Big Celebration At Denison In
1874
By W. W. Hornbeck, Mountain Home,
Texas.
Account describes the events
associated with the arrival of two
railroads which were competing against
each other for the establishment
of commerce in the town of Denison,
TX in March, 1872.
"The new town had been widely
advertised as "the Gateway to Texas"
and hundreds of citizens from other
states were gathering there. We
found the town in an uproar, with
crowds of excited people milling
about like wild cattle on a stampede.
It was late in the afternoon when
we arrived and without waiting for
explanation of this unusual commotion
we found our way to a secluded spot
in the timber, where we made camp
and prepared for a night's rest.
But the prolonged racket and continual
stir of nearby campers made restful
sleep impossible. About 4:30 A.
M. our fitful slumbers were shattered
by the rumble of an incoming train
and a piercing shriek from the engine
whistle. That settled it; sleep
was out of the question, and after
an early breakfast we mingled with
the crowd to learn the cause of
all this "hullabaloo." Here is the
explanation : The townsite company
had offered free right-of way through
the town, grounds for commercial
trackage, machine shops, switch
yards, etc., to the company first
bringing into Denison a train over
its tracks. This enticing bid met
with quick response. Two roads entered
the race-the Houston & Texas Central,
building north from Houston, Texas,
and the M. K. & T. (Katy) line,
coming south from Sedalia, Missouri.
Each of the contending parties put
on a road-building force of one
thousand to twelve hundred men,
and the race was on good and strong…"
History Of The Rio Grande Railroad
By Anna Cora Petz
THE Rio Grande Railroad which
runs from Brownsville on the Rio
Grande to Point Isabel on the Laguna
Madre, has the double distinction
of being the shortest railroad in
the United States and the only one
which up to November, 1924, had
the old French or one-meter gauge.
There are many prominent men
connected with its history. Such
names as Richard King; his partner
Mifflin Kenedy; Simon Celaya; E.
J. Davis, one of the early Governors
of Texas; James B. Wells, and Joseph
Kleiber, its original founder and
promoter, are links in the chain
of its successes and failures. Here
is the story…
Further Mentions: Mifflin Kenedy
was born in Downington, Chester
county, Pennsylvania, on June. 8,
1818. * Kenedy helped to transport
General Zachery Taylor * the San
Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad
* Captain Kenedy died March 14,
1895, on his beautiful ranch, La
Parra, Cameron county * Captain
Richard King was born in Orange
county, New York, on July 10, 1825
* . In 1868 he moved to his now
famous ranch, Santa Gertrudis, Nueces
county, Texas * The immediate purpose
of the organization of the Rio Grande
Railroad was to break up the Kenedy
and King monopoly * Simon Celaya,
H. E. Woodhouse, Charles McManus,
John S. Ford, David Maltby, and
Joseph Kleiber * E. J. Davis, who
afterward became Governor of Texas,
was the lawyer for the Rio Grando
Railroad * the Rio Grande Railroad
* the Corpus Christi, San Diego
& Rio Grande narrow guage railroad
* The rails were purchased from
Joseph Railtor & Son, a famous mercantile
establishment of Liverpool * the
Palo Alto prairie * the roundhouse
in Brownsville * The roundhouse
of the Rio Grande Railroad would
present an interesting study in
the evolution of engines, each discarded
locomotive representing a… * The
Baldwin engine * The valve motion
is the old Stevenson link type *
the "Mother Hubbard" * The braking
is done by the old style… * The
headlight is a kerosene-burning
lamp. The old style grease cups…
* Don Jose Ayala, an old-time resident
of Brownsville, and this Baldwin
engine somehow seem as one * George
W. Rendall, the first master mechanic
of the Rio Grande Railroad * the
"Green Bug" reached Loma Trosada
* Mr. Robert Kingsbury * Mrs. Frank
Thielen, Jr. * Reverend Hall * Mrs.
Dreyfus, a Brownsville merchant
* Promposo, a youth from Point Isabel
* Mr. Martin Kingsbury * the Morgan
Steamship Line, the Wells, Fargo
Express Company * Mr. Brito, who
was at that time sheriff * Blas
Loya, Severiano Loya, Reyes Loya,
Fabian Garcia, Jose Olivares, Jose
Maria Mosgiieda, and Pancho Jaramillo
* the Cross Brothers, prominent
citizens of Matamoras * James B.
