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POLKLORE-- White Pioneer,
7:iss ffie Cowan,P.W.
UcLennan ounty, Texas,
1)istrict 8.
R717 RENCE.
NO. of Words
File No. 240.
Page NO. 1.
Interview with JIr idancell W. Cabiness, Aeagan, Texas.
"My parents were Frank and Charlotte Cabiness of idorton,assippi,
where I was born in the year 1850. Father owned a plantation in lissippi
but sold it and moved to Texas in 1868, during the days of Reconstruc-
tion. He located in 2alls county between the towns of Bremond and Reagan,
but at that time these towns were not located and the community was
called the Powers Community. Grand -father Powers came with- the Sterling
Robertson colony from Tennessee while Texas was still under the rule of
exico. We settled on the Carol Powers place.
Some of our n4.(:ghbors were Tom Curry( father of Dr Hardy Curry of
Idarlin.)Dr '4omasiwas another doctor of the community)and our family phy-
--sician was Dr Clark of the Blue Ridge community. We travelled by stage
and the stage stand was called Tucker, so named from John Tucker who owned
the stand and a little store. The 1Jittle Brnzos river was about a mile
west of us and some of the families who lived west of the Little Brnzos
were those of Gilbert :4ard, William iohnson and Dr Kinnard. A couple of
miles thirther on the Blue Ridge the families of Johnson, Robertson, 7owers
J3eal's and Anderson's lived.Xbout the year 1875 Henry Cowan and Jim Owens
came from Tennessee and lived in the lower Blue -idge settlement. Still
farther towards what is now the Jremond settlement the dagens family lived
Augene
also the familiq- of Dr,Georgewche,whose sot3 married a :ass Eliza Hngens,
e‘
while henry Cowin and Jim Owens and Sam Zowers married Laura, 7nnnie, and
Lizzie, sisters of ..ugene Wyche. After the death of Mr Owens wife 2nnnie
he married idiss .Betty Robertson Y a daughter of the riioneer family of H-
ard Robertson who lived at the foot of Blue Ridge.
70L:LOR3, --WhitePioneer,
Miss 'ffie Cowan, P.W.
dcLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
iile NO. 240.
Page NO. 2.
'Thus the first families of the lower Blue -:idge,intermarried as did those
of the urper Ridge. Perhaps the first settler in the tremond area was
B.Combs who came in 1857. He surveyed many acres of land and owned an int-
erest in tium which had previously been merely a hunting ground for the
Indians. ether first settlers of this settlement were the Keigwins, the
James CQmpbell Tom Jackson and Bennett families. These settlers hunte4
deer; wild turkeys and other wild game over the prairie which was covered
with tall sage grass.The Jremond settlement was more of a prairie settle-
ment. It is a legend that at one time Wm4Xeigwin bought the town -site for
a hack and a pair of horses.
In 1869 the HOStOH and Texas L;entral railroad was built thro' this
settlement and the town of 3remond was established and named for Paul
iremond a railroad official. Thus /..emond for a time became the terminal
point awaiting constuction farther north to the towns of -Aarlin and it..co.
Ed Roberts of -remond has a book in which his father John Roberts wrote
in May 1870,"liailroad has reached a point in front of my home". (This old
Roberts home is one of the oldest landmarks nearAgremond). Mrs aude _Javis
daughter of 9.Combs remonds first settler states that her father is
authority for the information that the first old brick school house, built
on the site of the present one was built to be a hotel, But when the rail
toad was built the right -of- way did not co -le as far west as expected
so the building was too far from the town for a hotel and became a school
building. Later a frame building was built in 1900, and the present school
building wa built in 1921. Lumber for the Roberts house was hauled from
Galveston According to the early recollection of some of the ioneers.
TPOLKLORE--WHIT3 T'ION3ER,
Miss Effie Cowan,P.Wi
McLennan jaunty, Texos,
"istrict 8.
File No. 240.
.Page NO.3.
dna iLearne's father or W.A.Rample built the first store in Jlremond.
