Vol 22 No. 11 - August 1945

Catherine Parkinson Marsden

By Mrs. M. Jones

Account of one of the most heroic characters of Texas pioneer days, Catherine Parkington Marsden, who was born England, April 20, 1820, and died in Beeville, Texas, August 24, 1880.

Mentions: Turner Marsden * Tullyvin Mills near Dublin, Ireland * Cousin Alice E. Whittingham * Keighly, Yorkshire, England * Dorothy Alice * Mrs. Joseph P. Wilson * Dorothy Alice * John Marsden * John Whittingham * the Chapel of Longridge, County of Lancaster, District of Preston, England * West Farms, New York * Thomas Henry Marsden * South Branch, Watonwan county * Gen. Kirby Smith * Miss Fannie Ann Jones * William Henry Parkinson * Lillie Alice Marsden Jones * Thomas Henry Marsden

J. A.Young, Fisher County Pioneer

By Hamilton Wright

Account of Swedish-born J. A. Young, Fisher county Texas' dauntless colonist of 1884, and the most influential resident of Swedonia, who was a pioneer, a preceptor, and a preacher. Young came to America at 20 sailing with other immigrants to New Orleans and eventually settling in Fisher county.

Mentions: Tate May * the Swedonia community, seven miles west of Hamlin * Katrinaholm, Sweden * John August Young * Mrs. Matilda Johnson, Milwaukee * Mrs. Helina Billings, Canford, New Jersey * Hull, England * Devil's river * John W. Mallet * McCall * Albertina Wilhelmina Carlson, a childhood sweetheart, who had also come from Sweden * Justice J. P. Yearnigan * Ernest T. (Bud) Young * E. G. Young * Richard Young * Mrs. Tarlton Willingham * Lillie and Gertie * Newman * Rev. Mary Lee Harris * Henry Cagle * Mulberry Canyon *

A Letter From General Robert E. Lee

Edward M. Golson offers this account and contents of a letter written by Lt. R. E. Lee on February 19, 1861, when the State of Texas seceded from the United States and addressed to Mr. Twohig. This letter was written at the boarding house of Mrs. Sutherland at Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Mentions: Mrs. Twohig and Miss Kate * Washington City * Mr. Vance * Major Larkin

The Original Ku Klux Klan

By Thomas Dixon, Jr.

The Ku Klux Klan originated as a law and order league of mounted night cavalrymen called into action by the intolerable conditions of terror and anarchy that was commonplace in post civil-war Texas and the South in general. Here is the story of how the organization began.

Mentions: A group of college boys at Pulaski Tenn. * "kuklos," a band, or circles * Nash * The Union League of America was organized in Cleveland, Ohio * John C. Fremont * Judge Albion W. Tourgee * Governor Holden * town of Dallas, in Gaston county, North Carolina * Colonel Leroy McAfee * Grand Wizard of the empire * The Grand Dragon * the Giant * the Cyclops * General Nathan Bedford Forrest of Tennessee * the clans of McAlpin and Ferguson * Down and Antrim in the North of Ireland * Generals Forrest and George Gordon of Tennessee * John B. Gordon of Georgia * Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hambright * Mr. Laps D. McCord of Tennessee * the Pulaski Citizen * General George W. Gordon * Dr. Landrum * Dr. J. A. Clifton of Orangeburg, S. C. * Dr. Bratton of York * the grand cyclops of the East Chesterden * Hon. John W. Morton * Matt N. Brown

The Polley Family In Texas

By Edward M. Golson.

This article was written from personal knowledge and concurrent information given by members of the Polley family to Edward M. Golson, who married Josephine Polley, the daughter of J. B. Polley, author of "The History of Hood's Brigade," and "Letters to Charming Nellie." Here is excellent history and genealogy of this family lineage in Texas.

Mentions: Joseph H. Polley. Stephen F. Austin * Boreg Creek * Wilson, Polley and Marple * Whitehall, N. Y * Mary Bailey * Mrs. Josephine Polley Colson * Bell's Landing "Whitehall," * the Cibolo, then Guadalupe county, now Wilson county * the Brahans * Emerson Hough * Mr. Goeth * the Baileys of. Dunain, Scotand * Kenneth Bailey * Ann Elizabeth, wife of John Irvine * Baillie's Island * James Brit-on Bailey, a grandson of Kenneth Bailey * Angleton and West Columbia * General Oglethorpe * James Briton Bailey * Bailey's Prairie * Fogeys * Guy M. Bryan * John H. Polley home on Cibolo Creek two miles north of Sutherland Springs.

General Ranald S. Mackenzie

By Colonel M. L. Crimmins.

The three most outstanding army officers who helped to make Texas safe for "Texians," as they were called in our early records, were the following: Major General Ranald Slidell Mackenzie, Brig. Gen. John L. Bullis and Maj. Gen. David S. Stanley. General Mackenzie was the most dramatic of the three. He was the son of Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, U. S. Navy, a brilliant and brave officer, who did not hesitate to do his duty. Here is the story of his life, occupations and service he rendered to Texas.

Mentions: He was in command of the "Sommers," off the coast of Africa, in 1842. * Secretary of war, John C. Spencer of New York * the Battle of Manassas * Chancellorsville * Cedar Creek * Fisher's Hill * C. C. Augur * Col. R. S. Mackenzie * Remolina, Mexico * Fort Richardson in Jack county * Napoleon Bonaparte McLaughlen * Lieut. William Alexis Thompson * Palo Duro Canyon * Captain Peter Martin Boehm * Brevet-Col. Eugene Beauharnis Beaumont * Canyon City * Charles Goodnight * Tule Canyon * Col. Nelson A Miles. Miles * Fort Bliss, Fort Davis, Fort Clark, Fort Duncan, Fort McIntosh, Ringgold. Barracks, and Fort Brown * Fort Richardson, Fort Griffin, Fort Concho, Fort Stockton, Fort Quitman, and Fort McKavett *

Catching The Texas Mustang

By James H. Cook.

In the early 1870's there were hundreds of bands of mustangs ranging western Texas and the Plains country as far north as the heads of the Loup River in Nebraska. These horses were descendants of the animals brought over into Mexico from Spain by the early Spanish conquerors. Certain men were making a business of catching bands of mustangs to sell in the states to the east and north. The method employed in the capture is the theme of this story.

Pioneer Life In Grayson County

By Josiah Wilbarger

This account is taken from the carefully recorded memoirs of Mrs. Mary A. E. Shearer in which she gave many thrilling reminiscences of pioneer life in Grayson county, Texas during the 1850's. Mrs. Shearer has graphically described the habits and customs of a frontier people— and accounts of many of the murders and outrages committed by the Indians.

Mentions: the old homestead of the Dugan family in Grayson county * Daniel Dugan * Catherine Vaden * George C., Daniel V., Mary, Emily, William, Catherine, Henry P. and James * Bois d'Arc creek, now in Fannin county * Honey Grove * Colonel Seller * Josiah Washburne * Micajah Davis * Choctaw creek * town called Warren *

Billions In Buried Gold

By J. Marvin Hunter

"Gold is where you find it, and Harry Gordon of El Paso, another of Coronado's Children , is sinking a shaft five miles from Fannin, in Goliad County, into what he claims is a tunnel which once led from old Mission La Bahia at Goliad, believing that he is on the verge of uncovering quite a portion of the precious metal."

Mentions: the old Parks ranch, five miles south of Fannin * Sol Parks * Mrs. W. O. Huggins * La Bahia Mission * Goliad * Matagorda Bay