Page 44 
MORE NEW CITIZENS -- 1ST BAPTIST AND METHODIST CHURCHES 
ORGANIZED-EARLY SPRING, SAN JACINTO CELEBRATION
Do you remember that by the middle of 1878 the population of Luling 
had materially increased and people were proud to live on the avenues. In 
this year of '78 there was a house on the corner of every block. Sixth 
Avenue got the Dave Johnson blacksmith shop with rooms above. Riley 
Reed's dwelling was north of Gregg's store, the T. P. Harris and J. Kahn 
residences also. The new editor of the Signal built a small house across from 
the David Moore dwelling, occupied by Rev. Cross and family. On 3rd 
Street near the end of 6th Avenue lived the David Greggs and J. L, 
Grass. Mrs. Daily and her daughters, Miss Julia and Mrs. Fowler, ran a 
popular boarding house frequented by the young professional and business 
men. W. R. Johnston moved into the J. N. Stagner two-story dwelling on 
7th Avenue in time for his wife to become a charter member of the Baptist 
Church. Miss Bettie (or Bessie) Anderson and her mother built next to 
the Moore home and T. W. Perkins, from LaGrange, the confectioner, lived 
next to the Johnstons on N. 2nd Street. 
You remember that the Masonic lodge, A. Dillard, Lewis Johnston and 
the printing office were on this avenue. In '78 Mr. Redus from Devine 
built a rock two-story building for the Gregg grocery store and later rented 
the upper story for the K. of P. Lodge. But, were you one of the lucky 
young people who attended the dance and social given by the Greggs as 
a house warming? Yes, around Thanksgiving Day, 1878 over the grocery 
store.
* * *
On the south side of tire railroad Mr. Coulter from Gonzales County built 
where Dick McGaffey now, lives and John Campbell, who had married Cora 
Hardeman, daughter of Gen. Gotch Hardeman, lived on the opposite side 
of Seventh Avenue. K. D. Keith built a two-story home on 7th Avenue. and 
S. :3rd St. and moved into it in time to help start the Methodist Church 
late in the year. C. R. Chambers and M. Hendry, Jeweler, were south of 
the church on the same block as the Carter home. (Col. Carter was a 
traveling salesman, handling ironware, ironstone china, crockery and fine 
china.) 
Capt. Keith's horse on 9th Ave. was occupied by the English Stackpoles. 
Mr. Stackpole and son Ellis were cotton buyers for a Galveston firm. Eddie 
Stackpole clerked in the McGaffey's store while Mrs. Stackpole received 
"paying guests" or day Boarders. 
Among the improvements (?) were several cottonseed houses and corn 
cribs along the railroad to store these articles until cars could be spotted 
for shipment. There were also cattle loading pens and chutes. 
The negro citizen was an important factor in the industrial life and many

Page 45 

had bought and built homes wherever their fancy or means permitted. 
Riley and Mittie Reed owned a corner lot where the Locker Plant was 
since built, which was convenient to his work at Gregg's grocery store. He 
delivered the lighter packages and also cleaned up the. building. Schuyler, 
with his dray, delivered barrels and large boxes; he owned his two-wheeled 
dray and would deliver anything from a note to a young lady to a trunk 
or heavier articles, sometimes even bales of cotton for removal to another 
location. He was summoned by the hanging of a red flag in front of the 
place he was to serve. It was pleasant to hear his cheerful singing, or his 
"Git along, little mule." 
The negro population was about a third that of the town; they were 
well diggers, gardeners, stable boys, cooks, washer women, nurses, house 
maid, barbers, valets and jockeys as their talents or skill qualified them 
for the job. Nearly all of them lived west of 1st Ave. near their Baptist 
Church. Others were north of town along Rocky Branch. The two settle- 
ments were called "the Black Belt." A few lived in the backyard of the 
white folks they worked for; as Jeems and Katie on the J. K. Walker 
premises. 
About this time some educated mulattos, quadroons, and octoroons, 
came from Louisiana and Alabama and assumed leadership. Nelson and 
Alice Palernan superseded Mr. Wilder in the negro school, giving the negro 
children a longer school term (Nelson worked in Wade's stable between 
terms). Banks, a barber, Jones, a yellow Methodist preacher, Cochran, a 
labor organizer, and missionaries from Tuskegee, and others, Someone or- 
ganized a Congregational Church among them, and built a large house of 
worship on or near N. 1st street near Blanch square. A committee employed 
Mr. La Crosse to paint it flesh color. They were not all pleased to find him 
painting it black. When it was finished, it was a bright French gray. 
Albert North followed Schuyler as delivery man at Gregg's store. 
Spring was early in '78. Everyone was busy making gardens, planting 
orchards, vineyards, not neglecting the ornamental shrubs and plants. It 
seemed that everything planted in previous years was growing and nearly 
every new citizen introduced a new shrub in addition to the hardy annual 
roses, flowering almond, Rose-of-Sharon or althea, mock orange, and iris 
plants of plantation varieties and ever blooming tearoses, lilacs, lavender, 
oleander, catalpa, cedars, arborvita, pedusporum, wildpeach and other 
evergreens, jessamines, honeysuckle, madeira and balsam vines and in the 
"black belt" or negro part of town there were various kinds of cane, palm 
o'crystal (castor bean), jack beans, princess feather, ornamental gourds 
supplanting the various kinds of weeds native to Texas prairie lands. We 
thought this the garden spot of the state. San Jacinto day was celebrated 
by a country wide old time. picnic at Sulphur Spring. All of the citizens 
of defunct Atlanta and the country roundabout gathered to once more

