Navarro County Texas Archives History - Letters .....Blooming Grove Ltr Jas Bates 1939
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Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 November 12, 2009, 11:01 am

The Blooming Groves Times
Vol XLVII No 28
Aug 4, 1939

The Times is glad to publish the following letter sent in by Jas W. Bates, an
old timer and former resident of this community.

Having seen a copy of your paper at C.H. Nelson's and having spent my childhood
days there, I decided to write you a line to see if any of the old timers were
still there.

My father, F.M. Lewis, with his family, moved there about 72-73 years ago
[1857?]. It was called Gradyville then. Rube Grady had a store and Tom Hendon a
blacksmith shop. We lived about a quarter of a mile east of the store. Later my
father and G.P. Miller and a few others built a house on the east side of Rush
creek in a small post oak grove for school and church use and named it Blooming
Grove. I attended the first school ever taught there. G.P. Miller was the
teacher, Carmichael and Nute Hickman were next. Only a few patrons. I remember
Dr. Davis Gowan, Lyle Bates, Ransom Harper, Maberry Grady, Simpson McQuary,
Parker Gan and a few others in the first school.

Then the town and P.O. changed its name to Blooming Grove and we built a gin,
grist mill and added stores. We sold out, moved 3 miles east and I attended
Miller's Chapl. Jim Miller was teacher; went to Cryer Creek with Tom Smith as
teacher.

The railroad cam through and moved the town a little further north from the old
Foggy place, its present site. I haven't seen Blooming Grove for many years nor
have I seen the old swimming hole at Rush creek where I learned to swim and
caught a whipping for slipping off from school.

I am 78 years old past. My father was buried in the Blooming Grove cemetery on
Rush Creek near the old church if standing. If any of the old timers or their
descendants read The Time try your hand at elling some facts about the old
settlers and early days in that country. I knew nearly everyone from Cryer Creek
to Dresden and Milford to Corsicana, but haven't seen them in a  long time. Have
been here nearly 30 years. Wishing the editor and all his readers success in life.
Jas. W. Bates, Tuskahoma, Okla

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