A CHAPTER OF EARLY LIFE IN TYLER, Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Leroy B. Butler, leroybutler@hotmail.com 
16 May 2001
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A CHAPTER OF EARLY LIFE IN TYLER  "Some Biographies of Old Settlers."
Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I
By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas
Chapter XIV - Pages 75 - 78

   Soon after Tyler was made into a town (in 1846) and her streets laid 
off, business began in a small way in this thinly populated section of 
the country.  Dr. Caldwell was an early merchant and Julius Saunders, a 
mere boy, clerked for him. Savala, from Nacogdoches, was merchandising 
on the east side of the square but soon moved to the north side. John 
Pate, (killed by his demented father), clerked for Savala a number of 
years. Frank Bell kept a grocery on the north side. The business 
houses were built of hewed logs cut from the surrounding forest. The 
stocks of merchandise were small, but answered the purposes of that 
time, as the settlements were thinly settled. The prevailing prices 
were good and the early merchant made good money. The people were not
extravagant in that day in time, but everything in a business way had 
smooth sailing. Things moved even with the people, not withstanding the 
attending hardships of a new country. The people were hospitable and 
social, by all being on the equality of standing along the lines of 
justice and right. In fact, the social structure was based on the 
principles of the Declaration of American Independence. Every white 
honest citizen was as good as any other citizen, and in the language 
of the drunken fellow: "A dern sight better".

   A path led from one store to the other. The Caldwell business house 
ranking first in the minds of the people, Because Caldwell kept the 
post office and a letter from the states was a welcome visitor to all 
and created wide-spread comment. It was a good piece of news for 
everybody.

   The social features of the forties were a dance, a candy pulling 
and other similar amusements which brought the people together. Married 
men and married women often led in the enjoyment of the socials of 
fifty years ago. A calico dress and an Ozenburg suit was "out o'sight".

   Match shooting was greatly in vogue and it took a center shot to 
carry home a piece of meat. Tyler had some good shots in those days 
that wore the honors and were the pride of the village. A baseball 
twirler of the present day couldn't hold them a light.  Deer and 
turkeys were killed within a few hundred yards of the stores. Judge
Stephens Reaves and Bum Walker-now living-will verify this fact. Game 
was plenty and noon should be out of meat.

   The saloon man went to the shooting match, leaving his house open, 
with a tin cup on the head of the whiskey barrel. The thirsty man came, 
drew his drink from the barrel, leaving the pay beside the cup and went 
on his way spiritually exilerated, after nipping the essence of John 
Barleycorn or some other corn. No man took a drink without paying for 
it. The grocery man found his cash sales evenly balanced up, and 
neither a drop of his goods not paid for nor one cent short on his 
day's sales. Remember, this was back in the forties-the nineties might 
have disclosed a different state of things. The grocery man of today 
with even one eye closed would be forced into bankruptcy.  The 
consensus of opinion now-a-days is to keep both eyes and keep duly 
sober. The writer has been told that the biggest cash sales occurred 
during these festive occasions.

   There were three locks in the village-the stores had them as a 
matter of form.  The man of family hung his meat in the chimney corner, 
on the outside with perfect safety. No person fetched it. You try it 
now and hustle to the meat market next morning. Your wife will assist 
you in the hurrying on the go. Don't try it now --civilization is now 
stopping with us. Men would fight then, but theft seldom ever occurred. 
The fellow who forgot himself in appropriating other people's goods 
were like angle visits, "few and far between".

   Many emigrants came from the older states to join the Boren, Ellis, 
Caldwell, Savala, Tutt, Adams, Hill, Bell, Hudnall, Paterson and 
others. Dr. Jim McBride arrived in 1848, his brother Dr. Henry McBride 
a few years later. Judge Reaves a few months earlier. The McBrides are 
dentists, ranking high in the profession. They are good people and 
stand the wear and tear of life well. Dr. Henry is as nimble as a 
sixteen year old and still parts his hair in the middle. He is skillful 
in his profession and a clever gentleman. Dr. Jim is even with him, 
making it a neck and neck race. In fact it is Nip and Tuck with them, 
to tell exactly how it is. Both are popular with the people.

   Soon came Douglas before the fifties, along with Epperson, and a 
little later Rush, Ferguson, Green, Cousins, Yarbrough, Chapman, 
Davenport, Holman, Long, Moore, and a host of others, building for the 
generations to follow them.  Green B. Epperson is still with us, and 
loved for his many good qualities. A. W. Ferguson and S. H. Boren made 
successful merchants-both are dead. Tyler grew and prospered and many 
cast their lots with us.

   Everybody was free and with no strings tied to them. The frills that 
are an adjunct of good society came slowly and by degrees. Sam, Bob and 
Pete, Sallie, Susan and Jane were the handles used at the morning and 
evening greetings.  Gradually Mr., Mrs. and Miss-then colonel, major,
and captain-then a higher education and an advanced civilization-the 
hams were taken down from the chimney corner and placed under lock and 
key. The saloon man commenced keeping watch on his porter, and put the 
key in his pocket. So things have grown and Tyler is a city of four 
hundred concerns, teeming with a thrifty and busy people.

   No ham or meat rests in safety on the outside. No tin cup on the 
whiskey barrel but the nickel now drops in the slot with a ring. It 
use to be money was borrowed without note or security; now they call 
it negotiable commercial paper with collaterals attached to it. The 
old, old foggy has been relegated to the rear and Young America is in 
the saddle. The wheels of commerce is driven by "Tom Walker and the 
Devil"-this is called advanced civilization. George Washington was 
"an old granger", and Thomas Jefferson had no conception of the many 
things he "writ"-this is called higher education.

   Christianity marches hand in hand with civilization holding the 
check-rein-but, alas!  We fear with a loosened grip. Charity begins 
at home, and generally stays there. The "Old Virginia" reel is 
antediluvian, and the lancers takes its place. The cotillion danced 
by our ancestors is a thing of the past, and the german is in the 
swim-this is called society.

   The pulpit thunders against it, the church prescribes it, but then
you know, "it is the only pebble on the beach".