USA > Texas > Cherokee County > A history of Cherokee county (Texas) > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
In 1913 some of the promoters of the old Jacksonville State Bank sponsored the organization of a third Jacksonville bank.
117
BANKS
The Farmers Guaranty State Bank was chartered by T. S. Hatton, L. F. Weeks, B. D. Dashiell, C. C. Childs, John Howard, Doctor J. M. Travis, W. J. Weatherby and others, with a capital stock of $50,000. The institution afterward failed.
During 1912-13 and 1917-21 the expansion program included the opening of seven banks in the smaller towns. The Guaranty State Bank was opened at Mt. Selman with C. T. Burton, pres- ident; J. S. Brock, vice-president and H. W. Ferguson, cashier. Later this became the Farmers and Merchants State Bank, in which W. H. Shook and W. T. Norman of Rusk had the con- trolling interest. The Guaranty State Bank of Ponta was estab- lished by G. W. Gibson, Doctor J. L. Summers, W. H. Shook, J. F. Mallard, Charles Kerr, Alex Ford, W. T. Norman and J. L. Bailey. The Farmers and Merchants State Bank at May- delle was incorporated by J. S. Arwine, J. S. Sherman, E. S. Ballew, Doctor L. E. Moore, Eugene Roach, E. B. Dashiell and W. Z. Powell. Afterward Shook and Norman of Rusk became majority stockholders.
According to the diary of Doctor J. C. Falvey, $20,000 was the opening day's deposit in the Guaranty State Bank at Wells. A space between two buildings had been enclosed as temporary quarters. Home-made doors were fastened with a chain and padlock. Five days later the deposits totalled $30,000. W. H. Shook, J. T. Simpson, A. O. Spinks, J. R. Oliver, S. W. Little- john, J. W. Tyra, W. D. Prince, T. B. Warner and C. A. Fortner were its first officials. It afterward became the First State Bank, whose present officials include W. T. Norman, president; T. B. Warner, vice-president, and E. B. Bailey, cashier. The timber industry in its territory has largely contributed to the strength of the Wells bank.
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Gallatin was opened with W. T. Norman, president; W. H. Garner, W. H. Shook, W. W. Slover and Doctor Wylie Smith as the first board of directors. H. C. Duff was cashier. The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Forest was chartered with W. H. Shook, H. A. Williamson, C. C. Ivie, W. T. Norman and T. B. Warner as the first directors. In 1921 the last of the group was chartered. The Citizens Guaranty State Bank of Reklaw opened with B. B. Perkins, president; J. C. Shankles, vice-president ; P. S. Holmes, A. M. Jordan, G. W. Weatherby, John Irwin and Jim Irwin, directors; W. P. Richey, cashier.
Today Wells has the only small town bank in the county. The Ponta bank failed. The others were voluntarily closed by their
118
A HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
promoters and liquidated through other banks in which they were interested.
The early '20s mark the organization of the last two banks. In 1920 the Guaranty State Bank of Rusk was chartered with B. B. Perkins, E. L. Gregg, Louis Butler, Doctor T. H. Cobble, A. G. Odom, James T. Pryor, F. B. Guinn, J. B. Schochler and W. E. Sloan as directors. B. B. Perkins has been president and E. R. Gregg cashier since its organization. In 1921, W. J. Weatherby, N. H. Scogin, B. F. Davis, T. E. Acker and Doctor J. M. Travis became the first directors of the newly-chartered Guaranty State Bank of Jacksonville, occupying the quarters of the Farmers Guaranty State Bank for which Weatherby had served as liquidating agent. This bank, later operating as the Guaranty Bond State Bank, finally became the Texas State Bank of which T. E. Acker is president and C. D. Acker vice-president and cashier.
In the nation-wide banking crisis of 1933, Cherokee bankers followed the precedent which they established during the World War. Despite the soundness of their own banks, they loyally rallied to the support of the presidential moratorium. During the twelve-day recess in banking activities Cherokee citizens supported the bankers by making the best of an unprecedented situation. Checks were exchanged for other checks. "Due bills" served as change when merchants found checks too large to handle. Credit was obligingly extended. Everywhere good-humored jesting light- ened the inconvenience. Deposits pouring through the tellers' win- dows at the end of the enforced holiday paid silent tribute to faith in Cherokee County bankers.