Wells * W. T. Eldridge, of Sugarland
* Caxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell,
Idaho * Sophie A. Poe * Eugene Cunningham
* N. H. Rose * William Poe * John
W. Poe * John Jacobs *
Judge D. R. Wingate, Pioneer
Lumberman
By Jounie Wingate Bassett. HERE
IS EXCELLENT GENEALOGY AND HISTORY
OF WINGATE FAMILY AND OF NEWTON,
TX.
JUDGE D. R. WINGATE was a pioneer
lumberman and perhaps the most prominent
among the old guard of Orange, Texas.
He settled in Texas in April, 1852,
locating near Belgrade in Newton
county, where he remained until
1858, and then moved to Sabine Pass,
where he engaged in the milling
business. He owned and operated
the largest and best equipped saw
mill at that time in the south,
owning his own vessels and carrying
on a lumber trade in Havana. Judge
Wingate remained at Sabine Pass
until during the war between the
states, then returned to his farm
in Newton county, where he remained
until 1874, then came to Orange,
and again engaged in the lumber
business, building the first improved
saw mill erected in the state.
His success in life is to be
attributed to energy, strict integrity,
his capacity to plan and execute,
and untiring attention to business.
Starting from the lowest rung, when
mills were only supplied with the,
old whip saw, he steadily made his
way upward until he reached the
top and became a leading authority
on all matters pertaining to saw
mills, having been engaged in the
business the greater part of fifty
years. Here is his story. Contains
excellent old photos of Mr Wingate
and also of his wife.
Further Mentions: His first venture
in the saw mill business was on
Pearl River in Mississippi * Judge
D. R. Wingate was born February
20, 1819, in Darlington District,
South Carolina * His father, Robert
P. Wingate * Pharaba (Kelly) Wingate
* Judge Martin Ford and W. F. Sparks
* the Wingate Lumber Company * Miss
Caroline Morgan * Walter J. Wingate
* Rev. T. J. Horne * Mrs. D. R.
Wingate * Jonnie Wingate, Robert
Wingate, Walter Wingate, Elizabeth
(Mittie) Wingate and Rufus Wingate.
* Edwin Wingate and Mary Wingate
* Eugenia Singleton * Granny Morgan
* the Wingate plantation in Newton
county * Annie Louise Linzey, a
Dallas girl * Ruth Powell of Newton,
Texas * Tom Wilson of Kirbyville,
Texas * Carl, Earl, Buster, Elizabeth,
Bitsie and Mary Tom * Jonnie Wingate
married Jay Bassett of Kosse, Texas
* Fred B. Glass * Gladys * Herbert
Rice * Marlin, Texas * Irys * Pherobe
Wingate married Tom Sparks of Orange,
Texas * five children: Clyde, Opal,
Robert, Reta, and Beatrice * Emma
Wingate married Ray Brown of Orange
* four children. Howard (deceased),
Arthur, Audre, and Lois * Robert
P. Wingate married Dona Sherman
; they had four children: Jimmie,
Billie, Mary Alice (deceased), and
Claude (deceased). Morgan Wingate
married Georgie Kneighton ; they
had six children : John, Georgina,
Mildred, Maybeil, Morgan, Jr. (deceased)
and Wendell, (deceased). William
W. Wingate married Velma Faulk of
Houston ; they had two children
: A. W. and Kenneth. Rufus Wingate
first married Ledie Turner; one
child was born, Estelle. His second
wife was Ophelia Hatten, and three
children were born to them, Ophedom,
Milton, and one deceased. George
Wingate married Anna Patterson ;
they had four children : Leola,
Wilborn, Ruth and Dorothy Lou. Rebecca
Wingate married Cam Clark; they
had five children : Jewel, Vena,
Mary, Culberson and David. Claud
Wingate married Mena Bonni, and
they had eight children: Lance,
Nick, Joe, Mabe, Roy, Cecil, Barbara
and Julia * Agnes Smith * Walter,
Jr., Lila and Mattie * Veva Slaughter
* Mittie Elizabeth Wingate * Major
B. H. Norsworthy of Jasper * Rebecca
Norsworthy * David (deceased), Marie,
Lillie and Ann, of Uvalde, Texas
* Mary Ann Wheat * Mr. Ford * Caroline
* D. R. Wingate * Sallie Morgan
* John Morgan *
John Z. Means, Entertainer Extraordinary
By T. C. Richardson
Account detailing the life of
Mr. John Z. Means, early Big Bend
settler and rancher. He developed
the firm of John Z. Means & Co.,
owning and operating ranches and
dealing in cattle in various places,
but the Y6 ranch near Valentine
always remained Uncle John's home
and headquarters. This is his story.
