USA > Texas > Navarro County > History of Navarro County > Part 7
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"Corsicana has one hundred prominent business houses, eight churches, consisting of the following de- nominations : one Episcopalian, one Presbyterian, one Cumberland Presbyterian, two Methodist, two Baptist and one Catholic.
"Masonic, Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Manches- ter Unity, Jewish Order, and other secret and benevo- lent orders are creditably organized, and prospering in their respective orders.
"It has a spacious and attractive Opera Hall, steam cotton gins, grist and flouring mills, wagon and car- riage factory, and many other smaller industries.
"Corsicana sold merchandise to the amount of one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars during the year ending September 1, 1879. Her report of cot- ton from January 1, 1880 to April 3, 1880, were twelve thousand one hundred and six bales "also thirty thou- sand bushels of corn, sixty-five thousand pounds of hides, two thousand four hundred and thirty head of cattle. Thirty-five thousand pounds of wool.
"In 1871 the town contained a population of eight hundred with an assessed value of taxable property of one hundred thousand dollars. Today as stated above
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nearly five thousand souls occupy the place with an assessed value of taxable property of one million.
"The legal bar of Corsicana cannot be surpassed by that of any other in the state for ability and worth and the state will yet be illuminated by such of her other lights as now shine so brilliantly. We speak of the Chesterfield congressman Mills, and the courteous and gallant Judge C. M. Winkler.
"The number of lawyers are twenty-eight, including a few recently admitted besides a number of ambitious students.
"Physicians practicing here are about ten or twelve, while two fine dentists are located in Corsicana.
"There are five restaurants, numerous boarding houses, three hotels, of which the Mallory house stands pre-eminent and first, and for courtesy, atten- tion, cleanliness, it is utterly impossible to find its superior.
"Ten saloons do a good business here although the city is of the most orderly character and intoxication rarely seen.
"The post office at Corsicana is what is termed a sec- ond class one, and pays a salary of $2000 per annum.
"Corsicana has four livery stables, two wagon yards, and six cotton yards.
"A contract has been sealed for the speedy comple- tion of a fine and costly court house, which is to occupy the prominent position where the old one now stands.
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This building, with its stately dome, together with the many cloud kissed spires that surround it, will surely lend a more metropolitan feature to her appearance."
Names of some firms mentioned in Mrs. Swisher's Sketch Book: Mrs. Pauline Wood, postmistress; J. D. Wood, assistant; J. C. Johnson, dealer in groceries, furniture, etc .; Simpkins and Simpkins, attorneys at law; R. P. Goodman and Company, wholesale and re- tail groceries ; A. Fox and Brother, wholesale and retail dealers in dry goods, clothing, hats, furnishing goods, boots, shoes, etc .; H. G. Damon, attorney at law; Wil- liam Croft, attorney and counsellor at law; Beale and Jones, attorneys at law and land agents; Bryan T. Barry of Frost and Barry, attorney at law, notary public and general collecting agent; J. M. Blanding, at- torney at law and general land and collecting agent; Chas. H. Allyn and Company, grocers; Mallory and Allen, clothing, boots, shoes and gent's furnishing goods ; Bates and White, jobbers and dealers in boots and shoes; F. W. Carruthers, dealer in hardware, stoves, iron, plows, nails, crockery, glassware, paints, and oils; R. Freedman and Company, dealers in dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes, hats, notions, furnishing goods, etc; Kamsler Brothers and Company, wholesale and retail dealers in staple and fancy dry goods, hats, boots, shoes, notions, etc .; J. T. Sullivan and Com- pany, manufacturer and dealer in boots, shoes and rubbers; J. E. Whiteselle, dealer in Michigan, Louisiana and Texas pine lumber, shingles and all kinds of build- ing material; C. McClarkle, Austin state agent for the Tennessee improved wagon.
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CATTLE INDUSTRY
For many years after the settlement of Navarro County the raising of cattle was the principal occupation of the pioneers. The country was all open and offered no hindrance to cattle grazing where the owners desired. The stockman of early times found the marauding Indians carrying off stock from time to time and the occasional forays made by cattle rustlers were a source of annoyance but with abundant grazing lands and ample territory over which to range his cattle these annoyances were only of a minor character.