In addition to the local banks, the Federal Farm Loan Bank, acting through three farm loan associations organized in 1917 at Jacksonville, Rusk and Alto, has materially aided in financing Cherokee County landowners. Statistics show that from 1917 to 1934 the three associations have made 728 loans, totalling $1,099,025. Ninety-five of these loans have been repaid, represent- ing an aggregate of $190,983. As a result of the oil boom in 1934 many borrowers on this long-term payment plan cleared their land before the loans were due. Collections from May 23 to July 23 reached the unprecedented total of $33,090. L. T. Moore has been secretary of the Rusk association and E. J. Holcomb secre- tary of the Alto association since their organization. John B. Guinn is present secretary of the Jacksonville association.
As will be noted, many of the men who established its banking system are still leaders in Cherokee County civic and financial
119
BANKS
affairs. Outstanding among those who have been called to other places is Fred Farrel Florence, president of the Republic National Bank and Trust Company of Dallas and a nationally-known figure. During the critical years of the present decade both the governor of Texas and the president of the United States have drafted him for service in putting over the national recovery program.2
2F. F. Florence was born in New York City, November 5, 1891; came with parents to Cherokee County, 1892; began banking career in First National Bank of Rusk; resigned the presidency of the Alto State Bank to enlist in the avia- tion service in 1917; re-elected after the war; mayor of Alto, 1919; since 1920 has been officially connected with Dallas banks, being elected president of the Republic Bank and Trust Company in 1929; Dallas civic leader.
CHAPTER XIII
THE WORLD WAR AND AFTER
SINCE any adequate portrayal of Cherokee County World War activities is beyond the scope of this volume, the author chooses to limit treatment of the subject to a partial summary of the war records filed in the county clerk's office.
Organized in November, 1917, in accordance with the State Council of Defense program, the Cherokee County Council of Defense directed the county war work. Its personnel was as follows : Janes I. Perkins, chairman; W. H. Shook, W. T. Nor- man, C. F. Gibson, W. T. Whiteman, D. C. Vining, John C. Box, M. C. Parrish, A. G. Adams, Tom Dean, Mrs. W. T. Nor- man, Mrs. J. O. Hurst, Mrs. W. L. Fuller, W. M. Imboden ; J. N. Bone, secretary.
A comprehensive view of the work accomplished is afforded by the following list of Cherokee County war organizations, with their chairmen :
Red Cross Tom Dean
Salvation Army
W. D. White
Ministers' Association W. H. Baker
Bankers' Association. W. H. Shook
Labor Reserve O. D. Jones
County Food Administrator B. B. Perkins
County Fuel Administrator J. E. McFarland Home Guard J. L. Brown War Gardens Mrs. John A. Beall
Four-minute Men George Williamson
War Savings Certificates
A. G. Adams
Liberty Loans. M. C. Parrish, W. H. Shook,
Gus S. Blankenship and C. F. Gibson
Women's Liberty Loans. Mrs. W. L. Fuller
United States Public Service
Enrolling Officer. Doctor J. N. Bone
Cherokee citizens who served as district officers include Doctor E. M. Moseley, chairman of the Exemption Board of the Eastern Federal District, and Doctors J. N. Bone and C. C. Francis, mem- bers of the Medical Advisory Board of District No. 11.
Through the selective draft 1,034 Cherokee men were sent
120
121
THE WORLD WAR AND AFTER
to the training camps. In addition to these, the World War forces included sixty-three Cherokee soldiers and sailors who did not register, either because they were under age or were in service prior to the declaration of war. Fifty-seven Cherokee boys were registered in the Student Army Training Unit, of which Alexan- der (now Lon Morris) College and Rusk College each had sec- tions. The roster of Home Guards, organized to protect industrial plants and public property, contains one hundred and ninety-five names. Although no statistics concerning the total number of Cherokee soldiers who saw front-line service have been found available, one hundred and nineteen out of the three hundred and forty-nine men who have filed their discharge papers in the county clerk's office fought at Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, Cham- pagne, Meuse-Argonne or the Somme. The county's honor roll contains seventy-eight names.
