Newton County News (Newton, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 48, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 8, 2011 Page: 2 of 10
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Page 2, Newton County News, Wednesday, June 8,2011
It Can Take A Lifetime... Letter Lessons From
To The Church Camp
By J.R. Lindsey
N.H.S. Class of 1959
With Father's Day
just around the corner, I
thought I'd take a few min-
utes to think of my Dad. It
was only recently that I
finally had an explanation
for several of the problems
I've encountered during my
lifetime. Namely being
lonely.
While watching
one of my favorites shows
on television, I suddenly
realized why I had experi-
enced such extreme loneli-
ness while growing up as a
child. One of the strangest
things about being a
human is the ability to feel
extremely lonely while
amongst hundreds of peo-
ple. It's as if you are
trapped inside this human
body, with no possibility of
escape. You can experi-
ence such a degree and
depth of loneliness, it is
almost impossible to
believe.
I suppose every-
one has experienced some
degree of loneliness in
their lives. After Dad died,
I searched for something
with meaning in my small
life, anything to cling to or
grab hold of, to try and sur-
vive this horrible problem.
Each day I awoke to the
same thing, it was like an
neverending story. No
tomorrow, just today.
Mom did her best,
but honestly, she was suf-
fering far more than we
children could ever realize.
Each day brought more
tears, more pain to deal-
with. Like a month of
Mondays. The one thing I
tried to do was to ease
Mom's hurting. I would
cling to her even more with
the dawn of a new day.
She cried for the
next three years.
Sometimes it would be
over a little thing, like set-
ting the table with an
extraplate, or pouring the
extra cup of coffee in the
morning. Sometimes cook-
ing an extra two over-easy
eggs.
I began to hate
seeing her hurt so much.
As a child, seeing my
Mother hurting each and
every day started to "fes-
ter" something within me.
Hard as I tried, I could do
nothing to stop the pain.
I believe this was
the beginning of my 60
pips years of not under-
standing the feelings I felt
inside me. While growing
up I would often question
the reasoning and wisdom
of having a God that could
allow something so awful
as the death of a parent. I
couldn't find an logical
answer to my question.
Search as I may, nothing
made any sense. I would
attend almost every church
in Newton, listening and
trying to understand why
my Father had been taken
from us.
After many years I
finally gave up trying to
reason it out. I just accept-
ed it as a way of life. It did-
n't make me feel any better
I have to say. Mom contin-
ued to make a life for us
kids, as best she could. I
had thought my mother
would never stop crying,
even years after Dad's
death. I can't say she ever
did stop hurting within.
As I grew up I
could see her in deep
thought as we shared a
cup of coffee together and
watched the spring storms
come in. There would be
certain times of the year
that were hard to go
through, such as
Christmas and New Years,
birthdays and her anniver-
sary. Dad had left a hole in
our hearts that would never
be filled.
I continued to be
depressed more and more.
I could only find peace
within when I was totally
isolated and alone, just
myself and my dog.
Sometimes I wondered
about him, if he really
understood what was hap-
pening. Still I could feel a
problem "festering". within
me. Always coming back
to the same thought, why
did Dad leave us?
As I grew older, I
began to question things in
my life. Even going so far
as to talk to the person that
was operating the loader
when my Dad was killed.
He was reluctant to dis-
cuss most of it with me, not
because he didn't want to,
but mainly not to add to my
hurt. He couldn't under-
stand why Dad didn't have
time to jump clear of the
massive log tumbling down
from atop the loaded truck.
Who Rode A
Mule To War?
By Pam Wright, NCHC Chair
In Crosscuts (published by NCHC, p. 35-37), L. M.
“Goob” Newton tells that his grandfather William M. Clark
swam the Sabine and the Mississippi Rivers as well as several
others on a mule’s back so he could join the Confederate Army.
He enrolled on October 10, 1861 at the age of 30.
