Eastland County Texas Archives Biographies.....Perdue, David Blackshear October 16, 1846 - August 29, 1943
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Janet King JPerdue192@aol.com May 5, 2009, 7:26 pm

Author: The Citizen Free Press 7 March 1935

SKETCHES OF THE LIVES AND EXPERIENCES OF THE FATHERS OF EASTLAND COUNTY AND THE 
CISCO COUNTRY. D. B. PERDUE, FATHER OF CISCO POLICE CHIEF, LANDED IN EASTLAND 
COUNTY, 35 years ago. Thirty five years ago David Blackshear Perdue, father of 
Mitchell Perdue, Cisco chief of police, landed in Eastland County where he has 
continuously resided since that time. He came direct from Lee County, Alabama, 
to which place he located after leaving his native state of Georgia, having 
been born in Houston County of that state, Oct. 16, 1846, which it will be seen 
makes him 88 years of age last October.
     Mr. Perdue enlisted in the Confederate army, Gen Fitzhugh Lee's command, 
and served throughout the war. He joined the Confederate force in 1861 and was 
paroled at Raleigh, N. C. in April 1865, after Gen Robert E. Lee had 
surrendered the Confederate Army to Gen U. S. Grant at Appomattox, Va April 9, 
of that year.
     Soon after his enlistment the command with which Mr. Perdue was attached 
was encamped near Savannah, but soon after was transferred further north where 
the command was in action in Virginia and the Carolinas.
     "While the command was in camps at Savannah the report came that the 
Yankees were coming to burn the bridge on the Alabama River, near that city. 
Our regiment was sent out to guard the bridge and to receive the Yankees, 
should they put in an appearance. We were in this camp about six weeks, but I 
am glad to report was without foundation," Mr. Perdue told a representative of 
the Citizen Free Press Wednesday.
                        CARLOAD OF RICE
     "While waiting for the arrival of the enemy I had an experience that 
caused me to swear off from eating rice. Rations ran out while we were guarding 
the bridge, and our quartermaster sent word to Savannah headquarters to send us 
out something to eat. Pretty soon about a freight car laod of rice was sent us 
but no meat or anything to cook with it, not even salt. The soldiers lived on 
this died - boiled rice, without grease or salt - for the time we were in camp. 
The other day I watched truckers unloading a car of rice, and the scene brought 
back the days I lived on that stuff but one gets fed up when compelled to eat 
it day in and day out. But there were times later on when we did not even have 
rice. White I was practically weaned from rice as a diet, yet I have seen times 
during that war that I believe I would have relished a nice bow of the cereal, 
especially with a little grease and salt. It was those times when the enemy was 
near, when the only food we had was roasting ears. This was brought in by 
foraging squads at night. While on guard duty we carried a few roasting ears 
out with us, which we ate raw and at times I have been so hungry that I ate all 
the corn, then chewed the green cobs. Later on rations become so scarce that 
some of the soldiers subsided on parched corn. But I came through that war all 
together, for which I am thankful."
     Mr. Perdue was twice married. His first wife by whom he was the father of 
six children, only two of whom are still living, was Miss Sarah Barnes, whom he 
married in Crawford County, Georgia. She died early in 1881, and late in the 
same year he was united in marriage in Carroll County, Ga to his present wife 
who was Miss Easter Clark, a sister of the late J. J. Clark, father of Dr. F. 
E. Clark of Cisco. To this marriage were born twelve children, seven of whom 
are still living. They are John Perdue, living near Slayton, William Perdue, of 
near Socorro, NM, Mitchell Perdue, Cisco Chief of Police, Arin Perdue living on 
the old Breckenridge highway, about eight miles north of Cisco; Dorris Perdue, 
Mrs. Lela Wedgeworth of near Eolian and Mrs. Reba Steffey wife of Fred Steffey 
of the Cisco postoffice. Reba Steffey is the youngest of the family.
     Coming direct from Alabama Mr. Perdue located with his family near the 
Haskell Schoolhouse. The first few years after their arrival Mr. Perdue farmed 
on rented land - making his first crop in 1901 and in 1903 he purchased a farm 
on land settled by W. O. Ferguson in the same community, where the family 
resided until their removal to Cicso nine years ago. They now reside at 512 
East Eleventh Street, but they still own their farm at Haskell.
     "Yes, the country was pretty well settled up when we came to Eastland 
county, about like it is tody. But the land was new and very fertiles. The 
first crop I raised was rather short, as 1891 was a very dry year, but we 
gathered about 18 bales of Cotton. I think I had about 25 or 30 acres in 
cultivation. Cotton was worth 8 or 9 cents a pound but our wants were few and 
living was cheap. This was a good cotton section when we first came here. The 
year we arrived, J. J. Clark, brother of my wife and Dr. F. E. Clark's father 
ginned and sold 53 bales from 40 acres he cultivated in cotton. A man in the 
Tennell lands gathered 54 bales on 60 acres. J. J. Clark died about two years 
ago Mr. Perdue stated."
     Mrs. Perdue was 70 years old last August but is still in good health and 
hearty and these two are rounding out a happy and useful life together at their 
modest home with several of their married childred and grandchildren comforting 
them in their old age, some of whom are daily visitors at their parents home.
     Both are highly esteemed citizens of Cisco and have a host of friend who 
occasionally drop in and enjoy their hospitality.

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