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FOLKLORE White Pioneer.
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
MoLennen County, Texas.
District No. 8
No. of words 1,750
File No. 240
Page No. 1
Reference
Interview with Mr. John T. Cox, White Pioneer, Groesbeck, Texas.
"I was born at Prairie Grove, Texas, twenty-five miles northeast of
the present town of kart, and between the present towns of Mexia and
Groesbeck. At the time I was born, the town known as Mart, was called
Willow Springs end there was no town near except the old county seat of
Limestone County,, Springfield, a few miles southeast of the community of
Prairie Grove. This was in the year 1870.
"I am the oldest of eleven children who were born to my parents. My
father Milton B. Cox married the widow, Mrs. Mary Herring who came to Texas
from Jonesboro, Alabama. She had one son, Will M. Herring. They reared
twelve children,
"My father, Milton B. Cox, celebrated his 100th birthday on the fourth
day of October, 1938. He passed to the Great Beyond, November 10, 1938,
at the age of 100 years, one month end six days. Father was born in
Jefferson County, Alabama, October 4th, 1838.
"At the age of twenty-three he enlisted in the cause of the Confeder-
acy, and served in the infantry until the close of the Tar. He belonged
to Company 0 -18th Alabama, Infantry and served under Captain Hogg. He
fought in the battles of Shiloh, Chattanooga, Kennesaw Mountain, two
battles around Atlanta. Then to Jonesboro, Georgia, crossed the Tennessee
River and fought in the Battle of Franklin. When the war was over he re-
turned to his home. On October 21, 1866, father was married to Mrs. Herring,
and in October 1869 they came to Texas and built their home at Prairie Grove,
where he lived for nearly seventy years. Mother preceded him in death in
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
MoLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 2
October 1934, at the age of 89. Father was a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church for 67 years.
"Father is survived by five sons and one daughter. They ere: Monroe
Cox, Prairie Grove; E, S. and D. W. Cox of Waco; and M. D. Cox, Midland;
Mrs. May Cargile, Prairie Grove; and the one step -son W. M. Herring of
Prairie Grove. He is also survived by thirty-three grandchildren and
twelve great-grandchildren.
"About the tiwe of my father's birth Andrew Jackson, the seventh
President of the United States was in office. He ran against John Quiney
Adams as a Democrat end four years later defeated Henry Clay. On the 8th
of June, 1845, 41drew Jackson died, at the age of ,8. Martin Van Buren
came to the White House as an anti -slavery Democrat in 1838, after he was
elected in 1837. So father lived in the days that history was made.
"On the 4th of October 1938 when we celebrated his hundredth birthday
he sat on the front porch of his and greeted the guests as they arrived.
He was a little tired, but his mind was clear. His relatives and,friends
showered him with showers and gifts. He personally received them himself
end refused to let anyone but himseat open them. One of the outstanding
gifts he received was a huge cake, beautifully decorated with a hundred
candles from his old hunting friend, John Sweatt.
"I do not know how
and John went hunting,
dogs. When John would
hours until John would
old John Sweatt is, but 9 few years ago, father
John had to rest while father kept up with the
get his wind they would ramble on for another few
see another inviting log and the story goes that
father would have to do some more waiting. any were the old friends who
gathered to help celebrate this ha py event, and many were the stories
told of by -gone days.
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
VoLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 3
"An interesting event was of the cyclone which visited our section
fifty-four years ago; it blew the 'school house down, and many were injured,
but only one killed. But out of that school's pupils, there were twenty-
one who were present to greet father on this, his hundredth birthday. And
father knew them all and told incidents of that school of fifty-four years
ego, which the cyclone struck and told of the panic it caused and how happy
they were to find that there was so many left who were not injured.
"Another interesting incident father was fond of telling was the story
of the persimmon tree, when they marched on Nashville, Tenneisee, under
General floods campaign, during the days of the Confederate struggle. I
will try to tell it in his own words. After the fall of Atlanta we marohed
northward into Tennessee over frozen ground and how cold it was Our shoes
were worn out and our feet were torn and bleeding. As T marched over the
rough frozen road I tore up one of my two shirts and made bandages of it to
ease the pain. We endured great hardships the snow was on the ground and
there was no food. Out rations were a few grains of parched corn. When
we reached the vicinity of Nashville we were very hungry and we began to
search for food. Over in a valley stood a tree whioh seemed to be loaded
with fruit. It was a frost bitten persimmon tree, but as I look back over
my whole life, never have I tested any food which would compare with these
persimLons." Not many years ago father walked with me to see a farm which
he had recently bought, in it there stood a persimmon tree which was taking
from the productiveness of the soil for a large size space surrounding it.
said, "Why do you leave that persimmon tree standing here in the way of
farming?" Then he told me the story of the persimmon tree back in the days
FOLKLORE 1 White Pioneer,
Miss Effie Cowan, P. V.
McLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
Page No. 4
File No. 240
when they marched on Nashville and said, "Son, when I am gone, I want you
to see that this tree is spared and let it be a reminder to all of you of
my gratitude to God for qui other tree which fed me in those days gone by."
I promised and the tree stands today.
"Under carpet -beg rule, following .the Civil War, I can remember as os
boy, the trouble at Old Cprinvfield, Limestone County, with the freed
negroes. They still had frequent fights with the whites, in fact there
was race war on. Both whites and blacks lost many lives. Martial Law
was proclaimed and heavy taxes were levied on the whites who held property.
One of my earliest recollections was seeing the negro soldiers as they
passed by our primitive home on their way from Mr. E. B. Smyth's to
Tommy Wallis' house, collecting taxes with guns. They had nice shining
guns and fine looking blue uniforms. They had fine saddles and horses.
We did not have much to tax. Father hid his ootton in the thicket where,
they did not find it.
"When the white people elected Richard Coke for their governor all this
trouble ended. Limestone County was the huntsman's paradise. There was
an abundance of game everywhere. As a small boy one morning I stood out-
side the yard, I saw a fine bunch of deer run through our yard and jump
the fence at the back of the house. In the autumn the prairie chicken came
in great numbers end spent the winter in the wooded country arcund us. It
was not far from the river end they delighted to follow the eourse of the
Vavesot' as we called the river nearest to us.
"These prairie chickens would come to our house just before sunset and
sit in rows on the comb of the house, while on the nearby ravines the trees
would be bending with their weight. Now, they are all gone.
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
McLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
Page No. 5
File No. 240
"To my mind the wild pigeons were the most remarkable of all the wild
bird life. I have seen the sky covered with them passing in such long files
that you could not see the beginning or the ending of the line. So far as
the eye could see there was nothing but pigeons. These birds nested along
the Pacific shores of the states of Oregon and Washington and were going to
the warmer waters of the Gulf for the winter. On their migration to the
Gulf of Mexioo they would stop over in our vicinity to feed on the acorns
which were plentiful.
"Some years ago during the mating season of these birds there came a
severe storm that visited the coasts of these states and destroyed them,
young and old. A story said to be true is that there was only one of
these countless thousands of birds (pigeons) that escaped the fury of the
storm, and it was captured by a lady in New York City. It is said that she
sought with all diligence to find a mate for this bird, but all in vain.
Finally, the bird died from old age and now they are extinct. In the early
days the quail was as numerous as the English sparrows, a few yet remain,
but the deer, prairie chicken and wild turkey have disappeared from this
section of the country.
"Springfield was the county seat of Limestone County when I was a boy.
Following the War between the States, the Houston and Texas Central Rail-
road built through this section on its way from Houston to Dallas, and
missed old Springfield by three miles, establishing the towns of Maxie and
Groesbeck, leavinF: the old town of the once county seat to its dreams of
by -gone days when the colony under Sterling Robertson in the days of long
ago dreathed of this being the counties foremost town. Now it is left with
only a, few neFro cabins to remind one of the pest.
FOLKLORE 'Alite Pioneer
Miss Zffle 3.wan, P.
McLennan eounty, Texas.
District No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 8
'iSo, STringfield died and Groesbeek end Maxie prospered. The court
house at old Springfield burned and a new one was built at Groesbeck.
Other court houses have since been built at Groesbeek, but they are of a
later day. While yet a child father showed me the heap of ruins which
Larked the site of the old court house at Springfield. In the year 1890
I Sew the new court house at Groesbeck burn. Soon after a more pretentious
building was erected and still later another one was erected near, although
the one which was built following the one ver,ich was burned is partially
dismantled, the main building is still standing. The present court house
cost about half a million dollars and is one of the prettiest of the state.
The vicinity near old Springfield is enlivened at present by the C. C. C.,
Camp.
A seven hundred and fifty acre lake nearby which is to be used for
fishing and recreational purposes. Perhaps the ghosts of those other days
will resent the interruption of their dreams but may they awake to dream
again of the happy days gone by!
0Father was a thrifty and busy farmer. He kept his boys busy in the
fields and attending to live -stock. Once a year he carried me to Lexie
where I saw the most modern cotton gin machinery. In our community we had
two pins that were run by horse power, that is the horse pulled the lever
by which the in was operated. One gin had a box for baling the cotton.
The ginner distributed the cotton to the gin saws with his hands. The
screw pin was made of wood and was about 15 feet long. A mule hitched to
a lever turned the screw and packed the bale in the press box. As a lad
T Saw the evolution of the ginning industry. Saw the old-time horse power
Pin changed to the .odern pins of today.
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
MoLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 7
YIn those early days the cotton seed was counted worthless. Mt. Smith
said that if we/did not haul the seed away we could not gin with him.
