Rowan County, NC - Barclays, A Texas Family from Rowan Co NC, Part 3 ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Teddy Barclay Pope, Ed. D. TPope77497@aol.com ______________________________________________________________________ CONTENT OF TEXT Sam Mann- first County School Superintendent. 1. Served prior to 1912 2. Little is known of his tenure. However, more complete records are in the County Clerk^Òs office. Grover C. Lowe (1912-1916) 1. Served with the first elected County School Board George E. Neal (1916-1918) 1. School districts were set up with definitely defined boundaries and schools were classified. 2. Certification of teachers 3. Free textbooks and State aid 4. Miss Florida Booth served a short time as County School Superintendent in 1918 when Neal was granted a leave of absence for military duty. B.C. Howell (1920-1924) 1. First County School Superintendent on record granted office and travel expenses. The amount being $300.00 annually. 2. Administrator to 55 schools in County as there were only 3 Independent School Districts at that time. S.B. Owens (1925-1934) 1. Longest tenure on record in Tyler County at this time. 2. Financing of County Administration was set forth in August, 1927. 3. State Normal Colleges changed to State Teachers colleges. 4. Woodville white school classified for first time as full 11th grade high school 5. 1933 Budget -- $2,735.00 a. County School Superintendent salary - $1800.00 per year b. Assistant County School Superintendent salary $600.00 per year. c. Office and travel expenses- $300.00 per year 6. County Board certification gave way to certification earned by college credits in the mid 1930^Òs. O.A. Riley (1935-1950) 1. Miss Pearl Sheffield hired as assistant School Superintendent in February, 1935. 2. Consolidation movement continued and transportation system expanded 3. 1935 Legislation enabled teacher^Òs with ten years experience to receive permanent certificates 4. All schools in District were classified as full high schools of 11 grades 5. County Teachers Institute discontinued 6. Spurger Ruralized School and Fred Ruralized School were consolidated in 1937 7. Teachers Retirement Act was put into effect in 1937 8. Veterans Vocational Agriculture School created in 1944 9. State Board of Education created in 1949 under the Gilmer-Acken Act. 10. Great change in salary schedule for personnel and setting of qualifications 11. County Board approved Co-op programs T.E. Howell (1951-1958) 1. Resignation of Allan Sturrock as Coordinator of Tyler County Vocational Schools in June, 1951. 2. County Board approved request for Woodville, Colmesneil and Warren I.S.D. to set up their own transportation systems and to receive their own allotments direct. 3. Purchase of Hillister CSD #39 school house $10,000.00 bond in 1952 4. Hillister Common District #39 annexed to Woodville I.S.D. in 1953 5. County Board granted pay raises of $402.00 per year for the County School Superintendent and a $300.00 per year raise for the Assistant Superintendent 6. Doucette ISD annexed to Woodville ISD in 1956 7. In 1957, base salary for County School Superintendent was raised to $404.00 per month and salary for Assistant Superintendent was raised to $35.00 per per month. Richard Comte (1958-1961) 1. Chester Common Consolidated School District became an Independent District under Article 2742J on October 11, 1958 2. County Board members received a raise from $12.00 to $18.00 per meeting 3. Special transfers permitted in 1961 4. April 10, 1961 last Board meeting for County School Superintendent Comte Bevis M. Minter (1961-1974) 1. Appointed to the office of County School Superintendent following death of Richard Comte, Jr. Salary being $504.00 per month. 2. Mrs. Ella Comte appointed as secretary to the County Superintendent. Salary being $285.00 per month. 3. Patricia Brown elected as assistant to Secretary Comte in 1962. 4. County Superintendent salary raised to $554.00 per month with maximum 5. Spurger ISD annexed a portion of Warren ISD with Spurger absorbing a portion of the bond of Warren ISD. 6. Assistant Superintendent^Òs salary raised to $3,600.00 per year and helper^Òs salary set at $360.00 per year in 1964. 7. In 1965 County Superintendent^Òs salary raised to $605.00 per month. 8. In 196 County School Superintendent^Òs salary raised to 613.00 per month. 9. Patricia Brown appointed Assistant County School Superintendent in 1966. 10. In 1967 County Superintendent^Òs salary was raised to $828.00 per month. Assistant superintendent^Òs salary was raised to $5,500.00 per year. Again in 69 Superintendent^Òs salary was raised to $978.00 per month. 11. Vernon County line District #24 annexed to Colmesneil 28 District #901. (Tyler County Board Minutes, Volume III, Page 138). 12. County School Superintendent^Òs salary was raised to $1,073.00 per month in 1971. In 1972 salary was raised to $16,192.00 per year. In 1973 salary was raised to $18,000.00 per year and the Assistant^Òs salary was raised to $7,200. per year. In 1974 the salary of Co School Supt was raised to $18,720.00 yr. GEORGE W. BARCLAY (1975 - 1978) 1. County School Superintendent^Òs salary remains $18,720 per year. 2. Anne B. Tolbert approved by Board as Assistant County School Salary being 7,200. per year. 3. Oct. 2, 1976 the Board approved Judy Williams as Assistant Superintendent to succeed Anne B. Tolbert. 4. Legislature passed Wayne Peveto Bill #221. (17.94 of the Texas Education Code). 5. On August 1, 1977 the County Board approved a salary increase of $65.00 for the County Superintendent. Salary being $19,500.00 per year. 6. 1977 Legislature abolishes all County School Superintendent^Òs office, County School Boards and ex-officio School Superintendent^Òs funded by Texas Educational Funds or State funds. 7. On July 18, 1977, the County Board approved petition to annex to Colmesneil ISD #121-901 a portion of Jasper ISD #121-904. (Board minutes, Volume 3, pages 34-36. 8. On August 1, 1977, the County Board approved the appointment of Debbie Hickman as Assistant Superintendent to succeed Judy Willliams 9. On April 10, 1978, the County Board approved the appointment of Virginia Mahaffey as Assistant Superintendent to succeed Debbie Hickman. 10. Provisions were made for the disbursement of the Tyler County Permanent School Fund for the Tyler County Commissioner^Òs Court on May 8, 1978. Authority was given to transfer Permanent School Fund to Available School Fund and dispense said funds to the five schools in this district according to the number of scholastics. The Administrations of the County School Superintendents By the act of legislation the Department of Education was created with the State Superintendents as department head for all public schools under the college level. County School Superintendent^Òs Administration The County School Board as a legislative body replaced the educational duties administered by the County Judge and Commissioners Court. Functions of County School Superintendent The duties set forth by the County School Board were setting up school districts with their proper boundaries, to distribute state available school funds on a scholastic basis, to provide for certification of teachers with proper qualifications for these schools and any other duties that became necessary to keep peace and harmony within the schools and through districts, and any other duties that may be granted to them by sate law. The first County School Superintendent and School Board was appointed by the County Judge. Sam Mann Sam Mann of Colmesneil became the first County School Superintendent. There is little information on his term in office for the lack of previous early records in the County School Superintendent^Òs office, however, there are more complete records in the County Clerk^Òs Office that may be available for study. Grover C. Lowe The second County School Superintendent and board were elected by law in 1912. Grover C. Lowe was the first elected County School Superintendent with the County School Board being composed of: William McCrady, W. H. Lewis, Milton Lazenby, T. C. Crews, and S. H. Pedigo. The County School Board consisted of one person elected from each Commissioners precinct and one at large. Grover C. Lowe was in office until December 31, 1916 without a change in County School Board performing those duties set forth by law. The third County School Superintendent, George E. Neal, was elected in 1916, took office January 1, 1917 and throughout his administration the same County School Board presided as with the previous Superintendent with one change, g. W. Holton replaced Milton Lazenby. It was during George Neal^Òs administration that each school district set up definitely defined boundaries and the schools were classified. Usually at the request of the local school district whether elementary or third class high school. Teachers were certified on the basis of scores made on their test set up by the certification board by the State Superintendent. Each County having his board to administer tests headed by the County School Superintendent, however, the County School Superintendent had the authority to grant short term county certificates to be sure that sufficient personnel existed in the County to teach in the schools. Teachers certificates so registered in the Book of Teachers Certificates Records were found to be County Certificates and State Certificates of second grade and first grade. These were acquired through examination and granted by State Superintendent of Schools upon satisfactory grades by examination in the County given by County certificate directors and graded by a State Education Certification Committee. A candidate for a first grade certificate must first have passed the examination with a score of a second grade certificate. To acquire a first grade certificate, then the person should make a high minimum score upon fourteen courses of study in which he may take by examination, all subjects at one time or partially as so desired until he completed all subject. Besides the prescribed duties performed by the previous administration, new functions were prescribed by law that greatly elevated the entire education of the public school as the coming of the free textbooks and state aid to supplement local and available school funds. Before schools could qualify for this special aid they must have a building and equipment that was definitely prescribed