Eastland County, Texas - Chapter 4, 1904

Chapter 4

"There' is a tide in the affairs of man, ^Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; We must take the current when it serves. Or lose our venture." - Shakespeare.

Two young men in a land office in Dallas pondered over the truth contained in the quotation above as they again went over the map before them.

These young men, late of the University of Kentucky, had just bought from J. A. Speers the C. S. Betts survey, three hundred and twenty acres, centrally located, and had conceived the idea of moving the County Town from Merriman, and locating it on their own land.

On their way to Mansker Lake to have District Clerk A. J. Stuart, who resided there, to record their deed, the young men met J. H. Elli^^OTl, tn whom they disclosed their purpose. "Tt can never be done," he said. The adverse opinion of the old frontiersTTinj) did not daunt them. They located the southwest corner of the C. S. Betts survey, selected a slightly elevated spot of ground between the 'North and South forks of the Leon River, made a rough sketch, and staked on I

After having emiployed a Mr. Allen to cut logs for the cabin to be raised in May, the young men, Jacl< Daugherty and C. U. Connellee, returned to Dallas.

In JUay Mr. Connellee, accompanied by J. B. Ammerman, who had become a member of the firm, returned. The survey of the town was completed, the log house put up where the La Roe Hotel (Mr. Greenfield proprietor) now stands, snd a frame store-house built on the lot now occuped by the Eastland County Bank, in which was put a stock of general merchandise. The goods and the lumber for the store were hauled in wagons from Dallas, the nearest railroad point, by way of Granbury and Stephenville, thence on the Fort Griffin military road by way of Desdemona and Merriman. From a point near where Uncle George Moss now lives, and where the Texas and Pacific railroad crosses Colony Creek, a road was blazed to the new town, and the wagons proceeded. The drivers were Heath Hale and Greorge Martin. The founders encouraged settlement by offering a deed fee simple of any lot to any person who would put up either a residence or a business house.

Six miles west of Eastland lived John T. Townsend, R. S. Drake, Ira Townsend, Tip Saunders, William MJunn, and a few others lived on the South Pork of the Leon; lower down the stream, nearer Eastland, were Uncle Sandy Miartin. Jack Drake, and others, and about two miles northeast of the town C. R. Johnson lived. He is the father of Dr. J. L. Johnson. With Mr.

Gwaltney, who were surveyors and interested with Mr. Johnson in farming and cattle raising. Down at Mansker Lake, at A. J. Stewart's, there boarded a young lawyer, who spent his spare time dreaming of a practice that would some day be his. HSs dreams came true and he presides over the Ddstrict Court to-day.

A number of people availed themselves of the opportunity to get a lot in town. J . F. Davenport, now of Cisco, built a house on the northeast corner of the square, where Downtain's brick building stands, and merchandised. Isham Finch built a hotel on the southeast corner of the square. "It was beyond question the best public place of entertainment in the county at that tim'e - there being no others." Major J. H. Davenport, formerly State Senator from Bell County, established a law office on the south side of the square and published the first newspaper in the county, "The Eeview." J. H. Calhoun, present District Judge, built a law office on the north side of the square in 1876, which is now the oldest house standing.

Other lawyers who established themselves in the town at an early date were Frank Stanley, now a distinguished lawyer of Fort Worth, and D. B. Corley, the ilrst lawyer who came to Eastland City. The latter was made, Postmaster and established his office in Daugherty, Connellee & Ammerm'an's store. Mr. Corley exhibited the orginal "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at the Chicago

J. H. and J. C. Cox merchandized under the firm name of Cox Brothers. J. H. Bversdale put up a sawmill and manufactured what was known as "rawhide lumber" out of the oaks that covered the hills. This enterprise greatly facilitated the building of small houses. Later, Mr. Eversdale engaged in the mercantile business and had the misfortune to lose his stock of goods by fire in 1885.

Eev. J. C. Weaver, a Methodist minister, held the first divine service in the town in the unfinished log hotel being put up by Isham Pinch. Rev. J. M. Lingo organized the first Baptist Church.

In the summer of 1875, Daugherty,- Connellee and Ammerman made a proposition to the citizens to move the County Town from Merriman to Eastland. The election, held August 2, 1875, resulted as follows: Eastland, sixty-seven; Merriman, nine; McGough Springs, forty-four; Center of the County, five, and scattering, two. The gentlemen making the proposition had agreed to erect a two-story stone building and donate the second floor to the County for a court room as long as desired, and entered into a bond of $5000.00 for its faithful performance. This building is still standing on the northwest corner of the square.