Further Mentions: his son, Sam
* the Devil's River canyon where
the Border highway crosses it *
old Fort McKavett * the settlements
in San Saba and Lampasas counties
* George Evans * Sawtooth * Davis
mountains * the Bloys camp meeting
which has been held at Skillman
Grove near Fort Davis every year
since 1889 * The Jonses, the Kingstons,
the Finleys, the Evans * Rev. William
B. Bloys * Joe M. Evans, a nephew,
Sam Means, a son * Toyah creek *
Kent * Madera canyon * "Aunt Exa"
(Mrs. Means) * Rev. George W. Truett
of Dallas, Peter Clark McFarlane
of Collier's Magazine * Marfa *
Mount Livermore * K. P. Aldrich
*
A Journey Through Texas In 1856
By Frederick Law Olmsted
(Continued From Last Month) Mentions:
the Medina * the Nueces * Castroville
a colony of * Alsatians * M. Tarde
* the upper Rhone valley * the Courrier
des Etats Unis * Mr. Henry Castro
* the Rhine one, Quihi, upon the
Quihi Creek, a branch of the Seco;
the, D'Hanis, the Seco * the Rio
Frio * Fort Inge * the Canyon Uvalde
* the Bandera Pass * Victor Considerant
* Major Simonson * Fort Duncan *
Mr. Black * San Geronimo * Mr. Callaghan
* a settler named Forrester *
An Incident In Early Texas Ranger
Life
A. J, Sowell
Account details a bloody confrontation
that occurred in August, 1844, in
Nueces Canyon, when four men of
Capt. Jack Hays' company of rangers
were scouting for Indians. The party
was brutally ambushed and the tale
recounts the sad failure of two
one-time brave Rangers to assist
their fellow rangers at an awful
hour.
"As the evening wore on Perry
suffered much from his wounds and
thirst. He could hear the river
running near by, and was almost
tempted to risk the Indians seeing
him and try to get to it,, but yet
he waited and listened. He could
tell by the birds singing that night
was not yet approaching. After what
seemed almost an age to him everything
became still. He could no longer
hear the birds and all animal life
seemed hushed except the hoot of
an owl or the scream of a panther
or wildcat. He now determined to
leave his hiding place and make
an effort to crawl to the river.
Slowly and in darkness he came forth,
feeling his way and guided in the
right direction after he got clear
of the drift by the sound of running
water. Many obstacles were encountered-logs,
tree tops, and large rocks-so much
that many detours had to be made
around them. Finally, however, he
arrived at the edge of the water,
and no one who has not experienced
the same sensation can realize his
suffering or his pleasure while
drinking the cold water, after dragging
himself over rough stones and logs,
guided by the rippling water to
its brink. He now bathed his head
and washed the clotted blood from
his eyes so that he could open them
and once more take a survey of the
situation. It was indeed night.
The dark mountains loomed up on
both sides of the canyon, and the
stars shone bright overhead and
cast their reflection in the clear
water at his feet…"
Further Mentions: Thomas Galbreath
* Kit Ackland, Rufus Perry, James
Dunn, and John Carlin * the prairie
north of where the town of Uvalde
now is * Dunn and Carlin *
Fred Mosebach, Versatile Feature
Writer
By Albert Curtis.
