tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47976214982071401082024-03-13T23:23:02.463-07:00They Walked Before UsShanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-44316572632358757882022-07-19T15:06:00.011-07:002022-07-20T07:12:47.038-07:00The Tuder Letters - Part Five<p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a conclusion to a series called "Tuder Letters", which features five letters the Tuder family sent to family in Kentucky from their homes in eastern Eastland County, Texas.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To set the stage, the Tuder family migrated to Texas from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in the mid 1850s. The patriarch of the family was William Tuder, the father of Permelia Jane, Nicholas Francis Marion (NFM), William Henry (WH) , James Edward Daniel (JED), and Rosannah. Along with them was William's second wife Sarah (who was the mother to Rosannah), Sarah's son Etson Campbell from her late husband, and Permelia's new husband Asa Lomax Gailey (whom she met along the way). William's first wife was Jemima Brown, who died around the time the family left Kentucky. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When the family left Kentucky, William's parents (William and Permelia) were still very much alive along with roughly 8 siblings. William was the oldest, and his closest in age brother was Hezekiah, who was four years younger. Hezekiah who stayed in Muhlenberg County was the recipient of these "Tuder Letters". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A lady by the name of Willa Dean Noffsinger, a descendant of Hezekiah, discovered the letters from Texas when going through an old cabinet years ago. Sometime in the 1970s or 1980s one of the early Gailey historians (either Edna Smith Fry or Zina Gailey Betsill) made contact with Mrs. Noffsinger and she was gracious enough to share copies of the letters. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On to the fifth installment of "The Tuder Letters"...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To put this fifth and final letter into context, like the previous letter, it was written by William Tuder's son J.E.D. It is the last letter we have coming out of the Eastland County area from the Tuder family. It was dated February 28, 1900. J.E.D Tuder would pass away six years after this letter was written, which leaves us assuming other correspondence occurred, we just dont have a record of it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This letter involves a mention of J.E.D.'s remaining sibling W.H. and an effort to have tomb stones places at the family (Tudor) Cemetery. He asks his uncle for information about birthdates for the headstone. He also talks about the family's local religious standing and how church was conducted in the area. While there was a Tuder Schoolhouse, church didnt often meet there. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: transparent; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Strawn Tex</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: transparent; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Feb the 28 1900</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>H. Tuder</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Dear Uncle,</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We are all well except cold. I received a letter from W.H. Tuder a few days ago he was well. His PO is Jimesmal, New Mexico.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We are getting along very well. Got our land broke and oats sawed Mar the 1st.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Well I want to put toom stones to Pap’s grave and we got the record burned. If you can get them and send them to me I would be glad. He married Sally Campbell (or Sack) they called her. If you can send work when she was borned too.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Tonight is our prair meeting night but it is so far away tonight and the weather is cool I did not go.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We have prair meeting once a week at the neighbors houses. My son W.H. Tuder professed last summer and also married last summer. His wife professed at the same meeting.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>There is lots of sickness. Pneumonia in the country. I hope this letter will find you in joying religion and good health. I hope you will write soon and you can and give the wanted information.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Good by uncle,</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: transparent; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>J.E.D. Tuder to H. Tuder</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: transparent; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: transparent; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>(PS) Willie and his wife is gone to sit up with a sick child tonight. We had to exclude 3 members from the church this winter for dancing. We had a good meeting last summer 45 or 50 conversions. I dont remember the exact amount. Some nights the preacher could not get to preach. They would get happy at the grove meeting and shout until 10 o’clock. Well it is 9 o’clock I want to go to bed so goodnight.</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>J.E.D. Tuder</i></span></p><p><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SKRx_FeFRTiplTn2k5TWO_yB47yqb8kFqaJdzNRZBCTw6xBQORNxzi6zVUXpwtjZXXu8G_dq1HqnqmQMY4Rzvev6qJtX7CXUd8M1rMw46SbjLIsVnco9TRsPN-DAhhQi4AZO_dLKsQ9Ql4ZeCIxs8dCDsCpB-xBq9APyv8snIdHeuA-XUJeo5qn/s1000/L5-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="780" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SKRx_FeFRTiplTn2k5TWO_yB47yqb8kFqaJdzNRZBCTw6xBQORNxzi6zVUXpwtjZXXu8G_dq1HqnqmQMY4Rzvev6qJtX7CXUd8M1rMw46SbjLIsVnco9TRsPN-DAhhQi4AZO_dLKsQ9Ql4ZeCIxs8dCDsCpB-xBq9APyv8snIdHeuA-XUJeo5qn/w291-h373/L5-1.jpg" width="291" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIk9lVWVaAf1s_rlVuI0XL77Ea15yjxBUSJu6Jo2uNM264ZsvPAcAMBcJW9EGd-5e8ce4BXCtU5xc30syYkb417FW_IQSZ_UIulZfx36eTgzM4l9l3Sl8yIZYAlcLssUZHZQHCjdpaV7YzADUVLfV0sV5hmqhJfFx5FNBL2sSf8yILV7pgQlqnUFj/s1000/L5-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="908" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIk9lVWVaAf1s_rlVuI0XL77Ea15yjxBUSJu6Jo2uNM264ZsvPAcAMBcJW9EGd-5e8ce4BXCtU5xc30syYkb417FW_IQSZ_UIulZfx36eTgzM4l9l3Sl8yIZYAlcLssUZHZQHCjdpaV7YzADUVLfV0sV5hmqhJfFx5FNBL2sSf8yILV7pgQlqnUFj/w295-h324/L5-3.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></div><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center; white-space: normal;">Tuder Letter Posts:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-tuder-letters-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-tuder-letters-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-tuder-letters-part-three.html" target="_blank">Part Three</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-four.html" target="_blank">Part Four</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-five.html" target="_blank">Part Five</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p></p>Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-36596875477262832622022-07-19T10:31:00.010-07:002022-07-20T07:13:13.446-07:00The Tuder Letters - Part Four<p><span style="font-family: arial;">In previous articles I shared three of the five "Tuder Letters" and after a span of a few years I am concluding the series with the fourth and fifth letters. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To set the stage, the Tuder family migrated to Texas from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in the mid 1850s. The patriarch of the family was William Tuder, the father of Permelia Jane, Nicholas Francis Marion (NFM), William Henry (WH) , James Edward Daniel (JED), and Rosannah. Along with them was William's second wife Sarah (who was the mother to Rosannah), Sarah's son Etson Campbell from her late husband, and Permelia's new husband Asa Lomax Gailey (whom she met along the way). William's first wife was Jemima Brown, who died around the time the family left Kentucky. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When the family left Kentucky, William's parents (William and Permelia) were still very much alive along with roughly 8 siblings. William was the oldest, and his closest in age brother was Hezekiah, who was four years younger. Hezekiah who stayed in Muhlenberg County was the recipient of these "Tuder Letters". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A lady by the name of Willa Dean Noffsinger, a descendant of Hezekiah, discovered the letters from Texas when going through an old cabinet years ago. Sometime in the 1970s or 1980s one of the early Gailey historians (either Edna Smith Fry or Zina Gailey Betsill) made contact with Mrs. Noffsinger and she was gracious enough to share copies of the letters. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The letters are all from a time after the Tuder family had settled on their land in eastern Eastland County, Texas.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On to the fourth installment of "The Tuder Letters"...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This letter follows a similar format to previous letters. The writer, in this case J.E.D. Tuder describes the family's current hardships, details recent deaths and family events. In the family information it is one of the only family records that indicate they knew that Asa Gailey was alive, mentioning he had gone to war (the Civil War) and didnt get back. In other articles Asa Gailey's journey is detailed. It then goes in to some discussion concerning his father William Tuder's Kentucky inheritance from his father Daniel Tuder. The letter also mentioned J.W. Gailey being the administrator of the Nick Tuder (JED's brother) estate. In later posts I will go into some interesting detail on that subject. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The following is my transcription of the letter with efforts made to preserve all misspellings and punctuation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Strawn Palo Pinto Co Tex</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>June the 15 1898</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Mr. Hezekiar Tuder,</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Dear uncle I seat myself to answer your letter was glad to hear from you and to hear you was well. This leaves us all well except the Whoopingcough. N.F.M. Tuder died August the 3 1895, W.H. Tuder is lives at at Pine Springs, New Mexico he is not married. Please write to him.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Sister Rosey has been dead about 14 years. My wife died 10 days later. I have one child dead, a gurl and one boy living William Henry Tuder 17 years old. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Rosey married W.H. Wylie they have 6 children: Laura, Ben, Lizzy, Willie, Nevada and Jim.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Sister Jane married Asa Gailey. They raised 3 children. He went to the war and never got back. John William, Asey Nelson and Janey is there names. Then she married Starret Smith and had one child, a gurl. They are all married.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>You said you did not want to go to law. If it could be fixt with thought it, it would be the best and I am sure the heirs here will do what is right to settle everything. Write to me and let me no how many equal heirs with Pa. How many children did Grand Pa Tuder have. Write and let me no how many acres is in cultivation and how far is it from town and what it is worth per acre. Is it bottom land or table land. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>J.W. Gailey is the administrator of the estate of brother Nick Tuder. He is one of sister Jane’s boys. I think it would be the best to sell as soon as we could as he wants to make his final report this fall. