The History of Coke County, Texas Contributed by Fran Lomas 4 March 2003 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************************** All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** Compiled by Mrs. Mike (Fran Wylie) Lomas, Robert Lee, TX. Copied with permission from Stalkin' Kin, Volume III, Number 2, pages 56-65, a publication of the San Angelo Genealogical & Historical Society. THE HISTORY OF COKE COUNTY GEOGRAPHY Coke County, 915 miles of level to broken terrain, drained by the north branch of the Colorado River and Yellow Wolf Creek, is located in the central part of west Texas. The Colorado River enters through the northwest corner and out the east side of the county. For hundreds of years it carved a valley and on the northeast side left a rim known as the Callahan Divide. The chief elevations are Nipple Peak and Hayrick Mountain, located in the central section. Other elevations are Dead Indian Mountain and Silver Peak near Silver; Squaw's Breast near Blackwell; Mount Margaret near Tennyson; Horse Mountain and Durham's Peak near Sanco; and Shaggey Peak and Meadow Mountain. Creeks, many of them currently flowing springs or had been in the recent past, are Kickapoo, Mule, Oak, Meadow, Rough, Indian, Boozier, Valley and Pecan. ERA OF THE INDIANS AND BUFFALO HUNTERS A Comanche trail used by warriors as a pathway for raiding parties into 0ld Mexico forked at the Big Spring in Howard County and the eastern branch cut across the flat and passed southwest of Fort Concho (now in Tom Green County). From this dry plain it was only a few miles north to the Colorado River country (part of which is now in Coke County) which was teaming with game of all kinds and plentiful water from the spring-fed, gravel-bottom creeks. It is likely that many a war party stocked-up on game before passing south. Many Indians not only used the valley as a passageway but lived there as did Chief Yellow Wolf and disputed the pasaage of the explorers and trappers, the soldiers at Fort Chadbourne, and the hide hunters who came later. Indians known to have been in the area were the Comanches, the Lipans, the Kiowas, the Kickapoos, and the Jumanos and they left with sullen reluctance as the great trek of west Texas settlers began to pour into the area in the 1870's. In 1875, 11 years after the Battle of Dove Creek, an Indian raiding party, Apaches, Kiowas or Kickapoos hit a settlement in the area. Men of the Oak Creek settlement, so enraged by the attack, advanced on the Indian village while the braves were on a hunt. Returning to find their village had been fired on, the Indians followed the white party to a spot on Indian Creek where commenced a fight. One fatality of the battle was buried on the spot and his grave is thusly marked: M. H. BROWN b. October 21, 1858, d. September 19,1875. As late as 1865 large herds of buffalo ranged almost undisturbed over this part of Texas. Hunters began coming into the area and slaughtering the buffalo for the sport of it. A market for hides had been developed and then came the hide hunters. Man now pursued the buffalo for hides and again the animals were killed by the hundreds. Only the hides were salvaged and the carcasses were left to rot wherever they fell. During this age, hide hunters established camps from which to operate. Shelters were built of poles with buffalo hides stretched over them. Some such camps became villages that grew into towns which still exist. (Although not in Coke County, Snyder was originally called "Hide Town.") Thus far it has not been determined if a town or community in the county can trace its orgin to a buffalo camp. As late as 1877 small herds were in the area, but the pioneer stockman were competing with the buffalo for the range. By the time of the county's creation, no herds were known to exist in the area. In the wake of the hide hunters and the coming of the railroad to west Texas, now came the bone gatherers. The bleached bones of the buffalo were gathered and shipped from Abilene, and later from Colorado City. As late as the 1890's homesteaders of the county gathered bones and sold them to buyers in San Angelo receiving as much as $12 per ton. FORT