Vol 27 No. 01 - October 1949

An Octogenarian Writes A Book

J. Marvin Hunter, Sr.

“The father of Frank S. Gray moved to San Saba county in 1860, and settled on Cherokee creek. There in 1861 Frank S. Gray and his twin brother, John, were born. The family was for many years one of the most prominent in that section. In 1880 Frank S. Gray and his brothers, John, Buck, and Rube, moved their cattle to Edwards county and ranged them there, Edwards county was unorganized at that time and there was plenty of open range. It is of the conditions he found there that Mr. Gray writes, and tells of the thrilling experiences he had while a resident of that county.”

Old Friends Meet After 51 Years

J. Marvin Hunter, Sr.

Contains photo of Sterling P. Hart. Mentions: the old San Angelo Enterprise , E. Blanchard , W. P. Cochran , J. J. (Dusty) Rhodes , Pat Murphy , W. P. (Mesquite Billy) Cochran , Den Keaton, Piggie Deaton, Lon (Pap) Huffman, Harry Tedford, Van Brown, Tom Jones, Wyck Bird, , Mr. and Mrs. Charles Westerman , the Westerman Hotel , Sterling P. Hart , Mrs. Duskie Myers , McClosky's Arc Light corner, Eddie Meier's place, the Blue Goose, and the Gray Mule.

Another Story About Buried Treasure

This account of buried treasure in Texas was written by E. O. McNew. It concerns the possibility and plausibility of a cargo of money that came into Texas from south of the Rio Grande, during the Mexican Revolution of 1811. An expedition set out from Coahuila to San Antonio, seeking escape to the United States. They were caught in Texas and hanged, and nobody knows what became of their wealth.

Mentions: Jesus Ramon Grachias , Light House Canyon , the J. A. Ranch , the Denver Railroad , Isidore Sanchez , the crude letters J. R. G. , Jesus Ramon Grachias , the Ruevelto River , Jefferson, Texas ,

Daring Robbery of the Texas State Treasury

With all the thrilling situations featured in a modern melodrama enacted by the movie actors, the looting of the State Treasury is probably one of the most venturesome feats ever pulled off by the bands of outlaws and other reckless characters who infested Texas in the early 1860's. This account describes the attempt to rob the Treasury Building on the night of June 11, 1865.

Mentions: Louis Somers , Tax Collector Fred Sterlitz , the Dietrich building , Al Musgrove , Mount Bonnell , R. A. Smith, S. E. Goodrich, A. Musgrove, C. L. Hopkins, J. Jurgenson, Joe Bowles, James Trimble, Tom Burditt, William A. Shaw, T. S. Thompson, Joe Kirk, C. Floyd, R. S. Bacon, James Hirchburg, Charles L. Harralson, William Carton, J. L. Hollander, William Murray, R. C. Shelley, E. H. Quick, Ed. Petrsh, T. J. Campbell, Thomas Eanes

The Founding of Silver City, N. M.

J. Marvin Hunter, Sr.

Mentions: Mogollon , the Silver City Enterprise , a man named Fishback , William Walton , O. L. Scott , James B. Bullard, Joseph Yankie, Elijah Week, H. M. Fuson, James Campbell, a Mr. Webster, and Albert Fields and Joseph Kirk , Cienga de Vicinte , Pinos Altos , the N. E. and Black Hawk ledges , Fort Selden , the Miller and Skillecorn's blacksmith's shop , Ralston, Las Cruces, La Messila , Mr. Cerasco , M. W. Bremmen , Fort Bayard , the Moreno mines , White Pine , the Eberhardt, White Pine Johnny , Messrs, Whitehill, Tidwell and Simpson , John and James Bullard , John Swishelm , Col. Rynerson , the Dexter mine , the "Mud Turtle," , New Issue and Dexter mines , The Wisconsin Mining Company , the Two Ikes and Providence mines , Mr. J. R. Johnson , the Tennessee Reduction company , the Pope mill ,

The Oldest House in Texas

Account of St. Denis, founder of the town of Nacogdoches, who was one of the earliest explorers of the wild region between the Rio Grande and Red rivers. Before settling at Nacogdoches he built a strong house of great cedar logs and rough stone in the Guadalupe mountains, some eighty miles west of the locality afterwards selected for the Alamo mission. He frequently visited this place, ostensibly to trade with the Comanches, and here in these wild, rugged mountains, in a lonely old house that is still standing, he was finally murdered by a roving band of Natchez Indians whom he mistook for Comanches. This famous old house in some way played an important part in both the good and bad fortunes of this remarkable young man. Here is that story.

Mentions: Senora Donna Maria Villesecas , Governor Amazua , Colonel Bowie , Coahuila , Cotulla , Monclava , Old Madame Candelario

Major Buck Walton Stirring History

Major W. M. Walton, or "Buck" Walton as he was more generally known, was one of the leading lawyers, not only of Texas, but of the South. He was a resident of Austin for nearly 70 years and was foremost in prosecution or defense of cases that won prominence in the courts of this State, and was the author of the book, "The Life of Ben Thompson," one of the noted gunmen of the 1870's. The article which follows was written by Major Walton.

