Vol 17 No. 03 - December 1939

Major George B. Erath

By Marjorie Rogers, Marlin, Texas.

Account of the famous ranger for whom Erath county, TX is named and who was instrumental not only in fighting Indians, and in the war for Texas Independence, but also helped lay out the original town of Waco and later became one of its chief citizens. Here is his story.

Further Mentions: Captain George B Erath * Little River * James Coryell * Fort Milam * Miss Lucy Erath, pioneer citizen of Waco * Missezi Lelia Erath * Lucy Erath * Cameron * the fort at the Three Forks of the Brazos * Coryell Creek * Captain Barron * Chalmers * Ezra Webb, Mitchell Cattleman * Chalmers' home near Perry's Springs * Capt. Billingsley * Col. Burleson * Mr. Simmons * Lieutenant Bryan and Vice President Zavala * J. DeCordova * John McLennan * Neill * McLennan county * Major George Bernard Erath * Miss Lucinda Chalmers * present town of Hearne * Neill McLennan * Judge Baylor * Baylor Universty *

The Livestock Cavalcade Of Texas

Tom Martin

Account of the origins and early development of the cavalcade of Texas livestock industry.

Mentions: the first cattle drive of which we have any record and was made by James Taylor White from old Anahuac, Chambers county to New Orleans. This drive occurred during the presidency of Mirabeau B. Lamar just before the state capital was moved to Austin. * Mrs. Hattie Cluck * Mrs. Amanda Burks * Johnson, Parker * T. U. Taylor * Red River Station * Enid * Jesse Chisholm * Caldwell, Kan * Jesse Chisholm, a half breed Cherokee Indian * Joe McCoy * the stock yards at Abilene, Kan * Colbert 's ferry below Denison * Fort Gibson * the Rogers family * Asher * Purcell * Council Grove * J.. R. Meade * the towns of Wellington, Caldwell, Pond Creek. Enid, Buffalo Springs, Dover, Kingfisher, Concho * Fort Reno * Capt. Henry Spekes, of Bryan county * Shanghai Pierce, C. C. Slaughter, George W. Saunders, Ika T. Pryor, George W. Littlefield, Richard King, Charles Goodnight, Jesse L. Driskill, the Blocker brothers, John R.. William R. Blocker ., and Ab Blocker * Molly Taylor Bunton * Howell Bunton * Further Mentions:

German Pioneers Built A Solid Country

Harry B. Crozier

Account of the hardy emigrants who make up a large portion of the population of Mason, Gillespie and other Texas counties.

Mentions: Pikes, Schmidt * Kothman, Pluenneke * Baze *

The Cortina Trouble In 1859 And 1860

By Col. M. L. Crimmins

The following story of the forays of Juan N. Cortina was told by an eyewitness, Captain Albert Gallatin Brackett, 2nd U. S. Cavalry. A Mexican, named Cortina, thinking he had been wronged by certain citizens of Brownsville, crossed from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, in the autumn of 1859, with a body of armed men, and committed various depredations, killing several citizens of Brownsville. Immediately the whole frontier was in a blaze or excitement, and General Twiggs was called upon to assist the unarmed settlers.

Mentions: Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee, Captains Earl Van Dorn, E. Kirby Smith and Lieut. John Bell Hood * General Twiggs * Brownsville, Ringgold Barracks, and Laredo * Heintzelman * Captain George Stoneman * Green Lake, thirty miles from the Gulf coast * Indianola * Palmer, Stoneman, Brackett Jenifer, Chambliss, Harrison, and Kimmel * General Patterson * The Lockhart Clarion * William Carleton *

The Great Oklahoma Land Rush Of 1889

Capt. B. W.

On April 22, 1889, a rifle fire was heard at different points around the border of "the strip." It was peaceful firing and came from United States troops stationed for several months to keep back "the boomers" desirous of claiming the best farm lands and the best town lots at those points in Oklahoma where large towns and cities would probably rapidly grow. The President's proclamation went into effect at noon on April 22, and the signal that the land was open was the firing of the rifles of troops that had held back the restless mass for many months. Here is the account of that event.

