Vol 12 No. 08 - May 1935

The Great Southwest

By Purple Sage (P. S. McGeeney)

From "Idle Moments of a Vagabond," revised from "Memory's Archives." Mentions: P. S. Mc.Geeney.

The Wedding

By Emma L. Wofford

A FEW YEARS after the Civil War Miss Ann and Miss Isabella Davis were sewing one afternoon when Winnie, the cook, a young, goodlooking negro woman came into the room where they sat.

Winnie was the daughter of "Aunt Cynth ", who was the house girl of Mrs. Davis through all her married life and until "Aunt Cynth" was freed. After giggling in an embarrassed way, Winnie said, "Miss Ann I wantalt ax yo' and Miss Belle sumpin'."

"Very well, what is it, Winnie?" said the ladies.

"Yo' know dat nigguh Jerry wan' me to marry 'im. What duz yo' think 'bout hit?" said Winnie.

"Are you in love with Jerry?" asked the ladies.

"Yassum, I spec I is," said Winnie.

"Then there is no reason why you shouldn't marry him," said Miss Ann, and Miss Isabella agreed with her.

"Now den I wan' to ax Marse Henry w'at he think 'bout my marryin' dat nigguh Jerry. W'en he tell yo' I gwinter ax yo' to cum in de kitchen and tell me w'at he said," said Winnie.

"Very well, I will come and tell you what he said about it. I think I see hint coming now," said Miss Isabella.

When "Marse Henry" (Rev. J. H. Wofford) came into the house the sisters told him what Winnie had said.

He smiled and replied, "Tell Winnie I said that the day she marries Jerry she'll do the best day's work she ever did in her life."

When Miss Isabella told Winnie what "Marse Henry" had said, she began...

A Frontier Tragedy

By Mrs. Hattie Walker, Bandera, Texas

Prose account of a brutal betrayal and slaying in Comanche County, when a once faithful negro slave, turned against the mother and child and shot them, bringing outrage upon himself and his race in Comanche County. It was written in recollection of the murder of Mrs. Ben Stevens in Comanche county, Texas.

John Mcmullen's Ghost

By Miss Ruth Dodson, Mathis, Texas

Account of the bloody slaying of John McMullen of the historic McMullen-McGloin San Patricio Colony...

Doughy's Cafe On The Range

By Austin Concoran

UNCOVER RUINS OF OLD MISSION

Workmen engaged in restoring San Jose Mission of San Antonio, to its original state, have discovered the foundation of the old mission, which for a number of years was known as "the pearl of all missions in New Spain." The first church of San Jose, researchers have revealed, was begun in 1720 under direction of Fra Antonio Margil and was completed in 1731. By following instructions found in records on file at the Franciscan College of Zacatecosi, Mexico, the foundation of the original mission, long forgotten, was located. The old church was demolished to make room for the present San Jose church when padres became jealous of other buildings in the community and demanded a finer structure. The new mission, intended to be the finest in the world, engaged Juan Hulsar one of the most expert stone workman in all Spain, to do the sculpturing…

Thrilling Days When Texas Fought For Independence

By Andrew A. Boyle

First-hand account of by Mr. Boyle describing his involvment at the battle of Goliad.

Mentions: San Patricio de al Nueces * Capt. Westover * Colonel Fannin * Colonels Bowie and Crockett, * Captain King * Colonel Ward, with his Georgia Battalion * the Mission Church * Captain Shackelford * Manawec (Manahnilla), * Coleto creek * General Santa Anna * Mr. Brooks * General Francisco Garay * San Jacinto Creek * General Burnet

Fought Indians On Capitol Site

Violet Roberts in Progressive Farmer. Account of C. C. Patton of Dripping Springs, Texas, who tells of an early day fight on the site of the present capitol building of Texas, in which 17 settlers were killed 42 Indians. Mr Patteon was notable among the Blanco and Llano county pioneers who fought marauding Indians in those parts during the 1860’s and 70’s.

Further Mentions: Battle at Spring Valley in 1867 * Another settler, William Heidman * Fight at Curry Creek, Llano county * Samuel Patton * Big Llano * Buck Robert's company of Indian fighters * S. E. Johnson * James M. Patton, his father * Captain Jim Highsmith * Mr. Billingby * Jim Lawarmoore

Henry Ford Builds A Monument To McGuffey

Pioneer education evolved around three notable and foundational learning manuscripts: McGuffey's Readers, Webster's Blue Back Spelling book and Ray's Arithmetic. This account details the efforts of Henry Ford to memorialize the McGuffey reader.

