Sentimental Sunday: The Man Who Crossed The Brazos

Houston Texas July 8,1899. The Brazos River had reached its peak after flood waters put numerous towns under water. Negroes who lived between Brookshire and Fulshire were stranded. Relief parties were sent to pick them up and take them to dry land that was located in Brookshire.

In Navasota the water had receded about 7 ft and the tale of the ruined crops were evident. Crops teetering to the brink as they were choked by the rushing water. People were scrambling to the plantations where they worked because most were on higher ground and many of the Negroes lived on the bottoms.

In Hempsted there was an appeal to the governor and cities to send out food to the more than three thousand Negroes who also lived on the bottoms and were starving, because they had been without food for days. The same thing was happening in Richmond, and Calvert. The Railroads that served all these areas were washed out and under water, making life miserable for those who depended on them for various services.

While reading the story of the flood I ran across this amazing sketch of this rather handsome man.


http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86071197/1899-07-08/ed-1/seq-2/
The Houston daily post. (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, July 08, 1899

The old man was rescued from his little cabin out on Peach Ridge near Brookshire. He had been water bound for three days. He claims that he is 106 years old and his appearance indicates the truthfulness of the assertion. This sketch was made by the post artist while the old man was being taken to Brookshire.

I went to the census to see if I could find him and also to compare the age that he claimed to be if possible. Even though the artist had a different view of the man whom he thought was every bit his age of 106. I thought that he looked more like a man in his late eighties.

I am pretty sure this is a distinct possible for the Frank in the paper. The age fits plus the area where he said he was rescued from and where he was living. The only different is the spelling of his last name and as we know " Spelling doesn't count" especially in those days.

1870 census
Ancestry:
Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Precinct 3, Fort Bend, Texas; Roll M593_1585; Page: 598A; Image: 591; Family History Library Film: 553084.


Name: Frank Spates
Birth Year: abt 1790
Age in 1870: 80
Birthplace: Louisiana
Home in 1870: Precinct 3, Fort Bend, Texas
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Post Office: Richmond
Household Members: Name Age
Frank Spates 80
Margaret Spates 50

Here is also another census that fits in with the areas that was under water and all located near each other but this is in Waller County. Spelling is off again but the age on the original census record fits whereas the index is off.


Ancestry:
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Justice Precinct 5, Waller, Texas; Roll T623_1676; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 52.Name: Frank Sperght
[Frank Speight]
Home in 1900: Justice Precinct 5, Waller, Texas
Age: 1
Birth Date: 1798
Birthplace: Virginia
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Relationship to Head of House: Father
Father's Birthplace: Virginia
Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
Marital Status: Widowed
Household Members: Name Age
Caesar Sperght 50
Laura Sperght 51
Eda Sperght 19
Delia Sperght 18
Elisabeth Sperght 13
Wealthy Sperght 11
Frank Sperght 1
Frank Sperght 1


It is rather amazing how and when you cross the path of an intriguing subject or article even though you know very little about them. But as we live and breathe we all have a story. No matter how insignificant it is to you, there is always someone else that can capture that story and be blessed.
Mr Frank lived to a wonderful age if his years on earth through this article told the truth. And whats more amazing is that his life was spared again through this horrible flood. I would love to have listened to all he had to share along his travels.

Harrison County Texas Courthouses: Then and Now

Now this is what I call a beautiful structure. It was built in 1900 and designed by Riely Gordon. It was built after the last Harrison County Courthouse burned. I have seen several courthouses in Texas and this is one of my favorites.

The last time I was in Marshall I did not get to tour the part that I wanted to tour. They were at that time remodeling and getting ready to house the Harrison County Historical Museum as a permanent fixture.

This photo below shows the Harrison County Courthouse burning on June 7, 1899. According to the information in the Marshall County Library, materials left by a repairman working on the roof caught fire. A Marshall-lite James Higgins did the construction. The building was designed in the Second Empire style, with a 275-foot tower, brick walls, sandstone trim, and Italianate detailing.

I wonder what records that may have possibly been destroyed in that fire. My ancestors Charles and Elizabeth Tolliver Dixon were located in the 1870 and 1880 census. My 3rd great-grands Joseph and Lucy Tolbert were also listed in the census. Both couples may have had marriage records housed in that building. I have not been able to locate those records so it is quite possible.


This is the newest Courthouse. This is more of a modern structure. It is located across the street in walking distance from the old Courthouse.

