Vol 25 No. 06 - March 1948

Captain Neal Coldwell

By A. J. Sowell

Account of Captain Neal Coldwell who was born in Dade county, Missouri, in May, 1844. His father, Thomas Coldwell, was a soldier under General Jackson in the war of 1812, and participated in the famous battle of New Orleans, fought on the 8th of January, 1815. In 1850 Thomas Coldwell immigrated to California, but the family later settled in Kerr county, Texas in 1860. Here is the famous Ranger's life story.

Mentions: Captain Stockton * Carson River * Grass Valley * the Pullium prong of the Nueces * Black Grove and Newmarket schools * George Danner, William Baker and Joe Moss * Pat Dolan * F. C. Nelson * Eugene B. Millet * Col. P. C. Wood * General Banks * Mansfield * Yellow Bayou * Sergt. John C. Douglas of Seguin * Cypress Creek and the Frio * the town of Leakey * Sam Larrymore * Sergt. W. G. Coston * the Pedernales * Ragsdale * Captain, Frank Jones * W. K. Jones * Center Point, in Kerr countny * Monroe Surber * Lon Spencer * Painted Rock, on South Llano * Green Lake * Aleck Merritt * Dr. Nowlin * George Beakley * William Layton * Pat Dolan * Frank Moore * Judge Blackburn * Sam Henry, Tom Carson, L. B. Caruthers, Bingham * Sergeant Seiker * Jesse Evans * Fort Davis * the Chenati mountains * Tom Carson * Jesse Evans * Capt. George W. Baylor * Ysleta * Vittorio, the famous Mescalero Apache chief * Captain Charles Lineville * Fort Quitman * Rattlesnake Springs * Eagle Springs * Miss C. E. Martin of San Marcos * Judge W. W. Martin *

Life At Waldrip In 1879

By M. P. Kitchen

Excellent, very early history of this part of McCulloch county, TX and the early settlers of the tiny town of Waldrip. This is excellent early genealogy of original settlers of the region.

Mentions: Captain J. F. Chafin * Dead Man's Crossing * Senterfitt's Ranch * William's Ranch, now Goldthwaite, * Stepp's Creek * Trickham * Aunt Cynthia Stockton * Billy Castell, a Mr. Safford * Matt Breedlove * Fort Concho * Reverend Ben and Can Wilson * Bill Walker * Kitchen Well * the Captain S. E. Hayes estate * Captain J. W. England * Richland Springs * the Pool family * Jeff Feasel *J. M. Feasel * Ben Hickey * Mr. Pierce * A. J. Ballard * J. W. Trimble * Ben Taylor * Rev. J. C. Avery * Rev. Crocker * Mr. Evans * Rev. Mr. Waller * a man named Yoho. on Onion Creek, near Rochelle * Berry Bros * Salt Gap * old Mr. Mitchell * Father Rey * Pool's Store * Hayes' Store * S. R. Coggin * a ranch on Home Creek * D. C. Randals * J. W. Tisdale * Mrs. Gholson * Clay and Nat Randals * Rockwood bridge * Sam Gholson * Bill Goode; Billy Barton, Webb Brown and Mr. Bonds * John Prued * I. G. Lambright * the Rhem brothers * Mr. Vanwinkle * Bill and Lit Walker * Aunt Julia Brown * her four sons, Jim, Bill, Tom and Sam * Mr. Esselenger * Bull Creek * the Lee family * Mrs. Jernigan, Jack Flood, old Mr. Crumb and his son, Willis * the widow Pollard, a Mr. Upton and old Mrs. Brannon *Joe Brannon and Pete Brannon * Martin and Matt Breedlove * a Mexican boy named Labrado Chapa * Joe and Pete Rhem * Badger Clark.

Ad Lawrence's Desperate Ride

Account of the daring escape from Indian made by Adam Lawrence in the summer of 1332. Lawrence, with three other men, went out mustanging (capturing the wild horses), when suddenly...”

Mentions: Colonial to Texan 1740 - 1948

Edith H. Long

Account of William Toms who settled in Texas in late 1834. Mentions: William Carrol * Nancy Brown * the Waxhaws * John Sevier * John Files * James and Sarah Holcomb Files * Mary Files * Tohopeka, or Horseshoe Bend * Cathey Creek * Kessiah Hines * Mrs. James Long * Joseph C. Neill * Edward Burleson, Ben Milam * Palmito Creek * Deaf Smith * Colonel Neill * Colonel Frank Johnson * Major Morris * Frank Johnson * Captain W. W. Hill * Capt. Joseph P. Lynch * Asa Mitchell * William and Kessiah Hines * Mary Ann Moffitt * John Foles Tom * Kessiah Hines * Old Reek Church in Atascosa county * Nancy Henderson *

Frontier Incidents

By A. J. Sowell

Account describing the frontier life an Indian confrontations of Mr. Samuel Fessenden, an ex-ranger, old frontiersman, and Indian fighter, who in 1859 married Miss Lizzie Tate, in Victoria county, and then came to Guadalupe, and from there to San Saba county and settled near Richland Springs. Soon after, he joined a company of rangers commanded by Capt. Riley Woods. This company scouted a great deal, and Mr. Fessenden was in many chases and fights with Indians. The incidents of this account of frontier life were obtained from Mrs. Elizabeth Fessenden, who was familiar with all the facts.

Mentions: the "Peg-Leg" crossing of the San Saba * the forts of Graham, Griffin, Belknap * Jesse Poe * Brady City * Uncle Jim Wood's * Harvey Creek * Pick Duncan * Hickory Creek * Sam De Buss * the family of Youngblood * Grape Creek * Cypress Creek * De Buss * William Alexander * Mr. Watcher * Fredericksburg * Stockman's Creek, near the Johnston fork. * Mr. Dowdy * Alice and Rilla .

Good Neighbor Policy

“A freezing mist stung the stranger's face when he alighted from the bus in Stinnett, a northern Panhandle town. He saw nothing that looked like a hotel—just a little row of weatherbeaten frame business houses that bordered the highway from Borger to Spearman.

Constable Ben Foster, a small, lean, middle-aged man, walked up and stuck out a hand.

"What can I do for you, friend?" "I have to spend the night and I'm looking for a room."

"I'll get you fixed up," Foster said, smiling. "If Ed hasn't got something, maybe Curley will have, and if Curley's full up, I'll put you up in the jury dormitory at the courthouse. We're not trying anybody right now." Mentions: Franz (Curley) Ferguson * Stinnett is the county seat of Hutchinson county * druggist Burt Downer * Frankie Groves *

The Wallet and The Cow

N. H. Kincaid

“The men about the chuck wagon were relaxed but their faces still bore signs of fatigue. Their mission had been completed and the 3,000 steers marketed in Abilene, Kansas; the badlands had again been traversed and they were back on Texas soil. From here on home they could take it easy.

As they refilled their coffee cups and grouped themselves in a casual semi-circle about the low fire, the new look-out rode off to his post.

The conversation turned, as usual, to their own northern drive. Its full flavor unappreciated in the midst of the sweat and dust and stampedes, was now mulled over.

But gradually quiet prevailed, and their thoughts swerved home-ward. It would be good to be back again with some hard cash in their pockets! This was in 1870...”

Mentions: Chickamauga * Claiborne W. Merchant.