|
the post oak woods were in such a position as to fail to check the wind from the north in the winter, and yet it would obstruct the breezes in the summer. He considered that the location on the southern banks of the river would be more satisfactory. People suffered severely from intermittent fever. Fort Gates was named for Major G. C. Gates, of the 4th United States Infantry. "The officers quarters were frame buildings covered with clap-boards; those for laundresses and muleteers were about the same. The remainder of the buildings were frame with upright posts, pointed out and placed in the ground. Hired labor erected several of the buildings. In 1851 the buildings were as follows: four officers quarters, two for company quarters, three for laundresses, one for muleteers and employees, one hospital, one stable, one forage house, two storehouses, one guard house, one blacksmith shop, and one unfinished quarters for a third company. This totaled 18 buildings. "Stone for building was abundant, so stone fireplaces were built for cooking and heating. Lumber cost $25.00 per thousand feet, at Bastrop. Government teams transported it to the post. Troops, with public teams, hauled good water from a stream about 300 feet from the post. It was necessary to pay from $2.00 to $3.00 per cord for fuel. In 1850 the price of corn was $1.75 per bushel, the high price being due to the great distance it had to be hauled. Good grass was close by, but there was difficulty in getting hay. Beef was scarce, so it was necessary to pay six cents a pound for it. At about this time R. G. Grant arrived with a head of 700 cattle, and 700 hogs, the first herd brought to the fort. "Fort Gates was on the road leading from Austin to Fort Graham. A branch extended out to Fort Croggan. (which was near Burnett). Often swollen streams would delay teams for days from Austin to Fort Gates. There were no bridges over the streams. At Waco Capt. Shapley P. Ross --113-- operated a ferry, and at Fort Graham was a ferry. During 1850 supplies carried by contractors, went from Washington on the Brazos, one hundred and forty miles distant, and Houston, two hundred and twenty miles away. After 1851, supplies drawn by public teams, went from Indianola, which was on the coast. "November 26, 1851, Fort Gates, Bvt. Lt. Col. C. A. Montgomery, commanding two companies, 8th Infantry; 6 com. officers, 76 men, 3 men absent, total 86. "1850, Fort Gates. Bvt. Lt. Col. W. R. Montgomery, two companies, 8th Infantry, Companies D and I. "November 26, 1851. Fort Gates, Bvt. Lt. Col. C. A. White. Two companies, 8th Infantry, 8 officers, present, 113 men present, 1 officer absent, G men absent. Total 128 officers and men." Above we have given the historic data available to us, on Fort Gates. At the time Fort Gates was founded Col. Robert E. Lee was in command of the entire western frontier, which embraced the task of preparing defenses across Texas from the Rio Grande River to the Red River, to protect the advancing white settlers from the Indians. Col. Albert Sidney Johnston was one time paymaster for 8th Army Command, and perhaps visited fort Gates. Ben McCulloch also had much service on this frontier. were later distinguished Confederate Generals. Among officers of the frontier service, and who later distinguished themselves as Union Generals in the Civil War were Phil Sheridan, who said he'd "rather be in Hell than in Texas" Gee. A. Thomas, and George B. McLennan. It is quite probable that this sextet of famous Generals were occasional visitors to Fort Gates. Near the site of the old fort is a small burying ground where the soldiers. who came so long ago, to protect the frontier, are buried. Over the other way, but near by, is the Sheridan burial ground where members of that family are buried. -- 114 -- When the organization of Coryell County at Fort Gates, March 15, 1854 was consummated, Chief Justice O. T. Tyler and other members of the court had no officially owned administrative building in which to hold official business meetings. The court was therefore held in one of the vacated buildings of Ft. Gates which was owned by J. D. Giddings. Several meetings were held, March, 15, May 5, and May 17. On the latter date, County Clerk J. C. Russell was ordered to move the county archives to Gatesville and Ft. Gates ceased to be the capital of the new county. Several court orders were issued on that date: Reuben Queen was appointed to appraise the value of the buildings at Ft. Gates, which had been offered to the new county by J. D. Giddings, should the county seat be located there. Also, the field notes of surveyor Herman Aiken, locating the center of the county had been accepted on May 5 and on May 17, his expense account of $53 was allowed. Sufficient time for the accumulation of public buildings or the funds to build them had not been elapsed