USA > Texas > Montague County > History of Montague County > Part 10
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
born, and to know that the writer of "Dixie," the most inspiring air known to Southern people, was in distress. The following history of the song is given by a friend of the composer:
"This dear old song, which has given its author, Daniel Decatur Emmett, imperishable fame, has be- come so thoroughly identified with one section of our country that it may be doubted whether or not it is entitled to be classed among our national songs; although it is the opinion of a great many that it should be so classed-but it is confidently asserted that had it not been for the divisions created by the great civil strife it would have been as popular in the North today as in the South, since it first came out in the North and achieved almost instant popu- larity there, the boys taking it up on the streets. It must be generally conceded, whether it is sectional or not, that there are but few songs which have more power to move a popular audience in any geographi- cal section of our country than has this soul-stirring melody. Dixie was taken up and adopted by the South. This is as Mr. Emmett intended it should be; he meant by 'Dixie' the land of the South, ac- cording to his own testimony. Dixie was written in the spring of 1859 and always carried with it the idea of the South, which he clearly indicated by the words, 'The land of cotton,' and other like expres- sions."
Mr. Emmett also wrote another song, which be-
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
came exceedingly popular throughout the country. The name of this song was "Old Dan Tucker," and was quickly taken up by the children, but "Dixie," which has power to raise a Southern audience to its feet anywhere, and to cause a stir of enthusiasm among any people, is perhaps the most lively and inspiring air that the musical world has ever known. But the old Confederate veterans who once marched to the air of this thrilling melody, will soon be gone. The morning for them is over, and the long shadows of evening are gathering about the followers of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Albert Sidney Johnston.
Be kind and respectful to them, ever remembering that they have given us a splendid history of a splen- did people who fought for a splendid principle. Be as loyal to your country as they were to their "cause," and you will make noble citizens.
PROGRESSIVE MONTAGUE COUNTY.
There is an imaginary plain in the minds of men called "the plains of time."
If the children of Montague County were permit- ted to visit the highest point of this plain and look back from that lofty view over the ground that has been traversed by the pioneers of this county, what would they behold by way of contrast between the past and present ?
164
HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
First would come the Indian, the original inhabi- tant, with his war paint and feathers, sweeping over the prairies, accompanied by hundreds of warriors in pursuit of game. They would see rolling prairies, hills and wooded spots, with groups of mustang ponies grazing here and there.
And what is that queer looking animal just over yonder with a hump on its back ?
That is the buffalo. They one time roamed the prairies in large herds, but the constant inroads made upon them by early hunters who came here from time to time almost exterminated them.
At present there is a herd on the "Good Night ranch" in West Texas, and a few in Brackenridge Park, in San Antonio. With these exceptions we know of no others left of the vast herds that once existed. The events following the advent of the first white people who came to Montague County to found their homes, the critical periods through which they passed, constitute the beginning of the real history of Montague County.
What you should seek to store up in your mem- ories are the efforts toward successful progress made by these pioneers.
A remarkable development has been brought about by the rapidity with which the population of the county has increased.
From a comparatively unsettled district in 1857, it has grown to the present population of 24,800 souls.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Our natural resources have had much to do with this, but they would not avail without enterprise and intellect.
Events have followed each other in rapid succes- sion. "Indian Depredations," "War and Recon- struction Days," all retarded the growth of the county.
Agriculture was not followed extensively until after 1874.
Yet, in spite of many drawbacks, the county has steadily progressed until by contrast the student can see, whereas in 1874 only a few bales of cotton were raised in Montague County, there were grown in 1909-10, 21,705 bales.
Amount of cotton produced in the county, 1910-11, 28,435 bales.
While the raising of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, sheep and goats is not the principal pursuit, statis- tics show there are 27,172 cattle, 13,576 horses and mules, 12,714 hogs and 636 sheep and goats in the county.
Cotton raising is the principal industry, but Mon- tague County early learned that her soil was adapted to many growths.
The coming of the railroad in 1882 gave immedi- ate facilities for transportation and the people were not slow to take advantage of it.
