor, Mr. Shackleford * Jim Williams and Rasmus Nelson, the latter a Dutchman * Junction City * Captain Bullis * Mr. Lemons * Barksdale * Capt. Dolan * the old Coalson Ranch * Half Moon Prairie, in Edwards County * Mrs. Andrew Hart of Toyah * Bull Head Mountain, near Vance, in Edwards county * Henry Wells * The Welsh boys * Humphrey * Junction City by way of Bull Head, and Llano * Captain D. W. Roberts, a real fighter * brother, S. D. Coalson * Brady Creek below Menardville *

"After thoroughly wrecking the camp the Indians came back to where I was. The first I knew of their coming was when I heard their horses' hoofs striking the gravel in the dry creek-bed close to me. When I heard them coming, I thought my time had come, sure enough. One Indian got off his horse, turned me over on my back, and opened my shirt. He then rode off, but he had his suspicions. As he rode away, he kept looking back. I was lying with my arms over my face, but was watching them as they left. They left one of my knees sticking up when they turned me over. I kept it that way as long as I could, but after they rode off, my leg fell from this position so that it lay on the ground. The Indian who kept looking back must have seen this, for he stopped his horse and …"

"…it was sister, May Etta Elizabeth. She had worn a red dress that day. I saw arrows sticking in her back. The Indians had taken her red dress off and had left her in the road in her white underwear. I saw she was dead, so I turned and ran for the house. I expected the devils to take after me any minute. I remembered what they had done to me a year before. It was three-quarters of a mile to the house, and I ran I was stepping on air I was awfully scared, and wasn't a bit tired when I got home. We found that the Indians had slipped through the cedar brake where a ridge from the north-west ran down to the road. They had left a spy on this ridge, and had way-laid my step-mother and the children down the road apiece. They had shot my step-mother in the right groin with one arrow, and had pinned her left arm to her side with another. Mother fell off the side-saddle. They shot at sister and missed, then threw her off. She took right up the road for home. She ran 300 yards. We found where they had followed her, and where the arrows they shot at her were sticking up in the ground. She would have gotten away except for the spy on the ridge. He ran off the point right behind her and killed her. May Etta Elizabeth was the twin to my brother killed exactly a year before in the attack on our goat camp. She was only 11 years of age…"

"A humorous incident occurred the next day after one of these attacks on us. The Indians were riding down the road, and saw ahead of them Doctor Wright's wife, and her son. Mrs. Wright weighed at least 250 pounds, and was riding a mule. She forced her son to leave her, saying that it was impossible for her to escape and that it was no use for both of them to be killed. Finally, he put spurs to his horse and lit out. Immediately the mule took right in after the horse, braying at every jump and wringing his tail around and around. The Indians were so tickled that they merely hollered and laughed, and made no attempt to catch Mrs. Wright and her son. The mule kept right up despite his load of 250 pounds."

TEXAS HISTORY

Mentions: Dr. George P. Garrison, of the University of Texas * Dr. Eugene C. Barker * Professor W. P. Webb * J. Frank Dobie * J. E. Pearce * Dr. L. W. Payne, Jr * George W. Littlefield * E. W. Winkler * Dr. Barker * the Sul Ross Teachers' College * Robert J. Kleberg History Club * Mrs. Emma Vawter * W. S. Vawter *

Frank James' Old Story

This account details the story of the Centralia, Mo., Massacre, as told to Welter Williams by the late Frank James. One of the most terrible conflicts of the Civil War occurred near Centralia, Boone county, Mo., in the afternoon of Tuesday, September 27, 1864. Nearly 200 Federal soldiers, commanded by Major A. V. E. Johnson of the Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry, riding out after guerillas, met there Captains Bill Anderson and George Todd, with 225 men. Scarcely a dozen of the Federal soldiers escaped with their lives, while of the guerrillas two only were killed and one mortally wounded. Every man in the federal line of battle perished, and only half a score of those left to hold the horses got away. This is the eye-witness account.