by the State Department of Education and administered by an elected State Superintendent. The Building and equipment were subject to inspection by supervisors by the Education Department under the State Superintendent. Under State Superintendent Neal, every school district in County boundaries were definitely defined and every school classified and trustees were appointed to fill vacancies in each district. In 1918, the County School Boards records, page 47, show that Miss Florida Booth served a short time as Mr. Neal was granted leave of absence for military duty for World War 1 and was replaced by B.C. Howell in November, 1920, either by election or appointment. The records are not clear. B.C. Howell Beginning in November 1920, the 4th County School Superintendent, B.C. Howell, began his administration serving 2 full terms as elected Superintendent until December 31, 1924. With the same School Board as previous administration: Bill McCrady-President, T.C. Crews, S.H. Pedigo, W.H. Lewis and G.W. Holton, and later D.C. Mann replaced Charles Dean. B.C. Howell came into office fresh from serving in the military in World War 1 and much of the material that is being written in this administration and the future administrations will be the opinion of the writer, George W. Barclay, in lack of supporting documents. At the February board meeting of 1921, Mr. Howell became the first County School Superintendent on record as having granted office and travel expense to the amount of $300.00 per year. Records show that there were three Independent School Districts - Woodville, Doucette and Colmesneil. He was the administrator and fiscal agent for 55 different schools in the county- white and colored. Most of the colored schools were part of white school districts and were under the supervision of the white trustees. During his administration graded roads had its beginning and automobile transportation began. Automobiles were not used in schools, but were used by people and thus affected education. The majority of the schools were given State Supplemented Aid according to their districts. As stated before, it was supervised by the State Educational Department. Greater emphasis was placed upon teacher^Òs certification and qualifications. The school board classified all the schools in the County under three classifications, Elementary (usually on teacher), Intermediate and third class high schools. teachers were still qualifying themselves through State Board examinations with designated examiners set up in each County and administered by the County School Superintendent. This still was a period of scarcity of qualified teachers especially in the State Aid Schools and because of the desire of a better education, parents of children became more interested. There was much reduction in the number of schools by consolidation of many one teacher schools. The shifting of the population due to the cutting out and the closing of sawmill communities also hit this period. It is also noted that Woodville I.S.D. was not included in the list of classified school during this period. From the study of minutes of the County School Board, the work had to do with changing boundaries of schools and filling vacancies in the trustees of local school districts. Between the meeting of one school board to another, the County School Superintendent was given authority to make appointments. S.B. (Bronson) Owens S.B. Owens became the County School Superintendent on January 1, 1925. He served a longer term than any previous Superintendent. At the first board meeting in February, the following County School Board members were present: William McCrady, T.C. Crews, S.H. Pedigo, W.H. Lewis and D.G. Mann and the administration of the county School began. He followed closely in the beginning the duties set forth by the State Board of Education and procedures were set up by the preceding administration. Some of these were serving as chief administrator of all schools in the county except Woodville ISD, approving all teachers contracts, supervising the census, appropriating funds according to the scholastic population of each district, assisting the State supervisor in approving State special aid school boundaries as the need arose. It was also noted in the county School Board minutes there were more frequent changes in the School Board o Trustees. Lou Crews replaced W.H. Lewis in 1927, in 1932 ET Hughes and C.G> Shivers replaced J.I. Allison in 1934. In 1927, it is noted that each school was classified definitely on the status of the number of pupils, teachers certificates and type of high school demanded by each district if the number of pupils met the stated number. This period may be defined as a period of all school policies of the County be set by the County School Board and administered by the County School Superintendent. The financing of the County Administration was definitely set forth in the school board minutes of August, 1927. Each school district contributed a certain amount of the states apportionment to be paid to the County Depository as their pro rata part of the County Administrative expense. It was also noted in 1927, that future planning was made for locating suitable consolidated High School districts. This was to fulfill the desires of the growing interest in education. Also the beginning of a greater desire for preparation for college interests. The State Normal Colleges were changed to State Teachers Colleges for the purpose of training teachers. They became four year colleges offering degrees with the power to certify teachers at their level of achievement. August 19, 1928, the County School Board so ordered the County Institute (meeting of all teachers now called workshops) changed from five days to two days at the beginning of that school year. Also in the year 1928, Mr. Owens was given an assistant office helper for the two months of September and October. On July 27, 1929 in classifying the schools of the County, it was noted that the Woodville white school was classified for the first time a full eleventh grade high school affiliated by The State Education Department. In 1930, the number of schools both colored and white had been greatly reduced because of the consolidation. Most of the districts had been united to the Woodville ISD, Warren consolidated School District, Spurger Consolidated School District, Chester Consolidated School District and Fred Consolidated School District. However, all the colored schools either remained as were or consolidated with colored schools of the above said districts. On August 11, 1933, the County School Board approved the following budget: County School Superintendent- $1800.00, Assistant- $600.00, office and travel expense-$300.00 completing consolidated census role- $35.00, a total of $2735.00 to be paid by per capita assessment of $ .80 each from a total of 3,455 Scholastics in the County on the census role. During this administration which revolutionized education in Tyler County, certification by exam by the county Board had given way to certification earned by college credits. These credits were earned in the Education Department in Colleges and Universities of the state. The term college degree teachers had begun to come in. Students were riding to school in school buses. Consolidation prevailed Tyler County as well as throughout the states affiliated high schools so credited by the State Department of Education. It became the desire of most parents of the County to have their children graduate from an affiliated high school that would admit them to college. This furthered the continued consolidation and transportation was further encouraged by greater aid from the State in financing. Hence, the County School Superintendent had a greater responsibility and duty as he was the chief administrator of all the schools of the County and even administering the transportation of the Woodville ISD. Also dispersing the transportation aid. The last four years found the County Schools depressed because of the poor payment of local taxes due to many circumstances that rose from the depression and an over supply of teachers also brought about circumstances of the depression. O. A. Riley O. A. Riley was elected County School Superintendent on January 1, 1935. He called the County School Board into session in February. Miss Pearl Sheffield was hired by the School Board as his Assistant. He began with the following School Board: G. C. Lowe-President, Joe Feagin, D. G. Mann, H. E. Caraway and C. G. Shivers with changes occurring during his administration. Joe Feagin was replaced by A. A. Miller in 1937, He. E. Caraway was replaced by George Enloe in 1938, D. G. Mann was replaced by W. T./ Gardner in 1030, A. A. Miller was replaced by C. C. Yawn in 1944, C. F. Shivers was replaced by T. O. Sutton in 1945, and Superintendent Riley continued the movement of consolidation and as chief Administrator of all the schools of the County except Woodville ISD He continued to administer the transportation system which had grown to the extent of all scholastics of high school and students were given the opportunity to finish high school. In 1935, M. A. Ferguson as Governor of Texas was successful in getting legislation that made it possible for all teachers with ten years of teaching experience to receive a permanent certificate. The classification of schools in 1935 were Woodville, Chester, Colmesneil, Spurger, Warren and Fred. They were classified as full high schools of eleven grades. All other schools were classified as elementary. The County School Board approved and placed under Superintendent Riley^Òs administrative duties, eight bus routes for Colmesneil, for Chester, five were approved, Woodville had eight, Warren had five, Fred and Spurger had two. Several of the schools owned their buses and the drivers were approved with an average of $25.00 a month salary. All other buses were contracted to drivers who owned and kept the repair of their own buses. It was noted from the minutes of the County School Board that the County Teachers Institute was discontinued but recommended three or four County wide teachers meetings to be held during the year. In 1937, Spurger Rural High School and Fred Rural High School were consolidated by elections and combination of the high school at Spurger became known as Unity Rural High School. In the year of 1935 there were three