After this period fruit farming was engaged in extensively, and where can there be found peaches,
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
apples or pears grown to greater perfection than in the orchards of Montague County.
Apples from the Davis apple orchard at Fruitland, this county, took first prize at the St. Louis World's Fair.
Thousands of bushels of fruit of different varie- ties are shipped to other markets from Montague County, while an abundance remains for home con- sumption.
The people are coming to believe more and more in diversified farming, and large crops of berries, po- tatoes, peanuts and grapes are grown each year.
Market gardening is being developed on a larger scale, splendid crops of tomatoes and other vege- tables being grown for market.
Corn, oats, wheat and alfalfa are also grown suc- cessfully.
Intensive methods of farming are being observed, and some wonderful crops have been raised by sci- entific methods, and some surprising results have been obtained from unresponsive soil by following the advice of government farm experts.
The "Boys' Corn Clubs" are creating a great deal of interest along this line.
This has been the greatest century in civil and political progress, as well as inventions to be ap- plied to industrial life.
In no field of effort have inventors been more ac.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
tive or their results been more successful than in the invention of labor saving devices.
Montague County has shared in the use of these inventions and who among us can fail to appreci- ate the worth this has been to agriculture ?
Compare the progress from the old time sickle and scythe, the old-fashioned plow and spade, and the hand gathered harvest to the present modern imple- ments that have so marvelously increased the work- ing power of the farmer.
Probably no American inventions have been more widely used than the new agricultural machines, cultivators, planters, seeders, reapers, mowers, har- vesters, corn huskers and shellers and numerous other labor saving inventions which have added thou. sands of dollars to the farmers' bank account.
In marked contrast to the rude log cabins of the early settlers are the cosy, comfortable, beautiful homes now to be seen in every part of the county.
Civic attractiveness is getting a great hold on the people, and it is the ambition of nearly every home owner to beautify his grounds.
Children are being taught the value and beauty of trees and flowers. Many of the smaller children have their little plots of ground for their very own, where they can cultivate flowers and vegetables.
In early days a "road working" was unknown, from the simple fact that they had no roads, nor were there any bridges across the creeks.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Imagine starting across the country with a heavily laden wagon drawn by slow moving oxen, blazing out your own road and crossing the creeks as best you could, and you will have some idea of the means of transportation in the fifties.
Today Montague County is greatly interested in the road question. A special road tax of 15 cents on the hundred dollars is used to improve the pub- lic highways of the county, and it is not uncom- mon to see the citizens wearing a button that an- nounces to the world that, "I favor pike roads." All of this has tended to enhance the value of land.
In the early days some of the best land in the county sold as low as $3 per acre. Now, improved land ranges in price from $15 to $50 per acre.
Unimproved land is quoted at $8 to $12 per acre. Water is obtained at an average depth of fifty feet. The rainfall approximates thirty-two inches per annum.
The upland farming section is composed mostly of a sandy loam. This soil holds the moisture well, consequently it does not require as much rain to pro- duce a crop as other soils. The elevation of the county varies. At Montague, the county seat, it is 1075 feet. Along the streams is to be found a black sandy loam with stretches of deep clay. Wild grape vines, dogwood, walnut, pecan, cottonwood and elm trees flourish, while in the springtime the trees are filled with songsters, the ground is carpeted with
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
violets, and the woods are redolent with the odor of wild plum blossoms.
A red clay is found in the valleys.
The surface is undulating and about equally di- vided between prairie and timber. Traces of oil have been found and many farms in the county have been leased to oil companies for the purpose of de- veloping this industry. The trees of this section, with a few exceptions on the bottom lands, do not grow to a very great size. Other trees peculiar to this county are the postoak, liveoak and black jack.
While the timber was not very large it furnished the only material at hand for constructing the first homes of the county, some of which are still stand- ing as a record of the thrift and industry of those days.
Formerly the trees were made into rails with which the fences around large tracts of land were built.
