OLD CANTON AND HER EARLY SETTLERS, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Pat M. Stevens IV - stevensp@erols.com 19 May 2001 ***************************************************************** OLD CANTON AND HER EARLY SETTLERS "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XXIII - Pages 119-123 Omen, in this county, is an inviting and pleasant little town and an educational center. Omen High School has won a good reputation in educating and qualifying young men and young women, fitting them for the great battle of life. So many educated young men-- so many accomplished young women have been educated there that it has reached a degree of excellence and training that few schools in East Texas have attained. But this is not the object of this chapter to say what Omen is now, but what old Canton was in the early fifties. Her conditions now present more flowers and pretty things to write about, but no more devoted patriotism, more loyalty to conscience, or more sterling honesty than the early settler of Canton community had. A few of the landmarks of "ye olden time" still remain. A few of her citizens that reach back the proportionate part of fifty years still linger with us to bless laudable efforts in the progress of a better and higher civilization. In some future chapter the writer may take up the old-timer of Old Canton-- the New Omen-- and give a personal mention. They deserve it; they shall have it. A grand line of people-- early founders and builders that planned well for the present pleasant conditions, and the order of things. Let us go back to Old Canton when T. N. Gregory, Walker & Lively, D. B. Rankin, Wm. Middleton, D. Gillis, F. F. Doney, J. Center, Lindsey & Engledow, and M. Hitchens were in the business there. Drs. Fowler, Overton, Broughton, and Blaylock practiced medicine. H. & J. Floore, blacksmith's (sic), E. A. Calhoun, C. S. Hodges, and A. Elkins cabinet makers; Riley and Morton, carpenters. The hotel was kept by Rankin, T. W. Bell, H. Weatherby and R. Engledow. Others figured in business then but names not recalled. Shreveport was the market place. Cotton was hauled and sold and goods came as return freight. Lumber was carried to the prairies and exchanged for flour. The ox team was the transportation lines (sic), and "Old Broad-horn"-- the Texas steer-- performed his part well in carrying the commerce of this new country. No railroads, no telegraph lines. An occasional steamboat up the Sabine river, but no very extensive traffic. Canton had mail twice-a-week, from Tyler running to Nacogdoches. The mail was carried by the Douglas boys, Jim, John, and Eli. A letter then cost ten cents and was willingly contributed on the receipt of one from the states. After leaving the Bonner and Stephenson settlement few houses were seen on the road to Tyler. Canton had preaching in those days of earnest gospel truth, and were attentive listeners. Most of the preaching was plain and practical, but some were educated men that caught the tints from the stars, the silver lining of life, and wove it into boquets (sic) of religious beauty and thrilling eloquence, lifting the people to realms of momentary rapture and pleasure. Some of the early preachers who ministered then to the Canton people I can recall only a few names. Not all; I really regret the treachery of memory of Time as it passes and the fleeting years as they go by, making the fragments of early times hard to get together: Baptist-- Milburne, Rose, Walker, Rasbury, Baggerly and Gilliam. Methodist-- Fisher, Joshua and Henry Starr, Fields, Hamilton, Dennis and Daddy Ginn. Cumberland Presbyterians-- James and Sammy Harris, and Broughton. Prmitive (sic) Baptist-- Daniel. The first precinct officers I can get from the record are B. B. Bonner and T. P. Davie, justices of the peace, and Bill Middleton, constable. Old Canton precinct, certainly, had other beat officers preceding these, but I have failed to get them. Arthur Adkins was a resident of Old Canton when elected chief justice (county judge) of Smith county. Judge Adkins filled that office with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. He paid the last debt of life and passed over "to the shade of the trees." As an honest man he was invited "up higher" by the Great Master. The early farmers were an intelligent citizenship. The following I remember now: Sol Lanham, Caleb Barron, H. D. Collier, I. H. Daniel and Frank Overton. There were the Crows, Meltons, Robertsons, Bradfords, Childress, Wilsons, Bonners, Stephensons, Mayfields, Couplands, Greens, Riddles, Broughtons, Paces, Hills, Woodalls, Masons, Hodges, Eatons, Jarvis, Holdens, Evans, Flinns, Ruckers, Bryants, Cates, Garnetts, Weeks, Arnolds, Elkins, Perkins and McKays. Yes, there were James, White, Johnson, Lindsey, Smith, and Applewhite. Lands were cheap and settlements were rapidly made. Canton was the largest voting precinct outside of Tyler and received the considerable attention of the early candidate and politician. The "early bird caught the worm," hence, Old Canton was worked early and late. Canton never lagged behind in anything; (being up to snuff) she worked matters and things, as shrewd people, in the interest of local candidates. Candidates left under a promise to see that "goods were delivered" from other sections of the county. The old settler emigrated from the old States and had been schooled somewhat along the lines of practical politics, and on an honest plane. Nevertheless, Old Canton landed in a county office the man she got behind. Lott, Reaves, Adraine, Parsons, Chilton, Hubbard, Warren, Davis, Rosenbaum, Selman, Lewter and other local speakers would stir up the people on local, state and national issues. Col. Ben Goodman and Rev. Joshua Starr made rousing railroad speeches. It was a noble class of men that settled Old Canton community that worked for the culmination of a better day for those to follow them. A few tottering forms of the very early settler can now be seen here. Many of the later years of the fifties with a steadier step. Soon the remaining ones will drop out of sight. The harvest will be gathered-- the sheaves gathered together-- the end will come, "step up higher."