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>I have seen part of the heirs and they wanted me to answer your letter and find out wall about the land. Find out if you can by the next letter how much the land can be sold for. Write and tell me all about the connection. Tell them to write to me. I will close. Direct your letter to the above address. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Your affectionate nephew.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>J.E.D. Tuder</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuBy2TlpJMeYhTt2DZL77pQmbNPxbqPOMfivD4t_iHg_GA2rt-ToIfX9-BUcmP-bwWS1n213LcIQdLWQy_FDcLkuGtl7bAcBvEH_23g-PPJJXOPyPLmFvDOgYxLLNN4uHZO7IzOu5Eihy_3ztgdCOA2Aq31hkR1-2QgvJ5xA1TL4sTZcsvHXVdk_9/s1000/L4-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuBy2TlpJMeYhTt2DZL77pQmbNPxbqPOMfivD4t_iHg_GA2rt-ToIfX9-BUcmP-bwWS1n213LcIQdLWQy_FDcLkuGtl7bAcBvEH_23g-PPJJXOPyPLmFvDOgYxLLNN4uHZO7IzOu5Eihy_3ztgdCOA2Aq31hkR1-2QgvJ5xA1TL4sTZcsvHXVdk_9/w362-h453/L4-1.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0-OFkU7JQyisnzUn69BQfxVIsX9ua2FG7LMOH5oLnRlHtoKacBSDb00T24QjV8Nw4l6TrElVfiBpwLzJCykzsT54cH-GOZDmq8hgD8Z27jv_qMGS_YLeurjV7uSg0_AkE7_lNHlukCLq9S2i5sQK8HYly12gY6K4Qm8KkSu3k1MUWVHr51-861kq/s1000/L4-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0-OFkU7JQyisnzUn69BQfxVIsX9ua2FG7LMOH5oLnRlHtoKacBSDb00T24QjV8Nw4l6TrElVfiBpwLzJCykzsT54cH-GOZDmq8hgD8Z27jv_qMGS_YLeurjV7uSg0_AkE7_lNHlukCLq9S2i5sQK8HYly12gY6K4Qm8KkSu3k1MUWVHr51-861kq/w356-h446/L4-2.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFqS-nau_0dzlFbQ9oZvcOmDVaWvRYX3SUu1OtRXsSfthdmLA2--DmQ2NrP0pSF1tfj7RcGIh_yY8eYKXop3oZAx1bp58o1qy9hd_i7ZdnvAyNAFcfcnPc0c5Q4rYjpY6PWCkzdCkQHTBmSxZxeHYjY3OGP17pLedKtPD1v2IPThsP1qulEYYQS2K/s1000/L4-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFqS-nau_0dzlFbQ9oZvcOmDVaWvRYX3SUu1OtRXsSfthdmLA2--DmQ2NrP0pSF1tfj7RcGIh_yY8eYKXop3oZAx1bp58o1qy9hd_i7ZdnvAyNAFcfcnPc0c5Q4rYjpY6PWCkzdCkQHTBmSxZxeHYjY3OGP17pLedKtPD1v2IPThsP1qulEYYQS2K/w352-h440/L4-3.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Tuder Letter Posts:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-tuder-letters-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-tuder-letters-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-tuder-letters-part-three.html" target="_blank">Part Three</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-four.html" target="_blank">Part Four</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-five.html" target="_blank">Part Five</a></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-4182900524008242632021-01-29T11:29:00.014-08:002021-01-31T18:01:46.024-08:00 What’s in a Name? A Series on the Origins of Gordon Area Locations – Mingus, Texas<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2sDjKTJCGo/YBRgoNSiAYI/AAAAAAABA0I/C_rshyk1a5oM_xfD2CmhavNygUg2D8ZQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s912/WilliamMingus.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="741" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2sDjKTJCGo/YBRgoNSiAYI/AAAAAAABA0I/C_rshyk1a5oM_xfD2CmhavNygUg2D8ZQwCLcBGAsYHQ/w210-h259/WilliamMingus.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Captain William Mingus, an early day settler and Texas Ranger settled with his wife and children in the area of present-day Mingus in 1857. This was a very dangerous time to live in Palo Pinto County with the heavy threat of Native American raids in the area. It took a great deal of bravery and resources to survive as isolated as they were. The nearest community of any mention was Stephenville, which was established the same year the Mingus family settled in Palo Pinto County. Conditions with the natives were so extreme in the few years after 1857 that the county’s population dropped to single digits. It would take years of battling with natives and the railroad coming through in 1880 to really boost the county population. Capt. Mingus was no exception to the early exodus as he uprooted after just 11 years in the area and resettled in the more populated Bosque County. </span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When the Mingus family left in 1868 the area was largely unpopulated and dwindling. A settlement at the current location of Mingus would not exist for another 20 plus years. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-im5PZnz-wmY/YBRhTPSDI1I/AAAAAAABA0U/ZJskjt8vl0oikI5znGTQd7KYH88VqllsACLcBGAsYHQ/s999/1891Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="999" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-im5PZnz-wmY/YBRhTPSDI1I/AAAAAAABA0U/ZJskjt8vl0oikI5znGTQd7KYH88VqllsACLcBGAsYHQ/w584-h268/1891Map.jpg" width="584" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1891 Map of Southern Palo Pinto County</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Texas and Pacific Railway came through the southern portion of Palo Pinto County in the fall of 1880. The town of Gordon was specifically plotted by T&P as a shipping center and was initially populated by the recently nearby settlement of Hampton and people that flocked to there to work in the Gordon Coal Mines east of town. Eight miles down the line to the west, North Fork (later Strawn) was developed as nearby settlements merged. The only mention of Mingus in the area was a small lake north of the present-day town named Mingus Lake. This lake is mentioned as far back as 1887 and appears to have been located north of town. It was known later as Mingus Little Lake and had a popular early day picnic area used by the locals. There is a large “Lake Mingus” north of town today, however it was constructed in 1922 by Texas and Pacific Railway (at a reported cost of $100,000). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When the Johnson Coal Mines became successful enough to attract Texas and Pacific Railway’s interest, they agreed to run a spur down to the mines at a point just west of the present-day Highway 108 crossing in Mingus. The Johnson Mines were sold to the Texas and Pacific Coal Company (not related to the railroad) in late 1888 and as operations grew there a company owned town was established and given the name Thurber in 1889 after company stockholder Horace K. Thurber. Thurber’s coal was the cash crop; however, Thurber also became almost more famous for its brick plant. As Thurber’s travel and shipping via T&P Railway increased, the area south of the main T&P line at the spur was developed. This area was first known as Coal Mine Junction and later named Hunter before the name Thurber Junction was selected as the town name. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thurber Junction quickly grew and became infiltrated with some of Thurber’s immigrant families seeking more commercial business, taking advantage of the high traffic at the spur. Hotels, banks, stores, and other popular businesses filled the commercial section of town near the tracks. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In 1895 Reverend J.T. Harris established a real estate business and laid out blocks for a town on the north side of the T&P main line, literally across the tracks from Thurber Junction. Rev. Harris heavily promoted this development and gave it the name Mingus after learning about the early settler Capt. Mingus. Mingus became inhabited by more of the local area farmer types, and not of those inhabiting Thurber Junction. It was like an almost separate community was formed within spitting distance. One account referred to Mingus as the “English Speaking Town” while Thurber Junction was referred to as “entirely owned by immigrants and more lawless and wilder than Mingus.” Whether that was the case or not, it is well established that alcohol did flow much more freely on the south side of the tracks, which likely promoted more lawlessness. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the Mingus settlement grew, a post office was established on September, 16, 1897. Local resident Joel Brock served as the first postmaster. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While Mingus and Thurber Junction were so heavily tied to Thurber in their existence, they were very different places. For instance, the company owned town of Thurber famously became the first city in the United States to provide 24 hour electricity to all residents and businesses in the 1890s, along with a host of other amenities. The Mingus/Thurber Junction community was not as fortunate. Electricity didn’t find its way to Mingus until 1914 when a line was run from Gordon’s power generator. Gordon’s generator was a dynamo connected to a 10 horsepower gasoline engine and provided power from six o’clock in the evening until midnight as well as Wednesday mornings from eight until noon to allow for ironing during the day. Most homeowners quickly wired in rudimentary lighting in their homes as, while it wasn’t what we are accustomed to today, it was far better than kerosene lamps.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Another community with ties to Mingus and Thurber was Grant Town. It was located between Thurber Junction and Thurber, just inside Palo Pinto County. A man by the name of Jimmy Grant opened a saloon at this location, which was just outside the city limits of Thurber. His saloon was frequented by miners who could talk freely about unionization without fear of company intimidation. Some immigrant Thurber miners moved out of Thurber to Grant Town to own homes and small businesses. The area became known as 'Grant's Town' shortened to 'Grant Town.' This community had many of the same features previously noted about Thurber Junction, with possibly a little more prohibition-era bootlegging going on due to its closer proximity to Thurber.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While Thurber had its own school for those living inside the confines of the company town, those outside of town had to generally fend for themselves. A small school was built in Grant Town and this school also served Mingus and Thurber Junction. Eventually a larger wooden school building was constructed in the Mingus community, north of the railroad. Brick school buildings were later built a few blocks south of the tracks.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUDmFhKFj5A/YBRhszREj6I/AAAAAAABA0c/_odcc72wFnQSQO-TefMqSK972xBtKA3hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/download%2B%25282%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1500" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUDmFhKFj5A/YBRhszREj6I/AAAAAAABA0c/_odcc72wFnQSQO-TefMqSK972xBtKA3hQCLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h361/download%2B%25282%2529.png" width="500" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Downtown Mingus</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mingus/Thurber Junction enjoyed several years of success while Thurber was going strong. Some reports indicate that the population grew to as many as 2000 inhabitants by the 1920s. With the population increase came more violence and tragedy. It was reported that in 1917 alone there were 12 murders, 12 deadly car wrecks, 6 suicides, 4 deaths as a result of the railroad, 4 fire fatalities, and 3 drownings in the Mingus/Thurber Junction community.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As coal faded from popularity for oil, the town of Thurber suffered greatly. T&P Coal’s 1917 discovery of oil in Ranger, helped to set off a series of events that would spell the end of Thurber as it was. The demand for coal rapidly diminished over the next few years. The last of the coal mined in Thurber occurred in 1926 and the company set in motion a plan to dismantle the once thriving community. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The stock market crash of 1929 helped to drive a final nail in the coffin of Thurber as just a few months later the Thurber Brick plant was closed. The plant would reopen briefly in 1931 but eventually closed permanently and by 1937 Thurber, once a town of over ten thousand inhabitants, was abandoned. