Vol 25 No. 09 - June 1948

Avis Brown Baker

By Avis Lott Sheppard

(As told to Gertrude Harris Cook)

Account of “Grandmother” Avis Brown Baker who came to the Republic of Texas as a young girl, and her landing at Old Indianola was the beginning of six decades of pioneer living for her in the very heart of the most historic part of the Lone Star State. Her father was a Methodist minister, and he played an important part in the early religious life of Texas. Thomas Moody Brown was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1802. He married a Miss Emery of the same place, and here on the 10th day of September, 1830, little Avis Emery Brown was born. In 1840 he came to the Republic of Texas, but in 1844 he returned to Indiana to bring out his family. They came by boat, and landed at Indian Point, later called Indianola. So begins the account of this noble Texas pioneer woman.

Mentions: Saluria * Pass Cavallo * Colonel Henry L. Kinney * Nuecestown * James Power * Alex Somerville, J. W. Rose, and J. W. Denison * McHenry's Bayou * Resaca * Buena Vista Street * Mr. White * Captain Charles Morgan * John Reagan Baker * Wm. Charles M. Baker * Sam S. Smith * the Woll invasion of San Antonio * Robert P. Wilkinson * Captain J. M. Reuss * General Warren * Judge Hugh W. Hawes * the "Hawes Estate." * El Campo * Edward Hawes of Wharton * St. Charles Bay * Joseph Robert Lott * Abilene, Kansas * the first wire fence in Wilson county * country cemetery at Stockdale * Walter Sutherland *

The Winchester Quarantine

This is an extensive article describing the emergence of the cattle industry in Texas. When the Civil War ended there were thousands of cattle on the open ranges, and no market for them. But when the railroads penetrated Kansas, a shipping point was established at Abilene, and later other towns, which made it possible for cattle owners in Texas to send their animals to Kansas City, Chicago, and other northern centers, and thus an outlet was provided for the thousands of longhorns that were then of such little value to their owners. From 1865 to 1885 millions of cattle were driven out of Texas to find a ready market in the North. The cattle industry took on new life, and brought great wealth to the Lone Star State. The article goes on to further describe the Winchester Quarantine, which was a method devised to prevent the Panhandle cattle (through which the trail drivers moved their cattle) from contracting the the so-called Texas fever which decimated many herds.

Mentions: Doan's Store * the Running Water in Hale county * the Caprock * Dodge City * Charles Goodnight * T. S. Bugbee, H. W. Cresswell, the Reynolds brothers * Mobeetie * Hank Cresswell * a man by the name of Rising * Robert Moody and J. F. Evans * Tom S. Bugbee with Quarter Circle T brand; R. L. (Dick) McNulty with the Turkey Track; W. E. Anderson with the Scissors brand; H. W. (Hank) Cresswell with the Bar C C; Robert Moody with the P O; Tom Connell and D. Eubanks with the D ; Joe Morgan, Mose Hays and Mell Wright, Bee Hopkins, Frank Biggers, George Anderson, F. B. York, Judge Paulley, Tuttle & Chapman, a Mr. Burdick, J. V. Anderson, Alex Young, William Kelly, Dick Bumgreaser, Brennan & Hill, Mr. Ewing. father of Judge Reece Ewing, Al Clay, Henry and Dick Barton, J. M. (Doc) Day, Tom Word, * G. W. Arrington, Cape Willingham, Perry LaForce, Colonel B. B. and Henry Groom, D. W. Van Horn. Henry Fleming, Harry McGahey, the Standard Cattle Company. Mr. Allen, manager of the 3 P brand : Smith, Reed & Evans, with S R E brand: Mr. Thurmond, manager: N. T. (Nick) Eaton. U U brand: Tobe Odom, T T brand; Mark Hussellby, Mrs. Schick, Judge Emanuel Dubbs, Frank Clampit, Frank Goodwin. Mr. Cantrill cin White Deer, John H. Shelton, R. P. Masterson, John Powers, owner of the J Buckle brand: Maddox Panthers & Day, of Y-Cross ; Bill Miller, Henry Fry, Rey. Alexander, father of R. T. Alexander: John Tadd. manager of the Laurel Leaf brand on the Canadian river, * Adair & Goodnight of the JA and Lazy F brands ; Gunter Q. Munson of the T Anchor; J. F. Evans of the Spade; Rowe Brothers of the R O; Morrison Brothers of the Doll Baby; Coleman & Dyer of the Shoe Bar, and Goodnight & Dyer of the Flying T B brands. The latter firm was composed of Mrs. A. Goodnight and her brother Walter Dyer, who in 1883 sold to Bugbee & Nelson; Finch, Lord & Nelson of the Bar 9 6 and Bar O H brands; L. H. Carhart of the Quarter Circle Heart brand; Brown & McClelland of the Bar M ; Sam Dyer, Leigh Dyer, Rev. W. A. Allen, Matador Land and Cattle Co., H. M. Campbell. manager; Britain & Lomax of the Spur brand; Frank Houston on McClelland Creek; Archie Williams, Col. Edwin E. Wilson representing Underwood & Clark of Kansas City, who sold several large ranches to English and Scottish capitalists; J. M. Coburn of the Hansford County Land and Cattle Co., of the Turkey Track brand; Glidden & Sanford of the Frying Pan brand: Campbell & Austin of near Tascosa; J. P. Wiser, W. P Herring and Pat Doyle of the Dominion Cattle Company, owners of the Box T Charlie Rath, Henry Hamburg, Conkle & Lytle, with the Rocking Chair; Bill Koogle and many others * Nick Eaton and Bob Moody * Hunniwell, Kansas * one inspector, a Mr. Plummer * Tom Martin * W. L. R. Dickson.

The Galveston Disaster

J. Marvin Hunter, Sr.

Excellent account of the devastating storm and horrific flood of Galveston, September 8, 1900. There have been heavy blows and there have been times when the waters of the bay and the Gulf met in the Galveston streets, but, this storm is without parallel. This lengthy account begins with a narrative of the event by Mr. Hunter, and then includes the eye-witness account of Mr. John A. Rockfellow, of Arizona, who, with his family, barely missed death in the Galveston tragedy.

Mentions: the Mallory line steamship "Comal." * The master, Captain Evans * One large dredge, the "Cameron"

The Shortest Oil Boom on Record

Boyce House

Account describing the oil boom of 1919 at the "ghost town" of Leeray (on the Eastland-Stephens county line) -probably the shortest oil boom on record.

Mentions: The C. & N. E. railroad, building from Cisco to Breckenridge.