The invention of barbed wire, the improved market for farm products, the decreasing value of cattle and the passing of a state stock law lessened the oppor- tunities in the cattle industry and it declined.
The Texas Almanac of 1858 says that it cost at that time about the same amount to raise a cow as it did to raise a chicken but it is interesting to note that a cow also sold for about the same amount as a chicken.
With the coming of the railroads, however, and the connecting of the Atlantic and Pacific by rail, markets for cattle began to spring up along the new railroads and the price of cattle increased ten or twenty fold within a period of a very few years. The cattle drives Northward from Texas to Dodge City, Abilene and other points on the railroad are in themselves a chap- ter in Texas history and many volumes have been
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written and many moving pictures made with these early Texas cattle drives as the background.
The first person in Navarro County to secure a brand was Henry Cook who recorded a cattle brand in 1846 and he was followed by John R. Lansford in the same year. In 1847 Daniel Fuller, Daniel Boyd and practi- cally every other resident of the county, who owned a few cattle, registered some form of brand.
With the coming of fences and increasing develop- ment of agriculture, together with a decline in the price of cattle, the industry settled down to a normal basis and the boom days of the cow business disap- peared.
COTTON RAISING
Navarro County is one of the leading cotton coun- ties in Texas. The fibre from this plant has a very im- portant effect on the economic life not only of America but also England, Japan, Russia and other foreign countries. For more than one hundred years the greater part of the world's supply of cotton has been obtained from the Southern half of the United States.
As mentioned previously, the cattle industry was the first to obtain an important place in Navarro County, but it was followed upon adoption of the barbed wire, by agriculture, and cotton was, from early times, the leading crop, after which the progress of cattle and cotton industries went hand in hand. Each contributed to the growth of the other. Records indicate that
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Jared E. Groce brought one hundred slaves and a small amount of cotton seed to Texas in 1821. The grant to Groce by Stephen F. Austin entitled him to eighty acres of land for each slave. His home, the first cotton plantation in Texas, was established near where the town of Courtney now stands and the first cotton gin was built on the Brazos River in 1826.
The first bale of cotton from Navarro County was grown either by William Roberts or W. C. Petty, both of whom settled in Navarro County in 1846. The first steam cotton gin in Corsicana was on Elm Creek, about two and one-half miles South of town. It belonged to Newell Hodges. The William Roberts farm was a short distance West from where the present high school stands and an old ox power mill and gin, owned by Harlan and Baker, adjoined this farm on the South. The cotton was fed into this gin from baskets and only two or three bales could be ginned in one day. There were several gins of this kind in the county during the 1850's.
William Hamilton bought a lot of cotton in 1852, hauled it to Chambers' Creek, loaded it on a flat boat and took it to Houston where it sold at about 10c per pound. This venture was not profitable and so was not repeated. Some of the cotton was hauled from Navarro County overland in ox wagons to Houston, the wagons making the return trip with lumber, food or dry goods.
The production of cotton in Navarro County had grown from 51,000 bales in 1901, the first year of
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which we have a record, to 110,000 bales in 1911, which was the peak year of production. The average produc- tion fluctuates now around 80,000 bales a year.
A cotton mill was established in Corsicana in 1896 by George T. Jester and other leading citizens and at the present time has approximately 15,000 spindles.
Henry W. Grady, said of cotton, "What a royal plant it is! The World waits in attendance upon its growth. The showers that fall whispering on its leaves, are heard round the earth.
The sun that shines upon it is tempered by the pray- ers of all peoples. The frost that chills it and the dews that descend from the stars are noted, and the tres- pass of a little worm on its leaves is more to England than the advance of the Russian Army on her out- posts in China.
The fibre is current in every bank; it is gold, from the time it puts forth its tiny shoot, and when loosen- ing its fleece to the sun, it floats a banner that glori- fies the field of the humble farmer". Because all this was and is true, speculators and politicians, found a fertile field for their activities.
Navarro County, with other counties and states, lost sight of and neglected other industries, and cotton be- came an obsession.
Cotton was án easy crop, until the devastation of the boll-weevil and other insects, began about twenty-five years ago.
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Cotton seed became valuable, and the feeding of cot- ton seed meal and cake, gave an impetus to cattle rais- ing and feeding, so that the two industries became a great part of Navarro County's resources.