The county assumed a new dignity. The court had a home and offices, and a number of lawyers located in the town: J. E. Elemming, later Judge of the District; J. M. Moore, son of Chief Justice Mbore of the Supreme Court of Texas, and who was appointed Sec- retary of State under Grovernor Boss; Judge E. T. Hilliard; J. E. Thomas of Dallas, who served as County Attorney; T. H. Conner, now Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals of Fort Worth, Texas; G. W. Perryman; A. Lawrence, who held the office of County Attorney and Judge; E. B. Truly, at one timie Diistrict Clerk; and B. F. Collins.

Daugherty, Connellee and Ammerman offered the Texas and Pacific Railway Company one-fourth of the lots in the town if the road were built through Eastland. In October, 1880, the first engine rolled into the county town, which .remained the terminus for several months. J. B. Ammerman was made station agent.

Eastland was now the distributing point for all towns ISTorth, South and West; and also the starting place for numerous stage and United States mail lines, during which time it was a flourishing Western town. Mr. Berry of Stephenville did a banking business in Jake Alexander's store.

Keenly alive to the interests of the town, a comini1> tee of citizens went to Waco and offered to the company projecting the Texas Central Eailway line through the County the sum of $25,000.00 to build through Eastland. This offer was not accepted and the junction with the Texas and Pacific was made at Cisco, ten miles west of Eastland.

Cisco was a precocious youngster, and wanted to be the County Town. An election was held August 3, 1881, which resulted as follows: Eastland, three hundred and fifty-four; Cisco, three hundred and twenty-four. The question settled, the Commissioners' Court let a contract for the building of a court house at a cost of $57,000,000. This three-story building of native stone \Yas put up in 1883-84. The original contract price made with Lance and McEashen, contractors, was $34,998.00, but the Commissioners' Court had to take charge of it when half comipleted.

The County, aided materially by citizens of the town, erected prior to this a stone jail on the public square at a cost of $5,500.00. The jail was built by Messrs. Martin, Byrne and Johnson.

On Sunday morning at three-thirty o'clock, November 26, 1896, the court house was discovered to be on fire, and was burned to the ground. Hill and Schmick and Judge J. T. Hammons lost their libraries and office furniture. Judge Calhoun, who officed in the building, saved his library. The County's loss was $50,000.00, with $30,000.00 insurance.

Two months later, on January 26, the question of moving the County Town to Cisco was again voted upon. Although Cisco offered to donate the land and erect the building free of cost to the County, she failed to secure the necessary two-thirds vote to remove the town to a point outside of a five-mile radius from the center of the County. The vote stood : Cisco, nine hundred and forty; Eastland, five hundred and fifty- three; Carbon, three hundred and fifty-five; Center of the County, sixteen; Curtis, one, and Dustic one.

The contracts for a new court house and jail were let at once. John White of Vernon, Texas, agreed to put up a three-story fire proof building for $49,000.00. The extras, including fence, furniture, etc., made the

Eastland has thus grown from, a one-roomed cabin in the woods to a substajitial town - the capital of one of the best counties in the State. It has an excellent graded public school system, with an enrollment of three hundred pupils, a commodious two-story building and emiploys a Superintendent and four assistants. Three churches - ^the Baptist, .Methodist and Christian - have organizations and buildings.

In this town are several organized bodies: A progressive Business Mjen's Association: a Woman's Literary Club - the Hawthorne - which founded and has charge of the Public Library; and Masonic, Odd Fellow, and Woodmen's Lodges. There are to be found here three resident ministers, eleven lawyers, three doctors, three dry goods establishments, four groceries, three drug stores, two hardware and implement houses, one bank, two livery stables, one wagon yard, three hotels, two restaurants, two boarding houses, two barber shops, two meat markets, one furniture store, two gins, a telephone exchange with long distance connections, two blacksmith shops, and two lumber yards. The town is incorporated for municipal purposes, the tax being only one-fourth of one per cent, and contains one thousand inhabitants.

The second National Bink established in the county opened its doors for business in the Autumn of 1890 with Major W. H. Parvin, now deceased. President, and John T. Yeargin, Cashier.

Eastland County Confederate Association. - One of the leading features of the historical, social and benevolent interests of Eastland County is the organization of this unchartered body. Its purposes have been so thoroughly and uniformly adhered to, and so pleasant and conunendable that interest in its annual reunions increases.

At the suggestion of our well beloved comrade, Dr. S. H. Stout, who new sleeps in an honored soldier's grave, a preliminary meeting was held in County Clerk John T. Yeargin's office, February 8, 1886. The Confederates present were Dr. S. H. Stout, Colonel George W. Shannon, John T. Yeargin, W. H. Day, Henry Hallum, J. T. Hammonds. C. R. Johnson, Captain J. L. Steele, and June Kimble. A committee consisting of Messrs, Hardeman, Yeargin and Kimlble was appointed

The call was responded to by more than one hundred gallant old Confederates who braved a storm for the privilege of placing their names upon this roll of honor, which yet remains intact. The following officers were elected: Dt. S. H. Stout, President; Colonel George Shannon, Vice President; June Kimble, Secretary; John T. Yeargin, Treasurer, and the Rev. Jack Mc- Clure, Chaplain.

