Hopkins Co. TX -  M. L. Garvin

Submitted by: June E. Tuck <1224be@neto.com>

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
------------------------------------------------

From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or
dispute any historical facts in the article.

 

Past History and Present Stage of Development of Texas

Published by The Forrister History Company

Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill.

I. G. Forrister, Publisher

(No date given.)

M. L. GARVIN was born on a farm in North Georgia, May 22, 1845. His
parents were also natives of that state - his father, Silas Garvin,
originating from Hall county, and his mother, Miss Sarah Blackwell, from
Lumpkin county. Both were ardent members of the Baptist Church, set a
good example before their children, and died, the mother in 1901, and the
father in 1904. Retracing to earlier days, Silas Garvin, father, went to
California in 1851 and spent two years during the gold excitement. In
December, 1856, he located in Rusk County, Texas, and in the fall of 1857
moved to Hopkins County and settled on a farm near Black Oak, six miles
south of Como, when the subject of this sketch, M. L. Garvin, was eleven
years old. In September, 1862, father and son enlisted in the Confederate
army (M. L., aged 17,) and both had their initial drilling for service in
the same company, at the same time, on the land where the town of Como
now stands, and the only house in sight then still stands and is today
occupied. The company locally recruited was an independent one, and known
as Co. E, Second Texas Rangers, with Silas Garvin lieutenant, and was
later brigaded with Tom Green Division. The branch of the Confederate
army experienced very active service through East Texas and Louisiana -
fighting several days at a stretch - engaged Gen. Banks^Ò army and was in
the battles Coward Crow Bayou, Pleasant Hill, Mansfield, Baton Rouge, Old
Cain, Red River Bottoms, etc. Mr. Garvin remained with the army until
peace was declared, the closing of hostilities finding him near Little
Rock, Arkansas - his father having a short time previous took sick and
been detailed to go home. Of the many battles and skirmishes engaged in,
Mr. Garvin was only hit once with a spent ball. Returning to the old home
place he found his father^Òs slaves freed, property decimated, stock gone
and one sister having died - he met his brothers, who had also been in
the Confederate army for eighteen months. The family originally consisted
of five sons and five daughters. Besides owning considerable property and
a large mercantile establishment in Como, Mr. Garvin is also president
and general manager of Como Coal Company, incorporated with a capital
stock of $10,000, but representing an investment of $25,000. The plant
has recently been improved to a modern basis, produces a high grade of
lignite coal from a depth of seventy-five feet, six-foot vein, and has a
capacity for working one hundred men. The output is fast finding a ready
sale in Texas, as it should. Mr. Garvin is a man of a fine family, of
wife and nine living children; is a Mason and a Baptist. He commands the
respect and love of a wide acquaintance, and as a business man and
public-spirited town-builder has done, and is today doing much to develop
the Como district.