Independent School Districts in the County; Woodville ISD, Colmesneil ISD, and Doucette ISD. Doucette was classified as an elementary school transferring its high school scholastics to Woodville ISD. The County School Board so classified all schools in the County following the trend of the state. Grades nine through twelve were high school and grades one through eight were elementary schools. It was noted in 1944, there were six classified twelve grade schools in the County, namely Chester, Colmesneil, Woodville, Warren, Spurger and Fred. The County Superintendent ^Ñs administration was further extended by creating a Veteran^Òs Vocational Agriculture School following the guidelines set forth by the State and Federal regulations. After many elections the consolidation of the rural elementary school to their contiguous high schools were Chester Consolidated Rural High School, Colmesneil Independent School District, Woodville ISD, Spurger Consolidated Rural High School District and Warren Consolidated Rural High School Districts. There were three elementary schools still holding, Fred, Hillister and Doucette. With the permission of the County School Board, Fred transferred all high school pupils to Silsbee and a year or two later they transferred all students to Silsbee. All the High School Districts maintained an elementary colored school for their colored people. Chester Rural High School District by now had completed its boundaries with that of the present with about equal territory in Polk County as in Tyler County. In 1949 the beginning term of the schools of the state fell under the Gilmer-Acken Act of Legislation which created a State Board of Education who in turn elected a Commissioner of Educational agencies. On the local and County level the greatest change came with the salary schedule for all personnel and also setting forth the qualifications. In the 1950-1951 school year the County School Board approved a Coop program for Chester and Colmesneil for a common band director and a counselor and guidance director for the Woodville, Warren district. It was also during Superintendent Riley^Òs administration that the Teachers Retirement Act was put into effect in 1937. This act of legislation was endorsed by M.A. Ferguson. His administration of such added to the duties of the county School Superintendent. T.E. Howell T.E. Howell was elected County School Superintendent for the year 1951-1958. The Board members were as follows: Grover C. Lowe, T.O. Sutton, John Wallace, W.T. Gardner and Jim Jordan. The first Board meeting was held on June 12, 1951, with the resignation of Allen Sturrock as Coordinator of Tyler County Vocational Schools was accepted. J.W. Knight was unanimously elected for the job. The classification of schools for 1951 were as follows; Spurger-Hillister, Fred-Colmesneil, Chester-Doucette and Warren- Woodville. Miss Ava I. Humphrey was employed for the school year 1951-1952 as special librarian for Warren and Spurger schools. Albert Barrett was a Special Service Teacher for Woodville, Chester and Hillister colored schools. During this time there were no transfers allowed from one district to another if the grade was being taught in the home district. The County Board members approved the request of the School Board of Woodville, Colmesneil and Warren ISD to set up their own transportation systems and to receive their own transportation allotments direct. The Board adopted a resolution approving the bus routes as established by the local district trustees, assisted by the County School Superintendent for schools of Tyler County for the term 1951-1952. In March of 1952 the Board passed a motion to buy the Hillister CSD #39 school house $10,000.00 bond to be paid out of the County Permanent School fund bearing interest at the rate of 2 and a half percent per annum. Later in 1953 the County Board ordered that the Hillister Common District #39 be annexed to the Woodville ISD. T.E. Howell, the County School Superintendent was given the authority to disburse the County Available money to the schools of Tyler County at 21 cents per capita. The Board of Trustees also granted the School Superintendent a raise of $402.00 per year as a result of the special session of the legislature and a $300.00 per year raise for the Assistant County School Superintendent. In 1956, the Doucette ISD was annexed to the Woodville ISD under the provision of Article 2922A. In 1957, the base salary of the County School Superintendent was raised to $404.00 per month and the salary of the Assistant Superintendent was raised to $35.00 a month. The following schools of Tyler County were classified as follows: Chester CSD, Colmesneil ISD, Spurger ISD, Warren ISD and Woodville ISD. Richard Comte Richard Comte came in as County School Superintendent in 1958 with the following Board of Trustees: T. O. Sutton, T. T. Thornton, Jim Jordan, W. A. Swearingen and Alvin Crews. H. O. Seamans replaced T. T. Thronton in 1959. On October 11, 1958, the Chester Common Consolidated School District of Tyler County became an Independent District under Article 27427. The people who had been serving as Trustees for Chester Common School District were appointed to the Board of Trustees for Chester ISD. They are as follows: G. C. Enloe-President, Roy Clamon, C. P. Pate, Harold Lewis, M. A. Swearingen, Cecil Hickman and Thurman Gulley. The following people were hired as Cooperative personnel for the schools of Tyler County: Hay Brewton-Supervisor, Male Brewton-Supervisor, Eldridge Create-Band Director and Lillian Smith-Liberian. The schools of Tyler County were classified as follows: Woodville ISD - 12 year school Warren ISD - 12 year school Spurger ISD - 12 year school Colmsneil ISD - 12 year school Chester ISD - 12 year school In a meeting in 1960, the expense of the Board Members was raised from $12.00 to $18.00 per meeting. The Board also asked that Supt. Comte investigate the possibilities of investing the County Permanent Fund in Baptist Church Bonds. In 1961, special transfers were permitted because the grades were not taught in the District. These include: 9 pupils from 901 into 903, 3 pupils from 905 into 903 and 5 pupils from 904 into 903. At a meeting on April 10, l961, the distribution of County Available Funds at the rate of 15 cents per capita was agreed upon. This was the last meeting for Richard Comte, Jr. Bevis M. Minter B. M. MInter was appointed County School Sup[ Superintendent after the death of Richard Comte, Jr. Mrs. Ella Comte was voted in as the Secretary to the Co. School Supt. at a salary of $285.00 per month. Sup[t. Minter^Òs salary was 504. per month. In December 1961, the Board of Trustees gave Mr. Minter and T. O. Sutton, Pres. of School Board, the permission to sign the payroll for the Cooperative personnel and the Co. Supt. office and travel checks outside of regular board meetings, not to exceed the amount set aside in the budget. In 1962, Patricia Brown was elected as assistant to the Secretary Ella Comte, to work in the County Supt. office when needed. Later that year the base salary of the supt. was raised to $554.00 and a maximum travel and office expense was set at $480.00 for the year. During Supt. Minter^Òs administration, Spurger ISD annexed a portion of Warren ISD and Spurger absorbed a portion of the bonds of Warren ISD. Also, a ruling of the State on paying County Board Members was brought out that they be paid $18.00 per meeting and any meetings in excess of four, be done free. Hugh Davis was appointed to fill the unexpiered term of T. O. Sutton, deceased, as County Board Member. In 1964, the base pay of the County School Superintendent was set at $554.00 and the Assistant^Òs salary was set at $3,600.00 per year, and the assistant^Òs helper^Òs salary be set at $360.00 a year. In 1965, the pay for the County Superintendent was raised again and base pay became $603.00 per month. In 1966, the base salary for the County School Superintendent was raised to $613.00 a month and Mrs. Patricia Brown was appointed to be the Assistant County School Superintendent at a salary of $3,600.00 a year. The base pay for the County Superintendent was again raised in 1967, to $828.00 per month and Mrs. Brown^Òs salary as Assistant County School Superintendent was raised to $5,500.00 per year. Again in 1969, the salary of the County Superintendent was raised to base pay of $978.00 per month. Mrs. Irene Kelley was hired for the 1969-1970 school year to haul commodities from Lufkin to the various school at $1.00 per 100 pounds weight. On August 3, 1970, the Tyler County School Board with Mr. Bevis Minter^Òs secretary approved the annexation of Vernon County line District #24 to Colmesneil 28 District #901 with metes and bounds described in Appendix A of the Tyler County Board minutes, Volume 2, page 138. In August, 1971, the County School Superintendent^Òs salary was raised to pay $781.00 per month above base pay of $292.00 which equals $1,073.00 per month. Again the salary was raised in 1972, to pay $851.34 above base, making the salary $1,349.34 per month or $16,192.00 per year. In 1973, the salary was raised to pay $1500.00 per month or $18,000.00 per year. Also in 1973, the Assistant^Òs salary was raised to be $7200.00 per year or $600.00 per month. In 1973, Beth Allison was appointed to be the extra help in the County School Superintendent^Òs office n a budget of $1000.00 with which to pay her. In 1974, the salary of the County School Superintendent was again raised. The salary was to pay $1062.00 above the base pay of $292.00 per month making the pay $1560.00 per month or $18,720.00 per year. Also in December of 1974, Donald Tolbert resigned as a County School Board Trustee and Joe R. Smith was appointed in his place. George W. Barclay (January 1,1975 to December 31, 1978) George W. Barclay became the county School Superintendent on January 1, 1975. The Tyler County School Board consisted of Jeff Ratcliff, President, E.C. harden, L.P. Hicks, H.O. Seamans and Joe Smith who replaced Tolbert at the last meeting of the Minter administration. Patricia Brown received a salary of $300.00 for January 1 through January 15, 1975 b the act of the last board meeting under Minter^Òs administration. Tyler county School Board met January 6, 1975 in its regular meeting. All members present except L.P. Hicks. Superintendent^Òs salary was continued at $18,720.00 per year. Anne B. Tolbert was approved