The late ..irs Rumple told of how i4r Rumple and another man walked to
Bremend from Oalvert and had two carpenters come and build this store
with lumber that had been brought in by wagon train from Galvestonjin
order to have the store ready for business by the time the railroad
to -oremond. In the boom days when tremond was the terminal,lihe two-
story frame building is rented feu as high as •3100.00 a month.1rhe upper
floors were divided into o-fice's and used for business also such as
printing,etc. In the hotels the rooms were crude and the living quarters
for families were often divided by cloth partitions. ;Pew beds, some built
into the walls, a few chairs, a stove and table constituted most of the
furniture. There was very little space between the houses and one could
almost sten from one circh to another.
"Old frame buildings that sprang up during the railroad terminal days
were hinged at the corners so they could be folded up and moved to the
next town when tne terminus moved on. Aany of these buildings did move
on when the road built on to arlin and 44,00. As time went on and these
buildings were moved or torn down brick buildings ,took.i their place am
the brick section -as where Abraham's gin now stands or nearer Watertown.
The first residence section most thickly settled was in /atertown dis-
trict( deriving its name from a well which became a water center, as water
was scarce in those days.) On the east side of town there was a hotel and
on the west were two churches and a parsonage. Then there was built the
Steumns house the .Aoland house, the Baker home and on the hill the Weig.
wins lived which later became the property of the Gann heirs.
701,KLORE--7HITE PfON3ER,
lass Effie Cowan,dkhn
"cLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
7ile No. 240.
Page No.4.
"In 1871 Dr Snelling, Dr Pool, Dr Harrington looked after the health
of the town. Pnssengers as well asptight came into the old depot in the
south end of townmanY years before the passenger depot
present spot in the north side of -L)remond.
burial riace this notice appeared in the
-tral j2exan". ?riday, ugust 12, 1870, add
cemetery. We feel it our sacred duty to
the necessity of providing our city with a
was built on the
As for the twon and community
newspapre of the day, the "Cen-
was the beginning of Bremonds
call the public attention to
suitable graveYard.Already the
dead are being interred in a srot of ground in the rear of the Union church.
By what authority this acre has been appropriated to qod, whereupon to
build a "silent city" we are unable to learn: but we know that the manner
in which the dead are buried we leave to your imagination, we
call a meeting of ladies and gentlemen to meet at the union church, Sat-
urday August 20th. (1870). and hope ,all who are interested will attend.
And who are not?" A later bulletin states that a/mr lorehead and Whitlow
were among the first to be buried in premond.
J.B.Adoue and J.L.Leonard operated a bank which was not used so much
since good sums were indifferently kept in trunks and other places around
the premises, sometimes buried under a tree in the yard. Before the brick
Bnptist Church was built in 1871,travelling ministers did the preaching
in down -town buildings. These buildings were also used for social gather-
ings, such as church suppers, dances and so forth. Io11ie Bailey of
travelling show fame and her husband bad a dance hall and dancing school.
They always played for the dances. The people from far and near, old
and young attended these dances one night and the next would attend a
prayer service in the same building. Religion embraced recreation then
as now.
-7CL:Lnl?3--VITIT3
Mis Tiffie Cowan,P.W.
Mo enaan County, Texas,
Di.6trict 8.
Elle NO. 240.
Page NO. 5.
deferring again to the "Weekly Central Texan l newspaper, R.H.Pardoa,
editor of August 12, 1870, there was an advertisement of the 43remond
"igh School with George W.Holland as principal. rs Holland had the first
piano in liremond and gave music lessons, and advertised her concerts with
programs given by the school. This was the only piano at the time in a
fifty mile radius.
In 1871, the town was incorporated for the first time and rWhitmore
was elected mayor. Sam Atorehead was the postmaster. There were a number of
saloons, blacksmith shops and commission merchants. Trle mixed train which
travelled at a snails pace brought both passengers and freight. Stage
coaches and wagons drawn by six or eight oxen caeried commerce overland,
the destination being north to Hillsboro, and as far west as Comanche
eounty. The sound of the bells which were kept on the oxen made a musi-
cal noise. They attached these bells to the head of the animals in order
that they cnuld be found when they were turned loose to graze while on
the nights camp. The oxen or horses were always turned out on the range
near -by at night and did not often wander away from camp. it was not an
uncommon thing for them to give warning of the Indians ap-nroach by their
becoming frightened and running t- the camp.