Page  46 

drink the health giving cold sulphur water as it flowed from the bank of 
Plum creek. Approximately two hundred people assembled on the old 
camp ground under the shade of the trees where a platform with rostrum 
for the speaker of the clay, numerous swings, jump ropes, race courses and 
other sports were provided. Maj. T. M. Harwood of Gonzales, for whom 
the railway town Harwood was named, was the first speaker. His theme 
was Progress. After giving the historical data about Gonzales, Gonzales 
county, DeWitt colony, Texas, he pointed out that this portion of the Lone 
Star State is no longer a frontier and the people through education and 
wealth are ready to take part in continental politics, religion and educa- 
tion matters; to let our watchword be forward. Mr. John Lamkin from 
Harwood and Dr. Williams of Luling deplored the dissolution of their 
former home town, Atlanta, in brief talks. 
The odor of roast pig (or barbecued shoat) and coffee, the spreading 
of tablecloths and emptying of the picnic baskets was too great an attrac- 
tion for the larger part of the crowd to hear any more speaking. 
After dinner the sports: foot races, potato and obstruction races for boys, 
hoop races for girls. swinging in big swings sitting, standing, two at a time. 
The jump rope was about 30 feet of two inch hemp that required a strong 
arm to keep turning. Dr. T. E. Cocreham did yeoman service in all these 
sports, saying he wanted to earn his dinner as lie just happened ( ? ) to come. 
We realized for the first time the changes a few years can make when we 
could find only a few of the old Atlanta schoolmates, Charlie Word, Tassie 
and Maude Word, Jeff and Ida Spears, Idella and Maston Nixon, Jeff and 
Sack Jackson, the older ones if they were married, Tom and Lola Davis 
and the Hales. 
There was to have been speaking in the afternoon; maybe there was. I 
soon found myself with the group on the platform playing "skip-to-my- 
Lou," "Off we Go to Mexico," "Old Dan Tucker," "Pop goes the Weasel," 
"Chickiema crainy crow" until someone found "Uncle" Nath Huff at the 
barbecue pit. "Yas suh, I has my fiddle wid me." So we danced to these 
same tones, and others, until time to go home. 
However, it was noticeable that Dr. Cocreham stayed as long as the 
Davis family and rode along with John and Tom beside the carriage driven 
by dummy Frank, in which Lola rode with their mother.

SCHOOLS CLOSE FOR SUMMER AMUSEMENTS THE BEACH FAMILY

The end of April brought the close of both schools. Mention of Mrs. 
Price has been made. Prof. Brown, daughters Misses Virginia and Janie 
closed their last term with exercises in the school room. Honoring com- 
pletion of the U. P. and S. P. railways to the West cost, the principal 
theme was continental affairs mentioning "The Continental Divide in the 
Rockies."

Page 47

Here again Lola Davis was a star performer, singing "My New Walking 
Skirt":
My good Mama she says that I 
Am a naughty flirt; 
All because I promenade 
In my walking skirt.
Ain't I sweet! Oh, ain't I sweet? 
I know I'm sweet and have a right 
To promenade the street. 
And glad I am there is a style 
To show my pretty feet.

During this spring the railway put in a double track and several switches 
through town to handle the incoming and outgoing freight, and freight 
trains were more numerous, and the passenger trains had more coaches. 
Sometimes private through coaches for railway magnates or political 
personages or maybe a fine opera or theatrical troupe going from one large 
town to another, and sometimes one for Luling. 
The classic was "Virginius" with Frederick Ward and Mittens Willett, 
with a full cast, and suitable costumes and scenery. Bowers Hall filled to 
overflowing. Once before the Stutts Co. hall staged "Romeo and Juliet" 
with a makeshift balcony, using pot plants for shrubbery. Mrs. Stutts as 
Juliet wore a white Mother Hubbard and had a red rose in her hair. 
The P. T. Beach orchard, market garden, and dairy farm (40 acres) 
provided a good living for a large family from the midwest for at least 
twenty years, proving that by intelligence, industry and thrift a living can 
be made on a small tract of land. The reverse side of the picture is that 
in middle age, Mrs. Beach died. Her daughters on reaching maturity taught 
school or music; the sons grew up and left home the remnant of the family 
rented out the place and left town. The father seemed to lose ambition 
and health and didn't live long. 
Today the farm, after changing ownership several times, is in the edge 
of the oil field, and as a farm, does not yield even a good crop of nigger 
head cactus.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS, LONGER PARK IMPROVED, MORE NEW CITIZENS

To me 1879 was an outstanding period in social and financial progress. 
The two schools had 75 to 90 pupils each. Some of the older ones were 
very talented. There were two Sunday schools: Baptist and Episcopal. The 
union Sunday school in the Masonic Lodge building had disbanded, though 
the "Band of Hope." still carried on. It was the largest group of young peo-