Account of Fred Mosebach, long
time writer for the San Antonio
Express. He started to work on the
Express as a compositor in 1890
and as a reporter in 1892. He became
sports editor, a position he held
for many years. He was known as
"The Grand Old Man of Baseball in
San Antonio." This is his story.
This account also give a detailed
look at life in San Antonio in 1871.
Mentions: A game was arranged
in 1871, the teams being the O'Connells
and the Prymes, who represented
the Cavalry and the Infantry of
the Army Post * the Postal Telegraph
Company now is, on Commerce Street,
near Navarro, across from the present
Groos Bank and Sherwin-Williams
Paint Store * Stanley Welch * Alex
E. Sweet * A. Siemering & Co * The
Texas Farmers' Zeitung * Die Frie
Presse fuer Texas * Frank Grice
* the Hummel homestead, where the
King Furniture Co., now is, near
the corner of Navarro Street * the
corner of Commerce and Losoya streets,
east of the bridge * Mergenthaler
* Harvey L. Bear * the Express building,
corner of Crockett and Navarro streets
* corner of Avenue and Third Street
* In 1871 San Antonio numbered from
12,000 to 15,000 inhabitants. Mr.
Wm. C. A. Thielepape was mayor *
the Probandt property on Crockett
Street, near Nacogdoches Street
* The first iron bridge in San Antonio
* Houston Street was then called
Paseo, Commerce Street was then
known as Alameda Street, east of
Alamo Street and as Main Street
west of Alamo Street. Main Avenue
was then known as Acequia Street.
Commerce Street was then… * Gen.
W. T. Sherman * The Casino * Messrs.
Peay and Karber * the Menger Hotel
* Turner Hall * Muench Hall * the
Arbeiter Verein Hall * the Fireman's
Hall * Mr. Duerler * The Jockey
Club and the Scheuzen Verein * the
Alamo, Literary Society * Mr. Thos.
H. Stribling * Samuel Maverick *
Wm. H. Houston * , A. L. McLane,
J. H. McLeary * W. M. Young * W.
H. Huston * F. E. Young * Taylor
Thompson * , C. L. Wurzbach * H.
McCormack * the Gunter * the French
* Vance's * the Vance Building *
Wm. A. Menger * Travis Park * Sweeney's
Mudhole" * William B. Krempkau *
the Arbeiter Verein school * Rusk
Street, where Market Street now
runs through to Water Street * Mr.
Hanzal * Ollie Hanzal * Miss Emma
Nentwich * Franz and Carl Nagel
* Mrs. Wehrhahn * Mrs. Riedner *
Miss Arminda Ohnesorge * Reinhold
Becker * Carl Wurzbach * a man named
Blake * Mr. and Mrs. Thomas U. Leighton
* Thomas G. Leighton * Ed A. Leighton
* Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Haueisen *
Joseph McAllister and Emil Haueisen
* Mr. Stappenbeck, and Dr. Cupples
* George J. F. Schmitt * Manuel
Yturri * F. Kalteyer * F. Groos
&. Co * A. Pancoast & Son * the
Grand Rapids Furniture Co. * Battle
of Flowers fete * Ollie Hanzal
Bravery And Fortitude Of A Pioneer
Mother
From A. J. Sowel
Among the pioneer women of Southwest
Texas who deserve a chapter in the
history of early settlers is Mrs.
Nancy Kelley, wife of Mr. Chris.
Kelley, an early settler of Uvalde
county. Mrs. Nancy Kelley was the
daughter of Milton Williams and
was born in Perry county, Illinois,
in 1833. Her grandfather, Robert
Williams, was a soldier under General
Washington and took an active part
in the War of the Revolution.
When quite young Mrs. Kelley
went to Arkansas and was married
there to Mr. L. C. Kelley in 1847,
in White County, near Siercy. She
came to Texas in 1850 and lived
two years in Kaufman county, and
then in 1852 moved to Sabinal Canyon,
Uvalde county. After about of year
of peaceful life in the valley,
Indian trouble commenced. This is
a story of incredible bravery and
loyalty.