The rail fence has been relegated to the back- ground, and in its place is the barbed wire fence. When this mode of fencing came into use it greatly reduced the labor of the farmers, for it took a long time to make enough rails to fence a farm. Now they only have to make the fence posts, to which ยท the wire is fastened by means of staples.
The county made wonderful strides in prosperity in these years.
Crops were abundant and the area under cultiva-
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
tion was rapidly increasing. The wealth of the county had greatly increased and public business had become so large that it became necessary to found a bank.
The first bank in the county was founded in 1884 at Montague.
Since then there have been quite a number of banks instituted in the county, which are generally an evidence that a county is prospering.
The first newspaper published in the county was in 1874. The editor was Willie Lyles. Before the civil war his father was one of the wealthiest law- yers in Memphis, Tennessee. He was also a colonel in the Confederate army. When the war was over he found his father's wealth all gone and Willie came to Texas to engage in the newspaper business.
He went to Montague and there established the "Montague News." A newspaper in those days was a precious article, and was carefully preserved, to be referred to on many occasions.
Now the county has a number of well established weekly newspapers in different towns of the county.
These papers exchange items of interest from the respective towns, and in this way the people are kept in touch with local affairs all over the county, while a large number of our modern citizens would as soon miss a meal as to do without their daily papers.
One of the first stores in the county was estab- lished at Montague in 1858. This store was owned
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
by Cox & Davis. They hauled their goods from Shreveport and Jefferson, Louisiana. With our mod- ern facilities we can travel more quickly from New York to San Francisco than the pioneer merchant could transport his merchandise from Louisiana to Texas.
Now the county has well managed, well estab- lished dry goods, grocery, hardware, furniture and drug stores.
The people do not have to go away from home for any of the necessities and but few of the luxuries of life.
Few buggies or carriages were seen in the early eighties. Now there is scarcely a farmer who does not possess either a hack, buggy or carriage for family use.
Briefly summed up, from a thinly settled district in the fifties, our county, through a period of suc- cessive developments, has reached a high standard of civilization.
The county has three railroads, the Fort Worth & Denver, the Chicago & Rock Island and the M., K. & T.
The church property of the county amounts to many thousands of dollars, most of the various de- nominations being represented.
This is an age of fraternal organization, and there is considerable property throughout the country owned by the different lodges.
.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Cotton gins, flour mills and oil mills furnish em- ployment for a large number of men.
There are also two creameries in the county, one at Bowie, the other at Nocona. The people who live along the route traversed by the North Texas Gas Company have the privilege of burning gas for light and fuel. In pioneer days our mothers read their Bibles by the light of a home-made tallow candle, sitting before a fire of logs. Their daughters read the latest novel beneath a gas or an electric light and sit before a grate that is heated by gas, wood or coal.
Had an automobile crossed the prairie at night in the early fifties, with its two shining eyes of im- mense proportions, and its resounding honk, honk, it could have put to flight a thousand superstitious Indian warriors, and no doubt would have created a mild excitement among the sturdy settlers.
The automobile is so common in Montague County now they have long since failed to create the inter- est they did in former days.
The county supports two public institutions, the jail for the detention of prisoners and the county farm for the care of the indigent.
A number of the towns of the county have organ- ized what is known as commercial clubs. These clubs are composed of public spirited citizens whose purpose is to advertise the county and to encourage activity along all lines looking to the development
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
of the county. One of the means by which the ad- vancement of a city or county may be determined is by the postoffice receipts, county valuations ant" school enrollment.
The property valuation of Montague County is twelve million dollars. Scholastic population of the county, 6233.
Bowie is the largest town in the county. The post- office receipts at this place for the past five years, 1907-1912, are as follows :
1907
$8,414.35
1908
$8,779.91
1909
9,425.92
1910
9,933.84
1911. 9,175.22
Money orders issued (Domestic).
International
1907.
$5,603
16
1908
6,094
12
1909
7,321
22
1910
7,479
27
1911.
7,268
21
Money orders paid (Domestic). International
1907
$2,730
none.
1908
2,347
none.
1909
2,763
none.
1910
2,357
none.
1911.
2,689
one.