Page 48
 
ple. Brother Boykin did not ask about denominations, so there were both 
Christian and non-Christian young people to whom he expounded the evils 
of alcohol and nicotine. 
Mesdames C. B. Collins, David Gregg and Bob Jones sponsored a con- 
cert for the benefit of Longer Park. Mrs. Jones adapted the story "Little 
Chick," appearing in the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post. She and 
Mrs. Collins trained their music classes in piano and voice, solos and 
duets. They were assisted by Mr. Collins, Dr. Van Gasken, Alf La Crosse 
and all the young people anxious to "appear before the footlights." 
Mrs. L. F. Price was cast for the leading role, as Mrs. Jones said "Little 
Chick" had to sit on her flowing blond tresses, and she was the only one 
who could qualify. However, Mesdames Gregg and Collins, and Mr. 
Collins, were equally effective in a gypsy scene. Dr. Van Gasken and the 
new girl, Miss Annie Power, sang a love song, and everybody sang "Auld 
Lang Syne." Bowers Hall was overcrowded and the net proceeds was 
enough for the park fence. 
The committee having charge of improving and fencing Longer Park 
hired workmen to burn the piles of brush left from a former effort at im- 
provement, plowed, harrowed and leveled the ground, built a low fence 
of heavy cedar posts 3 1/2 feet above ground with 1 x 6 boards for rails, 
and two more at the top (which were just fine for sitting on). There was 
an opening in the middle of each side with a turnstile for pedestrians only. 
It was much easier to go round the park than through it-but there were 
numerous croquet courts set up, and lawn parties given. (It was in the 
middle of what was considered the best residential part of town.) (LBWitt) 
There had been a new lot of citizens, among them Gus Brackney and his 
brother, Mahlon, in some way associated with Walker's store, Sam Man- 
ford and his bride, nee Johnnie Little, Jim Ellis, his mother and niece, 
Joel P. Williams, family from Kentucky, the Boone family from Galveston, 
the Evertons from Indiana and Dyes from the same state, Lee Beaty's 
family from Gonzales Co. 
Remember the wonderful market garden, orchard, and vineyard Mr. 
Beaty developed just north of town? The Crowell place was further out, 
and what splendid wine was produced on both places, also on the Tadlock 
ground southeast of town. 
In the summer of 1879 young ladies from other towns and cities came 
visiting in Luling. Miss Fannie Humphreys of Seguin spent the summer 
with the Huff family; Miss Sally Polk of San Marcos was another guest in 
the same home; Miss Maude Kent of Gonzales visited her aunt, Miss 
Mattie Cook; Miss Tillie Schmidt of Kingsbury was a guest of the 
Wassenich's; Miss Nellie Stuart of Galveston was with her sister, Mrs. 
J. K. Moore; Miss Retta Beaucroft of Dallas was with her sister, Mrs. 
C. N. McGaffey; Misses Willella and Tully Foltz of Galveston and Austin

Page 49

were visiting their aunts, Mesdames Hardeman and J. K. Walker; and 
Miss Fannie L. Innes from Springfield, Mo. was with her brother's family 
(station agent R. L. Innes) for a year; Miss Callie Jobe from Rome, Ga. 
was the guest of friends. 
Entertaining this "bevy of beauty" was the occasion for picnics, riding 
parties (horseback or buggy rides), dances and other amusements. Dr. T. E. 
Cocreham gave a surprise(?) at her home on June 5, honoring Lola 
Davis on her seventeenth birthday. He procured a wagon and pair of 
big mules, a regulation mule skinner, blacksnake whip to make those 
mules go. 
The spring seats in the wagon were filled with girls, three to a seat, 
with two on the drivers seat with him, and thus they went to the Davis 
home. 
The house and yard were filled to overflowing, horses and teams were 
hitched along the garden fence, and the hitchrack by the horse-block 
(used for mounting) was not big enough for all. The house was a blaze 
of light, with candles and lamps everywhere and lanterns on the veranda, 
especially near the "Jacob's Well" where cold lemonade was served 
throughout the evening. 
After three hours of square dances, reels, and waltzes, our host said, 
"The musicians will play "Home Sweet Home; as a waltz just once more 
for the girls who came with me. I am going to waltz with Lola." 
After getting his team on a high lope down the hill slope on the main 
road, he said, "Moonlight and love -I can't make love to eleven girls 
at the same time any other way than with songs." 
So he sang, "Kitty Wells," "Nellie Gray," and others. 

NOTE: My mother told me Dr. Cocreham insisted on having her sit 
by him on the driver's seat. She thought it was because he did not want 
to be involved in any flirtation with an older girl as he was really in 
love with Lola. As she was small he probably thought she wouldn't take 
up much room, and as she was such a little bit older than Lola and a 
friend of hers from childhood, he probably thought she knew of this love 
and would respect it, which she did. She was happy over their marriage 
that same summer, and remained their friend through life.-L.B.W. 

The good people across the river in the east end of Guadalupe County 
decided to have one grand Fourth of July celebration, barbecue, tourna- 
ment and dance. All the folks in Caldwell, Gonzales and Guadalupe 
counties were asked to come and eat, drink and be merry with them 
"free gratis for nothing." County officers and politicians, especially law- 
yers, were speakers. 
There were many large plantations and stock farms between the San 
Marcos and Guadalupe Rivers, with wealthy, highly cultured owners.