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As Thurber faded from existence, the Mingus area lost its primary lifeline. The Mingus/Thurber Junction population dwindled down to around 300 inhabitants and eventually Thurber Junction and Grant Town became part of Mingus when it incorporated in 1934. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The town of Mingus survived the loss of Thurber largely due to it's first mayor, Lawrence Santi. Mr. Santi was a civic minded mayor, holding office for over three decades and he also served as a town druggist for almost 60 years.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /></div>Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-44246055644809171072021-01-15T10:04:00.005-08:002021-01-15T10:32:48.636-08:00The Gordon Coal Mines: Part 1 - Jones, Cowen & Knowlton<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92SfRD8velU/YAHXToK9A4I/AAAAAAABAOc/HTZNlf748vAPc9A0XTyS6vPpLgFjCgblgCLcBGAsYHQ/s860/CoalMiningCo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="860" height="202" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92SfRD8velU/YAHXToK9A4I/AAAAAAABAOc/HTZNlf748vAPc9A0XTyS6vPpLgFjCgblgCLcBGAsYHQ/w494-h202/CoalMiningCo.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Gordon Coal Mines, later known as Coalville, was a very significant site during the early years of the Texas & Pacific Railway’s western development from Fort Worth. The firm responsible for the initial discovery and development of the Gordon Mines was a group T&P had contracted to build the bridges and buildings for the line for all points 100 miles west of Fort Worth. Over the years there has been confusion as to the name of this firm. Weldon Hardman’s book on Thurber “Fire in a Hole”, which was one of the earliest historical accounts of coal mining in the area, noted that the firm that opened the Gordon Mines was James, Cowan and Nolton. This was almost correct, and while Mr. Hardman admittedly wrote that his book was not “scholarly” and depended more on memory and word of mouth, this incorrect bit of information was propagated into multiple subsequent books on Thurber and area mining history, further blurring the rich history of the almost completely forgotten mining site.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The true name of the firm responsible for opening the Gordon Coal Mines was the Jones, Cowen and Knowlton Company. While the name variations are slight it is important to correct the record when attempting to unravel the history of the mines.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On January 16, 1880, the partnership of Jones, Cowen and Knowlton won the lucrative T&P building and bridge 100 mile construction contract. Each of the three partners were independently successful lumber men. John Roberts Jones was born in Gwernymynydd, Wales in 1841 and emigrated to the US as a child. He settled in Shreveport, LA where he worked his way into a very prominent career as a lumber man and civic leader. He owned multiple sawmills and started the Victoria Sash and Door Company in Shreveport. Col Edward Palmer Cowen was born in New Bedford, MA in 1842 and had multiple lumber locations (including Fort Worth) under the name E.P. Cowen Lumber Co. Samuel G. Knowlton, possibly the least prominent of the three, was born in 1840 in Gloucester, MA and migrated to Plaquemine, LA during the mid to late 1800s where he owned the Plaquemine Lumber and Shingle Co among other lumber related interests.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Newspapers at the time reported that it was Samuel Knowlton that discovered the coal outcroppings on Clayton Mountain, northeast of the future townsite of Gordon, while scoping out the area where the railroad would be passing through. This was the first significant discovery of coal in north Texas and Knowlton, along with his partners recognized this could be a very lucrative opportunity. Coal, of course, was the fuel of choice for the railroad at the time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The three men began laying claim to the land surrounding the coal discovery. Some of the land was originally given to the railroad by the government for potential use, but as the actual route was established, much of the extra land was sold. While they worked as a partnership, they individually purchased land. Looking at the original landowner’s map of this area, you will see the area littered with the names of these three men. They eventually collectively owned appx 7000 acres in the area.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Who better than to start a mining operation and town in the 1880s than a group of lumber giants?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By September of 1880, in good timing with the progress of railroad construction though the area, Jones, Cowen and Knowlton had sunk their first mine. Initially the loads of coal were taken by wagon to the Gordon T&P depot for pick up. Due to the immediate demand for coal, the town of Gordon was reported to have literally sprung up over the course of a weekend.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Within a few weeks of operation, the Gordon Coal Mines were turning out 25 tons per day and were supplying all of the coal used by Texas & Pacific engines, eliminating the high cost of shipping coal from other states. This would soon gain the interest of railroad magnate (head of Texas & Pacific among other lines), Jay Gould.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More on the Gordon Coal Mines to come!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #202122; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1whxmbaMP0/YAHY2rZBvyI/AAAAAAABAOo/CkwkQojHL-0iPYdbjep9AV0CSs_HIjdqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s916/mines.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="916" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1whxmbaMP0/YAHY2rZBvyI/AAAAAAABAOo/CkwkQojHL-0iPYdbjep9AV0CSs_HIjdqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w539-h269/mines.jpg" width="539" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-84685108883953624342017-02-01T10:12:00.002-08:002021-01-28T07:40:34.661-08:00The Gordon Weekly Courier: A Historical Look at an Early Day Rural Texas Newspaper<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">When the Texas & Pacific Railway made its way to the southern Palo Pinto County town of Gordon in
mid 1880, the community swiftly sprang into prominence. In the early days, Gordon served as the western terminus of the rail, with daily stage coach services to all parts north, south, and west. The town quickly
grew into a shipping center for area cotton, cattle and coal. With that growth came the immediate need for
a news outlet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">One of the first publications to stick in town was called
the <i>Gordon Cross-Eye</i>. This newspaper, with its off-the-wall name may have possibly been "in honor" then popular democratic presidential candidate Ben Butler. The paper and candidate were linked in national stories due to Mr. Butler having a "lazy eye". There is not much that remains as far as what kind
of paper this was other than a couple of references tying them to a list of
pioneers of the Texas Press Association. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The Cross-Eye was a short lived endeavor, and made way for
one of Gordon's most prominent publications, the <i>Gordon Weekly Courier</i>.
An August 14, 1884 piece in the <i>Galveston Daily News</i> states: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"The
Gordon Courier, a new paper started at Gordon, Palo Pinto County, reached The
News yesterday. It says: The citizens of Gordon have made up their minds to
have published in their town a newspaper worthy of patronage and one that will
study the interests of Palo Pinto County, and Gordon in particular, have
purchased the press and material formerly known as the Gordon Cross-Eye, and
have secured the services of a gentleman competent and steady in his habits to
run it." </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The Galveston newspaper went on to comment: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"This looks like
an intimation that the paper with the Ben Butler eye was not run by a man of
such habits and the publisher of the Courier. Even men of steady habits may
edit lively papers: Mirth makes them not mad, Nor sobriety sad. Watch and be
sober, says St. Paul." </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The publisher of the Courier felt the need to give advice in getting out the first number in saying: "We are old in the
business as a printer, and as an editor, and have gotten out a weekly paper
many times under difficulties, but never, never have we in the course of human
events, labored under as many difficulties as we have during the past week,
trying to get out the Courier, of which we are manager, editor and devil, all
in one."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Gordon Weekly Courier</i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"> began its life under the
ownership of a group known as the Courier Publishing Company. Using volume backdating, its first published paper would have been printed on Friday August 8,
1884. The Courier would continue to be published every Friday as a weekly paper
for the next thirty years and would gain notoriety as a prominent Texas
newspaper, as referenced in various papers across the state.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">In May of 1885, the Courier was purchased by 39 year old Rev.
Christopher Columbus "C.C." Parrack and wife Mary. Missouri born Rev.
Parrack was a Baptist preacher, and had lived in various communities in the area
including Coleman County prior to landing in Gordon. The couple would share the
duties of editor with C.C. noted as publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">One of the earliest references to the paper under Parrack
was a snippet from the July 4, 1885 <i>Wise County Messenger </i>that read: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"The Farmers' Alliance has purchased a lot and will begin at once to
build. The lot is located on the east side of Lamar street, opposite the
Pierson building. It has 75 feet front and 100 feet back, and there will be
three buildings of 25 feet front each. - Gordon Courier."</span></blockquote>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The Gordon Coal Mines, later known as Coalville, located northeast of town, were not left out of the regional reporting picked up from the Courier. The <i>Wise County Messenger</i> of October 10, 1885 noted the Courier's boasting that the Gordon Coal Mines were producing 375 to 400 tons of coal per day. Gordon's Coalville, which was arguably the first boom town in Texas, rose to notoriety quickly in the early 1880s and would be the first Texas coal to be used by the railroad. Its demise came nearly as quickly as the high sulfur grade of coal was eventually determined unsuitable for long term use. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">It was just as much true
then as it is now, political views were not without criticism. </span>A February 4, 1886 edition of the <i>Austin Weekly Statesman</i>
included the</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"> Courier's political opinions in a piece writing, "The Gordon
Courier is hard to please. It will accept neither Swain, Ross, nor Gibbs for
governor. It thinks there is a good-sized bug under all these chips and it
talks harshly about boomers, rings, local cliques, and such expressive
adjectives. The editor is a Christian minister, and of course has facts to
sustain his attacks on the corrupt methods he has discovered."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The oldest copy of the Gordon Courier in the archives is a
May 20, 1887 edition, which was well into the Parrack's reign over the paper.