CHADBOURNE AND THE BUTTERFIELD STAGE LINE Fort Chadbourne was established 28 October 1852 as a United States military post for the protection from Indians for early ranchers and as a stop on the Butterfield Stage Lines, and to replace a military post known as Camp Johnson which had been wiped out by a flood. Located on Oak Creek 30 miles above its junction with the Colbrado River in the northeast part of the county, it was occupied by comppanies A & K, 8th U. S. Infantry and first called Camp on Oak Creek; then Camp Chadbourne and later Fort Chadbourne named in honor of LIEUTENANT THEODORE L. CHADBOURNE who had been killed at the battle of Resaca de la Palma. The post was occupied continously from the time of its founding through December 1859 when with the outbreak of the Civil War, HENRY E. McCULLOCH, commissioner for the State of Texas, required the commander of the fort to deliver to him the public property of the post. This was completed 23 March 1861. Following the war, it was re-occupied in 1866 and reabandoned from December 1 to 18, 1867. Stone buildings included the officers' quarters, a hospital, barracks for the enlisted men and a mail station. Buildings of hewn logs with canvas roofs and windows were other structures on the fort plus a few tents. There were 28 commanders of the fort during its history. They included: Captains JOHN BEARDSLEY, ARTHUR T. LEE, WILLIAM R. MONTGOMERY; Ist Leiutenants JAMES C. SNELLIMGS, THOMAS G. PITCHER; 2nd Lieutenants R. I. DODGE, R. G. COLE; Colonel JOHN GARLAND; Major PITCAIRN MORRISON; Lieutenant Colonel W. SEALWELL; lst Lieutenants JAMESS LOMGSTREET and GEORGE E. PICKETT (both who later served as generals in the Civil War); lst Lieutenant MILES W. KOOGH, Captain HENRY E. McCULLOCH and the 1st Texas Cavalry left the fort under the command of Captain DAVIDSON, who was killed in an Indian fight in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil War. The Southern Overland Mail route of the famous old Butterfield Stage crossed the county, entering near Fort Chadbourne and out the southwest side at Grape Creek, and operated from 1853 to 1861. Some of the early mail carriers out of the Fort were H. D. PEARCE, JOHN H. WARREN and CLYDE WARREN. There were several stage routes which passed through the county. One from Robert Lee to Sweetwater, passing through Maryneal where the horses were changed. JOHN WARREN was a driver on this route as well as operating the line from Robert Lee to Ballinger. A third route was from Robert Lee to San Angelo. CATTLE AND CATTLE BARONS A stockman who traveled with a herd of cattle through Tom Green County (that encompassed Coke County at the time) in 1867 reported that the country was very sparsely settled. In 1876 no more than 100 people lived in the area which became Coke County. Early cattlemen coming into west Texas, had a sort of "gentlemen's agreement" or unwritten law concerning range rights. It appears that the "first-come, first-served" rule prevailed, and the first to arrive had first claim to the range. Although the range was unfenced, and very few men if any, had any real claim to the land grazed by their herds, each seems to have had a certain respect for another's "Range rights," which were even sold as leases are today. Some of these early stockmen built herds of such proportions that they were termed "cattle barons." Finally people who had lawful claims began coming to look at their land, and cattlemen realized that they must have a better claim than mere "range r1ghts." Texas had given large quantities of land to the railroads and to the schools. Surveys were made and both the railroads and the schools put the land on the market. Persons who were on the ground at the time land was put up for sale or who arrived soon afterwards got land under various land acts. Among the earliest "cattle barons" who operated in this area were L. L. HARRIS, SAM McINNIS, WINFIELD SCOTT, D. L. and J. W. SNYDER, the ELWOODS, the ODOMS, BILL GLASS, WILL and RUFUS WHITESIDE and the WYLIE brothers - WILLIAM H., ROBERT K., JAMES J., THOMAS S. AND HENRY C. The HARRIS headquarters, an old brick and stone house about one mile south of Robert Lee, was one