Page 50 

Mr. J. W. Meriwether and his nieces, Misses Humphreys and Huff 
had as guests for this event Governor John Ireland's daughters, Misses 
Mollie, Rosalie and Alva, J. W. Graves, Nat Henderson, and Hal Young, 
Tarver Bee, Bryan Houston, who came from Seguin on the morning train. 
Added to this group were Misses Sallie Polk, Annie and Marietta 
Hardeman, Lou Baker, the Foltz girls, Gus and Mahlon Brackney, Lee and Hal 
Hardeman, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Walker, chaperones. There were 
so many other Lulingites who attended this event that both livery stables 
rented every vehicle and every saddle horse. 
The location was said to be on Darst Creek in the Nixon neighborhood, 
noted for its beautiful scenery, about five miles south of Luling. When 
late guests arrived there were so many people present that the only view 
that could be seen was about twenty feet of glowing barbecue pits with 
beef, pork and mutton being prepared, supplemented by pots of stockman's 
stew and coffee, the l00-ft. raised tables covered with white cloths (it 
was afterwards told that this table was filled three times and more than 
900 people served.) 
At about one o'clock the group was more interested in the egg-shaped 
race track and occupying the grandstand. There were fine horses as well 
as fine people and no professional jockeys. After the running and trotting 
races came the tournament, using the same track where posts had been 
erected with arms from which rings were suspended. Horsemen bearing 
lances and riding at full tilt were to catch these rings (after the manner 
of King Arthur's knights.) 
Prizes for the victors were: 1st, a Spanish saddle with silver conchos, 
embossed saddle leathers and tapaderas and many latigos; 2nd, a wreath 
of artificial red roses; 3rd, a $5 gold piece. Silver spurs were awarded 
each rider. 
What of the knights? Looking like caballeros in their high-heeled, shiny 
boots, with spurs, light pants with stripe down the leg, silk shirts and 
embroidered boleros, they rode bare headed. I recall the Collins from 
Capote Farm, Hal Young and June Courpender of Seguin, two of Capt. 
Foster's sons, Jim M anf ord, Jimmy Nixon, Phil and John G. Twons, 
Guy King, George Hysaw, Gabe Coe. I do not remember who won first 
and third places, but George Hysaw secured the red roses and in a 
pretty ceremony crowned Miss Idella Nixon "queen of Love and Beauty." 
Most of the ladies in our crowd went to the Manford home for an 
hour of recreation and refreshment at the invitation of Mrs. Manford's 
sister, Miss Agnes Law. The young daughters, Nettie and Agnes, with 
their charming mother, served delicious peaches and cream. 
The U. D. Club was started by Miss Fannie Innes. The first initiates 
decided that any town or country girl might join if she would obey the 
few rules but no city young lady might. The only rules were never to

Page 51

wear the uniform in public, that its rites might be practiced when two 
or three members were together, with a solemn pledge to enforce obedience 
and secrecy. Marriage automatically expelled a member from the club. 
The meeting place was the homes of members. There are a few ex-members 
living in Luling. Are you one?

* * * 
The summer and fall of '79 proved that this section had been blessed 
with bountiful crops of fruit, vegetables, corn, cotton, potatos, melons, 
sorghum (molasses and hay), pecans, walnuts and hickorynuts and the 
"mast" was fine so everything was fat and prosperous: business was good. 
Our new little town, rounding out her fifth year, was something to rejoice 
over. School was a little late on account of cotton picking and ginning. 
J. R. Griffin from Louisiana with two assistants opened in the lower 
floor of the Masonic hall, Mrs. Price and Miss Miller, in their own 
building, corner of 3rd and 5th Ave., the Catholic church, under the 
supervision of Fr. Garesche was nearing completion. Celia Ryan and John 
Doyle were the first couple married in it. Mr. Fuller, who succeeded Nelson 
Ayres as rector of the Episcopal church, was happy to get better windows, 
pews and an organ (with Fannie Innes as organist) and other improvements. 
The Baptists altered their church entrance to protect late comers from 
the weather and called Rev. Isaac Sellers to succeed Rev. Pinckney Harris. 
The Methodist Church had a foundation floor, walls and roof and was 
slow in building with volunteer carpenters or donated labor. Bill posters 
put up advertising for the circus so the Methodist women decided to 
feed the crowd in town that day. Committees solicited contributions from 
the town and country. Enough food was secured for two enormous meals 
served in the church building. Everything was donated-hams, beef roasts, 
rabbits, squirrels, liver for stew, cakes, pies, potatoes, salmon salad, salt 
rising bread, boxes of crackers, oysters, fish. Instead of having one table 
they had "booths" for regular dinner, fish and oysters, salads, cake or 
pie, with coffee at 5 cents or lemonade at 10c. Each booth had a manager 
and young lady waitresses, a hard week's work. The treasurer received 
$179.35, with which ordinary six-pane house windows and pulpit furniture 
were bought and lumber for more benches. 
In the year 1879 was also organized the baseball nine with J. P. Bridges, 
manager and Mose Meyer, captain. The Luling Grays, a military company 
(I think) * having a confederate gray uniform with Frank Cross as 
captain; the reading club and singing school: Prof. L. B. Shook, taught 
sacred songs and organized a choir for the Baptist Church; the Band 
of Hope met in this church as Profs. Brown and Griffin needed the 
school room for office work. The Signal office was moved from "Harwood

*NOTE: State Militia was then in force.

Page 52

ward" to a location south of the railway track between the post office 
and Wassnich's furniture to be nearer the center of business. The Signal 
was delivered by carrier for over ten years, to the merchants and close in 
dwellings, I remember: Willie Byington, Willie Addington, Carey Smith, 
Joe Bishop, Steve Huff, Pierce and Frank Bridges. The Carriers address, 
a poem eulogizing the town, was usually written by a friend of the carrier, 
delivered Christmas (or New Year). He received gifts of cash or the 
equivalent in addition to the weekly fee paid by the paper. Capt. Ostrander, 
Mr. Oliver Gregg, Prof. J. R. Griffin, Miss Jennie Everton, J. P. Bridges 
were the authors. Some were gems of thought and expression. 
There were many new homes in the southwestern part of town, among 
them L. A. LaCrosse, Pat McDonald, Mr. Murphy, who married pretty 
Rosie Welch, J. P. Schtrenk, Mrs. Warner Polk and family, John Millican 
and Crockett Millican, Chris Baumgartner, Mr. Josey's market gardener. 
There were other new homes. G. A. Williams from Kentucky built at 
the east terminus of S. 1st on 9th Ave., and was married to Miss Ida 
Keith in the early fall. Dr. T. E. Cocreham and Lola Davis were married 
soon after. Their new home was on 2nd St., between K. D. Keith's and 
R. Jacobs'. Jim Ellis and his mother moved into town. Their home was 
where B. R. Miles now lives. Dr. J. Van Gasken and Miss Annie Powar 
married early in January, 1880. Dr's home was at the corner of 2nd 
St. and 5th Ave., and Mr. Powar built next door. (The properties now 
are Dr. Nugent's and Dr. Robertson's). 
This fall we first had the "buyer" men who bought for others on salary 
and commission, cotton and corn buyers, buyers of pecans, melons, hides; 
tallow, beeswax and cottonseed. You know the drummer or traveling 
salesman sold things to merchants, druggists and others and both were 
agents.

