JOSEPH McDOUGAL AND FAMILY, SMITH COUNTY, TEXAS ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Susie Lemin - susl@ccms.net 15 May 2001 ***************************************************************** JOSEPH McDOUGAL AND FAMILY "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XCIV - Pages 373-377 Joseph McDougal was born in the state of North Carolina in 1809. His parents, John and Barshaba McDougal moved to Lauderdale county, Alabama in 1818, Joseph being nine years of age. Joseph McDougal married to Miss Amira McMurray, an accomplished and good woman of a prominent Alabama family. He removed to Texas in 1847, and settled in Kaufman county, and in February, 1848, moved to Smith county, and settled about eight miles northeast of Tyler and built a log house that grew along in the fifties to be a large farm mansion of ante-bellum days. It was a hospitable house and entertained many people in the old Southern style. He was an enterprising, industious man, and planned for the future in helping his community and people. Joseph McDougla assisted in organizing one of the first Methodist churches organized in Smith county, with the assistance of Rev. S. E. Box, a prominent missionary of that day and time. The church house was a log structure with puncheon seats and dirt floor, and built where the present Center Church now stands. It was built without a nail in the building, and many eloquent and good preachers ministered to the people from the rude and rustic pulpit. Joseph McDougal was licensed to exhort, and he took care of the welfare of this little flock of pioneers. The membership of this church, as far as data to hand, consisted at organization, of the following members: Joseph McDougal and wife Amira; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lott, the grandparents of Jno. A Lott, the present county clerk of Smith county; also his mother, Mrs. E. E. Lott, and "Uncle Jim", a faithful slave who died some ten years ago. There may have been others who were charter members of this priitive church, but I failed to get their names. Joseph McDougal was the kind of Christian that worked to save the souls of men and women, hence, he proclaimed the good tidings up and down this sparsley settled country to the edification of the people. Full of religion, it was a pleasing duty for him to preach to the people. A reunion was held at Center Church a few years ago and only two were present who remembered the old church house, that reached back in the mist of fifty long years--numbered with the past generation who sleeps under the clods in some quite graveyard. Time is the leveler, and the sure process moves with the certainty that reaches the end of human life in this world of hardships, pleasures, hopes, joys and sadness. Joseph and Amira McDougal had six children, who lived to be grown-- John W., Rebecca, Jas. R, Alex A. Henry F. and Joseph M. John W. married Miss Mary Starr, a daughter of Rev. W. H. Starr and noted elequent preacher in the early years of the fifties. They had no children. He was killed by falling off a horse he was ridding, to the deep sorrow of relatives and friends. He was a noble speciment of manhood, and a devoted Christian gentleman. His widow resides in Dallas waiting for the final summons to join her husband in the great beyond. Rebecca McDougal married Jas. S. L. Baker, who resides in this county. They had five boys and three girls. Two of the girls are dead. James R. resides at the old homstead and is farming. He has been married twice and has two children, one residing in Dallas, the other, Miss Verner, resides with her father. She is a sweet lovable young lady. Jas. R. McDougal is surrounded by pleasant and inviting conditions, the grand old homestead as the charm-word that brings up pleasant memories of good old times. A. A. McDougal lives in this city. He married Miss Annie McClure, one of the daughters of Col. Samuel McClure, an old citizen of Smith county, a sucessful planter and prominent man. She was a sweet charming woman and died only a few months ago. They raised two children--Mrs. Henry Cook and Gibbs McDougal, who married a few months ago. They both reside in Tyler, together with their father. Henry McDougal married the chraming Miss Bettie Thompson, a bright woman of lovely Chistian character. Henry was killed by the saws of his gin in 1873. It was a sad death and a great loss to the country and people who knew him. They had two children--Henry Archie McDougal and Blanche, who died in infancy. H. A. McDougal is the business manager of the excellent paper, THE TYLER COURIER. James Monroe McDougal has been married twice. He has two children-- Ralph and Lee. Ralph married Miss Maud Templeton, of Jacksonville, Texas and resides there. Miss Lee McDougal resides with her parents in this city. She is a bright young lady, possissing lovely and attractive traits. The McDougal boys, John W., James R., A. A., Henry F. and James Monroe, were in the Confederate army doing their duty along the front lines with the gallant men who so bravely fought for the South. Each has a clear record in the thrilling scenes enacted in the civil war, and a good record as honorable, upright citizens. All are intelligent and shifty people. The McDougal family possess that Scotch force of character that forces itself to the front with an earnest, hosnes determination to do what they conceive to be right between man and man. The grand old sire who sleeps in the quiet graveyard, in life, gave his children a good, lovely Christian example, and with the grand and sweet old mother, who sleeps by the side of her husband, lends its enchantment for good as long as memory lasts. Joseph McDougal died 1856 and his wife in 1864. Dr. Q. A. Shuford was the family physician of the McDougals. He is now a resident of this city, and one of themost prominent and scientific professional men in the state. He is another old landmark that brings up pleasant memories of the genial and pleasant face of Dr. Quincy Shuford.