There are four hundred and ninety-three names on the roll. Those who have passed over the river, and those who have moved to other localities are so entered, making it a true record.

The annual reunions of this organization, which long since became an institiition of the, County, have brought our people together for seventeen years, the delightful gatherings numbering from three to five thousand veterans, wives. Sons and Daughters, and friends.

The constitution declares the object of this Association to be "historical, social, and benevolent." The organization owns in fee simple a beautiful and convenient plot of ground, located one-half mile north of the court house, consisting of five and one-half acres, upon which it purposes to build a capacious tabernacle. When the building is completed it vill pass into the hands of the Sons and Daughters, who will doubtless receive it as a sacred trust committed to them by their fathers.

On his motion, the Dallas Board of Trade created a committee on Public Interests in 1882. Under this committee, of which ho was Chairman, three railroads, the Galveston News as Morning News, and the headquarters of the T. & P. and M. K. & T. Ey. Companies were brought into Dallas; the Fair was organized and the Opera House and Merchants' Exchange Buildings were built. Other prominent cities, Denver, Kansas City, etc., organized Business Leagues.

In 1882 Mr. Daugherty was elected President of the Eeal Estate Men's Association of Texas; in 1889 he was elected Chairman of the State Immigration Association, in J892 he was appoiirted to represent Texas in the "Good Eoads" Committee of the United States, and many of its policies and principles were formed by him.

He was unanimously chosen by the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress at Denver to prepare an address to the people of the United States on the silver question. Eichard P. Bland, then in Congress, adopted this address as part of his argument on this question, and it was printed in the Congressional Eecord.

C. U. Connellee was born and reared among the picturesque hills of Eagle Creek in Scott County, Ken' tucky, and was educated in the A. & M. Pepartnipjit of the University at Lexington. He came to Texaj in 1874, located in Dallas, and engaged in the real esiate business and in the location of land certificates.

In March, 1875, he married Miss Mattie Payne, of 'Jhampaign County, Ilhnois, and came with her direct to Eastland City, where he has ever since made his home.

In these ea.Wy days he was Chief Miarshal of all the forces worlring for Eastland City and County, the general source of information for all prospectors and proposing immigrants. Others came and left, C. U. Connellee stayed on; when the settler came in wanting a quarter section of school land, C. U. Connellee knew of one to point out to him.

In these days of railroads, telegraph wires and telephone lines, one can scarcely appreciate the difficulty of forwarding settlement in a heavily timbered county with no means of direct comtaiunication, only wagon roads over which to travel, and the nearest railroad one hundred and fifty miles away. But under all difficulties Mr. Connellee held firm his faith in Eastland County.

As frontier agent for Daugherty, Connellee and Ammerman he located lands, making frequent trips west - even penetrating the Staked Plains for this purpose, where he encountered Indians a number of times.

In 1887 he was elected to the State Ijegislature from the District comprising the counties of Eastland, Stephens and Palo Pinto. As Representative he served one term, and was eonnecte'd lyith the enactment of several very important laws .

His present wife was Miss Tullie Folts Hardeman, with whom he became acquainted while serving as Eepresentative, and shortly afterwards married.

J. B. Ammerman, Cisco

J. B. Ammerman was born January 5, 1855, on a farm in Harrison County, Kentucky, and educated in the public schools, and in the State University at Lexington, where he was a room-mate of J. S. Daugherty.

After leaving school he came to Texas and in the Spring of 1875 became associated with Mr. Daugherty in the land business at Dallas, Texas, In this position

He ^conducted land-locating parties when it was necessary for every member to be heavily armed, penetrating the then trackless plains almost to the New Mexico line.

In December, 1880, he was married to Miss Lelia Barlow of Bourbon County, Kentucky, and moved from Dallas to Eastland City, where he served as the first station agent of the Texas and Pacific Railway. After leaving the employ of the railroad companjr, he bought William Cameron & Company's lumber busines.? at Eastland, and also established the first lumber vard at Cisco.' Later he engaged iii the stock business and liought a ranch s^x miles north of Cisco, which he still owns.,'

In 1887 E. M. Hall, State Land Commissioner, appointed Mr Ammerman State Surveyor and Classifier, and in this capacity he worked for the General Land Office of the State of Texas and the Southern Pacific Eailroad Company for two years, surveying and classifying some thousands of sections of land.

