HENDERSON CO. TX - Newspaper / History Athens Review October 30, 1913 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Bunny Shumate Freeman Fourls1223@aol.com Dec 1913 ********************************************* © Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************* Athens Weekly Review Oct. 30, 1913 Letter from an Ex-Henderson County Man. Ginsite Cottle Co., Texas Oct 19, 1913 Editor Athens Review, Athens, Texas. Having spent thirty years of my life in Henderson county and being a reader of the Review I feel this cold windy morning like I would love to drop in and chat a while with the many good people of old Henderson that I know. Reading Judge FAULK's writeup of the early days in Henderson brings to memory many pleasant events of my boyhood and early manhood days. My father moved to Henderson county in January, 1868, and stopped four miles west of old Brownsboro on the W. F. Hatton place on Kickapoo creek. That was a new country then and I want to say it was the best country I ever saw for everything. Stock and game of all kinds were abundant and the best people that ever lived in any country. The leader in forming our society at Brownsboro were the CARVER family old Dr. WEIR, W. L. McNEIL, Rel CANE, Tom TAYLOR, the LAMANCES, N. J. HARRISON; going west the firs was McGLOTHLIN, Potan FLORENCE, Cap Jim PORTER, W. T. MILLER, Edward LUTRICK and Uncle Holly PAGE. Then old Calo ENNIS lived on what was known as the striped house place, owned by Parson CALLAHAN; then J. M. and W. F. HATTON settled their places that winter. I helped them. The first church built in that community was built by old Uncle Holly PAGE, built out of hewed post oak logs. People came for miles to help raise the house. All denominations took part in building it. It was strictly a Methodist church. Here was where ye scribe heard the first Methodist preach in his life. Old Father ODOM, at old Red Hill on Porter's Blug (sic) road. I shall not undertake to name all that I knew but I must mention a few more: Old Uncles TRAVIS and Rabe SCOTT and their families. Uncle TRAVIS' family grew up when I did. These were strict Methodists not only in name but they lived it. Then three were Chas. and Joe INGRAM. They were grand men. Now cross the divide between Kickapoo on Flat Creek> Here were Joe ECHOLS, R. B. ECHOLS, the ADAIRS, TINDELS, SHELTONS; then W. D. and AM. M. ISAAC and C. W. ROUNSAVALL were all there when I went to that country. Yes, Sam LEE, Hugh CARTER, Pete CARROLL. The first time I ever saw Athens it was a little town with wooden buildings. I can name every business. There was Dr. COLLINS, T. F. MURCHISON, RICHARDSON Bros., James AVRIETT's saloon, E. A. CARROLL's hotel (now the Deen House). About '71 we moved into the Black Jack community. Our school and meeting house was an old log house about half a mile south of where the school and church now are. Myself and C. W. ROUNSAVALL gave it the name Black Jack. Here is where I took my first lessons in music. The school was taught by J. D. (Davis) REYNOLDS in the old Sacred Harp. Those were my best days. About this time the MORTONS moved in our community. They were some more good Methodist who lived it. Now when I read in the Review about those Sacred Harp singings I can't hardly stand to stay away. Oh how I would love to exchange this wind and sand storms for the associations of that country. I read the letters of all your correspondents. I see names of people that I had forgotten, to-wit: Bradley MILLER. I wonder if he wears that red overshirt yet. I think I know Exit. I would love to see him and many others that I learned to love. If this is published I will finish my write up of my stay in old Henderson from '71 to the time I left there in September, 1899. Also will try to give a description of this country, the good and bad, and why I like this county and why I don't like it. With best wishes for the Review and its many readers, I am. Yours very truly, J. C. BARTON