Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 30, 1999 Page: 2 of 12
twelve pages : illus. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 2—CHEROKEEAN/HERALD of Rusk, Texas—Thursday, December 30,1999
Cljerobeeaij/Herald
December 30,1999
Emmett H. Whitehead
publisher
Marie Whitehead
editor
Texas' oldest continuously
published weekly newspaper.
Established as the Cherokee
Sentinel Feb. 27,1850
BEST AVAILABLE COPY
' ^ UK-urn ms
GRASS ROOTS by Stan Lynde
Mh.. Wi
JJim Hogg State Historical
Park, Rusk
Caddoan Mounds State
Historical Site, Alto
High Points From El Camino Real
Chris Davis
e-mail: elcaminoreal@inu.net
I hope everyone had a nice
Christmas and made it
safely back to wherever they
were going after the holidays.
Things seemed pretty quiet
around here and everyone I
talked to had a very pleasant
Christmas. The food was all
exceptionally good and the
weather couldn't have been any
better. This week's quarter's
worth is a little different, but
you get what you get.
As this year, this century and
this millennium come to an end, ————
I can't help but look back at
what has happened in the past 1000 years along
our little stretch of El Camino Real and think of
some of its more memorable events. I guess the
Indian Mounds are about the oldest and most
important site along El Camino Real, they were a
landmark for the early Spaniards in the 1600s and
are described in several different diaries of the
early pioneers. This allows us to pinpoint their
travels and discoveries more closely since these
mounds are the only Indian mounds built this far
west. It is believed by some scholars that Luis
Moscoso, a Spanish explorer from Hernando Do
Soto's group arrived here in 1542. This belief was
due in part to the mention of "the people of the
mounds" in his journal. On March 20, 1697, the
French explorer La Salle was murdered beside a
stream according to some of his men's journals.
One researcher believes that La Salle's last
campsite was on El Camino Real just a little south
of where Alto lies today. The researcher believed
that the stream he was killed by is our very own
Larrison Creek. The people down in Navasota ..
think he was killed hear there and they even put
up a statue of the man. I never could figure why
people would think a inurder site is a draw for
their town, but that was before my time and 1 don't
know where the fellow met his maker. The
Spaniards built their missions and then aban-
doned them in 1693 alter some trouble with the
Indians.
For many years people just kept passing
through our area going back and forth to Nacogdo-
ches and preparing for the inevitable war with
Mexico. It was during this time around 1839 that
the first Schochler moved into our area, his name
was Joseph. He came over from Germany and
had been into just about everything a person could
get into. During that time he rode on the first
steamboat old Robert Fulton invented up north
and fought at the battle of San Jacinto. The man
lived in three different centuries being born in
1798 and dying in 1902. Sain Houston passed
through here several times and wrote about it in
one of his letters to his wife in which he was giving
her instructions on how to get through the river
bottom in the wagon. The family of his good friend
George Whitfield Terrell lived just east of Alto
by the Angelina River. When Sam Houston
became President of the Republic of Texas he made
George Terrell his Attorney General. Some of
the Terrells still live here in just about the same
place they always have. There isn't much recollec-
tion of many staying and wanting to set up a town
until about 1851 when Col. Robert F. Mitchell
brought his wife and a wagon load of goods over
from Nacogdoches and opened up a store down by
the red light that wasn't there then. After we got ••>
store on the corner, more folks started moving in
and setting up businesses. On the other side of
town near Lacy's Fort was a schoolhouse to start
educating the children who were coming along.
Folks just farmed cotton and got by the best they
could until about 1897 when the tomato business
kicked off and people started making $250 an acre
raising tomatoes as opposed to $20 to $40 dollars
an acre for cotton. Trainloads of tomatoes were
being shipped all over the country from Cherokee
Coqnty. TTie "Green Deal" as it was called
because of the practice of shipping firm green
tomatoes ended in about 1950 when over produc-
tion and competition from other areas began to
make the business less profitable.
