Vol 19 No. 04 - January 1942

Rawhide Has Faithfully Served Texas

J. Frank Dobie, in Houston Post.

It used to be a saying that what a Texan can't mend with rawhide "ain't worth mending." Before "bobwire" became popular as twine, Texas according to another saying—was "held together with rawhide." It was well bound. Some people called the binding "Mexican Iron." It was an essential factor in the culture of the country. In the form of riatas, which took the place of chains, it had measured off the earliest Spanish grants of land, two horsemen with rawhide lariat stretched between them surveying in a lope and liberally counting the ropelengths. Like certain picturesque men, like droughts and northers, like animals with which the people associated, and like many other objects used and talked about by the public, rawhide became the subject of a cycle of folk yarns both grim and rollicky - it is the subject of this article.

Further Mentions: Vicente Gomez, a mestizo of northern Mexico * Yaqui Indians * Jim Loving * Parker county * Shanghai Pierce * James A. McKenna * W. W. Browning * Charlie Goodnight * Ship Carnes *

The Garza Revolution In 1890

Account of the engagement of Texas Rangers who in December, 1891 fought revolutionary hopeful, Catarino Garza and his men, in a near-legendary incident on the Texas-Mexican border that became known as the Garza Revolution.

Mentions: McNeel's company of Rangers * La Granjenta ranch in Starr county - now Brooks * E. E. Townsend of Alpine * Porfirio Diaz * Luke Dowe of Del Rio, J. P. Perkins of Aransas Pass, Chas. Premont of Premont, Sam A. Quinn of Pasadena, J. D. Walton * J. A. Brooks of Falfurrias, John Hess of Brackettville, T. C. Lewis of Rio Grande City, T. H. Pool of Cotulla, J. F. Shaw of Somerset, and J. S. McNeel, Terrell, Tom Ross and Cliff Hess of San Antonio * Victor Sebree * Captain John R. Hughes *

Some Texans We Would Not Forget

By Augusta Lawrence, Huntsville, Texas

This article details the life and accomplishments of long-time Texas educator, Henry Carr Pritchett. Under him the Sam Houston Normal Institute became a recognized and influential factor in the educational progress of Texas.

Mentions: Bishop Seth Ward * Dr. H. F. Estill * Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews * Henry Carr Pritchett was born on a farm in Warren county Missouri * William Ira Pritchett * Mrs. M. A. Pritchett * H. C. Pritchett * Carr W. Pritchett * Pritchett Institute, Glasgow, Missouri * Dr. Henry S. Pritchett long in charge of the Carnegie Foundation * J. L. Pritchett, Professor of Mathematics and Dean in Sam Houston State Teachers College; and Farr Pritchett's twin brother, John E. Pritchett of Southwest Texas Normal College * Morrisville College * Miss Kate Smith * Reverend E. S. Smith * the Methodist Church at Huntsville, Tex * Annie Pritchett * Elbert Pritchett, John W. Pritchett, Henry Lucien Pritchett, Rufus Pritchett. * Coronal Institute at San Marcos * Dr. O. H. Cooper * Dr. Joseph Baldwin * Ian McLaren * Edwin Markham * Oscar H. Cooper * Dr. J. W. Thomason * Rev. H. M. Whaling *

Jose Antonio Navarro: A Great Texan

In the annals of Texas there are recorded the names of many brave, generous and noble patriots who valorously labored to establish a free and independent government for that State from the Republic of Mexico. The pages of Texas history are not adorned with any name that is more glorious than that of Jose Antonio Navarro, who was born in San Antonio de Bexar, Province of Texas, February 27, 1795. A direct descendant of prominent citizens of Spain who had emigrated direct to Texas from the Island of Corsica, he inherited that pride of race, that dignity and culture and refinement; a high sense of personal honor that has always typified the noble of old Spain. His was a loyalty to Texas that was unswerving and glorious and the record of his service should always be remembered. This is his story.

Further Mentions: Don Angre Navarro * American Virtue Lodge at Saltillo, Mexico * Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. A. F. & A. M * DeWitt's Colony * Rev. N. T. Byars * Acordada Prison * Herrera, a Master Mason *

Brief History Of Lee County

By Mrs. Julia Jones

Lee county, with an area of only 562 square miles, is one of the smaller counties of the state. It was organized April 14, 1874, and named for Gen. Robert E. Lee, at that time the hero of all Southerners. It was originally created from portions of the adjacent counties of Burleson, Washington, Fayette, Bastrop and Milam. The earliest record to be found of Lee county is in connection with the historic old San Antonio Road, the "artery of Texas civilization." Here is some excellent early history of the county.

