Trinidad, Yesterday and Tomorrow

By NONI DEAN

Lake Shopper Editor
(Unknown Date)
The City of Trinidad located on the southwest end of Cedar Creek Lake with the population now of 1020 was first settled in the early 1850's. On the early Spanish land maps it extended up Hwy. 274 past Seven Points to King's Creek, bounded by Cedar Creek and the Trinity River making a triangle. On these maps it was called Trinidad. It is also said the name derived from the Tejas Indians who used it for many years before the white settlers moved in. The earliest settlers were probably the Airhearts, the Spiveys, and the Galimores. In these early years, ferries crossed the Trinity and one of the earliest settlers was Enos Spivey, who in the late 1840's bought a ferryboat operation from Mr. Brandenberg who then operated it from the Navarro County side of the Trinity River. Spivey moved it to higher ground on the Henderson County side. Onslow M. Airheart came into the Trinidad area in the early 1850's and bought the ferry from Spivey. This ferry was in very active usage for many years as settlers of surrounding counties used it to cross at this point. Mrs. Burroughs who ran a boarding house in her later years in Denton recalled crossing with her family and 11 other families about 1858 after a huge overflow on the Tennessee had taken the lives of two of her brothers. She also said they had to camp for three weeks before the Trinity fell enough to cross. Two other ferries were also used, one called the Archers ferry and Wildcat Ferry. In reading a document dated March 2, 1891 from the County Court Clerk on toll charges, they were as follows; one-horse vehicle $.30; two-horse vehicle .50; four-horse vehicle .75; six-horse vehicle 1.00; man and horse .10; stock cattle, sheep, goats, each. 12 1/2; led horse .05; footman .05. The early settlers used these ferries to bring their cotton, cattle and produce across where it was then carried down-river and marketed in Galveston. The ferry was not used as much when the railroad came in 1884 and the ferry was closed down after the Bazette bridge was built four miles north of the ferry in 1899. D.C. Legg was brought here from Trinidad, Colorado to operate the pump station and run the ticket office. This was when the postal department asked Legg to send in a name for the growing community, which he did as "Trinidad." D. C. Legg opened Trinidad's first general merchandise store, having groceries, dry goods, feed and hardware. Mr. Artie Bond ran Trinidad's first drugstore in 1902. In the year 1902, the Alex Johnston, Tom Johnston, and Sam Stanfields came to Trinidad from Tennessee. John Shiflett came shortly after from the same area and was one of the first teachers here. In 1904, Dr. Bradley and Tom and Byron Bradley moved to Trinidad. The Bradleys ran a sawmill at Galamore Lake and hauled logs by oxen to the railroad. Dr. Mann and Rather were early Trinidad Doctors.
The first school in Trinidad was of log construction and was west of the present school. The land and school were school were donated to the growing community by the Moses C. Airheart family. The school a so called subscription school, whereas if the money was available by parents, the teacher was paid thusly, otherwise in hams, food-stuffs, etc.
In 1913-14, there were three cotton gins that operated day and night. In 1914, this community needed a bank. B.A. Crawford established one and was its president. It was called the Bank of Trinidad, with a capital of $12,500, a goodly sum in those days. One of Trinidad's present day citizens, C.W. Quinn, was on the board of directors. This was at sometime in the 1914-1928 period before the stock-market decline when the bank went broke.
In 1921, the first stage, parent plant of Texas Power and Light began construction and families came in increasing the population even more. The plant was dedicated in 1925 with complete operation in 1926, I've been told.
For this period, Trinidad had more stores and population in proportion to the time than it has today. In later years, Jess Sweeten began his career as deputy in Trinidad. A fascinating history Trinidad has and Jess was part of it.
Today Trinidad has two large industries, Texas Power and Light and Lone Star Gas Co. Many of its residents are employed by them. Trinidad still retains some of the nostalgia of the early days. And to Mrs. Opal Lewis, who we thank very much for the information, and C.W. Quinn, I hope I have as it was and is a lovely town. Mrs. Lewis' first term paper in 1922 at Denton was about Trinidad being a port and navigable through to the Gulf. It looks like soon we will see this happen. Trinidad will probably have it's drug-stores back, its movie theatre and such growth, but I still love it and its friendly people and I feel sure that they will continue to be so with Trinidad's progress.

Transcribed by Mike Coleman
Years ago I visited my Gt. Aunt Frances Airheart Newsome and copied an old newspaper clipping when copying old photos. I found it very interesting since it tells of Trinidad's early history.

Old Newspaper Articles

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