Mentions: Guthrie * Captain Arthur McArthur * Valney Hoggett * J. C. Constantine * A. B. Dyer * Captain George B. Davis *

Origin Of The Name Of Dixie

Account addresses the question of the meaning of the term, "Dixie," how it originated, how it grew to favor.

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: meetings at Plum Grove * Joseph Burlesou * Abner Smith * Lagrange * brother R. E. B. Baylor * J. V. Wright * The Plum Grove Baptist church * Gen. Edward Burleson * Jack Hays, Ben and Henry McCollough, Caldwell * Nacogdoches * Gen. Rusk * General Marion * S. S. Latimore * Hines County * Colonel John M. Moore, of Fayette county * Mrs. Watts, a lady from Linnvine * Dick Chisholm * Casa Fianea * Felix Huston * Mrs. Watts * Dr. Brown, of Gonzales *

Dave Dillingham: A Fighting Irishman

By T. U. Taylor, Austin, Texas

Jefferson Davis Dillingham was born at Old Brooksville, Williamson county, Texas, (but since, Brooksville has changed its name to Florence). He was the son of Brice and Sarah Woodward Dillingham, and was born in the year 1866 at the close of the Civil War. Mr. Dillingham was a life-long hot-headed fighter and a railroadman. Here is his story.

Further Mentions: Edmond J. Davis * His parents moved to Georgetown in the spring of 1872 * Ed Harris * Moody * Merrilltown, Travis county * Will Killen * Jim Easton * the old A. & N. W. R. R., * the H. & T C * E. R. Bardenwherpher, a Dutchman, and Jack Hower * Jack Hower * Lon Sorrell * Crawford Gillespie * Jim Ackney * Charley Gillespie * Marley * Ledbetter * Jim Ferguson * Edwin Yeiser * Augie Eilers, and George Walling * Bob Schuler * Woolridge Park * Ed McKay * Policeman Oglesby * Will Morris * Chief Will Morris * Dillingham Shoe Store * Tom Thrasher * Brenham * Chapel Hill * Superintendent Walsh * Jack Norman * Toni Hall * Jake Rush * Will Grader, a saloon *

The Origin Of Some Texas Names

Claude Stanush

"Where did it get its name?" This account answers the question as well as the source of other Texas names such as: Bexar * Concho * San Saba * Frio * Nueces * Blanco * Bandera * Uvalde

OWNED VALUABLE LAND.

Big Foot Wallace, the noted Texas frontiersman and Indian fighter, died in poverty in 1899. His remains now rest in the State Cemetery at Austin. Because of his service to Texas in various battles he was given several land grants. but by carelessness and loose business methods he lost all of his land possessions. This is a brief account of some of his transactions.

Mentions: the Menard league * Galveston Island * Colonel Walter Gresham * W. H. Bonnett * Aransas county * a tract of land in Bandera county, located on Wallace Creek, this creek being named for him * Medina, Atascosa and Frio counties * the little town of Bigfoot * C. Glassford * William Carleton *

The Diary Of A Frontier Preacher

Account further continues the diary of Rev. Walter Smith South, a Methodist preacher on the frontier of Texas. Story contains more extracts from his experiences in 1860 an 1861.

Mentions: Burrows, Gatewood, Crabb * Harvey Love * Wheelock * Lloyd * Rector * James Walker * Widow Burleson * Eutaw * Miss Mary Burleson * Miss Hattie Sanford * John Welch * Dr. Crabb * Bro. W. Caruthers * Cousin Lias Lee * Mose French * Cal. Zolliroffer * Waxahachie * Judge Brack * F. P. Ray * Lambdin * bro. Marchbank * I. G. Bowman * John Magby at Belknap * Miss Mollie Vannoy * John Bell * Mr. Hardeman's on Chamber's Creek * Burnham * Mr. James Hamilton *

Old Homestead Lodge

By Andrew R. Marker, K. C. C. H., San Antonio, Texas.

Mentions: Henry's place * Brother Dawes * Farmington * Henry Goodman 's country store * Hiram Abiff *

Sham Hays And His Race Bull

Account of a very impressive bull.