and confirmed as Assistant County School Superintendent at a salary of $7200.00 per year. The Tyler County School Board of Trustees met in regular session August 4, 1975. Heard announcement that the Texas Agency permitted the County School Superintendent^Òs office to be only the fiscal agency of the Coop program and the Title I Coop program and not the Administrative agency. A budget was approved that County Superintendent George W. Barclay^Òs salary remain at $18,720.00 per year and Anne B. Tolbert, Assistant Superintendent salary would be $7200.00 per year. Mrs. Freida Cruse was elected as extra helper when needed. On October 2, 1976 a budget was approved as the same as the year before. the County School Board accepted the resignation of Anne B, Tolbert and approved Judy Williams to succeed her as Assistant county School Superintendent at the same salary budgeted. The 1975 Legislature passed the Wayne Peveto Bill #221, stating that the County Superintendent^Òs office and his staff would no longer be financed by the Texas Education Agency after December 31, 1978. (17.94 of the Texas Educational Code.) Legislation of 1977 (Wayne Peveto sponsored act) abolishing all County Superintendent^Òs offices, School Boards and ex officio school superintendents being funded by the Texas Education Agency or state funds. Also, Code 17.96, Transfer of power and duties of abolished offices. Code 17.97, Provision of transfer of records and funds. code 17.98, The method by which the county Superintendent could be established or remain open. Code 17.99, Reclassification of certain school districts, making them Independent School Districts under supervision of the Central Educational Agency. On July 18, 1977 at their regular meeting, the Board received and approved a petition to annex to the Colmesneil Independent School District #229-901 conditions territory, a portion of the Jasper Independent School District #121-904 after the school boards of afore said districts approved. Reference: School Board Minutes, Volume 3, pages 34 - 36. In their regular county School Board meeting on August 1, l977, the Board accepted the resignation of Judy Williams and appointed Debbie Hickman as Assistant Superintendent at the same salary budgeted. The Board approved the County Administrative budget for the year 1977 - 78, with the Superintendent^Òs salary being $19,000.00 per year. All other parts of the budget remaining the same the previous year. In the regular board meeting of March 6, 1978, the Board approved to comply with the State Board of Workmen/s Compensation. Deep East Texas Council of Governments was made the agency for that insurance. On April 10, 1978, the Board accepted the resignation of Debbie Hickman and at the same time approved the appointment of Virginia Mahaffey as Assistant Superintendent. May 8, 1978, the Tyler County Commissioners Court met in regular session and made previsions for the disbursements of the $22,500.00 Tyler County Permanent School Fund and the disbursements was then directed to the Tyler county School Board. The School Board met and authorized Jeff Ratcliff and County Superintendent Barclay to transfer the Permanent School Fund to the Available School Fund and the by checks, pay the school districts of the county on a scholastic Basis. At the August 28, 1978, meeting of the School Board, the Board accepted the resignation of Virginia Mahaffey and approved the appointment of sue Tore Davis as Assistant Superintendent beginning August 29, 1978, at the same salary budgeted. At the same meeting, the School Board adopted a budget for the Administrative office as the same as the year 1977- 78. This budget was to be for four (4) months, through December 31, 1978, after which the office of County School Administration ceased to exist. Tyler County Schools, 1920 - 21 Harmony Pope^Òs Mill Hyatt Lindsey Hopewell Moss Hill (Colored) Fairview Antioch Town Bluff (Colored) Beech Creek East Chapel(Colored) Spurger and Spurger (Colored) Fred Shady Grove Camp Ground Chester Peach Tree (Colored) Enon,Enon 2 Mount Zion Cherokee Bethany Pine Grove (Colored) Mobil Sunny Dale Steele^Òs Grove (Colored) Oak Grove Sugar Creek Holly Fork Mill Creek and Mill Creek (Colored) Emilee Egypt Hicksbaugh and Hicksbaugh (Colored) New Hope Mt. Carmel Sand Hill Neal^Òs Mill McInnis Hillister,Hillister (Colored) Shiloh Sandy Creek Bert Hare Wolf Creek Doucette Camp Pleasant . Officials of Tyler County by Dennise LaVerne Pope (b. 1971) Names of family members, friends and neighbors who performed public service in Tyler county in the years designated are listed below. Judges: W.A. Ferguson 1846-1851 E.W. Isbell 1851-1854 A.G. Parker 1855-1856 James Barclay 1856-1859 James M. Charlton 1859-1860 R.C. Fulgham 1860-1865, 1866-1869 A.J. Harrison 1865-1866, 1869-1870 George W. VanVleck 1876 Henry West 1877-1894 Martin Dies 1894-1896 E.G. Guisendorff 1896-1898 W.A. Johnson 1900-1906, 1916-1921 W.P. Nicks 1898-1900 A.G. Reid 1906-1910, 1912-1914 R.A. Shivers 1910-1912 Tom Coleman 1914-1916 Grover Love 1921-1922 G.C. Bradfield 1922-1924 Hill C. Durham 1924-1929 J.E. Sturrock 1929-1932 M.C. Tatum 1932-1938 George R. Boyd 1944-1948 Lou Cruse 1938-1944. 1948-1950 Jeff Mooney 1962-1970 Esca D. Walker 1950-1962 Tom Dick Mann 1970-1976 Allan Sturrock 1976- DISTRICT JUDGE: H.C. Pedico 1870-1878 COUNTY CLERKS: Edmund Parsons 1846-1860 C.J. Booth 1860-1862 W.M. Scott 1862-1865 E.G. Guisendorff 1865 A.J. Rigsby 1865-1866 W.D. Kinkaid 1866-1869 P.G. McCullar 1869-1873 W. Thomas Hyde 1873-1879 J.F. Heard 1879-1892, 1894-1896 W.A. Johnson 1892-1894 T.C. Mann 1896-1900 A.G. Reid 1900-1906 Ed Pope 1906-1912 Tom Sheffield 1912-1916 E.E. (Emmitt) Wigley 1916-1920 M.C. Tatum 1920-1927 A.M. Prescott 1927-1930 Bertha Prescott 1930-1940 Cross Daniels 1940-1950 Tom Sawyer 1950-1966 Otha C. Miles 1966-1970 Allen Sturrock 1970-1976 Grace Bostick 1976- COUNTY ATTORNEYS: Thomas D. Rock 1866-1876 S.B. Cooper (resigned September 1879) 1876-1879 Aaron George (resigned September 1881) 1879-1881 D.P. Saunders 1881 A.J. Cromwell 1882-1884 James Mann 1884-1885 Micaja Priest (Attorney, while he was treasurer) 1852-1853 E.G. Guisendorff (appointed: 08/10/ 1885), (resigned 05/1886) 1885-1886 T.D. Scott 1886 A.G. Cromwell 1886-1888 W.E. Adams 1888-1890 Sim J. Saunders 1890-1892 J.A. Mooney 1892-1894 A.G. Reid 1894-1896 J.P. Straughan 1896-1898 S.B. Kennerly 1898-1904 J.W. Thomas 1904-1906 W.A. Johnson 1906-1910 J.A. Harper 1910-1912 D.P. Rock 1912-1914 J.E. Wheat 1914-1918 C.E. Smith 1920-1922 W.E. Adams 1922-1924 W.A. Johnson 1924-1932 B.C. Fuller 1932-1934 C.C. Hightower 1934-1938 J.A. Mooney II 1938-1956 Clyde E. Smith Jr. 1956-1968 Rois Brockman 1968-1976 Jim Allison 1976- 1978 Rois Brockman 1978-1980 Joe Smith 1980- COUNTY TREASURERS : Micaja Priest 1849-1853 S.B. McAlister 1853-1866, 1874-1880,1882-1886 No treasurer named 1866-1872 W.P. McDaniel 1872-1874 R.A. Cruse 1880-1882 A.W. Smith 1886 C.B. Collier 1886-1887 J.G. Collier 1887-1888 W.R. Blackshear 1888-1892 J.W. Simmons 1892-1894 C.W. Williams 1894-1900 A.W. Williford 1900-1906 T.J. Cruse 1906-1912 D.C. Enloe 1912-1918, 1924-1926 A.J. Reid 1918-1924 H.O. Richardson 1926-1930 Sue Masterson 1930-1934 Landon Risinger 1934- 1957 Alice Risinger (served out her husbands term) 1957-1958 J. Fletcher Boyd 1958-1974 Austin Fuller 1974- From to 76, taxes were assessed by "beats". Justices of Peace assessed their taxes in their "beats". The sheriff was the collector until 1890. SHERIFFS: A.P.D. or A.J.E. (Addison) Sapp 1846-1848 John B. Dodd 1848-1850 James Barclay 1850-1852 D.C. Enloe 1852-1854 W.B. Gray 1854-1856 B.F. Ross 1856-1866, 1866-1869 J.T. Kirby 1860-1862 Daniel Jones 1862 L.A. Cook 1862-1864 John M. Scott 1864 E.A. Harrison 1864-1865 J.E. Roberts 1869 R.N. Dickens (Sheriff and Tax collector) 1870-1874 Walter Barclay 1874-1876 A.B. Simpson 1874 J.L. Gilder 1876-1879 Robert Frank 1879-1880 Henry S. Kirby 1880-1882, 1884-1888 R.H. Kinkaid 1882-1884 George R. Enloe 1888-1898 G.E. Polk 1898-1900 W.H. Roberts 1900-1902 J.F. Isbell 1902-1906 E.T. John Lindsay Young 1914-1916 T.A. Lindsey 1916-1919 Edgar W. Phillips 1919-1920 W.H. Crawford 1920-1922 B.A. Barclay 1922-1925 Ernest Roe 1925-1926 Hiram B. Ogden 1926-1930, 1932-1934 W.A. Ferguson 1930-1932 T.A. Nicholson 1934-1940 Harvey Phillips 1940-1952 Dan L. Johnson 1952-1956 Bill Nowlin 1956-1960 Grady Ray 1960-1972 Lewis Craven 1972-1980 Leon Fowler 1980- TAX ASSESSORS AND COLLECTORS: James Barclay 1846-1848 R.E. Ratcliff 1848-1849 William Pruitt 1849 John T. Bean 1849-1854 E.A. Whittlesey 1854-1856 John M. Scott 1856 E.L. Pitts 1857-1858 C.W. Bullock 1856-1862 M.J. Bean 1862-1864 Acton Young 1864-1866 D.G. Lindsay 1866-1868 A.M. Harrison 1868-1870 James G. Collier (Assessor) 1876-1878 E.T. Hyde (Assessor) 1878-1880 T.B. Beaty (Assessor) 1880-1888, 1890-1892 S.H. Burch (Assessor) 1888-1890, 1892-1898 James L. Kirby (Collector) 1890-1892 Eugene Triplett 1892-1894, 1898-1902 J.A. Best 1894-1898 Tom C. Crews (Assessor) 1898-1904 J. Perry Mann (Collector) 1902-1906 C.D. Ogden (Assessor) 1904-1908 S.W. Baker (Collector) 1906-1910 T.J. Sturrock (Assessor) 1908-1912 W.H. Cobb (Assessor) 1912-1918 J.M. Summerall (Collector) 1910-1914 Lee Neal (Collector) 1914-1918 B.A. Barclay (Assessor) 1918-1922 Emson Smith (Assessor) 1922-1926 Will Lewis (Assessor) 1926-1930 J.R. Wallace (Assessor) 1930-1934 A.W. Harrison (Collector) 1918-1922 George R. Boyd (Collector) 1922-1926 John Risinger (Collector) 1926-1930 C.S. Spurlock 1930-1934 Roy L. Pate 1934-1938 E.D. Walker (Assessor and Collector) 1938-1942 J.W. Harrison (Assessor and Collector) 1942-1946 A.W. Fortenberry (Assessor and Collector) 1947-1950 Ernest Martin (Assessor and Collector) 1950-1954 J. Bunyan Mann (Assessor and Collector) 1954-1960 A.L. (Pete) Thornton (Assessor and Collector) 1960-1968 Tom Sawyer (Assessor and Collector) 1968-1972 Barbara Tolbert (Assessor and Collector) 1972- COMMISIONER^ÒS COURT: 1849 and 1950: O.T. Betsill, James Barclay, John Wheat, Alfred Oliver and B.W. Isbell 1850-1852: M. Taylor, John Deason, Willey and Jesse Fulgham 1852-1854: W.N. Fairchild, G.W. Payne, M.McQueen, John Work, M.M. Willey and John Wheat 1854-1856: John M. Taylor. James Barclay, Reubin Thompkins and William Seamons 1856-1858: Amos Rich, W.D. Pearce, Joseph Collier, C.W. Bullock, E. Hare, John T. Bean and D.C. Enloe 1858-1860: Joseph Collier, J.M. Hanna, John T. Bean and D.C. Enloe 1860-1862: W.T. Anderson, John Phillips, J.H. Fuller, E.A. Whitlesey, D.C. Enloe and C.H. Jones 1862-1864: William Burk, A.J. Richardson, R.C. Wilson and W.T. Hyde 1864-1866: Isaiah Swearingen, J.S. Russell, W.T. Hyde and John McQueen 1866-1868: Hugh Kerr, A. J. Walker, W.T. Hyde and A. Laird 1869: ? A. (Acton) Young, A.W. Graham and Isaac Allison 1870-1876: Commissioner^Òs Court Abolished, turned in to JP court 1876-1878: J.H. Mayo, Isaac Swearingen, W.I. Stewart, E.D. Seale and W.P. Chapman 1878-1880: William Stephens, H.A. Willson, J.N. Wheat and E.D. Seale 1880-1882: J.R. McGuire, F.W. Cammack, G.S. Tompkins, Aaron Cowart and John N. Wheat 1882-1884: J.M. Rigsby, W.T. Anderson, Aaron Cowart and James T. Morgan 1884-1886: W.W. (or M.) Loomer, J.R. McGuire, G.S. Thompkins and F.M. Hooks 1886-1888: J.M. Rotan, W.G. Davis, James M. (Mc) Barclay, R.L. McDonald, J.B. McConico and J.R. McGuire 1888-1890: S.H. Meadows, John Caloway, H.D. Seamons, J.M. Barclay and C.W. Cook 1890-1892: J.M. Barclay, J.T. Morgan, C.W. Cook and John Caloway 1892-1894: C.W. Bullock, J.T. Morgan, J.A. Kuebler and W.G. Collier 1894-1896: J.G. Swearingen, F.S. Heard, G.W. Holton amd J.T. Hicks 1896-1898: J.W. (M.) Rotan, F.S. Heard, Sebe Grimes and H.W. McDonald 1898-1900: J.W. Rotan, H.D. Seamons, W.R. Shillings and J.M. McDonald 1900-1902: J.W. barclay, A.F. Richardson, W.R. Shillings and J. M. McDonald 1902-1904: J.W. Barclay, A.W. Richardson, G.W. Holton and J. M. McDonald 1904-1906: F.E.Fuller, C.P. Kirkland, G.W. Holton and J. M. Coward 1906-1908: J.F. Durham, J.M. Stewart, S.P. Dean and R. H. Jordan 1908-1910: W.B. Allison, J.M. Stewart, S.P. Dean and R.H. Jordan 1920-1922: A.W. Williford, W.H. Boyett, Scott McMillan and J.R. McInnis 1922-1924: E.H. McDonald, Gus Holloman, H.P. Crews and R. H. Jordan 1924-1926: C.D. Ogden, Gus Holloman, J. F. Sturrock and W.R. Bingham 1926-1928: C.D. Ogden, E.J. Riley, J.F. Sturrock and W.R. Bingham 1928-1930: E.W. Phillips, E.J. Riley, H.A. Conner and B.L. Richardson 1930-1932: E.W. Phillips, E.J. Riley, H.A. Conner and B.L. Richardson 1932-1934: M.F. Nellius, E.J. Riley, H.A. Conner and R.L. Pope 1934-1936: M.F. Nellius, Lou Crusse, J.E. Riley and S.I. Willis 1936-1938: M.F. Nellius, Lou Cruse, J.E. Riley and S.I. Willis 1938-1940: M.F. Nellius, J.A. Mann, J.U. Hopson and S.I. Willis 1940-1942: Joe W. Pate, A.E. Powell, S.I. Willis and J.U. Hopson 1942-1944: Joe W. Pate, A.E. Powell, J.U. Hopson and H.E. Caraway 1944-1946: Joe W. Pate, Hardy Marshall, A.E. Gibbs and H.E. Caraway 1946-1948: R.A. Ogden, Hardy Marshall, A.E. Gibbs and H.E. Caraway 1948-1950: R.A. Ogden, W.A. Barnes, Floyd Hignett and H.E. Caraway 1950-1952: Allen Riley, W.A. Barnes, Floyd Hignett and H.E. Caraway 1952-1954: Allen Riley, W.A. Barnes, Floyd Hignett and French Hicks 1954-1956: Allen Riley, W.A. Barnes, Ellis Fowler and French Hicks 1956-1958: Allen Riley, W.A. Barnes, Ellis Fowler and French Hicks 1958-1960: Howard Riley, H.H. Powell, Ellis Fowler and French Hicks 1960-1962: Howard Riley, H.H. Powell, Tommy Hayes and French Hicks 1962-1964: Howard Riley, H.H. Powell, H.A. Crews and French Hicks 1964-1966: Joe Best, H.H. Powell, Leon Fowler and French Hicks 1966-1968: Joe Best, H.H. Powell, James Jordan and Leon Fowler 1968-1970: Carl Shepherd, H.H. Powell, Leon Fowler and James Jordan 1970-1972: Carl Shepherd, H.M. (G. ?) Parks, Leon Fowler and James Jordan 1972-1974: Joe Best, H.M. Parks, Kenneth Belt and James Jordan 1974-1976: Joe Best, H.M. Parks, Kenneth Belt and James Jordan 1976-1978: Maxine Riley, Kenneth Lowe, Leon Fowler and James Jordan 1980: Maxine Riley, Kenneth Lowe, Jery Mahan and Adnell Odom Joe Best, H.M. Parks, Kenneth Belt and James Jordan 1974-1976: Joe Best, H.M. Parks, Kenneth Belt and James Jordan 1976-1978: Maxine Riley, Kenneth Lowe, Leon Fowler and James Jordan 1980: Maxine Riley, Kenneth Lowe, Jery Mahan and Adnell Odom COUNTY SHOOOL SUPERINTENDENTS see George W. Barclay Sr.^Òs paper From "History of the Scottish Barclays" by Leslie Barclay "Throughout Scotland, they played important roles in national affairs. Sir David Barclay was one of Robert the Bruce's chief associates and was present at many of his battles. Sir Walter de Berkeley, Gartley III, Lord Redcastle and Inverkeillor, was the Great Chamberlain of Scotland 1165-1189. Alexander de Berkeley, Gartley IX, became Mathers I in 1351 when he married Katherine Keith, sister of the Earl of Marischal. Their son Alexander was the first to adopt the Barclay form of the surname. Sir George Barclay, Gartley XIX, was Steward of the household of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a later Sir George was second in command of James IV's forces in the Highlands in 1689." "One of the major Barclay families was established at Urie near Stonehaven in Kincardineshire. The first Laird, Colonel David Barclay, was a professional soldier serving with such armies as that of Gustavus Adolphus. He returned home when civil war broke out and served as a colonel of a regiment of horse, fighting for the king." ________________________________________________________________________________ Dunmore's War Barkley, John Capt. John Murray's Company Botetourt Co, VA ________________________________________________________________________________ Revolutionary War Barclay, Robert Rank: Captain Rowan Co, NC During the American Revolution, Captain Robert Barclay and his son served in the North Carolina regiment. There was no actual fighting on the Jersey settlement farms. Uniformed and heavily armed, Red Coats camped across the Yadkin River. They were waiting for the river to subside, it being wide and swollen from heavy rains. The British camped there two days, peering into the fine Jersey farms by spy glass. The North Carolina Jersey minute men farmer militia lined their side of the Yadkin River, unifromed in their work clothes and armed with rifles, single shot shotguns, knives, hoes, shovels, sticks and rocks. One Jersey soldier rode his horse to the bank of the Yadkin and shook his sword in a menacing way at the British. After a lengthy impasse, the order came for the British to leave the Jersey lands and move on. The Yadkin River, that had made their valley so fertile, had protected the Jersey farms, by seeming to be uncrossable. (excerpts from out of print books in the Archives of old Rowan County North Carolina provided by the tourist bureau personnel 6/8/1998 ) In later years, a monument was erected by the DAR in honor of Captain Robert Barkley of Rowan County, North Carolina and his son. At the ceremony, Alben Barkley, then the Senator from Kentucky and later rhe Vice President of the United States, made the dedication. (submitted for Nell Barclay Redman, descendant of Capt Robert Barkley's son, Walter Barclay b. 1774) Barkley, Robert Rank: Private Rowan Co, NC Barclay, Jacob Rank: Private Shenandoah County, VA Barclay, Hugh & Hugh Jr. Rockbridge County, VA Public Service Claim Barclays in American Revolutionary War Submitted by Teddy L. Barclay Pope, Ed. D. From the records in the Clayton Genealogical Library Houston, Texas October 1, 1999 American Revolution War Barkley Alexander, 174? VA, mil Rev War George, 175? NJ, Rev War Recds, NJ 501 Hugh, 175? NJ, priv Rev War, recd NJ 501 James, 174? VA, mil. Corp - Rev War VA:40 John, 174? VA., mil. Rev War Recrds VA:40 John, 175? NJ prv Rev War Recds NJ: 501 Joseph, 174? Vamil. Rev War Recds VA 40 Joseph, 175? MJ priv Rev War Recds NJ: 501 Robert 175? NH Rev War Recds NJ 1:168, 288, 3:175, 508 Robert, 175? Vt Rev War Rolls, Vt: 657, 832 William 174? VA, mil - Rev War Recds. VA:40 Barkly Joseph, 174? VA mil Rev War Recds VA:40 Barcly Charles, 174? NJ, wagoner - Rev War Recds NJ: 855 Barclay Alexander, 174? VA mil. Rev War Recds. VA:39 James 174?VA mil. Corp Rev War Recds. VA:39 John, 175?Ct Rev War Recds Ct: 171 Joseph, 174? VA, mil Rev War Recds VA:39 Joseph, 175? NJ prev Rev War Recds NJ:500 War of 1812 Barclay, John Rev. War Recds 1791 - 1815 Insurrection Barkley, Charles, Ra. War Recds, 1791 - 1815, NJ:46 Barclay, James, 177? NJ Pa Insurrection - War Records 1791 - 1815 ________________________________________________________________________________ War of 1812 Davidson, Brackett Sept. 28, 1814 - April 27, 1815 Capt(s). Samuel Crawford & James McMahon's Company (Brackett was wounded in right hand at the battle of New Orleans Dec. 23, 1814. Dr. David Kerr, Surgeon General at New Orleans, LA, Certified his disablity, he could not use the hand for any type of labor. Noted David Kerr was the father-in-law of Dr. Richard Davidson's son. Richard was Brackett's 1st cousin.) ________________________________________________________________________________ Texas Independence William C Barclay b. 1815, NY, age 20, was on his way to Texas to seek his fortune. When he got to New Orleans, he was tired of overland travel, by foot trail and horse, and it was still another 350 miles of virgin forest to go through, mostly by footpath. There, he made arrangements to board a ship in the harbour of New Orleans bound for Galveston, the major point of entry by water into Texas. He would work as a crewman on the ship in exchange for his passage. Before they got completely out of the harbour of New Orleans, the ship was captured by a regiment of Mexican soldiers. The crew was arrested on the grounds of priracy, because the cargo was food stuff for the troubled Texas port where unrest had already started that would break into fighting the following month. A Mexican military trial was held and all crew members, including William Barclay, were found guilty on Thursday and sentenced to be executed by firing squad the following Monday morning at daybreak. Knowing their fate, Sunday, the crew was able to smuggle out a statement by the chaplain, signed by them all, to their relatives to let them know what had become of them and to tell them that they had not been pirates and were not guilty. The execution took place the following morning. The statement was published in the newpaper of New Orleans the following week. (From an out of print history book in the Shivers library at Woodville, Texas submitted by Teddy Barclay Pope, 5/1/1999.) Anderson Barclay, son of Walter Barclay of Rowan County North Carolina, was at the battle of Bexar at the location of the Alamo in December before the massacre at the Alamo in thirteen days of Glory in late February and early March, and at Goliad (he was out hunting