REFLECTIONS ON A BALL TICKET, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Pat M. Stevens IV - stevensp@erols.com 19 May 2001 ***************************************************************** REFLECTIONS ON A BALL TICKET "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter LVII - Pages 240-247 I gather from an old scrap book the following ball ticket, dated August 21, 1866. It is thirty-four years ago: R. R. CONVENTION HALL Tyler, Texas, September 13, 1866. "At the Erwin Hall to which you are respectfully invited. Managers-- Geo. W. Chilton, J. H. Bullard, Alf Davis, D. C. Williams, Jas. P. Douglas, N. L. Roberts, Sid S. Johnson, Ed B. Wiggins, H. C. Erwin. "Committee on Arrangements-- Dr. H. J. McBride, H. V. Hamilton, Jas. B. Long, Jno. B. Douglas, R. C. Long. "Floor Managers-- Sam D. Williams and Sons." From memory, I call up the forms of each. Thirty-four fleeting years have gone with its many, many changes. Time has accomplished its work, and many unforeseen events have transpired now, that was hidden in the coming years then, to the remaining few living today. This was an evening entertainment since the civil war; sweet strains of delightful music filled Erwin Hall that night, and fleeting feet keep time with voluptuous music. The gay throng of human souls have mostly paid the last debt of human affairs. The arms and cultivated ears that directed the lovely music, sleeps in death; the gay laughter of the reigning belles have (sic) been carried with the gentle winds, never to return. The blushes on that evening by the love-sick youth and blushing dear young girl were carried off on balmy breezes and returned by a trusted messenger of Cupid himself, on tinted paper with a fallen tear of innocence and lovely young womanhood. Fleeting forms come and go! I see them. Recollections crowd the mind too fast to write them; memory, the good gift of a merciful and Alwise God, plays its part in this life, and in the one to come; it broadens and widens under the guidance of the Great Master. Separate the mind from the human form, the body dies and decays like animal and vegetable life. The rose after its sweetness passes away after performing its allotment here. The most shapely human form bends with age; the smiles of a pretty face becomes (sic) wrinkled in the course of time. Hardships, disappointments and the rough waves of life marks (sic) the decay; makes the crows-foot; slackens the pulse and weakens the human form. But what of memory? It goes with Time in its flight in the coming years, not diminished, but brightened as the ages come. Thought is a gift of heaven. It must be; but why should man be so much honored? I will drop this. The ball, the dance, the music caused it; it was thirty-four years ago, and the reveries of the mind cannot be controlled. It will perform its work. Let us trace a line or two of the names on this ancient ball ticket. Col. Geo. W. Chilton sleeps in the Tyler cemetery. He was a Confederate major, a brilliant lawyer and a man of eloquence and ability, marked with genius. He was the father of Senator Horace Chilton and Mrs. L. A. Henry. His widow lives in Tyler. J. H. Bullard is now a leading business man of Bullard, Texas. He retains many of the same traits of character that made him so popular when a young man. He married the pretty and aimable (sic) Miss Emma Erwin, and raised quite a family of children. Mrs. Bullard is dead. D. C. Williams was a printer boy before the war; he enlisted in Douglas' Texas Battery and saw the rough side of cruel war. He made a journalist and editor. Married the pretty Miss Carrie Shuford of Wood county. He is dead and his wife living. Mrs. Pink Murphey, of Tyler, is his daughter. Crockett Williams possessed many noble qualities. Alf Davis was a popular young man of fine social qualities. He had a good Confederate record. Married the accomplished Mrs. Edwin Baxter and raised a good sized family. Alf died in Eatonton, Georgia, where he and his family had removed. James P. Douglas was a Confederate major of artillery in the Confederate army; a State Senator, lawyer, and business man. He has worked for Tyler, enjoying the confidence of the people. Maj. Douglas has been married twice. The first marriage was with Miss White, of Omen; second. Miss Smith, of Tyler. Both accomplished and Christian women. The Douglas family is noted for intelligence and good standing. N. L. Roberts, a good Confederate soldier of the 7th Texas, Granbury's brigade. He saw hard service and always "toated (sic) his end of the log." Married Miss Long of Rusk, Texas, who was a lovely woman, who died about two years ago. He is a prominent farmer near Swan, Texas, and is the father of an interesting family. Sid S. Johnson passed