Mentions: Benjamin Rush Milam * Surveyor, V. N. Ziveley * the Post Oak Belt * the three Yegua Creeks * Giddings * Lexington * the Houston and Texas Central railroad * Brenham * the San Antonio & Aransas Pass * Wendish families * Serbin * Lusatians * Dime Box * Adira, Tanglewood, Hicks, Nunnsville and Fedor, a German community * Indian Camp Branch * Bill Lugley *

Seventeen Years In The Royal Navy

Commander G. Keith Gordon

These Memoirs of Commander George Keith Gordon were written by him, and were furnished to Frontier Times by his widow, Mrs. Louisa Gordon. Just before he was fourteen years of age he joined the British Navy, and upon passing the entrance examination was appointed to His Majesty's Ship Britannia at Dartmouth, and after a year's stay there became a midshipman. He tells of his experiences on the sea for the next sixteen years in a most interesting manner in the following narrative. In 1881 he retired from the British Navy and came to the United States, and established the OWL ranch in Kimble county, Texas. (Continued from Last Month)

Mentions: Seyid Said * Mombasa * Captain Owen * Dr. Kirk * Pemba Island * Sir Bartle Frere * Majunga * Madagascar * the S. W. Monsoon * Captain Malcolm * Matthew Wellington * The Andaman Islands * Lord Mayo the Viceroy of India * The Nicobar Islands * the Hooghly River * the P. and O. steamer * Point de Galle, Ceylon * Trincomalee * Jiddah, the "Tomb of Eve." * Dr. Guenther * South Kensington Museum, London * Wahabees, a tribe of Arabs * Sir Charles Napier of Magdala * King Theodore of Abyssinia * General C. Gordon * Massowah Channel *

Eli Terry & Sons, And Their Clocks

By George B. Davis

Mentions: Eli Terry * Mr. Thomas * Mr. Hoadley * Plymouth Hollow * Mr. Harland * John Marshall * Terryville * Silas Burnham *

Early Days In Falls County

By Marjorie Rogers, Marlin, Texas

Account of long-time citizen of Marlin, Falls county, TX, Albert Boyd Curry who was born in Jasper county, near Garlandsville, Mississippi, March 6, 1858 and came to Texas in ox wagons soon after his father was discharged from the Confederate Army in 1865. Here is his story and of early times in Falls county.

Mentions: Moses H, Curry and Julia Ann Curry * Newton Station * Uncle Dock Curry * David R. Mitchell * Jesus Ortez * Robertson county * the Zenas Bartlett homestead * William Shelton's private school in Marlin * Judge Shelton * Big Creek * When we first moved to Marlin, we had what was known as Union meetings and Union Sunday school in the Masonic Building * the Marlin hot well * George Cousin's seed house

THOS. F. CORRY HAD LAND DEAL WITH SHANGHAI PIERCE

Mentions: Chris Emmett of San Antonio * A. H. "Shanghai" Pierce * John Forbes * Nicholas D. Labadie * Col. Summerville * E. Braman * Gen. Sage Houston *

The Activities Of M. Halff And Brother

By Grace Miller White

Account of Mayer Halff and his younger brother, Solomon Halff, who journeyed from their home in Lauterburg, Alsace, France, to arrive in Galveston, Texas in the 1850's. These two brothers were from modest beginnings, but after relocating outside of San Antonio, were destined to take their places among the foremost ranch and cattle men of the State.

Mentions: the firm of M. Halff & Brother * Liberty * ranch was called the Circle Dot * Marathon Basin * the Pena Colorado * Maravillas creek * Joe White * Elkanah M. Hereford * Billy Kincaid * Jim Davenport * Ranger Captain Will Wright * Fort Pena Colorado * General Ord * Henry Green * the Quien Sabe ranch in Midland county * the Crouch ranch * the Laramie Cattle Company in Wyoming * Alex H. Halff * the Mallet ranch in Gaines county * Bee and McMullen counties * Frio county * the J M ranch * Fort Stockton * Comanche Springs * Herman Koehler, an old German who ran a general merchandise store at Fort Stockton * Langtry Texas * Crouch ranch in Frio county * Miss Rachel Hart of Detroit * Miss Fannie Levi of Victoria, Texas * O. M. Boon of Pearsall * the Pity National Bank of San Antonio *

NECROLOGY

Brief account of the life of John L. Rogers who resided in Mason county fifty-three years. Further Mentions: Paschal Rogers of Mason * Mrs Jenrette Schneider * Geneva Keller * Jim Rogers of Menard * Pat Rogers of Mason, Mrs. R. G. Lackey of San Angelo, Mrs. W A. Lang of Castell, Mrs. John Lackey of Menard * Mrs Virginia Hay * Elder Lyman Wight * Mrs. E. J. Coose * Rufus Evans * Mr. E. F. Woolsey * Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Graham * Mr. and Mrs. A. Real and Mr. David Hunter of Leon Valley * Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Bannowsky of Junction * Mr. and Mrs. L. J, Salter of Kerrville * Mr. and Mrs. F. A. (Pete) Weaver * Mrs. F. A. Weaver * Miss Frances Beckwith * William Gert * Mrs Carl E. Johnson, Salt Lake City * Margaret V. Anderson, Glendale * Stanley B. Anderson, Moffett Field * Norita K. Black, New Orleans * Joseph Kelley * Mr. and Mrs. E. Salinas, Bay City * Mrs. F. C. Acree, Richmond, Virginia * Mrs. Cora Vickery * ; Robert S. Fisher * Arthur, Whittier * Albert Krick * Dorothy Risser * Mrs. S. F. DeWees, Washington * Miss Vivian Randolph * W. J. Vedder * Mrs. A. M. Landberg * Lloyd S. Jones. Beckville * Mrs. Milton Pruitt * Tom Watson * Lt. Ord Richardson * George J. Virance * Buck Eckhardt, Eden, New York * Miss M. D. Knox, Grand Falls, North Dakota * Mabel C. Polley, Rena Rose McCormick, Marcola, Oregon * Andrew Kornylak, Jersey City, N..J * Mrs. M. T. Link, Bentonia