since the organization of the county, so when County Clerk J. C. Russell moved the county archives to Gatesville, he established in a small framed building owned by R. G. Grant. This was the first official courthouse in Gatesville and it was privately owned. "At the February term of court, 1855, R. G. Grant received $100 a year for the use of his houses as a Courthouse for Coryell County." The Grant building was used by the court until the fall of 1856. At the August term of court, 1856, Court in session. B. W. Hammack presiding. Commissioners Henry Boyd, W. K. Beauchamp, Madison McCutcheon, and David Gray. Ordered by the court: that $365. To be allowed R. B. Wells and R. H. Robertson for material furnished to build a courthouse in Gatesville, they being contractors, this contract of which, was this day rescinded by the parties. This account shows to be only -- 115 -- for materials with which to build a courthouse, but it does not show the cost of the building, so the entire construction costs musts have been included in the above account. No dimensional specifications, no location, nor any date upon which the court received the finished building. Pioneers still living say that this building was on the site occupied by the present courthouse. It evidently continued as the official courthouse through the Civil War period and on through the reconstruction period. It is interesting to note some of the actions of the court during the Civil War. May 18, 1863.Madison McCucheon, Chief Justice and Commissioners, W. D. Coates, David Gray and Daniel McCarthy and Clerk J. R. Saunders, "Ordered, and decreed, by the court that the Clerk of the County Court sell the ammunition of the County of Coryell, to all citizens of said county, each man that applies to him, one half pound of powder, and lead and caps in proportion, County Treasurer keeping account of same." In those strenuous Civil War Days before defense measures were deeply in the minds of the people. The following item of an order by the court indicates that a great deal of spinning, weaving and knitting was expected of the women of Coryell County, to supply the needs of the soldiers of the Confederacy. "Ordered. May 19, that the sum of $770, be, and the same is hereby appropriated to the County of Coryell, by the State Military Board, and Reuben Ross is hereby appointed to receive the money and purchase the cards". These cards were distributed June 22, 1863. In November, 1863, 231 more cards were distributed at a cost of $2,310. J. H. Stevenson received $50 for transporting them from Austin. The same court that issued the order for the sale of the ammunition owned by the county, and the purchase of cotton cards, issued another order that had far reaching repercussions, which were extremely tragic -- 116-- on the cattle industry of Coryell County, as long as open range conditions prevailed, and until fence posts and barbed wire closed out the free range cattle barons; for it was "Ordered by the Court of Coryell County, that all citizens of this County be and ace hereby permitted known, such unmarked stock shall be entirely separate from the mother, and be it further ordered that all persons branding the same, shall report to the County Clerk of the County Court, under oath, the amount thus marked and branded, and paying the sum of $5 for year-olds, $7.50 for 2 year-olds and $10 for 3 year-old or cows and. calves, and by thus reporting and paying into the County Treasury the amounts thus specified vests the rights in the taker up. Proceeds of same to be applied to the use and benefit of soldiers and families in the service of the Confederacy. At the County Court 1870, James H. Armstrong, County Judge, M. A. Britain and E. Shelly, Commissioners J. W. Powell, Clerk, and E. W. Franks, Sheriff, the old Courthouse was ordered sold to the highest bidder, on the first Tuesday in February. C. W. Cormens bought the old building for the sum of $275. The record does not state whether the building was immediately torn down. -- 117-- THE GREAT MESQUITE TREE There is a tree, that for the grace and beauty of its lace-like foliage, the sweet aromatic odor of its bloom, and the place it occupies in southwestern folklore, is unsurpassed by any tree in the southwest. It is the Mesquite, and in the beautiful hills of Coryell County, the largest specimen of this tree is growing. It's near the town of Flat, and very close to State Highway 36. It is not the largest tree in the world but the largest Mesquite tree known to exist. The first the world at large knew about Coryell County having the largest Mesquite tree in the world when Weldon D. Woodson published a story in The Houston Chronicle Rotogravure Magazine, December 14, 1947. In 1831, Charlie and Andy Smith journeyed to Texas from Tennessee. In 1883 they settled near the village of Flat. It was a