CHEROKEE COUNTY ROLL OF HONOR
Killed in Action
NAME
ADDRESS
Chapman, Harold
Jacksonville
Claiborne, Jim
Jacksonville
Coleman, Henry
Rusk
Finley, Tom Alto
Glenn, Sam F
Rusk
Heermans, Willie
Jacksonville
Isgate, Bryce
Rusk
McGill, Rayford
Forest
Perry, Joe
Dialville
Sanford, W. M
Jacksonville
Tipton, S. Rogers.
Jacksonville
Died of Wounds
Allen, Will
Ironton
Shelton, Jesse E.
Troup
Sholley, Carl Alto
Toler, Morriss F.
Jacksonville
Killed by Accident
Wrontenberry, Willie
Mt. Selman
Died of Disease
Bagley, Frazier
Rusk
Bagley, John T.
Rusk
Beard, Pearl
Jacksonville
Beeman, Marcellus (Col.) Rusk
Bradford, H. (Col.)
Rusk
122
A HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
NAME
ADDRESS
Cook, Joe T.
Jacksonville
Cook, Gaston
Jacksonville
Davis, Sydney
Jacksonville
Earle, Henry Grady
Earle's Chappel
Fuller, Earle
Jacksonville
Grisby, Chester
Jacksonville
Hood, Donley Ira
Cove Springs
Jenkins, E. J
Gallatin
Norman, Daniel
Rusk
McDonald, A. C.
Rusk
Perkins, Alonzo
Rusk
Prather, D. R.
Jacksonville
Reagan, J. T.
Rusk
Richey, Charles A.
Rusk
Saunders, Jake (Col.)
Rusk
Scott, Albert E.
Rusk
Sorrels, Lawrence
Troup
Spivey, Kirby.
Rusk
Spain, Oscar.
Rusk
Tillman, Edgar.
Jacksonville
Vest, Jeff
Alto
Wounded
Beard, Oliver
Ghent
Berry, Earl Dan
Rusk
Barron, Dr. W. B.
Rusk
Binford, Willie
Rusk
Caston, Cary P.
Bullard
Coolidge, Carl.
Jacksonville
Deaton, Homer C.
Turney
Dement, James H.
Gallatin
Face, Charlie
Jacksonville
Gilliam, Willie W.
Gallatin
Hamilton, J. G
Alto
Hammons, Aubrey
Jacksonville
Holcomb, Wylie.
Mt. Selman
Hughes, A. C.
Jacksonville
Jones, Albert S.
Ironton
Justice, Ed.
Rusk
Lane, Liston
Gallatin
Martin, Rufus S.
Jacksonville
Matthews, Preston A.
Rusk
Maynard, Aubrey
Rusk
McElroy, Homer
Mixon
Obar, John
Troup
Odom, Gilbert
Rusk
Odom, Roy
Rusk
123
THE WORLD WAR AND AFTER
NAME
ADDRESS
Payne, Alvin
Ponta
Pickens, Ray
Jacksonville
Ross, George A. Rusk
Roddy, James R. Mixon
Sherman, Ernest L.
Maydelle
Sanderson, Ira Alton
Mt. Selman
Self, Frank Jacksonville
Shattuck, W. J.
Rusk
Stockton, Chester
Mixon
Stallings, Joe A. Ponta
Stringer, Charles P
Jacksonville
Walton, Tom.
Jacksonville1
By the spring of 1919 Cherokee households, for the most part, had returned to a peace footing. Khaki thread and knitting needles had been laid aside. Uniforms had given place to civilian clothes. Wheatless and meatless days were a fading memory. Sweets could be served without a pang of conscience.
And here we pause for a closer view of the Cherokee family before the sweeping changes of the post-war decade had begun to revolutionize it. Only yesterday, but how strange a group!
Hosiery for the up-to-date Cherokee lady was limited to black and brown ; ruffles still trimmed her undergarments ; six inches was the orthodox clearance for her skirt, though the fashion maga- zines were announcing shorter lengths; during the past winter her ankles had probably been protected by high-topped shoes or spats. The day of Cherokee County beauty parlors had not dawned. The conservative matron still frowned on the rouge just coming into vogue among the younger set. Certainly she never dreamed of entering a barber shop. The idea of smoking would have ap- palled her.