of the earliest landmarks in the county. SCOTT, who lived in Colorado but had ranching lands in the Edith sector, sold to GEORGE ARNETT and sons. The SNYDERS ranched near Silver. The WYLIE brothers operated a cattle kingdom which extended from Ballinger in Runnels County into Tom Green County and into the area near Mount Margaret. FENCING WARS IN COKE COUNTY Fencing wars, which were actually acts of deprediation, were a result of the larger and a few of the smaller ranchers fencing off large tracts of land. The first barbed wire came into the county about 1881. It was common for a fence to be built one day and upon returning the following day, find the wire cut to pieces and the post pulled from the ground. In November, 1883, L. B. HARRIS had delivered to him, 10,000 cedar posts and two railroad cars of boxed wire at a location three miles west of Robert Lee. They were on the ground ready to begin when a mob destroyed the posts and wire by burning. The flames were said to have risen as high as a two story building, and the smoke could be seen from nine miles aways. BEN WARREN, a detective from Hylton, was hired by the Cattlemen's Association to find those responsible for the burning. WARREN, after being trained in Austin, eventually found the men and they were brought to trial in Sweetwater (Nolan County). The night before the trial someone shot through the window into WARREN's hotel room and killed him. After that the Texas Rangers were ordered into the area on the 7th of January 1884 and no further incidence due to the use of barbed wire was reported. BIRTH OF A COUNTY The area that is presently Coke County was first a part of Bexar County until Tom Green County was created 13 March 1874. In the mid 1800's a group of 60 settlers met for a barbeque in a grove on the Colorado River to plan the strategy for creating a new county. R. E. DOUGLAS, JOHN R. FARMER, J. P. HENDERSON and P. H. YOUNGBLOOD drew-up a petition for the creation and ENNIS ADAMS rode across the area carrying it for signatures. An act of the Texas legislature 13 March 1889 created the county which was organized April 23, 1889. Named for the former Governor RICHARD COKE, a Confederate captain, governor and later U. S. Senator, the county continued with its colorful history. REMOVAL OF A COUNTY SEAT The first county seat was Hayrick, named for the nearby mountain. The first county officers included county judge G. W. PERRYMAN, county clerk, TOM COLLIER; county sheriff FRANK BUCHANAN; county treasurer, GEORGE WILLIAMSON; county tax assessor, D. T. FAIRLEY; county surveyor, CAPTAIN PATTESON; county attorney, MR. GREALEAF; and the county commissioners, R. E. DOUGLAS (precinct #1), J. R. FARMER,(#2);- P. H. YOUNGBLOOD (#3) and. J. P. HENDERSON (#4). The town was nine miles from the geographic center of the county and the ever present shortage of water were enough to make citizens aware of the need to move the county seat. Lawyer EUGENE CARTLEDGE made speeches and played politics to accomplish this and thus became the hero of the move. To assure keeping the county seat, Hayrick citizens made plans to replace their two-story frame courthouse with a brick one. CARTLEDGE asked for an injunction to stop the new building until a removal election could be held. This injunction was denied in district court, but CARTLEDGE's speeches had had enough effect that the building was never resumed. When the county judge, PERRYMAN, opposed moving the county seat, CARTLEDGE orated and got another county judge elected. The first official action of the new judge, H. L. ADAMS, elected in December, was to call a removal election for January 6 (1891), on election day the voters had three sites to choose from - Hayrick, Robert Lee and a third site about 3 or 4 miles west of Robert Lee which would be called Union City. Robert Lee received a majority of 48 votes. Bonds were issued for the new courthouse and the old ones burned in open court. Three weeks after the election, the Hayrick courthouse burned and destroyed nearly all the records. It was never proven but said that, the fire was a case of arson. The minutes of the Coke County Commissioners Court of February 11, 1891, recorded "S. V. BISHOP, the peace justice, was paid $5 for holding an inquest over the remains of the county clerk's office, which was burned on the night of January 27, 1891." Not long after the fire, a lawyer who had been investigating the burned records was found drowned in a shallow waterhole in Mountain Creek. A rock was wired to his neck and his feet were wired together. An inquest was held and a verdict of suicide was rendered. It is not known who made the inquest. SOME EARLY SETTLERS JEFF DAVIS, one of the first to arrive in 1876 while on a buffalo hunt with his father, camped on the Colorado River near the mouth of Yellow Wolf Creek. The only white man they saw was HARVEY ADAMS who was running cattle and living in a dugout on the river. Among the earliest homesteaders, other than the cattle barons, who came to the area before the county was organized were DR. and MRS. J. B. CLARK, FELIX DANIEL MONTEITH, the D. C. STEWARTS, JIM STEWART, H. PRESS WALLING, the JOHN Q. McCABES, the FRANK McCABES, the WYLEY BIRDS, the THOMAS B. SMITHS, the W. B. HARRISONS, THOMAS and JOE WEBB, S. M. CONNER, J. R. MIMS, N. L. STEWART, M. BIRD, the J. D. PRUITTS, the G. P. GARLANDS and the YOUNGBLOODS. After the county's creation in 1889, the JOE BARDNERS, M. B. SHEPPHERD, the NEWT FIELDS, the J. C. NEWTONS, the GEORGE PEAYS, the I. C. GOODS, the SPARKS, and the A. C. GARDNERS settled in various parts of the county. Other early settlers were I. A. BIRD, FRED ROE, the HAWYLEY ALLENS, L. C. "BUS" ROBBINS, BILL McCUTCHEN, MRS. ALICE VOWELL, S. W. THADDLER, J. A. GARDNER, JR., A. B. BLACKWELL, B. L. COLLINS, G. N. MARSHALL and JOHN SAUL, the latter coming in 1894 and settling 9 miles north and west of Robert Lee and owning more than 16,000 acres. (Other early settlers will be found mentioned in various parts of this article.) Remains can still be found of the era prior to the turn of the cen- tury. A pioneer dugout built on the side of an elevation by German immigrants was, and still is, a common site. A cellar built by another German in 1886 is still in use today by the present owners. The county population in 190O was 3431 and grew to 6412 In 1910. TIM LAW IN The COUNTY There were several disputes started as to who really owned some of the land in Coke County. EUGENE CARTLEDGE filed 20 suits at one time in the justice court. Parties were charged with "forcible entry and detainer." The defendants had "squated" on several tract's of land in HARRIS pastures and had refused to move. When the cases were tried, the judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff in most cases. Men were arrested for most anything. At one time a man stood in his store across the street from the public square and shot a prairie dog on the square. He was charged with "unlawfully shooting on a public street, road or highway. After being found guilty, he appealed to the county court in which the judge reversed the case and freed the man on the techanical ground that he did not shoot "on the street" but across it. BILLY GREEN, the sheriff in 1902-04, was the first man convicted of murder. He and his deputy, JEFF DAVIS, went to arrest a man who had refused to work on the county roads, which at that time was a requirement of every able-bodied man. The report was that the man resisted arrest and one of the two men killed him. The sheriff and deputy were tried in Nolan County and given twenty years each. On a new trial appeal they were brought back to Coke County where the verdict was reversed. The only man ever to be convicted of murder in the county's history was in 1958 when two Negroes robbed and killed a truck driver. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Eventually a school was established within walking distance of the majority of the homes in the county. There were at least four pre- county schools - Rocksprings, Sand Springs, Sanco, Oso and two private or subscription schools. Rocksprings was created near Fort Chadbourne and existed from 1881 to 1883. The walls were of pickets with the cracks daubed with mud; the roof, of poles and bear grass covered with mortar of clay. The seats were of split logs. One mile west of Hayrick, Sand Springs began in 1886 with pupils for that term - JACK, ETTA and LYDIA ROE; the DANCER boys; MARVIN BROOK; HENRY RICHARDS, the Caroway children and WYLIE BYRD. In 1887 the teacher was MISS IDALIA NANCE with 12 pupils and the following year MISS BETTY EIDSON was the teacher; MR. CARRIGAN in l889; and J. J. BI8HOP in 1890. The school had previously moved to Hayrick, Sanco's one-room school and the school at Oso which later became Bronte were other public schools. MISS LUCY McCARTHY taught in the STICKNEY residence in Robert Lee before the creation of the county. The Sandsprings school (above) had previously been in 1885 and 1886, MR. HALL's one-room shop one mile west of Hayrick. He taught on a four-month subscription with parents paying $1.50 per student per month. Students during this term were ADA, SALLY, ALICE and HOWARD, children of W. T. CAROWAY and WYLIE, son of JIMMY BYRD. Thirty-school districts were established in the county and two others which were not given district numbers - New Hope and Chapman on the divide. They were: (1) Live Oak, 1898, also 1902-03, known as Powell 1926-27 (2) Rock Springs 1898 became part of Ft. Chadbourne in 1910 (3) Mineral Springs (Hayrick 1900-01); also known as Indian Creek (4) Oso-Bronte (Indian Creek) became Bronte Independent District in 1902 (5) Sanco-Horse Mountain (6) Conner - Silver - Silver Peak (7) Lometa, between Robert Lee And Tennyson (8) Paint Creek - Edith the old Paint Creek school was near the ALF KEY residence (9) Pecan (10) Hayrick which had 75-120 students in 1889-01 (11) Union (12) Cow Creek - Indian Creek, Mineral Springs, consolidated with Bronte (13) Olga (14) Juniper (15) Mt. Margaret, Mule Creek (1900) (16) Valley View (1901), consolidated with Robert Lee (17) Simpson (18) Tennyson - County Line (19) Graham Valley, consolidated with Robert Lee (20) Robert Lee (21) Wildcat (22) Friendship (23) Cedar Hill abolished in 1913 and put into Sand Springs (24) Sand Springs, near Silver (not to be confussed with the old Sandsprings near Hayrick (25) Walnut near Water Valley in Tom Green County (26) Kates on the upper divide (27) Green Mountain - Pecan, Edith and Green Mountain (28) Silver Peak (29) Mays consolidated with Bronte in 1948 (30) Paint Creek (M. B. SHEPPARD) Some of the early teachers were MADISON McCUTCHEN (Oso school); 0. L. BULLARD; H. T. CARTER; W. B. JONES; F. K. POPPLEWELL; J. D. POWERS; SAM HEARRELL; FRANK E, THOMAS; MISS VIDA YOUNGBLOOD; S. 0. RICHARDS; JOHN A. STEWART; 0. GARDDNER; GEORGE ROYALTY; PROFESSOR CARTER; JOHN A. STEWART; JOHN ROSS and MRS. MARY WALLING, the latter four teachers at Hayrick. INDUSTRY COMES TO THE COUNTY Cattle raising was the first industry to come into the area followed by the farmers and stockfarmers. The rich grasses and a ready-market at nearby Colorado City, the biggest shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railraod, was the chief reason for the first group. The first farming in the county was in the Wildcat, Edith, Hayrick and Sanco, sections. A MR. COTTON farmed the first land in the western part of the county - a small acreage plot in the Wildcat sector. A number of patches in the Hayrick community were planted to cane about the time of the organization of the county. A few farmers planted wheat and corn in the early days. The cedar post business soon boomed in the county. Men and boys from surrounding towns came in the winter and cut posts, stacking them for spring pick-up. In the early days of the county, J. J. VESTAL, a pioneer blacksmith, made lime in his kiln located on Mountain Creek east of Robert Lee. A brick kiln was operated on the north side of the Colorado River near the same town. VILLAGES COMMUNITIES AND TOWNS ALPHA was issued a post office June 30, 1890. BLACKWELL, located in Coke County and in Nolan County was first called James, but application to the government for a post office caused the renaming in 1907. D. T. HUNT was the first postmaster and other early settlers were DAVID McLAUGHLIN, the JOHN PATTERSONS; the LAWSON RUSSELLS; the JOHN RUSSELLS, the WILL WHITESIDES, the RUFF WHITESIDES, the GRIFFIN McROREYS. BRONTE was established in 1887 and named for CHARLOTTE BRONTE. A post office was