The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 66, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 1, 1938 Page: 10 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Rockdale Reporter and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library.
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This Frontier Woman Came to Texas in IS
,
:ir
lly UTILLK RAMSEY
Krllor, TfiM.
( ,<p i irfhl, 1VS*. by C«v>
v4,OKN in a mining camp on the
Indians <»o on Warpath
“There may or may not have been
justification for the killing. At any
rate, the white man was not delivered
V Sacramento tiu*t, i'nilforuia.dur- lo the chief for execution, and soon
ing the gold rush days of 1 S4t»,
^ my grandmother, Mrs. I). A. Price,
of Keller, Tarrant county, Texas has liv-
ed 82 of her 86 years in
the Lone Star State.
Her father, W. M.
Lopp, and mother, were
liters: they made the
long overland trip in a
prairie schooner from
Missouri to ('alifornia
in 184th Mr. Lopp re-
mained four years in
( alifornia, panning gold
from the sands of the
Sacramento river, then
returned with his fami-
ly to Missouri. But the
call of the west again
tugged at his heart and
in 1856 he loaded his
family in the old prairie
schooner and headed for Texas. Travel-
ing hundreds of miles in a covered
wagon 82 years ago was no blithe-
some journey. Not when streams had
to be forded, trails instead of roads fol-
lowed, and a sharp vigil maintained for
roving bands of Indians. But stout-
hearted Lopp was equal to the task set
before him and completed the journey
without, serious mishap. He settled
with his family in what is now Falo
Pinto county, iater moving to Parker
county.
M Its. D. A. PRICK,
A nr St*. of Kellrr. Tarrant county,
Texas.
thereafter he and his warriors (vent on
the warpath.
“Lew families at this time lived on
the frontier and these
few lived miles apart,
with no adequate pro-
tection against Indian
attacks. The Coman-
che tribe ruled this part
of Texas and outnum-
bered the white people
1(M) to 1.
“Bands of I n di a n s,
mounted on fleet mus-
tang ponies, now began
roaming a wide area,
spying out and killing
settlers who traveled
alone. Later whole
families were attacked,
including the Mason
and Cambreen families,
who were wiped out by the red
avengers. Mr. Savage, our near
neighbor, was brutally murdered while
his family stood by horror-stricken
and helpless. After plundering the
Savage home and barn, the Indians
made the Savage children captives.
There was a gentle old horse on the
place which the children had been rid-
ing. A young Indian buck took a fancy
to the horse and mounted it. This same
Indian had already tied one of the
Savage children on to the hack of a
‘When we first settled in our Texas wild mustang pony. The gentle old
home." relates Mrs, Price, "all was
peaceful, but in the spring of 1857 a
horse, never before known to run aw-av,
bolted with the young buck clinging to
drunken white man killed a Comanche its back and mane. Racing wildly across
Indian in Loving Valley, a few’ miles .the prairie, the horse passed under a
from our home. This unfortunate in-
cident angered the Indians and their
chief demanded the life of the white
man killer, accompanied by threats that
if his demand were not granted he
would take ten while scalps to avenge
the death of his one warrior.
tree with a low protruding limb. The
limb caught and jerked off the Indian’s
head.
Negro Rescues Children
"Later two of the Savage children
were rescued by a negro named John-
I'carls Inan San Saba
By JANE JESTER
( hfrsko*. Texaa.
irt*M, IMS, ti> >h* South***! Co.)
jITSREL shells that grow in the
San Saint river are among the
best in Texas, according to J. R.
Harris Son. of San Saba. San
Saba county, who make a business of
gathering the shells and selling them
to button factories.
"Ten different species are found in
the San Saba river." said Mr. Harris,
"and so far as known no other river has
this many species. The mussels arc
classed as 'blue point,’ 'warty back.’
‘yellow sand shell,’ ‘buck horn,’ ‘lady
finger,’ ‘pearl leader.’ ‘sanabean,’ ‘nig-
gerhead.’ ‘sand beach’ and ‘Concho.’"
J, R. Harris, a small gray haired man,
has been In the
grocery business in
San Saba for 18
years. With his
son, Milton, ho has,
for 10 years, made
h side line of gath-
ering and selling
mussel shells, dur-
ing which time he
has sold bet ween
10 and 15 rarloads.
Each carload con-
tains about 80,000
pounds of shells.
The shells bring
from $10 to $50 a
ton. depending on
grade. All ship-
ments are consign-
ed to button fac-
tories in Iowa.