1880--CHANGES-NEW IMMIGRANTS
The five years beginning with '80 were important on account of the 
many changes as well as increase in population.

* * *
Mr. J. Josey gave up merchandising, moved his family from the Prairie 
Lea road location to the new "brownstone" home on Railroad Ave. and N. 
2nd St. (I always thought that first two story log house with one story 
leanto should have been kept as a landmark or historic part of Luling). 
Herman Josey and his cousin Herman Golesticker returned from college 
in New York and were active in promoting the Josey market garden and 
selling town lots. Then M. Rouf sold out and left. Mr. J. Manford bought 
their home. Mr. S. A. Bruce and his relative, Mr. Vick, bought the Lyon

Page 53

and Rouf homes, L. Goodman bought the T. P. Harris place when they 
moved across town to the corner of S. 2nd and 7th Ave.

* * *
Socially there was very little change. A round of singing school, dancing 
school, reading and card clubs; dancing started with the Fireman's Ball 
and supper Jan. 6th, '80. There followed in quick succession the calico 
ball, the cotton ball and by no means least the leap year ball when the 
eight girl committee of invitations and programs called at The Signal office 
to place the order for printing; they found the owner-editor, a recent 
widower, so gallant, cordial, accommodating, so young and handsome 
they invited him to join his brother-in-law foreman as a member of "our 
set." This dance was not much different from preceding dances only the 
same group of girls received the printed invitations addressed and mailed 
to them, and calling a meeting of all dancing girls to choose escorts and 
write notes. Though Ling Lu (John Chinaman) was still in town, Mr. 
Gregg loaned Riley Reed, old Nelly and the delivery cart to deliver the 
notes and return the answers (the gentlemen called for the ladies at their 
homes and all walked to Bowers hall). In the meantime another bevy 
of girls at the Baptist church and Prof. Shook's singing class were making 
eyes at and being sympathetic to Jno. P. Walker, for the same reasons 
given above. 
Immigrants came to town in the early '80's from everywhere. The 
Pinchins from England, the Dyes, Evertons, Crowells, Moses from the 
middle west, the Fred Muensters, Mike Browns, Nathans, Blowsteins, 
Heidemans, Stautzenbergers, Reis, Bergers, Birkners, McDonalds, Gus 
Birkner, Jim Elliott, Mose and Julius Myers from New York, George and. 
Alf Edloff from Detroit, Mr, Norwood Barbee and family and the Joneses 
from Guadalupe county, Mrs. Veazey and John from Louisiana, W. W. 
Lipscomb and family and in-laws, the Kinchlos of Wharton county, J. P. 
Williams and daughter of Kentucky, the Hymans, Sid and Sue and their 
cousin Walter, and Lawrence brothers from Carolina, the Washburns and 
Bootons, Dr. Carhart and family, a surgeon, medical practitioner, author; 
whose novel, Norma Trist, was heartily condemned (it was ahead of 
the times); Dr. J. H. French with two small sons, Victor and John, his 
jolly brother, Dave French and Mrs. Burton, with her husband and sons 
all from Virginia, Mrs. Donelly with a son and talented daughter Ann, 
Mr. Leak, who succeeded Mr. Tom Wilson as immigration agent, and his 
step-daughter Miss Maggie Kirk, Mrs. Anne Denman and family, G. B:, 
Harris, confectioner, and family, Dr. J. P. Sewell and son, W. C. Sewell, 
from Harwood; Drs. Williams, Smith, Denman and Carhart were either 
old or elderly so Drs. Van Gasken, Cocreham and French were kept busy 
riding to care for victims of malaria, jaundice, dengue fever and other

Page 54 

ills due to rainy weather, rank growth of weeds, mosquitoes and lack of 
sanitation and overflowing water courses. We were still having yellow fever 
along the Gulf coast. 

NOTE: Among others who came from Virginia were the Shanklins 
who settled in and near Prairie Lea. Other early settlers in Prairie Lea 
included the McCutcheons (descended from Daniel Boone), Clarks, Flowers, 
Davenports, Cartwrights and Tillers, who came from Tennessee. The Rohr- 
bachers sold out to Prof. Jno. N. Gambrell, who graded Pierce Institute in 
1885-86, later becoming county judge and ex-officio, County Superintendent, 
and moved to Lockhart. There were Hudgens, Smiths, Roberts, Harris, 
Wilsons, Barbers and others who founded Fentress. The McKeans were 
among those who stayed at Prairie Lea, with gin and general store. And 
don't let's forget the early Primitive Baptist preacher, "Parson" Jim Baker, 
a fine, good, man.-L.B.W.

