TYLER-ITS GOOD WATER AND THRIFTY PIONEERS, Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Leroy Booker Butler, leroybutler@hotmail.com 
16 May 2001
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TYLER-ITS GOOD WATER AND THRIFTY PIONEERS,  
"Some Biographies of Old Settlers."
Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I
By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas
Chapter XVI - Pages 94-96

   The commissioners, in locating the county seat of Smith County, had 
one leading object in view that controlled them in locating the town 
of Tyler, and that was the many springs in a small area of this city. 
Gushing free-stone water was coming from mother earth on either side 
of the present court house. Everybody used water from the springs from 
the earth here, and the first well dug within the present limits of 
this city was sometime after the fifties, and it was regarded as an 
unnecessary expense; in fact, well water was looked on with a degree 
of suspicion as to the health of its water.

   Every citizen had a convenient spring close to his domicile. Tyler 
had a number of excellent springs that have disappeared, from neglect, 
theat were well and carefully looked after, and would be if they were 
at other points in Texas. The water could be made attractive and 
beneficial as a health resort if proper care was observed and the 
necessary advertising done to let the world know it. The old settler
took special care of these springs and was proud of the abundance of 
water that their descendants have neglected. It is a shame that these 
old landmarks should have fallen into such criminal neglect.

   Tyler grew very slow in the way of building until after 1852, when 
some cottages had been erected that attracted attention, and the proper 
improvements have been a steady growth from that date.

   It was in 1851 that Columbus C. Wiley settled in Tyler. He emigrated 
from the state of Alabama and soon took a leading part in helping the 
growth of the county and town. He settled in one of the largest 
resident buildings in Tyler-a two roomed log house-on the west side of 
the public square. He soon became a sterling and popular citizen and 
was a leader in the advance guard of civilization in this new 
country.

   A little fisticuff of Columbus Wiley and Col. Geo. W. Chilton who 
came to Tyler about the same year, may be noted here as an incident of 
early times in Smith County.  A disagreement had occurred between 
these gentlemen, and both being game, they settled it by an encounter, 
not exactly under the Queensberry rules but in a rough and tumble 
fight-without gloves, and with bare knuckles. Chilton was a man of 
fine physique, well made, active and over six feet tall. Wiley was not 
so long, but more compactly built, stout and well shaped, and these 
two gentlemen went into battle with a determination to win, and to use 
a common expression, "the fur flew" as each applied the best licks 
possible, while friends looked on, until they thought the time was up
and parted them. It was an even go at the start and hard to decide 
which was the winner.  The trouble was soon settled and Chilton and 
Wiley soon became fast friends.

  This may be a step out of the way, but I am writing up old times and 
more incidents of this character may appear from time to time. Both of 
the participants died several years ago.