Further Mentions: T. H. Corum * S. L. Garrard * Colonel M. Singelton * Quantrell * Captain George Todd * Dave Pool * Wood and Tuck Hill, Jeff Emery, Bill Stuart, John Pool, Payton Long, Zach Southerland * John Koger * Frank Shepherd and `Hank' Williams * Richard Kinney * Arch Clements * Sturgeon * "It has been reported that my brother, Jesse James, was not in the Centralia fight; that he was sick in Carroll county at the time. This is a mistake. Jesse was here. He, it was who killed the commander of the Federal troops" * The Younger boys * Major Johnson * the farmhouse of William R. Jennings * Arch Clements * Payton Long * Kingsville, Johnson county * Dick Kinney * Henry Noland, William Noland, First Lieutenant Clark Renick, Orderly Sergeant John Baker, Payton Long, Foss Key, Jim Gibson, Clark Hockensmith, Dick Glasscock, Wm. Bassman, Jim Evans, George Robison, Captain William Anderson, Jim Anderson, Captain William H. Stuart, William Hulse of Jackson county, Bud and Daniel Pent * Theodore Carter *

The Old Macedonia Baptist Church In Llano County

Miss Clarinda Loveworth Latham

NOTE: THIS IS RICH, RARE AND EXCEEDINGLY DETAILED GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF SOUTHERN LLANO COUNTY, NORTHERN BLANCO COUNTY AND SOME GILLESPIE COUNTY.

Detailed and lengthy account of early records of Llano county settlers from the old church book which was in the possession of the writer, who was a member of the Macedonia church. Beginning with the early founders of the church while still in Missouri (Pulaski County), the account goes on to show the early movements of the hardy settlers who came to southern Llano and northern Blanco county to make their homes their.

