Wood County, 1850-1900 Page: 56
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this into meal, his water had given out so he had to wait
for another collection of water.
A short time before, a Methodist preacher, Rev.
Mr. Womack, had come into the community and some
of the neighbors had got together and built an arbor
near a spring somewhere near the old Dumas
schoolhouse and started up the first protracted meeting
for the forks of the river. So that morning after Mr. For-
bis had ground our two bushels of corn he had us hitch
up our oxen and drive up to his house, load in a lot of
camp equipage, take his family and move over to the
camp ground. He took our oxen back home and turned
them into his pasture, and we stayed with his family
just as contented as if we had been at home. The next
morning Mr. Forbis went over to the mill and ground
out two more bushels of our corn and the next morning
he did likewise and the next, until on the fifth morning
we would up our ten bushels of corn and got home with
it that night about midnight. Now you know that if it
had not been for our old standby mill at home, that we
denominated Armstrong's Patent Duplex Double
Guard and turned by hand, the family would have suf-
fered for meal.
Source: Article written by James Lemuel
Ray for the Wood County
Democrat, 1908 issue.
In 1874, an Irishman was digging on Joe Moody's
place and at some little distance under the surface he
discovered a coffin which had been made of roughly
hewn wood. Two slabs lay at the bottom, two more on
each side and two were used for a cover. They were
about four inches thick. It was believed to have been a
Christian burial because the grave was dug in an east-
west direction with the head to the west. There were
also other indications of a Christian burial. The skull
and some of the bones were taken to Quitman for Dr. A.
L. Patten to examine. Dr. Patten said they appeared to
be the remains of a Caucasian. Several pieces of old
guns and Spanish coins dated 1500 were found in the
same vicinity.
In the year of 1857, one John Adams who had
settled west of Quitman in 1852, was a noted well-
digger. He was also the county coroner. D. O. Norton
engaged Adams to clean his well, and that's when the
trouble began. At some previous time, a human skull
had been found and had been carelessly passed around
to anyone who would accept it. The night before the
well-digging operation was to begin, someone threw the
skull into the well. Adams was unable to complete the
job the first day, but on the following morning he came
early to finish. He was doubtless surprised and pleased
to find several men gathered at the well apparently
concerned about his safety. Adams descended into the
well in the usual manner but after a bit of probing hemade a hurried ascent holding his gruesome find. Being
advised that it was his duty to hold an inquest, he did
so, finding a number of willing witnessess. Thetestimony pointed to Coroner Adams as the perpetrator
of a foul murder and the jury rendered that "we, the
jury find the owner of the skull was murdered at the
hands of our present coroner, John Adams." Adams
didn't wait for the matter to be cleared up or even to
resign. He simply pulled out for another country.
The Reverend John W. Shoemaker, born February
1873 in Rome, Georgia, told the following stories of his
early ministry in Wood County. His first sermon was
preached in the Crow schoolhouse. Before the service,
he was advised by Henry Dunahoe and Will Myers to
wear his gun to the service and was told they, too,
would wear guns and remain on the outside to keep
down any disturbance.
While preaching at another church, the Reverend
Shoemaker was told by a church member that there
would be a wedding at the church that night as he had
loaned a "feller" $5.00 for that purpose. After the
ceremony the groom asked how much he owed for the
knot-tying. Shoemaker told him there was no charge,
but the groom could pay what he thought it was worth.
The young man gave the preacher a dime and said,
"Next time I see you I'll give you another dime."
Source: Delores McKneely Shoemaker
Captain Henry Stout was known for his
fearlessness as well as his physical strength. He had
seen a number of bear tracks around his place and was
not surprised to see a large black bear sunning himself
on a log that had fallen across Stout's Pond. Stout drew
his knife and walked down the log ready for battle. In
the scuffle, however, both bear and Stout fell into the
middle of the pond. Who the victor was is still a matter
of conjecture.
Another story was told of Stout's encounter with a
bear. On this occasion, the captain was peering down
into a deep hole made by the uprooting of a large tree.
Somehow his foot slipped and he found himself sharing
the hole with a surprised and belligerent bear. Stout
killed the bear with his hunting knife and undoubtedly
enjoyed bear meat for many days. Captain Stout ap-
parently considered bear meat a delicacy for that is
what he shared with his new neighbors, the Peter
Gunstreams, for their first supper in Wood County.
Source: Ona Wood manuscript.
In the early days of Mineola, the local swains used
the "billet doux" method in getting dates. Many a
belle counted on the appearance of a black messenger
to ask for a social engagement. If the girl were es-
pecially popular, the gallants would seek a fast running
boy to outrun their rivals.
Governor James Stephen Hogg told this story on
himself: He was deeply absorbed in reading anewspaper while having his shoes shined in New
Orleans. The shine boy asked him a question, but Hogg
did not hear him. A friend standing nearby said; "No56
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Wood County, 1850-1900 (Book)
This text gives an overview of Wood County, Texas from roughly 1850 to 1900. It includes historical sketches of various aspects of life in the county as well as anecdotes. Genealogical information and documentation are also included for pioneer families in the area.
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Wood County Historical Society. Wood County, 1850-1900, book, 1976; Quitman, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91051/m1/64/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .