Document text
FOLKLORE,- WHITE PIONEER.
Miss ,ffie Cowan, P.W.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
REFERENCE,
Interview with Mr Bd McCullough, MoorevilletTexas.
File NO. 240.•
Page NO. 1.
My father,Captain Ba Mo Calloagb was born in Hamrshire county,
West Virginia in 1840. There be passed his boyhood and youth. Just be-
fore the outbreak of the War between the States he came south to Miss.
curl, and from Jasper county, that state, be enlisted in the Confederate
army, in which he rendered faithful service until the conflict was over.
before the close of the war be was rromoted to R Cvtaincy.
"In 1865 father came to Texas and settled in Falls county where he spent
the rest of his life as P• farmer and merchant, having n store at what is
now the Mooreville commahity, fifteen miles southwest of the city of Woo,
Texas. He rassed away at this place in 1902 at the age of sixty eight years.
He first married in Joplin Missouri, to Miss Sophia Irwin, who died in that
county, leaving a daughter now Mrs Lawrence Livingston. For his second
wife be married Miss Eliza Piser, daughter of W.A.Piser, who emigrated to
Texas from Tennessee
"Tbs,. obillrAn of my fahhers second marriage are myself: Judge Tom MC-
-Onllough of Dallis; another.brother N.H., former President of the Central
Texas National Bankand secretary and treasurer of the Dr Peyper Company,
Waco; Janie U. wife of Dr G.S.MC Reynolds of Temmle Texas.
I was born in Palls county near what is known as the Rock Dam community.
in 1868 where my father first located, later moving to the Mooreville see-
tion. I attended the public schools at Mooreville, and Southwestern Univ-
POLKLORE-W RITE PIONEER,
Miss Effie Cowan. P.W.
McLennan County, TexAs,
District 8.
File NO. -P40
Page NO. P.
-ersity At George -town Texas. After leaving College I entered the mercan-
tike business at Mooreville with my father. I resided here until 1907 and
then removed to Waco, Texas where I was mayor of the city daring the year
1917, at the time the United States army trainiLg camp for overseas servioe
daring the World War,i.,
was locatedoedjoining waco to the north and west of the city, The avaition
field being 1Thcated on the west side and the army camp for the soldiers
to the north.
"At this time the population of the city was around Sixty thousand people.
and in the training camps there were fiom 30.000 to 40:000 soldiers. The
camp remained in this location the entire time of the entrance of the Uni-
-ted States/ until the close of the World War. The National Guard troops
from Michigan and Wisconsin were located here and after they were sent
over -seas, they were replaoed by troops from the regular army training
new recruits.
In 1891 I married Miss Flora.ttaves of Georgetown Texas. To as were
born five children, four boys and one girl. The boys are,Leland and George
who live in the Rio Grande valley and are farmers. Marvin ant. attorney
of Wichita Falls Texas. and John T. anl attorney at Houston. My daughter,
Flora is in the advertising business and works for the R.T.Dennis Oommany
.A.
of Waoo, Tetas. My wife passed away in 1928, and in 1933 I married Mrs itar*
Durst, who died in 1935. I then returned to my home in Mooreville to live. 1
i
Mooreville is situated in the northwest part of Falls county ,west
of the Brazos river, occapiesi,position in the county somewhat similar to
the rural communities on the east, such as Strangerfr Odd!, Kosse and others.
In the earlier days the little village had an outstanding commercial ties-
ligioas and political center.
FOLKLORK,-WHITE ,IONEER, File NO; 240;
Miss Effie Cowan,P.W. Page NO.S.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
The town is situated en top of a bill overloaking'the- winding Cow
Bayou, which flows eastwardffrom which one may behold fertile farms
for a distance of fifteen to twenty-five miles. It is little wonder
that the early pioneers seleoted this location for its high elevationj
giving them a view of the country to watch for bands of hostile Indians.
'Before the coming of the San Antonio and Aranses Pass railroad through
here in the early nineties, this country reached a peak in population.
Its people wielding great social, political, and religious influence.
Later it has settled down to a typical rural farming center, noted for
its productive soil early traditions and friendly hospitality of its
people. Its history is one of families, since 1849when Robert Moore built
his home on two of the bill, the community has been known as Mooreville.
"Mr Moore bad a store as. well as farming interest Others who came
with Robert Moore from South Carolina in 1849 was the Jim Sutton family
and the W.C. Kirkpatrick family. They travelled in ax -wagons fording the
Brazos near near its present and/only bridge. Tall trees and interspersed areas
of deep sage grass presented an antravelled and unmarked area. The 'little
company of people oat a good sized tree and tied it to the back of their
wagons, dragging a trail vier which they would have a route marked, in
the event of their deciding to return. This route marked by the little
band of pioneers became the trail which leads from the Kirkpatrick
home a short 'distance from Mooreville to the river bridge,"turnpike" and
Marlin. Texas.
FOLKLORE,IWHITE PIONEER,
Miss Effit Cowan,P.W.