The front page of that paper was primarily covered with intricate and detailed
advertising for local businesses including S.J Oden's Dry Goods and Grocery
Store, G.W. Gentry & Co. General Merchandise, and J.P. Browder Furniture
and Undertakers' Goods. Along with the ads was a rather lengthy article written
on moral suasion. Page two of the edition was a good bit more informative as it
had bits from across the state. Included was a report on a recent massive
earthquake in Arizona that was felt in west Texas, and notes on the ongoing
prohibition movement from both sides of the argument. A train departure
schedule also appeared on page two, with the Number 4 train leaving Gordon to
the east at 4:45 PM, and the Number 3 heading west at 11:55 AM. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Page three of the paper dealt mainly with local matters. The
page included a long account of a recent community picnic, along with separate
humorous accounts of the event that poked fun at several of Gordon's residents, "We heard a young lady say she loved barbecued dog, but we are not going
to tell who she is because some young man might rise up and slay some of the
favorite curs in Gordon (which are so necessary to our rest nights)." The
page also included notes from area businesses including: Fresh butter and soda
pop on ice at the T&P Express office, A car load of corn just received in
sacks at M.W. Thompson's, A nice stock
of oranges, lemons, bananas, and sauerkraut at J.M. Bilton's, and a note to
call the courier office and get a bargain on a clock. The last page of the
paper almost entirely consisted of proposed amendments to the Texas
Constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Sadly, just three years later Mr. Parrack would pass away at
44 years of age. He was buried at the Old Gordon Cemetery where a tall pillar-like headstone was placed. The <i>Fort Worth Daily Gazette</i> published the
following obituary:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"Late Editor of the Gordon Courier and Highly Respected
Citizen, Dies at Gordon</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Rev C.C. Parrack, late editor of the Gordon Courier, died at
his residence in Gordon, Tex on the 17th. Mr. Parrack's death is a sad blow to
the people of Gordon, for he was ever ready to lend a helping hand in time of
need and was always found in the front ranks in the support of any public
enterprise that tended to the advancement of the interests of the town and
county. He conducted the Courier upon such a high plane of integrity and
sincerity that its voice of warning was heard by old and young. He was a minister
of the gospel of the Baptist faith, and a zealous Christian. The funeral
services were conducted by Rev Mr. McGhee, of Cisco, at the Methodist church at
Gordon at 4 o'clock pm, after which he was laid to rest in the Gordon cemetery,
a burial place that he had done more than any one to improve and beautify. He
leaves a wife."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">It appears that Mrs. Parrack continued to run the paper
through the end of 1890. The <i>Fort Worth Daily Gazette</i> of September 7,
1890 says "The Gordon Courier has just commenced its seventh volume, and
in its first number appears a display advertisement for the sale of the entire
plant. There lies a chance for some aspiring journalist to win fame and
fortune."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">In the fall of 1890 a man by the name of Lewis Albert
"L.A." McCollister came to Gordon to work in the Courier's print
shop. Mr. McCollister was born in Leavenworth, Indiana on June 18, 1870, with
his family relocating to Ida County, Oklahoma just four years later. In 1886 he
got his start in the newspaper business working as an apprentice for the Battle
Creek Times. By the time he arrived in Gordon, he was well versed in the
business and was looking to run a paper of his own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">With the Courier up for sale, McCollister seized on the
opportunity and purchased the paper on March 1, 1891. He swiftly began to bring
the paper into the modern era expanding its columns and filling it with his own
brand of politics and self penned anecdotes. His political opinions and sharp
wit on the problems of the day would bolster his articles onto the statewide
stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Galveston Daily News</i> quoted McCollister as he
took the reigns of the Courier, "More confidence in our state and less
disposition to just "camp here until I get a stake" and then go
somewhere else. Too many people who have made all they have here do not do
anything to help the community in which they live, but put their money out of
sight and do not have confidence enough to spend $1 to see $10 come back."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">On April 30, 1891 <i>Fort Worth Daily Gazette</i> took
notice of the changes at the Courier
stating, "The Gordon Courier has come out with an entire new dress,
and made some marked improvements in its general make-up."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">A quip from the Courier made the May 25, 1891 <i>Fort Worth Daily Gazette,</i> "While
Mrs. Mack Spaulding was cutting up a chicken last Monday preparatory to
cooking, she found a 16 penny nail in the chicken's stomach."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">One of the common occurrences in Texas newspapers of the day was local weather and crop notes. A May 12, 1893 <i>Galveston Daily News</i> stated, "L.A.
McCollister of the Gordon Courier reports fine rains in Palo Pinto county and
says the prospects for corn, oats and cotton are first-rate. He was yesterday
elected a member of the Texas Press Association."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Feud with the Texas Miner</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Thurber's <i>Texas Miner</i> newspaper, which was company
owned and operated and was in the business of protecting the interests of the
Texas and Pacific Coal company, had quite the feud with McCollister's Courier.
T&P Coal preferred its workers and residents to never leave the confines of
Thurber. They wanted all money earned to be spent in company stores and all
trading to be done in house. Gordon, as well as other area non company owned
towns, offered more opportunities in trading. There are many reports of Thurber
folks trading in Gordon and smuggling their goods back into to town, as it was
highly frowned upon by the company. Because of the company's belief, they were
very quick to protect their image in every way. McCollister, opinionated and
unafraid to fire shots when he deemed necessary, fueled several reactions from
the <i>Miner</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"> One of the first
examples of this feud can be found in a February 3, 1894 edition of the Texas
<i>Miner</i>. In a response piece the paper states, "The Gordon Courier of last week said 'We understand the Thurber
mines are working on half time now.' Bless your soul, Mac, that shot from
jealous Gordon flew wide of the mark - in fact, you never touched us. Why, say,
there hasn't been but a slight let-up, and that was because of the fact the
railroad companies could not furnish empty cars. Fire another one, Mac, but be
sure to use facts for wadding." Fifteen days later the <i>Miner </i>stated, "Because we accused Gordon of being jealous of Thurber's prosperity, the
Gordon Courier says we are off our base. All right, Mac - but we'll make a
home-run, even though we are forced to do the 'Slide, Kelly, slide' act. By the
way, come over some day and watch the game, it'll interest you." The
"act" mentioned in their piece refers to old baseball song
"Slide, Kelly, Slide" published in 1889 "Slide, Kelly, Slide!,
Your running's a disgrace!, Slide, Kelly, Slide!, Stay there, hold your base!, If
some one doesn't steal you, And your batting doesn't fail you, They'll take you
to Australia!, Slide, Kelly, Slide!"
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">A month passed and McCollister, flanked by W.K Bell of
Gordon, did pay the <i>Miner </i>a visit. The March 17, 1894 edition of the Miner noted
that the two had visited their office and that Mr. Bell had made some extensive
purchases in town and was "tickled to death" over the cheapness of
the goods he wanted and their excellent quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Barbs between the two papers seemed to die down over the
next few months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">On June 5, 1895, Mr. McCollister married Munsey Carlock at
the Methodist church in Gordon by Parson Hightower. Thurber's <i>Miner </i>reported
the announcement: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"Cards are out announcing the coming nuptials
of Miss Munsey Carlock and Mr. L.A. McCollister, the interesting event to occur
at the Methodist church, Gordon, Wednesday, June 5, at 2 p.m. These young
people are among Gordon's most popular, and this announcement is greeted with
many happy expressions by a large circle of friends at home and elsewhere. Mr.
McCollister is quite well known throughout the State as a rising young
journalist, being editor and proprietor of the sprightly paper, the Gordon
Courier. 'Mac' The Miner sends a hearty 'God bless you,' and will take
advantage of the first opportunity to personally congratulate you upon your
success in winning the prize which is soon to be yours." </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Word of
McCollister's wedding appeared in several papers across the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">February 25, 1896 <i>Fort Worth Gazette</i> published a poem
McCollister had penned and published in the Courier with the title of
"He's All Right". "There is a man in our town who wears the best
of shoes, If there's anything he delights in, its the reading of the news; It
does not matter what the friends may say, He reads the newspapers every day; There
are two papers at which he takes a dead set, and they are the Commercial-Appeal
and the Fort Worth Gazette; Yet there is another that seems to be no drag. And
it is the American Baptist Flag. From reading the news he will not refrain,
although his wife may howl with pain; And sometimes he hears his children
crying around, Yet he will not lay his papers down."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Houston Daily Post</i> of February 5, 1900 cited the
Gordon Courier in their "Industrial Texas" section, "The building
committee of the Methodist Episcopal church has closed a contract to build a
brick church."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">A March 9, 1900 edition of the <i>Abilene Reporter</i> noted
that the Gordon Courier reported that the town of Gordon was "coming to
the front in buildings, with brick edifices going up."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">In June of 1900 McCollister was appointed U.S. Census
Enumerator (census taker) for Gordon's
precinct. This was an excellent way to get up-to-date on all the latest news
and gossip as he went door to door collecting government information. Years
later he was quoted as saying he still had in his possession the check for 15
cents the government sent him in payment for his services.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The November 4, 1904 <i>Canyon City News</i> quoted the <i>Gordon
Courier,</i> "Never growl because a newspaper man fails to give every scrap of
news so long as you take no pains to give the editor information. We have seen
readers who are awfully put out at times because we have made no note of the
arrival or departure of a friend visiting them, or the heaven-sent babies that
visit their homes over night. The average newspaper man isn't a medium or mind
reader, but gets most of his news the same way the milkman gets his milk - by
pumping." This piece appeared in several other papers across the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">McCollister sold the Courier to Arthur Speer in 1906 and moved
his family to Mangum, Oklahoma where he went on to be a successful businessman
in the banking business. He and his wife had two children (Gladys and Landon)
born during their years in Gordon. McCollister eventually became a stockholder
in a local bank and lumber yard there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Son of Daniel Witten "DeWitt" Speer, Arthur and
his family had moved to the Gordon area prior to 1880 and after school he initially worked locally as a school teacher. He taught at nearby Coalville during a time when the school was recorded as the largest in the county. By 1900 he was a local attorney,
an occupation he would maintain while running the Courier. He was serving as Gordon School Board President when he took control of
the paper at 48 years of age with wife Lilla and daughter Eva at his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">With Speer at the helm, snippets of the Courier that
appeared in papers statewide were generally more political in nature, with fewer
anecdotal pieces. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Brownsville Daily Herald</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"> published
a piece from the Courier </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px;">on January 29, 1907 </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">titled "The Truth of the Matter."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"Good resolutions and isolated actions, though good, do not make good
character. Pure thoughts, refined language and good deeds must, by our
continuous course through life, be so woven into habits as to become our very
nature."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Speer never seemed to be too shy to state his opinions on
state matters. A December 15, 1909 <i>San Antonio Daily Express </i>cited
Gordon Courier's controversial commentary on the state of prison administration
in Texas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The Courier broke several statewide stories of the day over
the next couple of years. Along with the political laced banter there were a
couple of local murders, robberies, accidental deaths, and the occasional oddity that made state
headlines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Included in the September 28, 1911 edition of the <i>Bryan Daily Eagle:</i></span><br />
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"Karl Teichman killed three rattlesnakes last week in his cotton patch. On
Wednesday he killed two. One had ten rattles and the other eleven. On Thursday
morning he killed the largest rattlesnake he ever saw, but some of the rattles
had been broken off, leaving only six. The snakes have been coming into the
cotton fields. - Gordon Courier"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">A note on the Courier's editor came in a March 8, 1913
edition of the <i>Weatherford Daily Herald,</i> "A. Speer, editor of the
Gordon Courier, was in the city Saturday morning on his way home from Palo
Pinto county. Mr. Speer, while editing his paper, takes time to practice
law." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">While there was plenty of seriousness to Speer's paper, there
was always a little bit of humor sprinkled in as seen in an August 6, 1913 <i>Houston
Post,</i> "The Gordon Courier is reminded that while twenty-pound parcel
post packages will greatly extend the scope of service, it will not enable
anybody to send a Texas watermelon by mail."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">A report on local matters appears in a September 9, 1913 <i>Weatherford
Daily Herald:</i></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">"Men Quit Work at Thurber - To make bricks, fire must be
burning under the kilns, consequently the fire must be constantly attended. The
men upon whom this duty devolved wanted to attend the labor celebration; but,
as the company could not excuse them from work without incurring great damage,
permission to take part in the festivities was refused. However, acting upon
the advice, it is said, of one of the Socialistic speakers, the men abandoned
their work and took part in the celebration. For thus quitting their work and
damaging the company, the men were discharged, where upon the brick makers
union declared a strike. The company then concluded to cease operations. After
this conclusion had been reached, the men expressed a
willingness to resume work, but that the company closed the plant. About 250 men are thus thrown out of work. - Gordon Courier"</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yX9QliLdhBU/WJI-vv_WMtI/AAAAAAAAS8U/mB4HzLkogKQx3r-w9bfMtlbSSh668scFwCLcB/s1600/GWC2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yX9QliLdhBU/WJI-vv_WMtI/AAAAAAAAS8U/mB4HzLkogKQx3r-w9bfMtlbSSh668scFwCLcB/s640/GWC2a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The latest edition of the Courier found in the archives is from
August 7, 1914, noted as number 42 of volume 30. The paper appears in a six
column form. The left side of the front page included a couple of articles on
the coming 1914 State Fair of Texas. The remainder of the page involves the
coming and going of local residents and local news quips. Among the local
tidbits included, "I am prepared to furnish ice and deliver it to you
anywhere in town at the rate of 40 cents per hundred. - J.W. McCoy.",
"The poles on which to hang the cable for the electric lights in Gordon
have been loaded on the cars and are due to arrive here soon.", and
"The Holiness meeting will begin today at the tabernacle one mile north of
town."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The second page of the 1914 Courier edition included several
lengthy articles including pieces on fire prevention tips, a take on a movement
on better roads in the state, and industrial notes and developments from
various cities across the state. Also appearing on the page is a Southwestern Tel & Tel Co (Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company, early name for Southwestern Bell) </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">ad that
promoted the idea that having telephones on the farm could make it easier to
call for help when needed. A Dr.
