Denton County, Texas - Chapter 15, 1918 (part 2 of 3)

"The redskins then made off with Mrs. Shegog and the other prisoners at midnight. A norther sprang up and they started northwest, struck Big Elm at Gainesville. They placed Mrs. Shegog on a mule, but she was so chilled that they pushed her off with the expectation that foot travel would restore her. But being so stiff to walk two of the Ina ins seized her by the hands and dragged her until she had recovered some warmth. Her comb came out and the Indians parted her hair and cut it off with butcher knives. When they reached Elm Creek the Indians pushed her off the beast, gave her a buffalo robe and built a fire. They went into camp, but when the chickens began to crow and the people of Gainesville began to chop wood Monday morning, the Indians fled, forgetting, in their hurry, all about Mrs. Shegog, who had in the meantime rolled from under the robe down a ravine and made her escape. A pursuing party afterward found the baby frozen to the ground and the two nieces also frozen to death.

'*Mrs. Howard's maiden name was Jane Odell. She was married to A. H. Fortenberry in 1852, and they had one child, now Mrs. Jim Waide. Mr. Fortenberry was killed in the most brutal manner by the Indians, October 30, 1868, on White's Creek. The redskins numbering over three hundred made an attack on a small party of white men, captured Mr. Fortenberry, scalped him, piled grass on his body and slowly burned him to death. His remains were afterward recovered by the widow, and now lie interred near her present home.

Uncle Jesse Loving Writes Interesting Letter Regarding Early Days

"I will proceed, as I promised you, to give you some pioneer reminiscences, as they occur to my mind, about Denton County, during my stay there of six years.

"My father, Abraham R. Loving, moved from Moniteau County, Missouri, to Texas in 1847. The main object of the move was my mother's health. Doctor Ottie, our family physician, described the kind of place that we must settle on for her benefit. We started from California, the county seat, on October 13, and on November 13 crossed Red River at Preston, in Grayson County. We crossed in a small flatboat. Doctor James D.

The Story

"The Doctor says that I was about twelve years old, and was riding a small pony and just enough room behind the wagon and team for me and the pony, that I entered into conversation with the ferryman, became very communicative, that I told the ferryman I was from Missouri, that we were from an excellent neighborhood, splendid society, that Texas people were known as a pretty hard set, and that I was dreading to land in Texas. The ferryman said, *Bud, that is all right, when we land on the Texas side, get down off your pony and drink until you are full of this Red River water, and you will be able to hold your hand with any of them.' I did as suggested, I drank until I was almost too full for utterance. That I bounced upon my pony and moved off the ferry. The ferryman says, 'You have forgotten something.' 'What?' said I. 'You have not paid your ferriage,' the ferryman replied, and I replied, 'Durned if I am going to pay it. I have been drinking freely of Red River water.' The ferryman replied 'that it had taken effect soon.'

"Preston was then the head of navigation on Red River. I suppose that at this date there were about one hundred inhabitants there. I do not know whether there was more than one store, Almarine Alexander had a store and Calvin Jackson was clerking for him. There were many Indians in town the day we passed through.

"We crossed Little Mineral and camped on top of the Big Rock Hill. There was a small log cabin and small field near our camp. The next morning it was very cold.

"We moved down the Dallas and Coffey Bend Road, passing no houses between Mr. Earhait's until we came to a place in the middle of the road, which we found out afterwards was Sherman. We stopped to inquire for direction leading southwest to Denton County, but there was no one at home. We moved on to Mormon Grove about five miles and camped, finding no road leading south- west. Later we started down toward Dallas and after going about ten miles on we came to a cabin. Father hallowed, and a man came to the door, father said to him, Tlease tell me how far it is to Sherman,' and the man replied 'Sherman is about fifteen miles back, you must have passed the place yesterday evening.' Finding no road leading southwest we traveled on about ten miles farther, when we came to another cabin, and to our supreme delight, also found a road leading west from McKinney to the county seat of Denton County.

"We passed on and camped on the east side of Little Elm at the Widow King's place. That night it rained heavily, and we were waterbound for two days. It was here that I had the pleasure of seeing my first alligator. We finally forded Little Elm, making our way westward, crossing the main Trinity (Big Elm) at the Dickson Crossing. We passed on west, making for Uncle Sam Loving's place, who lived on Cooper Creek, about four miles northeast of the present county seat of Denton County. A severe norther came up just before we arrived at Uncle Sam's.

"At our arrival Uncle Sam came out and said 'Jesse, you go in to the fire and I will unharness and feed your team.' I went in, and there was a fine fire in a stick and dirt chimney. After some little time I heard a mill grinding away outside, and it continued so long that I made the remark to Aunt Betsey, 'that they would grind enough coffee to last a month. She said, 'Bless your soul, they are grinding meal for your supper.' As cold as it was I Went out to investigate this new way of making meal. This was the first steel mill that I had ever seen and you can feel assured that I became very familiar with this new kind of machinery in the next twelve months. After supper they commenced talking about lariating mustangs, about centipedes, tarantulas, etc., that was all a mystery to me. (Uncle Sam and Uncle Rause moved to Texas in 1845, both settling on Cooper Creek.)

"After our arrival in Denton County father and Uncle Sam made a trip down between Hickory Creek and Denton to look at a place that was for sale. It was just such a place as Doctor Ottie had advised for mother's health. The trade was made, I think, with a Mr. Smith. The improvements included two log cabins an J a hall betv/oen, floois all of mother earth, about four acres of land in cultivation, fenced in with brush, a few peach trees, spring of soft water, and high elevation for building site.

'-\Ve started down in a few days to take possession of this lovely property, which was to be our future Texas home. We passed, en route, the first county seat of Denton County, 'Tinkneyville" - no court house; no jail. Michael Ramsour lived there and court was held in one of his rooms. This first county seat was about one and one-fourth miles southeast of the present county seat.

"Uncle Sam was with us in our new home the first night and for breakfast the next morning. Our bill of fare w^as buck and mush. We had an enjoyable time partaking of this dish - you bet we ate it with relish.

'Trouble be^ari in o r family right away; ma said she could not stand the dirt floors. Our neighbor, Mr. Hyatt, referred us to Wiley Harris, who, he said, was the best hewer in Texas. He was employed by us to hew puncheons foi' the two rooms and hall, and it was but a few days until we had the nicest floors in our home there could be found in that whole section of the country. They were beautiful to look upon.

"The next trouble in the family was the need of bedsteads, and the "Texas Pioneer," an earlj'-day make of bedstead, was resorted to in the emergency. The "Texas Pioneer," consisting of one post and two rails, two holes bored in the post and one end of each rail fitted into said hole; another hole was bored in the logs of the cabin, putting the bed in the corner of the cabin. For rope rawhide was substituted. My father was a good chair maker and we soon had a goodly supply of chairs.

"The next thing was to place a good rail fence around the ground that we wished to put in cultivation, and Wiley Harris was again called upon as an excellent rail splitter, and we soon hnd a nice little farm under fence.

"We lived seven miles southeast of the Hickory Station, where a part of Captain Bill Fitzhugh's company of Texas Rangers were stationed. The balance of his company occupied Elm Station near where Gainesville is now located.

"There was a road from Hickory Station, passing our place on the north side leading to the settlements and crossing Elm at the Higgins Crossing. This is the road that the rangers passed on frequently going to and from the station to the settlements in east Denton and Collin counties. They would, if passing near night, stop and spend the night with us; we were always glad to entertain them.

"There was another road leading from Hickory Station to Dallas, which passed on the south side of our farm, crossing Elm at Keenan's Ford. Another road from Old Alton to Fort Worth which passed west of our house.

"One evening nearly sundown two of the rangers passed our house, moving on toward the Station. One of whom was John Springer. I thought they were drinking. Seeing Mr. Springer a few days after, I asked him why they did not stop with us that night, and he replied 'Jesse, we were too drunk. We did not get to the Station. We lariated our horses on Grand Prairie and spread down our blankets and myself and the other ranger began quarreling about who should lie before, and I got so durned mad because he would not agree with me that I shot at him, the bullet grazing the top of his head. I tell you, Jesse, if he had not had a very low forehead I would have killed him.'

"The steel "Armstrong mill" was a good mill in its place. One good, stout man could grind meal on it by running the corn through only one time, but boys and girls had to run it the second time to make meal. During 1848 a spirit of progress seemed to sweep over the cross timbers country and over Elm in Dallas County. Over in White Rock two gentlemen, Hamp and Press Witt, built a mill on the inclined wheel plan, that was of great service to the people for many miles around. I went to this mill several times, a distance of thirty miles. In this year there were also erected three band mills. The first one was erected by Uncle John Waggoner at the east edge of Holford Prairie; the second one by Mr. Hause at the west edge of Holford Prairie ; and the third was erected by Mr. Perry Malone at the west edge of Long Prairie.

