Vol 19 No. 10 - July 1942

Mother Passes On To Glory Land

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Account describing the life of Mrs. Mary Ann Hunter, who was born in Giles county, West Tennessee, October 4, 1850, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus N. Calhoun. In 1868 was married to John Warren Hunter, who preceded her in death by 27 years. For many years the Hunter family lived as early settlers in the Mason and Menardville area of Texas.

Mentions: her daughter, Mrs. W. C. Colcord * Mrs. Alice McMahan * Mrs. Cora Bickenbach * Mrs. Lillian Colcord * A. W. Hunter * J. T. Hunter * Booneville, Arkansas * Hunt county * Black Jack Grove * Fredericksburg * Loyal Valley *

The Story Of Salt In Texas

By H. D. Holt. 

Salt, that primeval necessity in the diet of man and beast, is now common place and cheap. It can be purchased anywhere. Frontier days in Texas, however, found conditions entirely different and witnessed some real hardships and struggles in the efforts of the pioneer to secure salt to supply his table, to cure his meat and to feed his stock. Life was not easy for the frontier settler. Wood and water, meat and bread and salt, clothing and shelter—these elemental things loomed large in his primitive life.

Further Mentions: Don Ivan Onate * Cowden salt lake in Crane county * El Sol Del Rey in Hildalgo county * A. T. McGee * Van Zandt county * In 1852, Davie Cowan located an extensive salt deposit in Llano county * Hubbard Creek in Shackelford county * Cal Greer, William King and Vol Simmonds * Fort Phantom Hill * George W. Greer and George Hazelwood * W. H. Ledbetter county judge of Shackelford county * the Ledbetter Salt Works * Indian fight at the Salt Works * Fort Griffin * Charles Goodnight * Salt Creek in Lampasas county * Lometa * Falls Creek in Llano county * the Swenson's Salines * Peter Gallager & Co. of Fort Stockton * John James of San Antonio * Dr. Ella Conn * Goucher College * Governor Clark * The Steen and Brooks Salines in Smith county and Grand Saline * Mrs. Lona Shawver of Oklahoma City

Texas Rangers On The Scout

By A. J. Sowell

In 1870-71 the Indians were very numerous and hostile on the Texas frontier, and a call was made by the Governor for several companies of volunteers to go on a campaign against them. There was an immense scope of country to protect, stretching from the Rio Grande to Red River. The Indians were more numerous in the northwestern part of the State, and committed many depredations under the notorious leaders, Big Tree, Satanta, Sittanka, and others. This account especially deals with the conditions of the Texas border at that time, especially in the northwest, and relates incidents of Indian warfare as recalled by old settlers in that region. (Continued from Last Month.)

Mentions: George McPhail * the Ball settlement * old man Shire * an Indian raid near Victoria Peak * John H. Moore * Sergeant Cobb * Lookout Mountain * Marlett * Riddle's ranch on Clear Creek * Panther creek * George Henson * John Garner and Frank Sorrell * G. W. H. Breaker * John Harrell * Marvell and Henson * George Howell * Doctor Jay * the Keep ranch * chief Sittanke, a prominent man among the Kiowas * Oska Horseback

The Great Drouth Of '86

By W. C. Holden

From the advent of the white man, drouths have periodically be-devilled West Texas. The first severe one of which there is an account was in 1864. There were few people in the country then, and no newspapers at all; consequently, information concerning it is limited. However, the old settlers who lived through it said it was bad. Another drouth occurred in 1881. By the last of June people were becoming alarmed, but the weather prophets re-assured them that it would rain in time to make grass. July passed and still no rain. Water in the Double Mountain Fork and Salt Fork of the Brazos ceased to run. The Clear Fork became as dry as bone except for an occasional mud hole. So did the Colorado, and the Conchos were but little better. Stock water became more and more of a problem, for people were still largely depending upon surface water; few wells had as yet been dug. Throughout August cattle died by the hundreds of thirst, and prospects were increasing for a disastrous winter. However, it rained in the fall in time to make a crop of grass. The spring and summer of 1883 were dry in the Concho country, but again fall rain made winter grass. But of all the drouths before or since, the one of 1886 was the grizzliest of them all. Here is the story.

Mentions: The neighborhood of Brady in McCulloch county * Bear Creek in Wise county * Milltown, Shackelford county * The Farmers' Alliance * J. P. Cole * S. C. Hines * Deputy Sheriff Scarborough' * Ballinger * Judge T. B. Wheeler * The Haskell Free Press

Bob Lively: A Pioneer Of Grayson County

Major Morris U. Lively, Chaplain U. S. Army

Account of Robert Morris (Bob) Lively who was born at Pilot Grove, Grayson county, Texas, (about twenty miles southeast or Sherman) on January 1, 1856. He was the last of four children who were burn to Robert Taliaferro Lively, M. D., and Elizabeth Barnett-Lively. Young Bob was orphaned at the age of eight and subsequently raised by his sister and her husband. From deepest poverty, this early pioneer of Grayson county went on to become not only rich but exceedingly influential - here is his story.

Early Day Irrigation Ditches On The Pecos

By W. R. Baggett

Account detailing the ranching efforts of Andrew A. Young and his son, Arthur Young, on their ranch in the northern part of Coleman county.

Mentions: B. B. Ingham * Mrs. Alice Young * Andrew Young * Eugene McCrowen * family by the name of Torres * the John Cannon farm * Pontoon Crossing * Horsehead Crossing * Pecos Springs * Neb Pulliam of San Angelo * John Babb * the Middle Concho river * Big Lake * Monroe Bagget, Curtis Van Zandt * the Homer Tippett Ranch * Iraan * Rankin * McCamey * Tom Young * The Howard Springs massacre * Juan Torres, Benevido Torres and Caesario Torres * Torres Irrigation and Manufacturing Company * Escondido draw * Escondido Springs * the Mormon settlement * Adobe Walls * Chinese Reservation * M. H. Goode, who ranches in Terrell county * the cow outfit branded TICX *

Side Glances On Texas History

By Lorena Drummond

Mentions: Cabeza de Vaca * the Karankawa Indians on Bad Luck Island * Morris Bishop *

Let Us Remember The Early Preachers

By James A. Wright

Mentions: R. B. Hubbard, John Polk, Tom Bonner * Tyler, Texas * Troupe * Judge O. M. Roberts * Shelbyville * Regulating and Moderating "war", * the old Southern Hotel on Main Plaza * Wesley Hardin, Ben Thompson, King Fisher * A. G. Nolan * Alex Sutherland * J. W. DeVilbiss * Ely Y. Seale * Albert Pike *

Reunion Of Bandera County Old Settlers

Mentions: Colonel Ed Mansfield * Sheriff Billy Burns * Governor James V. Allred * Judge O. C. Fisher * Hon. Julius Real of Kerrville * Rev. W. A. Bowen * Mr. and Mrs. Adolphe Huffmeyer of San Antonio * Ray Merle Stevens * Bettye Jeane Stevens * Dave Dillingham * W. W. Dillingham * Ben Thompson * Prof. Carl Lux * Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Fleenor, Eva Loyce and Neva Joyce Fleenor