Practically all of
the shells shipped
by Harris Son
have been taken
from a three-mile
strip of water on
the San Saba riv-
er. near San Saba, leased from the
.overnment by \Y. P. Kelly, In this
.1 retch of water. 12,180 foot long and
era ing about 80 foot in width,
r Kelly has been raising mussels for
a number of years. He scientifically
cares for his mussel beds much in the
same manner as oyster beds are cared
for. Since mussels must have fresh
pure water. Kelly’s greatest worry is
keeping the river free of pollution. He
also sees that only full-grown mussels
are removed from their hods; younger
mussels are left in beds' for future
grow t a.
Commercial Possibilities
No. 2-
part of the Colorado and Llano rivers
of West Texas are also ideal for mussel
shell breeding. Although the mussel in-
dustry has not been developed in these
river* a* in the San Salta river, yet it is
making headway and ultimately will be
on a paying basis.
An element of chance plays a big part
in the quest for mussel shells. The
thought that the next shell may con-
tain a pearl of great price keeps the
digger working, hoping, dreaming of
Sudden riches, but too often he is doom-
ed to disappointment. However, the
prospect is so alluring that he doggedly
goes on with his work despite all handi-
caps.
It is hard to estimate what per cent
of mussels contain pearls. Some au-
thorities say one
pearl to each 100
mussels. This is a
conservative f i g-
ure, and the gen-
eral belief is that
the actual number
of pearls found in
100 shells will
average better
than one. Rut only
one per cent of all
pearls found are of
quality that bring
good prices.
Prices for Pearls
Vary
Pearl prices vary
according to sire,
quality and color. 1
know of one^vhite
pearl found in
the San Saba river
that sold for $50,
and another that
brought $25. My
mother’s engage-
ment ring, set with
river, is of high
No. 1— InsWo vie* of No. 1 srade shell from
«hieh buttons have been cut at factory.
Outside vie* of No. 2 srade shell
taken from water.
F, 0, Kinslole, of San Ante
sel shell buyer for an Iowa l
tory. visited San Salsa in the
his company and was much
lo, a nms-
utton f ne-
at erest of
impressed
with the commercial possibility
mussel shell business in this
Texas. He also stated that t
son, formerly a slave of Col. 1. M.
Johnson.
"For years there was continual war-
fare between the white man and the
red man. Another neighbor of ours,
William Youngblood, was pounced upon,
killed and scalped while alone in the
woods splitting rails. My lather and
uncle, Sim Ritchie, encountered this
same murderous hand of.redskins and
fought them off until rescued by the
rangers. The rangers had been trailing
them.
"Providentially our family, with one
exception, escaped death at the hands
of the Comanches. An uncle. John
Lopp, was killed near Beeman’s place,
5 miles north of We/herford. His name
is engraved on -^e memorial recently
dedicated to martyred pioneers by
Parker county citizens.
"For better protection against the
red marauders, father moved our tatni-
ly near to a government fort garrison-
ed by U. S. soldiers. This fort, built
on the banks of the Trinity river, was
named Fort Worth in honor of William
Jenkins Worth, a commander of Ameri-
can forces during the Mexican War of
1846. Here we remained until 1866,
then moved 15 miles north of the fort,
where father built a
log cabin home and
cleared land for culti-
vation.
Hard Times
"War between the
States had been going
on two years and
times were hard in-
deed. Conf e d e r at e
money depredated to
where it wouldn’t buy
much and gold money
was out of circulation.
Some folks hoarded
and buried their gold.
Our family managed to
get along without go-
ing hungry, for we
raised garden stuff,
some wheat and corn and a few chickens.
An old water-wheel mill ground our corn
but our wheat we had to haul to New
Orleans for grinding. There wasn't a
flour mill in Texas, at least not in North
Texas. Meat was no problem. Iheie
were plenty of cattle and plenty of
w’ild game—deer and antelope, tur-
key and prairie chicken. Coffee and
sugar we hauled from New Orleans.
The sugar was brown, unrefined; there
was no w hite granulated sugar. Finally
we couldn’t get brown sugar from New
Orleans and had to substitute molasses,
which we "boiled down” until it sugar-
ed; this we used for all sweetening.
Soda we made from a home-made ash-
hopper. From salt springs we hauled
salt water which we put in huge ket-
tles, boiling it down until it crystalized
through evaporation and cooling.
"Mother, with the aid of we children,
spun and xvove clothing for the men
folk and the women folk. No attention
was paid to style, but we were particu-
lar about looking neat and being com-
fortable.