picturesque setting in the hill country of Coryell County. They erected a double log house near this great tree. Andy Smith said it was a very large tree then. The tree is still in company with the log house. The substance of the above paragraph is from Mr. Woodson's story. He is a naturalist, author and writer of many stories to magazines, and of course is versed in most subjects pertaining to forestry. Now, Mr. Woodson again -- "But in September of 1940 the American Forestry Association launched a campaign to locate the largest specimens of American trees. The writer of this article -- a cousin of Allen Smith and therefore long familiar with the big "Mesquite" sent in the measurements of the tree to the Association. It was definitely recognized as the world's largest, and took its place in the Hall of Fame for Trees in Washington, D. C. "As Mesquites go, it is a giant, indeed. It's measurements are: circumference at four and one-half feet, 10 feet nine and one-half inches; spread 65 feet; height is - 118- 6o feet. At- one time, states Allen Smith, it had a spread of 75 feet, but high winds broke off some of the large limbs.'' In this connection, states S. W. Blanchard of Mound; the blizzards of 1929 loaded the great tree so heavily with ice that the winds broke the large limbs. The Smith's have always been very much attached to this tree; for Charlie Smith had traveled the mesquite country of both Texas and Mexico, very extensively, and had always contended that this was the largest mesquite tree he had ever seen. Allen Smith. the son of Andy, still lives in the log house, and is still very much devoted to the tree. Mr. Woodson had this to say about this tree -- "It strikes me, that since this is the largest Mesquite tree in the world, measures should be taken to preserve it or posterity. My belief is that the Texas Legislature should make it a land mark. I personally plan shortly to write the Governor to that effect, as well as various other parties that would be interested, Should you feel as I, possibly communications to the State Representative of the district that embraces Coryell County. the Governor, and whomever you think would be vitally interested, would help". It seems to this writer that here is a fine opportunity for the Coryell County Highway Beautification Committee or the Coryell County Historical Society to carry on a: campaign to create a roadside park to include both the great Mesquite tree and the Double Log House, and thus preserve them both for posterity. One cannot talk much about Mesquite trees without thinking of J. Frank Dobie, who has spent a great deal of time writing about mesquite trees, and is never so much at home as when working with the "brush poppers" in that vast brush country of Southwest Texas. Frank reports a great Mesquite tree and says: "The largest Mesquite I have noted measures ten feet, eight inches around the trunk, five feet above the ground. It is, or was growing a few years ago in pens at the George West Ranch in Liveoak County. This tree is stunted in Height." -- 119--- Now this is a close competitor of our Coryell County tree but as Frank states, that his tree was stunted in height it still leaves our tree the Grand Champion. The thin lace-leafed foliage of the Mesquite will not allow it to take its place as a shade tree around homes, but to one who loves the rich honey laden odor of this tree, when it is in full flower, the Mesquite finds a favored place. The blossoming season is a long one. The Mesquite often produces heavy crops of beans. A large, long Fleshy pod with small hard beans. The fleshy pod when well ripened is very palatable and has a very pleasant taste. It enters very much into the economy of the Indians and Mexicans who dwell in the Mesquite country. For uncounted generations this bean has been pounded on mortars and reduced to fine meal, from which the seed was separated, leaving a very nutritious, bean-like food. "In 1898, I was several weeks in a camp near a great Mesquite pasture. I was stricken with a severe attack of dysentery, or flux. I asked our foreman to bring some medicine from town. He told me to take the inner white bark from a young Mesquite and chew several wads of it, swallowing the juice and discarding the pulp. This I did, and by evening of the next day, I was fury recovered." The Mesquite blossom is a rich honey Producer, and Mesquite honey from Texas commands the highest price throughout the nation. Now this for housewives who live near Mesquite trees -- if you want your white clothes to be brilliantly white, after boiling, take a handful of Mesquite foliage, tie in a cloth, and toss them in the pot with the boiling clothes. The long, smooth thorns of the Mesquite were used as pins by the Indians, and the rich amber-colored gum was used for bowl and pulmonary troubles. - 120 - -- end -- |
||