Hunt Co., TX - News: Our Town 1900 ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Sarah Swindell USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** Our Town 1900 Mrs. Lois Lewis wrote each week about Celeste in the Celeste and Leonard papers from the 1960’s to the day she died in 1998. She captured our history, our goings and comings, births and deaths and the achievements within. While reading her articles, you just wanted to skip down those city sidewalks once again. Ride your skates in front of fine frame houses. Wave at everyone—all friendly familiar faces. Makes you wish that as a kid you paid more attention to what was before your eyes, what people were doing, and the stories they told. Too much of living runs off like water off a duck’s back. Walking down the Celeste Downtown streets in 1900 means looking at the 1900 Federal Census of District 124, Precinct 2, which comprised fourteen pages. Mr. Cheatham was the enumerator. As a city, we were not that old. Just beginning to reach our teen years. What a glorious, vibrant time! Surely! Among the familiar names was Joseph J. Attebery, a grandfather, who came from Kentucky. His father was from North Carolina and his mother, Kentucky. His wife was Nancy. She and her parents were from Tennessee. Residing on 12th Street was the widow, Frances Yeager. She was born in February of 1854 in Arkansas. Both her parents were from Alabama. She was earning a living for her three children by being a dressmaker. Her children were Claude, 26, listed as a "cornsheller," Ella V., and Esta. Joby Hoard was only eighteen in 1900. Helping the family, Joby was working as a railroad porter. There were several railroad men living in Celeste. Richard Scales and Hamilton Jones were agents. George Shields, James Ward, and Wilbur Kent were also employed by the railroad. Samuel Nelson and his family were neighbors. Sam was born in July of 1876 in Texas. His father was from Mississippi and his mother came from Alabama. The Brindley family lived on 13th Street. Their people were also from Alabama. Linton Brindley, a son, was born on August 15, 1886, and according to the SSDI, he died in November of 1977 in Dallas, Texas 75209. Wonder if he ever thought of Celeste or ever returned home? Dr. Charles E. White headed his nice family. He was born in July of 1861 in Mississippi or Missouri. His father, a Virginian, married a girl from Tennessee. Fannie E. Roach was the wife of Dr. White. She was born in August of 1867 in Mississippi. Her father was born in Georgia and her mother was born in Alabama. Fannie lived in Kingston before coming to Celeste. In 1900, Charles and Fannie had been married twelve years. They had had four children—all were living. Charles White, Jr., was born in March of 1888 in Texas. His sister, Ellen, arrived in July of 1889 and his brothers, Maury and Edward, joined the family in December of 1895 and December of 1898, respectively. Dr. White was not the only physician in Celeste. Keep strolling the streets and one might greet Dr. L. Murdaugh, the dentist, or Dr. John McDonald from Mississippi. Dr. George Norris was another physician in early day Celeste. George E. Whitmore with Maine roots taught music. He was a vocal teacher. Not too far from Mr. Whitmore was the Stafford family. Head of the household was Benjamin Stafford who was born in November of 1861. He came from Georgia. His father was from North Carolina and his mother was born in Georgia, too. He had been married to Octavia for fourteen years. Our school records show that Professor Stafford came from Mineola and was paid fifty dollars to be superintendent of schools. Our school records show that he taught for four years. Professor Stafford and Octavia’s children were Florence, Ruth, Benjamin A. Jr., born in November of 1892, and Ora. Cora Kennedy, daughter of Duncan C. Kennedy, Justice of the Peace, taught elocution. She was only seventeen at the time, having been born in December of 1882. Celeste must have had an elevated degree of culture—with vocal and elocution instructors! Another Alabama man who settled the streets of Celeste was E. B. Thompson. He was born in 1840. His father originated from Georgia, but his mother was native to Alabama. His wife, Francis, was a Mississippi girl whose parents came from South Carolina. Francis and E. B. had been married for thirty-four years. To this family, ten children had been born with six surviving. Part of the family at home were Minnie, Arthur S., and John A. Another Thompson, her first name looked like Amanda. She was Mrs. Thompson from Mississippi. Her father was from Alabama and her mother from Mississippi. Mrs. Thompson was born in 1849—she was a widow. Her children were William, 26; Robert, 23; and Ethel. The boys were born in Mississippi and Ethel was born in Arkansas. Apparently Mr. Thompson was born in Mississippi. Robert