The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, September 6, 1935 Page: 7 of 8
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THE CLIFTON RECORD, CLIFTON, TEXAS, SEPTEMBER 6, 1935
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TEXAS HISTORY
University of Texas News Service
(Note: This is one of a series of ar-
ticles taken from the three hundred
special collections of family archives
in the University of Texas library.
The collections cover all periods of
Texas history, from the earliest days
of the Spanish missionaries in the
province of Tejas, through the colo-
nial era, to the present. This series
of articles presents interesting ex-
cerpts from a number of these fam-
ily collections, some chosen for their
intrinsic significance in the develop-
ment of the empire of-Texas, others
for their purely human interest in por-
traying personalities, economic con-
ditions and social intercourse.)
Austin, Texas, Aug. 31.—The flavor
of a saga of “Old Texas,” tinctured
with the graciousness of the “Old
South,” is present in a description of
the Capote Ranch of the Erskine fam-
ily on the Guadalupe River, as it is
given in B. H. Erskine’s unpublished
biography of his father, Andrew Er-
skine. A similar feeling permeates
his story of the early marriage of his
father and mother, likewise given in
his biographical notes, now deposited
in nianuscrip form in the archives of
the University of Texas library.
“Andrew Nelson Erskine and Ann
Theresa Johnson were married at Se
guin, Guadalupe County, Texas, De-
cember 27, 1847," the son wrote. “His
wife was in her 19th and he in his
22nd year of age. She was the daugh-
ter of Joseph F. Johnson, an early day
pioneer and settler in Seguin. He
came from near Lexington, Kentucky,
to Texas in 1835, with his wife,
daughter Ann and two sons, Steven
and Ignacious, and some negroes, set-
tled on the Brazos river near Rich-
mond, Fort Bend County, Texas. They
were on this farm, when, the family
hearing of Santa Anna’s near ap-
proach with his army of near two
thousand men, the father and his
brother, Alexander, were off with
Houston’s army (about seven hundred
men) near the San Jacinto. The wife,
Louisa Johnson and children were at
dinner when they got the word that
Mexicans were coming, becoming
scared, they hurriedly left the table,
took the negroes and fled to the Braz-
os River bottom to hide from the
Mexicans who they expected would
come to' their place. They fled in such
haste they made no preparation, leav-
ing everything just as it was at the
moment of getting notice. An old
friendly Indian and his squaw, whom
the family had befriended and aided,
went to the house, turned the calves
out of the pen, took clothes in from
the line, and taking such things they
thought the family would need, closed
the house, and went to find the fugi-
tives in the bottom. They were in
hiding three days.
“Hearing that Santa Anna, the
self styled Napoleon of the West, had
met his Waterloo, on the battlefield
of San Jacinto, April 1836, some years
later Joseph F. Johnson and family
moved out West to Gonzales County,
then to Seguin. The Indians raiding
in near Seguin, they returned for bet-
ter protection to Gonzales and lived
there some time before returning to
Seguin, where they permanently re-
sided.
“Joseph F. Johnson improved two
places in Seguin and ■ used them for
hotel and stage stand purposes. In
1863, he built by far the gnest house
in the town, near the location where
he last kept a hotel, a very large and
handsomely built and finished in and
out, two-story house, double rooms,
four above same on ground floor, with
two wide halls through the house,
built of gravel concrete, thick walls,
very substantial, all finishing. Win-
dows, doors, etc., were of native black
walnut—oak flooring for lower hall—
all others Texas pine. The stairway,
very wide, of easiest tread we ever
saw, and of ash lumber, walnut rail-
ing. To show how substantially it was
~ built, the house today, after 73 years,
is in good preservation, occupied by
present owners, yet one of the larg-
est and most handsome houses in Se-
guin, a town that has grown almost
into a city.
“From some evidence, assume the
young couple remained at the wife’s
old home, which she naturally dis-
liked to leave. Father, mother a dearly
loved brother Ignacious, (Steven had
been drowned some years before in
* the Guadalupe River, also there were
died at his home, December 25, 1857,
in Seguin, Guadalupe County, Texas.”
Returning to the bride and groom,
Erskine writes that his father ac-
cepted the offer and invitation of his
father, Michael Erskine, owner of
Capote Ranch, made by letter De-
cember 26, 1847, to “come and live
with me. You can fit up and occupy
part of the new house.”