Quilting Bees Popular
“As for social activities, they were
few and far between. Pioneer life
a life of hard work from morning to
night and we had to retire early to rest
our tired bodies. We did have get-to-
gether meetings at church and school
house:; and an occasional quilting bet..
People came from miles around to at-
tend quilting bees. We quilted all day
and danced all night. Young and old
came with huge baskets ot food "huh
we ate with keen relish. There were no
finickv appetites among the pioneers.
Dancing, when I was a young woman,
was a clean wholesome pastime. Every-
body danced, including members of the
church. ... . * ,
"Weddings were also big events, loi*
lowed by feasting and dancing at the
bride’s or bridegroom’s parental home.
Fiddlers furnished the music on these
occasions and played the popular tunes
of the times. Over the radio I some-
times hear these old tunes and none are
sweeter. They carry me back to happy
days of long ago.
“The famed pony express mail route
_from Fast to West—passed within 8
miles of mv home. The mail station
was on Henrietta creek, near what is
now the boundary line between Tar-
rant and Denton counties. I well re-
f
Ui
.* \
V j
Tied one of Ihe Savage children onto (he hack of » wild mustang pony."
member a knock on our door one cold
winter’s night. It was the pony ex-
press rider who had lost his way in a
snowstorm. My husband gave him di-
rections that soon put him back on bis
regular route.
The First Church
"For a long time after we moved to
our home north of Fort Worth there
was no church or school house. It was
almost impossible to find a man teach-
er—about all of them had gone to war.
east of our home. ThUl! *
first church built in wh.t,
rant county. We had -
about once a month,
cult-riding preacher came li-
ft school house was built
Dove, another small comiSr
of us. m
"1 have seen Fort Worth
a small garrison of soldi!
of 200,000 population. \Vh#»
lied near the fort, in 1866 tY
store there. We had to do
ing at Elizabeth town a?
ment on Denton creek,’in w
Denton county. Soon after
tween the States two
opened in Fort Worth--™*
5? * Martin and the o
Mr. Bennett.
"Fort Worth grew ranidlv
building of its first railed
sion of the Texas & Pacifiv’
las. My brother, T. A. W
build this extension. The fir!
north of Fort Worth paacm
our pasture and 1 shall never
day we all stood in our fror
‘see the train go by.’ The *
ing. wood-b
Rine and it
thrilled ani
with fear i
ling.”
Drama of
Eveate
Back of M
S- years in
a drama of
even t a. At
marched on
Texas develop
raw untamed
to pre^mi
commerce, i
wealth, power
fluence.
Mrs. Price'
of her pi*
cestry. She still lives whew
ther. W. M. Lopp, built his
home and where her husband,,
Price, also built his log cabin
in 1870, which is 15 miles north
Worth, This home built by
hand was of logs cut from the
but it was floored with pine
hauled from an Fast Texas
Other pioneer homes had eit
puncheon floors. The pu“
was just rough slabs hewn
(Continued on Page 4, coiuai
How I Make Mij Own Mo
12 pearls from the
value. A record sale was 150 small
matches! pearls that sold for $150.00.
Very few perfect pearls are found. Per-
fect pearls are rare and command fabu-
lous prices. Slugs are found in almost
all mussels and are saleable by the
ounce in large quantities.
In gathering shells, only* large full-
grown old ones should be removed for
they are more likely to contain pearls.
The process of how mussels breed is
-i?ill a mystery, but it is assumed that
the male ejects his spermatozoa into
the water where it is Taken up by the
female. Mussels breed only in winter-
time and then not until they are five
years old. Some species e\en attain the
age of eight years before they repro-
duce.
M’;<se -hell gathering usually begins
•hr 'ate spring, as soon as the water
* warm, and continues until about Sep-
tember 1st. Some of the mussel opera
tors use fish rakes to gather the mus-
sels. similar to those used in gathering
oysters; other operators, working in
shallow water, use their hands to trans-
fer the muesels to sacks carried along
for this purpose. After the live mus-
sels are taken from the water, they are
placed in a large vat (a tin boat is often
used) and covered with water that is
allowed to boil. Boiling water kills the
mussel, causing the shell to open after
which the ment is shaken out, leaving a
dean pearly surface.
Button Factory Requirements
Meat of the mussel makes excellent
feed for hogs and is a good fertilizer
when mixed with certain chemicals.