"The frame or motive power of the band mill is made on the style of our old mothers' winding blades, with which they put their thread into hanks. An upright beam he\Mi eight square, an arm mortised into each square, making in all eight arms, on the end of each arm a hole is bored and a wooden pin driven in, upon which the rawhide band is placed around and crossing the trundle head which is attached and fastened to the upper stone of the mill, the lower stone being permanent. A lever is attached to the main beam about two feet from the bottom, to which two horses are hitched, and they go round and round, and the little mill hops fi'om one grain of corn on to another, until the hopper is emptied. I imagine that the average capacity of these mills would be twenty-five bushels of corn per day.

"One morning, my mother said, 'Jesse, you must shell a turn of corn and go to mill this evening, for there is not a dust of flour or meal in the house.' The corn was shelled. The girls helped me put the sack on the horse and mother as a parting injunction said, 'Don't you come home until you get your grinding.' This order, of course, was imperative. I started and finally arrived at Mr. Hause's mill. The horses had. the day before, run away and tore up the mill pretty badly, so no chance for any grinding there. I moved on to Uncle John Waggoner's mill six miles farther east and found it greatly thronged. Uncle John told me that I could not get my grinding before ten o'clock the next day, so I put up and stayed all night with Uncle John. My grist was ready at eleven o'clock next morning and I started for home, arriving at one o'clock p. m.

business trip to Dallas a few minutes before my arrival, for when only a short distance from the house I saw mother looking out of the door and she did not look very pleasant. When I came in speaking distance I heard the remark, 'Young man, I will tan your dog-hide for you!' My good old father spoke and said, 'Susan, what is the matter with you and Jesse?' She told him she had sent me to mill the evening before and that I stayed all night; that she was so uneasy about me that she walked the floor all night; that she imagined the Indians had killed me. 'Susan,' said my father, 'what were your instructions to him when he left?' 'I told him not to come back until he got his grinding,' mother said. 'Susan, you can't whip him this time. He has obeyed your orders strictly.' I thought more of father than ever then,

"We were not bothered much with Indians, although we were on the extreme frontier with not a house between us and the Rio Grande. There were eleven surveyors killed on Denton Creek in the spring of 1848, about ten miles west of us, that created considerable excitement. It caused us to have made heavy pucheon doors, with blockade from the inside. We were well armed with rifles, shotguns and pistols, but this band of Indians never paid us a call. Jim Ned's friendly Delaware Indians visited us frequently, and hunted for two and three weeks at a time. Jim Ned came over to our house and ate with us several times.

"I was in the war of '61 three and a half years ; was in the battle of Newtonia, Baker's Creek siege of Vicksburg for fortyseven days. My last battle was at Yellow Bayou, in Louisiana. But the worst scare that I ever had was on the road to Fort Belknap in 1850. There were about forty wagons hauling supplies for Jordan & Hughes, contractors, to Fort Belknap, when in about twelve miles from the fort on West Fork, a while before sundown we spied a company of about one hundred horsemen charging down upon our train. They stopped about two hundred yards f i^am us, all dressed in war paint, and Jim Ned, our friend, came ^oyer io our side of the road and greeted father and myself very warmly. I told Jim Ned how bad his people had scared me. He said that was a way his people had of showing their friendship. The Indians camped on one side of the road that night and our caravan men on the other. They left us the next morning on the way to Denton County for a big hunt.

"A hostile band of Indians made a raid on the settlements after the rangers were removed and stole nearly all the horses in the country. We had been advised of their coming and built a stockade, in which to enclose our horses at night. The Indians came and tried to break down the stockade, but failed. We knew they were in the yard, because we could hear them prizing, but it was so dark that we could not see them. They got all the balance of the horses in the neighborhood that night.

Our Post Office

"For two years our post office was at Alton. The first was at Alton and for the balance of the time it was at Old Alton. (You will have to find some one that knows more than I do to tell why the last Alton was called Old Alton). We would get a letter from Missouri about once a month. The only newspaper that we received was the Clarksville Sfcuulard, edited by Charles DeMorse, a simon pure Democratic paper, published weekly.

"As before stated the first county seat of Denton County was Pinkneyville, one and one-fourth miles southeast of the present county seat. In 1848, the county seat was moved about six miles southeast and named Alton. In about another year the county seat was moved southwest about five miles and located on Hickory Creek and still called Alton. I think they moved to this place because of a spring that ran out of the bluff, the worst water I ever tasted. They next moved the county seat to its present location and called it Denton.

Church Hottses

"I recall only one church from 1847 to 1853. That was ^jonesome Dove Baptist Church, located in the edge of Tarrant bounty. That was the only church that I remember attending, t was fifteen miles from our home, and we would always go in he wagon. The only preacher that I remember seeing for a long vhile was John Freeman who preached for this church.

Prices Of Commodities

*Tn 1847, we sold our corn in the field in Missouri, at eight lents per bushel; when we arrived in Texas we paid $1.00 per )ushel. I think up to, and including 1853, it would average about ifty cents. Wheat, I think, was from fifty cents to one dollar, ^acon was always cheap, not over 121/2 cents per pound. There vas but little demand for it. Coffee was cheap, and we did not ise but little of it.

"We lived on beef, venison, turkey, antelope and bear. My "ather bought a hog one Christmas weighing two hundred pounds Tom Uncle Watt Anderson, and that lasted our family of eight, me year. We would kill a fat beef and dry it and have the best )f meat for a long time, with a deer or turkey every few days. iVe fared sumptuously.

Clothes

"We never bought any clothes. Mother and the girls made jlothes for themselves and also for the men folks, and that reninds me of a trip that I made to McKinney, thirty-five miles iway, in 1848, John Holford, on the east edge of Holford Prairie lad opened a store, and one morning my mother said to me, Jesse, I want you to go down to Mr, Holford's store and get me :wo five-pound bunches of cotton warp, one bolt of yard-wide [ndian head domestic' I went as directed. On inquiry I found ;hat Mr. Holford had the articles I desired. I sat around resting if ter my eight miles ride and watching them open boxes of goods, md I noticed with a great deal of pleasure a nice box of shoes iust opened of the Sunday variety and I imagined that I would like to have a pair to wear when I went to see the gii'ls (you seei I was nearly thirteen years of age then) and I asked Mr. Holford| how long he would credit me for a pair of these shoes. He answered, 'As long as you can hold your finger in the fire.' In an instant I made my exit from the store, went to the horse rack, mounted my horse, and started for home. j\Ir. Holford called me and asked, 'Ain't you going to get those things for your ma'." *No, sir,' said I, never halting.

"I think I bought the goods at McKinney from Uncle John Lovejoy. Uncle John moved over to Old Alton in 1849. Alex Williams came with him and was a clerk in the store. Sam Sprinkles was a general roustabout around the store. He could not read nor write. He would sell articles once in awhile and make characters on the slate to repi-esent the goods. One gentleman came in to pay his account and was charged with a cheese. The man said, 'We make our cheese at home; I never bought a cheese in my life.' Sam Sprinkles was called in and said, 'I never sold this man a cheese, it was a grindstone and I failed to make the hole in the center.'

We had everything that our hearts could wish for; deer, turkey, antelope, bear. I would not risk it to say that I had seen five hundred deer at one sight, for you might call my veracity into question. We could go out any morning and kill a deer or turkey. Speaking of turkeys reminds me of one that P. Hansborough Bell, Governor of Texas, killed near our house, brought it to the house and gave it to me. Mother cooked it for two days and it never did get done. It must have escaped from Noah's ark. (Governor Bell was returning to Austin horseback from an inspection trip of Captain Fitzhugh's company of Texas Rangers.)

Hall Medlin Wounded By Buffalo

"I cannot give date or place. I think, however, that this occurred before we moved to Texas. Uncle Charlie Medlin and Lewis came to Texas in 1845, and it seems to me that I heard of Hall's mishap before we left Missouri.

Why Uncle Jess Joined The Odd Fellows

"During the war I was a prisoner in Alton penitentiary, was >ut of money and no change of clothing, out of everything to make me comfortable. Two gentlemen in citizen's garb, I discovered visiting two prisoners in adjoining cells to me and I loticed that they were delivering to these two prisoners, lots of slothing, and nice things to eat, and money. This was repeated ibout every week, and I being of an investigating turn of mind isked the prisoners if these men who had been visiting them A^ere relatives. They said that they were not, and that they had lever seen the men before landing in prison. I told them I A^ould like to find some one that would take a like interest in me. rhey said, 'Perhaps if you belonged to the Odd Fellows or Masons ^ou could.' I had never thought of joining anything before, but [ determined then and there if I ever lived to get back home I vould join either the Odd Fellows or Masons. About twelve nonths after this I arrived home, told my black-eyed Ellen about t. I said to her that I was better looking than either of them, rhat I had more sense than both of them put together, that I A^as going to join the Odd Fellows or Masons and that she iould take her choice. She said join the Odd Fellows and I did, vas initiated into Sherman Lodge No. 45 in November, 1863, and lave never changed my membership.