Tabloid papers had not come to delay meals. The family car was an open one which made little speed over Cherokee roads. No airplane had ever landed at a Cherokee County airport. Elec- tric refrigeration was still in the future. No Cherokee business man was ever seen in plus fours. Not a household listened to a radio, for the Westinghouse officials were yet to open the first broadcasting station, November 2, 1920. Even the cross-word puzzle was yet to make its début.
To some future writer, however, to whom Time will give a better perspective, is left the task of trailing the Cherokee family through the Labyrinth of the Prosperous Twenties, the Slough of Depression and the Plain of Recovery.
1This list is taken from the official roster filed in the county clerk's office.
CHAPTER XIV
TOWNS
ALTO
IN 1849 the original town site of Alto (a form of the Latin word for high), so named by Captain Henry Berryman because of its location on the dividing ridge between the Angelina and the Neches rivers, was a "magnificent prairie surrounded by forest," part of an extensive acreage on the old Barr and Daven- port grant which had just been purchased by Colonel Robert F. Mitchell.1 About 1851 Colonel Mitchell hauled goods from Shreve- port by ox-wagon and opened a store on the southeast corner formed by the intersection of Marcus Street and the King's High- way, afterward successively owned by G. S. Doty and Doctor J. M. Noell. Such was the beginning of Alto.
The business section soon extended eastward with the Masonic building and Koher's grocery and saloon on the southwest and the southeast corners of the intersection of Ochiltree Street and the King's Highway, the Odd Fellow's hall east of Koher's and Lippman's, afterwards Cooper's, store on the southeast corner of the intersection of the King's Highway with Mill Street. North of the highway, just west of the present Baptist Church, were the Mitchell Hotel and the Isaac (Cooney) Allen store. Jim Muckle- roy was the first village blacksmith. Colonel Mitchell soon built a gin in the present Ahearn Addition.
One of the most popular centers was the two-story stage- house on the northeast corner of the intersection of Marcus Street and the highway. Here the stage line from Waco to Nacogdoches made connection with the Nacogdoches-Crockett line. Always a news center, it was at least once "spot news" itself. The stage
1Colonel Mitchell, emigrating to Nacogdoches County with ten slaves in 1837, soon became a partner of Colonel John Durst in an extensive mercantile estab- lishment at Mount Sterling on the Angelina River. Prior to 1849, however, settlement of his business affairs in Natchez and New Orleans, followed by enlistment in the United States Army during the Mexican War, kept him out of Texas the greater part of the time. In 1851 he brought his bride, formerly Mrs. T. M. Matthews of Douglas, to Alto. He died in 1878.
124
125
TOWNS
stopped with a dead driver, that gentleman having just succumbed to a heart attack.
The first Alto schools were taught in the lodge buildings. A schoolgirl's composition, entitled, "There's a Time for All Things," started the campaign for the first school building. In it the author, now Mrs. M. W. Armstrong, declared Alto had never been known to draw the purse strings in public affairs. Stirred by her faith, Doctor W. L. Kirksey immediately started a subscrip- tion for a new school. The resulting structure, a rough, frame building, located at the convergence of Marcus and Ochiltree streets, also housed goat kids at night and served as a union church on Sunday. In the earliest years, however, children were frequently sent to school in the older communities near by. Among outstanding teachers were Peyton Irving, brought to Alto from Nacogdoches County by Doctor J. M. Noell, Mrs. Anna Ella Harris, and Professor Stripling. The Texas Almanac for 1857 refers to a fine female school at Alto. In 1888 the Alto Cooperative Educational Association was organized with H. W. Berryman as president. Through its efforts the "Alto High School" was established with J. B. Collins as principal. In 1903 the Alto Independent School District was incorporated. Today the town has an accredited high school.
Among prominent pioneer families, many of whom have de- scendants still living in the town, were the Harrisons, Butlers, Noells, Fishers, Spiveys, Roarks, Dotys, Berrymans, Boones, Boyds, Scotts, Harrys, Frizzells, Holcombs, Singletarys, Hills, Selmans, and Armstrongs.
