Hopkins Co TX - Hopkins County, Texas, 1913, No. 3 From: June E. Tuck 1224be@neto.com> ************************************************************************ 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 submitted, 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/ *********************************************************************** Hopkins County, Texas - 1913 "Industrial Edition" Extracted by June E. Tuck (Edited) ARBALA, TEXAS Arbala is a small village in the south part of Hopkins County in the timber belt, 12 miles southwest of Sulphur Springs. There are four general merchandise stores and one confectionery store. One good gin plant, one blacksmith and machine shop, and two hardwood sawmills from one and one-half to four miles distance. Two organized churches, Methodist Episcopal South and Missionary Baptist. One good school with an annual enrollment of from 130 to 150 pupils. This is considered by the teachers of Hopkins County to be one of the choicest locations as well as one of the best schools in the county. Most of the people are farmers and truck growers, there being very little public work, in fact, not enough to make mention of in this article. The land is of sandy nature and very fertile and is adapted to the growth of most anything that grows in this climate. Elberta peaches grow almost to perfection. Plums, apples, pears, back and dew berries, strawberries, cantaloupes, watermelons, grapes and other fruit and vegetables. Cotton, corn and small grain yield bountifully. The country is well drained by Burks and Elm creeks whose bottom lands are famous for their Ribbon Cane syrup. The whole county is underlaid with a stratum of extra grade lignite at a depth of from sixteen to forty feet; this stratum is from three to twelve feet in thickness. There are other stratus at fifty to sixty and ninety to one hundred feet which are both as good if not better grade than the first. The people keep their smoke house and corn cribs well filled. BRASHEAR, TEXAS What Brashear Has in 1913 One State Bank Three Grocery Stores Two Gen. Merchandise Stores One Drug Store One Restaurant Two Blacksmith Shops One Garage One Barber Shop One Insurance Shop Two Real Estate Men Two Notary Publics Two Cotton Gins One Livery Stable Two Doctors Three Churches One Lodge Good School Good Roads Good People ************************************************************************* Brashear, Texas, is located on the M.K. & T. Railway, 8 miles west of Sulphur Springs, and is a prosperous little village of about 300 people. The town is situated on a high rolling prairie and is one of the coolest places in summer in the entire county. The lands in and around Brashear vary from tight, upland prairie to loose sandy loam and rich and highly productive. It is a great cotton, corn and small grain country and the yield per acre is exceedingly good. Brashear has been on the map for many years, but only in recent years has she taken on an impetus to grow and develop. Several new and strong business firms have moved there, a strong and liberal State Bank has been organized there, a number of good brick business houses have been built, the trade territory is being widened. They have three churches, Methodist, Baptist and Christian, a good school, and have recently incorporated into an Independent School District and voted $4,000. for the erection of a school building. Brashear is the home of "Uncle Pete" ( H. T. Helm) County Commissioner of Precinct No. 4, who has made a splendid record as noble and efficient guardian of the county’s finances and has to his credit more miles of graded and drug roads than any County Commissioner this county has ever had. Brashear shipped more oats in 1913 season than any other town on Katy between Greenville and Shreveport. BRASHEAR MERCANTILE AND LUMBER Co. - General Merchandise It is recognized as one of Brashear’s largest and strongest business enterprises. This large and successful store was opened a little more than two years ago and has been a success from the start. This firm handles Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Implements and Lumber. They occupy a large double brick store house and keep it well stock with high grade merchandise. Messrs. H. P. Holley and J. A. Gore are the mangers. FARMERS AND MERCHANTS STATE BANK Farmers and Merchants State Bank is one of the strongest and most successful young and small banks in Hopkins County. This bank was organized in 1911, with a capital of $10,000., and it has been a success from its beginning. The deposits increased $17,000. In July of this year. Its capital surplus and undivided profits is now $13,000. Officers of the bank are: S. D. Greaves, President; C. M. Patton, Vice-President; Milus Robinson, Cashier; Directors are J. C. Lindley, J. B. Mahaffey, G. B. Stewart, W. B. Junell, W. F. Hull, C. M. Patton, S. D. Greaves. JONES & SON - GROCERIES Jones & Son is one of the oldest and most reliable business firms of Brashear. The firm began as Jones & Smith years ago when Brashear was only a hamlet. Later Mr. Jones bought the entire business and gave it the present name of Jones & Son. HOLDER & DOSS - GIN The Holder & Doss Gin firm is composed of F. M. Holder and T. A. Doss, being located as they are in one of the best cotton growing sections of the county, and has a gin plant and gin business second to none in the county. They are now running on full capacity day and night. S. J. (JACK) MAUNEY - GROCERIES Mr. Mauney conducts the leading exclusive grocery business of Brashear, and with his fair dealing and good goods at low prices, has built up a trade second to none in the state for its size. He buys all kinds of country produce paying the highest market prices. DAVIS & HUMPHRIES - GENERAL MERCHANDISE This large firm is composed of J. M. Davis and W. E. Humphries. They came to Brashear some three years ago,and have built up a large and highly successful business. The firm handles Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, and in fact a general line of almost everything. PAYNE DRUG COMPANY Payne Drug store carried a general line of Drugs, Patent Medicines and Druggists Sundries. They also have a modern and well equipped cold drink fountain and do splendid business in this line through the summer months. The firm is composed of J. G. and Dr. A. F. Payne, both of whom are classed among Brashear’s best citizens. They handle nothing but pure drugs of high grade quality.