Out Of Our Past
Tracing Our Bosque County Roots
From The Bosque County News
By:  LaDawn Garland
13 June  2001

I had a couple of very busy weekends in which I was unable to get out a column. Things have finally slowed down and we are back to business. A couple of things to mention regarding the Bosque County Collections, first off the County Clerk's office has recently donated the original early deed books to the Collection. These date back to the 1880's many of these are handwritten and hold a wealth of information for those researching here in the county. Second the Collections will be holding their Ribbon Cutting on Wednesday, June 13th, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, refreshments will be served and you can tour the new location. Hope to see many of you there and I know you will be thrilled with how beautiful the new location in the historic Lumpkin building is now.

Queries:
We have Shafers from Moshiem and are looking to trace family out of Texas.  We have info that Alabama was source with the following arriving in area circa 1863. They may have been brothers or cousins.  Hugh Shafer (b. approx 1840) many children born in Moshiem.  William L. Shafer (b. approx 1835) J. K. Shafer (b. Approx 1846) ( This is our connection): We believe his full name to be James Knox Shafer  Was married to a Fannie B. with at least one child (Mattie b.1870)  Was married to Ona Campbell????) with W.A., John
Clarence, R.A., J.M, Lizzie, Fannie, Calie, Kate all born in Moshiem .  Family later relocated to Stith (Jones County) with most of the grandchildren being born there  The 1870 Robertson county census list J.K., Hue, and Wm L. as Liquor Dealers which ties into family stories as the family running bars and saloons. Diana Shafer Gutheinz GreatGrand D of J.K.
ntbs@swbell.net
Robert A. Henry and Dulcenia McVey Henry lived in Choctaw Co. Ms. They had the following children: Jess Oliver, Virginia, James W., and Ada. Robert (1835 to 1906) is buried in Fellowship Cemetery in Choctaw Co. Ms. Jess (1871 to 1943) is buried at Fellowship.  Jim moved to Texas in the late 1800s or early 1900s. After Robert's death,
Dulcenia visited Jim and while there died and was buried in Texas. Until recently all we knew was near Waco. I found an old obituary of Jess's and it mentioned that Jim had attended from Mosheim, TX. After making a few calls I located Jo Nell Meyer of Valley Mills who has a cemetery book and located the names in Post Oak Cemetery in Coryell Co. There are four graves James W. and his wife Alice, Dulcenia his mother, and Bernarr Jim's son. We would like to make contact with any descendants of James W. and Alice if there are any. Jim was supposedly a cotton farmer and it has been said that he developed a cotton plant that had bigger bolls and that the plant was named for him. Dulcenia 1840 to 1910 Jim 1866 to 1944 Alice 1868 to 1929 Bernarr 1912 to 1916
C. H. Smith, e-mail chsmithac@aol.com
Items From Old Newspapers
The Bosque Citizen
September 8, 1887

Iredell's Disaster
Letter To The Editor
Sept. 1, 1887

Below I will give a detailed list of houses and property entirely destroyed at Iredell by the flood of August 30, 1887.
J.H. Crabtree residence and cotton gin, J. Lindsey, P.C. Anderson, Allen Lasswell, George Loader, R. D. Tidwell residences. Lusk and Bancroft, S. B. Frank, J. E. Sellers, M.E. McPhail, P.C. Anderson business houses. J. A. Chester and R. D. Tidwell Cotton Gins. G. W. Harris, two stables and smoke house. M. H. Ward, livery stable. Harrison & Royall blacksmith shop.  Sellers, Harris & Companies granary besides the above entirely washed away.
The following is a list of houses damaged.

R. H. Williamson residence washed 50 yards and lodged against a tree and a great portion of the house washed away. B. F. Sikes residence washed 15 feet from it's foundation and considerably damaged. J. H. Crabtree, saloon building washed 40 or 50 feet from it's foundation but not seriously damaged. Loader & Sons store house washed 40 or 50 yards not seriously damaged. E. L . Deatherage drugstore washed from it's foundation and
considerably damaged. J. H. Wilson and Son Blacksmith shop fell almost a total loss. Railroad bridge across Duffau creek just above town washed away for several miles above and below town cannot estimate damage yet.
Yours truly
B. F. Cox

A colt from Col. Barry's pasture swam seven miles and was found alive and all right.
Doc. Sadler lost two horses and all his corn.
But one life was lost in Bosque the drowning of Mr. Cabler at Meridian.
Every farm on the river from Stephenville to it's confluence with the Brazos suffered more or less.

Personals
Mr. L Tandy returned from Temple Sunday evening.
Mrs. Fannie Payne of Moody spent several days in Meridian the latter part of last week and the first of this visiting relatives and friends.
A private letter from Col. Blythe, who recently removed from Meridian to Downey, California, gives a glowing account of that country and but for the fear of depopulating Bosque THE CITIZEN would take great pleasure in publishing it.
Mr. John Knight appealed to the law for redress and the grand jury invited one of his neighbors to prance up and answer to the charge of fence cutting.
Mr. Jeff McLeinore of Eulogy had business in court Monday and kindly paid his respects to THE CITIZEN.
Mr. Tom Hall of Meridian and Mr. Alf Hines of Morgan leave this morning for California.

September 15, 1887
Over The County
Cranfills Gap is to be congratulated upon the auspicious opening of the public school. Prof. Word is energetic, competent and efficient and the village is on the upgrade.
Norway Hill is moving for a roller mill which is necessary in order to hold it's wanted competition with Clifton. It is said Mr. Reeder will put in his milling property and organize a stock company. Messrs. Hill and Co. are receiving a better trade than they expected this season.

Personals
Mr. Charley Hayes continues to have his fun over the incidents of the prohibition campaign.
Col Jessie Jenkins is booming up as a successful land lawyer.
A.P. Bell, Esq., of Cranfills Gap, is now rendering the district clerk efficient assistance. He is capable, clear and was never cranky until he swallowed a dose of prohibition. He has about recovered now and is to be congratulated.
Postmaster Jno. H. Johnson was somewhat indisposed the latter part of last week. He is up again and at his post which he fills so efficiently.
Johnnie Black and family who live about two miles above town are to leave this place for at least a year's stay at El Paso. THE CITIZEN wishes him success.

These newspapers and many more dating back to the late 1800's can be found in the archives of the Bosque County Collection in Meridian. For more information on their wonderful collection of history you can visit their
website at http://www.htcomp.net/bcc.

Here's my reminder to everyone, talk with your relatives, remember to take the time to record you family history and memories, someday, somewhere some descendant will surely thank you for not letting the past slip away.

If you are researching your Bosque County families online be sure to visit Bosque Co. TXGenWeb site at  http://www.txgenweb5.org/txbosque/  you'll find a wonderful collection of information provided by other researchers, it's quite possible you might just find other researchers there researching your same family lines. This column will also be available weekly at this site.

If you would like to submit a story or query about your Bosque County
family,as well as information on reunions, to this column please mail them to:
LaDawn Garland c/o The Bosque County News,
P.O. Box 343, Meridian, TX 76665,
fax to (254) 435-6335
or email me at garland@htcomp.net.
 

County Coordinator:  Gayle Triller
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