Wilbar, a Gordon dentist, ad lists prices for specific dental work, standard
filling $1, gold filling $2 to $3, gold crown $5 to $6, and a set of teeth for
$20. Rounding out the second page is an ad for round trip tickets from Gordon
to El Paso for $15 to attend the Democratic State Convention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The last two pages of the edition were almost entirely taken
up by a weekly serial the paper printed. This particular one was the first part
in a series titled "The Impossible Boy" written by Nina Wilcox
Putnam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The August 7th edition is the last reference to the paper
found in current newspaper archives. Based on the fact that up to this date the
paper was heavily referenced in area and statewide papers, it can be derived
that the Courier was discontinued around this time. Mr. Speer, a man in his
late 50's wearing two hats in the community as a lawyer and newspaper editor,
may have elected to hang up the news for his more profitable profession. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Arthur Speer died February 8, 1918 in Gordon and was buried
in the New Gordon Cemetery. Sadly, the <i>Gordon Weekly Courier</i> died with
him. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">The Courier was a very important piece in the history of Gordon, Texas. In it's thirty year run the Courier reported on its fair share of community ups and downs. It was led by three different pillars of the community that put Gordon first and even used the paper to fight for their community at times. Like with so many small towns of the day, this small town paper helped to keep Gordon on the map while providing a service to its citizens and at times citizens across the state. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Sources referenced for this article include: newspaperarchive.com,
texashistory.unt.edu, ancestry.com</span></div>
Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-58673134474853971232015-02-17T12:01:00.002-08:002015-02-17T12:01:15.521-08:00Wilbar Brick Company of Gordon, Texas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6FGifDkR1TM/VOOdpYyRjaI/AAAAAAAAD0I/lgFwTLQtXLg/s1600/10362622_10203271160690081_2474132219290158764_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6FGifDkR1TM/VOOdpYyRjaI/AAAAAAAAD0I/lgFwTLQtXLg/s1600/10362622_10203271160690081_2474132219290158764_n.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John T.O. Wilbar owned and operated the Wilbar Brick Plant in Gordon, Texas (located in Southern Palo Pinto County) from approximately 1888 to 1906. His operation predated all area brick making, occurring well before nearby Thurber started making their famous bricks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Thomas Octavius Wilbar was born on May 28, 1853 in Wilkes, NC to Isaac Russell and Rachel Colvard Wilbar. The family migrated to Texas in about 1879 and to Gordon by the mid 1880s. John initially settled in Duffau, TX (north of Hico) and served for a brief time as a school teacher there. Upon arriving in the Gordon area he initially took a job as postmaster for Coalville. During this time Mr. Wilbar either purchased or built a cotton gin and successfully took advantage of Gordon’s booming crop of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around 1888, as the need for solid (fire proof) building products increased, John built a brick making outfit next door to his gin. The brick plant and kilns (a total of seven) would have been located a couple of blocks south of the current Methodist Church to the east of the present day highway. The shale used for the bricks came from a hill due west of the plant (across the current road). A pulley rail car system was used to bring the shale down the mountain. When a full car went down the hill it pulled the empty car back up. At that time the only road leaving town to the south was what is now known as Mitchell Hill road, so crossing a road wasn't an issue for the shale cars.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kilns used were roughly 10 to 20 feet high and about 70 feet long and were wood burning. The bricks made at the Wilbar plant were of the dry pressed variety and were most suitable for use in building construction. It has been documented that Wilbar Bricks have been found in various cities in north Texas over the years. Some of Gordon’s buildings downtown and underpinnings on various old homes are made of these bricks as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When gas became available in 1906, Mr. Wilbar made the decision to switch to the more modern fuel. The kilns were all fitted for the new fuel and an initial batch was fired. Unfortunately the bricks became too hot and fused together in massive blocks, rendering all of the kilns ruined. This disaster spelled the end of Wilbar Brick production. Mr. Wilbar continued to gin cotton until a fire destroyed his gin in January of 1907. He left Gordon in 1918 and relocated to San Antonio where he died on October 24, 1923.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NOTE: John Wilbar's brother Alexander P. Wilbar founded the First National Bank of Gordon in 1901, helping to make the Wilbar family one of the most influential families on early day Gordon.</span></div>
Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-70934688104156319852015-02-17T11:55:00.001-08:002015-02-17T11:57:51.461-08:00The Three Bills of Thurber, Texas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IkYLez2PnFM/VOOcU0JvuAI/AAAAAAAADz8/Im82P_LB3sQ/s1600/10896378_10203274494213417_7427862886325882550_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IkYLez2PnFM/VOOcU0JvuAI/AAAAAAAADz8/Im82P_LB3sQ/s1600/10896378_10203274494213417_7427862886325882550_o.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Left to Right: J.W. Ivey, J.W. Gailey Sr, and W.T. Fulfer in downtown Thurber (ca 1917)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The T&P Coal Company that owned and operated Thurber generally strove to run a self sufficient town but sometimes it had to lean on area farmers and ranchers to meet its needs. This was the case when the need arose for a new source of beef cattle in about 1900.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">T&P Coal awarded a cattle supply contract to a partnership consisting of three local cattlemen, John William Gailey, John William Ivey, and William Thomas Fulfer. The three men became known as “The Three Bills” to their customers. The contract indicated that they needed to supply 50 head of cattle by each Friday for slaughter. This demand required the partnership to travel great distances at times to purchase cattle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The Three Bills would become very popular with their customers for maintaining a reputation of fairness and honesty. They had a policy of not making a profit from widowed women and if a rancher quoted a price that was too low they would give them a more reasonable price for their stock. J.W. Gailey, who essentially lead the group, became known as “Uncle Bill” to many of his clients due to his fair dealings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">This business venture proved to be very profitable for the three men. All three were able to live well supporting their large families and expand their ranches considerably. JW Gailey was able to expand his ranch into Erath County stretching from the road south of Thurber westward to present day Highway 16. After purchasing his Erath County land he build his family a larger home, which still stands 110 years later.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">NOTE: This photo started my interest into family history. I was looking through a Palo Pinto County history book back in 1992 (as a high school freshman) and ran across the image. Noticing the name J.W. Gailey below the photo I figured that the man must be related. I sent a copy of the photo to my grandmother, Dovie Gailey Hunt, and she was elated to see it. She shared with me that he was indeed her grandfather and sent copies of the photo to several relatives in the family. This of course led to more questions from me and over time I wanted to find out everything I could about J.W. Gailey and his family. For years we only had a grainy copy of this photo from the book and it wasn’t until I started working on the Gailey book that I was sent a much clearer copy from the MC and Edna Fry collection, which is the source of this version of the photo.</span></span></div>
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Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-11502820285155268642014-05-30T10:29:00.000-07:002014-05-30T10:33:53.526-07:00Eva Eula (Gailey) Fry's Final Letter<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the final letter written by JW Gailey's youngest
daughter Eva Eula (Gailey) Fry before her tragic passing on August, 6th 1930
following childbirth. This letter was written to Eva's sister Cordelia, who
owned and operated a tourist camp (early day motel) with her husband Dee Lee in
Merkel, Texas. Eva, huband Bert, and five year old son MC Fry were in Tom Green
County near the community of Harriett at this time. Eva was seven or eight months pregnant when she wrote the letter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eva was born at her parents, John William and Mary Ann Ada
(Bigham) Gailey's, home near where Eastland and Erath counties meet on January
6, 1903. She was the ninth and final child of JW and Mary. Sadly Mary would die
July 14, 1904, when Eva was just a year and a half old. Eva's sister Mary
dropped out of school to care for Eva and would continue to look after her
until adulthood. In 1914 JW remarried and would eventually move to San Angelo,
Texas due to health reasons in 1918. Much of the family stayed at or near the
Eastland and Erath County ranch land but Eva moved to San Angelo with her father
and sister Mary and her new family. JW passed away just days after Eva's 19th
birthday. By 20 years of age Eva married Bert Monroe Fry and they would make
their home near San Angelo on land she inherited from her father's estate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The letter reads as follows:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*******************************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">San Angelo, Texas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June 1930</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Cordelia and Dee,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have not heard from you in ages what are you doing for
your self? I am getting fatter and
fatter each day. Do you hear from Selma and Pernia? I have not heard from them
in a long time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our crop looks fine but late. Our old hens are laying good
and I sell from eight to ten lbs of butter per week. We still have chickens to
eat. Come over we are going to have red beans today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The B. Meeting is going on at Harriett. I have not seen Mary
in two weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you doing good with your camp now? What is Nick and C.F.
