Jones County, Texas - Biography - Midway Community *********************************************** 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 Community of Midway Dates to Early 1880s Benjamin Franklin Britton built the first house in the winter of 1882, in the Midway community, as did T.T. Smith, later in 1882. The latter's house was called the Halfway House or Blue Front. The old stage house, east of the road at Hodges, was built by J.W. Moore, and became the stopping place for the stage line running between Abilene and Haskell, via Anson. Starks (N.S.) Dougherty and Francis Abney were partners in the cattle business and boarded for several years with T.T. Smith. Bud Moore still lives on part of the land his father, J.W. Moore, settled in 1882. the land is immediately east of Midway. Mr. and Mrs. John Montgomery, parents of Henry and Jim, were buried on the east side of the old Anson and Abilene road about one mile north of Hodges at their own request, as they did not want to be buried among the prairie dogs which did not inhabit the hills. In 1887 there was very few houses in the community. There was no store closer than Abilene. T.T. Smith, J.C. Lee, J.W. Moore, B.F. Britton (for whom the Britton Lane was named) and L.M. Morriosn who owned a ranch, were pioneers as cotton farmers in a small way. Other pioneers in that community were Henry and Jim Montgomery, Johnnie Love and wife, parents of Walter and Harve Love, Mrs. N.S. Dougherty of Anson, Will Harris, John Woodward, R.D. Bumpass, Judge J.V. Cockrell owned a ranch west of what is now Hawley. Cotton from all that section was hauled to Abilene where it was ginned at the Brown and Smith Gin, the third one erected in Abilene. Brown now lives in Anson and Smith in Abilene. Abilene was the post office for many years. The community was later served by mail from Truby and now by Route 2 out of Hawley, and another route out of Merkel. Joe Winter and family moved to Brown County in 1861, in 1885 moved back to HIll and Bosque County, and to Jones County in 1888. His son, Sam, moved to Midway community in the first part of 1887, settling on land his father had bought for him in 1886 through Lewis C. Wise of Abilene, prior to moving to Jones county. Sam Winter died in about 1930, the land still belonging to his estate. George W. Winter, for 29 years on a farm 1-1/2 miles northwest of Anson, was the second member to reach Jones county, coming to Midway (Hodges) in 1887 from Bosque County, after spending six years with his father's horses and cattle in Stephens County, during which time he followed herds through this part of the west. Joe Winter died in 1897 on his farm in the Shiloh community. Mrs. Winter died several years later onn the same farm.