Hopkins Co. TX - History of Dike and her people by Eli Hargrave From: June E. TUck ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article. Those who use Eli Hargrave^Òs writings, please give him credit. His historical writings are a true treasure for researchers today. J. T. EARLY HISTORY OF DIKE AND HER PEOPLE By Eli Hargrave - 1937 Reminiscences and some pleasant reflections with a brief historical sketch of the vicinity of Dike. We are just making an effort, and no doubt in this effort you will find mistakes, but we are trying to give you a brief outline from the information we have gathered, thinking perhaps it might be of interest to some of the readers of this publication. Dike has not always been Dike, but as the story goes, it has been known by several different names. In the beginning this community of neighbors extended to beyond Caney Creek on the south, to Cloud Branch on the west, to Cross Timber and Waller Branch on the north and to the bounds of now Flora on the east. These people in this vicinity were neighbors and visited each other as friends in horse or ox wagons, but at that time never by automobile. They began settling here as early as 1845, and of course found no rail nor wire fences, but bleak prairies covered with longhorn cattle, mustang, ponies, and jack rabbits; with the timbered regions infested with raccoons, squirrels, deer and occasionally a black bear. You may well imagine the grave undertaking that confronted them, and while we have no hero especially in this story, yet we consider every man and woman mentioned in this article a hero and heroine to the fullest extent. Of coarse at this time Dike was unknown, a half century in the future, just a mere spot on the old Jefferson road leading from the prairies of the west to the timbers of the east, with crossing on White Oak Creek, afterward familiarly known as Armstrong crossing. About the first settlers here were the Voss, McCauleys and Ratliffs on the south, the Smiths, Clicks and Eldridges on the west, the Conners, Pendletons, and Millers on the east, soon to find the Smiths located on Cross Timbers on the north. The Vosses, McCauleys and Ratliffs came from Tennessee in 1845, with the Smiths from Kentucky at about the same date. William Voss, parent of this Voss family, made his settlement it seems on the highest spot, an elevated rocky point, that he found near Caney Creek on the farm now owned by Onie Taylor. Here he built a log house and resided for a few years afterward moving north and locating about where Hunter Moss (sic) now lives. He had two sons and two daughters of our knowledge, namely: Eli, John, Clara and Melinda. Clara Voss married Henry McCauley. They were the parents of Geo. Reily and Vessie McCauley. They made their settlement and home on the hill just east with their farm adjoining the Voss farm, the place now known as the County Farm. George McCauley married Ann Conner, the daughter of Henry and Bettie Conner. They first settled what is now known as the Sam Parker place. Reily McCauley married Ada Dillingham, daughter of Jim Dillingham and granddaughter of Eldridge Hopkins. Their home was next, north to his brother, George, the Fate Burkham place. Vessie McCauley married Bettie Smith, daughter of Rafe Callan and Peggie Smith. Their home is now known as the Joe Worsham place. Melinda Voss married David Ratliff. They made their home on a tract of land just west and adjoining her father^Òs home on Caney Creek. They had the following children: Elizabeth Jane, born Jan. 13, 1831. She was married to John Kearney in early womanhood. She died June 29, 1873. Ann Ratliff was born late in 1832. She was married to Elmer Craig late in life. She died at 82, Feb. 11, 1914. Isabella, born Feb. 26, 1834, died April 29, 1911. She was blind. Sarah was born April 2, 1836. After reaching her majority she was married to Francis Davis. She died Jan. 28, 1906. Wesley, born about 1838, entered the Civil War and died in the service. The father, David, born Oct. 9, 1804, d. May 22, 1863. Melinda, the mother, born March 20, 1814, d. 14 May 1883. Buried in the Conner Cemetery. Eli Voss married Frances Hargrave, daughter of Seth Hargrave and wife, Sarah Leach Hargrave, of Indiana, both of whom died before she came to Texas with her uncle, Harvey Hargrave, in 1842. Their children were Marion, Jeff D., and Martha. Marion died young, and Martha married Sam Bone. Jeff married Lemmie DeBord by whom he raised a family of children, but has now passed to her reward. He is passed 75 years of age but is still on the go. He is happily domiciled at his old home with Aunt Lizzie, his present wife, and is on the same farm where he was born Aug. 5, 1861. His parents lived on this farm continuously until their death. They are buried at the Smith graveyard. Uncle Jeff, with his