Number of postoffices in the county, 15; number of rural routes in the county, 27.
Bowie has six rural routes.
Poll tax paid for 1911 total 3834.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
What is government ?
Ans. Government is defined as rule or control.
Why is government necessary ?
Ans. That the stronger may not encroach upon the weaker, that justice may be meted out, that prop- erty and personal rights may receive protection and that peace and order may prevail. Good government is necessary to useful action.
Under what form of government do the people of Montague County live ?
Ans. A republican form of government.
What is a republican form of government ?
Ans. It is a government under which the people rule themselves through representatives of their own selection.
What is a county ?
Ans. A circuit or particular portion of a State or kingdom separated from the rest of the territory.
Why were counties organized ?
Ans. For the purpose of bringing justice nearer the people and to establish a medium for the transac- tions to be carried on with the State.
How is a county organized ?
/ Ans. By act of the Legislature.
Do all counties possess the same area ?
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Ans. They do not, but vary greatly in size in dif- ferent portions of the State.
When was Montague County created ? Ans. In 1857.
When organized ?
Ans. In 1858.
For whom was the county named ?
Ans. For Colonel Daniel Montague.
What is the area of Montague County ?
Ans. Nine hundred and seventy-six square miles. In what Senatorial District is Montague County ? Ans. Thirty-first Senatorial District.
What counties does this district embrace ?
Ans. Montague, Denton and Wise counties.
Name the different officers of the county. Ans.
1. Representative.
2. County Judge.
3. County Clerk.
4. County Attorney.
5. County Treasurer.
6. Superintendent Public Schools.
7. Tax Assessor.
8. District Clerk.
9. Tax Collector.
10. Sheriff.
11. County Commissioners.
How many Commissioners does the county require ? Ans. Three.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
How many Justices of the Peace does this county require ?
Ans. Eight.
How many voting precincts in the county ?
Ans. Twenty-three.
What is the duty of the Representative ?
Ans. To endeavor to bring about the enactment of laws that will be for the interest and welfare of the people.
What is the duty of the County Judge ?
Ans. He has jurisdiction of wills and estates, ap- points administrators and guardians, holds examin- ing trials and appoints officers of election.
What is the duty of the County Attorney ?
He is the county's legal adviser and represents the county in all civil suits to which it may be a party. It is his duty to prosecute the accused in trials of crimes in the county court and in the justice's court.
Define the duties of a County Clerk.
The Clerk is the recording officer of the county court, issues writs, preserves papers and enters judg- ments on record and issues marriage license.
What is the duty of the County Treasurer ?
Ans. He is the chief financial officer of the county, and keeps a record of the receipts and expenditures of the county. He is required to give bond for the faithful performance of his duties.
What is the duty of the Tax Assessor ?
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Ans. To get a rendition of the property of each citizen and the valuation of same.
What is the duty of the District Clerk ?
To compile the docket and look after all matters pertaining to the work of the district court.
What is the duty of the Tax Collector ?
Ans. To collect the taxes that have been assessed against the property of the county.
What is the duty of the Superintendent of Public Schools ?
Ans. It is his duty to look after the affairs, as con- cerns the welfare of our public schools. He examines teachers, issues teachers' certificates, holds teachers' institutes, visits the schools, advises the teachers in regard to their duties, and reports the condition of school interests to the State Superintendent.
What are the duties of the Sheriff?
Ans. The Sheriff is guardian of the peace in the county, and its chief executive officer. He arrests persons charged with crime, serves writs and has charge of the county jail and prisoners.
What are the duties of County Commissioners ?
Ans. They have charge of the county property, such as the court house, jail, poor farm, etc., and erect county buildings, construct county bridges, im- prove the public highways and represent the county as a financial board.
What are the duties of a Justice of the Peace ?
Ans. To preside over the justice courts, write
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
deeds, perform marriage ceremonies and to assess fines for offenses committed within his jurisdiction.
Name the present county officers.
Name the Senator for this district.
Who are the legal voters of Montague County ?
Ans. All male citizens, twenty-one years of age, and in possession of a poll tax receipt, are recog- nized as qualified voters in this county.