Whitfield's Legion, also known as the First Texas Le-
gion and as the Twenty-seventh Texas Cavalry was organized
with 1,007 officers and men. It was one of the two legions that
Texas provided to the Confederate States Army. It was purely
a cavalry unit. Recruits forming Whitfield’s Battalion came from
Lavaca County, Hunt County, Saint Augustine County, one
company from Arkansas and Capt. B. H. Norsworth's company
made up of men from Jasper and Newton Counties.
The 27th Calvary lost twenty-two percent of the 460 in
the Battle of luka (Mississippi). Thankfully William Clark was
only wounded the first day of that battle - September 19,1862.
He was given a month’s furlough. To get home he had to take
the same route - swimming across the Mississippi and the
Sabine on that same mule’s back! While home he married
“Goob’s” grandmother, Lizzie Dubose, daughter of Judge
Amos Dubose. He then returned to the Confederate Army on
his trusty mule!
After the war William Clark settled in Newton and
started a mercantile business, was a postmaster, and operated
a steamboat on the Sabine River. He is buried in the Newton
Cemetery with a Confederate Army Marker beside his grave.
Corporal Clark is featured in NCHC’s 1990 Heritage Calendar
- Honoring The Veterans of the Armed Services.
Be sure to bring your “little girls” for a visit to the mu-
seum soon to view the Doll Display. An original Shirley Temple
is included! Folks wanting to loan the museum pictures, family
stories, letters or artifacts dating back to the Civil War years
(1861-1865), please bring them to the History Center.
Next Question: How is it that a Union soldier is buried in
Newton County?
He shouted at my father to
warn him of the impending
disaster. He stated Dad
more or less, stood still as
if he was waiting for death.
I'm sure everything hap-
pened so quickly it was
impossible to second
guess exactly what did
occur. This information
only added to my confu-
sion and as a young boy,
I began to feel as if
Dad had ran out on us. With
the constant pain of seeing
my mother hurting every sin-
gle day for years, then
adding the fact Dad seemed
to wait for his own death,
only compounded my feel-
ings even more.
I would continue to
feel the way I did about my
Dad for years upon years.
Not understanding why I felt
as I did. I could never find,
perhaps not wishing to, an
explanation as to my feel-
ings in life.
A lifetime of military
and government service
would keep me busy until I
reached my mid fifties or so.
Finally, with Mom's passing,
I realized she had found
peace. No one could cause
her any more pain. I could
stop worrying and stop hat-
ing someone else for caus-
ing her pain. At long last I
could have the time.to think
of my problem.
Why had I disliked
my father so much? How
could I possibly "blame" him
for his own death? Certainly
it was just a tragic accident
in life. Hadn't I seen enough
of them in service to under-
stand? These things hap-
pen.
I had always hoped
I would finally understand
the loneliness I had felt all
through my life. During my
military career many of my
fellow service friends wobld
comment as to my ability to
"seem to enjoy being alone
on remote tours". I hadn't
really thought much about it,
but now it seemed to make
sense to me. Given the
choice of being alone on a
remote island, versus
among friends, I'd choose
the island.
It took me many
years to finally realize my
Dad did not run out on me,
didn't give up on us as a
family. My mother was in
fact, missing the love and
attention of a husband and
father. True she was hurt-
ing, but not in the way I
thought of as a child.
So many of these
problems could have been
prevented, had we known
what we know today. I final-
ly understood the devasta-
tion the loss off a parent
means to the family-espe-
cially a young boy losing his
father.
Come to find out,
this is one of most serious
problems that a family faces,
particularly with a young
son. That is why I had felt so
lonely throughout my life.
Why I had felt Dad had "left
us" alone.
While home during
our 50th class reunion, I was
blessed to speak with a local
pastor in Newton. He knew
little of my previous life, and
I could be more open with
him. Just as you would be
when talking to a total
stranger you met on a plane.
You would most probably tell
that person more things
about yourself than with a
friend you knew. Knowing
you might not see him again.