doing for a living? Do they have a crop or cows or working for wages or what? I
do not hear from them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M.C. is sure growing and getting so big and mean. I do not
know one thing to write so I guess you are tired of questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Route 2 Box 208 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">********************************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the letter Eva asks questions about her brother Nick (and
wife Selma) and sister Pernia (and husband C.F. Jones). She also mentions not
seeing her sister Mary Gailey Eubank in two weeks and they did not live far
from each other. It is safe to assume that Eva had her questions answered
either via a return letter or by a visit Cordelia and Dee had with her on July
3rd and 4th 1930.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a very rainy day on August 6, 1930. At 27 years
of age Eva Eula went into labor while at her sister Mary's home and the doctor
was notified and headed to the Fry household. Eva wanted to give birth to her
second child in the same bed she birthed her son, so she was driven to her
house. The rain made travel very difficult but they made the short journey
however, the doctor got stuck in the mud on the way. Eva delivered a healthy
baby girl that would later be named Eva Louise Fry. Eva Eula got to enjoy her
new baby for a brief time but her body went into shock, likely from blood loss.
With no doctor on site to assist Eva Eula sadly passed away. She was the first
of J.W. Gailey's children to die.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1a7DH3fJ9wI/U4i_oqp_R1I/AAAAAAAAAFc/MTs9C0zD6So/s1600/letter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1a7DH3fJ9wI/U4i_oqp_R1I/AAAAAAAAAFc/MTs9C0zD6So/s1600/letter1.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4eP3FfWjHg8/U4i_oozLgTI/AAAAAAAAAFg/E0m36p8hTq4/s1600/letter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4eP3FfWjHg8/U4i_oozLgTI/AAAAAAAAAFg/E0m36p8hTq4/s1600/letter2.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This source of the letter is the MC and Edna Fry Collection. </span>Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-15044718237151646222014-03-07T10:05:00.001-08:002014-03-07T10:12:53.535-08:00William Tuder: A PatenteeA few months ago I ran across an index that indicated a William Tuder from Texas had filed a patent with United States Patent Office in 1871 titled "Improvment in Current-Wheels". After a bit of digging I unearthed the actual patent documentation complete with illustrations and definitions. The document indicated that the William Tuder that filed the patent was indeed William Tuder, Grandfather of J.W. Gailey Sr.<br />
<br />
William Tuder was responsible for relocating his family from Kentucky to Bell County Texas in the late 1850s and then later on to northeastern Eastland County in 1872. In Bell County the family settled between the communities of Aiken and Moffett on the banks of the Leon River. William was a master carpenter with early work as a wheel right and later as a cabinet and furniture maker. It is safe to that that he knew a thing or two about geometry and the math behind creating objects from wood and metal. Due to the nature of the patent he filed, it is also safe to say that he knew a thing or two about the use of hydraulics in running river mills, which were very popular at the time for use in grinding food items such as corn.<br />
<br />
William Tuder's U.S. Patent for "Improvement in Current-Wheels" was filed June 6, 1871. He was listed as "William Tuder, of Moffettown, Texas". This was not an original patent on current-wheel design but rather a helpful modification to existing designs. The description states that it is an improved arrangement of feathering-buckets and gate operating devices.<br />
<br />
This patent has been cited in subsequent patent applications, even some as late as the last decade. It is unclear whether his invented enhancements are still in use in modern day current-wheels but evidently it was an important enough of an advancement that it warranted a patent.<br />
<br />
At the time of the patent, William Tuder had already purchased land in Eastland County. Within a year he and his family would migrate up the Leon to their new property on the banks of Palo Pinto Creek. It has been passed down that a grist mill was once located on the east bank of the Palo Pinto on the original Tuder land in Eastland county. William's patent likely was put to use on that once flowing stream.<br />
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Below are the two documents involved with the patent.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tnbT76xd8Bg/UxoKTATdtMI/AAAAAAAAAFE/z4LnKIqFBfs/s1600/WMTuderPatent1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tnbT76xd8Bg/UxoKTATdtMI/AAAAAAAAAFE/z4LnKIqFBfs/s1600/WMTuderPatent1.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWxgZgBkHug/UxoKTGsdiUI/AAAAAAAAAFI/iJVc9GZMV9I/s1600/WMTuderPatent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWxgZgBkHug/UxoKTGsdiUI/AAAAAAAAAFI/iJVc9GZMV9I/s1600/WMTuderPatent2.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<br />Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-49458206789052869752013-12-06T08:18:00.002-08:002022-07-20T07:13:56.597-07:00The Tuder Letters - Part Three<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HFf8u_s9UoY/UqH4qkbKJII/AAAAAAAAAEc/F6HDtIUDaeI/s1600/1885Letter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HFf8u_s9UoY/UqH4qkbKJII/AAAAAAAAAEc/F6HDtIUDaeI/s320/1885Letter.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In order by date, the third letter we have from the Tuder's
back to their homeland of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky was written September 10,
1885 by Nicholas Francis Marion (N.F.M.) Tuder to his dad's brother Hezekiah
Tuder. NFM was J.W. Gailey's oldest Tuder uncle. He enlisted and served with
J.W.'s father Asa Lomax Gailey in the Civil War. NFM was discharged early due
to illness. He always lived near his family and no records indicate that he
ever married. NFM was a skilled carpenter like his father. </span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The following is my transcription of the letter complete
with his exact spelling of words. I believe it helps to paint a picture of
maybe how they might have sounded when speaking as some words are spelled more
like they sounded to the writer than the actual spelling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Things were a bit on the dire side considering the tone of
his letter. A lot of deaths in the few years the family had lived in Eastland
County. There was continuing talk in this letter about property that NFM's
father had inherited from his father that was apparently sold off by another
member of the family with no money sent to the Texas branch of the family. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The letter below also mentions William, which was a common
name for J.W. Gailey. You can tell that the family was close enough that they
all knew each other's business. At this time J.W. likely lived within a quarter
mile of N.F.M. at his mothers house on Rush Creek (eastern Eastland County,
east of the Tudor Cemetery).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>J.W. Would
have been married five years at this point with two small children at home.</span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>Eastland Co Strawn PO Palo Pinto Co Texas</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>
</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>Sept 10th A.D. 1885</em></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>Deare uncle in answer to yours of Sept 3rd to hand was glad
to heare from you all to heare that you was well. This leaves us all well that
is alive. Our sisters is both dead Jane has bin dead about 5 years. Rosey has
been dead a little over 1 yeare. Both left heirs. Jimey's wife is dead. She
died one month after Rosey died. Father died in Dec 31, 1877 his business heare
has bin wound up and I do not know how to inquire in on that matter there. I do
not know the law there. I do not know wother the estate is worth enough to
justify one of us to come there or not. I wish you would write the poticlars.
What right Abe Reno had to sell that land and what father was due him for and
all about it. See him and find out. He had better be shore he is right in his
proceedings. I do not think he had any law for that. I think limitation would
settle a debt 30 years old is he had of course owed him when he left there.</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em></em></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>You wrote you had wrote several times to us. This is the
first letter we have got form any of you since before father died. We heard
through J.S. Biard that Grandmother was dead. You wrote that the land fell to
Daniel's heirs. Did you mean to Grandfathers or uncle Daniel's? Some things one
way and some another.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em></em></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>So no more. But a little more. William has been running a
thrusher this season. Wheat and oats is very good. Cotton is sorrow it will
take about 6 acres to make a bale of cotton. Corn is tolerably good. It is
worth 50 cents per bushel. Wheat is 60, oats 25 cents per bushel, bacon 10
cents a lb. No sale hardly for any thing.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em></em></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>It is getting late and I must close for this time. Write
soon as you get this. So no more but remain your nephew until death.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em></em></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>N.F.M Tuder</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">NOTE: This letter was among several uncovered by Hezekiah Tuder's granddaughter Willa Dean Noffsinger, who still lives near the old Tuder land in Muhlenburg County, Kentucky. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Noffsinger and her generosity in sharing these letters.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">Tuder Letter Posts:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-tuder-letters-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-tuder-letters-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-tuder-letters-part-three.html" target="_blank">Part Three</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-four.html" target="_blank">Part Four</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-five.html" target="_blank">Part Five</a></div></span></span></div>
</div>
Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-13565554791164508782013-07-08T09:29:00.003-07:002022-07-20T07:13:43.128-07:00The Tuder Letters - Part Two<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1RieAH2nGo/Udrorl1y7gI/AAAAAAAAAD0/rLpbBLX9SOY/s1600/WHTuder-Letter2-A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1RieAH2nGo/Udrorl1y7gI/AAAAAAAAAD0/rLpbBLX9SOY/s320/WHTuder-Letter2-A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In continuing the series on the "Tuder Letters" we
will look at another undated letter from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the Texas Tuders back home to Kentucky. This one, like the first one
shared, is from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William Henry (W.H.)