What is the duty of a citizen ?
To respect and obey the law, to labor for the pub- lic welfare, to assist in securing justice, to submit to the will of the majority, to vote for such candi- dates and measures that, according to his judgment, will contribute most to the public welfare; to insist that all children attend the public schools.
Upon the walls of the Congressional Library at Washington are engraved these words, which are fraught with so much significance: "The founda- tion of every State is the education of its youth." Texas early recognized the truth of these words. In 1839, during the administration of President Lamar, an effort was made to establish a system of public schools. President Lamar, himself a scholar and a statesman, in his message to the Third Congress of Texas, in 1839, said :
"The cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy, and while guided and controlled by vir- tue, is the noblest attribute of man. It is the only
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
dictator that free men acknowledge, and the only security that free men desire."
In 1839 each county was granted three leagues of land for school purposes, and in 1840 another league was added, while fifty leagues were set apart for a State University.
I would not have you think that during all of these pioneer years you have been reading about that the people of Montague County were unmindful of the importance of education. They only awaited an opportunity to assist in the advancement of public schools. And, as will be seen, the citizens are thor- oughly alive to the importance of public education. In 1839 Montague County was a wild, unsettled re- gion, peopled only by the Indians, and it was not until thirty-nine years later that there was any effort made toward the development of schools. In 1878 the first public school was taught in the county. The teachers made the best progress possible with their limited facilities. From a few poorly equipped schools, with small attendance, scattered here and there in 1880, the county now has one hundred and eight schools with a property valuation of thousands of dollars, employing an average of two hundred teachers in the county. The county has been divided into school districts. These are composed of two classes : the independent school district and the com- mon school district. The common school district is created by the Commissioners' Court. The independ-
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
ent school districts are incorporated by vote of the people for school purposes and created by special act of the Legislature, and cities and towns that have as- sumed control of their schools.
There are 114 counties in Texas which have a County Superintendent of Public Schools. Of this number Montague County is one. The County Su- perintendent has direct supervision of the common school districts and independent districts of less than 150 population and receive their school fund from the county treasury. The Legislature recently enacted a law that will be of far-reaching benefit not only to the school districts of Montague County, but to the entire State. This was the enactment of the rural high school law. This law provides for a county board of education in each county, and their duty shall be to classify the schools of the county into high schools, intermediate schools and primary schools. And it will also be their duty to suggest a course of study in co-operation with the County Superintend- ent, subject to the rules and regulations of the State Department of Education. At a meeting held in this county at Montague in 1912 the County Board of Trustees classified the schools of the county. The schools were classified under the late school laws of the State as follows: In addition to the Ringgold, Spanish Fort and Mallard, Forrestburg and Stone- burg schools, which had previously been classed as high schools, Dye Mound, New Harp, Oak Bluff.
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HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY.
Pleasant Ridge and Leona schools, were put into the high school class, and all other schools of the county were classed as intermediate schools, with the privi- lege of teaching high school subjects, provided they employ two teachers, one of whom must hold a first grade certificate. The independent school districts of the county are not under the control of the County Board of Trustees. The County Board for 1912 is composed of Dr. W. W. Crain of Nocona, chairman; W. S. Taylor, Queen's Peak; W. F. Landers, Forrest- burg; W. G. Bralley, Montague; O. P. Hill, Eureka. County Superintendent W. W. Snodgrass is secre- tary of the County Board.
This extension of our school system ought to stim- ulate the desire of the pupils to enjoy these larger opportunities. Education is one of the most impor- tant subjects that can claim the attention of the boys and girls of Montague County. National history abundantly illustrates the truth that the power and poise of the person of education cannot be estimated. But let us remember, pupils, that education is not to make us appear greater to the world, but that the world may appear greater to us, and that this thought may help us to take a broader view of life, and enable us to impart beauty and richness and grace to other lives. This is the duty we owe the world. Education only fits us to better carry out that duty. Speaking of teachers, their desire to have their pupils advance, etc., our county teachers have
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