sister, Mattie, and his cousin Aunt Lusana Thomason, are the only surviving members of this generation of the Voss family. John Voss, son of William Voss, married a Miss Ashmore. He made his settlement and home farther east on Caney, about what we call the old Hudson place, now owned by J. W. Brant estate. Some of their children were George, John, Melvina, Lucinda, Caroline, Serena and Lusana. George Voss married Mary Bullard. They were parents to Harvey and Ella Voss. They once lived in a little log house on the hill about where Ed Bennett now lives. John Voss Jr. married Lennie Craig. They had Ida, Lee and Effie. Vessie was his son by a former marriage. Melvine married Bill Hogsett. They were the parents to Dora, Josie, Pearl and others. Lucinda married Wilson Miller, father of Johnnie and Levi Miller. Serena married Mr. Coppage. Caroline married Henry Shrode, a rural school teacher of that day. His first marriage was to Manerva Hargrave, sister of Lee and Alfred Hargrave. Her second marriage was to Uncle Johnnie Youngblood, who will be kindly remembered by many as an efficient teacher and instructor in vocal music. He was a wonderful character, born in Texas, Nov. 15, 1804, and died Sept. 25, 1910, nearly 106 years old. With so many years well spent makes a remarkable record. Lusana, the last surviving member of this family, was born Nov. 4, 1849. She was first married to Mr. King; one girl, Willie, was born to their union. After the death of Mr. King she was married to Elisha Thomason in 1874. Mr. Thomason^Òs home at this time was what we fall the Rafe Pendleton home place where his father and mother, Nat and Amanda Pendleton resided for a number of years. Mr. Pendleton bought this place from Mr. Thomason in 1875. In 1877, the Thomason family moved north about four miles to the Tom Thomason place, where they remained a short while till it was sold to Uncle Bill Johnson, where Marcellus Johnson now owns and occupies. Mr. and Mrs. Thomason then moved south to what was known as the King place. Elisha and Tom Thomason were sons of Elisha Thomason, Sr., an early settler of this community, who once owned and occupied a farm north of the Addie Argenbright place which we have known as the old France place. In about 1850 the first school house in this community was erected by the neighbors and built of logs to be used for school and church purposes. All buildings at this time, or nearly all, were built of logs, and the first fences were often built of brush and later of 8 foot rails. This school building was located across the branch east and south from the Fate Burkham home place. It was afterwards moved west and north across the branch for its second location, where it was still used for the same purposes. Aunt Lula Thomason, mother of Mrs. John Eppars, tells us that in this log structure and primitive building, she acquired most of her good learning. She says that our late Aunt Lou Shoffit, then Lou Hargrave, in her school girl days, once spent a winter in the home of Eli Voss and attended school at this place, they being school girl friends at this time. The late Johnnie Hargrave once told us of making a school session at that building, boarding in the home of Eli Voss and R. W. Billups, being a Baptist minister, would occasionally preach at the school house. These neighborhood gatherings were great occasions for the neighbors at that time, and no doubt were enjoyed to the limit. Cull Ratliff, nephew of David Ratliff, and a Mr. Wilson, were other teachers at this place. It was called Mt. Zion. You will learn from this record that these Voss children, the McCauley children, and the Ratliff children were all cousins. You will also note that Johnnie Hargrave and Lou Hargrave Shoffit were first cousins and both first cousins to Frances Hargrave Voss, mother of Jeff Voss, and wife of Eli Voss. They were children of three Hargrave brothers. Another pioneer settler of this Dike vicinity was Gilbert Smith. His wife, Lemira Rogers Smith, both natives of Kentucky. He was born Oct. 27, 1799, she June 9, 1803. He died in 1868 and she died in 1894, buried at the Conner cemetery. They made their first settlement on this same Caney Creek, only a few miles west from the home of Eli Voss. It was located about two miles southwest from the present town of Birthright, though there was no Birthright at this time. Their primitive cabin and home place stood just west and near where the Cooper highway of today crosses this stream. This was about 1845 or 1846, just when Texas was organized and admitted to the Union as a state. They had a family of sons and daughters, William L., Samuel W., James H., George, Rafe Callen, Eva, and others, many of whom made their home here and became prominent and leading citizens of this community, aiding in every worthy cause and enterprise that would