authorized September 19, 1890 and was first located in the HARRIS residence. Coming to the area in 1887 were E. C. RAWLINGS, O. G. ODOM; in 1889 J. B. McCUTCHEN and W. H. MACKEY In January 1896. Other early settlers were H. M. STEVENS, WILLIE B. M1LLIKEN, MACK HERRON and GEORGE W. GIDEON. The first store, a grocery, was built by DR. W. F. KEY who later sold it and built a drug store. CORLEY and WILLIAMS established a grocery but soon went out of business. P. S. STARKS opened a grocery; J. A. HAYES, a hardware store; W. L. HAYLEY, a barber shop; and ED SCHAWE, a furniture and undertaking business. WILL and ED WALTON built a hotel and wagon yard in 1905. The First State Bank was organized by J. R. RILEY and the Bronte Herald was established 6 September 1902. The First Methodist Church was organized in 1890 at Pecan Mott on the Kickapoo Creek with charter members the J. WILLIAMS, the W. F. KEYS and the GEORGE HARNES. The population in 1900 was 213. CEDAR HILL was settled by stock farmers about 1890 and the following year a one-room school was built located about 100 yards north of the cemetery. Organized in the spring of 1893 and closing in 1900 was the Baptist Church with G. C. BERRYMAN and J. C. AVERETT serving as pastors. No town or post office were ever authorized and the people departed by 1904. EDITH was settled by W. L. CLAWSON in 1890 with the post office opening February 14, of that year with J. O. McMULLAN, owner of the general store as post master. T. E. CULLENDER built a cotton gin in the early 1900's. Mr. and Mrs. C. D. STEWART and JIM STEWART had the first land in the area under cultivation. The population in 1910 was 50. FORT CHADBOURNE grew around the fort for which it was named. T. L. ODUM and son, G. G. were headquartered at the town and ran cattle over a range to the present city of Bronte. J. B. McCUTCHEN had the post office, established 28 January 1859 as part of the fort, in his general store in 1880, when the Population was 25. Other post masters at the fort were DICK TULLEY and MRS. ROBERT KIRKLAND and later MR. & MRS. M. E. RICHARDS. The post office was officially moved from the fort in 1889 and closed 30 September 1942. By 1900 there was no one in the community but with the coming of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad in 1910 the population soon reached 100, with four stores, two churches and a school. GREEN MOUNTAIN was settled in 1880 with early settlers including the J. M. SAWYERS and MRS. J. N. ADAMS. MRS. EUREKA CARPENTER and MRS. MARIE EGG were teachers in the early school days. HAYRICK was named for the near-by 400-500 foot mountain of the same name which is shaped like a rick of hay. MR. and MRS. JIMMY BYRD and son WYLIE came to the area in 1879 settling at Pecan Mott on Mountain Creek just west of Hayrick. In 1883 the WYLIE T. CAROWAYS, the CHARLY ROES, the JIM HAMMETTES, the ALBION HAYLEYS and the parents of MARVIN STEWART pioneered the area. During the years preceding the creation of the county, W. A. ROBBINS settled in the Kickapoo Mountains, and the parents of HAWYLEY ALLEN migrated to the village. The population in 1887 was 25. A post office was authorized 6 August 1889, nearly five months after the county's birth. JAMES A. WALDROP maintained the post office for some time in his home near Buck Mountain. During the two-year period of the county seat's history, the village grew to include a two-story frame hotel with at least 12 rooms; a two-story school house (which closed in the 1930's); two general stores; a livery stable; a drugstore and a newspaper which is the oldest continuing business in Coke County. First called "The Coke County Democrate," publishing began in June 1889; with the ownership changed in 1890 to G. A. BEEMAN it became "The Rustler." S. R. EZZELL was publisher April 4, 1891. In 1886 several men met in the home of CHARLEY ROE and organized the first Sunday school. J. J. VESTAL was a blacksmith who later moved to Robert Lee and REV. GREEN COTTON FIELD was the first Methodist minister, later going to the Edith community. When the county seat was moved to Robert Lee, the citizens of Hayrick also moved and with them their homes. They simply put their houses