Ghost Town Has One Lone Resident

By Frank Brady

Story about old Frio City, once a teeming metropolis of South Texas, but now just a ghost of its former self. The town was founded in 1871 as the seat of government for the fledgling county of Frio. There followed an era of prosperity, during which this frontier settlement reached a population of 1500 and boasted two hotels, three general stores, three blacksmith shops and the usual saddle and harness shops, restaurants, dance halls and saloons. Here is the account.

Mentions: Mrs. Artie Slaughter Roberts * J. H. Blackaller, Louis Oge, Capt. Bill Crouch * Calvin Woodward * W. S. Hiler * the railroad town of Pearsall * the James Speed home * the J. U. Woodward residence *

HIGH GRADE MERINO SHEEP

Mentions: Mr. Earle R. Forrest, of Washington, Pennsylvania * Mr. Enoch Prigg of Canton Township * J B. McElroy *

Captain Hawkins On The Mexican Border

San Angelo Times.

Account of R. C. (Red) Hawkins, of the Texas Rangers, Son of Cattleman T. T. Hawkins, who joined up with the Rangers at Laredo in 1912, as a 21 year-old, being assigned to Capt. John J. Sanders' company of 15 men, all mounted for horseback scouting along the Mexican border: Major crimes then were rampant, Mexico was hot, bandit raids were common. Arms and fugitives flowed across the border. Here is the story of his career in that dangerous position.

Further Mentions: El Paso to Canutillo * Fabens, Ysleta * Del Rio * Dr. Walter Presseott Webb * Joe Jenkins, another ranger * the Big Bend near Stilwell's Crossing * Carrauza's army * Carranzista * Gene Mika, a ranger * Captain John E. Hughes at Ysleta * Orozeo * Eagle Mountains on the Love ranch south of Sierra Blanca * the city of Juarez opposite El Paso * Governor James V. Allred *

Texas State Historical Association

The Texas State Historical Association is an organization devoted solely to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of historical information about Texas. It is probably the oldest learned society in Texas. Judged by its work, it is easily the most distinguished. In 1897 it began the publication of a magazine known now as The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. In forty-two years this publication has never missed an issue, and today the forty-two volumes comprise tile greatest single source of information about Texas in existence. Here is the story of that organization.

J. K. Alley Talks About Trail Driving

By Willie Mae Weinert

Account of old trail driver from Seguin, J. K. Alley who says, "Why I was only eleven years old when I begun to tote a gun. There'd be less of robberies if it wasn't for the law that won't let a man carry a gun. I traded for this one in Montana in 1884 while I was there. I stayed there for seven years. I went up there with cattle in '79 and '80 from Mason county. I've known the time in Texas when no thief would dare stop a man because he knew every man carried a gun. A man could drive up to a bar in San Antonio and take silver dollars out of his morral and leave it on the horn of his saddle, go in and play roulette, then come back hours aftcrwards and nobody had disturbed his money in the morral bag. The idea of having a law that a man can't carry a gun; why that lets a thief carry one…"

Further Mentions: Miami county * Bascom Thompson, Levi Anderson, Jack Jefferson, Jim Chessher and Thad Miller * Guadalupe county * the Seth Mayberry ranch * Webb Leonidas Moore *

THE EDITOR'S BOX

Mentions: William Brogan, now a part time resident of Bandera, but still claiming San Antonio as his home * Mrs. Eva Slack Brogan * Emporia, Kansas * W. J Brogan * Mr. and Mrs. John Stevens, who own a nice ranch near Uvalde * Mrs. Emily Vincent Vivian, of London * Houston Wade * Miss Dorothy Noble of the Beaumont High School * Dr. William E. Howard * Mr. and Mrs. W. E. McDermett * Big Lake, Texas * Miss Corine Tay * Ramsey of Comstock * Captain Billy Krempkau, of San Antonio, * the Jersey Lily Saloon at Langtry, Texas * Zane Grey * his mother, Alice Josephine Zane * Lina Elise Roth * Colonel J. C. (Buffalo) Jones * Lina Elise (lolly) Grey *

THE GYPSY'S WARNING.

By J. N. Mickle, Bandera, Texas