Vol 17 No. 02 - November 1939

Aunt Ollie Peril; True Pioneer Mother

By T. U. Taylor, Austin, Texas

Account of Mary Olive Locke who married Mr. William A. Peril, Kerrville pioneer and as a trail driver. Together they built their lives as Gillespie county pioneers and early settlers. Here is their story. Mentions: Randolph Peril * Fort Stockton * Fort McKavett * Presidio del Norte *

THE EDITOR'S BOX

Mentions: Mrs. Frost Woodhull * Mrs. Beall Frost * John Woodhull * The Matalone Indians * the Orinoco river * Henry Clay Gipson * St. Stanislaus Catholic church * Mr. T. H. Phillips - a Bandera county ranchman * the old Christopher Fagan ranch house * Cado Cameron * Mr and Mrs. George B. Davis * Mr. A. Mutnaw of Bandera * the Gilbert Clock Co * Mrs. W. S. Randall of Dallas * A. B. Reagan of Brady * Walter W Johnson of Roswell * R. F. Jennings * Judge E. D. Henry * P. B. Hill * Jim Mills * Berry Roebuck * H. O. Campbell * Walter Billingsley * R. L. Bobbett, Rev. P. B. Hill. Jim Stator, Phil Wright, Berry Roebuck, Dudley Storey, Alonzo Peeler. Rev. Bruce Roberts of Hehhronville *

Heroines Of The Frontier

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Account focuses on the heroism of three notable pioneer women who bore incredible adversities on the frontier and who braved these adversities in a way that marked them out as true heroines of the frontier. These women are Mrs. John Burleson, Ann Whitney, a pioneer school teacher and Mrs. Polly Russell of the horrible Russell massacre.

Mentions: the slaughter of the Russell family at their home on Martin's Prairie in Wise county, in August, 1868 * Martha Russell * Bean Russell * Sandy Creek * Fort Richardson * Jimmie Russell * the Leon river in Hamilton county * Mary Jane Manning * boys named Kuykendall * Dowdy's Creek in Brown county * Rob Roby *

Found An Ancient Bezoar Stone

By J. Marvin Hunter

Account of the bezoar stone, the great magical cure-all, in which ancient people placed implicit faith. Bezoar stones acquired their fame in the East. One of these stones was presented to Frontier Times Museum by Charles L. Fagan, of Rahway, New Jersey. Account goes on to describe history of traditions surrounding the use of the stone in ancient cultures.

Mentions: The name is of Persian origin, Padzahr, meaning an expeller of poisons * the Chimu period * A. C. Wooten * the Lapis Bezoar Orientale * St. Bartholomew's Hospital * bezoar Germanorum * Frederick Slare * the Society of Apothecaries * Charles IX * Clermont, a Spanish nobleman * Gascoign's Powder *

Flowers And Fruits From The Wilderness

Written by Z. N. Morrell, in 1871. (Continued from Last Month.)

This is a serial article of 10 installments that traces the events in the life of fiery Baptist frontier preacher, Z. N. Morrell, who came to Texas from Tennessee in December, 1835 due to health problems. His life quickly became intertwined with many formative events in Texas history of which he played an important part. Morrell, besides being a notable preacher of the Gospel and a true Texas patriot, was also an excellent historian and writer.

Mentions: Captain James Cook, who had proved himself a man of great daring at the battle of San Jacinto * A lady by the name of Taylor, living near the present locality of Anderson * the Oakland Baptist house of worship, in Grimes county * Peter J. Willis * Dr. Manly, a Methodist minister * Rev. Robert Alexander * Marlin, in Falls county * San Patricio * Matthew Burnett * the Plum Grove Baptist meeting-house * Lagrange * Wm. Scallorn * Wm. T. Wright and J. V. Wright * R. E. B. Baylor * John McClellan *

Early Work On The XIT Ranch

Account is a write-up by J. Ealy Moore, of his work on the massive XIT Ranch in the Texas Panhandle. The article is published just as Mr. Moore wrote it, in true cow country style. Mr. Moore's parents came to Texas from Tennessee in 1874, and settled near Naruna, in Burnet county. Account offers some excellent early first-hand Panhandle history.

Mentions: Brown & Williamson of Lampasas, Texas * Sam Ivey * the XIT Ranch in Hockley county * Bob Mitchell * the Yellow House headquarters * Colorado City * Snyder * the Two Buckle range * Tahoka Lake * Brownwood * B. H. Campbell known as Barbeque Campbell * A. L. Matlock an attorney for the Company * A. G. Boyce * Mr. George Findley * Spring Lake headquarters * Red Tower * Uncle Johnnie * Captain Perkins * J. H.Hamlin * J. F. (Frank) Yearwood * Billie Ney * Escabada * the Sod House pasture * Spring Lake * the Escabada wagon * Bob Barton * Bev. (Spider) Burleson * Red Tower camp * Farwell * Mustang Lake * the Mojares brakes * John McCandless * Scandless John * Dalhart * Jim Warren * Jack Farwell at Buffalo Springs * Mack Huffman at Muldlewater * Dan Cole at Rita Blanco * H. W. Eubank * Buff McGaughey * Ojo Bravo * Centenary College at Lampasas * Jim Brunley * J. D. (Buff) McGaughey * Alamocitos * Geo. Cullop * Frank Campbell * the town of Channing * J. M. Montgomery * Tascosa * Vega * Ab Owens * Milt Whipple * Chris Gish * Dan Cole * Mr. Findley * Cold Springs Arroyo * Lamar * Las Animas * Bevina * An X herd * Reynolds Brothers of Albany * Hugo * Miles City * Rita Blaney * E. B. (Gene) Ellison * John Armstrong * Joe Frazier * Buffalo Springs * the Ojo Bravo ranch * A man by the name of Webb * the Alamocitos pasture * Bob Duke * Varner Bros * Chugwater * Bovina * R. L. Hood * Geo. Littlefield * Ed Halsell * R. L. Doke * J. Ealy Moore.