Mclennan woanty, Texas,
District 8.
File NO; 240
Page NO. 4.
"Later after Mr goore moved a short distance away from the hill in a
southwesterly direction, having bought another farm, a man by name of
Holmes had a store near the same place. This store was located on the
bill not far from the present H.S.Jones home.
"Immediately after the Civil War a number of families moved to the comm-
unity, laying the foundation for the vast influence the community was
destined to wield in the years following. Among them were the Mc Calloughs
Jones ,Wiggins, Fisers, Bowmans, Martins, Davis's, and others I do not
recall. They joined the earlier families and went to work to pat the land
in cultivation.
My father,Cartain Ed gcCullough operated a saw and grist mill on the
Brazos river in P'alls county at what was known as Burr Lake. Three years
later he bought tiseeemyemPloguesiralse—etwert three hundred acres of the
wild uncultivated land at Mooreville, which happened to include the spot
where Mooreville stands today. Later he acquired holdings up to 3400 acres
which he set about developing.
"One of the first moves my father made when he began the develonment
of his land was to set aside ground for church and school purposes. The
original deed Cos the land for this purpose, written in longhand by my
father is in possession of H.S.Jones of Mooreville. This deed is dated
November 18, 1874. The ground for the school and church was deeded to t
the following trustees; L. Magee, J.R.Kirkpatrick, Leander Fiser James
Jones, Ed Mo Cullough, W.T. Wiggins.
FOLKLORE -WHITE PIONEER,
Miss Effie Oowan,P.W.
licLennan County, Texas,
Adistrict 8.
"Then it was that the gethodist church of Alooreville was organized,
the minutes of which are in possession of Mrs H.S.Jones who is church
clerk now. Previous to this time the Methodist had worshimped at old
Cottonwood a short distance northward and eastward. &tarring to the
minutes of the original church (1874) it is indicated the following c
charter members were present.; Mrs W.T.Wiggins, the only living member
who was present) Mr Wiggins, Mr and Mrs 4eorge Bowman, Margaret Trewett,
Mr and Mrs R.H.Jones, Mary Jones, Captain Ad AcCullough, Eliza McCullough
(my parents). Leander and EMmnal neer, Willis, Off, and Jane Fiser, and
Mrs Fannie Nix.
File NO.240.
Page NO. 5.
These members immediately built a church where the present church now
stands(just south of the Mooreville-Eddy road). The old church served mita
1911, when the sons and daughters and others following in the footstems of
those pioneers wanted to leave a heritage also. The result was the present
'modern church building. Those instrumental in building the present church
were ,George Bowman, Hardy Jones, James Jones, Leander Fiser, and the late
J.F.Haokett, of Chilton. James W.Jones, Sam Jones, Wesley Patterson and
others.
"When the lightning:strack the old Cow Bayou. Baptist Church building
in 1914, which stood on the hill northeast of the present school bhilding
after the Baptist had held services for awhile in the school building
the Methodist church became sort of a community center attended by those
of all denominations. With the coming of better roads and automobiles itt-L.
00Vie people attended church at Chilton and nearby coMmanties.
FOLKLORBr-WRITE PIONEER,
Miss Effie Cowan,P.W.
MeLennad County, Texas,
District 8.
File NO. 240.
Page NO. 6.
The mail was brought by a carrier from aarlin after 1871(before the
Houston and Texas 'eintral railroad reached rnarlin and on to Eddy.
The carrier stayed all night at lady and returned to Marlin the next
day. Mail came once a week. The stage line was located where Eddy is,
or rather it passed through these towns. Later on the post -office's were
in the stor;s, often moving from one store to.another. Later Sam Jones,
(of the pioneer family of Jones) was a postlaster and 3'ohn loveA brought
the mail .from aarlin. Captain Murphy a little farther sontb-lest served
as postmaster at one time.
Mooreville now receives its mail from the nearby town of Chiltonf.on
the railroad) through rural delivery. Mooreville went through the heatie
days following the coming of the barb wire fences in the early eighties,
and the passing of the roaming cattle and the free -grazing industry. New
land went into cultivation rapidly. t'opalation increased. Cattle rust-
ling was under contril and the community was making great headway in its
commercial leadership. Storms were frequent and the earlier rate houses
felt the Effects of them but they stood up under the hand of Time until
they were torn down and rebuilt.
It was in the eighties and nineties that Mooreville reached its peak
of influence in the county and centwal Texas.Earlier settlers had laid
the foundation and a rapid growth came when my father and J.T.Davis
started a. mercantile business on a more extensive scale. Father built
horse drawn gin,aboat the same time Hardy Jones an4rother Jameebailt
another gin. These gins were busy in the ginning season as the new land
went into caltivationfthey ginned a large amoung of cotton. The cotton
FOLKLORE -WHITE PIONEER? Pile NO. 240
Miss Effie Oowan,P.W. Page NO. 7
moliennan County, Texas,
District 8.
