History of Pine Hill
and Coon Creek Communities

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From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article.

Written by T.P. Griffith, dictated by J. T. Arthur, assisted by J. K. McLaren - 1938

Pine Hill was so called because of its being a hill covered with pines, located on south side of Coon Creek. There are not many pine trees on the north side of the creek. In the pioneer days the people would go to this place for pine knots to use as kindling and upon being met by others who would inquire where they were going, would answer, "Pine Hill." There was no church or cemetery there at that time. About 1840, W. J. McLaren, father of J. K. McLaren, Burl Hardison, Jim Denney, Jonathan Huggins, D. Hart, John Penn, Mr. Moore, Blufford Davis, John Ard, Wolf Huffman, all came into the location of Pine Hill and cleared up farms and constructed log houses, all covered with boards, with doors and windows swung on home-made hinges and equipped with wooden locks.

About 1843 these men all made application to the State Government (Texas at that time being a republic) to have their claims patented. And while their claims were being considered, a man named Mathew Cartwright came in and began to survey and establish boundary lines which would include several thousand acres. Included in this land were the farms of those men, who went to see Mr. Cartwright to enter their protest. Mr. McLaren was named spokesman and pled that their farms be spared, but Mr. Cartwright denied their plea and stoutly refused to permit them to keep the land. At that time Burl Hardison stepped up and said, "Mr. Cartwright this is a pretty lonely place to die, but if that is your attitude and you are going to rob us and deprive us of our homes that way, I will leave you here." At that, Mr. Cartwright saw they meant business. He agreed to give over to them and survey their lands and give them their field notes and he retaining the remainder of the land.

After this survey was completed and as the surveyors were returning they passed the home of Jonathan Huggins, who was ill and unable to accompany the party on the survey. Mr. Huggins came out crying and saying, "Mr. Cartwright, you have ruined me, I have only one son, with a crippled hand, and the rest of the children are girls," knowing he could not live long. vMr. Cartwright said, "No, Mr. Huggins, I have not," and turning to his surveyor, said, "Run out an 80 acre block and I’ll give him a deed before I leave." It is generally presumed that both of these men were members of the Masonic fraternity.

While this land was being surveyed, Wash Barker was surveyor, and in establishing the boundary lines came to a creek and asked what he name of the creek was. Someone said, "It has no name," and Mr. W. J. McLaren remarked, "Yes, it has - me and John Penn killed four coons on this creek last night," which became a matter of record and still is known as Coon Creek.

Mr. McLaren had come from Tennessee and near a creek also named Coon Creek.

Pine Hill is located about three miles south of Greenwood and in the frontier days roads led in every direction, one road running between Gist farm and that of Richard Penn. The first house south of this place was that of Charlie Liner. Mr. Liner had a rope factory and made ropes of cotton which had been hand-carded and spun. The next house was that of Jim Denney; the next was Mr. Rutledge’s (grandfather of J. W. "Coon Creek" Gandy.) Another road ran southwest by the homes of the Gists and Waldens. The next homes were those of Whisenant and Ashmore.

A road running east and north, on which lived Richard Penn, Blufford Davis, Grandpa Hargrove. A road running in a northwesterly direction on which lived John Moore and John Ard. This road pronged and on the northwest prong of this road were the farms of W. J. McLaren and a man by the name of Brown who was a hatter by trade, and that of D. Hart and Bart Brumley.

These descriptions and farms and names are those all before the war. All those parties are dead and a very few of the second generations living.

Grandpa Hargrove was an expert wood-worker and cabinet-maker and blacksmith. Mr. Hargrove made all the spinning wheels and looms used by the women in making clothes. Mr. Hargrove was grandfather of Mrs. Dr. W. C. Stirling and great grandfather of Dr. Earl Stirling and Carl Stirling of Sulphur Springs. Uncle Richard Penn put up a gin and ran it before the war and for several years thereafter. This gin was of horsepower. Mr. Penn also ran a "fraile thresher." Wheat and straw would come out together and had to be run through a separate cleaner.

The first saw mill was put up by Joe and John Gist and Alf Penn and after cutting out all the lumber and shingle timber, they added gin machinery and a grist mill. They ran this mill and gin for several years and sold out to Will and Bud Horn, who continued to run the gin until about 1923 and sold to someone at Pickton.

About 1921 Richard Turrentine and Ross Cowser put a store in the bottom at the Horn Bros. Gin. Burglars became active and after a few robberies they moved the store up on the hill in front of Ross Cowser’s house. Mr. Turrentine sold out to Mr. Cowser who continued to run the business a few years, then retired. This community has had some of as fine people as any country, whose labors have made the county one of the best in the State. There is one store in the vicinity of Pine Hill at this time owned by Al Sharp and Mr. Irby. This store is located on the old Richie Penn place, now owned by Cable Sharp.