lead to the up building of the neighborhood. William and Sam Smith were both grown young men when their parents came to Texas and had served on boats as river men on the Mississippi River, plying flatboats to and from various points, carrying produce and other articles in use at that time. It is said they assisted in bring the first steamboat into New Orleans. Several of these Smith boys bought land and once owned the entire strip up and down Cross Timber Creek from the Cal Smith home to the Bob Taylor place. William Smith once contracted for land farther down the Jefferson Road about the Armstrong place, but his death later rendered him unable to return and develop it. He was married in New Orleans and became father of two daughters, Josephine and Clara Agnes, before he was taken by death. His widow was later married to Mr. Gid Witham who soon came with the family to Texas and Hopkins County where they continued to make their home. These girls were afterward married, Josephine to Elisha Clapp and Clara to Will Posey. These four have all passed to their reward except Mrs. Posey; many of her friends call her Aggie. She is still hale and hearty with her four score years and well enjoys the reminiscences of the past. She has a very vivid recollection of leaving New Orleans by boat when she was six with her mother and sister and step-father, Mr. Witham. It was during the Civil War and a skirmish was on, on the river. In order for them to make their getaway they must have a permit from Gen. Bragg and then run the risk of losing their lives by running this gauntlet between the firing squads of the Northern and Southern guns. They decided to make the effort and well does she remember the playing of the cannon balls on the water about the boat, but it seemed fate was with them and not a person was hurt. She was born in New Orleans in a French community and until she was six or seven years old she could not talk any but that language. She well remembers attending school in her childhood days at the old Mt. Zion log schoolhouse. Samuel W. Smith married Manerva Hopkins, daughter of Eldridge Hopkins, the first settler of Old Tarrant. They reared a large family of children, some of the survivors of whom are Mrs. W. J. Davis of Nelta and Pat and Cal Smith of Mahoney. Sam Smith was made Sheriff of Hopkins County in about 1853 and served for a number of years. He was a fair and efficient officer and served well in this capacity. Rafe Callen Smith, who was only a 16-year-old boy when his brother, Sam, was first elected sheriff, grew to manhood and was married to Peggie McFall. They established a home early in this community and became thrifty and enterprising citizens, always ready to lend their assistance in any way possible to aid in the support and up-building of their neighborhood. He served two terms as Commissioner in his precinct where he was very painstaking and careful with every member of his constituency. Some of their surviving children are Mrs. Bettie McCauley and Mrs. J. B. Morris. In the 1850's, before the Civil War, members of the Smith family formed a gin company and established a mill and gin plant near Cross Timber Creek where they operated for a number of years. It seems that Jim and George Smith, brothers, were the chief operators of this establishment. This primitive plant was located about the west line of the Jim Smith land which is now know as the Causey home. A large pool dam was constructed to cross a ravine which drained into Cross Timber Creek. This pool was used to impound water for mill and gin purposes. It was northwest from the Causey house and north and a little east from the present location of the Methodist church. Here they ginned the scattered bales of cotton raised by the farmers of that vicinity, and accommodated their neighbors by grinding their wheat into flour and converting their corn into meal. The barrels and bags of flour made for use and for sale were branded "Boonville, Texas," as this was the name the place had taken at that time. Perhaps it was named for Boonville, Indiana, as Gilbert Smith had once had his home in that state. The press of this gin consisted of a box, blocks and a large wooden screw, said screw being used under the follow (sic) block, that helped to press the cotton. The power needed in this procedure came from a yoke of steers which , while hooked to a lever, walked round and round until the bale of cotton was pressed and ready for the bagging and ties. It was a very slow process with perhaps three or four bales per day. Just across the branch from this mill and gin a tan yard was built. Perhaps it was owned by a company of men in the neighborhood, but it was managed principally and operated by one Joe Emmons, brother to William F., Sam, and George Emmons who had come here from Missouri. This tan