for game when the 500 Texians were captured and executed by firing squad). After the of battle of San Jacinto, he was sent out to blow up a bridge to deter the scattered Mexican army and search for General Santa Ana. Anderson was one of the men who ultimately found and brought in Santa Ana. (submitted by Teddy Barclay Pope, 5/1/1999.) Menard District (later Tyler County) James Barclay John Barclay (at battle of San Jacinto) Robert Barclay (all three above received pension from Houston's Army) Henry Barclay --------------------------- David Barclay (county unknown) ________________________________________________________________________________ US/Mexican War Barclay, Durett Hubbard Rank: unknown May 08, 1847 - Oct. 18, 1848 Company K 3rd Regiment Missouri Mounted Volunteers Capt. David Stockton Sons of Walter Barclay and Elizabeth McQueen Barclay Barclay, John Barclay, William Rank: unknown killed in battle in Mexico 1847 ________________________________________________________________________________ Civil War Confederate Rosters of VA: Barclay, A. Tedford Rank: Ensign Company I 4th Regiment Barclay, Elihu, H. Rank: Private Troop C 1st Regiment Barkly, Fred Rank: Company C 7th Regiment Barclay, Henry Rank: Private Company H 25th Regiment Barclay, Henry B. Rank: Private Company K 62nd Regiment Barkley, M.T. Rank: Company G 5th Regiment Barclay, Washington Rank: Private Company K 62nd Regiment Davison, Thomas McDearmon Rank: Company: Regiment: Davison, James Hardison Rank: Company: Regiment: -------------------- Barclay, A.A.E.W. Rank: Acting Master's Mate Confederate Navy Barclay, William Rank: 2nd Assitant Engineer Confederate Navy (all above from Virginia) ------------------------ Tyler County, Texas - Hood's Brigade Watt Barclay(Walter William) son of Anderson Barclay Robert Barclay Henry Barclay Landon Risinger, husband of Arvilla Barclay (daughter of James Barclay b.1816 Tenn) Capt. Charles Bullock, husband of Elizabeth Barclay (also daughter of James above) From the Records of the Texas State Archives Barclay AO TVG, Reagan's Rifles Barclay JH RM Barclay JH 39th regiment Barclay Put tst Barclay Samuel D MV Barclay WW TVG Tyler Co Barclay William A MV Barclay Robert B TYler Co Barclay Hugh W Johnson Co Barclay James - Knox, Polk Barclay John Bunion Williamson County Barclay WW Hardin Co Barclay David Roberts Co texas Barclay, Robert B Tyler Co Texas Barclay, Joseph Hugh Hopkins County Texas Barclay Walter William Polk Co Texas ------------------------------------------- Union Records: Barclay, John M. Rank: Pvt Company B 1st New Jersey Volunteers (wounded at Coal Harbor, 1864 & died of complications in Trenton, New Jersey 1869) submitted by Tom Barclay ________________________________________________________________________________ WWI ________________________________________________________________________________ WWII Russell R. Elgin U.S. Army - Military Police Rank: Staff Sergeant (great grandson of Durrett Hubbard Barclay) George Frederick Johnston casualty - RAF (great great grand son of Walter Barclay b. 1774) Bernice M. Barclay Whitley; only child of James Barclay, died at Corregedor, Phillipines in World War II. Falls County, Texas Dr. Watt Barclay, Tyler County, Texas Ruth Barclay, daughter of Clyde Barclay of Tyler County, Texas Raymond Barclay, son of Clyde, Navy Gus Shelby "Sonny Boy", Navy, foster child of the Walter Barclay family ________________________________________________________________________________ Korea Clyde Doyle Barclay, Navy, Tyler County, Texas, son of Clyde Barclay George W Barclay, Jr, 1st Lt., Army, Jefferson County, Texas ________________________________________________________________________________ Viet Nam ________________________________________________________________________________ Persian Gulf Daniel J. Elgin U.S. Navy/U.S.S. Constellation Rank: Ops Specialist 2 (3rd great grandson of Durrett H. Barclay) Joseph A. Lingross U.S. Army Rank: Staff Sergeant (2nd great grandson-in-law of Durret H. Barclay) ________________________________________________________________________________ Bosnia ________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have Barclay military service rec Barclay Military Service Included: Texas Revolution William C. Barclay, age 20, b. 1815, New York State. On his way to Texas Willliam C Barclay was captured with a ship's crew aboard a ship in the harbor of New Orleans. He was tried and executed by firing squad of the Mexican army for transporting foodstuffs, considered by the Mexicans to be contraband, to the Texas army. A statement was smuggled out by the chaplain in an open letter to their families telling them of their fate and that they were innocent and not pirates, as the charge had been piracy. Received pensions of acres for service in the Texas Army. Anderson Barclay, son of Walter Barclay of Rowan County North Carolina at the battle of Bexar at the location of the Alamo in December before the massacare at the Alamo in thirteen days of Glory in late Febuary and early March.and Goliad (he was out hunting for game when the 500 Texians were captured and executed by firing squad).After math of battle of San Jacinto was sent out to blow up a bridge to deter the scattered Mexican army while they searched for Mexico's Preisdent Santa Ana. With men who found and brought in Santa Ana. Robert Barclay received a pension for service in Sam Houston's army. James Barclay received a pension for service in Sam Houston's army. John Barclay received a pension for service in Sam Houston's army and was at the battle of San Jacinto. U S War With Mexico William Barclay was a casualty in the War With Mexico and died in Mexico. Civil War - Confederacy Served in Hood's Brigade; Walter William Barclay (Watt), Robert Barclay (Bob), Henry Barclay. All of Tyler County, Texas. General Robert E Lee said that he could have won the war if he had had some more of those Texas boys. World War II Bernice Martha (married James B. Whitley; only child, James Barclay, died at Corregedor, Phillipines in World War II). Falls County, Texas Major Watt Barclay, Tyler County, Texas Ruth Barclay, Second Lt Navy, South Pacific, daughter of Clyde Barclay of Tyler County, Texas Raymond Barclay, Navy, son of Clyde Barclay, Tyler County, Texas Ralph Barclay, Navy, son of Clyde Barclay, Tyler County, Texas James Edmond, Navy, son of Clyde Barclay, Tyler County, Texas Korea military action era aftermath Clyde Doyle Barclay, navy Tyler County, Texas George W Barclay, Jr, first Luientant, army, Jefferson County, Texas Here is a listing of the all Presidents of the United States in order of their terms in office with known possible Barclay/Barkley connections George Washington, 1789-1797 John Adams, 1797-1801 Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809 - Area of Research for more information about Barclay owner of Montecello, also founder of Church of Christ James Madison, 1809-1817 - Area of Research for connection with Barclay family through Madisons and Leah Madison Barkley, m Robert Barkley of Rowan Co NC James Monroe, 1817-1825 John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829 Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837 Martin Van Buren, 1837-1841 William Henry Harrison, 1841 John Tyler, 1841-1845 James Knox Polk, 1845-1849 - Area Research for connection between Barclay/Barkley family Rowan Co NC and Lincoln Co NC and Barkley/ Knox marriage in family of the other Robert Barkley m. to Eleanor Zachary Taylor, 1849-1850 Millard Fillmore, 1850-1853 Franklin Pierce, 1853-1857 James Buchanan, 1857-1861 Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865 - Area research for connection between Barkley/ Todd family of Mary Todd Lincoln Andrew Johnson, 1865-1869 Ulysses Simpson Grant, 1869-1877 Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 1877-1881 James Abram Garfield, 1881 Chester Alan Arthur, 1881-1885 Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889 Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1893 Grover Cleveland, 1893-1897 William McKinley, 1897-1901 Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909 - Area Reserch between friendship with son William Scott of father Winfield Scott connected to Barclay/Bullock/Scott of Tyler Co William Howard Taft, 1909-1913 Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921 Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1921-1923 Calvin Coolidge, 1923-1929 Herbert Clark Hoover, 1929-1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933-1945 Harry Truman, 1945 - 1952 - Vice President Alen Barkley - senator from Kentucky, desc from Barkley's of Rowan Co NC Dwight David Eisenhower 1953-1961 John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-1963 Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1963-1969 - Area research connection between Barclay/Barkley of Rowan Co and Lincoln Co NC and the Cowan family that LBJ is descended from Richard Milhous Nixon, 1969-1974 Gerald Rudolph Ford, 1974-1977 James Earl Carter, Jr., 1977-1981 Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1981-1989 George Herbert Walker Bush, 1989-1993 William Jefferson Clinton, 1993- Mount Hope Lodge 121 By J.E. WHEAT The history of the Mount Hope Lodge is pretty much a history of Tyler County. The County was created in 1846 and Wm. P. Sansom the first Chief Justice of the County was one of the organizers of the Lodge in 1852. Another of those charter members was Henry West who was later a District Clerk and then County Judge of the County. There is no information available as to the beginning of the settlement at Mount Hope, but it was located on the only road through this area prior to the coming of the North Americans in the thirties. The old Spanish Road from Nacogdoches to the Spanish Missions at the mouth of the Trinity river passed this way and there is record of its use for a hundred years before the Masonic Lodge was chartered there in 1853. When the Mexican Government tried to stop further immigration from the U.S. to Texas by the Decree of April 6, 1830, Fort Teran was established on this road at the crossing on the Neches River. One of the Mexicans stationed there was Gavino Araujo under the command of Peter Ellis Bean. Under the provisions of the laws of Mexico he, being a Mexican, was able to secure a Grant of 11 Leagues of land, five leagues being located on this road near the Fort and the other six in Nacogdoches