Peters' Colony

"Yes, I remember Henry 0. Hedgecoke, agent for Peters' ]!olony, his sons, John and Foss. I also recall something of the ;rouble with the agent, Henry 0. The boys over in Collin Coun- ;y got on a 'high horse' and Henry 0. left those parts. I never leard of him afterwards. Stephen A. Venters was clerking for ;he agent at the time. The office was located about two miles jast of Higgins' Crossing on Big Elm. This raid did not burst ip Peters' colony business.

"Thomas William Ward (usually called 'Peg Leg') commisdoner of the general land office, came out into Peters' Colony Tom Austin in his buggy, and was getting up proofs of homeiteaders. The oath that was required was about as follows : *I do solemnly swear that I have lived on the above described land three years and have made a good citizen.' An eccentric old gentleman over at McKinney made his application for certificate. Mr. Ward read the oath that he would be required to take and he said, 'I will not sign that oath.' Mr. Ward stated that that was the legal form that was required. 'Say, Mr. Ward, just alter it to read an average good citizen of Collin County, and I will sign up.' The oath was so changed as requested.

Report Of Political Convention Held In Denton Twenty-Six Years Ago

Twenty-six years ago, September 4, next, there was somei^ thing doing in this county that will be of interest to the readers of today. In looking over the files of our paper, we ran across a report of a senatorial and flotorial convention held at Denton. The report will be very interesting to hundreds of our readers. It follows :

"Last Monday morning about two o'clock the delegates started overland from McKinney to Denton to nominate a senator and floater for Collin and Denton counties, to represent the district in the next legislature. Among the prominent persons in the Collin County delegation were Capt. W. N. Bush, chairman of the district and Uncle Jimmie Graves and S. D. Hattler of Melissa, John Kimbrough, Mr. Legg, and M. Spradling of Rock Hill, Uncle Bob O'Brien of Wilson Creek, Colonel Aaron Coffee, the old cotton planter, Joseph W. Waddill, Rip Powell, G. S. Beck, George Howell, W. T. Cox, R. C. White and Edwin Doggett, the child of the McKinney Democratic club. The two candidates from Collin County, Hon. H. A. Finch and Hon. J. L. Doggett, were in the procession. The delegation was increased by others along the line of march. Reaching the neighborhood of Little Elm, the party was brought to a halt by the appearance of Wilson Bedford, colored, who was figuring around a log fire with hot coffee, ham, etc. After partaking of a hearty breakfast the procession moved forward to Denton, arriving about 11 :30 a. m. The con-

'/ention was called to order by Captain Bush, chairman, at 1 3'clock p. m., who stated the purpose of the meeting and proceeded to declare the convention open and ready for business. The convention proceeded to a temporary organization by making Captain Bush temporary chairman and Joe Waddill secretary, and Tames Williams of Denton assistant secretary. Committees on credentials, permanent organization, platform and resolutions were appointed after which the convention took a recess until 2 3'clock p. m. Meeting again on time the committees reported, seated delegates, recommended Mr. 0. P. Poe of Denton for permanent chairman, with the secretaries before selected as permanent secretaries, and endorsed the platform of the San Antonio convention. The nomination of candidates being next in order, bhe Hon. H. A. Finch was placed in nomination by a gentleman from Denton and seconded by S. D. Hattler, of Melissa, in an elog[uent manner ; in fact, we learn that Mr. Hattler just 'let all holts loose' and astonished the Collin County delegation with the portrayal of Mr. Finch's 'character and fitness for the position, and such was the effect that when he closed Finch was nominated by acclamation. Next came nominations for floater, there being but one candidate, Hon. J. L. Doggett of Collin. He was placed in nomination by delegates from Denton County and was unanimously made the nominee of the Democratic party. A resolution was offered and caiTied endorsing and recommending the Hon. A. C. Owsley for speaker of the next legislature. After much handshaking and congratulations among the delegates of Collin and Denton on the kind feeling and mutual good-will that exists between the Democracy of the two counties, the convention adjourned. We learn that the utmost harmony and good feeling existed among all connected with the convention. At five p. m. the Collin County delegation pulled out for home, feeling good, that while their county had received all the premiums in the nominations, yet that Denton had been as enthusiastic in bestowing the gifts as Collin had been grateful in receiving them. At Big Elm a halt was again called and the delegates recognized again the inviting face of the colored man, Wilson Bredford, who pointed to the hot coffee, broiled ribs, ham, streak and lean and fat, pickles and onions, etc., and here a most enjoyable time was had while waiting for the moon to rise. Old times were gone over; the boyhood days; the old state tales; the old iron bound bucket - the moss covered bucket, and the war times and camp fire were all considered until 11 p. m., when another handshaking went 'round and the delegates began to scatter."

Among those mentioned quite a number have long since passed away, viz : Capt. W. N. Bush, Uncle Jimmie Graves, S. D. Hattler, M. Spradling, Uncle Bob O'Brien, Colonel Coffey, Joe Waddill, Rip Powell, George Howell, R. C. White. Several yet reside in McKinney. Mr. Finch is our Mayor, and Mr. Doggett our ex-mayor. Gabe Beck is here in business. W. T. Cox lives at Ada, Oklahoma, Edwan Doggett, spoken of as the child of the McKinney Democratic club, resides in Dallas, and is one of the successful grain men of the State. - McKinney Examiner, 1916.

Texas, February 7, 1877, At A Meeting Of The Bar, In Memory Of W. T. G. Weaver

"The attorneys now in attendance on this court, acting for and in sympathy with the entire bar of North Texas, desire to place upon the records of this court, a memorial commemoration of the distinguished lawyer and poet - Hon. W. T. G. Weaver - whose name has so often been upon the tongues and whose memory will long be cherished in the hearts of the people of this, his beloved section, I have been honored with the mournful, yet grateful task of delivering these resolutions, adopted at the bar meeting on yesterday. (Here the resolutions were read.) I cannot, in an address that circumstances render imperative should be brief, do more than render a passing tribute to one whose name is dear to us all, and whose eventful life might well furnish a grand theme for the impassioned poet, and add poetry to the sober narration of the historian.

adversity and by his unaided exertions wrung an education even from the cold hand of penury. His subsequent history is well known to you all. Upon his admission to the bar, he soon gained that rank to which his genius, his learning and his noble qualities so fully entitled him. My first acquaintance with him was twenty years ago, at which time he was a candidate for District AU torney, a mere boy in appearance, but woe to the competitor who dared presume upon his youth. He was triumphantly elected over three able competitors. How ably and well he discharged the duties of his office you all remember. When the war came on he laid his all upon his country's altar, and from first to last, was among her brave defenders aiding by his acts, and encouraging by his buring words and example. After the close of the war he was appointed District Judge, which office he held for several years. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1875, and helped to frame our present State Constitution.

"Whether we view Judge Weaver, as the poor illiternate orphan, studying his first lessons by the humble torch, as the gifted young poet who worshipped nature and who wrote of her beauties as no other Texan can write or has written, as the unflinching district attorney who painted crime in such ghastly colors as to make even the hardest criminal detest his own acts, or as the courteous and affable judge, whose gentle sway ever encouraged the tyro in legal practice, in all those regulations of life, we know not whether most to admire, the brilliant and matchless ability and eloquence, or the kindly and affectionate nature of the man. You had but to know him to understand the mystery of that unbounded popularity that reached every circle and gained every heart for him.

"Mine is not the rude hand to tear away the veil that may conceal his faults. But, faults did I say? He had but one! And how noble must be that nature of which this can be truly said. But alas ! the speck that on the face of a polished marble shaft would not for a moment attract even the eye of the critic, would excite the regret of thousands, if found marring the brilliancy of a pure diamond. You know but too well the fault to which I

"God only knows the trials, the struggles, the temptations through which he passed, and which caused this one failing, which none more bitterly deplored than did Judge Weaver himself.

"Brethren of the bar. I appeal to you as my witnesses, of his nobility of soul. If in the heat of discussion or hurried away by resistless force of his teeming fancy, he for a moment wounded the feelings of some opponent, who so ready to repent the fault or so manmanimously self-condemnin^- as he of whom I now speak? We cannot but cherish his memory and be proud of his fame. He is a part of our history and can never be omitted and when we reckon up oui- great good men, ever shall our 'Prentiss of Texas' be remembered.

"But he has passed from among us. No more shall his genial smile and kindly w^ords be shared by us, his mourning friends. The flowers shall bloom and fade around his lonely grave at each returning joyous springtime, or the loud norther in winter storms sweep piteously over his last resting place, but he who in almost inspired strains sung of them shall return no more. That loving spirit that ever dwelt with rapture on each gentle flower that met his gaze; he to whom the innocent prattle of childhood w^as as sweet as music ; who loved children and flowers and all that was gentle and lovely, sleeps his last sleep in the land of his adoption and among the people of his choice. I know not whether he was prepared for the dread change, that must come upon us all, but for his sake trust that all w^as well, that he who loved mankind so ardently had reconciled himself with his God. To him, if to any unreo-enerated man, might well be applied the vision of Ahou Ben Adhem.