"At Greenfield-the early American village which Mr. Ford has assembled at Dearborn, Michigan, two log cabins may be seen side by side. They are preserved not merely to illustrate pioneer conditions, but because of their association with a great man. One of then is the birthplace of William Holmes McGuffey, the other is a schoolhouse such as he attended as a child. Further Mentions: J. W. Cameron.

OLD-TIMER TELLS OF TROUBLES

Times were "tighter" during the Civil War days than they have been during the "modern" depression, Joseph Riel Robbins, 83, who lives with his son, John Reed Robbins III, at 1.400 West Summit Avenue, San Antonio, Texas will tell you. In this account, He remembers when "we lived without bread or salt" for two years, so we dug up the dirt floor of the smoke house and mixed it with distilled water to get salt," he said.

Robbins' grandparents came to America, from Scotland and joined the colony of Charles Austin, a brother of Stephen F. Austin. The Charles Austin colony settled in Grimes County in 1828. Robbins' father, John Reed Robbins, was married to Miss Martha Jane Fitchett of Houston in 1850. The Robbins home was a log cabin with a dirt floor and a stick and adobe fireplace. The cooking utensils were iron pots and gourds. Water buckets were of buckskin and terrapin shells were used in lieu of glasses and cups. Joseph Robbins recalls that he and his 11 brothers and sisters were rocked in a hollow-log cradle.

Expedition Through Unexplored Texas In 1854

By W. B. Parker

Describes in detail rites, ceremonies and lifestyle of Delaware Indians.

Mentions: the road from Belknap to Chadbourne * the Clear Fork * Colonel Stem * Colonel Stein * Major Neighbors * Connor * Se-na-co * Qua-ha-we-ti and Oti * Naroni * chief Ke-tum-e-see * Captain Marcy * Mo-ko-cho-pe * Jacobs and Jack Hunter

Brackettville And Old Fort Clark

Account of Brackettville, the old center of Kinney county, which stretches for a long distance along the Rio Grande. Many of the business buildings that stand in Brackettville today were erected in olden days to serve pioneer ranchers and soldiers who guarded them against the forays of savage Indians. Those were days of glory for this "metropolis" of the border. Then something happened that turned the future of Southwest Texas upside flown. A railroad came blundering through the quietness of this vast country, and it missed Brackettville by ten miles. This is the story.

Further Mentions: the Los Moras Springs * Joseph H. LaMotte * Major John B. Clark * Captain .T. E. Willcox * Generals Albert Sidney Johnston, Sheridan, Pershing, Dickman, and Bullis

Bowie's Silver Mine Defies Searchers

By L. B. Smith in San Antonio Express

Account of James Bowie's fight with hostile Indians over a century ago on Calf Creek, McCulloch County, said by historians to be one of the major early day battles of Texas, and of the mine also located in McCulloch County named after Bowie, (also known as "Lost Mine").

Mentions: monuments erected near Brady on James Bowie's historic battle ground, and at the Blockhouse on the Max Martin ranch * H. Boethge * F. C. Striegler * Captain Bieberstein * Sest Hothmann, foreman of the Martin ranch * Bowie's McCulloch County Indian fight occurred on Calf Creek, 12 miles south of Brady, * H. B. Lee * the Calf Creek store * Rezin P. Bowie * David Buchanan, Robert Armstrong, Jesse Wallace, Matthew Doyle, Cephas D. Hamm, James Coryell, Thomas Mcaslin, and Gonzales and Charles