When Prohibition was put into effect during
the Depression years many folks found it easier
and more profitable to earn a living making corn
whiskey than by any other means. An area just
\ •
I
IF 5ANT"A CLAUS LOVES
LITTLE KIDS SO MUCH
HOW COME HE 0NLV
SHOWS UP ONCE IK
VFAR?
c
Texas State Railroad State
Historical Park, Rusk
west of Alto known as
"Dogtown" was famous for its
illegal distilled spirits for many
years. During this era Alto
became a pretty rough place and
a few light weight killings were
not uncommon in town. Bill
Brunt was made City Marshall
of Alto and attempted to bring
law and order to the town. He
did a good job of it and was later
elected Sheriff of the county. I le
was killed in a shootout in 1939
by a bootlegger who also died in
the gun battle. His brother
Frank Brunt later took over his
duties and these brothers became legends in these
parts in the law enforcement field.
The logging industry got to going strong in our
area and lots of folks turned to making their living
in the woods. Sawmill towns began to spring up
all around and communities were formed around
them. My grandfather and many other men like
him hewed out crossties in the woods so the
railroads could lay tracks into the forests to
harvest the timber. Mr. Poulan who invented the
chainsaw we know today lived here and ran a
POW logging crew and did some of his inventing
during his stay. T. D. Little had a log yard next
to the railroad tracks and many a load of trees
took the ride to the mills in Lufkin down those
tracks.
Alto did its part during the war years sending
its young men to fight in World War I & 11. Alto
Dentist Dr. J. C. Hill fought in WW 1 and once
told me that the insects and the disease were ten
times worse than the Germans ever were. He told
-i. ^ „ \>
<£> 1999 Sl.ii) l yode Distributed by Cottonwood Publishing www.oldmonlana.com
Scene in Passing
-Marie Whitehead
editor @ mediactr.com
„ horror stories of life in those trenches that
wet^emWe to fmagirwr^Dr. Hill lived to he nver-rr
hundred years old andjust passed a lew years ago.
Many people lost their lives in those wars across
the ocean and I can only imagine how young men
from Alto must have felt so many miles away in
Europe.
We got our flashing red light at the intersect ion
of Highways 69 & 21 sometime during the past
hundred years. The intersection seems to get
busier everyday as folks go this way and that in a
mad rush that seems unrelenting. That old
Hashing light always looked pretty good to me
when I would come in from being away working
and see it flashing as I topped the hill. 1 hope it is
Y2K compatible.
When Frank Ed Weimar was Mayor of Alto
the city bought a Natural gas company and began
selling gas all the way to Redland down by 1 .ulkin.
This was probably the best thing that ever hap
pened as far as the city of Alto goes because it gave
us income besides the tax base to help run our city.
Many businesses have come and gone over the
years in our town, but it seems we always have ;it
least one or two good eating places going all the
time.
I'm sure there were many more exciting and
interesting things that have happened over the
past 1000 years, but I wasn't here during most of
it. My Mother-in-law who was here back then and
is still here now, could probably tell me some of the
stuff about the old days and fighting the Indians,
but that would require me listening to her which I
try to avoid if at all possible. And anyway this is a
newspaper, not an encyclopedia. What do you
expect for a quarter?
I am sure Virgil Schochler has done some
pretty notorious things in the past century and 1
know for a fact he knows more about what has
gone on in Alto than just about anyone. I don't
believe he ever missed a killing or a fight that took
place in Alto. I would hear about something that
hanpened 50 or 60 years ago and ask Virgil what
he knew about it. He was usually present at
whatever took place and could tell it first hand.
I don't know what the next century has in store
for us, but we have come a long way in the last
one. I figure if we keep our families strong and
remember who put us here, we will do just as good
in the twenty-first century. I hope everyone has a
safe and happy New Year. I'll see ya next year!
