Letter from Mr. Barton about Henderson Co. TX 1913

Athens Weekly Review
Oct. 30, 1913

Letter from an Ex-Henderson County Man.

Ginsite Cottle Co., Texas
Oct 19, 1913
Editor Athens Review,
Athens, Texas.
Having spent thirty years of my life in Henderson county and being a reader of the Review I feel
this cold windy morning like I would love to drop in and chat a while with the many good people
of old Henderson that I know. Reading Judge FAULK's writeup of the early days in Henderson
brings to memory many pleasant events of my boyhood and early manhood days. My father
moved to Henderson county in January, 1868, and stopped four miles west of old Brownsboro
on the W. F. Hatton place on Kickapoo creek. That was a new country then and I want to say
it was the best country I ever saw for everything. Stock and game of all kinds were abundant and
the best people that ever lived in any country. The leader in forming our society at Brownsboro
were the CARVER family old Dr. WEIR, W. L. McNEIL, Rel CANE, Tom TAYLOR, the
LAMANCES, N. J. HARRISON; going west the firs was McGLOTHLIN, Potan FLORENCE,
Cap Jim PORTER, W. T. MILLER, Edward LUTRICK and Uncle Holly PAGE. Then old Calo
ENNIS lived on what was known as the striped house place, owned by Parson CALLAHAN;
then J. M. and W. F. HATTON settled their places that winter. I helped them. The first church
built in that community was built by old Uncle Holly PAGE, built out of hewed post oak logs.
People came for miles to help raise the house. All denominations took part in building it.
It was strictly a Methodist church. Here was where ye scribe heard the first Methodist preach
in his life. Old Father ODOM, at old Red Hill on Porter's Blug (sic) road. I shall not undertake
to name all that I knew but I must mention a few more: Old Uncles TRAVIS and Rabe SCOTT
and their families. Uncle TRAVIS' family grew up when I did. These were strict Methodists not
only in name but they lived it. Then three were Chas. and Joe INGRAM. They were grand men.
Now cross the divide between Kickapoo on Flat Creek> Here were Joe ECHOLS, R. B.
ECHOLS, the ADAIRS, TINDELS, SHELTONS; then W. D. and AM. M. ISAAC and C. W.
ROUNSAVALL were all there when I went to that country. Yes, Sam LEE, Hugh CARTER,
Pete CARROLL. The first time I ever saw Athens it was a little town with wooden buildings.
I can name every business. There was Dr. COLLINS, T. F. MURCHISON, RICHARDSON Bros.,
James AVRIETT's saloon, E. A. CARROLL's hotel (now the Deen House).
About '71 we moved into the Black Jack community. Our school and meeting house was an
old log house about half a mile south of where the school and church now are. Myself and C. W.
ROUNSAVALL gave it the name Black Jack. Here is where I took my first lessons in music. The
school was taught by J. D. (Davis) REYNOLDS in the old Sacred Harp. Those were my best
days. About this time the MORTONS moved in our community. They were some more good
Methodist who lived it.
Now when I read in the Review about those Sacred Harp singings I can't hardly stand to stay
away. Oh how I would love to exchange this wind and sand storms for the associations of that
country. I read the letters of all your correspondents. I see names of people that I had forgotten,
to-wit: Bradley MILLER. I wonder if he wears that red overshirt yet. I think I know Exit. I would love
to see him and many others that I learned to love.
If this is published I will finish my write up of my stay in old Henderson from '71 to the time I left
there in September, 1899. Also will try to give a description of this country, the good and bad, and
why I like this county and why I don't like it.
With best wishes for the Review and its many readers, I am.
Yours very truly,
J. C. BARTON

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