I found out this week that I didn't miss the Texas Historic Cemetery designation ceremony for the Scrutchfield Cemetery located near Valley Mills. Due to rain it was rescheduled and is now set to take place on Saturday, May 19th, at 12 noon. The Scrutchfield Cemetery is the first Cemetery in Bosque County to receive this distinction. Members and friends
of the Valley Mills Cemetery Association, The Bosque County Historical Commission and The Bosque Valley Heritage Society are invited to attend and enjoy a hot dog lunch. For more information contact Bob Allen at 254-932-6307.

The third annual reunion of the Dry Branch School, that was located at Brazos Point will be held Saturday, May 19, 2001 at the Brazos Point Church, starting at 10:00 a.m. Bring a lunch and join the fun, the weather won't be a problem. For information contact Noretia Howard, 817-558-7982 or 817-645-3101.

As young mischievous boys we were into all kinds of things. Mostly just investigating things. One of us had a BB gun and we were always taking pot shots at just about everything. John Word lived next to Jim's house. The bank parking lot stands now on their place. No doubt we must have given him a hard time or maybe it was the other way around. One day John was bending over working around his flower bed or something. Here was our big chance to get even with him. I don't know which one pulled the trigger on the BB gun
but wham it hit the spot.

John came up hollering "Charles and Jim, I know you shot me and I am going to get the sheriff on you". As soon as we pulled the trigger we ran and hid under Jim's Dad's old Nash car. Those were the days when you could easily crawl under them. John kept on saying that he was going to get the sheriff after us. Our little legs were shaking like a leaf.

No doubt he did tell the Sheriff what happened because we were afraid to go up to the square after that. Several days later we ventured up there and Jim had the BB gun down in his overalls to hide it as we were probably on our way to the abandoned flour mill to shoot pigeons. Just as we got to where one of the banks was on the corner. Rusty Meyers saw us. He was near where the fire station was. He said in a loud voice. "I think I see the sheriff coming now." Jim had a hard time running as he had the BB gun sticking down
in his overalls. You never saw four little lets move so fast in your life.  It was a long time before we ventured up to the square again. We were two scared boys that were sure we were  to be locked up in the village jail.

I visited Jim in Baytown in April and he is in very bad health. Since 1989 I have visited him four times. I can't let my friends like him just slip by without thinking about him and visiting him.

Now, J. T. Lomax is the only one in Meridian that I know. We visited him on April the 10th. He looked great and was looking forward to his 100th birthday in August.

When I lived there until 1924, the population was 1000 people and now about 1500. Still a small town with many memories. Who knows? Maybe there are still some Tom Sawyers and Huck Finns there.
Charles Lewis

Mr. John H. Olson has opened a tailoring establishment in the rear room of Collins Dry Good Store.

J. T. Lomax says he will prosecute the next boy who cuts the strings off his saddles.

June 25, 1887
Among the improvements of the county THE CITIZEN is glad to note, Mr. Jno. L. Myers has just completed a barn.

Herbert Dillard went out to Rocky in the extreme Northwest corner of Bosque, Saturday the 11th, to organize a prohibition club. He was met by Uncle Reubin Dillard and his two sons a different tribe of Dillards who forbid the movement and actually prevented the meeting. The organizer collected the prohibs and found a building across the line in Hamilton County where he proceeded to organize a club of Bosque prohibs. There are about 40 voters in that neck and the organizer says he saw and talked with 23 of them who are prohibs. Uncle Reubin should be ware lest he be taught a lesson in "personal liberty".

You can find these newspapers and many other Bosque County newspapers on file at the Bosque County Collections, located in Meridian, as well as a vast collection on the history of our county. For more information visit their website at  http://www.h.comp.net/bcc .

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. You can also find information for ordering the book, The Memories Of Will Conine, 1860 - 1890, by Sharon Whitney, located here on this site, a fascinating first hand account of Bosque County during this early time frame.  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
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.