In February, 1852, the San Antonio Road voting precinct was moved to Alto, with Willis Selman as the first returning officer. The town was incorporated in 1909, with W. M. Blanton as the first mayor. E. P. Palmer now holds this office.
After a disastrous fire in 1882 brick houses were built in what is now the chief business block. Another fire ten years later and a cyclone in 1893 proved additional major disasters. Among the merchants who weathered these blows were A. C. Harrison, H. Y. Fisher, T. J. Ahearn, L. W. Tittle, L. F. Hill, R. Usher and J. W. Summers & Company.
The first newspaper was the Alto News, owned by Doctor J. W. Teague and published by Charles J. Matthews. The plant was sold to J. E. Shook. Later the Alto Herald was established. Its editors include Reverend Thompson, a Methodist minister, T. M. Mc- Clure, Elbert E. Allen and Frank L. Weimar, the present owner.
Today Alto has thirty-five business concerns, three churches
126
A HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
(Baptist, Methodist and Christian), a brick school building, two banks, three lodges, electric lights and a sewerage system. The oldest business firms are R. M. Fisher, Berryman & Watters and Allen's Drug Store.
Heavy, red soil has made Alto a noted cotton section and, be- cause it is one of the best cotton markets in the area, cotton from three counties has been brought there for sale. Truck-growing and the timber industry have also largely contributed to Alto's prosperity.
RUSK
When the Rusk town site was purchased, John Kilgore, living in an Indian shanty on Lot 2, Block 31, was the only white man within its boundaries.2 Not long, however, was he left alone. Granville J. Carter and William T. Long, Douglas settlers who had moved to Cook's Fort to await the first lot sale, and Edward L. Givens, soon built homes. Eliza Long and Sudie Givens were the first white children born in the town.
Among the newcomers during the next four years were the Philleos, Vinings, Camerons, Cannons, Vaughts, Bonners, Millers, Boyds, Langs, Moseleys, Guinns, Cooks, Gibsons, Brittains, Jack- sons, Irbys, Mitchells, Dossetts, Copelands, Henrys, Dillards, McEacherns, Wades, and Martins. Many of these families had settled on farms adjacent to Rusk between 1839 and 1845 and are represented in the citizenship of today. By 1850 the town was credited with a population of 355.
On May 2, 1847, Reverend J. B. Harris organized the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church and within a year its four members had increased to thirty-five. Walter E. and Miss Emma Long and W. D. Deckard are descendants of its charter members. In 1850 Reverend Harris also organized the first Sunday school, a union school which existed until the '80s.
The first church building was a union church, located on the present site of the E. L. Summers residence, Lot 4, Block 22. In 1853 it was sold at auction to satisfy the claims of the contractor and was purchased by the Cumberland Presbyterians. Reverend A. J. Coupland, Reverend M. Priest and Reverend N. A. Davis were later pastors of this church.
The Methodists, the second church to perfect an organization,
2'The Kilgores afterward moved to the north part of town. The rock-enclosed cemetery in the old road to the State Hospital, concerning which many erro- neous reports have circulated, contains the graves of members of the Kilgore family.
127
TOWNS
were the first to erect a separate building. In the fall of 1851 their first church was built on the site of their present brick structure. Among early Methodist ministers were Reverend John Adams, Reverend A. H. Shanks, Doctor C. G. Young and Reverend E. P. Rogers.
Late in March, 1851, Reverend I. M. Becton and Reverend J. D. Sharp organized the Old School Presbyterian Church with eight charter members. Among the pastors of this church were Reverend W. K. Marshall and Reverend John Bell. The building stood on Henderson Street, two blocks from the courthouse square. It is said to have had the first self-supporting roof in Rusk and people were at first quite doubtful about its safety.
In April, 1906, the two Presbyterian organizations united and two years later found it advisable to move to a third location, the present site of the Presbyterian Church. Reverend J. L. Stitt was the first pastor of the combined churches. In 1910, Doctor S. M. Tenney, now curator of the Southern Presbyterian Church, took charge and during his pastorate, in 1914, the Presbyterians erected the first brick church in Rusk.
