Chasing Our Tales, PICKWICK and Correspondence
The following email renewed my interest in Pickwick:
"I enjoyed reading your articles on the Fortune Bend area of Palo Pinto County. We have some lots on Possum Kingdom in the Hogg Bend area. I am fascinated by the geography, geology, and history of the area. I found your site by searching for Pickwick Texas on MSN. Doesn't seem to be much devoted to the former Pickwick settlement. I was looking for some pictures from before the area was flooded by the lake. I'll continue to read your articles. Heath, madsen@geusnet.com "
So, I have done some research on Pickwick, and I would love to see some photos of the area if anyone would like to share.
The community of Pickwick was in the northern part of Palo Pinto County. The area was settled as early as1856, but Indian depredations prevented a permanent community from forming until after the Civil War.
A post office operated in Pickwick from 1903 to 1946. Residents first chose the name Westerville, but another post office already had that name, so Edd Costello, a citizen who, at the time, was reading Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, suggested the name Pickwick. The post office was first located in a blacksmith shop, and William Silas Wester was the first postmaster.
The community grew and eventually had a cotton gin, a general store, a school, a church, and a sawmill. Telephone service was established before 1915, but in the same year the boll weevil destroyed the cotton crop. The gin ran for the last time in 1916.
In 1919 the only doctor moved, and the town then consisted of the telephone company, a general store with the post office, a school, and a few houses.
In 1939 the Brazos Conservation and Recreation District purchased all of the Pickwick property to prepare for the flooding of the area by the waters of Possum Kingdom Reservoir. An area landowner who did not want the post office to close sold eight acres to J. C. Stevenson so that his store and post office could be moved. Land was donated for the school. The new site was about two miles east of the old town site and was called New Pickwick by some locals. The new school was called Lu Kingdom. In 1939 Pickwick School District #35 and Lucille School Districk #53 formed Lu Kingdom School District #35. In 1941 Lu Kingdom contracted with Graford School, and in 1949 it consolidated with Graford.
Clara Evelyn Peach (see the Peach family lower in this column) taught the last school at Lucille in 1940-41. She had nine pupils, and they were all boys.
In 1946 both the store and post office were closed. In the late 1960s New Pickwick reported a population of thirty, with no businesses. Now, when Possum Kingdom Lake was very low, a foundation or two and an old iron bridge from Pickwick are visible.
Pickwick-McAdams Cemetery transcription can bee viewed online at http://www.cemeteries-of-tx.com/Wtx/PaloPinto/Pickwick-McAdams.html and http://www.rootsweb.com/~txpalopi/cemeteries/mcadams.htm .
There is a historical marker titled, Pickwick-McAdams Cemetery. It is located near the city of Graford and was erected in 1979. The location of the marker is directed from Graford. Take High 254 west about eight miles to Park Road 36 and follow Park Road 36 west about 3 miles. The inscription on the marker states: "Tennessee native Capt. William Carroll McAdams (1825-1906) came to Texas in the 1840s, served as a Texas Ranger, and fought in the Mexican war (1846-1848). McAdams and his wife Ann (Alexander) acquired this land in 1854 and began cattle raising. The cemetery opened after the death of Mrs. McAdams. The first marked grave is that of Mary M. Couger in 1889. McAdams Cemetery served the Pickwick Community (now under the lake). In 1940 graves were moved here from Carter Bend Cemetery which was on the proposed Possum Kingdom Lake site. (1979)"
The Pickwick-McAdams Cemetery is in the northwest part of Palo Pinto County on Park Road 36, and it contains the graves of many of the pioneers of the county. The graves from the Pickwick Cemetery, as well as graves from Carter Bend, were moved to the McAdams Cemetery when Possum Kingdom Lake was built. When the people there applied for a charter for McAdams Cemetery, there was already a McAdams Cemetery, so they enlarged the name to Pickwick-McAdams. An ornamental fence was purchased in 1915, and the cemetery was fenced and well maintained well.
Families associated with Pickwick include Agee, Baker, Barnett, Barron, Barton, Belding, Carlin, Carter, Castello, Caudill, Chapman, Collins, Costello, Couger, Craig, Cramer, Crawford, Creager, Crenshaw, Dalton, Daves, Eckhardt, Everson, Ford, Foreman, Frame, Gillispie, Hale, Hay, Hodges, Johnson, Jones, Joy, Kelley, Kincaid, Kyle, Lane, Layton, Levan, Lewis, Logsdon, Long, Mahaney, Mason, Massie, Massingale, May, Mayes, McAdams, McAvoy, McDonald, McFadden, McKee, McMillan, McPherson, Mitchell, Moore, Morgan, Morrison, Myers, Newman, Nicklas, Nixon, O'Donnell, Parsons, Patterson, Perry, Reeves, Rider, Sain, Scott, Seber, Shackelford, Shepherd, Shewmake, Shubert, Slay, Snoddy, Spear, Spurlock, Stephens, Stevenson, Strawbridge, Teague, Terrel, Underwood, Upton, Venable, Walker, Walston, Weldon, Wester, Wotipka, Yelk, Young.