Tuder (son of William and brother to Permelia Jane (Tuder) Gailey Smith) to his
uncle Hezekiah Tuder. <br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In an attempt to date this letter we know that it had to be
prior to W.H. Tuder's death in 1910 and after 1880, the time period that Strawn
was established. Mr. Tuder mentions a horrible drought in his letter, which gives us big clue. The Handbook of Texas website says this about the drought... "One of the worst droughts in Texas history occurred in 1884–86, causing most of the farmers to fail and to return to the East." That statement coincides with statements made in the letter. There is also mention of a new Texas silver mining operation, which would match the 1884 opening of the big Shafter Silver Mine in Presidio County. With those clues in mind plus a few others, this letter was likely written in mid 1885.</div>
<br />
The following is a transcript of the letter complete with
spelling/grammar errors. The underlined spaces were illegible.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<em>Strawn</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<em>Palo Pinto Co</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<em>Tex</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<em>Mr. H. Tuder. Dear Uncle I take the present opportunity to
write you a few lines to let you know the present circumstances of west Texas.
We have had a terable drought in this country covering fifty-two counties which
is now calling for help.</em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<em>There are many families that is out of bread now and others
nearly out and very few have enough to do until Christmas and all or nearly all
in debt. I have 3 bushels of corn, 8 bushels of wheat, and about 70 lbs of
bacon and the hogs are starving for something to eat. It has been 13 or 14
months and it is dry from here to Arizona and the southern and eastern portions
of the state. Portions of the same are short consequently they will be bound to
suffer if not assisted in some way.</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>I am $75.00 dollars in debt all due now and this fall and
not a dollar to pay with and we can not sell anything for money does not pay
debts with it for stock will all die thats if it dos not rain soon. </em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>The people have crowded the eastern portion of this state
and are begging for work for bread for their families. Two years ago stock
cattle was _______<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but now they can be
baught for $3.00 cows and calves for $6.00. Men are offering their stock for
this and cannot get it. I haven you the facts of the worst of it. I will give
you the ruhmors of the other. The governor says he will help us and there is
and excitement about mineral gold and silver bing found in Texas. I reckon
there is no doubt about the silver being in paying quantities.</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>I will have to close my letter for my neighbor is waiting on
me to take to town so write soon and tell me all about your country.</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>Your nephew until death.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em> <o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>
</em><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>W.H. Tuder</em> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
This letter was among several uncovered by Hezekiah Tuder's granddaughter Willa Dean Noffsinger, who still lives near the old Tuder land in Muhlenburg County, Kentucky. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Noffsinger and her generosity in sharing these letters.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tuder Letter Posts:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-tuder-letters-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-tuder-letters-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-tuder-letters-part-three.html" target="_blank">Part Three</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-four.html" target="_blank">Part Four</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-five.html" target="_blank">Part Five</a></div></div>
Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-33599923204181595272013-06-07T08:00:00.003-07:002022-07-20T07:13:27.863-07:00The Tuder Letters - Part One<strong>The Tuder Letters - Part One : The First Letter</strong><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last winter I visited one of our Gailey cousins, Eva Louise
(Fry) Stork, and she was kind enough to let me look through her family folders
for any information that I might not have in my records. After looking through
countless articles I came across a folder labled "Tuder Letters".
Could it really be? Could this folder contain letters from our Tuder ancestors
back home, describing their hardships, what their life was like? Surely they
are not the letters I had come to the realization that just didn't make it out
of that era? To my surprise, what I found in that folder covered all of the
above and then some. I found the folder to contain six letters ranging from the
late 1870s to the early 1900's from each of the three Tuder brothers, N.F.M.,
W.H., and J.E.D., who were brothers of J.W. Gailey's mother Permelia Jane
Tuder.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
To set the stage the Tuder family migrated to Texas from
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in the mid to late 1850s. The patriarch of the
family was William Tuder, the father of Permelia Jane, Nicholas Francis Marion
(NFM), William Henry, James Edward Daniel, and Rosannah Millianna. Along with
them was William's second wife Sarah (who was the mother to Rosannah), Sarah's
son Etson Campbell from her late husband, and Permelia's new husband Asa Lomax
Gailey (whom she met along the way). William's first wife was Jemima Brown and
based on new findings in the letters, she may have actually died after the
family left Kentucky. </div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
When the family left Kentucky, William's parents (William
and Permelia) were still very much alive along with roughly 8 siblings. William
was the oldest, and his closest in age brother was Hezekiah, who was four years
younger. Hezekiah who stayed in Muhlenberg County was the recipient of the
mentioned "Tuder Letters". </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
A lady by the name of Willa Dean Noffsinger, a descendant of
Hezekiah, discovered the letters from Texas when going through an old cabinet
years ago. Sometime in the 1970s or 1980s one of the early Gailey historians
(either Edna Smith Fry or Zina Gailey Betsill) made contact with Mrs.
Noffsinger and she was gracious enough to share copies of the letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
I will share the oldest letter first and share the other
letters in subsequent parts. From reading the letters we know there was prior
communication between the Texas Tuders and their Kentucky relatives. While
there is no date on this first letter, it can be derived that it was written around
1874-76 based on a couple of clues in the letter. This would have been within the first five years of the family living in Eastland County, Texas, after their ten year stay in Bell County. Below is my transcription of the
letter complete with all of its misspellings. Being that the letter has a
couple of illegible words I tried my best to fill in the blanks. The underlined
words are left to be determined. The actual letter will appear below the
transcription.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>Address W.H. Tuder of</em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>Stephenville</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>Erath County</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>Texas</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>I forgot to tell you what killed mother, it was the measels.
She all ways said if she ever got them they would kill her. Rosannah has got
them now Permealia Jayne's oldest daughter has them and I am <u>losing</u>
every day when I will take them. There is three families of us, 14 in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all and three out of the 14 that has had
them. We are looking for all to be down with them. I don't expect that Father
will be there soon for he cont<u>inues <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ill nor</u> gets well, as a _______ in some way. We have a late
spring cold weather is lastin well, I will close again,</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>W.H. Tuder</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D-kLhfs-n6A/UbH2R_czmVI/AAAAAAAAADg/yMkyDFMN4vM/s1600/WHTuderLetter1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D-kLhfs-n6A/UbH2R_czmVI/AAAAAAAAADg/yMkyDFMN4vM/s320/WHTuderLetter1.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
We learn in a later letter that Hezekiah likely asked William
to return to Kentucky to help settle his share of their father's estate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tuder Letter Posts:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-tuder-letters-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-tuder-letters-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-tuder-letters-part-three.html" target="_blank">Part Three</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-four.html" target="_blank">Part Four</a> - <a href="https://theywalkedbeforeus.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-tuder-letters-part-five.html" target="_blank">Part Five</a></div></div>
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Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-19348374911699835282013-06-03T14:27:00.002-07:002013-06-05T08:06:44.496-07:00The Asa Lomax Gailey Story - Part Two Part Two - Life After The War<br />
<br />
It was June of 1863 and Asa Lomax Gailey was a free man. He
had endured the harshest of conditions of the Civil War and as a prisoner of war
at Camp Douglas in Chicago. At the time of his release around two thousand prisoners had died
while imprisoned. Asa was likely traumatized by the entire situation and was released
at Chicago with nothing more than the clothes on his back. It is unclear if the
released were given money to start with or possibly a direction to go in to
find work.<br />
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To date there is no documentation on the whereabouts of Asa
from his release to August 10, 1865, the date of his marriage to Mary Louise
Murray in Kane County, Illinois. Several versions of a story that involved Asa
returning to Texas have surfaced among the Texas Gailey descendants. The stories
are consistent in that they state he did return to Bell County but hastily
returned to Chicago after learning of his wife had legally declared him dead.