And remember, Eat black-eyed peas for luck
and cabbage for more money on New Year's
Day, It might be just an old wife's tale, but it
makes for a pretty good lunch.
• •
ri! here has been plenty of
time to think about the
•JL- significance of Dec. 31,
1999, but the closer the day
comes, the more impressive the
event! Think about it...it has
been 1,000 years since humans
have stood at a comparable point
on the calendar...and we are
about to step across the thresh-
old of time, just as they did! Do
we dare consider the world as if
may be when the next milieu
nium arrives? It is something to
ponder!
Hut as you ponder, keep working! There's the
good luck, blackeyed peas to be planned for New
Year's Day, or Eve, as you choose. Just eat them!
And what you did to ready for the holiday season,
you must now un do! This wrapping-it-up-part is
such a let-down period. We build to a high point of
excitement. But when the services are over, the
music has stopped, gifts have been unwrapped,
delicious food eaten, friends and family leave, we
find that what remains is an empty void, free of
noise, yet cram full of memories! Love, as it can
never be ex pre r«-d again until the next Christmas,
fills every nook and cranny of our being. Pure Joy!
It is a special tunc of the yea?...and may it ever be
so.
Try as we do to find that perfect celebration, we
can only hope for one that is almost perfect. There
are other people, other years, whose health and/or
death at Christmas can never be forgot
ten. If you have lost family,
friends at this time of year,
you understand and with
you we grieve. We lost
a special friend
Christmas Eve
morning at his home
in I'alestine. The
well known artist,
Ancel Nunn, lost a
valiant, three year
battle with cancer. If you
didn't know him, just be
thankful for his life because he
was one of the early on advisors for our community
in launching the first East Texas Regional Arts
and ('rafts Fair. The event later evolved into the
Indian Summer Festival as a way of promoting
activities under one umbrella in Rusk, Alto and
Jacksonville. In more recent years Ancel has been
active in his profession, teaching at IJT Tyler and
tiding them in their art museum. And much more.
His wife Renata and their children have been
blessed to share the work! of this talented, funny,
wit ty and loving man.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Deniont's wife
(«leuda suffered a heart attack Dec. 18 which
resulted in four bypass surgery Dec. 23. She was
termed critical, but stable, Monday morning at
IÍTMC Tyler. The couple has close ties to Rusk.
11 is parents are longtime residents and she is the
• ••islet of t he late James McElroy.
We have been spoiled lately to receive beautiful
caids from many of you. It is like rain after a
drought...getting envelopes without bills (state-
ments) in them! One of them came from a dear
lady Margaret Booker. She is now living her
golden years" in the Metroplex, but 1 kind of think
her heart is still in Cherokee County!
Another heard from, former staff member, is
Ithada Srln<vasan. She has recently opened
another law office in Lufkin. Tyler is still the home
office, however. And...she is now a member of the
Kloridn Hat1 Would you think she has been busy?
Her sister, Geeta, is a computer
programmer at TJC and Babu
will finish his dissertation at the
University of Houston, hopefully
next year. He's getting his Ph.D.
in history. He is also teaching
classes in Houston. Sriram will
graduate from SMU in May with
a major in accounting. He hopes
to enter grad school with an
objective of becoming a CPA! He
is to intern with an accounting
firm this Spring. Rhada's mom is
————— still Unit Nurse Administrator at
the Trinity Unit of Rusk State
Hospital. Her dad continues at RSH as a psychia-
trist. Rhada says his health is much better after a
bout with his heart last New Year's day. She
mentioned her cousin Prem who is a senior at *
Rusk High and doing really well. It is a breathe of
fresh air to hear from folks like Rhada who are
now in the land of "elsewhere." And I am sure that
many of you who know her and her family will be
equally glad to hear her news!
Speaking of news, Randy Moore told me last
week that his daughter Wendy is a junior at UT
Tyler now and,after serving briefly as.tho student
newspaper's assistant editor, she is now "the"
editor! With á writing-dad like Kandy, wouldn't
you expect her to like journalism?
Wade Odom who, yes, worked for us back when,
stopped by last week. He is getting ready for
another job assignment after the first of the year.
His wife and children will travel with
him this time.
4P • ##••••«.
V
"To you and yours, sincere
wishes for love, health,
happiness and peace!"
In the first week of
the new year, a
special event is
planned.
Groundbreaking
for Rusk's new
motel is set for
•• 2 p.m. Tuesday,
Jan. 4. Owners
Brent and Brenda
Duncan have spent
the better part of the
past six months in prepara-
tion. It is to be done on the birthday of Brent's late
father, in remembrance of him. Brenda's dad
continues with treatments for cancer. He com-
pleted the chemo and soon will begin radiation.
December was a super month for Bill and Mary
Turney. Their son, Ben, graduated from UT Tyler
Dec. 18. And then! On Dec. 24 they shared in the
baptism and dedication of two grandchildren. They
are Savannah Belle, the daughter of son Ben and
wife Candi and Hannah Noelle, the daughter of
Amy and Michael Coleman. Great Grandmom,
Frances Murdoch beamed with pride, too!
A new born child is the son of a special friend,
Carla Morris. He is Adrian Rashaad born Dec.
19 and weighed seven pounds, nine ounces. He was
greeted by a brother and sister, 10 years and four
years old respectively. What does the future hold
for the little children who have a good chance of
seeing the next century, 2100? To review the
explosion of information the past 100 years, and
consider another century of such productivity?,
well, it is just more food for pondering!
It is possible that what is written here is too
much for this week's issue! If that is the case,
please be patient, our Creator isn't through with
me yet (or you). And watch this page next week! In
the meantime, don't forget that the most impor-
tant thing you can wear is a smile! To you and
yours, sincere wishes for love, health, happi-
ness and peace!
be
ící
ící
sc
w
CO
vi
T1
u(
P<
a
te
al
a
T
New Deadline for Letters
Our mail bag is frequently a
mixed bag.
The Cherokeean/Herald val-
ues readers' letters and differ-
ing viewpoints.AIl submissions
to "letters to the editor" must
contain the writer's name, ad-
dress and zip, along with a day-
time telephone number so we
may contact you with clarifica-
tion or confirmation.
Also, letters must not contain
information or allega tionsdeemed
libelous. We do not publish form
letters or copies intended for mass
distribution to other publications.
Generally speaking, the shorter
the letter, the better its chances
for publication. Write us at P.O.
Box 475, Rusk, Tex. 75785 or send
us a FAX at (903) 683-5104.
Our E-mail address is
herald@mediactr.com. Please
include a daytime telephone
number for clarifications and
verification.
Please note that our net "let-
ters" deadline is 10 a.m. on Mon-
days.
Ctyerokceaif/Herald
USP3 102-520
Kl I r.lABTEn.Srnd ,.ilrtr«js chungo to; CHFROKFFAN/I1FRAI.D, P.O. BOX 475 • RUSK, TEX. 75785
Periodicals Postage Paid at Rusk, Texas 75705
Texas' Oldest Continuously
Published Weekly Newspaper
Established as the Cherokee
Sentinel. Teb. 27, 1850
Consolidation of The Cherokeean.
The Alto Herald and
the Wells News & Views
Published weakly on Thursday by
E.H Whitehead Enterprises
61fl N Main • Rusk, Tex. • 75785
(903) 683-2257 • (903) 6B6-7771
(409) 858-4141
FAX (903) 883-5104
Subscription rales payable In advance:
Cherokee County $15 par year
Outside/Cherokee County..$18 par year
Outdda Taxaa $20 par yaar
Loans or CDs
(our
rules I si:
683-2277
Citizens 1st
BANK ñ
Member F.D.I.C. fe&ti
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 30, 1999, newspaper, December 30, 1999; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152457/m1/2/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.