Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas. Page: 152 of 1,110
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
Big Mineral creek on Red river, and coming
south it cut into the territory now occupied
by Dallas county, about ten miles east of the
city of Dallas. Accordingly the section of
territory now known as Dallas county was
included entirely in this colony, with the
exception of a small strip on the east about
three miles in width.
There were many disputes, resulting almost
in serious difficulties, between some of the
the settlers and the colonists as to the rights
of the settlers in this colony, and especially
the amount of land each family should have
allotted to it; also the amount each single
man should be allowed. Finally, the laws of
the State stepped in and put a quietus to this
wrangle by setting aside for each family what
was then and is now called a section, comprising
640 acres, and to a single man a half section,
being of course 320 acres.
The headquarters of the originators of this
colony were located at Louisville, Kentucky,
and the advertisement of the many advantages
of this colony in the way of rich lands,
delightful climate, etc., caught the attention
of many, especially in Kentucky; and that
brave, noble and true-hearted Kentuckian,
John Neely Bryan, made up his mind to
brave the dangers and endure the hardships
of this wild country. So he came and located
near Dallas, in 1841, and is known as the
first settler of Dallas county. Others came
from his State and from Illinois, Missouri
and Tennessee, and most of them settled in
this section, comprising Dallas county,-at
least it received a liberal proportion of theimmigrants. Up to 184:6, all of Dallas
county east of the Trinity river, belonged to
Nacogdoches county, and all of Dallas west
of the Trinity river belonged to what was
then known as Robertson county. So for
four years these earlier settlers were compelled
in attending their courts to go the
distance of about two hundred miles to Nacogdoches,
then the county seat, and the settlers
across the Trinity, almost in halloing
distance, yet the citizens residing in that section
of country now occupied by the beautiful
suburban little city, Oak Cliff, had then to go
to the rather important and proud village of
the frontier, old Franklin, about one hundred
and fifty miles from Houston. Frequently
these pioneers had to go to their courts to
serve as jurors by processes of court or to
transact legal business. What more striking
example of fortitude, sacrifice and devotion
could be found showing a determination to
build up and acquire homes for themselves
than was exhibited by these faithful and
patient pioneers! Thus the real settlement
of Dallas county began with these pioneers
about 1842.
ITEMS FROM J. H. BROWNS HISTORY.
The following is taken from John Henry
Brown's history of Dallas county, with the
venerable old gentleman's consent. As he is
one of the very few pioneers still living who
knew Dallas county when but a wilderness,
and has seen her growth to her present wonderful
status, and remembers the names of
all the earlier settlers, whence they were and
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Lewis Publishing Company. Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas., book, 1892; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20932/m1/152/?rotate=270: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.