I visited this courthouse twice. Each time I was overwhelmed by the amount of people using the facilities. I was told that the majority of people on both of those times were people looking through the land records trying to find heirs for oil leases. All the spaces to work were taken up and they were not about leave. LOL

I had to show my drivers license,(the counter person took a picture)in order for her to look up marriage records behind the counter. I for the sake of me can't understand that theory on records were we were not allowed to look in the index ourselves. The index book was for records in the 1890 plus or minus a few years era.

I found a marriage record/affidavit of a Mariah Wells and Lawrence Taylor who I believe are my gr-grandmother and her husband. The marriage was performed by Minister Daniel Morse. I would have paid dearly for that copy even though I found that copies were extremely expensive if you had more than a few that you wanted.

Maybe the next trip to Marshall I will be able to take a Digital Camera, visit both places and come out with a multitude of records reflecting the lives of my ancestors.

Beyond These Walls My Ancestors Stood

These are my thoughts beyond these walls where my ancestors stood as if I were there.


Monday thru Sunday:

Very early in the morning, swing those legs out from under the cover and get prepared for a hard days work. All of you have chores to do.
The creaking of the wooden floor is getting louder and louder as the kids climb out of bed one by one.

Grandmother you have to start breakfast as soon as you put that apron on. Its hanging on that nail in back of the kitchen door.
I guess homemade biscuits would be the first thing to go into the stove.

One of you girls, go outside and grab a few of those eggs from the hen house while little Gert, starts making those sausage into patties.

Elo, grab that pail over yonder and get some water from the well.

Nannie, hand me that butter you churned last week and put some on the table along with a pitcher of milk.

Elena, you can set the table and use the red checkered tablecloth this time.

I hear that screen door shut more than once. Bang, bang, bang! It must be the boys going out to do a few chores before they sit down to eat.

Toot, quick chasing that tom turkey and bring me about two more pieces of wood to throw in the stove.


Harry, John and Spencer you all come on in here now, breakfast is ready!!
Call your daddy and James Edgar ! Be quick about it before the food gets cold. You know your daddy likes his food hot.

I see grandpa picking up his bible to read a verse before any fork, spoon or cup can be touched. No telling which verse it is because every word is his favorite. flip,flip flip go the pages until he finds the right one to suit this day. Now its time to say Amen!.

Isiaah, pass the biscuits please.


Monday thru Saturday:

Late in the evening sometime after dinner there are clothes to mend. The children have to get their clothes ready for school the next day.

Wright Cuney, you and Owen go in there and help your daddy! I know he has something for you to do instead of being underfoot.
Its enough with Jessie and James Eugene crawling and tugging on my dress hem. You boys could be filling up that number two tub so that your bath can be ready.

Whose turn is it to plait the girls hair?

I know its not Bernice's because she did it yesterday.

Bettie you are sitting there so quiet and looking around like you know whose turn it is.


Sunday:

Church and more church at Little Flock Baptist Church.

Will all family members at the sound of my voice say Amen and please stand and sing

"Onward Christian Soldiers" Amen!!

Those who said Amen were my grandparents James Penn Daviss and his wife Gertrude Sims Daviss.

My great aunts and uncles James Edgar, Owen, Wright Cuney, Bernice, Nannie, Gertrude,Bettie, Elena, Harry, John, Spencer, Isiaah, James Eugene, Jessie, and Elo.

My father Theodore

My great grandparents James and Sallie Cooper Conway, John and Sallie Jefferson Lewis

Plenty of cousins: Nelms, Scotts, Steptoe, Williams, Thompsons, White and others.

Can You Hear The Sounds in Texas?

Can you hear the roaring thunder of horses hooves as two thousand riders rode into town on a hot dusty day. They gathered our ancestors y'all and told them the good news! Belated as it was, good news none the less:
By General Order number 3 that stated: 'The People of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.
They were Free! Free, Free, Free!
Can you hear the sounds of broken chains y'all? Free, Free, Free!

Can you hear the sounds of the voices y'all, and the thumping sounds of dancing on those dusty roads and on those old wooden floors . Free, Free, Free!

Yep Mentor You Deserve A Hand Clap !

Yes, This is my Mentor!!!

A trusted and selfless person who has experience and will guide and steer you in the right direction.

A person who has passion and wants you to succeed in what ever your endeavor is.

Someone who has loads and loads on their plate but will take time to give you a nudge when you need it. Is patient when you are about to pull your hair out because you can't find what you need, or you have to be told over and over how to do certian tasks.

People generally associate a mentor with helping a younger person,but being such an old biddy, I have needed mentoring too.
Whether my mentor knew it or not I latched on to them. Wham!! before they knew it, I made them my mentor (lol)

So many roads,twists and turns to follow:

I have been tormented on which path to pick when coming to a fork or a pass in the road or even an ole dusty trail.