Mitchell operated a livery business. Is he the hotel man? Behind what is now main street (our Sanger Street) is Marsalis Street. There resided a druggist, Newton (? or Newby) Stephens and his wife, Alice. They were newlyweds—married less than a year. He was thirty; Alice was twenty-five. Mr. Stephens came from Mississippi, as did all his people. Alice was born in Texas after her Alabama parents moved to the Lone Star State. Another Stevens' family with Mississippi roots was Charles Stevens and his wife, Annie. They were in Household 61. Note that these two families did not spell their last name the same way. Annie was born in Texas while her father was born in Mississippi. Her mother called Alabama home. They were only thirty-one and twenty-five and had one three-year old daughter, Mary E., after four years of marriage. John Williams was still another druggist and so was Augustus Sanders. Dr. Murdaugh and Dr. McDonald must have had offices in their drug store. Next door to Charles and Annie Stevens were Ellen Roach and her daughter Hattie, from Tennessee. Ellen was born in September of 1845 in Tennessee. She had four children, three surviving in 1900. Hattie, born in July of 1875, was single and a dressmaker. Isaac Barker was a blacksmith. The Casey family had Felix Casey, born in August of 1886, and John Casey, born in 1899. James Eastwood came from Tennessee. He was forty-two, having been born in February of 1859. He had been married eighteen years to Mary H. Eastwood. Mary was the mother of four children, three living. The children listed were Vetra L., 17, born April of 1883; Glenn D., born in March of 1898; and Mary E., born in May of 1899. It is sad to think that Mary had only a few more months to live when this census was taken. Somewhere in some of Mrs. Lewis’ notes, I have just read that "Miss Blanche" Eastwood became Miss Mary’s mother when Miss Mary was about three years old. Another city man was Dan Turney who was thirty-five. He was born in October of 1864 in Illinois. That’s where his parents were born, too. Charles McGregor, born in September of 1875, was twenty-four. He came from Mississippi. His father was a Volunteer and his mother was from Mississippi. Edward Croft, who became Postmaster, didn’t he, was born in August of 1842. He was fifty-seven and had been married for thirty-three years. The mail carrier for the star route was Thomas Sims who was born in April of 1840. He was sixty and had been married for thirty-eight years. This wife, Martha, had had ten children, seven survived. Five of the children were listed—Robert, Pauline, William, Maud, and Emma. Postmaster Ulysses Grant Roach headed the Celeste Post Office. Another newlywed couple was Leon Norris from Arkansas. He was born in August of 1875. Flora L. Roach Norris was born in October of 1876 in Tennessee. They had been married a year. Leon was a salesman by trade. Washington Lyles, on Front (?) Street brought the "Good News" to the people of Celeste. John F. Harris, from Georgia, was born in February of 1846. Two of his sons were Dalton, born in April of 1888, and Nash, born in June of 1896. There is a Nash Harris listed on the SSDI with the following information. Nash Harris, born June 18, 1896, died in May of 1956. His Social Security number was issued in Texas. Again I find myself wondering if Nash ever had any memories of "Small Town, Big Heart." John Alumbaugh, editor of the Celeste newspaper, came from Kentucky as did his father. His mother had Virginia roots. John was born in January of 1868. One of John's sons was Edward C. Alumbaugh, born December 8, 1898, in Texas. Edward died in February of 1974. His last residence was shown as Dothan, Houston Co., Alabama. Could any of his descendants have old Celeste documents? A large family on 4th Street was the Edward Adams family. He was born in West Virginia as were both his parents. Luella was born March of 1865. Edward, 46, and Luella Adams had been married for seventeen years. They had seven children, all surviving. Luella was born in Texas. Her father was from Tennessee and her mother from Indian Territory. Their children were Felix M., born in June of 1884; Louis B., born in July of 1886; George, born in August of 1888; Fannie born in 1890; Floyd, born in January of 1892; and Alexandra. Edward was a ginner. In the same household were his parents, William S. Adams and Barpheus Adams, with both sets of their parents from West Virginia. William and Barpheus had been married for fifty years. These are not the only 1900 Celeste names—just a few. There were boarders and dry goods dealers. This was a glimpse behind the walls into some of the homes of early day Celeste residents. This ended the enumeration for Celeste proper, but District 124 continued for about forty more pages. I have jotted down some of our rural residents during those pioneer days.