yard, like other enterprises of this nature, was used for cleaning, dressing and tanning hides and making them into leather for use in the making of harness, shoes and other articles of that nature. This plant was in operation for a number of years and it was while working at this place that John Voss, Jr., brother to Aunt Lula Thomason, received an accidental stroke on the knee by an ax in the hands of another man which rendered him cripple for life. For a long time, this place was called Boonville and many people of today would still recognize it by that name. After several years of operation at this place, this mill and gin was destroyed by fire. It was later rebuilt with a different location. This time it was farther south on the prairie a few hundred yards west from Spurgeon Causey^Òs home of today and about the same distance nearly north from where the Methodist Church now stands. Here they continued their same work with perhaps some improvement in machinery, ginning their cotton and grinding their wheat and corn. Well does the writer remember going to (the) mill at this place with his father in a two horse wagon, since when has passed many moons. At this time our home was at Pleasant Hill, four miles north, and we could get our grinding at either of three places; Smith^Òs mill, Birthright, or Sulphur Bluff. This place had now become known as "Smith^Òs Mill" and for long years bore that name. While these Smith boys were running this plant they decided to build a store house which was erected between the gin and the present location of the Methodist church. This was to be the first store built in the vicinity of what was later to become Dike. It was used as a general merchandise establishment for some time, when it was converted into a school building. Jim Taylor and a Mr. Strange were two of the early teachers that labored at this place. On one occasion when Mr. Strange was teaching here, a small boy, Tom Patty by name, who lived with Vincent Colquitt across the creek, north, made his appearance as a school pupil. Tom was a splendid boy and everybody was his friend, but he could not talk plain. Mr. Strange seemed to think that Tom was just fooling, so he undertook to have him speak his words plainly. Of course the boy failed, though he did his best. The teacher being outdone, thrashed and abused the boy in a way that was no doubt unbecoming and was very unpleasant to the neighborhood. So the trustees took it up with the gentleman and by the time they were through with him he was ready to go. This building was finally moved south and located about where B. H. Moss establishment now stands. Here it continued to be used for school and church purposes. Georg Smith, the efficient mill man, married Hannah Neely and was father to Florence and Gid Smith, deceased, and Sterling, Mrs. Alice Kiker and Mrs. Georgia Littrell. Jim Smith, his brother, was married to Diadamia Pendleton, daughter of James C. Pendleton and wife. Their survivors are Mrs. Ellen Brinton and Henry, John, and Gilbert Smith of Sulphur Springs. James C. Pendleton, of Pendleton County, Virginia, came to Texas at an early day and was a pioneer settler of the Boonville or Smith Mill community. His home and early settlement was in the eastern part of this community on the Jefferson Road, a short ways east from the present home of Harvey Miller. His first wife was a Miss Rogers and was mother to Nat and Diadamia Pendleton. Nat Pendleton, the son, married Amanda McFall. In about 1875 they bought the home of Elisha Thomason, where Nat and Manda spent the remainder of their lives and raised a family of boys and girls. They were parents of Josh Pendleton of this vicinity and Mrs. Drew Brashear and others. James Pendleton^Òs second marriage was to Evaline Rogers, cousin to his first wife and sister to the wife of Gilbert Smith. Bob Taylor says he is a new-comer in the neighborhood, but we think he deserves mention. He tells me he was born in Union Parish, Louisiana, Nov. 22, 1851. He remained there 17 years and went to Arkansas for a few years, thence to Texas where he spent two years among his brothers in Red River County, coming then to Hopkins County where he has been for 45 years on the same farm that he purchased from Sam W. Smith. He is now well passed 85 and is still going strong, aims to see another milepost for he says he expects the writer to remember him on that occasion. He joined the Baptist Church at 24 and has tried to be faithful. His first wife, mother of his children, was Eliza Powell. She was niece of the late Jno. C. Williams. Some of his children were Andrew, Onie, Dr. Taylor of Mount Pleasant, and Mrs. Eldred Hargrave. His first wife passed to her reward several years ago and he is now being tenderly cared for by Miss Sofie, his wife by a second marriage. (To be continued)