TX BIOS:  Mrs. J. C. Fountain
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   00011
   
   Life History FOLKLORE --White Pioneer
   
   Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
   
   McLennan County, Texas.
   
   District No. 8
   
   No. of words 500
   
   File No. 240
   
   Page No. 1 Reference
   
   Interview with Mrs. J. C. Fountain, White Pioneer, Merlin, Texas.
   
   "I was born March 27, 1873, at Pineville, Alabama. My parents were W.
   D. and Mary Katherine Kyser, who came to Texas in 1875. I was reared
   in Merlin and attended the public schools of Marlin and a college for
   young ladies at Winston Salem, North Carolina.
   
   "On December 20, 1893, I married Mr. James C. Fountain, Jr., who was
   born in the vicinity of Reagan, Texas, on October 21, 1871, and is the
   son of Thomas G. Fountain, who became a citizen of Texas about the
   year 1869. He was a descendent of Dossey Fountain of South Carolina,
   of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Thomas Fountain was a native Southerner, was
   born at Sparta, Alabama, in 1839 and spent his youth on a plantation
   which was tilled by slave labor.
   
   "When the war between the States came on he joined the Confederate
   Cavalry and with his brother Henry was enlisted in the cause of the
   South until the end of the conflict. He enlisted in 1861 at Pineville,
   Alabama, in Company F, Fifty-third Cavalry, and was first placed in
   General Forrest's command. After the battle of Iuke, the regiment was
   ordered to Northern Alabama, where it joined the army under Gen. Roddy
   and remained with it until transferred to the command of General
   Wheeler a few months later. Mr. Fountain fought in the battle of
   Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, the defense of Atlanta, the
   campaign against the advance of General Sherman's army, following him
   through South Carolina. 00022"The last battle that Mr. Fountain fought
   in was at Statesburg, and he lay down his arms at Columbia, South
   Carolina. He then resumed the life of a farmer and began the labor of
   rebuilding the family estate. This was done under the greatest
   difficulties for the trying days of reconstruction came on and when he
   came to Texas in 1869 he had made small progress toward financial
   independence. He came by rail to Falls County and settled in the Hog
   Island community near Reagan with a wife and three children and
   seventy-five cents in money. For some years he was a tenant on rented
   land but prosperity finally came his way until he was enabled to move
   to Reagan, where he engaged in the lumber business and bought a farm
   nearby.
   
   "He was named for tax collector and filled this office four years. His
   educational advantages included the public schools of Marlin and a
   year in College at Lebanon, Ohio and a course in Eastman's Business
   College at Poughkeepsie, New York. His first experience in banking
   business was with the Citizens National Bank at Waco, Texas and after
   a year and a half there he was transferred to the First National Bank
   at Marlin, as bookkeeper. He served in this capacity until 1907 having
   entered this place of business in 1892, and having been elevated from
   bookkeeper to cashier. After having served this time in the bank he
   was elected city treasurer of Marlin and served in this capacity for
   twelve years. At the time of his death he was acting as receiver of
   the Merchants National Bank of Brownsville, Texas, and died November
   25, 1934.
   
   "To my father and mother were born six children, namely; Alva, Ernest,
   Jasper C., Jr., Lula Lee, Ruth and Leah, twin sisters and the youngest
   in the family. The oldest married Mrs. R. E. Beard, is now manager of
   Cox Dry Goods Co., at Marlin. Ernest married Vera Wiley and is in
   business 00033in Marlin. Jasper Jr., married Pearl Paul and lives at
   Mart, he is manager of the Texas Utilities Company. Lula Lee married
   J. Frank Cheavens, a Baptist minister of Victoria, Texas. Ruth married
   James F. Patrick and lives in Dallas. Leah married James Parrish and
   lives at Marlin.
   
   "I have resided at the old home since our marriage and one of my
   daughters, Mrs. Parrish is living with me."

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