Memorial and biographical history of Ellis county, Texas ... Containing a history of this important section of the great state of Texas, from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; with full-page portraits of the presidents of the United States, and also full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of the county, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and also of prominent citizens of to-day ... Page: 52
573, [1] 123, [1] p. incl. 23 port. front., 2 pl., 28 port. 28 x 22 cm.View a full description of this book.
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HISTORY OF ELLIS COUNTY.
ing fortunes to thousands were considered
encumbrances for long years: cotton-seed,
for instance, as all know, not very long since
could be had for the hauling of it away. And
the great force, electricity, not much over thir.
ty or forty years since was considered nothing
more than a scientific plaything. Steam
itself, now being supplanted by the force just
named, having subserved its purpose, was
evolved froll the brain of man at a comparatively
recent date, and we wonder why
the world could not have seen those things
through the many centuries that rolled along
till their discovery. The gravel beds, as in
the vicinity of Waxahachie, are on top of the
white rock, but in many places they are below.
The rock is found deeper in the eastern
section of the county, and the soil is,
consequently, of greater depth there. Going
westward the white rock crops more and
more to the surface, dipping upward as
it shows itself, until it reaches the ridges
on the western boundaries of the county.
Under the white rock there is a stratum of
the gray rock, as noted above, which is an
older formation than that which lies above it.
It is not so general as the former, but is excellent
for building purposes, although it
varies in quality in various localities. The
courthouse is built of this gray stratum,
and it wears well.
PRODUCTIVE SOIL.
The lower lands along the Trinity river
is exceedingly rich, but subject to overflow.
After leaving this bottom land the
" brakes " are encountered, which consistof gullies and steep, though small hills,
which are covered with timber. Then come
the high lands, which are as rich as any in
the State, and which form the main portion
of Ellis county. It is the quality and productiveness
of these lands that gave to the
county the "banner" over all other Texas
counties. To these lands are due not only
the 52,000 bales of cotton and its crop of
over 2,000,000 bushels of corn, but all its
great variety of other products. The soil is
rich, stiff, black and loamy, and by analysis
shows the highest percentage of the ingredients
of productiveness in combination with
the best chemical proportions permissable.
In occasional spots where the original silt
was washed away, the soil is thin and lightcolored,
but there is so little of this thin
land that it is not taken into consideration.
PRODUCTS.
It may be said that the entire county is
adapted not only to the culture of the great
crops of cotton and corn, but to all kinds of
small grain, as well as affording a superior
range for stock. There is little or no timber
in the county except along the streams, and
what there is is not very well adapted, nor
large enough, for building purposes. Some
oak, however, has been used. There is also
ash, walnut, pecan, hackberry, sycamore,
cottonwood, red and white elm, locust, wild
china, box elder, red haw, black-jack, gum
elastic, cedar and Osage orange. Formerly
the bois d'arc, or Osage orange, was cultivated
for hedging, but since the advent of railroads
barbed wire is taking the place ofI
52
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Memorial and biographical history of Ellis county, Texas ... Containing a history of this important section of the great state of Texas, from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; with full-page portraits of the presidents of the United States, and also full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of the county, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and also of prominent citizens of to-day ..., book, 1892; Chicago. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth33018/m1/54/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.