While Reverend W. G. Caperton and Reverend Chase had con- ducted Baptist services in Rusk, no Baptist Church was organized until the '80s. In 1891, largely through the initiative of Mrs. M. W. Farmer, a building was erected on Lot 2, Block 18. Reverend J. H. Thorn, chaplain of the Rusk branch of the penitentiary, was the first pastor. In 1910 the building was moved to the present site of the Baptist Church. In 1925 it was torn down and the present structure begun. Through a legacy left by Mr. and Mrs. B. Miller, long-time Rusk merchants, the Catholic Church was built about 1905. The Christian Church was organized in the '20s. After meeting in various places, the congregation built the present tabernacle on Henderson Street in 1927.
There is no roster of early Rusk teachers. The following names, found here and there, are only a part of them.
The first school was taught by the Presbyterian minister, Rev- erend J. B. Harris. In 1849, H. Clarke was advertising the Female Institute, which she "intended to make permanent." She had "no extra-prodigious feats in rearing the tender thought to herald forth to the world, but she believes herself a competent in- structress and will endeavor to prove her faith by her works." The fine arts course included instruction in piano, drawing, paint- ing and embroidery. Each pupil furnished her own chair and table.
Prior to 1850 John B. Mitchell and Abraham Gildewell also had schoolrooms. In 1854, H. Lane taught just northeast of the
128
A HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
original town site. Miss Jane Tullar and Mrs. Lizzie Mullins were among those teaching in the two-story building on Lot 9, Block 20. Mrs. A. H. Shanks and Mrs. Margaret Wade taught together in a home school in the east part of town. Mrs. Mary Baker was among those teaching in the Methodist Church. Just after the war Colonel W. T. Yeomans and H. I. Wilson taught in the Old School Presbyterian Church.
A Mrs. Thompson, who taught for a number of years in a number of places, seems to have been the outstanding primary teacher of pioneer days, the consensus of opinion apparently hav- ing been that "if you can't start under Mrs. Thompson, there's no use starting." Today, however, the only other definite descrip- tion of this estimable lady is "she was very fond of pork and turnips."
Perhaps the center of learning for the oldest citizens of today was the Rusk Male and Female Academy, first known as the Stephens and Carter Academy, located on Henderson Street, Lot 2, Block 9, now the site of the Alex Ford residence. This two- story structure, quite pretentious for its day, was built by Logan D. Stephens, who taught the first session in 1851. Either asso- ciated with Stephens or succeeding him when he moved to Rusk County in 1852 were Professor and Mrs. J. J. Carter, highly educated Georgians who had settled in Rusk in the late '40s. In 1855 Professor Carter was elected principal of Tyler University. Although frequently changing owners, the building was used for school purposes until torn down in the '80s. Only the following fragments of its history are available.
In 1859, Mrs. E. F. Mullins opened Rusk Female Academy, in which her husband, a Rusk attorney, taught the advanced classes in Latin and French. In 1866, Mrs. J. J. Carter, who had just moved back to Rusk after some ten years absence, announced the opening of a "Female School" in the following advertisement :
"From her long experience and former success as a teacher, the principal flatters herself that she will give entire satisfaction to all her patrons. No pains will be spared in securing a thorough and rapid advancement of pupils committed to her care. Discipline will be mild but strict."
In 1870 the Breithaupts were conducting the Rusk Male and Female Academy, Mrs. Breithaupt teaching music and embroidery. Among other teachers who served during the years were Reverend and Mrs. W. K. Marshall, Professor and Mrs. J. B. Mitchell, Mrs. Knox, Mrs. Locke and her daughter, Miss Mary Locke, and Doctor Bacon. Among its students were James Stephen Hogg
129
TOWNS
and Thomas Mitchell Campbell, future governors, Julia and Fannie Hogg, Doctor Will Dumas, Doctor A. H. McCord, B. C. Coupland, Mrs. Mary Ann Reagan, Mrs. Jennie Gibson, and Mrs. S. R. Curtis, who vividly recalls her Friday afternoon dialogues with Jim Hogg.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.