on skids and moved them the few miles. Legend goes that they utilized the homes so much during the process that smoke was seen coming from the chimneys as the women prepared the family's meals. One such structure moved was the old Henderson Hotel which became known in Robert Lee as the home of the late Frank Percifull. The building was destroyed in 1960. JUNIPER had a post office authorized 27 January 1893. MATALFOS, possibly on the railroad lines, became a post office 12 January 1930. MULECREEK was one of the stage routes stop-overs from Abilene to Fort Concho. NANHATTIE's post office became effective February 28, 1898, OLGA, though no post office was established, had its mail delivered by ROE McROREY. PECAN was settled by the REV. and MRS. C. V. TUBB in the 1870's. Their son, WILLIE I., was a teacher in the school. PEDRO, possibly another village located on the railroad lines, had a post office authorized 16 August 1895 but it was never put into operation. ROBERT LEE was named by L. B. HARRIS and his son-in-law. R. E. CARTLEDGE, two Confederate veterans and early ranchers, after the general, ROBERT E. LEE. J. J. BISHOP, former teacher at Hayrick, was contacted via a gentleman's agreement to transcribe the deed books of Coke County, along with his brother, S. B., sons of S. W. BISHOP. Early proprietors were W. K. SIMPSON, DR. W. J. ADAMS who practiced medicine and owned a drug store; L. SCOTT, a tin shop; the TUBB hotel; and GEORGE COWAN who was editor of the newspaper, which was then "The Weekly Observer," preceding "The Coke County Rustler." The Masonic Building of the Hayrick Lodge #696, A.F. and A. M. (organized December 11, 1890 with J. L. CHAMBERS, master; G. C. HILL, senior warden; B. H. CARLSON, junior warden and J. L. DURHAM, secretary- treasurer) built in 1906 by S. C. WILKINS of concrete blocks, mixed and cast by hand, is still in use today. The county jail was completed in 1907 and at that time P. D. COULSON was county judge and the commissioners were C. M. BARGER, S. W. BASTON, TOM JAY GOSS and M. C. JONES. The post office was established 9 February 1891 with HUBERT H. PEARCE as the post master. The population in 1900 was 582. SANCO's name was derived from (1) the Mexican word meaning "long step," chosen in 1883 became of its isolation, (2) from the word "Sanho" an obsolete Kiowa term for Comanche, (3) the Spanish hero, Sancho or (4) the Indian chief, Saneco. J. J. AUSTIN had his ranch headquarters south of Sanco in 1875 and the HARRIS ranch had headquarters a mile south of the village in 1880. A post office was established July 10, 1888 and was in the office of J. L. DURHAM'S rock home. DURHAM, coming to the area in 1878, was probably one of the first rock masons in the county. MR. and MRS. J. H. CAMPBELL established their ranching in 1888 three miles west of Sanco. Before 1890 a school was built with private funds, soon to be replaced by a brick building. Others to come into the area before the turn of the century were WILLIAM SCARBOROUGH, SINCLAIR S. CRADDOCK and "SQUIRE" BYRNES. SILVER was settled by D. L. and J. W. SNYDER, old trail drivers from Georgetown who once owned all of the Spade Ranch. A post office was established 11 October 1890 and dissolved in 1945 due to the decline in population. On 9th of December 1946, oil was discovered on the ALLAN JAMESON ranch one mile southeast of Silver and soon the post office was re-enactivated. STOKES, whose location cannot be determined, had a post office authorized 17 May 1892 but never put into operatlon. TENNYSON was named for the poet Alfred Tennyson, probably by SAMUEL SAYNER, an Englishman who settled nearby in 1882. The post office was authorized 26 June 1894 with MRS. W. P. BYRD as post master. Nearby Mount Margaret was the scene of early Indian activity and derived its name from a little girl who was killed by Indians and buried on the mountain by her father. Early settlers of the area were the: S. W. BASTONS, the C. BAKERS, D. E. SAYNER, the F. C. AINSWORTH, J. D. HALE, C. D. HALE and J. W. BROOKS. VENICE had a post office activated May 8. 