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, And saw, within the moonliprht in his room, Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, An angel writing in a book of gold : - Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, And to the pre.sence in the room he said,

"What writest thou ?" - The vision rais'd its head, And with a look made of all sweet accord, Answer'd, "The names of those who love the Lord." "And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then, Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The angel wrote, and vanish'd. The next night It came again with a great wakening light. And show'd the names whom love of God had bless'd. And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

"How well could he be classed as one that 'loved his fellowmen.' But when we, his brothers at the bar, shall have ceased to grieve for this, our beloved brother - when his matchless eloquence that once charmed our ears and fired our hearts shall be forgotten, when his poetry shall no longer be read or admired, still with each returning spring will little children come again to the grave of him who loved them so well, bedew it with their tears and strew its clods with his favorite flowers.

"May the God of the widow and fatherless protect and console his bereaved family and reconcile them to their fearful loss, and may we all emulate the noble qualities and sterling worth of our deceased friend." - Gainesville Gazette.

Present Fire Epidemic Worst In Denton History

"The close of the year 1914 and the opening of 1915 has probably seen the worst epidemic of fires in many years in the history of Denton. The $60,000 loss in the burning of the Donahower block in v/hich the Fox Brothers Hardware establishment, the printing plant of the Record and Chronicle, the Collins restaurant and a number of offices were destroyed is believed to be the heaviest loss from fire in Denton since the $100,000 fire in 1890, when the entire east side of the square, with the exception of the Paschall Building in which Godfrey & Company is now located, was destroyed.

less consequence, in nearly all of which three-fourths insurance was carried to cover the damages. On the night of January 5 a fire in the rooming house rented by Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hollingshead and owned by Mrs. D. W. Brown about $400 damage was done to the house and contents by fire of unknown origin. The following night the barn of Mrs. M. J. Keese on North Bolivar was a total loss by fire with insurance for $400 and a valuation of $500. Before noon on the following day, January 7, a negi'O house on the wye was slightly damaged by flames.

"The next fire occurred on the night of January 7, when the confectionery and stationery store near the Normal, owned by Cunningham & Johnson, was damaged about $3,500 by fire and the building owned by S. M. Cunningham was damaged about $400. Both losses were covered by insurance.

At one time or another since 1860, nearly the entire four blocks of business buildings around the square of Denton have been leveled to the ground by flames. A part of the buildings on the south side of the square have never been destroyed by flames and the records show no instance of when the two-story building now occupied by Godfrey & Co., has been destroyed by fire. The building occupied by Godfrey & Co., was the only one on the east side of the square that was not destroyed by the big fire of 1890, when the total loss was $100,000.

"During Denton's fire history there has been only three lives lost in fires. In 1887, when the James Hotel, east of the city hall, was destroyed by fire. Colonel Hitchcock, a veteran of the Mexican War, was incinerated. Again in 1911, when the Craddock block, back of the south side of the square, was destroyed, two firemen, Joe Tui^pen and Ernest Bushey, were killed by a brick wall falling on them. A third death was narrowly averted at that time, as Silas Grant was on the same line of hose with those who were killed and only quick work on the part of the rescuers saved his life after he had been pinned to the gi'ound by the falling wall. He was carried from the building in an unconscious condition.

fires since 1860 than any other part of the business section of Denton. The burning of the Donahower block makes the seventh time that side of the square has been a partial or total loss from flames. The majority of the other fires have occurred on the west side proper, directly west of the courthouse.

"Following is a list of the big fires in Denton taken from a copy of the Record and Chronicle of August, 1908, and much of which was destroyed by the fire in the Donahower block, only a part of it being left readable :

It Was Ascertained That The Fire Originated From The Peculiar Match

Mr. C. A. Williams, who landed on Texas soil in 1845, and who has been a continuous resident of Denton for forty-two years, is a man full of reminiscences. Old timers of Texas will remember that the state suffered heavy losses from fires in 1860, about the month of July. These fires occurred about the same date, and at the time there were those who charged the "nefarious work" to the abolitionists. They, however, protested that they were falsely accused, which was afterwards fully proven.

"The fire of July 8. 1860," be^an Mr. Williams, "was caused by the igniting of what was then known as the 'prairie' match. It was indeed a peculiar match, and whether they were dipped in some unctuous or resinous substance, or some peculiar chemical unknown to other matches, I do not know, but I do know that the match when ignited was very hard to be extinguished. The wind had but little or no effect upon it. This was the reason the name 'praii'ie' match was given it. Another peculiarity about the match was that it was easily ignited during hot weathei'.

other, but I remember on the fatal Sunday of the fire (for July 8, 1860, fell on Sunday,) a religious meeting was in progress and the stores were closed. The fire originated in what is now known as the Greenlee corner, in Denton, about one o'clock in the afternoon, and burned three buildings, with stocks of goods, adjoining. The loss was about $80,000, for the stores were full of both spring and winter goods, the custom in those days being to lay in the stock for winter upon going to the market for summer goods - probably with the exception of overcoats. I don't believe the latter were bought along with the other goods.

"Well, the abolitionists were charged with the burning and the minds of many were not changed until it was learned that at Lebanon, Collin County, twenty miles away, about the same time, while a number of citizens were seated in front of stores in the day time, it was discovered that smoke and flames were emanating from a building, and upon diligent search and inquiry it was ascertained that no one had been around the back part of the building, and as the fire started at or near a place where the matches were kept the conclusion was reached that the fire originated from them.

"Afterwards it was learned that at about the same date and hour of the day there were fires at Pilot Point, Dallas, Waxahachie and two places east from Denton. The day was an oppressively hot one and there is no doubt in my mind but what the fires were all caused from the matches exploding by reason of the extremely hot weather." - Denton Chronicle, May 12, 1894.

Copy Of Old Letter Written By Col. O. G. Welch In August, 1861

COPY OF OLD LETTER WRITTEN BY COL. O. G. WELCH IN AUGUST, 1861 Below is a copy of an old letter, written by Col. Otis G. Welch, one of the pioneers of Denton County and one of its best citizens. The letter, which was furnished the Record-Chronicle by Boone Daugherty, Sr., will make an interesting addition to the history of that time as showing conditions prevailing with Denton County citizens at the beginning of the Civil War. The letter was written from "Buck Creek Camp, near Sculiville,"

"Dear Fry: We are here and hardly know when we will leave. We have been here about two weeks; we have not got any arms yet. We have got rid of the measles with the loss of only one man, though it has caused a great deal of suffering in our company and many are yet in a very bad state of health from its effects and may yet die. It was a very imprudent thing in a person or persons who suffered our boys to take it from them, knowing they were coming to camp. If it was me, I should feel almost as if I was the cause of the death and suffering of many brave boys.

"The most of us are well and in fine spirits and anxious for a brush with the damned Union men of Missouri or anywhere else. We have just heard that Gen. Ben McCullough has got into a fight at Springfield. He will whip them if they do not run. I will enclose a paper containing the dispatch if I can get hold of one. We all want to be there, but can't. You are in the same fix, I suppose.

'T have neglected writing in hopes to communicate something definite respecting where and when we will move, but all is simply conjecture. We simply don't know anything.

Early-Day Recollections

"My father after a year's residence in the extreme eastern part of the State (1852) moved to Denton County in 1853. At that time Alton was the county seat. The town was situated on

Hickory Creek, six miles south of Denton. A. P. Lloyd was county clerk and S. A. Venters, county judge, and C. A. Williams was deputy assessor and collector.

"There was no grist mill in Denton County at that time. There were some mills of the tread-wheel variety in Grayson, Collin, and Dallas counties. We made occasional visits to them in wagons, and often remained several days before our turn could be reached. The sacks were all numbered and ground according to numbers if you remained and insisted on your rights. To wait our turn then was the common lot of us all and it was nearly always a wait and sometimes for days as we had to have meal.

"I knew of no church building in the county at that time. There was occasionally preaching in private houses, and under brush arbors. I once heard Uncle John Lovejoy say that the first sermon preached in Denton County was to some rangers in a camp on Long Prairie in the southern part of the county by John B. Denton. Uncle John was present and was a member of Denton's company. This was before there were any settlers in the county.

"There was a campmeeting held in 1854 at the John House Spring about one and one-fourth miles east of the town of Little Elm. Rev. W. E. Bates, Rev. Jerry Horn, and Rev. John Moore were in charge of the preaching.

"In the year 1857 the town of Denton was put upon the map and Rev. William E. Bates organized a Methodist church there. The people met in private houses as they had no church houses then.

"The Peters Colony troubles had been in the main settled before I came. Mr. Oliver Hedgecoke was in charge of the office. At Office Branch, sometimes called Stewartsville, he had a considerable number of surveyors, William Twitty and Archie White and others, and also a settlers' store. This was probably two miles west of the present town of Hebron, and just west of the

"The colonists had become uneasy about Mr, Hedgecoke's actions, and, as is common in such cases, passion ran high. A mob was organized at Cedar Springs in Dallas County, which went to Mr. Hedgecoke's home on Rowlett's Creek in Collin County. Mr. Hedgecoke had been advised and had fled. The mob then went to the office and burned it, and were furious because they could not find the original land papers. These papers had been left with Judge Venters and secreted by him. After the excitement calmed down they were delivered by him to Mr. Hedgecoke at old Fort Townson, north of Red River. These facts were related to my father (W. H. Bates) by Judge Venters in my presence. Mr. Hedgecoke, in surveying out the country had named most of the small streams in honor of his family. Hence we have Fosil Creek, Oliver Creek, Elizabeth Creek, Henrietta and Trail Creeks - the last one named for his old hound, 'Trail.'