Further Mentions: * the Anglin
prong * Mr. Aaron Anglin, another
early settler * ranch of Mr. Sam
Harper * Fort Inge * her two boys,
Robert and Joseph * Nolton Creek
in the Uvalde prairie * two other
boys, Spencer and O'Bryant * She
moved to Frio * the Blue Waterhole
* Blanco Canyon * the Guadalupe
valley * Lone Tree Mountain * John
Davenport has a ranch at its base
* George Dillard * James Watson
* Henry Robinson * Joseph married
Miss Ida Crank * Little Blanco *
Zeno * Edward married Miss Lela
Martin, daughter of Judge William
Martin, of Kerrville * Florence
married Mr. Henry McBride, merchant
of Sabinal *
Old Days In Old San Antonio
By James A. Wright
The writer finds himself exploring
the Old San Antonio in the winter
of 1880. He offers a detailed glimpse
of the city.
Mentions: the corner of Acequa
and Houston streets * the San Fernando
Cathedral, the T. C. Frost clothing
store, located where the Frost National
Bank now stands * the "Chili Queens"
* the Hugo-Scmeltzer wholesale establishment
* Joseph D. Sayers and Roger Q.
Mills * J. P. Newcomb * Soledad
where the Solo-Serve now stands
* the notorious Jack Harris theater,
where Ben Thompson and King Fisher
were killed * Garden street, known
locally as "Lover's Lane." * "Bowen's
Island," * Sangerbund * the "Mexican
Railroad" * the "Silvery Rio Grande."
* Austin Street near Nacogdoches
* East Commerce Street, east of
the railroad * the I. & G. N. depot
* George Schroeder's store * the
Silver King, White Elephant, Green
Front * the S. A. & A. P. Railroad
* Uriah Lott * the Woolworth building
* Maverick * South Flores street
* Col. W. T. Jackman * Wiley Fain
* Mrs. W. A. Roberts, of Frio Town,
Texas * Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White
of Mason * Dr. and Mrs. Nicholson,
and Mr. and Mrs. John F, Schaeg
of San Antonio * Mr. White has been
a prominent ranchman * John Schaeg
* Misses Cora and Lula Bridges *
Mrs. Nicholson * the Limpia Hotel
* the McDonald Observatory * Marfa
* the Paisano Hotel * Sul Ross State
Teachers' College and Museum * the
Haley Dude Ranch * the Chisos Mountains
Park * J. E. Grinstead * the Kerrville
Mountain Sun * Ed Cosper * J. E.
Cosper in Rusk county * Mrs. Gertrude
Hills * Ben F. Harigel * Mr. and
Mrs. Albert J. Hall, of London,
England * W. W. Hornbeck * Mrs.
Edith Wilson Smith, of San Diego,
California * B. C. Murray * Dr.
John Harvey * George A. Cutler *
Mountain Home, Texas * Miss Linnie
Wilson * the Honey Grove Independent
* Lewis Hornbeck *
Let's Know Texas And Texans
BY WILL H. MAYES
Mentions: E. M. Pease * Hermann
F. Seele * New Braunfels * The Comal
* DeWitt's colony at Gonzales *
the Aguayo Expedition of 1721 *
Gail Borden * Provisional Governor
Henry Smith * George Childress *
Catfish Creek * Double Mountain
Fork * the Deer Creek battle * Col.
Francis W. Johnson * Olive K. Dixon
* Eugene Barker * George L. Crocket
* C. L. Douglas * C. L. Douglas
* the Mason County War, Horrell-Higgins
feud * Clarence Wharton * G. W.
Barrington * W. C. Holden * Herbert
P. Gambrell * Florence Johnson Scott
* Lona Shawver and Walt Cousins
* Mrs. S. G. Miller * Lois F. Boyle
* Walter Prescott Webb * Harry Harter
* Chris Emmett * May E. Francis
* Howard W. Peak * E. E. Kirkpatrick
* Fred Chabot * Herman Ehrenberg
* James K. Greer * Florence E. Barns
* Melissa A. Castle * Paul A. Morgan
* Wm. F. Drannan * Olin D. Wheeler
* R. S. Townsend * Thos. E. Farish
* Frank Wiltach * Carlyle Graham
* Elliott Coues * Sam C. Reid, Jr.
* J. W. Bradley