CONTINUATION OF DO YOU REMEMBER?
Among these newcomers were capitalists, clerks, carpenters, brick layers, 
farmers, laborers, dentists, etc. 
About this time Rev. Isaac Sellers built on the location of Dr. Nichols' 
home (now Crockett St.) and his mother and sisters, Mrs. Wallace, Miss 
Liela Wallace, Misses Annie and Nannie Sellers, bought the Onnie Harde- 
man place when the family moved to Austin. Bill Evans sold to Shelt 
Dowell, a Gonzales County man from Rancho. 
Mrs. Mooney and Miss Maggie Mooney built a beautiful home next 
door to the Innes residence, moving in to be neighbor to their relative 
Mrs. Tom Cahill, nee Hattie Mooney, and W. B. Walker, whose wife was 
Ophelia Mooney, and Mr. Pad Walker, with four interesting children, two 
sons and two daughters from Tennessee. 
This influx of new citizens started an era of better building contractors. 
John Day and McKnight Bros. with plenty of laborers, had three to 
four buildings under construction at the same time. Among these were 
Dr. Van Gasken's drug store and Walker Bros. two story building, east 
of Bowers Hall (over livery stable); and in the next block east were 
Muenster's, Dr. Cocreham's, Jacobs, and Kleinsmith's buildings. Also Mr. 
W. R. Johnston's two story building for Epstein's store and the bank. 
In the next block (40) east of the Redus building, G. A, Williams' store 
building for Holcomb and Williams' Hardware Store, and at the East 
end of the block, L. W. Booton's two story grocery store. It will be re- 
membered next that all these two story buildings had lodge rooms upstairs 
(or lodging rooms) and many had stairways in the street. In the middle 
'80's Block 40 got the Parsons, Wilson, and Manford rock buildings. 
The oil mill was built on a block adjoining Elena Square, and so was

Page 55

the new school. The school was a rock building, two stories containing 
six class rooms, with two more large rooms in the mansard roof. Access 
to the second story was by an outside stairway, and to the room in the 
roof through one of the classrooms by an inside stairway. There was also 
a belfry with a large bell in the center of the roof top. 
In honor of Col. Thomas W. Pierce, who donated the ground (and said 
he would bequeath $2,000.00 for its improvement) the school was called 
Pierce Institute. Prof. Harris and a corps of teachers from Virginia and 
Tennessee, opened in September, 1882. This was the end of the two 
other schools, but not the private schools, for beginners were taught (in 
their homes) by Mrs. Mary Harris (nee Huff) and Miss Bessie (or Betty) 
Anderson. A few citizens of Luling can recall that one or other of these 
ladies taught them to read and spell. 
About this time Meriwether Bros. were having trouble with their mill 
and gin. The dam bottom washed out in a flood so no water went through 
the millrace. 
This resulted in the acquisition of the mill by Mr. Fritz Zedler; he 
told me one time that he borrowed what money he needed in Runge or 
Yorktown at 4% or 4 1/2%; the Meriwethers had to pay 12 1/2 to 20%, 
so no wonder they had to sell out. 
It's an ill wind that blows no good. This change resulted in restoration 
of this plant, building another gin and a seed threshing, peanut shelling, 
plant in town. Then came the organization of the water system, ice factory, 
and electric lights. I do not claim that Mr. Zedler was the motivating 
power behind these enterprises, but he and his sons were prime factors. 
Do you remember when Messrs. Coley and Abbott of San Antonio 
started an ice factory on the Ernest Wilson lots, using water from a 
shallow well and what a failure it was? Were you a subscriber for electricity 
from the plant located where Geo. Harris lives (corner of Walnut & Crock- 
ett)? I was. Did you use gluten bread made of whole wheat flour that was 
manufactured at the Zedler mill? Why can't we get it now? What has 
become of the machinery for making Allison flour from cottonseed meal 
at the oil mill?" 

NOTE: 1962 The oil mill is a junk yard now, and there are no gins in 
Luling. The Zedler, Malone, and Eklund (round bale) gins have all 
been removed. Instead of cotton, our farmers raise watermelons. The 
"Watermelon Thump" is an annual affair.-M.L.B.W.

IMMIGRANTS FROM ENGLAND-FINE PEOPLE
Of the English immigrants do you remember that after the Carters 
took over the Orchard Hotel, they renamed it "The Luling Hotel"? Their 
eldest son, Tom, left for California, and their youngest child, Fannie,