Further Mentions: The names first appearing on the church membership list are John Gibson, James Gibson, Ambrose Y. Stone, Reuben Gilmore Stone, John P. Robertson, James L. Robertson, Mary M. Gibson, Margaret Gibson, Sidney E. Stone, Celia Stone, Mary Davidson, Olivia Catherine Robertson and Abigail Robertson. * Brother John Stone * John M. Chaudon, an ordained preacher * Edward Moss, James Gibson, Ambrose Stone and John Powers * Ruben G. Stone * Alexander Powers * Ambrose I. Stone * Edward Moss * WM. Cansler * Jim Causler * Pecan Creek in the southern part of what is now Llano county * Rev. R. G. Stone * Walnut Creek in Blanco county * Little Hope * Elder Eldridge * Mary M. Gibson * Joseph Bird and wife, Eliza Bird * Celia Stone; Greenberry Lackey and wife, Polly * the Round Mountain and Fredericksburg road, near where the old Methodist church now stands * Ruben Gilmore Stone settled the place where Charlie Haynes lived and reared his family on West Walnut) and Lane Gibson settled about a half mile up West Walnut creek from Ruben Stone's. Mr. Hickman Dunman lived down the creek a short distance * Esquire Dunman * James Green, Jr * Lewis L. Green * the Ebling brothers * Wm. Jolly * Sulphur Springs * Lampasas * Oatmeal, in Burnet county * Bertrain * Sarah Jane Gibson * G. W. A. Latham * Vienna, Missouri * Miss Mary Mallie Lane * Spring Valley near the Perdenales in Blanco county * George Hardeman * Miss Madeline Green, a sister to Lewis Green * Samuel Richards * Mrs. Richards * Mrs. Nancy Green came to Texas With Austin's Colony about 1831* Mrs. Jemima Dunman, wife of Hickman Dunman * Betsy Ann Lambeth * Sarah Ann Haynes * Joseph Hardin * Mary Ann Gibson, Jacob Finley, August Sockleman and Margaret Casner * Mr. and Mrs. Hickman Dunman were early settlers in Llano county and good citizens. Their daughters married some of the pioneers of that county. Josephine married John B. Duncan; Sarah Jane married C. P. Hayynes ; Elizabeth married Dick Burr ; Belle married Levi Wight. William Dunman was an old time Texas Ranger a brave and fearless man. * Rev. Jacob C. Talley, Rev. Joseph Bird, George Morris and Rev. Isaacs * Privett place * Mr. Click * Rev. Rucker * Rev. Randolph * Rev. Quillian, Rev. Randolph and Rev. Brown, and also Rev. Dolahite of Dripping Springs * Uncle Sanford Backues * Uncle Wiley Fowler of Love Creek * Uncle John Backues * CONTAINS Old photo of Rev. Joseph Bird * Round Mountain * John Keeney Backues, G. Wash Gibson, Sarah J. Latham, and Elizabeth Dunham * Rev. Montgomery Bell * C. Lane Gibson * Lane Gibson and wife, Sarah Ann * the new Squaw Creek church * Elizabeth Gibson * Mrs. Elizabeth Rix * Polly Shugart, Sarah Privett, Louisa Casner, Maria L. Holdman, and Marie E. Holdman * Greenberry Lackey * Mr. Cady * Miss Belle Harrington * James Green * John K. Backues * OLD PHOTO OF Sanford Backues and John Backues * Cedar Creek School House * Rev. Moore married Miss Bettie Moss * Mrs. Madelene Richards * Samuel Richards, M. R. Sheppard, Mrs. Sanford Backues Wash Gibson, Ben Gibson, Uncle Jimmie Gibson, G. W. A. Latham, J. V. Latham, Dr. V. C. Latham, V. G. Latham, Jr., William' Latham, Benjamin Phillips, H. T. Duncan, Hick L. Tate, J. H. Cherry, F. Yoast, Ralph Haynes and George Haynes * were J. P. Smith and C. P. Haynes of Walnut, Samuel Tate and sons of the Sandy Mountain community, and the Hardins, and Crownovers, Code Phillips, William Strickland and Frank Waldrope. * James Gibson, Marion Crownover and wife, Emma J. Crownover; Mrs. G. W. A. Latham, ;G. Wash. Gibson and W. G. Ridge * Dan E. Moore of Willow City, Elder Joseph Bird, Wm. Cansler, Deacon Willie Grisham of Round Mountain. * the Perdenales Baptist Association * Rev. James Bell * David Strickland * Annie Latham Cherry * Rev. R. J. McNeil * Isaac Sellars. Butler Hardin * Miss Rufina Crownover * Rev. Hillyer * Flat Rock Springs, Burnett county * Nancy Latham * Rev. Wm. Jordan * Rev. Jordan * G. G. Hardin * Mrs. A. Hasseltime Crownover * James C. Hardin and wife, Melissie Phillips Hardin * Miss Cynthia Hardin * James Buie and wife, Vina Crownover Buie, and Thomps M. Gibson * Richard Pope and his wife, Josephine * Rev. Beall * old pioneers, the Hardins, Richards, Haynes, Gibsons, Ropers, Dunmans, Lathams, Yoast, Cherry, and Colliers * Mrs. R. L. Tate, daughter of G. W. A. Latham ; Mrs. Fannie Tate Lee, Levi Wight and his wife, who was Miss Bell Dunman ; John T. Haliford and wife, Mattie Phillips Hallford ; John L. Barnes, Alonzo Killgore and wife and daughters; Theodore Alexander and wife; the Hattons, the Pattersons and Mr. C. P. Tuberville. Mrs. Annie S. Hardin united with the Macedonia Baptist church September, 1886. She was the wife of G. Wash. Hardin and daughter of Rev. Arter Crownover and a sister to Mrs. Butler Hardin. * Wight's Creek in Blanco county * Rev. Crownover * Flat Rock Springs in Burnet County, * Moore's Chapel in Llano county * Wolf's Crossing * Robert W. Hardin, Ben M. Gibson, Ralph W. Haynes and John Roper * the fight with the Indians, on Cypress Creek in Blanco county * Mrs. Deborah Gibson Phillips * Effie Hardin * Rev. Jacob Talley, Rev. Hallford * Flat Rock * John A. Arbuckle, Rev. McFlory * Rev. Barton and Cal Malloy * Moore's Chapel * Hiram T. Duncan and wife, Harriet Gibson * Hiram T. Duncan was reared around old Packsaddle Mountain * Rev. E. K. Branch. Brethren R. W. Hardin and Dr. V. G. Latham * C. M. Hornburg * Rev. Henry Allsup * Mountain Park Baptist church * Sarah Jane Latham * Excellent old photo of G. W. A. Latham and Wife * Phillip C. Tucker. (To, Be Continued)