"At an eai'ly day there was a ranger camp at Bald Knob oi' Hickory Creek, just north of Pilot Knob, and there was a camp at Britton Springs on Elm. The ranger trail or Indian trail going from west back east crossed Big Elm at what was afterwards known as Fish Trap Crossing (established by W. E. Bates and Mr. Fry). It crossed Little Elm just north of A. M. Bush's field and Doe Branch, at R. N, Taylor's farm.

"After the county seat was located at Denton in 1857 the court appointed W. H. Bates, S. J. Hawkins, and Samuel Woodruff", (the last two surveyors) to locate and open a public road from Denton east to the Collin County line to unite with the McKinney road at the line. The road located is as it now stands, with some minor changes.

"I will further state in the Peters Colony work, that Mr. Hedgecoke in beginning to sectionize the country here first ran a base line from Cedar Springs in Dallas County north to Red Rivei- and sectionized east and west from that line, and had sectionized most of Denton County, when the office was destroyed and confusion came. Judge \''enters delivered the papers to Hedge- coke and he to the land office at Austin on final settlement with the State, but in the lapse of time of adjustment the settlers had located and filed field notes over much of the county. The Hedgecoke work was then shelved and the settlers' surveys recognized. Many other things of less moment now come to my memory, but I must desist. Yours truly,

THE congressional CONVENTION OF AUGUST, 1886 At eleven a. m. on last Tuesday morning the Democracy of the Fifth Congressional District met at the court house in Denton, for the purpose of nominating a successor to our late Congressman, J. W. Throckmorton.

Judge Carroll'S Speech

"Gentlemen of the Convention: Since the Democracy of the Fifth Congressional District assembled in convention a great change has been wrought in the history of our party; then we were engaged in a political contest unparalleled in the history of this country. The representative men of the party had at Chicago, in convention assembled, given to the party a platform of principles long enough, broad enough and wide enough for every Democrat from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Lakes to the Gulf, to stand upon ; and after throwing its banner to the breeze had placed its standard in the hands of Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks, the result of which was a triumphant victory on our part. The great fraud of 1876 was avenged and the party of bankrupt promises and prostituted political virtue was hurled from power. These are results of which we all should be proud.

"And now you are again assembled to place before the party an aspirant for Congressional honors. And here I may as well say that he who is to be the fortunate man by your choice will receive the mantel upon his shoulders of the distinguished gentle- man, who, after a long and useful political life spent in the service of the people of Texas, now voluntarily retires, with all the honors that a grateful people can confer, to private life, followed by the love and respect of all. And Throckmorton in retirement will be as grand as when he wielded the power of the state, or raised his voice the 'listening senates to command.'

"No, gentlemen, you today have the power of the Democrat party of this district in your hands. Let that harmony characterize your actions which always prevails where all are working for a common good, and with the sole view of accomplishing a common destiny.

"Let your platform of principles give out no uncertain sound. Remember that our party has only been good and great when, planted upon the principles of Jefferson, she urged a war of conquest under the banners of her Jackson, her Polk, her Pierce, her Tilden and her Cleveland, receiving alike the censure and the criticism of civilization. The brave and chivalrous challenge the admiration of their foes ; the cowardly dastard provokes but the contempt of his enemies. The State Convention just adjourned has adopted a platform wise, conservative and patriotic, and has placed upon it that Christian gentleman, gallant soldier and clear headed statesman, Farmer General S. L. Ross, as its candidate for Governor, supported by the eminent and distinguished jurist, T. B. Wheeler, as his lieutenant, who will roll up for our party a majority unparalleled in the history of the state. Let not the Fifth District be a laggard in the fight, but let her come to the front and sustain her glorious reputation earned on many a hard fought field. Many questions of national policy will challenge your attention.

"The silver question should receive consideration. Free coinage of silver should be a cardinal principle in our party. The results of the victories won by Jackson and Benton in favor of a metallic basis for our currency should not be lost, and let us not be driven from our allegiance to this principle by the cries of eastern alarmists.

)oring states and Territories one of your most important iniustries is in a great measure strangled by useless and oppressve guarantee laws, the effect of which is to depreciate the value '»f your cattle interests and bring loss and ruin upon many of most enterprising citizens. This is a matter involving inter- ;tate commerce, and wholly within the power of Congress, and lome action should be taken by you to give full and free expresdon upon this subject.

'The tariff and other kinds of questions will of course be considered by you, and to be brief upon this subject we should such a tariff, and that upon luxuries only, as will raise 'evenues, sufficient to support an honest and economical adminis- ;ration of the government; and in this connection let me warn rou, gentlemen, to beware of the bribe that is tendered you in ;he sugar-coated pill known as the Blair Educational Bill, which, vhile it professes kindness to you in its tender of funds to educate ^our children, really seeks to take from the treasury the sur- )lus funds accumulated there, which should be appropriated to ;he extinguishment of the public debt, and creating thereby a )retext for continuing in existence the present system of tariff )rotection, which enriches the few and impoverishes the many.

"The railroads and other institutions kindred thereto are )ublic servants created and fostered by our bounty, and should 3e protected by the strong arm of law and so regulated in their ;ariff of charges that their work shall alike redound to the benefit )f the roads and the people.

"Capital and labor are each dependent upon the other, and ;he demagogue who tries to array the one against the other is he common enemy of both, and unworthy of the respect of any government-loving people. Capital is useless unless it can comnand labor to utilize it, and labor must have capital to receive L just reward for services rendered. Each are alike the children civilization, and the law is only perfect when it protects alike dl classes.

oppressed of all nations, but this should be with the qualification that he who seeks our shores as an asylum should come prepared to sustain our government and support our laws. Recent developments in Chicago and other cities show that this is not always the case, and in view of this fact will it not soon be the duty of the wise and patriotic statesman to begin to seriously ponder the foreign emigration problem and derive some plan to protect home from anarchy and lawlessness ?

"Since your last assembling we, not only as Democrats, but as citizens, have been called on several occasions to mourn over the bier of our fallen chieftains. Seymour, and Hancock, and Hendricks, and Tilden have passed from life unto death, and while we mourn their loss we venerate their memories. On Fame's eternal camping ground Their silent tents are spread, And Gloiy guards with solemn round The bivouac of the dead. "Let us hope that their places may be filled with others as good and great.

"In conclusion, gentlemen, as the chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee of the Fifth Congressional District, I return to you the trust confided in me, and hope that the execution has received no stain while in my keeping."

The temporary organization was effected by the election of Mr. L. C. Sparkman of Clay County, chairman ; Mr. C. W. Geers of Denton, secretary, and Mr. D. J. Kendall of Pilot Point, sergeant-at-arms. Upon the permanent organization of the convention these temporary officers were elected as permanent.

A committee on credentials was appointed, upon the recommendation of the counties themselves, by the chair, the committee consisting of one delegate from each uncontested delegation. The convention ruled that proxies were not entitled to representation, and the following committee was appointed : ion the convention adjourned until 1 :30 p. m. In the afternoon lothing was done, owing to the fact that the committee on crelentials did not report. The convention was addressed by both Pickett and Hare, and they were followed by Judge Carroll. Before the adjournment of the convention in the afternoon a resoution was carried to appoint a committee on permanent organi- !;ation and platform and resolutions, one member from each county. The following committee was then appointed:

Clay, W. A. Squires; Cooke, J. M. Lindsay; Grayson, L. A. jilbert ; Montague, T. W. Lamb ; Rockwall, Judge Heath ; Wichi- ;a, R. D. Huff; Wilbarger, B. W. Edgell; Wise, J. D. White; Den- ;on, D. J. Eddleman.

Mr. Garnett announced that the contesting delegation of I^ooke County had agreed on a basis of settlement, and that the committee on credentials would be ready to report by 9 p. m., vhereupon the convention adjourned until 8 p. m.

At the Tuesday night's session the committee on credentials 'eported in favor of half representation each for the contesting lelegations of Cooke County and reported adversely to the Clay Vlack contesting delegation from Collin County.