Some Early Williamson County History

This account offers some excellent early history and genealogy of Williamson county, Texas.

Mentions: Captain Tumlinson * Brushy Creek * Block House * Judge A. S. Walker, Jr * Noah Smithwick * Dr. Thomas Kenney * Joseph Bernhart * Brushy Cove * W. T. Dwyer * Mrs. Jennie Davis * Maj. Chennyworth * James Rice * Henry Castleberry, Jack Angel * Joseph Wicks * Chandler's Branch * Gunn's Branch * William Stinnett * Capt. Nelson Merrill * Mrs. Mary Jane Kenney * Mr. Force * John Courtney * Mary Jane Kenney and Clarissa Kenney * Rutersville College * Mr. Stephens * Capt. Merrill * Bone Hollow * Judge Joseph Lee, John Woldridge, John Brothers * John Matthews * Double File Crossing * Mr. Rogers * Kenney's Fort * Towns' Mill Dam * Capt. Mark B. Lewis * the Black Hawk War * John G. Lee * Mrs. Click * Capt. Martha M. Kenney * W. R Mason of Georgetown * Davis Chandler made a settlement on the north side of Brushy Creek * Capt. Ladd settled near the junction of Brushy and Chandler's Branch * Wadkins' Crossing * the Bernhart place now known as the William Palm place * Freeman Smalley * Round Rock * Merrilltown * Dr. W. I. Anderson, Levi Asher * Calvin Barker * the old Cal Barker place * D. H. McFaddin, Joseph Dyches * the Katy depot at Circleville * Judge Greenleaf Fisk settled on the South San Gabriel * Mrs. Cashion * Thomas Hornsby * James H. Faubion * Brushy Creek in Live Oak Prairie. * Captain Shapley Ross * Gov. L. S. Ross * James Standifer * Perry Neal and Tom Roberts * A. C. Beaver * John Ischy * Fleming * Whitfield Chalk * Col. W. C. Dalrymple * Berry's Creek * Mr. Brownie * the battle of Brushy (then called Boggy) * Jacob Burlesen, Edward Blakey, John Walters, and the Rev. James Gilleland * the town of Leander * John Webster * Wofford Johnson * the Hopewell settlement * Manuel Flores * Lieutenant James O. Rice * Gann's Mill * John Berry * Armstrong's Mill * Geo. W. Glasscock, Sr * E. D. John * Robert A. John * Brooksville * Judge R. M. Wiliamson * John Berry, Sr., W. C. Dalrymple, D C. Cowan, Washington Anderson, and James U. Rice * Mathias Wilbarger and D. C Cowan * The first election for county officers was held sometime about the first of August 1848 * Greenleaf Fisk * Whitfield Chalk * George E. Williams * Ira E. Chalk * John Gooch * Jacob M. Harrel * W. I. Anderson * D. H. McFadden * Richard Tankersley * the Hon. William E. Jones * Peter Banta * Thomas Horsnby * Abner Gray and Daniel Kimbro * Elias Marshall * William Berry, Calvin Barker, James Standifer * M. C. Hamilton * Gordon Mackey *

Captain Jesse Billingsley: A Texas Patriot

Captain Jesse Billingsley was one of the early Texas patriots who helped to win independence from Mexican rule. This is a short biography of Captain Billingsley from L. W. hemp's book, "Heroes of San Jacinto." Has old photo of Billingsley.

Mentions: Sagusky Valley Tennessee * Jeptha and Miriam Randolph Billingsley * Matthew Caldwell * Cedar Creek * Sidny Sherman * T. J. Rusk * Captain Wily Martin * John A. Wharton * Peach Creek * John Duncan * Parson Kinney * Major Tyre * Turner's Postoffice * Genl. L. Combs *

Captain Brackett's Big Bend Expedition

By Colonel M. L. Crimmins.

For five years prior to the Civil War the Second U. S. Cavalry were constantly in the field protecting the people of Texas from hostile Indians. During these years they engaged in no less than forty combats with the savages. At times, the pursuit of the Comanches led south along the old Comanche Trail that crossed the Pecos river at Horsehead Crossing, and thou ran south via Comanche Springs, now called Fort Stockton, and then via Marathon through what is now the Big Bend National Park, and on into Mexico. This is the story of Captain Albert G. Brackett, who set out on April 13, 1859, with his company from Camp Hudson to chastise the marauding bands of Comanches and retrieve stolen herds of cattle.

Further Mentions: Brevet Maj. Earl Van Dorn * Comstock * Crockett county * Live Oak Creek * General David E. Twiggs * General Winfield Scott * Aroya de las Encinas between Eagle Pass and Laredo * Presidio de San Vicente * Hot Springs in Brewster county * the Monclova Road, in the Sierra del Carmen * the rich silver mines of Sierra Rica * Zuloaga * Nuevo Leon * Redmond's Ranch * Geo. E. Pentecost.