The biographer here becomes rem-
iniscent:
“Michael Erskine’s Capote home as
we knew it, many years later, as we
intimately knew it, was the dear old
home in and around which we spent
some of the happiest years of our
life. It was built on the south side of
the lovely Guadalupe river; on a high
bluff, second bank of the river some
60 feet high above the channel, back
from the brink of the hill a scant one
hundred yards. The land sloped to
east and west, to the south, nice level
ground. Near the front of the house
some grand old live oaks as straight
and nice looking as we ever saw such
trees. Some little distance to the east,
towards the very large farm, was
built four comfortable log cabins for
the negroes. A little south of them,
blacksmith work shop, large barn
(which would house at least 4,000
bushels of corn, and corrals (pens).
“The home, a one and a half story
double log house—two large rooms
and hall between, ground floor—two
rooms and hall, upper half story—a
comfortable porch, the length of all
on the east, rock chimneys, large fire
places, each end, north and south—
not grand but very comfortable and
in those early days considered a good
house for a ranch. A very large din-
ing room, say six feet from north end
of house, and porch, would seat fifty
people. An equally large kitchen ad-
joining an ell to north of dining
room, at the north end of which was
a very large rock fireplace and chim-
ney—which fireplace took a back log
one foot in diameter six feet long and
other wood to make a good fire, before
which a beef could be roasted. A ne-
gro woman cook, who could not be
surpassed in the delicious roast, and
oven baked meats and bread. She
prepared especially the famous ‘corn-
dodger.’ Such was Michael Erskine’s
means of extending to all comers the
proverbial Erskine hospitality—the
latch string always hung on the out-
side.
“Such as described was the ances-
tral home, to which Andrew Erskine
brought his young wife, March 1848,
and found a happy family of five—
father; sister Ellen, oldest daughter
at home, housekeeper since mother’s
death, September 1846; her husband,
John D. Anderson, who was assisting
John in farming on their large plan-
tation; also sister, Malinda in her 19th
year, just returned home after five
years of absence in Virginia at school;
Agnes Ann, youngest of a family of
ten children. Making a family of sev-
en which the house could well accomo-
date—I failed to mention a little
north of the kitchen, between it and
the river, was built a very comfort-
able double cabin of lumber, for Old
“Aunt” Dinah (head cook), and her
large family of eight. She was a very
favorite negro of the Capote Erskines
as well as those of Huntsville, Ala.,
from where she came to Michael Er-
skine about 1834. As far back as the
writer can remember she was prac-
tically free. Near, a little east of the
kitchen was a large ‘smoke house,’
very necessary on so large a farm
and ranch, with so many people to
feed, whites and blacks numbering at
least twenty, which was kept well-
filled with bacon, hams and all hog
products, for Capote was naturally a
splendid place to raise hogs. With
fine ‘masts’ of many sorts, farm,
ranch and plenty of fish and game,
they had an abundance of substantial
food—flour coffee, sugar and all other
necessities had to be hauled about
one hundred and fifty miles from
Port Lavaca.
“Located on the famous Capote
Ranche of 26,000 acres. The most de-
sirable, and loveliest ranch of valley
and timbered land the writer ever
saw, although so well known we have
not the gifted pen or space to attempt
description. We have evidence that
the father turned over the large farm
of 600 acres and large force of a
dozen negroes to his oldest son, John,
to manage, and farm upon for the
that brother Andrew,
open space, so as to have a nice piece
for garden, and orchard, of two acres.
The house he built of hewn logs—one
and a half story—large room ground
floor, the same half story above—
covered with ‘clapboards’ from the
fine burr oaks on the ranch—a good
and lasting roof. Near he built a very
neat, rock store room for his meats
and other necessaries for family use.
A well dug on north end of it, the end
of the roof projecting over the well,
making nice covering for it, German
fashion. From this well the life giv-
ing water was obtained. Water for
the old home was furnished by the
Guadalupe river.
“Andrew and his wife occupied
their new home not many months af-
ter moving to Capote. They lived
there latter part 1848, during 1849
and until some time in the fall of
1850. During which time Andrew was
engaged some in farming, but we are
sure he also did much surveying, for
an energetic popular surveyor as he
was, and in a time when much land
being located and surveyed, he
was sure to be quite busy at his pro-
fession. In his absence Malinda could
well be spared by the family to stay
with her sister-in-law. They became
great favorites, each with the other,
and Malinda dearly loved Andrew. So
life went on at Capote.”
IN MEMORY OF CLARENCE
LARSON
A precious one from us has gone,
A voice we loved is stilled,
A place is vacant in our home
Which never can be filled.