Mussel shells must come up to well
established standards before button far
tories will buy them. The general re-
quirements are sufficient thickness,
uniform color of surface and a degree
of toughness that will stand the neces-
sary treatment they must undergo at
the factory without splitting or crack-
ing. Thin shells are useless even if
originally as thick as buttons, for fac-
tory grinding and polishing will reduce
them to mere wafers. The preferred
color of shells is white, but cream-color-
ed shells are also used. Shells with pink,
purple, yellow or salmon tints are not
suitable for button-making because the
color is not always uniform and fades
with age. Dead shells are valueless. The
two best grades, the warty back and
nigger head shells, have pimply backs.
At the factory shells are first soak-
ed in a chemical solution and later cut
into buttons by circular saws. Then
they are polished, holes drilled in them
and various designs put on before they
are ready to sew on a man's shirt a
women’s blouse, or a baby's tvst bib
and tucker.
—FAGF a—
By A VICE NEELY
Kdgt*ood, Texas.
l'-'J*. by th« M*(**int Co.I
STARTED making my o w n
money about ten years ago,” says
Mrs. Clara Cox, Van Zandt coun-
ty, Tex., "when my brother gave
me a six week’s old gilt pig. It was a
female, a thoroughbred, and l fed it un-
til one could almost see it grow. After
reaching maturity, she was bred early
and brought 12 pigs. \Ye wore
milking several cows and sell-
ing cream, so 1 fed the pigs
skim milk. When they were
six weeks old l sold them for
about $4 each. The second lit-
ter came early in fall. They
too, were sold at the a re of six
weeks. From the two litters l
realized about sgi 5 more
money than 1 ever had at any
time in my married life.
"My first venture was such
a success that I have continued
in the hog business. F.ach year
a sow has brought me two lit-
ters of pigs. 1 always keep
over enough stock for meat,
lard and an extra gilt for
breeding. One year, when hogs were
cheap, 1 sold only $40 worth from the
two litters.
“Over a 10-vear period the litters
have averaged eight pigs a vear. Thev
have brought $8 to $4 a pig. I have
sold $500 worth of pigs during the ten
years, or an average of $50 worth a
year.
“The cows on our farm furnish skim-
med milk for the hogs and cream to
sell. 1 usually sell $8 to $4 worth of
cream a week. In 1937 I sold $50
worth of cream from September to
Christmas.
t hickens Add to Income
, ^ have always liked chickens and
tried to raise a few every year for home
use. but five years ago l went into the
business on a small commercial scale
1 decided on Barred Rocks and ovdered
100 chicks from a well-known Missouri
poultry farm. 1 bought the Iwst thev
had to offer. They were called ‘triple
A. blood-tested and pedigreed.* from
♦rap-nested hens. I order new chicks
every two years to make sure my flock
is kept up to par. One year l ordered
Mrs. Oar a ('ox
of Van Zandt
county, Texas.
a male bird from Philadelphia,
several dollars for him. He was
bird, but sickened ami died
could profit from his service.
*T cull my flock regularly,
culls on the market. In this
maintain good laying recordsi
rni.’.e on feed bills. I have r
roosters for service and some
private families for hatching,
baby chick season opens, I sell
the hatcheries. They pay on
ago of 10c more per
I can obtain in the o
ket. We raise all the
for our big chickens,
chick starter is fed to
at first, later they are
growing mash.
Made Own
• -1%,-orc mad#
I nn > r • ,
brooders and Hjfhtcu t
lanterns. The use of
necessitates closer
for they sometimes
suffocate the chick
lanterns also have a
way of going out-
“I always keep f
100 good hens on the.
gather more than three <toi«
day, and average 25 dozen
brings the production up
"The average price 1
for eggs through late fa* *5
hot
the spring
u nas nmi ,*»c.a dozen,
that my flock produces -
eggs through the cool month-
worth during the hot ‘
tion. the family is served egj*
round. Over a five-year P»
boon paid $1,300 fw ^ "
roosters are either eaten ' _
open market. 1 average
worth of fryers a year. .
‘‘I haven’t bought m*n>
the money I've earnet * -
poultry except home n
my bedding up. buy ttr
linens and have the
over. I did buy fm ■ ‘
expensive eye-glasses,
in ruining the eyes witM"^
I have put my daugh
school, bought her a ■
and paid for a good r»mo.
from year to year, has bee<-
en. Through the spring am
it has been 15c.a dozen.
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Cooke, W. H. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 66, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 1, 1938, newspaper, September 1, 1938; Rockdale, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth694357/m1/10/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library.