SCHOOLS
As soon as the settlement in a frontier country is formed one of the first thoughts is the education of the children.
The early settlers of Navarro County found no pro- vision made for educating their children other than what they could produce themselves. But some tutors were brought from the old States and from time to time enterprising individuals would get a sufficient number of pupils to agree to attend school to afford a teacher and thus formed the basis for the present ef- ficient educational system of Navarro County.
After the establishment of Navarro County and erec- tion of the log court house this building was used as a school house when court was not in session, with Mack Eliot and Prof. Laffoon among the first teachers. A two-story cedar log house on the corner of Jefferson Street and Church Street was afterwards built. An academy was conducted in the lower story and the Ma- sonic Lodge occupied the upper story.
Professor Robb taught in the academy.
William Peck and his wife conducted a successful school which opened about 1850, and boasted of more than two hundred pupils. Capt. Peck and family later
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moved to Fairfield, where they made a permanent home.
Captain Peck's son, W. M. Peck, and daughter, Mrs. Rufus Hardy, are well known in the life of Corsicana and have for many years been identified with the wel- fare of the town and county.
Later Dr. Modrall taught a girls' school, in the acad- emy, and Dr. Molloy taught a boys' school, and when Dr. Modrall moved away, Dr. Molloy combined the two and was a successful and popular teacher.
Dr. Modrall was not only a teacher, but also pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. While living here his daughter, Mrs. J. R. Love, died and was buried West of the town in which is now called Modrall Ceme- tery.
Among other teachers in Corsicana, in these years, and who taught at different places were, Mrs. Marilla Dickson and Miss Sallie Duren.
By 1860 conditions had so progressed that there were at least five good boarding schools in the county. They were located at Dresden, Chatfield and three in Corsi- cana.
One was advertised as follows:
"Corsicana Female Institute now in the first session of the third year, under the superintendence of the Senior Editor of this paper (the Navarro Express) as-
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sisted by Miss Belle Ish in the Literary and Miss Jose- phine Tully, in the Musical Department.
"Terms of Tuition:
"Junior Classes, $10.00 per session; Middle Classes, $12.50 per session; Senior Classes, $15.00 per session ; Latin or French, $5.00 extra; Music with instruments $25.00.
"Each pupil in the Literary Department is charged one dollar per session extra, to constitute a contingent expense fund-board, lodging, washing, etc., can be had in good families, at from eight to ten dollars per month."
A boarding school at "Chatfield Point" was taught by Rev. Wm. H. Stokes, principal, and Miss Mary Sten- haur, assistant."
Right along at this time classes were being taught in the different communities, for from the settlement of the first colonies, the importance of education was realized, and considering the difficulties which faced them at all times, there can be for them now, only won- der and appreciation.
A military school flourished in the early days of Cor- sicana and many of the sons of the early settlers at- tended. This educational institution was started by Major Henry Bishop, his wife and brother, and was lo- cated at the South end of Church (now Fifteenth) Street on land donated by Major Beaton for the pur- pose. The school had an enrollment of around 200 stu-
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dents and was very successful during its day. Major Bishop's wife died and this brought sorrow to the school's head and caused him to sell out his interest and move away from Corsicana, whereupon the school gradually lost some of its prestige and finally suspend- ed operations entirely.
Two sisters were connected with the early education- al life of Corsicana. These were Miss Ellen Ferguson who later became the wife of Dr. Mills, and her sister, Miss Sally Ferguson, who specialized in music. Another one of the early music teachers was Mrs. Ellen Reid, widow of Nick Reid who was a promising young law- yer who unfortunately died before attaining the pin- nacles of success which might have crowned his efforts had he lived to a more mature age.
Mrs. Emma Townsend came to Corsicana as a bride in the early Seventies and not only has she been inter- ested in teaching both from text books and by precept but has also been interested in everything concerning the betterment of the community. Her own life is proof of the correctness of her theories and the virtue of her teaching.
A private school was operated from 1879 until 1887 by Mrs. L. T. Gulick who never accepted more than eighty pupils and inspired these to excell in culture and learning. Her school was noted for its rigorous dis- cipline. Mrs. Gulick always attained the love and re- spect of all her pupils and after a lifetime of usefulness died and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in 1927.