It is believed that after the battle at Fort Hindman, Asa was reported dead to
the family by his fellow surviving soldiers. Permelia would marry a sergeant
from Asa's company almost exactly one month after Asa's marriage. </div>
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Taking an educated guess, Asa did not attempt a return to Texas. The climate following the war was a hostile one, especially in the southern states in the direction of "deserters". Being that he took the oath over a painful death he was seen by many as a traitor to the CSA. He would have endangered himself and likely his family if he had returned to them. He may have felt that his wife Permelia was better off without him and that she was in a good location living next door to her parents and siblings. There is obviously a lot of room for speculation concerning Asa's decision. <br />
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Being that Asa married Mary Murray in Kane County, Illinois
leads us to believe he must have settled west of Chicago during the two years
he was unaccounted for. The couple made their first home together in the town
of Elgin. It is unclear what line of work Asa did at this time but one could
speculate that he may have started working for the Chicago and Northwestern
Rail Road Company soon after marriage. </div>
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Mary gave birth to the couple's first child together on
April 13, 1868, a girl they named Lola Maude Gailey. She was likely born at the
family's home in Elgin. Sometime after her birth the Gaileys moved to
Ellsworth, Iowa for Asa's work with the railroad.</div>
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The couple produced their second and final child, a boy
named Lester Ellsworth Gailey in April of 1871. Within the next four or five
years the family would relocate back in Elgin, Illinois. They appear on the
1880 U.S. Census in Elgin with Asa listed as a bridge builder, his job with the
railroad. Mary’s sister Harriet Murray lived with the family at this time.</div>
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Asa appears in an 1883 Chicago & Northwestern Railway Officers, Agents, and Stations book as being with the Northen Iowa Division. He is listed as the official in charge of buildings and bridges and shows working out of the Eagle Grove, Iowa depot. It is likely that the family lived in or near Eagle Grove during this time.<br />
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By 1885 the Gaileys had moved to Webster City, Iowa. It was
another railroad position Asa took that improved his pay grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The family appears on the 1885 Iowa State
Census in Webster City as follows: A.L. Gailey 45, Mary L. Gailey 36, Lola
Gailey 18, and Lester E. Gailey 14. </div>
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It was likely during their time in Iowa that Lola gained love
for music. She developed as a musician and singer, and would soon become a very
popular soprano. It is known that Asa had been detailed as a musician during
the Civil War and it would not be hard to imagine that the Gaileys were a
musical family as a whole.</div>
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At Webster City, Asa became a Knight Templar, joining the local
Triune Commandery. The organization was rooted in an ancient Christian military
order style and is considered to be a form of Masonry. </div>
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On August 11, 1887 it was announced that Asa was promoted to
the Chicago and Galena Division of the railroad. This new position would move him
and his family into Chicago. An article from the Hawarden Independent newspaper
read as follows: <em>A.L. Gailey, superintendent of buildings and bridges on the
Northern Iowa division, has been promoted to the Chicago and Galena division to
take the place of John Hickey, deceased. George Kosier, Mr. Hickey's assistant
takes the Northern Iowa.</em></div>
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A November 20, 1887 Webster City, Iowa newspaper listed that
the Gailey family attended an Alpha party back in Webster City noting they were
previous residents of the community. By all accounts the family was a well
liked and social one as several newspaper articles mention their social
activities through the years.</div>
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The family moved to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, IL in mid
April of 1888. Their residence was on Park Avenue near the railroad tracks in a
home formerly owned by a Mr. Watson. The family lived in Oak Park for around
three or so years. With the promotion came more money and the Gailey Family
lived well during these years. Lola became a local celebrity with her regular
singing engagements all over town. Her activities were well documented in the
Oak Park newspaper. During this time she took several trips, including one on
the Mississippi River.</div>
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In 1891 the family had moved to Linden Park, another Chicago
suburb. Their residence was located on the Northwest Corner of Lydiard and
Chestnut, now known as Leamington and Ferdinand Streets. The two-story home
still stands today and appears in the photo below courtesy of Sean Barlow.</div>
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Asa Lomax retired from his high position with the Chicago
& Northwestern Railroad in early 1892. His first order of retirement was a
trip back to the south and to the home of his boyhood. It is unknown where
exactly Asa went on his trip but it likely included the area of Hall County,
Georgia and Craighead County, Arkansas. His boyhood was spent in Georgia;
however his mother and remaining siblings lived near Jonesboro, Arkansas, where
they moved prior to Asa leaving home. One could speculate that he attempted to
locate his children in Texas on this trip. A factor that would have made it a
difficult task was that the family had since moved from Bell County to then
sparsely populated Eastland County. </div>
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It has been shared that Asa had contact with some of his
family in Arkansas prior to his trip south. One of his nephews, John Lomax
Gailey, went to live with Asa and family around 1882 to get an education,
possibly funded by Asa. An account of this was passed down on John Lomax's side of the family. Many years later John left behind a signature book from his time with the Asa Gailey family, which included signatures from Asa and Lola. </div>
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When Asa Lomax returned from his trip the city of Chicago
was engulfed in preparations for the World’s Columbian Exposition, also known
as the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. The fair was a celebration of Christopher
Columbus’ arrival in the New World 400 years prior. It was an event of gargantuan
proportions, one that changed the lives of Chicago’s residents, inspiring and
enlightening them.</div>
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Through a very descriptive obituary for Asa Lomax, we learn
that one of his reasons for his retirement was to perfect a patent he had
invented. What was this idea or invention? Did it have to do with his line of
work with the railroad or could it be related in some way to the Chicago World’s
Fair? So far, we have yet to learn any details on his patent. The search will
continue on.</div>
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Lola married George Brownell Chace at her parents’ home on
October 19, 1892. Mr. Chace was a Wyoming native and had made his way to
Chicago to seek a better life. The 1900 U.S. Census lists George as working for
the Bridge Department of the Chicago & N.W., the same office that Asa had
retired from. George either met the Gaileys through the railroad job or Asa
hired him or helped him get work after the fact.</div>
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On the afternoon of Tuesday November 21, 1893 Asa Lomax
Gailey was out clearing the sidewalks around his home of recently fallen snow.
This was likely a chore he had done many times before living in the Illinois
and Iowa area for the past 30 years. Snow was something that was highly
uncommon for him in his youth and it may have still been something that he
appreciated. On this day it would lead to his demise. After a clearing the
sidewalks around his yard he walked to his garage in back of his home and
suffered a massive heart attack. He was only 56 years old. </div>
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He had only been able to enjoy his retirement for a little
over a year. His patent work was left unfinished and likely unpublished. He
left this earth with a loving widow and five of his offspring; however the three
in Texas knew nothing of their half siblings in Illinois at the time.</div>
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Asa's obituary reads as follows:</div>
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<em>A.L. Gailey, for a quarter of a century superintendent of bridge
construction of the C. & N. W. Ry. Co., and for many years an honored
citizen of Austin (IL) , dropped dead Tuesday afternoon at his home in Linden
Park. A strong, stalwart specimen of manhood, in the prime of his life, his
death was entirely unexpected. Only a year ago Mr. Gailey resigned his position
with the company to devote his entire time to a patent which he was perfecting.
At the time he left the railroad company, he was the recipient of gifts and
testimonials from employees and officials all of whom loved and respected him.
Tuesday he cleaned off the snow from his walks, went to the barn to replace his
tools, when without a cry, he dropped dead.</em><br />
<em></em> </div>
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<em>The funeral will be held tomorrow from his late home and
will be conducted by the Rev. Frank O. Ballard, formerly of the Presbyterian
Church, now of Indianapolis. The remains will be borne to Turner, Mr. Gailey's
former home for interment. A special car has been placed at the disposal of the
family and friends by the Northwestern Company, for this last sad journey. At
Turner the Masonic fraternity will conduct the services. Mr. Gailey leaves a
widow, a son Lester, and a daughter, Mrs. George B. Chace.</em></div>
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The obituary, which is usually prepared by the immediate family, makes no mention of his Texas children, Jane, J.W., and Asa Nelson. Some events that followed Asa Lomax's death indicate that while he may not have shared his secret with his children, his wife likely knew.<br />
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An interesting bit of information was unearthed in the estate
settlement paperwork concerning Asa’s ex-brother-in-law and fellow Civil War
soldier Nicholas F.M. Tuder, who passed away on August 3, 1895. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicholas had migrated to Texas with his family
and brother-in-law Asa in the 1850s, their first stop being in Bell County and
later to Eastland County, where he remained until his death. In Nicholas’
possession at death was a newly published book called “Columbus and Columbia”
which documented the Chicago’s World Fair and the history of America to that
point. This clue may indicate that Nicholas may have had contact with Asa
Gailey or may have at least known about him or his whereabouts. It could have
been just a coincidence. </div>
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We do know that the Texas Gailey’s did learn about Asa’s “second
life” in Illinois just a few years after his death. They may have believed up
to that point that he had perished in the war. What a surprise it must have
been.</div>
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Check back for Part III, where we will look into the lives
of Asa Lomax Gailey’s Chicago family and their ties back to Texas.</div>
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Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4797621498207140108.post-16377125482053181222013-05-03T12:06:00.000-07:002013-05-03T12:08:56.689-07:00The Asa Lomax Gailey Story - Part One<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part One - From Georgia To Camp Douglas Chicago</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must begin this documentation journey with the central focus for many of my Gailey relatives, a man named Asa Lomax Gailey. Asa Lomax, as he is reffered to by several of us these days, was the father of John William "J.W." Gailey, making him my Third Great Grandfather. Asa's story became somewhat legendary among his Texas descendants, often times just a bit of known information here and there and pure speculation to fill in the blanks. I covered his story in some detail in my book "The J.W. Gailey Story: A Historical Perspective", but later found out several missing links in his story. I will try to paint a more complete account of his life here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Asa Lomax Gailey was born on March 8, 1837 in Habersham County, Georgia to Ebenezer and Jane Dillard (Lomax) Gailey. A book on the Lomax family listed Asa's name as Asahel, however no other record of that spelling has been found. Asa's father Ebenezer worked as a blacksmith for a majority of the time after Asa's birth. There are believed to have been ten total children in the family, Asa being the second son and fourth born child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around the year 1855 Ebenezer's brother Amzi and his large family moved to Big Creek in what would become Craighead County, Arkansas. The exact reason for the move is undetermined but it followed the popular westward progression that many families were making at that time. Amzi's move triggered Ebenezer to move his family to a neighboring farm within a year or so. In Arkansas the brothers and their oldest boys farmed the land that was previously uninhabited by white settlers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was not long after relocating to Arkansas when Asa met and fell in love with Permelia Jane Tuder. Permelia and her family were on a westward migration from Kentucky. Records indicate that the Tuder family lived a couple of years in the Craighead County area. William Tuder, Permelia's father, was primarily a carpenter but also had a good sense about obtaining land. He knew of the plentiful land grants being offered in newly formed Texas and had his sights set on migrating there. William had been widowed and remarried fathering five children along the way. Permelia was the oldest followed by Nicholas, William Henry, James, and Rosannah, who was a baby at the time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By late 1857 the Tuder's drove their wagons to Texas. It is believed, although no records have been found, that Asa and Permelia were married prior to or on their journey to Texas. By February of 1858 the couple produced their first child together, a girl named Jane Jemima Gailey. She was the first Gailey born in Texas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tuder and newly formed Gailey families settled in Bell County, Texas along the banks of the Leon River near the town of Aiken in 1860. This was after a brief stay in Cass County near the Arkansas border. Asa bought a house in town and William Tuder established a cabinet and furniture shop. All seemed to be going well for the settlers, that is until the Civil War broke out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Asa and Permelia welcomed their second child John William into the world in January of 1861 just on the brink of the Civil War. Months later Permelia was pregnant again but Asa would not get to meet his thrid born as he was forced into enlistment. He, along with his brother-in-law Nicholas and other friends and neighbors enlisted in what would become Company K of the Texas 10th Infantry Regiment. It was known as Nelson's Regiment.<br /><br />Asa was quickly detailed as a musician for the army which was at least a small distraction from the task at hand. Musicians also held a slightly higher rank than Privates. Confederate companies generally had two to four musicians which were typically drummers, fifers, or bugle players. Some also played banjos, fiddles, and guitars. Some of the music played was specific to the south while other music was nationally loved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Asa's stint in the Confederate army was fairly brief as he was captured at Fort Hindman Post in Arkansas on January 11, 1863. He and many of his fellow men were shipped to the Fort Douglas prisoner of war camp in Chicago. His days at Camp Douglas were brutal. The soldiers were treated very unfavorably and were kept essentially like livestock in the extreme Chicago weather. Prisoners were eventually given the option to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States for freedom and Asa did just that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out Part Two of the Asa Lomax Gailey Story for the second half of Asa's life.</span></div>
Shanon Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00312353790102925825noreply@blogger.com1