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EARLY SETTLEMENT
Mrs. Ada Davis, P.W.
McLennan County, Texas
DiStrict No. 8
No. words 400
File No. 230
Page No. 1.
Reference
E. R. Blocker, eaco, Texas. Interview.
John McLennan told 1,;r R. Blocker's father teat he and Viro Indians
left their village, there eaco now stends, to go to Austin to steel
horses. John keLennan had been stolen from his home when le was about
nine years old, and for many years lived with the Indians. It was while
living with the Red ken that he took this trip.
They slipped into Austin after night. .hey saw u light in a window
and one of the Indians sar a woman combing her hair. The Indian had
never before seen any window glass. Alen the woman turned her back to
the window, Le robbed fur the comb, breaking out the glass. The woman
yelled in frieht. The Indians ran, but did not forget to take e horse
which rod been tied near the house. They hurried back. to eSco. The
Indians took turns riding, the other two held to the horse's tail. A few
miles south of cico, a noise frightened them. As the Indians say: "This
was ttiJ next night from Austin." One Indian drew his bow to shoot, but
stumbled and fell on the arrow, killing himself. Mr. Blocker's,father
often talked to John McLennan after his return from captivity.
In 1868, Mr. Blocker and his father came to eaco from their home,
twelve miles south of town. 'hey saw e large Lord of cattle on Bell's hill.
They talked to the men who were herding these cattle. The men ead e
race horse with teem. Blocker Lad e faster here:: and they traded horses,
getting a fifty duller gold piece "to boot". It was octagon in shape.
That herd of cattle was on the trail to Dodge City Kansas. Mr. Blocker
in his boyhood often sew herds of cattle swim the Brazos at Laco, with
cow boys on horses on each side when the ueter e.s very deep, to guide
the cattle across. Many herds came by eaco in the early ays un their
way to the northern markets.
ehihhTT
hdia Davis, •;4
k•icLennen Ceunty, Texas
District No. 8
No. verde 400
File No..230
Page No. 2
In 195, hr. Blocker had an old man working'for him, building -e
rook chimney. This man vas named Jonee, and ho claimed that he was born
near Varlin, Yells County, Texas' and that he was the toy who. made his
.-eseepe with the little girl when the. Indians murdered his parents and
kinspeople, the Lorgans, seven miles north of Marlin at Rock Da m4 crossing
on thcBruzos/
Mr, Blocker said that when McLennan County Was first settled by
white people that all.ftrms wore in river bottoms because there was timber.
availeblo tor fencing. Barb Wire had not been invented, .Plows-wero crude
things made by blackomiths and could be used only on land rithout turf,
such as river or ,tihbered land. Chairs., buckets and tubs in his horde we.ro
made of cedar, sineehtheyhad settled where that tree was abundant, The
first factory -mode plows wore sold in Waco nearly seventy'yearwego
The first wheel -plows were sold about sixty years two. That was after
the prairie 'untie began to be plowed into farm land. On of the Blocker
slavosvrho belonged.to Er. Mocker's aunt, Mrs. Colonel B. Z. Gurley,
.bought tra acres oe lend. He paid for this lend with two ponies which
at thot tima were valued et fifty dollars, Later, the Katy Rdil Road, in 1883,
bought this lend ond paid W. D. Cain, a prominent Waco neer° and sell -in-
law of the slave, Pali= .Blockerl $6,000 for the two acres of land.
Tht; nor Waco Post °Mee is located on part of this land.
Mr. Blocker recalls that at one time LT Rufus Burleecn.wented to
baptize
MON011,.
converts; the Brazos was so frozen over that the ice had to
be out before the baptizing. Mr.:Blocker entered school in 1865 at the
age of six, The lo school house was at Golindo, thirteen miles south
of Waco. .The teccher wee a cousin of Mt. Blockerls mother., Neigbers;to'
the Blockers at this time were theleckeons,. Retches,. Dutys,_Majors,-.
Norwoods Smiths,.and.others prominent in the early. history of
It ELY :LitsTTI,U1,115:
Lre. Ada DrIvis,
kaLennan equity, Texas
W.stvict No, 8
Deert.toy, toct;r, rolvos and other kijucx wore plonbiful. In the
Texas.
File No. 230
Pai.e No. 3.
fall, wild geoso oft= Ja i2;ri:nt numbors., Pruirie chickens were plontiSul.