Finishing this work in the Spring of 1890, he has since made his home in Cisco, where he- has engaged in various business enterprises. At the present time he superintends one of the large ginneries in Cisco, in which, in addition to his square bale press, he operates the pioneer round bale press of the county.

This firm is composed of Judge D. K. Scott, of Cisco, and H. P. Brelsford, of Eastland. The firm, as at present constituted, was formed in 1893 and has been in existence without change since that date. They do a general State and Federal Court practice and maintain oflBces at Eastland and Cisco.

Mr. Scott has been several times County Special District Judge. Mr. Brelsford is the present Eepresentative from the 85th District. He served as Special Justice of the Court of Civil Appeals at Fort Worth by appointment of Governor Culberson.

Mir. Hightower established himself in his present real estate and abstract business, which is confined entirely to this county, in 1895. He now has an abstract of every title in the county, which are in twenty-four bound volumes of abstract books and indexes.

Mr. Hightower, who came to Texas from Arkansas in 1864, located in Stephens County in 1876, where he was engaged in the stock business and remained there until he came to Cisco in 1883. He was married to Miss Callie Alford in the city of Fort Worth, April 24, 1881. They have seven children and have lived in Eastland City since 1895.

Samuel S. Conner, born June 10, 1821, and his wife, Margaretta L. Conner, born November 19, 1830, settled in Eastland in 1876. They were from Virginia and Kentucky families, and immigrated to Texas from their native State, Indiana, in the early iifties, and spent the greater part of their subsequent lives in Caldwell, Ellis and Eastland Counties. They moved from Ellis to Eastland County in the Pall of 1876, and arc now lying peacefully side by side in the graveyard in the city of Eastland - S. S. Conner having died on the

11th day of February, 1899, and M. T>. Conner November 20, 1901. They were both strong characters and through the many years" residence in this county became widely known and universally esteemed, - conspicuous types of that sturdy Christian manhood and Vfomanhood that hetve made our nation great.

Mrs. Connor

As a result of their union, they reared the following children, most of whom are now well known: Truman H., Maud, Ella, Jennie, Claude L., and Earl.

in the Law Department of Trinity University, Texas, in 1876, and was in the active practice of his profession from the spring of 1877 until July, 1887, when he was appointed Judge of the 43nd Judicial District, composed of Eastland and other counties, by Gov. L. S. Eoss, and was thrice re-elected to the office. In 1898 Judge Conner was elected Chief Justice of the 3nd Supreme Judicial District of Texas, composed of ninetyfive counties, including Eastland. Since the date of his present incumbency, he has lived in Fort Worth.

Mjaud, whose homewasnever inEastland, was married to Col. John W. Coleman of Ellis County in 1871, and they now live in Coke County, Texas. Ella was married to Wm. S. Parson, of Ellis County, in 1873, and they lived in Eastland a number of years as many old settlers will recall. They have one daughter living in the county- -Mrs. Grace Dreinhofer of Ranger.

Claude L. Conner is well and favorably known, and makes his home at Cisco with his sister Jennie, the wife of the present District Judge, J. H. Calhoun.

Judge T. H. Connor

In Tennessee, on July 16, 1865, the subject of this sketch was born. Seven years later his father died. Having been reared on a farm his education was limited to that afforded by the common schools and the Dresden High School.

In 1864 he came to Texas and entered the law office of Davenport h,nd Conner as a student, and was admitted to the bar June 11. 1885, at the age of twentyone.

]8S!8, and ro-clected in 1S90. lie is a good lawyer, has a well equipped library and office on the north side of the Square, is a ready speaker,. a good story-teller, and an excellent entertainer. He is serving his fourth term as jMayor of Eastland.

On December 14, 1892, Mr. Hill was married to ^liss Bessie, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Evans. Mrs. Hill died in 1894. He was again married on December 25, 18i!-.>. to the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Parvin.

This creditable weekly Democratic paper is owned, edited and published by Frost and Chastain, lawyers, and is devoted to "Science, Literature, Religion, Politics, and the Upbuilding of Eastland County."

Judge Frost, son of B. Frost, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1849. When only eighteen years old he engaged in teaching "with little education, but by hard study" he familiarized himself with Natural Sciences, and with the English, Latin, French and Spanish languages. He came to Texas from Illinois in 1872, and was admitted to the bar to practice law in 1883.

lege (under David W. Switzer), and Baylor University. He was admitted to the bar to practice law in 1897, after having taught school for five years.

Mr. Chastain served as a Lieutenant in the Fourth Texas Infantry during the Spanish-American war. Hp was married to Miss Maude Harrison on September 85,