J. M. Hall, of Montague, presented a minority report, recommending that the Clay Mack delegation be permitted to cast lalf the Collin County vote, and informing the convention that rregularities attached to each set of delegates. The majority report of the committee was adopted. Mr. Mack addressed the convention, saying:

'T apprehend that the convention will be inclined to sustain :he majority report, but I could not leave here and go back to my people without saying something before this vote is taken. I could not go back and say I have done my duty, and I have never Deen placed in a position of public trust where I have failed of ioing my full duty. We first were called together by the Farmers' Alliance and Laborers of Collin County, but in the course of events, under the force of circumstances, felt ourselves constrained to call ourselves the 'Collin County Democracy.' The convention closed us out as the representatives of those elements of Collin County, but we came before you tonight opposed to third* termism, and in the interest of the laboring and producing classes We stand tonight, proud of our Democratic principles, and to vindicate that flag which we brought here. That flag is our flag ; we fight under it. It is a Democratic flag, because the platform in which it is created is Democratic [Applause.] Our platform is against national banks, railroads and monopolies, and is for the farming and laboring interests of the country. We ask that that element be heard. Strike us down and our principles are still there and we will stand and make a firht. and we are not afraid to make it. [Apnlause.] We know somethinrr of the people of North Texas. We come here representing the farmers and laborers of Collin County. We stop at a wagon yard, and we are not ashamed of it."

Mr. Mack - "The Farmers' Alh'ance and Knights of Labor on the 29th of May made propositions to the regular executive committee looking to certain compromises, but they refused the propositions." Mr. IMack then recited the historv of the muddle as heretofore reported in the proceedings of the State convention. He was replied to by Mr. Kraig, of Collin, who said the trouble lay in an issue made by Mr. Mack against the Democratic party. "It was discovered." he said, "that bv some manipulation of the convention of Knights of Labor and members of the Farmers' Alliance that these organizations might be transferred into a political machine for the advancement of some enterprising politician who did not have strength enough to go before the Democratic party. They laid down the gage of battle to the Democratic party and nominated a full county ticket upon the principle, in the language of President Cleveland, that the Democratic party had fallen into a state of innocuous desuetude." [Applause.]

organization endorsed the platform adopted at the State convention; called for a redemption of the pledges made by the Democratic party in Chicago in 1884, looking to tariff reform ; endorsed Reagan's interstate commerce bill; deprecated the attempt to degrade the silver dollar and favored the free coinage of silver ; denounced the national banks as injurious to the best interests of the State and demanded their abolition as soon as possible; demanded legislation looking to a cattle trail and removal of the harsh quarantine restrictions against cattle.

The Balloting

The convention was called to order at 9 a. m. on Wednesday morning. Before balloting commenced Mr. Daugherty withdrew the name of Judge Barrett, which had the effect of pushing Colonel Pickett ahead, the first vote standing Pickett, 42 ; Hare, 37; and afterward as the result of a correction in Cooke County fractions, Pickett, 411/2; Hare, 371/2; Pickett's gain being 71/2 from Cooke County and one each from Montague and Wilbarger.

"I am not afraid of the election of a Republican or Greenbacker, and I am opposed to a dark horse. I therefore make a motion that after two more ballots, if there is no coming together, we turn both candidates loose on the track and see which cat licks up the butter."

Here Chairman Sparkman made a rousing speech in opposition to the motion, and it was withdi'awn. A recess was taken until 11 a. m., when the ballot was renewed without material change. At noon-time the convention took a recess until after dinner.

Before entering on the afternoon session Professor Pitman, by permission, addressed the convention in the interest of the Confederate Home at Austin.

Hostilities were then renewed by a motion offered by Mr. Smith, of Denton, referring candidates to the action of a primary election. The motion was seconded, at which Mr. Hodges said: "We came here for the purpose of nominating a Congressman from this district, and before turning men loose it is the duty of this convention to exhaust everything. I understand that there are delegations here instructed first for Mr. Pickett and second for Judge Hare. It has been shown that Judge Pickett cannot get in. Then, I ask, is it not the duty of the delegations of those counties to vote for the man who can come in ? Let this convention stand here and elect a man who is the choice of this convention. There is no question but Judge Hare is the choice of this convention."

Mr. Smith, of Denton - "As the mover of that motion I am one of that class of delegates who have been casting their votes for George B. Pickett. He has led this convention for nearly twenty ballots, and it comes in bad grace from a minority of this convention to stand up and tell us that their candidate is the most popular. We are here instructed for Judge Pickett, and I believe this delegation will be true to its instructions, and will lever abandon Judge Pickett as long as he is before this contention. Why, then, does this minority expect with reason that ve should abandon him for whom we are instructed and who eads the convention?" Mr. Smith here made a motion to leave ;he whole matter to primary conventions, to be called later on.

Mr. Gilbert, of Grayson, made a strong appeal to the Denon delegation to unlock the convention by discharging their duty ;o the second choice of their county, as a reminder of which he the published report of the Denton County Democratic Contention. He believed that if the matter were submitted to the )eople of Denton, from what he had learned. Judge Hare would )e their choice.

During the delivery of this address there was a small side ;xhibition to which the sergeant-at-arms had to be called for the )urpose of averting a theatrical collision between Mr. Garnett, »f Cooke, and Mr. Squires, of Clay.

"Mr. Smith, of Denton, closed the discussion. He inquired if Mr. Gilbert, of Grayson, in the name of honesty, how could he isk the delegates of Denton to solve the problem by dishonoring hemselves through disobedience to their instructions. The delegation, rather than consent to such a course, would, he said, suffer heir right arms to be chopped off. Mr. Smith concluded by withdrawing his motion, stating that he had offered it as the solution to the question which, from appearances, the dele- S^ates of Denton could propose.

'Two more ballots were taken without change or the pros- )ects of a change, with the effect of inducing Judge Clay Potter, rf Cooke, to offer a motion relegating the matter to the Democracy of the district and pledging that Democracy, to the support )f one or the other of the candidates. He saw no hope of nomilating either of the candidates.

Mr. Patterson, of Wise, offered an amendment requesting ;he chairman of the district committee to call primaries to send lelegates to a congressional convention for the purpose of nomilating a candidate for the Fifth Congressional District.

in which Mr. Bell, of Cooke County, took the lead in an appeal for final action, saying that the sorrel colt, Judge Barrett, was not a dark horse, he having already been before the convention, and he was a candidate upon whom Throckmorton's mantle (that garment as sacred as the flag of Mahomet) would fall with grace.

Judge Carroll, of Denton, as chairman of the Dictrict Executive Committee, here delivered a forcible appeal in the interest of a nomination.

Judge Potter opposed Mr. Patterson's amendment, as laying down the bars for Republicans and Greenbackers and Mr. Patterson then withdrew his amendment.

This was followed by a hot debate between Mr. Gamett, of Cooke, who, by implication, admitted that Grayson County was afraid of the shadow of W. 0. Davis, and Mr. Randall, of Grayson, who, like Sheridan at New Orleans, wanted to know "Who was afraid?" and asserted that Grayson County was most certainly not afraid of Davis.

At this point it was suggested that there would probably be a change in the ballot, which had the effect of inducing Judge Potter to withdraw his motion for the present.

On the thirtj''-third ballot Collin changed half a vote to Hare, and on the thirty-fourth Wichita changed its vote to Hare, but on the thirty-sixth it changed back to Pickett, the ballot then standing Pickett, 40; Hare, 39. The next two ballots resulting in no change, the convention voted on an adjournment of an hour.

On reassembling resolutions of sympathy with ex-Govemor Throckmorton in his illness, were adopted, after which balloting was resumed till the forty-fourth was taken. There still being no change, Mr. Garnett of Cooke, offered resolutions favoring the dissolution of the convention and doing the work over through county conventions and a Congressional convention.

The last deal was attended with considerable caloric and the services of the sergeant-at-arms had to be called into action to prevent a collision between the warring forces of Cooke County.

On the result of the fiftieth ballot being announced, a delegate from Collin moved that instructed delegates be relieved of their instructions by a vote of the convention.

Judp-e Gilbert, of Grayson, an-ain took occasion to remind instructed delegates that in view of the necessHv for makincr a nomination they could vote as thev pleased. This brought Mr. Smith- of Denton, to his feet. He said :

This interchange of courtesies was followed bv a deafening outburst of uproar, which was broup-ht to a close bv the firmness of the presidinp^ officers, who declined to indulge the belligerent parties to any further extent.

Mr. B?iiley, of Cooke, on the sixtv-first ballot beincr announced without change offered a resolution turning Colonel Pickett, Judge Hare and Barrett loose upon the district.

"I expect that I know what I say when I tell you that you ai'e not the only organization which has been in session in Denton this week. There has been another convention besides the Democratic Con\ention in session, and it has been composed of all the elements who seek to tear down the Democratic party." He advised the convention if it could not make a nomination to relegate the matter back to the primaries.

Mr. Bailey, replying, alluded to the fact that each vote had added bitterness to the contest. The time had arrived, he thought, when it would be impossible to effect a nomination. He did not believe thei'e was a Democrat in the district who would vote for a mongrel.

A delegate fi'om Collin moved to strike out the name of Judge Barrett, but being assured that Judge Barrett would not come to the fi'ont, he withdi'ew the motion.

Mr. Bailey's motion was then adopted - ayes, 56 ; nays, 23 ; and the bridles were thereby taken off the candidates. For chairman of the district executive committee, G. W. Barefoot, of Montague, was elected, and E. C. Smith was elected on the committee from Denton County.

