Wood County, 1850-1900 Page: 88

                                
precinct 3 from 1884 through 1890. He was a charter
member, deacon, and clerk until his death, of Paron
Primitive Baptist Church.
The children of Philip M. and Mary Jane Faulk
were:
Richard Webb, married Florence Aline Pratt
John, married Mary Beard
Robert, married Sema Head
Marion T. --no information other than
birthdate, 1862
Timothy, married Nina Morris
Dock, married Laura Snyder
Katie, married Jim Ellison
Lizzie, married Johnny Carlin
Frances, married Jack Burgin
Two sons of Philip Marion and Mary Jane Faulk,
Timothy Philip and Richard Webb, one grandson,
Hubert Travis Faulk, and one granddaughter, Inez
Faulk Turbeville Gearner, taught in the public schools
of Wood County. Hubert Travis Faulk served as Coun-
ty Attorney, also as Representative of Wood County in
the Texas Legislature.
Philip Marion and Mary Jane Faulk and many of
their descendants were buried in the Smith Cemetery.
At this time, 1975, 21 Faulk descendants are living
in the county.
Source: P. M. Faulk descendants
DOCTOR OSWOOD ANDREW FITTS and his
wife, Julia Ann Boger Fitts, came from Georgia to
Wood County in 1856. It is said that their destination
was farther west but a run-away team caused Mrs.
Fitts to fall from their carriage near the present Chilton
Cemetery in Upshur County, resulting in a broken arm,
necessitating a stay in the area now known as Big San-
dy.
Doctor Fitts explored other sections of East Texas,
finally concluding that eastern Wood County was the
best location for a home. He selected a beautiful site
about 3 miles east of present day Hawkins and built a
house of the finest heart timber with ceilings 15 feet
high, and lived there until his death in 1902. The house
is located on the original Highway 80, and is one of the
few older houses still standing.
Julia Ann Fitts died in 1872. She and Oswood An-
drew Fitts were the parents of eight children:
Doctor James Oswood Fitts, married Mabel B.
Gorman
R. E. Fitts, farmer and early merchant in

Hawkins
William, died in his early 20's

David, died at a young age
Andrew, died at a young age
There were three other children who died in
childhood.
Doctor Fitts married Mrs. Ann Elizabeth
Welbourn in 1881.
A daughter of Doctor James Oswood and Mabel
Gorman Fitts, Mrs. Nell Fitts Stringfellow, lives in
Hawkins.
AMBROSE FITZGERALD was Wood County's
first clerk, in 1850. He was born 17 March 1827, came
to Texas in 1846 from Tennessee. He settled on a 640
acre land grant from the Mercer Colony located about 7
miles south of present Lone Oak. At the time of his
arrival, the region was a part of Nacogdoches County,
but within the same year Henderson County was
created.
In 1848, Van Zandt County was formed and
Fitzgerald became the first county clerk of that county.
When Wood County was formed from Van Zandt in
1850, he became Wood County's first county clerk.
When the Civil War started, Fitzgerald took a leave of
absence and volunteered for service in the Confederate
Army, serving as captain under R. B. Hubbard.
Ambrose Fitzgerald served as County Clerk from
1850 until 1869. In 1870, Rains County was created and
for the third time he became County Clerk of a new
county. He resigned in 1871 from that office. An in-
teresting fact is that Fitzgerald had lived in 5 different
counties since his arrival in Texas, had served as Coun-
ty Clerk in 3 of those counties, but had not moved from
his original homestead.
Ambrose Fitzgerald was a Baptist minister for for-
ty years. He baptized many converts and performed
the marriage ceremony for a large number of early day
couples. It is said that he baptized James Stephen
Hogg, who later became Governor of the State.
Little is known of the personal life of Ambrose
Fitzgerald. A son, Willie A., is referred to in some
records, and there are some accounts of a third
marriage, but no proof is available.
His grave is outside the City Cemetery at Emory,
Texas.
Source: Mrs. L. D. Harris

SAMUEL MARTIN FLOURNOY and his family

88