Looking back on it
now, I'm sure he felt like he
was talking to a complete
"nut case". Never the less, I
found a friend in him.
Someone I felt I could trust
to finally tell of my life. With
some people, like myself,
speaking of one's problems
helps the healing process.
I no longer question
Editor
In light of the
severe drought conditions
and recent fires in the area,
I find the need to say
“Hooray” for all Newton
Volunteer Firemen (and
women, of course!). Living
only a block from the fire-
house, I see the comings
and goings of these brave,
tireless souls as they
watch over our community
24/7. It is my pleasure to
thank you so very much for
being our guardian angels.
We tend to take your hard
work for granted, and often
forget that you are just like
us--hardworking everyday
people with families and
jobs--but, unlike us, you
volunteer your precious
time to a very necessary
and quite dangerous job.
Please accept this
donation to the NVFD to
use however it is needed. I
would like to call on each
and everyone in this
Newton community, that if
you feel the same, please
send a donation to them. It
doesn’t matter if it is $5 or
$500, the need is there.
And the donation also
speaks a loud “THANK
YOU” to them!
Nancy Hobbs
Newton, Texas
Letter
To The
Editor
On a quite night
like any other night a per-
son with low morals walked
up to my home and came
right up to my door steps
and stole my 9 year old
sons bike that he got in
march for his 9th birthday.
I am asking any one that
has any information about
this please call me or my
husband at
409-379-4633
We do not bother
anyone we keep to our
selves we try to help the
community in way that we
are able when we are able.
For my son to come home
for school on the last day
of school ready for summer
and hear his bike was
stolen was. really heart
breaking. We can not read-
ily replace his bike. So I a
pleading with any one that
knows where it is to please
call. It is a red bike with the
word Next on the bottom
and lower front bar and the
words wipe out in two or
three different spots on it.
it has clear handle grips
andone hand brake on the
left. It has a number one
placard on the handle bar.
Please help a
Mom's plead for her son.
He got up Saturday morn-
ing asking if he could go
ride his bike and I had to
remind him that it was not
here.
Angelique Jacks
By Sandy Cobb Vaughn
And let us not neg-
lect our meeting together, as
some people do, but encour-
age one another, especially
now that the day of His return
is drawing near. Hebrews
10:25.
My mother is from a
small town in the Texas pan-
handle. I am guessing about
the size of Jasper. They
have their own Wal Mart!
During her developmental
years she attended
Riverview Baptist Church
where she and my dad were
later married. After mother
married and moved to East
Texas, her home church ac-
quired and began a camp
ministry. My cousin and her
husband are the camp direc-
tors. (Actually, a cousin on
my dad’s side) That is a
story for another time. The
story about Camp Masterson
is very interesting and can be
read on the web at camp-
masterson.com.
Camp Masterson
has what is known in their
area as Family Camp. This
is where the whole family
goes to church camp at the
same time. Mother has al-
ways wanted to go, so it just
worked out where a whole
tribe of us East Texas Cobb’s
could attend. So off we went
last summer to camp. There
were nine of us all together
(six from my house) and the
six hundred mile road trip
was an adventure in itself.
But first you have to
get ready to go. Do you have
any idea how many clothes
six people need for a week?
Keep in mind, there is no
washing machine! Just in
case you have forgotten, you
also need bedding for six
people. When you start
packing for this many, you
even have to consider the
space for toothbrushes.
People like my mother will try
to pack extra toothbrushes,
new ones in case you lose
one and old used ones to
scrub the shower at the
motel in case it is dirty! Ac-
cording to my niece, the peo-
ple on this camp board must
be really old, cause they
make all the girls wear
dresses to church and the
guys have to wear long pants
and shirts with sleeves. We
discovered that if you pur-
chase a large bottle of wrin-
kle releaser and a box fan,
you can just roll all of your
clothes up and they will fit in
a duffle bag! Six duffle bags,
secret bag and a cooler will
fit in vehicle with all of the
children provided that you
police what the children pack
on the side! Everything you
pack should have multiple
uses.