:=seed was of no value and peat stacks were allowed to pile up. They were
burned or rotted. As the gins were improved and boilers were patNin them 9
this seed was sometimes used for fuel. uther gins sprang tip around ,ioore-
ville one new gin was built by Mike Williams near the Kirkpatrick place to
the south of the hill.
The Davis and lAcCallough store eater became McCullough Brothers, then
Jones Brothers, ptimately H.S.Jones as it is today.In 1890 T.H.Denard Opened.
store at Mooreville, Mr Denard is still in business, upon almost the idol,
1
1 -tioal spot he began. He is Moorevilles oldest merobant,at present. doing
1 business continnesly for forty eight years. Another store of early days was
the firm of Jones and Bowman. Thts business was later acquired by Mr Dollard
and the business continued in the same two-story building which Zones and
Bowman built.
"In the eighties and nineties Mooreville was the scene of many hectic pol-
itical meetings and conventions. Many noted state and national personali-
ties spoke there, each bidding for the votes of both land -owner and tenant.
Charles A.Culberson Apoke there during one of his campaigns for governor,as
did many other candidates. Joseph Weldon Bailey in his campaign for the
Senate. Another bleftorable speaking was in the nineties when Governor Jim
Hogg spoke. It was in the old picnic grove on the south side of the bayou,
just east of the Waco rood, that grove now faded has an interesting his-
tory. It is a beautiful snot, with tall tree of elm and oak. It had been
cleared up for the special purpose of making a picnic ground, and it soon
became a famous pionis center in the nineties. In tbe spring the violets
bluebonnets and other wild flowers grew in profusion making it one of the
most beautiful natural Park in this part of the state.
FOLELORBWRITE PIONEER,
Miss Mffie Cowan,P.W.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
When. Governor Hogg made his race' for governor against
Pile NO.240
Page NO. 8.
George Clark
Governor Hogg came to Aooreville and spoke it the picnic grounds. The
beat of this campaign stands out clearly in my memory. Prof. Udine of
San Antonio who lived at dooreville and Obilton,during the early '90 'a
said recently." I recollect the occasion of Hogg's speaking in illooreville,'
I was one of a committee to meet him at Chilton as be came from Waco.
specially do I recollect an example of his amazing memory. While I was
attending college at Huntsville in the late eighties I,met Jame, Hogg
there. One day the instructor of astronemy notified the class that every
one mast arise at three oclovk the next morning tor a telescopic stUdig
of the moon in eclipse. That night it twined foggy and misty and the sky
overcast with heavy clouds. I had been delegated to awaken the students
and since we had'nt relished the idea of getting up so early I thought it
would be a good joke to awaken them-- regardless of whether we could see
the moon or not. Several years later when Hogg got off the train at Chil-
tonthe spi4d me, shook hands and said,"Well Eddins have you awakened any
more people on cloudy nights to see the moon?"
*till another incident of hameroas nature that happened oat at the old
Di0a0 grove in the late nineties. Robert Henry of Waco, a Promising young
lawyer (now deceased) bad as his opponent Callen P.Thomas, now of Dallas,
for the United States Congress from this district. t was a heated campaign
with several issues under discussion and the speaking of either candidate
brought large enthusiastic crowds. Both spoke at Aooreville. During Mr
Ienry's speech a WROO newspaper man arose right in front of the sneaks*
and shoated"That's a lie, Bob Henry". wheOpo0 the speaker reached for a
glass fallof water that happened to be on the table in front of him, he
FOLKORE-WHITE PIONEER,
Miss Effie Oowan,P.W.
Mesennan County, Texas,
District 8.
let the glass of water fly at the mand who had interrupted him. The WM
dodge& and the glass struck a man behind the guilty party-- This man bap-
pened to be for Henry He recovered his poise and exclaimed "HnrrPh for
ilenry".
The above incidents are related because they throw some light on the
political importance of Mooreville in earlier days In these days when
many political campaigns were settled under the convention system many
precinct conventions were held here and many so-called "wires" were palled
at 16oreville.
With the increased influence of the railroad at "ihilton, five'Oilvs
of Aooreville) good roads and automobiles, Mooreville has lost its former
great voting strength. It is still an influential rural community, but
the hectic political life which flourished so definitely in the eighties
and nineties has subsided-- even as it has in other communities and cities,
rile NO.240.
Page NO. 9.
With this incident I will close, When a samll boy I remember a certain
young man whose bobby was drawingoflit a board, took what was known in those
days as an•, ink ball and drew a sign upon which was the picture of a point-
ing ha:214nd the words" One mile to Aooreville". A negro went a mile up on
the west of the old neer field.)where the road strikes in a general direc-
tion towards the east and west and crossed the bayou at the ford on South
Bayou and nailed up the sign. For mane7years that old pen -Oak board sign
pointing toward the hill directed strangers through the woods and winding
trails to Moore's place, where a store, welcome and hospitality ,created
a sort of community center which has carried on ever since.