Happenings In Texas Sixty Years Ago

Compiled by F. M. McCaleb

Mentions: William Simms of Caldwell County * Maj. T. M. Likens * Rusk County * J. D. Logan * C. A. Bremen * Turkey Creek about eight miles west of Oakville * Mr. Sebastian Bell * Andrew Fuller * A. J. Hanson * the Panola Watchman * McCallum Mohr * S. H. Russell, Webb Flanagan * District Attorney Swann * V. C. H. Johnson, S. R. Whitly, J. W. Bradshaw and T. B. Wilberton * Henderson County * M. W. Shumaker, C. W. Wood, R. L. Gates * Judge Noonan and John Bradley * Dr. Lemman of San Antonio * Past Grand J. T. Hunter, H. C. Thompson, J. T. Shiner * James Ramsey, vice-grand; J. C. Carr, secretary, and C. E. Sweeny, treasurer * The Denison News * Adjutant General Steel * G. P. Pickett of Decatur, Wise County * the wife and two daughters of a Mr. Huff * A grange of the Patrons of Husbandry is organized at Lavernia in Wilson County * Major Fly of Gonzales * W. P. Lockhart of Mason County, Tex * Shelburn * Bridges camp near Blue Mountain in Mason County * W. W. Perryman * F. M. Mansfield * George F. Nines * James Lowe * Lytle and McDaniels * John Slaughter * J. P. Rodriquez * Major Shackleford * the Mono Valley on the Medina * Felipe Montes * Mrs. Moore * Mrs. Terry, whose husband and one of her sons were killed by the Indians, and a little daughter, Mary Ellen, captured and taken off * Senator Dillard * Ed Braden, just down from Fredericksburg * Mr. Dresser * Louis Franke, a member of the Legislature from Fayette County * Henry Hartman * Oliver and John Brown * Mr. Montell * Joe Laman * John Redus * William Redus * The Rev. A. J. Potter

General Bullis: Friend Of The Frontier

Grace Lowe Butter

Account of Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis, noted soldier and Indian fighter, one of the bravest and truest defenders of Texas and San Antonio. He was born in Macedon, Wayne County, New York, in 1841. He entered the service as a corporal in Company H, 126th New York Volunteer Infantry, in August, 1862 and after the war, settled in Texas, at San Antonio.

Further Mentions: little towns of San Fernando, Santa Rosa, and Saragosa * the Santa Rosa Mountains * Fort Stanton * Generals Ord, Augur, Stanley, and Mackenzie * Colonel Mackenzie * Remolina, Mexico * Costillietos, the chief of the Lipans * Frederick Remington * Eagle Nest crossing * Kerr County * Lieutenant F. O. Sharpe and P. C. Gilbert * David Bowlegs * "Salvation Spring." * Pinaco Creek, sixty miles from Fort Stanton * a woman named McLauren * the Burro Mountains * Bell Jewelry Company, of San Antonio * the Bullis home on Grayson Street and Pierce Avenue * the Chenati Mountains * Lee Bertillion, Mineola, Texas

TEXAS' ONCE FAMOUS RANGER BAND FOUND TO HAVE DEGENERATED

Account of "special" Ranger forces who were commissioned during the administration of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson. These officers were to police the more ignoble and disreputable segments of Texas outlaw society. Mentions: the Rev. Pierre Bernard Hill, chaplain of the Texas Rangers * "special" ranger commissions * James V. Allred

MONUMENT IS SOUGHT FOR OLD FORT GRIFFIN

Mentions: Senator Sheppard of Texas * Gen. Ronald McKenzie * the Clear Fork-Comanche Indian Reservation * Mrs. Dan W. Roberts, widow of the early day Texas Ranger captain * Mrs. J. F. Hinkle.

MASONS COMMEMORATE FOUNDING OF FIRST TEXAS LODGE

Mentions: John H. Crooker * the "Charter Oak" at Brazoria * Anson Jones, John H. Wharton, Asa Brigham, A. E. Phelps, Alexander Russell and J. B. Caldwell * Floyd V. Studer, Amarillo * Judge Jake J. Loy of Sherman

UNPUBLISHED ORDER GIVEN BY GEN. LEE FOUND

Describes unpublished order written by Gen. Robert E. Lee when he was lieutenant colonel in charge of the Department or Texas, prior to the Civil War, which was placed in the University or Texas archives. The order was found by Col. M. L. Crimmins, retired Texas army officer. while turning through the book of general and special orders of the Department of Texas for 1860 in the old record section of the Adjutant General's office, Washington, D. C.

OLD TIME LIVERY STABLE; IT WAS CENTER OF ACTIVTIY

On the west side of the square in Archer City, Texas, where now stands a modern brick building occupied by one of the leading dry goods stores, Archer City's first livery stable was opened for business in 1882 and continued till 1887.

The proprietor was the late F. Lewis, who before coming to Archer City, was a United States soldier stationed at Fort Richardson in Jack County. Lewis later served as County Judge and County Commissioner of Archer County. The population of Archer City was about 100 when the first livery stable business was established.