Then along comes my mentor, with a "did you look here?",or "try this link"and an amazing gesture when they tell you "I found this document and I thought you might need it for your records...
A mentor will do the happy dance with you when you have found something small or something monumental concerning your ancestors.


I am so amazed at the kindness! Those times have given me the where-with-all and have demanded me to give back what has been passed on to me.

I know also that a simple thank you is not nearly enough to say to those who have helped me along the way.
However,my heart is filled with a million thank-you's and my mentor(s) deserve every last one of them.
So for all those million thank-you's I have in reserve, I have taken and rolled them all up into one big Thank You!

Now, back to my research!

Treasure Chest Thursday: Enveloping The Past To Secure The Future

There is no telling what you can come up with when you are looking for treasures. I was talking to Luckey from OurGeorgiaRoots and found her ancestor was Thomas Dorsey: The music man Thomas Dorsey!! I had been listening to some of his compositions for years.
I remembered that I had seen something in and old logbook that reminded me of Mr. Dorsey.

These worn envelopes found in an old church log book from Little Flock Baptist Church was an indication to me that the church knew good music, and invested in it to carry on their music ministry just before and after hearing good preaching. Thomas A Dorsey was the all time Father of Black Gospel music.


He wrote and sang "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" my all time favorite. Others from this list are "The Little Wooden Church On The Hill" and "Jesus Lives In Me".

You could get all these songs from 10 cents to 25 cents. Sheet music was mostly what was ordered in those backwoods churches. I can see them now playing that piano, shaking that tambourine and stomping their feet to the beat.

Now here is another set of worn envelopes found in that same old church log book. It says to me that that my grandparents and the church Community of Little Flock Baptist Church in Grimes County Texas thought about the future and put savings into a Retirement fund to have a better life.
I would also imagine that more than a few of my relatives knew the Boyd's in one fashion or another.

Boyd came to Navasota Texas right after emancipation from Mississippi. He eventually taught himself to read and write and found a church home that he eventually joined called Hopewell Baptist Church in 1869.
R.H. Boyd helped to organize the Texas Negro Baptist Convention. He also organized and served as pastor to several churches in Texas. He later moved to Tennessee where he founded the R.H. Boyd Publishing Company. After his death his son Henry took over the helm.

1880 Agri-Census: Oh Mary, I Can't Tell You Not To Weep:

I had been looking and looking for my 3rd great-grandparents Louis and Mary White Cooper together in the 1870 Census in Grimes County Texas but with no success. I did find my grams in 1880 as a widow, and have been linking her children with wives and husbands since then.
I finally, without hurting these tired soles of mine, jumped for joy when I ran across the 1880 Agricultural Census taken in Anderson, Grimes County, Texas on June 1st 1880, and saw her name, Mary Cooper!!!
I would assume that she was a widow on this date because she is the only one listed on the sheet with the Cooper name. Two other persons listed are Henry Mathis the next door neighbor and Robert Parham the son in law of Louis Cooper's daughter Lydia.

According to the census my ggg-grandmother rented shares of land for a portion of the profits totaling 30 acres of pasture or meadow land,and another 100 acres of mowed lawn which probably was used to gather hay. The value of the land, including the fencing was around 150 dollars,and another 80 dollars for the livestock.
She didn't have use of a horse but she did have 4 oxen that she used to plow. I sure wish I knew who helped her with these chores. She had one son Jerry Cooper and the rest were girls.

Oh Mary, I can't tell you not to weep! My mind is visually looking at you now and I don't know how you did it. Why did you have to become a widow now with all those mouths to feed and only one man to help you work the fields.
I know your girls had to help but my God, what you all went through. Cutting all that wood into cords and still had to split with someone else. Sheesh!!

I am also wondering what may have bought you the most money. I see you had only 12 chickens and 12 other types of poultry. It may have been turkeys or those little guinea hens. They only produced 12 dozen eggs in 1879. Well, you did plant acres of Indian corn and oats,Canada Peas and dry beans to acquire a little more money.

Oh Mary, I can't tell you not to moan either! I am hoping that all the things you needed to take care of your family was at home on your own piece of land. Things like a little garden, some cows for fresh milk and a few pigs or hogs. Maybe a pond out back where there was plenty of catfish and sunfish. And trees galore with peaches and pecans and black walnuts.
And above all, I am wishing that you had piece of mind My dear Mary, where you could look out at night and know your children were safe and sound.