Quite an elaborate "female college" existed in Cor-
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sicana in 1880 under the guidance of Professor R. J. Robert as president. Assisting him was a corps of teachers consisting of Mrs. Anna Woods, Natural sciences, Miss Emma Sims, primary, Professor Scher- macher, a graduate from Leipsic, in charge of music, with Professor Cummings as his assistant. This col- lege boasted a department of art under the jurisdic- tion of Miss Hopkins and a department of chemistry, physiology and hygiene under Dr. J. A. Allen who lectured at stated periods on these subjects. In the Dallas News of June 13, 1880, there appeared the fol- lowing item in the society section:
"The Exhibition given by the Corsicana Female College was a decided success.
"Miss Hershey and her class in Calisthen- ics was one of the principal features of the evening. The music, under the efficient dir- ection of Miss Rooney, was admirably render- ed.
"An essay, 'Knowledge is Power,' by Miss Ethel Fairfax, was very well given. Essay 'The Fashionable Young Man,' was handled most gracefully by Miss Emma Rakestraw.
"The following young ladies deserve special mention: Misses Addie Robert, Ora Drane, Hattie Phillips, Maud McCormick, Lena Drane, May and Lula Johnson."
Miss Virginia Moseley taught a private school which was located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Thir-
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teenth Street and which was for years the home of Merit Drane. This school flourished during the years 1880-1884. In the same house Mrs. Miller, whose hus- band was a physician, conducted a school.
A convent was built and the school opened in 1880. Students from different parts of the country boarded at the convent and day pupils whose parents lived in town also attended. The site for the convent was don- ated by Mrs. Noonan and on this site the present church was built in 1896. The clear, sweet tones of the bell in this church have called its faithful members to worship from the year in which it was built until the present time. The convent building was sold to the city a few years ago and a grade school stands where the former educational institution flourished. Among the more recent private schools is the one operated by Miss Lucy Carroll who has very successfully conducted a fine private institution through the years and has had a class of students graduate each term.
A school for boys was taught by S. E. Gideon in the Nineties and was located on Seventh Avenue. The house was remodeled and is now a residence.
After the Civil War there were many subscription schools in operation which received a small sum of money yearly from the state. This amount allowed a very short free term of school during which time the classes were over-crowded but during the remainder of the school year the numbers were limited to those who could afford to pay tuition. Independent school dis- tricts were first organized in the late Seventies and
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taxes were levied for the support of the schools and bonds issued and sold with which to erect buildings. Navarro County was one of the first to take advantage of this new law and the first public school building in Corsicana was erected in 1881 on the site of the pres- ent high school. A school for negroes was erected at about the same time on the site of the G. W. Jackson School. It is evident that no school census was taken in order to arrive at the correct number of teachers needed since the records indicate that only six teach- ers were elected whereas sufficient pupils attended school to have kept ten teachers occupied in their in- struction.
The City Council in 1882 which consisted of L. R. Irons as mayor, and George Phillips, C. H. Allyn, R. P. Goodman, N. C. Read, John S. Gibson and J. D. Richer as aldermen, elected J. T. Hand of Brenham as the first superintendent of Corsicana schools. His term was to be for one year at a salary of $1,500. The teach- ing staff consisted of Capt. J. A. Townsend, princi- pal, Miss M. E. Davis, Miss Ida Lawrence, Miss Flor- ence Z. Bright, Miss Helen Halbert and Mrs. Ellen Mills. This force was increased within a few weeks by the addition of Miss Sally Evans and Mrs. Hal Greer.
Miss Lawrence is at present librarian in the Sam Houston Teachers College at Huntsville. Miss Halbert is now Mrs. Groce of Waxahachie and Miss Davis is married and lives at Denison. Miss Sallie Evans has taught continuously in Corsicana since her
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appointment. Grateful pupils of Miss Evans have re- cently given her an attractive home as evidence of their appreciation. Miss Florence Z. Bright taught from 1882 until 1927 at which time she moved to Beau- mont and now resides with her brother in that city.
