Document text
Sarly Settlement
Gladys Marshall, P. W.
11111 County, Hillsboro
District i 8
No. of words 1280 _
File No. 230
Page 1
Referenees
A. Consultant Mrs. Rattle Vanes
B. Consultant Zoe Wields Nerrer
C. Consultant Mr. L. B. Thompson
D. Hillsboro Mirror 1930
B. Consultant .Miss Janet Wood
F. Consultant Mrs. Tam Brooks
G. Consultant Nr. A. T. Thompson
R. Consultant Mr, T. B. Bond
I. Consultant Br. John ,busy
3. Consultant Kr. L. Brin
01.01•0•4180410•11Nro em.ampoum
Mrs. Aattle Vance has lived on South Waco Street, Hillsboro,
since 18ST. Left a widow, she beeaae a dressmaker during
the period of lego-mutton sleeves, bustles and trains.
Dresses were made of alpaea, or taffeta stiff enough to
stand alone and "fit like a glove." The streets were unpaved,
and the dust in dry weather was ankle deep and the mud in wet
kZ"
weather was above the shoe tops. Through these streets,
carrying their heavy trains, the ladies made their way to
church, shopping or on **alai calls. The first improvement
came when the community bought loads of gravel and built walks
from the residence section to town. The homes were furnished
with stiff formality. The long lace eurtains spread out on
the floor like trains. The earpets were Brussels and rag,
4arly ,aettlene t
Gladys Marshall, P. a.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District 6
No. of words
File No. 230
Page 2
and the parlor suites upholstered in red plush. Mrs. Vance
remembers the first automobile seen on the streets of
Hillsboro and What a sensation it caused, people running
from all directions wanting to see it. (A)
Captain W. S. Fields was born in Liverty County, Texas, Feb.
1854, attended the schools of his day, :ad was admitted to
the bar before he was twnety one. He entered the newspaper
business in 1875 and published The Comanche Chief at Comanche
Texas; then he sold his interest in that paper and established
The Blade at Meridian. After several years, Captain Fields
sold his interest in The Blade, and went to Washington, as
correspondent for The Dallas and Galveston News. Later re-
signed, oams to Hillsboro and bought The Hi1lsboro Reflector
until Captain Fields sold his interest in 1895. From 1905
to 1913, he was tditor af The Mirror. Resigning in September
1913, he became Sergeant of arms of the House of Representative
at .;ashington. He was clerk in the House, Vice -Clerk of the
Senate, and later Sergeant --t -Arms of the Senate. In 1892,
he was elected to the twenty-third Texas Legislature and in
1922 was elected to the Legislature as Flotorial Representative
from Hill and Navarro Counties. In 1915, he was appointed
postmaster at Hillsboro ricl resigned his position in Washington
to accept that -place. He served under both terms of the ilIon
Sarly Settlement File No. 230
Page 3
Gladys Marshall, P. W.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District j 8
Aministration nd one year under President Harding. Captain
Fields was Librarian in ashington but was on his way home on
7 a vac(tion when the news came of the asassination of President
Garfield. He was a member of he Presbyterian church and was
active in all public works up until the time of his death.(B)
Mr'. J. R, Thompson came to Texas from Alabama, at the o8P of
sixteen. In 1881, Mr. Thompson disposed of his Freestone
County holdings and came to Hillsboro, where he has since
resided. From bookkeeper and salesman he rose to his own
business, J. R. Thompson Hardware Company. Hillsboro, in
1892, in keeping with its frontier environment, was a wide
open town protected by state license, the liquor traffic
flourished. The first temperance lodge in Hillsboro was
organized in Hillsboro in 1892. Mr. Thompson actively as
sited in its organization and wil.s its first president. Mr.
Thompson is a member of the church in which he has been a
trustee. He served on its board of stewards for more than
a third of c century. Since w—ly manhood he has taken an
active interest in local, state and Ntional politics. (Ce
Captain H. aebb, was born in Rutherford County, North
Carolina, Ikugust 9, 1884. He came to Texas in 1872, and
bought the home ne:r Mayfield, where he resided until his
recent death. He was one of the builders, forty-eight years
Sarly 6ettlement File No, 230
P!..ge 4
Gladys W,rehall,
Hill Count;', Hillsboro
District k 8
ago, of the Old Prairie Dale Baptist Church, .round which
clings the memories of a large number of Hill County Baptist
and which wL:s only recently emerged with another church and
moved to Mayfield. Captain -rebb was one of the original pro-
moters of the Itasca Cotton Mills, one of the first cotton
mills built in the State of Texas, and was president and
general manager of the mill for eleven years. (D)
Mr. and Mrs. 1Tilliom Wood. Ur. Wood was born (:,t Spring Valley,
New York, July 23, 1841. J.fter the civil war they moved to
Texas. In 1881 at Hillsboro, he opened a lumber yard for
C. T. Lyon. He served as manager of the firm until his death
in July, 1910. In the early eighties Mr. Wood was appointed
postmaster at Hillsboro and held that position until idhe first
part of President Cleveland's first term when his tenure ended.