Later, seed was bought and shipped to Europe at t2.00 a ton. Every one
knows now the importance of cotton seed as a source of fats and oils. Every
one knows the story of King Cotton as he has sometimes held the wealth of
hundreds and millions, especially in the South, in his hands. Although he
will never be the king of ante-bellum days again, when he brought such
enormous wealth to the plantation owners. Yet we still depend mainly upon
old King Cotton.
*In 1876 when our present state constitution was written, there appeared
in the convention two groups of statesmen holding two dividing views of
school matters. One held that there should be. no public education at the
expense of the taxpayers, but that the expense of teaching the youth of
the lend be borne by the parents and the public school fund.
'Under that system there grew up some good private schools in Limestone
County. One of these was at Thornton with Prof. E. C. Chambers, as prin-
cipal. Another was located at Central Institute with John Parker as head
of it. This was an academy and a military school. Mr. Parker was an uncle
of the late 4.1liem Yennedy of Groesbeok. Many in Limestone and nearby
counties have attended these schools in the early days.
"As a result of the opposition to taxation for public education there
developed a system of community schools maintained by the meager apportion-
ment of public funds and tuition, the other group of statesmen in the con-
vention contended for i-ormation of school districts with power to levy and
collect taxes for the maintaining of the public schools.
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss itfie Cowan, P.
MoLennan County, Texas.
Vistrict Lo, 8
Filc No. $40
Page No. 8
"When I began school work there were two outstanding school men of that
day. One of these men was Dr. L. A. Johnson, chairman of the board of regents
at Tehuecana, who found time to attend the teachers institute end assist the
teachers in their work. The other was R. B. Cousins, Superintendent of the
Uexia Public Schools, who was a friend of the school teacher and public edu-
cation. Through rallies, meetings end teachers institutes he contacted the
publio and teachers of this county.
"In 1905, Mr. Cousins was elected State Superintendent of Public In-
struction and began many reforms of the public sohool system. 'Under. his
leadership the legislature passed a law abolishing the community school
system whereever it prevailed. It then provided for the office of County
Scho7a Superintendent in all counties eligible as to population. The same
law made it ca(upulsory for the Commissioners Court to appoint a superinten-
dent to hold office until the election following his appointment. The
Commissioners Court of Limestone County was composed of the following:
Hon. James ,Kimbell, County Judge; R. D.. Usury of Groesbeck; Ches. Roberts
of Cloths, Redo Steele of Lexie and J. K. Calloway of Coolidge.
"In 1907, I was appointed the first County School Superintendent of
Limestone County, and served contemporary with Mr. Cousins, State Superin-
tendent. One of my first duties was to see to the formation of Common
School Districts. Alen I qualified as first County Superintendent there
was but one painted school house in the county and that was at l'Alnger. The
condition of the county school T)roperty under the community school system
was a reproach to the county. When the people learned that under the
district system they had power to levy taxes for school purposes, the
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
McLennan County, Texas.
District No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 9
building of elegant school property was begun in all parts of the county;
the schools were provided with good equipment, terms were lengthened and
teachers salaries were increased.
"Another reform introduced by Mr. Cousins was the adoption of uniform
text -books. Before this law was passed the teacher had to teach the books
brought by the pupils. There were no uniformity of text -books. When, as
a young man I went to the old town of Armour (now Coolidge) and taught
school, on the first day of school, a boy of twelve years of age, brought
a Barnes History of the United States, and a Steele's Physics. These were
the only books he brought. This boy was Clyde Collum. He is now Dr. Coll=
of Mart, Texas. With the uniform text books, I was able to classify and
grade the rural schools. I also organized the first County School Board
of this county.
"Before the office of County Superintendent was created, the duties of
the County Superintendent were performed by the County Judge. The first
one I knew who acted in this capacity was Judge Chambers; the second was
Judge Alf Harper and the third and lest judge to take over these duties
was Judge James Kimball. Judge Kimball employed a young man to transact
the school business by the name of Duke Rankin. He is now Dr. Rankin, a
prominent dentist of Groesbeck.
"In 1932, I was a member of the State Legislature and I wrote the law
providing for a school supervisor of Limestone County, to be under the
supervision of the County Superintendent. This law leaves it optional
with the County School Board as to the elleotion of a supervisor.
FOLKLORE White Pioneer
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
McLennan County, Texas.
Distriot No. 8
File No. 240
Page No. 10
*Miss Georgia Hayes is the first supervisor of Limestone County.
Following is a list of County Sohool Superintendents of Limestone County,
up to the present time: I. T. Cox (myself) Groesbeck; X. R. Adkins, now of
Coolidge; T. L. Priohard, Houston; Core Ferguson, Groesbeck; Zia. Barfield,
Groesbeck; and X. I. Bates, Groesbeok.*