Mr. Joseph W. Bailey, of Cooke County, who was in attendance on the convention in Denton, created a very favorable impression upon the people who heard him talk. He is unassuming, modest and earnest in all that he says and does, while speaking. He is strikingly handsome, and the most marked feature of the gentleman's general appearance is his striking likeness of the celebrated Henry Ward Beecher. We hope that he may have all the latter's good qualities. We pi-edict for Mr. Bailey a future of much usefulness to the Democratic party. - Denton Chronicle, August 21, 1886.

As intimated in Judge Carroll's speech, the Collin County Democracy had severed in twain. Clay Mack was at the head of the Collin County Democracy running on a "free gi'ass" plat-

A spirit of dissatisfaction with the old convention methods of nominating the candidates was the only real issue between them, and personal politics was largely to biame. It took a decade for the division to reunite. It was largely state-wide, and was the forerunner of the primary election law.

The November election gave the following returns for Congress: Hare, 1774 votes; Pickett, 695; Mack, 1008. Pickett had secured Denton County's convention vote, which was instructed to vote for Pickett first, last, and all the time. Hare carried the county over him by 1079 majority, demonstrating that the convention method was not representative at that time.

This was the last open race for county offices in Denton County. The people had elected two Republicans, Lewellen Murphy, surveyor, and John McMurray, treasurer, in the past. The county officers after that were elected upon their merits, independent of political opinions. Two years later the political division came.-

Pioneers Strikes For Golden West

"I am now in my eighty-first year, having been in Los Angeles county fifty-five years the fourth day of December, 1812. Our trip here was both hard and dangerous. People who come here in Pullman cars with all the comforts of modern customs know nothing of the hardships. We neither came in Pullman cars nor emigrant cars nor stage coaches, but in schooner wagons drawn by three or four oxen. May 15, 1857, some twenty families, thirty wagons, and fifty men started from Denton, Texas, for the 'Setting of the Sun,' as we called it then, for people thought then that California was about the jumping off place. Samuel Hazelton was elected our captain, also a corporal of the guard was appointed, and everything arranged in order for the men to take turns every night in standing guard. The wagons were to travel single file, the one that drove in front one day fell behind the next day, so every one took their turn driving in front. When the captain had decided on a camping place, the wagons were drawn around in a circle, forming a corral in case of an attack by Indians or stampede of cattle. The men herded the cattle outside and stood guard at night.

"We got on fairly well, considering so many women and children, wicked men and bronco oxen until we reached Fort Davis. Here we found plenty of good water and some grass. We remained there two days, then started for Dead Man's Hole expecting to get water there, a distance, I think, of about twenty miles. When we reached that place the water was dried up and a long distance ahead to water. We turned around and went back to Fort Davis, ourselves and cattle almost starved for water. We had to remain there two weeks before our cattle were able to move on. Here, as was our custom, the women washed and cooked and made ready for the long, hard trip across the long, hard desert. Our cooking did not consist of pies, cakes, salads, and boiled eggs, but of bacon, black coffee, dried beans, and bread made with water, as such a thing as baking powder was not known in those days. Occasionally we had a mess of dried eaches. Many a night I have washed until midnight, hung my othes on the sage bush and the air was so drying they would be ry by morning. Then I would gather them up, put them in a ick and they were ready for wear. Everything weighty was iscarded, our wagons were examined, not a trunk or box was al- >wed. We did our mending as we traveled.

Death'S Hole In The Desert

"After our two weeks' rest at Fort Davis we started from lere and I think the next watering place was what was called le 'Devil's Hole.' It was just a round hole in the desert, and no ae had ever found the bottom. We heard that one man rode up ear it on his mule and jumped off, the poor animal, starved for ater, plunged into it and went down, saddle and all, and never as seen again.

"We dreaded the Pecos River, as it was usually high at that 3ason of the year. Before we reached that place the Indians ipped in one night and stole all the horses and we were driving number of loose cattle in order to have fresh oxen in case our iams gave out. The poor men were compelled to trudge through 18 deep, scorching sand on foot and drive the cattle. So when e reached the Pecos River at the Horse Head Crossing, we found a raging torrent. The captain said we must cross, for we had :arted with only enough provisions to do us across and if we elayed we would run out, with no chance to get any more. Now, i;^ery wagon had a barrel lashed on the back for the purpose of auling water from one watering place to another. In fact, we ever knew just when we would find water, so we were careful ever to leave a watering place without filling all the water essels.

"We had to proceed on our journey, so the men took down arrels enough to fill a wagon bed and fastened them down in the ed, and lashed the bed fast to the running gear of the wagon, nd hitched four yoke of oxen to the wagon, loaded as many as Duld get on the barrels, and with two men on either side of the xen and one on either side of the wagon to keep it from upetting, they swam back and forth until they had crossed all the women and children and men that could not swim, and all sui plies. The cattle swam over, all that did not drown. My sistei and myself were brave enough to cross on the first load, and as we found nothing for fuel but small sage roots, we set to diggini roots and making coffee for the poor chilled men when thej came over. Every load we gave them a cup of hot coffee in tin cup, for we had nothing but tin dishes.

A False Alarm

"The next watering place, as I remember, was the Doubtful 1 Pass, and we had been told the most dangerous place on the en-j tire route. When we were within ten miles of that place some one of our men with a spyglass discovered a large company of men coming toward us. Judging them to be Indians everything was in terrible confusion. Thei'e wei'e so many of them we expected they would kill all the men and carry off all the women and children. Every man's gun was put where he could get it in a moment and everything made ready for battle. It was the only watering place for a long distance and it was only a small seepage, and the night must be spent there in order to water all the stock. Now it was only a small recess in the mountains and tall mountains all around. We had but little hope of ever reaching the water, and if we did the Indians would surely take us there. I got out my children's shoes and tied them fast on their little feet, so the rocks and cactus thorns would not tear them in case they were carried off. By the way, we had two little girls, one four, and the other two years old. In this dreadful state we started on. We were coming together fast, for they were mounted men, when the man with the spyglass discovered they were soldiers. They were sent from a fort on the Rio Grande to bury a lot of people that had been murdered in a train right ahead of us in the pass, and to look out and see if they could see another train. They sighted us and were coming to guard us through the pass. Imagine, if you can, the joyful shouts that rang through that crowd, that a few moments befoi'e were in such dreadful state. They rode on each side of our wagons guarding us in to the watering place, and camped with us all night. There was just nough room where we had to stop to corral our wagons. Our ivagon stood in about ten feet of where one man had been killed and his hair lay scattered on the ground, and there the wagons tiad been burned. The soldiers had picked up the bodies and burned them. The next morning they guarded us out of the sanyon and then left us.

A Son Born In The Desert

"We traveled a long distance before we crossed the river at El Paso and started to Tucson, as that was a noted place. I 3an't remember the distance, but you must remember I am writing this from memory after the lapse of fifty-five years, but some iistance before we reached Tucson we camped one night at a dry place, no water, wood or grass. It was about twelve miles from Fort Buchanan, in the Gadsden purchase. Before the next morning we had a son born to us, something like Gipsy Smith, born on the desert under a schooner wagon. We started as soon as they ?ot a bite to eat and hitched up, to the fort, twelve miles distance, and we lay there ten days. When we reached Tucson the inlabltants were all Mexicans and Indians. They gathered around mr wagons so thick we could hardly see through them. Some )f them slipped my three-weeks-old baby away and ran off with it. I missed it in a moment and it could not be found. Can you imagme my feelings? We were about to have war when some )f our men found some women with it away out in a little adobe lut. We were glad to get our baby and get out of there as soon as possible.

"As well as I remember the next hard trial came when within about twelve miles of the Pemo village. It was a long dry stretch, ive had almost run out of water. We stopped, ate lunch and started for the next night. It was much cooler traveling by light, and we were hoping to reach the village, which was on the jila River, by daylight. We had not gone more than two hundred ^ards when the oxen took fright, broke to run with the wagons, families in them, and left the road and ran in every direction. I Nas sitting in front of our wagon with my baby in my lap, the :wo little girls behind me. I threw one hand back and caught both by their clothes, and held the baby in the other arm. I almost smothered the baby to death. My husband was driving the oxen, and they are not driven with lines like horses, so the men have to walk by the side of the team and drive. They left my husband behind and ran almost a mile before they stopped. My limb next to the wagon bed was beaten and bruised until it was black. When everything had been gathered up and gotten together, one child was found to have been almost killed, and one man died in about half an hour after the wagons had been gotten together.

"Now there were broken wagons to mend, cattle to herd, a dead man to bury, and all kinds of bruises to doctor, and twelve miles from water, and with only a few gallons in the whole train. You may think someone might have gone on and brought water back, but you must know the danger of Indians was so great we did not dare to divide our forces.

Story Of A Brave Boy

"One biave youth - if living today he deserves a Carnegie medal, for when we weie on a long dry stretch trying to reach the Sulphur Springs our teams began to give out and lie down. The women and children that could had to get out and walk. We trudged on. Finally one man had to leave his wagon and a part of the train decided to leave those with the most tired teams to their fate and try to save themselves. They left us, pushed on and reached the water, and this brave boy filled as many canteens as he could carry and braving the danger all alone, came back to meet us, with feet blistered and bleeding. He found us about five miles back. We drank of the water, let our teams lie down until the sun got low, and then we got through to water.