He was always interested in community civic, moral and re-
ligious affirs. Possibly no woman contributed more to this
city's church and religious life than Mrs. Wood and devoted
more of her time to th t end. With Ale late John P. Cox she
helped to organize he First Methodist Sunday school in
Hillsboro and taught in s me for many ye:rs. She also or-
ganized the first ladies aid society, now known as the
Missionary Society and served as an officer until failing
health caused her to retire. Mrs. Wood died July, 1926. (E)
Early settlement File No. 230
Page 5
Gladys Marshall, P. 4.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District 8
Mrs. Tam Brooks. One of the most interesting of our local
pioneers is Mrs. Tam Brooks, born in Hillsboro, Mississippi
in 1855, and located in Hillsboro, Texas in 1880, a year before
the railroad. Mrs. Brooks is a daughter of the late Seaborn
Smith, who came to Texas in 1866: They made the trip from
Mississippi in horse and ox drawn vehichles, crossing the
river at Natches on flat boats, It took seven weeks to
reach their destination. They settled near Peoria Where
they lived until 1880, when they moved to Hillsboro and the
following year they erected the family homestead which Mrs.
Brooks has °coupled for half a century. Part of the roof
originally put on the house is still in use and in good con-
dition. She has a piano bought in 1890, and furniture that
dated back many years before that time: The house was heated
by two Franklin stoves, built like fireplaces and one of them
is still in use. Mts. Brooks recalls, groceries, drugs and
other supplies were sent in by ox cart from Houston and New
Orleans. Traffic was through the little village of Waco.
Families bought their sugar and flour by the barrel and green
coffee by the sack, parching it in the fireplaces. She is
the only surviving charter member of the Liberty Tedple
Presbyterian Church. (r)
Early settlement File No. 230
Page 6
Gladys Marshall, P. W.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District 8
Mr, As T. Thompson came to Hillsboro in 1881 from Dixon County
Tennessee and was married to we. D. L. Kittle Brooks. Thirty
days after his marriage, Mr. Thompson shipped into Hillsboro
the first carload of lumber ever brought into the town and
built his home at 108 Corsioana Street. Being a lover of
trees he put out trees at his expense the entire length of
Corsicana Street, beginning on Smith Street and coming around
a block on North Pleasant Street. In 1892, he built 'four brick
buildings on Elm Street, the first business houses to be erected
,on that street. A few yerrs later he built the Thompson Flats.
He also has tha honor of improving the first street in Hillsboro,
putting 900 loads of gravel on West Elm Street from Katy depot
to the court house square. The gravel w 2 taken from the
present site of the Hillsboro Cotton Ulla. Mr. Thompson was
among the first directors af the Lake Park Association,
planned nd built the old pavilion and supervised all the lake
park improvements. He was also one of the direotOrs of the Old
Soldiers and Old Settlers Association, built the pavilion,
made many improvemants at their Reunion Grounds, planed and
built the first elevator in Hillsboro, bull the First Methodist
parsonage on South Waco Street; and the Line Stree Methodist
Church, helped to build the Hillsboro Cotton Mills; was one
of the directors and president for two ye re. i,oting for the
Lrly::eettleront Yile No. 230
rage 7
Gladys k-rshall, P. 4.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District 8
city Mr. Thompson purchased from George L. Porter the Ridge
Park Cemetery nssocilition for the sum of 458 per ncre nnd
with the assistance of Mr. t;,, 6. DLvis laid out the cemetery
t;.nd set out trees. Mr. ond Mrs. Thompson had no children of
their own but roured sever.). nephews nd nieces. (0)
T. 14, Bondt, The late Wm. Bond moved to 7illsboro from Bryan
in 18e1, und he And his son, T. B. Bond, opened a drug busi...
nose in the building now occupied by the Ritz The tre, ,,fter
three yenrs they built e two story building on the lot eat
and moved into sLme, ramming there until March, 1895, when
they !Airoh,, ed !...nd moved into their present loc:t'on. In
1913 the building wall remodeled nd a handsome modern front
put in .nd Lilo interior wnc re-ctrienged with ne. fixtu'es.
Their business consisted only of sellinr drugs nd filling
prescriptions. It is the second oldest retail store in
Texas under the or WB man catmint, Mr, '1m Bond remained
otive in the business until few months before his de.,th
on January 18, 1928. Both father ,nd son have been promi-
nently identified with the growth of Hillsboro nd Hill
County. (H)
Mrs, Fannie Woof Thompsop came to Hillsbor to make her home
with her deurhters; Mrs. Upshaw and Mrs. Abney in 1885. On
File No. 230
settlemikat Page 8
Gladys Marshall, P. W.
Hill County, Hillsboro
District 8
account of declining health Judge Abney moved with his family,
including Mrs. Thompson to San, Antonio in 1893, and a few
months later to Boerne, Texas. After the death of their parents
she took the three _,Amey children to Georgetown and placed them
in school. In 1909, with John ivbney and his two sisters, she
returned to Hillsboro Where she resided until her death. (I)
Mr. and Mrs. L. Brin of Corsicana Street, are truly pioneers.
Thy e -me to Hillsboro when it was a small village. They
donated v luable land to make the City Park. 01
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