County. This Grant was in march 17, 1834, being the first land Grant in what is now Tyler County. Needless to say, he left Texas when the troubles started and never was permitted to use his large land holdings and never personally conveyed a foot of the Five League Grant. Peter Ellis Bean purporting to act as the agent and attorney in fact for Gavino Araujo, sold the entire grant to Frost Thorn in 1837 but no deeds were made by Frost Thorn until 1851, doubtless for the reason that no one would recognize his title. Since the original grantee did not show up, however, to dispute his authority the sales made by Bean stood the test of the courts and in the 'fifties many deeds were made to settlers on this Grant. Mount. Hope was on this Grant and it is likely that there were many settlers here before any deeds were made and recorded. The first deed of record to the land on which Mount. Hope was located was from H.W. Carter to his wife, Amelia Carter, and was dated October 7, 1852. It conveyed to her "All my right, title, claim and interest in and to the following described property, to-wit: Lots or parcels of land formerly occupied by me in Greenville, Polk County and all the lands, 600 acres more or less, in Tyler County including my present residence on Russells Creek called Mount. Hope. Together with any and all lands or real estate that I may have in the State aforesaid or elsewhere and also my present stock of goods, groceries, and merchandise--estimated at the value of Five Thousand Dollars, a negro girl named Cecilia aged twelve, or fourteen years, one wagon and seven yoke of cattle with all necessary chains, yokes and other things thereunto belonging, seven milk cows & calves, Eighteen head of hogs, five head of horses." However, the deed from Frost Thorn to H.W. Carter was not made until December the 10th, 1853, more than a year later. In the meantime on April 1, 1853, H. W. Carter conveyed two acres to James Barnes, Wm. Barnes, H. Frazier, David Barclay and John J. Pemberton, Trustees, for a residence for the travelling minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church South; on the same day, A. L. Kavanaugh preacher in charge of the Woodville District, had appointed the five men above named as Trustees. The parsonage lot was described as follows: "Beginning at a stone (planted) from which the N.W. cor of the Mount Hope Church brs. W. 29 yds and the SW cor of the Mount Hope Parsonage house bears North eastwardly 27 yards. Thence N. 53 yds. to a stake from which a black jack 2 yds. bears east marked X. Thence N. 83 E. 150 yds to a P O marked X Thence S. 71 yds to a stake Thence W. 148 yds to the place of beginning." From these conveyances it will be seen that in addition to the store and residence of the Carters there was a church building on the land. Here is where the Lodge comes in, although it is not named in any of the deeds. At the meeting of the Grand Lodge in Nacogdoches in January 18, 1853, F. B. Sexton, District Deputy Grand Master of the Second Masonic District of Texas, reported that he had granted a dispensation "to several Brethren to open and hold a Lodge at Mount Hope, Polk County, Texas, having first made every practicable inquiry into the moral character and Masonic skill of the applicants." The Committee on work and Returns of Lodges under dispensation, W. M. Taylor, Chairman reported: "The proceedings and returns of Mount Hope Lodge U. D. are all correct; we therefore recommend that a charter issue to said lodge to be held at Mount Hope, Tyler County, on the payment of the usual fee." Mount Hope Lodge No. 121, was represented at the Grand Lodge by H. West. The original charter dated 21st day of January, 1853, names the following officers: Wm. Harrison, W. M.; H.W. Carter, S.W.; H. A. Willson, J.W.; and Henry West, Secretary. The book with a signed copy of the original By Laws of the Lodge is still in the possession of the Lodge. The minutes of the early meetings of Mount. Hope Lodge are not available but the names of the ten men who paid dues of 30 cents each from November 1852 o January 1, 1853, as shown by an account book, and who signed the original By Laws are as follows: William Harrison, H. W. Carter, H. A. Willson, Henry West, Jefferson Laird, Wm. L. Mann, Benjamin Enloe, Wm. Priest, Israel Sneed and Wm. P. Sansom. Under the dispensation, a meeting was held on January 1, 1853, and G. W. Payne, Sam H. Barnes and John W. Rotan were initiated. There is no reference in the minutes to a Lodge building, until July 3, 1875, when a committee consisting of W. W. Whitehead, S. H. Barnes, Stephen Lewis, J. M. Hallmark and E. Sandlin, was appointed to build a new Lodge building. However, no report was ever made by that committee; but in March, 1884, a committee was appointed to see what the Church would pay for the Lodge's interest in the building. Since the Masons were holding regular meetings in 1853, when the deeds above referred to were made and were continuing to meet until the Committee was appointed to sell the Lodge's interest to the Church, it is evident that the Church and Lodge were using the same building. The ten men who secured the Dispensation in 1852 were initiated, passed and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in some other Lodge. Three of them, Wm. Harrison, Henry West and William P. Sansom, were members of Unity Lodge No. 102 at the time the Mount. Hope Lodge was organized. It is not known when or where the other seven received their degrees. But these ten men and the three who were initiated under the Dispensation are typical of pioneer days in Tyler County. Two of the original officers of the Lodge: William Harrison, the Master, and Hamilton W. Carter, the Senior Warden, were not residents of Tyler County in 1850, when the first census was taken. H. W. Carter resided at Moscow; then known as Greenville, which may account for the fact that the District Deputy's report located Mount. Hope in Polk County. Harrison was a school trustee at Peach Tree Village in 1856. Nothing else is learned of him. H. W. Carter secured a Post Office at Mount. Hope, May 27, 1851, and was named as the first Postmaster. He ran a general store and established Mount. Hope as a trade center for the area, which continued after his death in 1854, to the coming of the railroads and the death of Dr. Whitehead in 1884. Martin Buxton succeeded Carter in the ownership of the property and the operation of the business. He became a member of the Lodge in 1854. The census records give us some data on the other charter members: William P. Sanson, a minister, age 38 in 1850, and his wife, age 32, were born in Tennessee; so were their first two children, Samuel F., 15, and Eliza J., 13. The other five children were born in Texas, William M., 11, which indicates that they came to Texas between 1837 and 1839. He was the first chief Justice of Tyler County having been elected in 1846. He lived on the H. Frazier League on the head waters of Billums Creek, near the site of "Fenced-in-Village" of the Cherokee Indians. However, he sold his farm to Hilliard Durden on February 1, 1853, and left the country. Hiram A. Willson was a farmer, age 28. He was born in Georgia and his wife in Tennessee. Their first child, Stephen E., was born in Texas in 1847. Henry West, a farmer, was born in Tennessee in 1827. He was elected District Clerk of Tyler County in 1866 and later served as County Judge of the County. No information is available as to Jefferson Laird. William L. Mann, a farmer, was born in South Carolina in 1811. His wife was born in Alabama. He came to Texas in 1838 and settled on Billums Creek. He established a Post Office, "Billums," on October 21, 1852, and was the first Postmaster there. Their oldest children: David G., William T. and Mary E. were born before coming to Texas. Elender, James M., Robert S., Samuel and Matilda were born in Texas. He was one of the school trustees of the Billums District and was the presiding officer in all of the early elections of that precinct. Ben Enloe was 55 years of age when the Lodge was organized, a farmer, and one of the leading citizens of the Billums Creek community. He and his wife, Sara, were born in Tennessee. His son, David C. Enloe, was born in Alabama. He was a member of Woodville Lodge No. 62. William Priest was 24 at that time. He was a native of Tennessee. He was a member of Captain Veatch's Company of Mounted Volunteers in the War with Mexico in 1847. He was living in the home of Benjamin Green when the census of 1850 was taken. Benjamin Green was one of the earliest sealers of the area and his farm was located within two miles of Mount. Hope on the old Spanish Road, heretofore mentioned. Very little is known of Israel Sneed, except that he received a head-right certificate for 640 acres of land which was located near the Neches River on Billums' Creek, some ten miles from Mount. Hope. He and his family, consisting of his wife and nine children, were living in that vicinity in 1850. He sold his land certificate to William Sturrock in two parts, one in 1854, and the other in 1855, and left this section of the state. The election box in that area was known as "Sneeds," which indicates that the elections were held at this home. The three Entered Apprentices who were initiated on January 1, 1853, were G. W. Payne, a merchant, who was born in Tennessee in 1819; Sam H. Barnes, a farmer, 40 years of age, from Mississippi; and John W. Rotan, a farmer, 26 years of age, from Alabama. At the first meeting after the charter was granted, Calvin A. Barnes, a farmer, 26 years of age, was initiated, followed eight months later by his brother, William R. Barnes, a farmer, 39 years of age, both were born in Mississippi and resided in the immediate vicinity of Mount. Hope. It will be noted that William R. Barnes was one of the trustees to whom H. W. Carter conveyed the two acres for a parsonage on April 1, 1853. Other members were initiated in the early days of the Lodge's existence, as follows: John T. Kirby Robert Rotan G. P. Keahy Daniel Denny Henry Costellow Jno. C. McGee Martin C. Buxton Dan R. Smith John Felder A. J. Harrison Archibald Laird Henry S. Kirby Henry Cliburn Sam Slater Isaac Futch Wm. J. Thigpen A. T. Nowlin S. T. Strong M. McQueen Moses Summeral W. D. Maddox Wm. Lowe Amos Mahaffey Wm. Butter Jno. Hammons D. ByrdOctober 1, 1853 March 4, 1853 September 3, 1854 March 4, 1854 February 4, 1854 