Page 56 

was born. They called her their "Texan." In a few years, less than a 
decade, they cast their lot with the County Capital. The Carter Hotel, 
near the Court House,- is one of Lockhart's best show places. (In 1960-61 
it was razed and a new building erected for Lockhart Savings & Loan Asso- 
ciation.) Their son, John, stayed in Luling and took up photography. He 
married an English girl, Lucy Ireland, and was one of the founders of 
the Church of the Annunciation, one of the promoters of the waterworks, 
bank, and lumber company, building up a snug competence, leaving three 
sons, Sidney, Robert, and Arthur, to carry on from where he left off. 
The Moores evidently were wealthy when they arrived in Luling, as 
they bought an entire block in the west end of town, and a farm about 
10 miles out, on which was located one of the "Spanish silver mine" 
ruins, and later, Bert Moore's gin on the Lockhart road near Burdette 
Wells. Their eldest son, and their daughter, the beautiful Miss Florence, 
went to California. So the parents lived the remainder of their lives with 
their youngest son, honorable, benevolent, Masonic, capitalist, A. T. (Bert) 
Moore. 
The Lowthers from England located near Soda Springs, where Mr. 
Lowther's clear tenor, the soprano of Florence and alto of Edith became 
a feature of worship in the Methodist Church, organized by Rev. Solomon 
Bridges about 1867. Florence Lowther married Thos. Wilson, Jr. Edith 
Lowther married Albert Johnson (son of Rev. T. B. Johnson), one of the 
sons married Albert's sister. The Lowther grandchildren are in Luling and 
vicinity. 
The Urwin family also settled nearby in the McNeil community. Their 
daughter, Maggie married H. L. King. Another daughter married H. N. 
Moon and their daughter, Mrs. Carrol Harris lives here yet. Other members 
of the family went to Gonzales, where their cousins, the Watsons lived. 
One of the Watson men married Tamar Wilson, daughter of Thos. Wilson. 
Their children, Mrs. A. B. Colwell, Miss Annie and Willie Watson live in 
Luling now. 
The Yollands located in the Hall School community, Lon Taylor mar- 
ried their eldest daughter and they lived in Luling. The other Yollands, 
a sister and brother, went to Houston, as did Lark Taylor when he grew 
up. Grace Taylor married Roy M. Turner and lives in Luling now (1962). 
The Yolland family were ardent missionaries, maintaining a Methodist 
missionary in Brazil until Mrs. Taylor's death. The Lon Taylor home was 
at the corner of Oak Ave. and Pierce St. A filling station is there now- 
Texaco. 

NOTE: Some of this last paragraph has been added from my own 
knowledge, as the Watsons are my friends, and Ethel Moon Harris a former 
pupil.-L.B.W.

Page 57

The Perkins family also went to the Hall School community. Frank 
Perkins married Lizzie Womack, daughter of Uncle Henry Womack (noted 
banjo player) and Miss Willie McCarty. (NOTE: Ernest Perkins was 
one of the most interesting and agreeable pupils I ever taught. Annie 
Louise made a fine teacher herself, and has proved her friendship and 
ability in more than one instance. She is now Mrs. Sam Towell of Houston, 
where Ernest also lives. L.B.W. 1962) 
The Ervine family were on a river farm. Miss Polly Ervine, became 
the third wife of Mr. Perry Beaty, whose first wife is buried in Lone Oak 
Cemetery. Her sister married Mr. Damon, and her son and daughter 
live now in Luling, Wesley Daman's son, James, being one of our postal 
clerks. Harwood was their early home, and it was there that Florence, 
now Mrs. Cisro Robbins, was my pupil. 
George and Isobel Batey, orphan brother and sister made good lives for 
themselves in America. George, a bridge builder, married Miss Stella John- 
son of Waelder. They settled in Harwood, and raised a fine family, only 
one of whom, Mrs. Lester States (Gladys, a former pupil of mine), still 
lives there. Isobel married Will Glithero, an engineer and bridge builder. 
After living in Luling for years, they moved to Columbus.

MARRIAGES
So great an increase in population (1500) was bound to result in 
marriage for some of them: among the number I recall W. F. Hale and 
Lavinia Douglas; J. Q. Manford and Emma McLean, J. W. Meriwether 
and Mattie Pickens, Allan Burditt and Cassie Ellison, John Leehin and 
Mollie Johnson; J. P. Bridges, Annie Huff; Ashiel (?) Cahn and Clara 
Josey, J. H. Muenster and Sallie Cahn, D. M. Day and Flora Duke, John 
Walker and Josephine Fenner, Jim Wagoner and Mollie Day, Tom Moody 
and Gussie Ussery, W, D. Maxwell, Mollie Thomas; W. D. Cleveland and 
Bettie Day; S. B. Chambers and Lelia Wassenich, Al Smith and Zona 
Williams, George C. Williams and Rosalie Wassenich; J. H. Short and 
Miss Wagoner; Ira Moses and Lyda Smith; Newt Moses and Maggie 
Smith; Jim Ellis and Maggie Cosgrave; P, J. Greenwood and Ada Kyser; 
J. W. Nicholson and Nina Houston, W. B. Stevens and Maggie Nixon; 
J. W. Lipscomb and Fannie Huff; Dr. N. Champion and Ella Nixon, Jim 
Towns and Meda King; O, McGaffey Jr. and Lottie Boon, W. D. Keith 
and Alice Lonis, Manley Boon and Byrd Williams, Jim Hatcher and 
Mary Markley; Joe Wassenich and Ethel Gillett; R. A. Hale and Lyda 
Dennis, R. J, Parsons and Nannie Hale, Guy Smith and Anzo Page, Dr. 
J. H. French and Miss Agnes Miller, M. August and Lillie Cahn; R. M. 
King, Salura Dennis. This is supposed to cover a six-year period. There 
were many others I can't remember, do you?

Page 58 

1880-1885
Luling is a lively town and by no means a small one when we take 
into consideration that she has nine dealers in general merchandise, 
eight grocers, six dry goods merchants, six saloons, three barber shops, 
three drug stores, five blacksmith shops, four dealers in fruits and con- 
fectioneries, one dealer in groceries and hardware, four hotels and res- 
taurants, two bakers, two millinery establishments, two livery stables, 
one photographer, one cigar factory, one watchmaker, two shoemaker shops, 
one dealer in stoves and hardware, three mills and gins, a cotton factory, 
one butcher, in a few weeks at most there will be an oil mill and a broom 
factory, besides there are several local dealers in agricultural implements, 
and a carriage factory. She has five churches and will soon have a sixth, 
four schools, Masonic, Odd Fellows, K. of P., Legion of Honor, Workingmen 
and a Colored Odd Fellows lodge. Besides all this she has lawyers, doctors, 
dentists, two furniture dealers, one lumber yard, railroad, telegraph, ex- 
press and post offices, a live newspaper and boss book and job office, 
three nurseries and market gardens, one dairy, one ice house, three dealers 
in paints, oils and glass. There are from fifteen to twenty carpenters, 
masons and painters, three draymen, one hook and ladder fire company, 
two apiaries, one brick yard, one horse power scroll saw, saw mill and lathe, 
music teachers, draughtsmen, ornamentists, a theatre hall with stage and 
scenery and a fine dramatic society. Near the city there are several mineral 
wells.