1902 and was possibly located on the railroad lines. MORE EARLY SETTLERS TO THE AREA A list of possible early settlers to Coke County is compiled from a survey of the cemeteries of those indicating dates prior to 1900. Cedar Hill Cemetery JOSEPH C. NELSON, the JOHN WILLIAM PADGETTS, the YATES. Divide Cemetery - the A. A. CHAPMANS, the JOHN Q. MCCABES. Bronte's Fairview Cemetery - the R. H. HEARRELLS; the L. P. HOLMANS: the J. B. HUDMANS, the J. N. HUTCHINSONS, the A. L. KELLYS, the R. L. KELLYS the CYRUS. F. KEYS, the WINT PRUITTS, the W. H. WHEATS, P. K. MILLER and T. J. STARKEY. Hayrick Cemetery - A. B. JOHNSON, the W. T. CAROWAYS, the J. T. HAMILTONS. Mulecreek Cemetery - W. J. ELAM, J. E. JONES, A. J. KISER and the C. D. HALES. Fort Chadbourne Cemetery - the J. B. BARNES, the J. W. B. CALLAWAYS, DANIEL FORD CLARK, the H. B. FULCHERS, the H. P. FANCHERS, the GARYS, the L. H. HARGRAVES, J. A. HARWELL, the J. N. LINDLYS, the ED McDONALDS, the J. W. McDORMANS, FRANK MEYERS, the GARLAND ODOMS, the R. F. RICHARDS, the W. T. RICHARDS, the E. W STOKES the V. SUMMERALLS, B. C. WARREN and T. A. YARBRO. Paint Creek Cemetery- JESSIE B. COLLINS, the J. L. HYDES, the M. A. PEASYS, and the P. H. YOUNGBLOODS. Robert Lee Cemetery - the W. H. BELLS, the ISRAEL MARTIN BENNICKS, W. S. BILLUPS, the J. S.BURROUGHS, the D. H. CARLTONS, V. A. CARTER, the L. I. COLLIERS, the S. R. EZZELLS, ihe J. S. GARDNERS, W HARDESTY, JACOB W. HAYLEY, T. LATHAM, the H. C. LOURANCES, the W. L. McCRAWS, J. W. MURRY, the L. L.. MURRYS, W. L. POSS, the W. D. WYATTS. COOK WALTERS, who died October 1, 1873, is the oldest located, readable, headstone in Coke County. Ross Cemetery - DANIEL D. BURR, the W. J. GLAZES, and the OSCAR RUSSELLS. Sanco Cemetery - the J. J. AUSTINS, the B. W. BILBOS, the S. S. CRADDOCKS, the BLACK family, the WILLIAM SCARBOROUGHS, F. L. DURHAM, ARCHIE FLETCHER, F. M. GREEN, and AUTHOR E. LASSWELL. Terry Cemetery - ISAAC ELVNZO REED and the B. U. SMITHS. Valley View Cemetery - the J. F. SUTRMANS. COUNTY OFFICIALS PRIOR TO 1900 1892-1892: Judge, H. L. ADAMS Clerk, R. R. SMITH Sheriff, W. F. BUCHANAN Assessor, D. F. AIRLEY Treasurer, GEORGE WILLIAMSON Surveyor. J. R. PATTERSON; Attorney. D. T. AVERITT & U. S. HEARRELL; Commissioners: 1. R. E. DOUGLAS, 2. JOHN R. FARMER 3. D. S. CUNNINGHAM 4. THAD T. ANGEL 1893-1894: Judge, A. J. PRITCHARD Clerk, R. R. SMITH Sheriff, B. F. MONTGOMERY Assessor, L. H. BRIGHTMAN Treasurer, GEORGE WILLIAMSON Surveyor, J. R. PATTESON; Attorney, A. P. McCARTY; Commissioners, 1. R. I. KIRKLAN 2. SAN SAYNER 3. H. A. CHAPMAN 4. J. F. CONNER 1895-1896: Judge, D. T. AVERITT L. H. BRIGHTMAN, appointed March, 1896 Clerk, ED M. MOBLEY Sheriff, L. B. MURRAY Tax assessor, H. E. JOHNSTON Treasurer, W. C. HAYLEY, J. A. GARMLE appointed April 1896 Surveyor, J. R. PATTESON Attorney, W. C. MLRXANT Commissioners: 1. M. H. DAVIS 2. L. H, McDORMANO 3. A. C. GARDNER 4. J. H. CAMPBELL 1897-1898: Judge, S. J. CHAPMAN Clerk, J. W. BARNETT Sheriff, L. B, MURRAY Assessor, H, E. JOHNSTON Treasurer, C. L. HUGHES Surveyor, GID GRAHAM Attorney, W. C. MERCHANT Commissioners 1. E. C. RAWLINGS 2. SAM SAYNER 3. J. C. NEWTON 4. J. H. CAMPBELL 1899-1900: Judge, M. H. DAVIS Clerk, J. W. BARNETT Sheriff, L. B. MURREY Assessor, W. W. McCUTCHEN Treasurer, C. L. HUGHES Surveyor, G. C. BERRYMAN Attorney, GID GRAHAM Commissioners: 1. E. C. RAWLINGS 2. M. H. HAVINS 3. J. C. NEWTON 4. C. W. PAYNE (The officials for the first two-years of the county's history are listed previously in this text.) SOURCESs THE SAN ANGELO STANDARD TIMES THE TEXAS COURTHOUSE by Juen Rayfield Welch and J. Larry Nance: copyright, 1971, Gla Press THE HANDBOOK OF TEXAS, VOLUME I & II, Walter Prescott Webb, editor- in-chief; published by Texas State Historical Association, 1952. THE BRONTE ENTERPRISE Diamond Jubilee issue. Sept. 3, 1964 THE ROBERT LEE OBSERVER Diamond Jubilee issue, May 7, 1964 COKE COUNTY TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS by Fran Wylie Lomas Various people of the county who graciously assisted me with many problems, especially locating the old communities and cemeteries. As this article comes to press this writer has accumulated hundreds of additional names and dates plus many interesting facts that could not be added due to the maximum of ten pages.