In the January 23, 1675 i8SIle" of "The Sentinel" published by B.W.Cammer,
appeared the advertisemert of the schooOf Rev. H.U.Glass,"J.N.1Pairbanks
dentist,/4John Borglund,..boot and ithoemaker, and A. Sheperd, manufacturer
of bricks,"some of which had been sold for aving the streets of 3ryan,
Texas. This was some thirty or forty miles to the south. Alen the railroad
was built farther north of iremond the 'mushroom" houses were torn down
and rebuilt at the next terminus. However a few had dared to leave .lain
street grd build their hones on the prairie.
7OLKIORE,-- -MITE PIONR,
Miss Efffie Cowan,P.W.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
iile NO. 240.
Page NO.6.
"And so as time went on and the railroad moved north to Marlin, 4x4co
and Dallas, more homes were
munity, brick buildings and
tures of those pioneer days
Profitable to the new towns
built in Bremond, and scattered over the corn-.
churches replaced the two story frame struc-
and stock -raising and farming became more
and community. Sixty or more years ago about
A half dozen tolish families came from Poland to live near 3remond. Being
well _pleased with the community south of town these diligent people sent
for relatives and friendsluntil a large and prosperous community of this
nationality was the result. In my next interview I will give you some-
thing of their history 'the first families their social life and so
forth.
At the time I became a man on my own responsibility there was very lit-
tle farming, and so I took up the stock industry for my livelihood. I have
engaged on both for over forty years but my main *nterest has been the
selling and trading in fine horses. I made trips to 2ennessee and Lentucky
to buy the finest thorough -bred horses i have paid as much as a thous-
and dollars for a horse. I specialized in fine horses for transportation
also for saddle horses, ,nd race horses. One of my best horses was called
Alice Alkes and was one of the finest race horses that ever trod the
race tracks. She was attentucky"thorough-bred aild I raid Mae sum of a
thousand dollars for her. I still have the blue ribbons I received for the
colts which I entered in the fairs which brought me )500.0r) and '3600.00
dollars. Tom Fountain Senior, myself and Austin ,lobertson owned fine
race horses and organized the 7FIlls County 2air.
FOLKLOR3,--White Pioneer,
miiss ffie Cowan,P.W.
,AoLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
?ile NO. 240.
PAge NO. 7.
Well do T recall the many times we held these Fairs The very finest
race horses were entered from all over Texas and other southern states.
It woqld be interesting to compare, the .races of today with those of the
days I mention. Now the races are between the drivers of the modern race
auto and the betting is on the ability of the driver. Where in our horse
races the race was won or lost through the ability of the race horse. We
selected our horse which we put up for the race and we stood by it, whether
it won or lost. In memory I can see the old race track as my own Alice Wilke'0
circled around it and how we shouted and wer5Overcome with joy as she neared
the end of the race and how we went wild when she won; In memory I can, see
the crowd as they selected their winner and how they shouted threw their
hats in the air and also went wild with joy over their choice coming out
a winner. It was a community affair and many were the entries of our own
men and boys for their race horses which they had o carefully trained, and
many the times these horses won over the best rrofessiinal race horses.
FT
Looking again down Memories Lane I can see the vehicles as they slowly
wended their way to the Pair ,here the young boys who were riding their first
ponies riding near their parents and cantering happily along. Tbereidown
the road came the slow moving wagons filled with the large families of the
day, driving the yoke of oxenblhere7were the single young men of the neigh-
-borhood intheir single seated buggy and the younger girls casting glance
of envy at them. How rich they were in their own estimation Still
farther down the dusty road came the fine carraiges with the old negro
ex -slave who used to be "Massa's coachman" driving the beautiful prancing
high spirited teanpof fine horses to the family carriage.
'7OLKLnRE-- White -'ioneer,
Liss ffie lowan,P.W.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
File No. 240.
Page NO. 8.
"It was not all ricnic s and races for the Liremond community,. There
were the schools and churches. I have mentioned the schools, and will
try to tell you something of its first churches. During the days of the
stage coaches there was a series of meetings held in the vacant store
buildings and the First _Assionary Bqptist Church of Christ ofPremond
was organized, and the constitution was adopted in 1876.
'In 1870 Texas Baptists were disturbed over the naestionof the location
of Baylor University at independence as this was not centrally located,
go in August of 1870 a committee pf forty-seven Baptists met in Bremond
to settle this nuestion. This was the begginning of meetings held for
this purpose,, the last one was in June of 1875, and as a result of these
and other meetings Baylor collgge for Women was placed at Belton and Bay-
lor University at Waco.