May 6, 1854 August 5, 1854 September 2, 1854 April 7, 1855 October 6, 1855 February 14, 1857 January 3, 1857 February 14, 1857 March 14, 1857 May 9, 1857 July 9, 1859 September 10, 1859 November __, 1859 December 17, 1859 January 21, 1859 January 21, 1859 May 9, 1860 August 11, 1860 March 9, 1860 March 9, 1860 December 8, 1860 During this period, two Master Masons were added by affiliation: Matthew Slater, on February 3, 1855 W. W. Whitehead on April 11, 1857. Inasmuch as we do not find the first minutes, we do not know just when they held their meetings, but at a meeting held in October, 1871, the date was changed from the second Saturday in each month to the first Saturday at 10 o'clock A.M. Then, on August 2, 1879, the meeting date was changed again to Saturday on or before the first full moon at 2 o'clock P.M. It is interesting to take a glimpse at the list of members and officers after a period of twenty years. In 1872, the Lodge was composed of 23 members: H. B. Arrant S. H. Barnes C. A. Barnes J.W.L. Davis D. Z. Davenport A. E. Barclay Walter Barclay John S. Havis Wm. Lowe Stephen Lewis H. S. Kirby J. T. Kirby W. L. Mann A. L. McAlister W. A. Mahaffey Jonathan Peters E. Sandlin J. T. Priest R. Rotan M. C. Parks W. W. Whitehead H. A. Willson P. J. Waldrep The officers for that year were publicly installed by Robert W. Hubert, of Unity Lodge No. 102 of Moscow. The officers were: A. Laird, W.M. Watt Barclay, S.W. J. S. Havis, J.W. H. A. Willson, Secretary J. T. Priest, Treasurer J. T. Kirby, J.D. Robert Rotan, Tiler After the installation "the Lodge then formed in procession and marched to the dinner which was given by the fraternity and after partaking of refreshments, returned to the Lodge room." In numerous instances, an account was allowed for dinner furnished the members by W. W. Whitehead. In July 3, 1875, a committee was appointed to build a new building consisting of: W. W. Whitehead S. H. Barnes Stephens Lewis J. M. Hallmark E. Sandlin Nothing further is shown with reference to the action of this committee. But on March 1, 1884, a committee was appointed to see what the Church would pay for the Lodge's interest in the building. This item in the minutes is rather interesting as one can imagine what was being said and done at the time, but not recorded in the minutes with reference to a removal of the Lodge to the new town of Chester. This was just about the time the railroad was built through this section and we can imagine the jealousy and rivalry that existed between the communities of Mount Hope and Peach Tree Village on one hand, and the new town of Chester, on the other. This committee made no report so far as the records show, but on February 7, 1885, W. W. Whitehead, John T. Kirby, Jonathan Peters and Stephen Lewis were granted demits. On March 11th, just 4 days later, the Lodge conducted funeral services at the grave of W. W. Whitehead with J. J. Cannon, D.D.G.M., in charge. A motion was adopted that the previous action granting the demit to W. W. Whitehead be rescinded and that a special dispensation be requested to conduct the funeral services. The Lodge continued with a membership of between 15 and 25 and held its regular meetings at Mount Hope with the usual troubles of securing attendance and in addition to the regular business, conducted trials of the brethren for sundry violations of their obligations and with suspensions for non-payment of dues, until 1891. On May 3, 1890, U. H. Shine affiliated with the Lodge at Mount Hope. On February 7, 1891, a building committee was appointed consisting of: W. M. Lowe J. T. Priest U. H. Shine In June, 1891, J. W. Simmons, I. G. Futch, T. C. Cliburn and W. A. Mahaffey were added to the committee. No reports were made by the committee, but February 20, 1892, John T. Kirby, G. E. Polk and Lee Weathersby were appointed as a committee on arrangements in connection with the dedication ceremonies of the new building to be held on March 4, 1892. S. B. Cooper, John Henry Kirby and Thomas Scott were named to deliver addresses. The last meeting at Mount Hope was on February 6, 1892, at 10 o'clock A.M. with the following officers: U. H. Shine, W.M. J. T. Priest, S.W. Wm. Lowe, J.W. M. C. Parks, Treasurer W. A. Mahaffey, Secretary Wm. Davis, S.D. James Pace, J.D. W. L. Baker, S.S. J. S. Moors, J.S. A. T. Couch, Tiler Members present: Lee Weathersby Visitors: W. H. McDonald, Yellow Pine Lodge William Davis, Yellow Pine Lodge W. L. Bishop, Unity Lodge The object of the meeting was stated and it was unanimously voted to move the Lodge from Mount Hope to the new building at Chester. "The brethren all gathered around the altar and Brother Davis led in prayer. The Lodge was called from labor to refreshments, formed in procession and marched to the new Lodge building at Chester. The Lodge was called from refreshments to labor." At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Lodge reconvened in the new building and petitions were received for N. J. Hayes for initiation, and H. B. Lewis, for affiliation. They then conferred the E. A. degree upon D. C. Morgan and G. E. Smith; the F. C. degree on James Mann, and the M. M. degrees on D. M. Marshall, J. M. Wilbourne and W. L. Uzzell. A reception committee was previously appointed consisting of U. H. Shine, Walter Barclay, G. E. Polk, James T. Priest, Wm. Lowe, W. A. Mahaffey, Lee Weathersby, M. C. Parks, D. M. Marshall, W. L. Uzzel, H. J. Havis and J. S. Moore to meet the R.W.D.D.G.M., H. C. Howell of Jasper, at the two o'clock train. They escorted him "up in our new Lodge building, then down to dinner for refreshments, then back to the Lodge room." On March 4, 1892, the Lodge met and appointed the following officers to: WAIT ON PROCESSION: G. E. Polk D. M. Marshall W. L. Uzzell MARSHALL W. H. McDonald TILER: A. T. Couch STEWARDS: J. S. Moors W. L. Baker ARCHITECT: J. W. Simmons SECRETARY: W. A. Mahaffey TREASURER: M. C. Parks CHAPLAIN F. D. L. Himmey S.W. John Henry Kirby J.W. S. B. Cooper D.W.M. U. H. Shine S.D. V. C. Tucker J.D. H. J. Davis GRAND SWORD BEARER R. D. Davis The object of the meeting was stated which was to dedicate a new Lodge building and all went down stairs formed a procession, marched around the building and back up into the Lodge room in the usual form around the altar. All knelt and the Chaplain led the prayer. The Lodge closed and all went down stairs "and speaking opened up by T. D. Scott of Colmesneil, followed by S. B. Cooper, of Woodville, and closed by John Henry Kirby of Houston. One member of the committees active in this connection at that time, is now living. He is Lee Weathersby of Silsbee. Mr. Weathersby advises me that he remembers the occasion quite well and that there was a serious disturbance in the Lodge and among the brethren as to whether or not the young people should be permitted to close the proceedings with a dance in the new building. That those in favor of dancing won out, but some of the others never got over it. Since 1892, the meetings of the Mount Hope Lodge No. 121, have been held in the Lodge building at Chester, and thus it has the distinction of being the oldest lodge in the county. However, there were two other lodges in existence in 1853, when the Charter was grated; Tyler Lodge No. 50, at Town Bluff, and Woodville Lodge No. 62 at Woodville. As an interesting coincidence, the District Deputy, F.B. Sexton, who recommended that the Charter be granted to Mount Hope Lodge, reported that he had been instructed by the Resolution of the Grand Lodge at its last annual communication requiring him to visit Tyler Lodge No. 50 and inquire in to the regularity of the initiation of Charles A. Sterne but for various reasons had been unable to do so. At the meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1854, he quoted a resolution passed by Grand Lodge in 1853, and said that in accordance with the resolution he went to Town Bluff on 3 day of December, 1853 and as a result of investigation he recommended that Charter of Tyler Lodge be arrested and revoked, which was done. It is not known just when Tyler Lodge at Town Bluff started functioning, as N. B. Charlton reported in a letter that has been published several times that he was made a Mason at Tyler Lodge in 1844, by Taylor, author of Taylor's Monitor. There is no record in the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Tyler Lodge, until January 1849, when the Grand Secretary reported that a Dispensation had been granted during 1848. The officers of the Woodville Lodge were installed in Tyler Lodge No. 50, in March 18, 1849, by Z. Williams Eddy, D.D.G.M., of the Third Masonic district, with Wyatt Hanks as installing officer. The removal of the County seat from Town Bluff to Woodville, probably cost its life. The Charter of Woodville Lodge No. 62, was forfeited in 186_. Magnolia Lodge No. 495, which has custody of the minutes of Woodville Lodge No. 62, was chartered in 1878. The animosities of the reconstruction days were too much of a strain for the Woodville Lodge and some of the pioneers who originally organized the Lodge, let the charter be forfeited in order to clear up the atmosphere; at least, that is an assumption that is often made. But for a century, being almost the entire life of the State of Texas, the Worshipful Master, Wardens and Brethren of Mount. Hope Lodge No. 121, have succeeded in keeping the light of Free Masonry burning in this small corner of the state where so many of the pioneers began their work in bringing the state from darkness to light and establishing here a Christian Democracy. During this period, 32 members have been installed with appropriate ceremonies as Master of the Lodge. In the order of their service, they are as follows: 1. Wm. Harris 2. H. W. Carter 3. H. A. Willson 4. Henry West 5. A. Laird 6. S. H. Barnes 7. W. W. Whitehead 8. Wm. Lowe 9. Jonathan Peters 10. I. G. Futch 11. James T. Priest 12. J. W. Futch 13. J. W. Simmons 14. Jas. Mann 15. U. H. Shine 16. M. C. Parks 17. L. R. Cade 18. T. B. Morgan 19. U. G. Feagin 20. J. G. Angel 21. S. T. Russel 22. B. F. Adams 23. J. R. Wallace 24. G. S. McAlister 25. J. C. Feagin 26. G. C. Enloe 27. Vinson Goolsbee 28. J. A. Vinson Jr. 29. C. A. Seamans 30. M. O. Sutton 31. J. M. Sheffield 32. J. A. Vinson Only five of those are now living to rejoice in the centennial celebration. These are Dr. L. R. Cade, Geo. C. Enloe, Vinsons Goolsbee, J. M. Sheffield and C. A. Seamans.