Letters:
JODIE P. HARRIS
"Hello, Mrs. Seibert. My name is Matt Walter, and I am a curator here at the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, TX. I am presently researching an exhibit on Jodie P. Harris, a soldier from Mineral Wells who joined Company I, 4th Texas Infantry, Texas National Guard, and was stationed down here on the border in 1916 and 1917. While he was stationed down here in the Big Bend, Jodie hand-drew a series of postcards which he mailed back home to his family there in Mineral Wells. I am having about 40 of those postcards blown up for the exhibit, and was wondering if you might know if he might still have any descendants who are living there in the Mineral Wells area. Jodie died on the 6th of May, 1960, at the VA hospital in Big Spring, TX. If you know of anyone who might know about him, I would appreciate that. Thank-you in advance for any information that you might have, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Matt Walter
Curator of Exhibits
Museum of the Big Bend
Sul Ross State University
Box C-101
Alpine, TEXAS 79832
mwal778@sulross.edu "
I have not been able to assist Matt, but if you can please contact him and let us know, too!
SMITH
"Hi,
My name is Jeanne Radford Garner and my grandparents are John Henry Smith and Ollie Myrtle Thompson-Smith. My mother was Lois Mae Smith-Radford. I don't have a lot of info on this side of family,but will be happy to share what I have.
"John Henry had half brothers and sisters and he and his half sister Dolly Marsh married sister and brother, Ollie Myrtle and Jessie James Thompson. Uncle Jessie lived near Lipan I believe in or near Johnson County, Texas, not for sure on this, may be Hood County. He had a large family place there. I have not been able to place grandpa's father. His mother married a second time to his father, married first to a Marsh. I can give you most of the latter day kids if you so desire. They lived in Santo, Texas, Erath County, as long as I can remember. I was born in Mineral Wells and lived there most of my growing up years. I have lots of Radford and Smith Cousins in that area. Surnames attached to John Henry are: Radford, Lambert, Barrett, Whitehead, Garvin, Houston, Garner, Whisenhunt, Cooper, Durham, Thompson. Let me know what you need and / or want.
Jeanne, txgal_n_ar@yahoo.com "
HARWELL, DAVES, BEAL
Lilly Engleman, Lillyj57@aol.com, will share the obit of Warner Wesley Harwell. Contact her for more information. Also, she sent the following: "Lillie 'Aunt Toad' Lorene Beal died Dec. 2, 1980, in Texarkana but lived most of her adult life in Lone Camp with her sister Rosie Mae Beal Daves and her husband James Marion Daves.
"James M. Daves was born Nov. 23, 1888 in Santo, died June 26, 1967, and is buried in North Santo Cemetery. Rosie 'Aunt Tom' was born November 24, 1901, in Avinger, died May 2, 1979, in Texarkana, and is buried in North Santo Cemetery. Both Aunt Toad and Aunt Tom were being taken care of by a niece in Texarkana.
"Lillie Beal, 79, died Tuesday in a local hospital. Graveside services will be 1 pm today at the North Santo Cemetery in Santo, Texas. Burial will be under the direction of the Texarkana Funeral Home. Miss Beal was born August 10, 1900, near Avinger, Texas, and had lived in Texarkana for five years. Survivors include: three brothers, Louis Beal of Texarkana, Looney Beal of Pasadena, Texas, and Lonnie Beal of Louisiana; and a number of nieces and nephews.
"NOTE: The birth date of Aunt Toad 'Lillie' is not correct. On the 1900 census her birth date is listed as August 9, 1898. Several year before her death, Aunt Toad wrote down the dates of all the Beal children."
The next letter was companied by the photo of a postcard of a building on US Highway 281 just north of I-20 in the southern part of Palo Pinto County.
"Attached is a postcard of Rock Castle, south of Mineral Wells, which is still standing. My uncle, Kurt Doyle of Natty Flat, built Rock Castle and lived there in the 1920's before he moved to California. Virginia Hale, virginia@computron.net "
BRUCE, CLAY
"I'm a descendant of John Bruce and Elizabeth Clay, through their son Alexander. I'm interested in the Patrick Henry Clay Bruce biography you wrote about. Can you tell me how to get a copy? Or who to write to? Thanks. Bruce King, beking@siu.edu "
GAINES, MILLER
"I need look ups on three people. There is a Leo H. Miller who married a Gaines daughter (she is the daughter of Roy A. Gaines, and I think a Ruthie Gaines) during the 1940's. Then there is another daughter of the same Roy and Ruthie who married after 1947. Her name was Billye Jo Gaines. Finally the widow of Roy A. may have married again after Roy died in May of 1947. The family was living in Mineral Wells in 1947.