Some almost serious trouble occurred during the time Lewis operated this stable. This is the story. Mentions: Sanford Wilson * "Uncle Ben" Hodges

Editorials Mentions: from Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Dechert, of Fredericksburg * Nellie Schuhard * The Sehuhard family * H. D. White of Greenwood, Mississippi * Chas. L. Fagau of Rahway, New Jersey * Eugene Sealy * Mr. P. E. Ritch * Colonel F. M. McCaleb * Mr. Will Batto, of Bandera * T. A. Sowell, of Hammond, Louisiana * Judge P. S. Sowell * Wes Hardin

Some names mentioned in this volume:

Gov James V. Allred; Armstrong; Gen Augur; Charles Austin; Lt Ballentine; Will Batto; Sebastian Bell; Bertillion; Capt Bieberstein; H. Boethge; Col Bowie; Rezin P. Bowie; David Bowlegs; James Boyer; Andrew A. Boyle; Bracht; Ed Braden; John Bradley; J. W. Bradshaw; C. A. Bremen; Brewer; Brigham; Oliver Brown; David Buchanan; Gen Bullis; Jno L. Bullis; Gen John Lapham Bullis; Maj Bullis; Gen Burnet; Grace Lowe Butler; J. B. Caldwell; J. W. Cameron; J. C. Carr; Castaneda; Chabot; Maj John B. Clark; Coke; Austin Concoran; Concoran; James Coryell; Ed Cosper; Crimmins; Col Crockett; John H. Crooker; Ann Davis; Isabella; J. P. Dechert; Mrs J. P. Dechert; Adm Dewey; Gen Dickman; Senator Dillard; Dobie; Dodson; Matthew Doyle; Emmett Doyle; Chas L. Fagan; Fannin; Gov Miriam A. Ferguson; Martha Jane Fitchett; Webb Flanagan; Maj Fly; Ford; Francis; Louis Franke; Gen Francisco Garay; R. L. Gates; P. C. Gilbert; Gonzales; Gray; Wm Henry Green; E. Haby; Haley; Cephas D. Hamm; A. J. Hanson; Hardin; Henry Hartman; Mattie Hatcher; William Heidman; Capt Jim Highsmith; Rev Pierre Bernard Hill; George F. Hines; J. F. Gov Hinkle; Mrs J. F. Hinkle; Ben Hodges; Houston; Juan Hulsar; J. T. Hunter; Jack Hunter; Chief Isaonic; S. E. M. L. Johnson; V. C. H. Johnson; Johnston; Jones; King; Sest Kothmann; Joe Laman; Maj Joseph H. LaMotte; Jim Lawarmoore; H. B. Lee; Lemley; Dr Lemman; F. Lewis; Maj T. M. Likens; W. P. Lockhart; J. D. Logan; James Lowe; Judge Jake J. Loy; Col Mackenzie; Mackenzie; F. M. Mansfield; Marcy; Fra Antonio Margil; Max Martin; F. M. McCaleb; Col F. M. McCaleb; Thomas McCaslin; P. S. McGeeney; McGeeney; Purple Sage McGeeney; John McGloin; William Holmes McGuffey; Gen Ronald McKenzie; John McMullen; Miller; McCallum Mohr; Adm Montejo; Felipe Montes; Maj Neighbors; Neighbors; Judge Noonan; Gen Ord; James M. Patton; Samuel Patton; Peak; W. W. Perryman; Gen Pershing; A. E. Phelps; G. P. Pickett; Gen Portillo; Rev A. J. Potter; James Ramsey; John Redus; William Redus; Frederick Remington; P. E. Ritch; John Reed Robbins; John Reed III; Joseph Riel; Mrs Dan W. Roberts; Violet Roberts; J. P. Rodriguez; lt Elliott Rooseve; Rose; F. El Routledge; Rusk; Alexander Russell; S. H. Russell; Guy Salbe; Chief San De Ve; Santa Anna; Schmidt; Nellie Schuhard; Scott; Eugene Sealy; Capt Shackelford; Maj Shackelford; Lt; F. O. Sharpe; Sen Sheppard; Sheridan; J. T. Shiner; M. W. Shumaker; William Simms; Slaughter; L. B. Smith; Sowell; John Sowell; P. S. Judge Sowell; T. A. Sowell; Gen Stanley; Gen Adj Steel; Col Stem; Stem; Mrs Ben Stevens; F. C. Striegler; Floyd V. Studer; C. E. Sweeny; Mary Ellen Terry; H. C. Thompson; Col Twiggs; Urrea; Hattie Walker; Jesse Wallace; Walters; Col Ward; Capt Westover; John H. Wharton; D. H. D. White; S. R. Whitly; T. B. Wilberton; Capt J. E. Willcox; Williams; Sanford Wilson; Emma L Wofford; Rev J. H. Wofford; C. W. Wood