Bremonds present Baptist Church of brick was erected in 1871 the
builders descendents are still living. The old church bell has been faith-
ful to ring for services, weddings funerals and other occasions as of yore4
Within its walls have been many sniritual revivals and many souls were born
into sods kingdom i so the records show.l'he pastors home of brick was built
in 1889 and during this time has been remodeled and improved. The minutes
2hol- that the church has been served by the following pastors; Harris, Boone
Lee, Scruggs, Stevens, Roland, xwell, Sanders,Morrow, Whipkey,
Skinner, Jharton, dest, Boynton, Carlisle, Crowder, Aldredge, Darby, White,
Covington, Busby, 3Pringer, and 1)ollahite.
TPOLKLOR3--White Pioneer,
Miss ffie Cowan, P.W.
cLennan uounty, Texas,
District 8.
Ftie NO. 240.
Page NO. 9.
Ti The records reveal that the remond Methodist Church began more
than seventy years ago. A deed was issued by.rederick A.Rice, Baraham
Groesbeeck, trustees as by agreement, larch 22nd, 1868, in consideration
of U.00 paid by T.P.Roads, Thomas Curry, Jesse Scruggs, T.A.Crouch and
Thomas Saxon, trustees of 11.3.Charch South, of .6re7lond certain
lots ---for the purpose of causing suitable buildings to be erected thereon
to be used for devotional and educational purposes. This lot apparently
is the one upon which the parsonage is located. A subseouent deed from
F.A. Rice T.W.House,ftrastees of Aarch 22, 1869, for 175.00 paid by
W.P.Brown, J.W.Turner, aranklin 2icklin, trustees of M.E.Chnrch South
and their successors--- certain lots--- etc".
"Apparently this last deed refers to the ground which the rpesent M.3.
Church now stands. Some time during the pastorate of Rev. 7 Wardlaw
J
1912-1924) the former frame church building was damaged by wind It was
torn down and a more attractive frame building was put up. In 1930 or
1931 the building was again remodeled and made smaller, as it stands,
appealingly inviting amid green shrubs today. Rev. E.J.Davis is the pastor
and also pastor of ALosse.
IT
irom available church records the following pastors served the -ieth-
-odist chruch at aremond: Reverneds 4)immitt, Allen, Stovall, Wootan, O.T.
Hotchkiss, Cochran, Phnir, Harmon, Williford, Collins: (14:Tan with Bre-
mond)e Chambers, ireadwell, NAgnon, Aeyers, Biggs.(Kosse with-areriond).'
Lindsey.(Hearne with -remondJTCarrnrdlowl(tremond and circuifeGarrett
A
Bregteinm4=4:11rctlitOLZimmerman (Bremond and Aeagan). Sharp, -Jelivitt
-chkiss, Ryan, Irient, Fu11, and 3.J.Davis (eremond and Kosse).'
FOLKLORE-- White Pioneer,
Uiss Cowan,P.W.
UoLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
?ile NO. 240.
Page NO. 10.
Bremond now is served with an Independent ochool District which
was created by Special Act of the Leglislature in 1919 and comprises
what was formerly he original Bremond Independent °chool District ,and
all the former aootan Wells Common ,chool District. xhe area of the district
is 35 souare miles. I'here are at present six public school buildings and
one St Liary's Parochial School within the boundaries of the ftremohd district
Thus the records whow what Time has wrought 'between the Fast and the
present.
As to my own life, I mnrried Uiss Annie 4ard a daughter of Gilbert
Iard,our old neighbors in the -Lowers community, near -Jittle 3razos
on the .61th, day of tecember 1872. To us were born five children. Obey
are Will, 2rank, iIabel, Lottie, and Lillie. In 1897 I moved to the town
of Reagan where I reared my family. In 1923 my wife passed away and in
August of 1926 I married my wife's half sister, Clara aard, who lives
with me in the home moved to when I came to Reagan.
"The towns of Bremcnd nd zeagan are within a short distance of each
other and in this sketch I have given you the partiat history of the
older town(Bremond). -erhaps at a later date I can give more. history of
the little town of .,eagan.