Jones County, Texas - History - M.P. Carr *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************** The Western Enterprise Anson, Jones County, Texas Thursday, August 26, 1933 50th Anniversary Edition WITH BUFFALO CAMPS DURING YEARS 1878 AND 1879 M.P. Carr of Aspermont and E.L. Carr of Rochester, twins, are among the latest additions to The Star-Telegram's roll of West Texas pioneers. They celebrated their 79th birthday on 31 March. Natives of Randolph County, Alabama, they both settled at Phantom Hill, Jones County, in the late 1870s. At the time the brothers moved to that section, Jones County was not organized west of Shackelford and Taylor. They both voted in the organization election in July 1881. M.P. Carr moved to Jones County from Hamilton County in 1879 and camped within two miles of where Anson new stands. He worked on ranches for 10 years and then moved to Stonewall County. He homesteaded in Stonewall County in 1899 and still owns the land. He carried the surveyor's chain when the county boundary was set. He raised the first two bales of cotton produced in that county. He voted in the organization of Stonewall County in 1888 and has resided in the same section of the county for 44 years. He recalled that in 1878 there were no Indians in West Texas except the Tonkawas at Fort Griffin. When Carr went to Jones County the buffalo hunters made their headquarters at Henry Partin's camp. It was near where Prinkle Moore's ranch now is located. The above story was taken from a recent issue of the Star Telegram. E.L. Carr when he came to this section in September 1878, followed the McKenzie trail from near what is now Stephenville in coming from Hamilton County to Fort Griffin, then through what is now Haskell County to a point near what is now Prinkley Moore ranch just east of the Double Mountains, spending the winter in a camp hunting buffalo, in what is now Stonewall County. During the stay there he never crossed the Double Mountain river. Leaving the McKenzie trail near present site of Sagerton, on his way out, veering to the left immediately upon ascending Flat Top Mountain he discovered a newly made grave on the left side of the road that had never been rained on. Legend had it that one of two buffalo hunters killed the other because he wasted his ammunition shooting at deer. Hunters had not use for deer, as there was no market for venison nor the hides. There were plenty of deer. There were six in the winter party. A man by the name of Meats did the killing, three men whose names he does not recall did the skinning and one Henry Partin drug the hides to the camp with his horse and stretched the hides with hair down to keep them straight. Mr. Carr's job was to haul the hides to Fort Griffin, using mules and a wagon, taking two weeks for a trip. He got so much per hide, more for bulls than cows and spikes (young males). He states he saw Meats kill 24 buffaloes out of 26 head one Sunday morning. Buffalo cannot see in front, but to the side and were shot just behind the shoulder or in the small of the back. Special buffalo guns were used. There was no use shooting one in the head or in the "hump" he states. Henry and C.H. Partin, brothers, old-timers here, married sisters of Carl Spraberry. On his return to Hamilton County in March 1879, he carried a load of buffalo meat, peddling it out as he could, disposing of the last at Marlin. Returning to Hamilton County from his winter's buffalo hunting expedition in the spring of 1879, he went in November to Mississippi for his sister-in-law, Mrs. W.A. Carr, her children, and a sister, Mrs. M. M. Spraberry and her children, who went first to Hamilton County, moving with A.J. Carr, father of E.L. Carr, from that county to a place on the section two miles east of the town living in an 8x12 adobe house bought from Mr. Waldrop. Coming with A.J. Carr with his sons, M.P. Carr, H.C. Car and J.J. Carr, and daughters, Mesdames P.S. Tipton, M.M. Spraberry and their families and Mrs. Sam McGee and family, and Carl Spraberry and his mother, Mrs. Lucy Spraberry the last mentioned being dead many years. She was a first charter member of the First Baptist Church to be organized in the county, now the First Baptist Church of Anson, to die. Spending the winter in Mississippi, E.L. Carr returned to this section is March or April of 1880, coming his first time to what is now Jones County. The Carrs settled on land before it came on the market, the sons filing on it in about 1883. M.P. Carr filed on Section 15, O. & A. lands, two miles northeast of Anson. The section north of the Mt. Hope cemetery was filed on by three men as follows: E.L. Carr on the northwest quarter Judge B. Frank Buie on the south half Mr. Bagley on the northeast quarter. The consideration was $2.00 an acre, with 5 percent interest. He secured his legal advice in this matter form the late Judge B. Frank Buie, county's first attorney, and later county Judge M.P. Carr traded the south half of his section in 1886 for 300 head of horses, to his brother, J.J. Prior to this he had sold or given the north half to J.J. Carr. M.P. Carr says that this piece of land had "busted" every man that ever owned it. On the other hand, however, E.L. Carr sold his land to Mr. Blankenship for $12.00 an acre and got the cash. He bought land in Haskell with his money at $10.00 an acre, in two years time he sold for $15.00; and made profits on other real estate investments. A.J. Carr, father of the boys, carried one of two petitions asking the commissioners court of Shackelford County to allow the organization of the new county, now Jones, getting 147 signatures, according to E.L. Carr and M.P. Carr. He was made the first tax assessor of the county, holding the place two terms. A.J. Carr and his wife were among the 13 charter members of the first Baptist church in the county, Mr. Carr serving as the first clerk, being succeeded by the late T.D. Goodwin, who had moved here from Kentucky. M.P. Carr has a hobby for keeping things that might have a historic value. He has written his own story of his experiences both in Jones County, where he lived when the county was organized in 1881, and in Stonewall County where he also lived when the county was organized at least not later than the dates claimed, he has his first tax receipt for Jones County issued in 1882 for 1881 taxes; also his first receipt for Stonewall County issued in 1889 for the year 1888, and his first issued in Hamilton County in 1876. He has missed paying his poll tax for one year only, 1880, from his 21st birhtday until he was too old, and has all the receipts.