"There the men got the things gathered up the best they could, built a fire of sage brush to make a light, dug a hole, rolled the dead man in his blankets, put him in and covered him up. By daylight things were patched up, so we started on and arrived at the Pemo village on the Gila River, about the middle of the afternoon, tired, thirsty and hungry as wolves. The Pemos were very friendly, and glad to see us, but told us if we did not give

;hem a beef they would steal one, so we gave them a beef, and :hey kept their word, but stole everything else they could get :heir hands on. You never went into your wagon but they were :ight there. One day when I was hunting something in my kvagon they spied some red flannel that I had and they wanted [t. They were doing a little farming along the river, and had raised some watermelons, and they began to bring melons to sell for red flannel. I could get a big watermelon for a strip of flannel two inches wide and long enough to go around their head. Well, [rom there we went to the Maricopa Wells, another Indian village ; they were the Maricopas. They were friendly too, but said we tiad given the Pemos a beef and if we did not give them one they ivould steal one, so we had to give them one. The Yuma Indians tiad come in on the Maricopas and they had a big battle right tiear where we camped. The Maricopas had killed a number Df the Yumas and the rest had fled and left their dead lying on the ground near our camp. Our stay at this place was short.

A Green Oasis Found

"From there we started across the Gila Bend, another long, iry stretch. We reached the Colorado River just below where :he Gila empties into it, went down the Colorado some distance, 'ound good grass, and camped three weeks to let our teams recuperate, as the long, dry, sandy Colorado desert was just ahead )f us. Well, after our three weeks rest we crossed. There was i small ferry boat there, a poor contrivance, but we managed to cross with the loss of a few cattle and started for Los Angeles. STow that we had reached the golden state our spirits revived.

A Samaritan From Texas

"Just as my husband reached El Monte he met a man that lad lived in the house with us in Texas. He had come here in L855 and settled in El Monte. He took my husband to his house, :urned the mule in the pasture, caught two big fat horses, yoked I big fat yoke of oxen, and they mounted their horses, drove the )xen and came to meet us. I could hardly believe my own eyes when I saw them. A man with a white shirt on and fat horses md cattle ; it could hardly be true. But the greatest shock was to come yet. He said, 'Now you are going to my house and stay until you are rested and look around.' Nothing else would do, and when we got there his good wife met us, gave us a hearty welcome and invited us into a real house, and oh, wonders, there sat a table with a snow-white tablecloth and white dishes, fresh butter and milk and vegetables. Now that was a sight to me at that time. Our clothes were all dingy from washing in all kinds of water and our tablecloths had been spread right down on the ground as everybody sat down on the ground to eat on this trip. "I am at my journey's end. My home has been in Los Angeles ever since. I have been back to the old home in Denton County three times." - Fort Worth Record, April 20, 1913.

Mrs. Rachel Eads Tells Of Life In Denton County

"I will try to answer your questions as near as I can remember. In regard to the names of those that came with us across the plains, the greater number of them met us in Denton from other counties, and we made our final start from Denton. I suppose you only want the names of those from Denton. They were as follows: Samuel Hazelton (captain) and family; Rev. John A. Fi'eeman and family ; Andrew S. Harris and family ; Mrs. Doctor Doen and family ; David Rogers and family ; Whitney Rogers and family; Richard Eads and family; John Wiswell and family. Single men : John Mills, Solomon Fried, John Dugan, John Moss, Frank Foley, James Foley, and a Mr. Sexton. Every man with a family had one man hired.

"In 1845, Andrew S. Harris, Francis L. Harris, Perry Malone and Rev. John A. Freeman, all brothers and brothers-in-law of mine, moved to Denton County from Missouri. John A. Freeman was one of the first Baptist ministers in that part of the country. He organized the Lonesome Dove church and preached in that community for about twelve years.

ty, Missouri. I was about eighteen years old at that time. In 1851, I was married to Richard Eads, a brother of James Eads jand the son of Jesse Eads, who moved to Denton in 1848 from iPlatt County, Missouri, and put up a grist mill near the edge of the Grand Prairie. Yes, I went to Denton in the days of log icabins, ox teams, homespun dresses, tallow candles and flint-lock guns, and when moccasin tracks were not uncommon.

"Brother Wiley Harris, who was Whig Harris' father, was captain of a home guard at the beginning of the Civil War and was called out later and wounded in a battle at Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died later from the wound.

"My father settled on Hickory Creek, about half a mile from where Denton now stands. The town was not laid off until some time after he settled there and it was first called Alton, if I am not mistaken.

"In regard to the condition of the country at that time, water was scarce and a great many people hauled their drinking water from standing pools in the creek beds. It was very unhealthy, consequently there was a great deal of sickness. You ask why we left Denton. We left hoping to better ourselves, both financially and physically.

"We started with meal and flour enough to do us all the way, for there would be no chance to get more on the way, either ground or unground. There were a few United States forts on the way, but they were not allowed the privilege of selling provisions to anybody. Wood was scarce a good part of the time and we had to cook our meals with weeds and grass.

These letters from an early day give additional insight into the Denton of pioneer davs - the days when Reconstruction was rife and the Southron's blood ran hot against the "Yankees," as the old missives so well show. These old letters purport to have been written by a Denton County citizen to a friend in Arkansas, and relate so many things of interest, both then and now, that they are well worth perusal, even by those latter-day arrivals to whom names and incidents mentioned are not familiar.

Well, we are still eating vegetables and living on the fat of the land. Mrs. Hughes brought over to the house this morning a beet that measured twenty-four inches around, and that was not the biggest one in the patch.

This must be a healthy country, for they tell me that there is a gentleman named Payne, who lives a few miles from Denton, who has reached the age of 115 years, and is still able to get on a horse and chase around hunting cows. They say he rides over the prairie as gaily as any youth.

Uncle Billy Bates, who lives over on the east side of the county, brought a whole lot of cabbage to town and gave them away to his friends. Our folks were among his friends, all right.

The niggers have organized a Sunday School do\Mi Elm aways and one of the teachers asked a young coon "who died for him," and he said "Abe Linkum." Now what do you think of that?

The doctoi's say this is a very healthy country. You may tell those chill-ridden inhabitants of the swamps along the river that there is a land where quinine is not a necessity before breakfast. I have not even tasted Peruvian bark bitters for six months. You had better come home. A few prairie chickens have come in already and before long there will be lots of them.

This is Sunday and if I can stay awake long enough I guess I will tell you a part at least of the news. Also some of the gossip. News - real news - is a little scarce some times but there is always something to talk about, even if it is nothing but our neighbors' politics.

It is reported that the soldiers stationed at Dallas are really nice and genteel fellows. I know you will be glad to hear this, especially since we have had so many that were not. The people and the soldiers at Dallas are getting along fine. About the only place I know where they are.

D. H. Turner of Pilot Point was showing some exceptionally fine peaches in the city this week. There seems to be a very great and growing interest in fruit raising in this county.

The people of Denton have an invitation from the people of Waco to attend their grand railroad barbecue and ball on the twenty-eighth. Now if we only had us a tap road we could get on the iron horse and gallop down and partake of the festivities, but as it is our horses are too slow and too shortwinded for many of us to make the trip.

Judge Carroll gave the boss at our house a fine bucket of sweet potatoes and Thomas Fry brought a twig with twenty peaches on it to town - just to show Judge Venters that he was not the only peach-raiser in the county.

The citizens had an Indian chase last week and the Indians got away as usual. The way these raiding Indians manage to escape is truly wonderful. Gathering all the horses along the route, their march is continued both day and night, without rest for horse or redskin, until the mountains are reached and the trophies secured in safe retreat. Indians never think of a halt in such a flight, either for rest or sleep, the only stop being for the purpose of corralling the herd long enough to procure fresh horses, and shoot the ones that are run down. But this shrewd policy might easily be thwarted if the citizens on the frontier were always on the alert and ready for an attack. Either this is disregarded by our citizens in consequence of the trust reposed in the U. S. soldiery at Jackboro, or because of the present satrap laws that prohibit any armed force in the State. Thus it is * ^:= =i^ our State will render no security whatever against the Indians, and when the cries of the murdered women and children have aroused the people of the land to the rescue, the charge

You know I told you before you left that the troops that are stationed on our frontier are vastly injurious to the lives and property of our people. They give no protection themselves and will allow no organization of the citizens for that purpose. It has been openly stated by men who claim to know that there is such antipathy against Texas existing among the officers of these troops that they even delight in seeing the savages commit their murderous deeds upon her people.

Mr. Parr, who lives a few miles south of town, brought in some peaches this week. Some of them were fine as yon e"ev san' and some ^''ere absolntel''' no ac("0'^rt. Fe pa""s he cltiva^H the sorr ones best and now he has to cut the tree down. He called his good peaches his Democrats and his sour ones his Radicals.