FINALE
Do you remember that the 72nd (should be 71st) anniversary of the 
founding of Luling occurred the second week in September 1945? 
That she developed from a country store and one family, Josey's, to a 
"roaring, rowdy, railway" town, then into a thriving agricultural ship- 
ping point, serving planters, stockmen and merchants within a radius of 
twenty miles? Some of the best bottomlands and uplands in Texas were 
included in this radius, She was designated "Cotton Queen," "gem of the 
valley" in less than seven years, having grown from a Railway advance- 
camp, with hangers on of 500 people, to a thriving town of 1500 souls. 
The home coming of World War II service men recalls the fact that 
our town has trained soldiers three times for the United States wars, begin- 
ning with the Spanish-American War. Bowers Hall was then used for 
barracks. More than a hundred youths, from Lockhart, Seguin, the country 
round about, were quartered there; of these trainees, some were Homer 
Chambers (of Beaumont now), George Victor French of Luling, and Wil- 
liam K. Bellinger of California (later of Oregon), who survive (in 1945).

Page 59
 
John Veazey was their captain, and Morey Beach and Sammie Z. Wells 
were also in the company. 
There were Luling men with Roosevelt's Rough Riders, trained in New 
Mexico and San Antonio. The Luling contingent under Capt. Veazey did 
not get into actual battle, but did yeoman service in draining the swamp- 
land and improving the Flagler estate in Florida. 
World War I heritage is Benton I. McCarley Post and the Legion Auxil- 
iary. For these veterans and for those of the war just ended the American 
Legion and Luling citizens established the memorial home, "American Le- 
gion Building" `at the corner of Davis St. and Cypress Ave. 

NOTE: As a young girl, I heard a Spanish-American War veteran ques- 
tioned about his "battle" experience. He was from Seguin, and readily 
replied: "I was right where the bullets were thickest-under the ammuni- 
tion wagon" Also I saw Col. Teddy Roosevelt get off the train and walk 
about at the depot here when the train took on water on their way 
from San Antonio to their final destination in Cuba. One of the Rough 
Riders got the address of my brother, Erle, and wrote him several letters 
from Cuba playfully calling Erle his "Jonah." Several young ladies gave 
their addresses to young Rough Riders and corresponded with them through- 
out their stay in Cuba, I was not one of them. L.B.W.

APPENDIX
In May, 1948, to celebrate the fact that Caldwell County was 100 years 
old, the Lockhart Port-Register put out a Centennial edition. In the 
historical section, Joe Bill Vogel wrote about the county newspapers. He 
had this to say about Luling:
"Luling's growth has been just the opposite of Lockhart's. From a cross- 
roads settlement, it boomed in 1874 when the railroad entered the county. 
With help first from the railroad and then from oil, Luling has been spared 
many of the hard times that hurt early settlers in Lockhart. Four years 
after the railway tracks were laid through Luling, James P. Bridges estab- 
lished the Luling Signal, now the oldest paper in Caldwell County." 
Although the Signal was similar in appearance to other papers of the 
day, it was more fortunate in having as its editor one of the most active 
newspaper men in Texas.
Bridges began his newspaper career at an early age. Born in Harrison 
County on March 17, 1854, he attended school for three years, and then 
at the age of fourteen served as printer's "devil" in the office of the Texas 
Plowboy, under judge Edgard H. Rogan. Four years later he was made 
editor of the News Echo in Lockhart. 
In 1878 Bridges sold the News Echo to start the Luling Signal which 
he operated until his death in 1893. After his death Mrs. Bridges, who still 
lives in Luling, assumed managership. 
Mrs. Bridges recalls that she was trying to run the Signal in Luling 
during the days when the women suffragettes were beginning their cam- 
paign to secure voting privileges for her sex. She helped to organize the 
Texas Woman's Press Association. 
"However, I decided in the early 90's that I couldn't run a paper and 
take care of five children, so I leased out the paper," she continued. The 
paper remained under the ownership of the Bridges' family until the early 
1920's, when it was sold to D. H. Reeves. 
In 1938 Reeves sold the paper back to the Bridges. Now the paper is 
published by Leonard Hal Bridges, the youngest son of James P. Bridges, 
and a member of what is undoubtedly the largest single family practicing 
journalism in the State. 
Mrs. James P. Bridges, wife of the founder of the Signal, still does some 
writing for the paper. Although she is now 85 years old, she has a keen 
memory and a knack for putting her memoirs on paper. 
"I'd never think of editing any of her copy," says her son Hal. "It's set up 
on the Linotype just as it comes in. I know there's no need to check any 
date, either, because she is always right."
Copied from Post-Register of May 8, 1948

L'envoi 
Now in 1967 many things are different. Where Homer S. Thrall lived and 
wrote his "Pictorial History of Texas" there is a vacant lot. There is also a 
vacant lot where the first electric light plant stood. Other corner lots now 
have public buildings where residences once stood. Our town is growing.
Mary Louise Bridges Witt 
Feb. 24, 1967