through the war, somewhat weather-beaten, tough as a leather string, and lives in Tyler. He married Miss Zelda Smith, an accomplished Christian woman; both living on this side of the dividing line. They have seven living children, and six grand children. Ed B. Wiggins, another old veteran of Company K, 3rd Texas Cavalry, Ross' Texas brigade, who saw the rough and tumble part of the civil war. He married the attractive Miss Eliza Roberts; both are living and have an interesting family. He is the popular clerk of the Criminal Court of Appeals of the Tyler branch. He is the same genial man and popular fellow. H. C. Erwin made a good Confederate soldier, a big hearted speciman of noble manhood. Clay has many noble traits of character. Clay married Miss Sallie McDaniel, who was pretty and popular. They had several children; Clay is dead. The family reside in Tyler. Everybody was his friend, and he was everybody's friend. True as the kneedle (sic) to the pole, in his friendship. Dr. H. J. McBride, the genial fellow, a fine dentist, at the top round professionally, lives in Tyler. He married the intelligent Miss Angeline Middleton, of Starrville, Texas, who dies a number of years ago. They had three children. He can spin a yarn with the same interesting details as when a young man. Still, at this writing, he is a busy man. James H. Long, another veteran of Douglas' battery, has answered the final roll call on high. Jimmie wasa noble fellow; dying in early manhood. Jimmie married Miss Dora Shuford, who afterwards married Rev. S. W. Turner, now of Ft. Worth, Texas. She is a Christian woman, Shuford Long is a son. If his life here had been spared, he would have made it a success. H. V. Hamilton, the Nestorian of Tyler journalism; the father of Mark, Van and Hanse Hamilton, all up-to-date newspaper men, lives in Tyler. Van, Sr., has been married three times. An intelligent family has blessed him in his declining years. Retiring from newspaper work has only lasted a short time. The constant busy life of years brings him back to editorial work. The monotony of a quiet life is straining on a busy brain. He must have something to do. It drives dull thoughts away. His life will be busy when the Master comes. Forty-six years in Tyler newspaper work is a long time; as age creeps on, memory clings to the dead past. John B. Douglas made a gallant Confederate soldier and served through the war. John was married twice: first to Miss Mittie Wiggins; second, Miss Kettie Walker. His last wife is a resident of this city. Both are accomplished and lovely women. John died early in this city several years ago, after making life a success financially. He was a Christian gentleman. His first wife died soon after marriage; he had one son by the second marriage, a very bright-minded young man. R. C. Long returned to Florida soon after this social event, and I must have lost sight of Dick. He was the son of Col. M. A. Long and a charming bright-minded young fellow, handsome and popular. Dick was gay and genial. It was on the evening preceding a railroad meeting; Gen. John B. Hood and Col. Jack Wharton made railroad speeches; this was before railroads had reached Tyler, and many grown-up people present had never seen a railroad then. It was a big crowd on that eventful occasion. Music at the ball was furnished by Sam D. Williams & Sons, noted musicians and dancing masters of the old school, and I fear the present generation don't know what good music and good dancing people had then. Graceful dancing "with flying feet," to the strains of sweet music as the "the dance went on." It was an evening of raptuous (sic) joy; peals of merry laughter and sparkling wit turned loose without the frills and gewgaws of modern culture. Mirth and pleasure marked the sands (sic) of the dial dropped one by one in its regular measured time. The quiet assent of the blushing girl to the wooing lover; the merry throng made it a glorious evening in the annals of Tyler's early history. Where are the boys and girls who were at Erwin Hall that evening? Thirty-four years has wrought many changes, for Time in its flight never looks backward. The past is buried in its ruthless decayed sepulcher; memory alone resurrects and in fancy weaves the threads together and draws the picture. Forms come and go. The grave is robbed of its precious charge while the mind's reveries reach back into the dead years. Count the number; note the marble-slabs in the city of the dead. We too, dear reader, shall be laid there, too, with breaking hearts and tender hands. The law of God is the end we shall reach. Four-by-six is the allotted space of ground. The marble-slab is a creation of human skill, the soul, the handy work of the Eternal God.