Secret bag and
cooler are basically for feed-
ing the truly hungry and doc-
toring those that get injured
inside the vehicle. People
going to family camp need to
take food to eat on the road.
If you can afford to feed nine
people for four days out of a
restaurant and buy gas for
twelve hundred miles, you
will not be going to family
camp! Those people go to
spas and send kids to all
summer camp! Space for
peanut butter, plastic spoons,
cereal, milk and water is ab-
solutely mandatory when
planning your packing strat-
egy. A spoon of peanut but-
ter will help keep them quiet
when you can’t take it any-
more. Cereal can be used as
a dry snack or with milk as
breakfast and can also be
used as an attention getter
for the driver to contact chil-
dren riding in the third seat!
Water can be used, of
course, to drink, for emer-
gency baths to remove what-
ever you missed when polic-
ing the children and to cool
the vehicle if it should over-
heat. First aid kit with band
aids for the children and
Tylenol® for the adults are
considered necessary items
in the secret bag! The con-
tents of the secret bag must
remain secret or you will be
out of everything before you
get to Jasper!
We did finally arrive
safely at camp (at least no
emergency room stops)! Ex-
tended family slowly ac-
knowledged our presence. I
can understand that after six
hundred miles in a small
space with one teenager,
one three year old and two
elementary children, I proba-
bly resembled a mental hos-
pital client. What was I
thinking?
After the first day we
really got into family camp.
My sister shared a dorm with
me and the three year old.
That was interesting, but
turned out we had both
grown up a lot and did not
have to put the masking tape
on the floor to divide the
room! I did pack the tape
and I saw some in her bag as
well. Age and time has a
way of working some things
out! My mother was irrv
pressed and we discovered
she had packed her weapon
of choice (fly swatter) just lh
case we needed tuning up!
Nephew and grand-
son stayed with a cousin in
the boys dorm. They got a
full dose of what church
camp is really like and both
managed to get to church
fully dressed (long pants and
shirts with sleeves). Braydon
did wear flip flops with his
slacks one day. Hey, they did
not say anything about shoes
in the dress code. Maybe the
directors were so old that
they thought everyone went
barefooted in the summer!
They have fishing,
waterslide (no pool), games,
gym, with all kinds of activi-
ties, and of course bible
study and church. They also
had a guy who played a gui-
tar and sang silly songs that
he wrote.
The kids are still singing
about “gotta frog in my
pocket”. As is common in a
lot of Baptist churches, the
speaker would say “and all of
God’s people said...” and
then the congregation says
“Amen". Well, this was fasci-
nating to my group of non de-
nominational children. They
really enjoyed the fact that
they were expected to re-
spond back.
Each night during
the evening service Mother,
Lori, myself and three year
old Allyson would sit toward
the back of the chapel. Even
though we tried, we never
could get the back pew!
Church was very interesting.
See SANDY-Page 7
MEMBER
2011
Tu
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
See J.R.--Page 3
The Newton County News
is published weekly on Wednesdays by Jay and
Shawn Wilkerson at 112 Glover Drive in
Newton, Texas 75966. Subscription rates are
$29 annually. Periodical postage paid at
Newton, Texas. Postmaster. Send address
changes to: Newton County News, P.O. Box 65,
Newton, TX. 75966. Phone and fax number is:
(409) 379-2416.
Co-Publishers..........Jay & Shawn Wilkerson
Editor...........Anne Roush-Dussetschleger
Office Manager..........Karyn Lobb
Creative Director..........Shawn Wilkerson
7
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Roush-Dussetschleger, Anne. Newton County News (Newton, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 48, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 8, 2011, newspaper, June 8, 2011; Newton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth635154/m1/2/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Newton County Historical Commission.