"Any marriage data would help.
Harry D. Gailey, HDGailey@qconline.com "
STEELE
"I am researching the name Steele. I was told at one time that my grandfather came from Texas, but I am not sure about this. If you could post and see if anyone has any info on this set of Steeles' I would appreciate it greately. William A. Steele b.oct.1853 and married an Evelyn F ?, born January 1854, son Lela C. Steele, born 1879. Thanks Fran Steele/Rose rose1@intrstar.net "
GLOVER
"Dear Sue, A few years ago, my brother gave me a few (old) pictures of our Glover kin with only first and middle names on the back - last week I searched Glover on the internet and your Chasing Our Tales came up, and I matched up your names and the names on my pictures and found I'm direct kin to the first Glover's that moved there south of Mineral Wells. In the picture is Drucilla and John Washington Glover. My Mother and Dad are buried in Willow Pond Cemetery. Thank you MUCH for the personal history!
"On the second trip of the Mayflower, there were a "bucket full" of Glovers on that ship! And, remember all the Witch hanging in Salem, well,....there was a poor Glover Witch lady THERE !
"Also, the first newspaper printing press in America was carried over by Mr. and Mrs. Glover, "he" died on the way and "she" was the first newspaper publisher in New England.
It's history that the First Naval Brig. General Glover, had about 60% blacks in his navy crew who saved George Washington two (2) times to escape from the Brit's in the Amer. Rev. War!!
"Are we kin to all those Glovers?..........we like to think so!
Thanks, Sue, and God Bless!
Clay Glover
PO BOX 301
Hanover, MI 49241-0301
gloverstuff@hotmail.com
PEPPERD
"Dear Ms. Seibert,
Following is a web page I've been working on today re: CC Pepperd, a Confederate veteran who resided in Mineral Wells when he applied for his pension. He is the founder of my hometown of Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas. Any information or references you could provide regarding him will be greatly appreciated.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~kscomanc/pepperd_pension.html
Thank you,Jerry Ferrin, jdf@theriver.com"
KARR
"Sue
Do you have excess to the book Cemeteries of Southern Parker County? If so, could you see if there are any 'Karrs" listed in the Soda Springs Cemetery. Any help would be appreciated. Clarence Karr, Mineral Wells. cek@mesh.net "
Could someone out there assist Clarence?
One-Armed BILL WILSON
"Excuse the intrusion, but did not One-Armed Bill Wilson end his years ranching in Animas City (Durango), Colorado? Unless they re-interred his bones, he's buried in Colorado. Do you have a copy of his obit? I don't, but have read it in the Denver library, and came across it via email search. Thanking you for your time, and hopefully, further information. Jim Peters. Pete3638@aol.com "
Who has a copy of Bill Wilson"s obit? Please send it to Jim and to us!!
HITSON
"Hi Sue, I enjoyed your column. Do you know if Bill and John Hitson ever knew Jesse and Frank James? Thanks, Betty, Banditoutlaw13@aol.com "
DODSON PRAIRIE, PEACH, WALLS
"Hello Sue, I've followed your articles for several years, and you've mentioned, in a round-about way, the Walls and Peach families of Dodson Prairie. It's time that I wrote you and gave you the WHOLE story. I've attached several files. The Peach document is the lineage of the Peach clan from South Carolina to Tennessee to Texas. Robertson Henderson Peach arrived in Dodson Prairie ca. 1884, in a covered wagon. I've attached four pictures for your info. They are circa 1885-1910.
"The Walls document is the lineage of the Walls clan from Virginia to Alabama to Texas. William Thomas Walls arrive in Dodson Prairie (Lone Camp) ca. 1888 also in a covered wagon. I've attached three family portraits of him. Some interesting notes: I served in Viet Nam, my father, Justus Wilson, served in WWII, his father, Jesse Warren, served in WWI, his grandfather, William Willis, was wounded at Shiloh, his father, Henry, was killed in the Mexican War, his father, Daniel, was killed in the War of 1812, and his father, John, Sr, served in Revolutionary War! This is a really proud history. Feel free to publish any of the information.
Sincerely, Ray E Walls, NSSAR 159958, rwalls@beecreek.net "
So next month we will continue Ray Walls' letter and provide his information on the Walls and Peach families.
If anyone else has information on the Walls and Peach families or you want to share your family's story, write me, Sue Seibert, P. O. Box 61, Mineral Wells TX 76068-0061; or email siouxcitysue@cox-internet.com .
Until then, hope everyone is having a great summer. You all keep cool and come back to see us in July!