Mentions: Hon. H. P. Bell , General A. J. Hamilton , the killing of John Cleveland by John Durham , C. C. McGinnis , John Hancock, Judge A. W. Terrell and Judge Thomas H. Duval , The cemetery now called Oakwood , James Webb, John Hancock, A. W. Terrell, Thomas H. Duval, A. J. Hamilton, W. S. Old-ham, John Marshall, Joseph Bledsoe, John A. and Robert Green, Thomas E. Sneed, George Flournoy, Joseph Fisk, Joseph Lee, John B. Costra, Charles S. West, John C. West, William Bird, George W. Paschal, Fred Chandler, John T. Allan, M. Graves, O. B. Shelby, H. W. Sublett, Willis Robards, Charles S. Robards, A. B. Denton, Adam R. Marrs , A. R. Carruthers , Dr. Litton, Dr. Morris, Dr. Lott, Dr. Robertson, Dr. Gayles, Dr. Steiner, Dr. Parrish, Dr. Herndon, Dr. Lane , Judge James W. Smith , Jones Rivers , Georgetown , Goodloe Miller , George W. Jones , Hancock and West and Hamilton and Walton , Hugh Tinnim , H. W. Sublett , John Toney , a man by the name of Edwards , Oldham and Marshall , John B. Rector , Mark Tyner , General Shelley , Matt Burnham , J. W. and Monroe Swisher , James G. Swisher , Waller and Shoal Creeks , James H. Raymond, Governor Pease and Milton Swisher , Abner H. Cook , E Kirby Smith , the Driskill, Scarbrough and Pennybacker's residence , Grace (Episcopal) Church , the Market House Hill , A. J. Hamilton , E. J. Davis , E. M. Pease , Volney E. Howard , John A. Wilcox , J. Pinkney Henderson , F. T. Daffan, Joseph Lee, John T. Cleaveland, E. R. Peck, Thomas E. Sneed, J. T. Ford , A. J. Hamilton, C. S. West, J. B. Banks, Thomas F. Mc Kinney and E. D. Townes , John A. Green and T. B. Burdett , James Matthews, George W. Scott, John T. Price and J. M. Blackwell , John M. Costley , J. Lee Costley, and Frank Brown. , A. B. McGill , J. W. Throckmorton , George W. Jones , W. M. Walton , Stephen Crosby , Mart Royston , Rev. Mr. Fontain , Mr. Wooldridge, the Mayor , William H. Hammon, Joseph Bledsoe , Klugi's and "Dutch John's." , Sterling Robertson , A. G. Weir , William Armstrong and Nelson Merrill , James B. Manor ,

The Dugans Were Intrepid Pioneers

In the early part of 1835, just a year before Houston's army won Texas's independence at San Jacinto, Daniel Dugan came to Texas with his family and settled on Choctaw creek, eighteen miles west of where Bonham now stands. The family at that time consisted of father, mother, five sons and four daughters. They saw that nature had furnished them a goodly country to subdue and make fruitful, and they set about the subduing with diligence. Here is their story.

Mentions: Geo. Dugan , H. P. Dugan , George Dugan , a man named Scott ,

Pioneer Men Tell of Early Days In Coleman County

This account is from notes taken during conversations with Mr. Noah Armstrong and Mr. J. M. Elkins, and reflects the life of Coleman and the immediate surrounding vicinity in its pioneer days.

Mentions: Tom Strong, son of Judge Tom Strong , May Dunman , Bob Ashford , "Old Bruce," a "Cajun" from Louisiana , Rufus Armstrong , a man called "Pacin' Jones" , Jim Boman's saloon , John Elkins, father of J. M. Elkins , B. H. Pittman , The first hotel in Coleman County—the Payton Hotel , Mr. and Mrs. John Good , Mrs. Vane , Wallace Rawls , Maggie Nations , Mr. Perkins , Jesse Penney Jewelers , G. K. Elkins, Sam Golson, and Clay Mann , Jonathan Miles owned a ranch on the north side of Jim Ned Creek where the Jim Dibrell ranch now is , A Mr. Mahoney, a "Northerner" came to the Loss Creek community and put wire fencing around some pasture land , Capt. W. C. Dibrell , Jim Dibrell , the Dibrell ranch , Cow Creek , "Rough Creek" , H. A. Halvert , John Gibson , Two Johnson boys , Capt. Bailey, father of John Bailey , Overall Hospital , Peter Callan was Coleman's first postmaster , J. J. Callan.

Christmas Day at Uvalde

Account concerns the shooting of Z. Fuell which occurred Christmas day, 1875. Mentions: W. A. Bowles , G. T. Nunn , Deputy Sheriff Jas, E. Hewett , the Barnhill Drug Store , W. A. (Gus) Bowles , Gus Bowles , Sheriff Pat Dolan , the old National Bank building , F. McKinney, father-in-law of Bowles , Johnnie Bowles, son of Pete Bowles , Teel & Upson.