One of the early educators of Corsicana was Capt. J. A. Townsend who, as mentioned, was made prin- cipal of the first independent school. Capt. Town- send came to Corsicana January 20, 1872, from Owensville and began teaching on January 27 of the same year. He had previously taught at Owensville and while there met and married Miss Emma Davis. He and his wife had taught private and subscription schools in Corsicana before the coming of the indepen- dent school district. His original school, known as Cedar Hall, stood on the location of the present Third Avenue Church manse but was later moved and occupied the corner where the home of Miss Molly Gib. son now stands. Capt. Townsend is remembered as faithful and conscientious and did much toward the education of the youth of Corsicana.
Mr. Hand, the first superintendent, was also ex- tremely well liked by all residents of the community. He had the reputation of being one of the outstanding men of the time in Texas school circles. He also had the reputation of being a very conservative man yet he endeavored at all times to lead in advancement of edu- cation. One of this first superintendent's outstanding accomplishments was his ability to guide and counsel the inexperienced teacher and to take a corps of teach-
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ers who were new to graded school work and under trying conditions operate an efficient school system is an index of his ability. Mr. Hand remained in Corsi- cana schools five years and moved to Dallas but later returned to Corsicana schools for a time.
He was succeeded as superintendent of the Cor- sicana schools by J. M. Carlisle who was in turn followed by Charles T. Alexander and Mr. Alexander was succeeded by Mr. Faust. Mr. Hand then returned to Corsicana and his successor was H. S. Melear who still lives in Corsicana and practices law. Mr. Melear was succeeded by J. W. Cantwell and he was fol- lowed by J. E. Blair who remained in Corsicana for a number of years and left a good imprint on the school system as well as on the community. During the ad- ministration of Mr. Blair a bond issue was voted and the expansion of the school system made possible al- though the bonds were not sold due to the financial market becoming unsettled by the World War and the funds derived from the sale of the bonds were well utilized by H. D. Fillers who followed Mr. Blair as su- perintendent.
Mr. Fillers became superintendent of the schools in 1923 and retained his position until 1931, at which time he was appointed superintendent of schools at Wichita Falls and his place was taken by W. H. Nor- wood who had been principal of the high school for several years.
The first expansion of the Corsicana public school system was the addition of two rooms to the original
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Collin Street school and after this a school was built in East Corsicana. The school building in East Cor- sicana was called David Crockett School. A new one-story brick house located near the old one, is now the David Crockett School. The third ward school which was called the Stephen F. Austin School and originally had only four rooms was next built and this old building for a time was the high school. The next school building erected was Mineral Hill which is now the William B. Travis school. The original build- ing had four rooms but was demolished and the pres- ent comfortable, modern structure of fourteen class rooms, cafeteria, offices and rest rooms was erected. The junior high school on West Fifth Avenue original- ly housed the high school. The present high school on the site of the first public school building is a credit to Corsicana. The Robert E. Lee School now occupies a beautiful site on Collins Hill, which is the highest point in Corsicana. The new junior high school was opened in September, 1931, and a new building has been pro- vided on First Avenue which makes the Corsicana school system a credit to Navarro County.
G. W. Jackson who was elected first principal of the colored schools in 1882 retained that position for forty- four years and at his retirement he was elected Grand Master of the United Order of Odd Fellows for Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. When the old building was replaced in 1925 by the modern new building of six- teen class rooms, cafeteria and splendid auditorium it was named the G. W. Jackson School in honor of this first principal.
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Members of the present Corsicana Board of Educa- tion are: W. P. McCammon, president; Mrs. H. R. Stroube, vice-president; C. A. Middleton, secretary ; Mrs. W. T. Shell, Dr. J. W. David, N. Suttle Roberts, R. L. Wheelock. Members of the athletic council are : Beauford Jester, C. S. Stroud, W. H. Norwood, su- perintendent schools; W. P. McCammon, president board of education; C. A. Middleton, secretary board of education; O. P. Douglas, principal senior high school; O. F. Allen, principal junior high school; John- nie Pierce, coach.
FINANCIAL HISTORY
There were no banks in Corsicana or Navarro Coun- ty until 1870. Trunks and drawers were used as depos- itories with an occasional box buried for protection. For various reasons some of these boxes were forgot- ten until they became lost. There have been many searchers for "lost or buried treasure" in Navarro County.
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