Dear Clarence, how we miss you,
Life will be hard to carry further;
Yet we know you are in heaven
Rejoicing with our Savior.
Our hearts are all broken,
Our home seems so empty
bare,
Yet, dear Clarence, we have
and
assurance
That some day we
you up there.
can be with
So Clarence, just be watching,
For our time here won’t be long,
Until we will be back together
In that bright, eternal home.
—A Friend.
HE STIRRED ST. PAUlP^
NEWS OF THE WEEK AT PATTON
By Special Correspondent
Mrs. Emma John.cn, Annie Lee
and Harold Patterson spent Thursday
night and Friday in Rosebud.
| Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sawyer spent Sat-
I urday night in the home of B. Simp-
son.
Jack Ponder of Waco visited friends
i and relatives in this community last
, week.
| Howard Lee Griffin of Coleman
spent the week here in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Griffin.
Miss Cora French of Waco spent
part of last week with Miss Alyene
Blackmon. *
Miss Christine Bonds spent last
week visiting in Mosheim.
Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Simpson, and
I daughter were Waco visitors Satur-
! da.v.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lansen of Rose-
bud visited in the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Z. H. Patterson last week-end.
Miss Bonnie Sawyer spent Sunday
When Homer S. Cummings, United "’ith Joyce Alexander.
States attorney general, designated St. ] —--
Paul as the “poison spot of crime” Wal-
lace Jamie, twenty-seven, crime stu-
dent, walked into St. Paul’s public
safety building and asked permis-
chccks
MALARIA
in 3 days
COLDS
sion to hang around as a sideline spec
tutor, to watch a police force in ac-
tion. Jamie watched and worked with
the knowledge lie had obtained at the
University of Chicago and Northwest-
ern university crime schools, and
brought Into use a number of devices
of his own Invention. Through a mon
Itor system tie tapped all telephone
wires in the public safety building and
rigged up aa instrument to record
conversations of police officials. In-
side of lamps and telephones he In-
serted microphones connected lo his
own office and recording machine, lie
established a close link between higli
officials of tlie police department and
the crime element. The greatest shake
up in St. Pani’s turbulent police Ills
tor.v ensued, and now he lias been
named deputy comin'sslor.er or puhlh
saicty by 11. 11. Warren, cum mis
sii n.i
DANCE
At Clifton, Texas, Saturday night,
Sept. 7. Music by Glen Pierson and
his orchestra from Hamilton. Come
and dance to the music of this popular
orchestra. Men 75c, tax included;
ladies free. ltc
BARBECUED MEAT
Give us your order for Barbecued
Meat; the best you ever ate; on Wed-
nesdays and Saturdays,
tfc Gloff’s Market.
Liquid-Tablets
Salve-Nose ** d,y
Drops TONIC & LAXATIVE
D. A. CARPENTER”
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Office: Carpenter Bros. Drug Store
Day Phone 63 : Night Phone 248
CLIFTON : TEXAS
J. T. Hill Dray Line
Freight and Transfer Hauling of AS
Kinds. Baggage Called For
and Delivered.
Phone 256 : Clifton, Texas
E. H. Schumacher
(Buster)
PLUMBING AND GAS HEATING
WORK A SPECIALTY
Call me for service
CLIFTON, TEXAS
FOR YOUR PROTECTION
MOTH PROOF BAGS
Have your out of season clothes cleaned and
put away in these Bags to be perfectly safe.
NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR
THIS SERVICE
Clifton, Texas
CLIFTON TAILORS
Phone 235
INS NAVY OIL CONTRACT
The U. S. Navy hat awarded
Sinclair for the 5th year in succession the
annual contract for supplying lubricants to
the Navy on the Atlantic seaboard and to
other government departments In 42 states.
Included in this contract are lubricants for
battleships, submarines, destroyers, airplane
carriers and airplanes, motor cars, trucks, tanks,
tractors, etc
Agent Sinclair Refining Company (Inc.)
5th TIME/;
Due to the vast
Public Works pro-
gram and improved types of automotive and
aircraft equipment used, the Navy this year
called for a wider range of lubricants and mad#
more stringent many specifications. As before
the contract was awarded Sinclair on the
basis of lowest service cost as determined by
Navy Work-Factor tests and competitive bide
CLARENCE HANDLEY
-; Clifton, Texos
Minstrels over WbAP Moday evenings 7:00
«as^„ . .... v ^ ..
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Baldridge, Robert L. The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, September 6, 1935, newspaper, September 6, 1935; Clifton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth775807/m1/7/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nellie Pederson Civic Library.