Pioneers of Ellis County
Ellis County Pioneers' Association
[Originally published Ellis County Mirror and History
of Ellis County, Vol. XVII, pg. 161,
compiled by Mrs.
A. L. Feltenberger
and the DAR Chapter, Waxahachie, Texas.]
The first meeting of the Pioneers' Association was held in the district court room Monday afternoon, August 6, 1907, Robert W. Mayfield presiding. A constitution and bylaws were adopted, which stated that citizens having lived in the county 40 years and their children, after reaching the age of 21 years, were eligible for membership. Dues were set at 50 cents with the object of the group both social and historical. There was a large attendance and several new members were enrolled. A formal motion was adopted that every citizen of the county in possession of historical information regarding the early settlement of the county be requested to forward it as soon as possible to Recording Secretary Marchbanks.
Officers elected to serve a one-year term were: R. F. Mayfield, President; J. S. Davis, R. W. Derden, A. J. Loyd, Ed Lowe, Vice Presidents; B. F. Marchbanks, Recording Secretary; S. P. Langsford, Corresponding Secretary and W. H. Getzendaner, Treasurer.
This roster of members, including the dates they came to Ellis County, was taken from the original Minute Book, Sims Library, Waxahachie, Texas. The last entry in the book is dated August 2, 1909.
Robert Mayfield 1844
Geo. H. Cunningham 1849
Mrs. B. F. Hawkins 1848
B. F. Marchbanks 1851
A. C. Marchbanks 1851
A. H. Marchbanks 1851
J. M. Witherspoon 1849
Ed Oldham 1853
J. F. Boren 1847
Geo. Douglas 1848
J. W. Singleton 1854
J. S. Davis 1854
J. M. Patterson 1854
Ed Lowe 1854
W. W. Witherspoon 1852
T. B. Jackson 1854
J. M. Lancaster 1854
J. E. Smith 1851
W.T.M. Dixon 1855
R. D. Harris 1855
J. D. Beauchamp 1856
B. W. Fearis 1856
S. H. Overstreet 1856
A. J. Pippin 1856
J. N. McElroy 1856
Thad McMinn 1856
A. J. Jenkins 1856
W. H. Davis 1857
R. M. White 1857
W. A. Briggs 1857
P. A. Ellis 1858
N. G. Wise 185859
Collier Kelly 1859
W. H. Getzendaner 1859
B. F. Spalding 1859
W. L. Hancock 1859
T. J. Mullican 1844
J. C. Reagor 1859
S. P. Langsford 1860
H. M. Rhodes 1862
Robert John 1860
Boyd Farrar 1866
E. T. Stoker 1866
C. R. Gibson 1867
F. L. Hawkins 1866
D. High 1866
Oscar Chapman 1869
C. A. Pippin 1869
Wm. McClellan 1869
T. P. Whipple 1871
W. R. Norman 1871
G. B. Winn 1870
T. W. Middleton 1877
W. P. Hancock 1877
D. W. Rutherford 1874
Mrs. Jennie Fry 1860
Descendants of Jonathon Price
J. G. Wadley & wife 1866
Mrs. M. E. Wadley 1866
George Wadley 1867
J. C. Wadley 1876
Dr. S. L. Wadley 1881
A. B. Forbes & sons 1852
J. L. W. Forbes -
J. T. Forbes -
W. H. Forbes -
R.V.B. Sweatt 1852
George C. Sweatt -
Dr. R. P. Sweatt & wife -
A. C. Marchbanks, Jr. -
Lizzie Sweatt, d/o Dr. Sweatt -
Ettie Campbell, - "
J. P. Kennedy & adult ch 1860
Will Kennedy -
John Kennedy -
Charley Kennedy -
Robert Kennedy -
Jesse Kennedy -
Roger Kennedy -
Irene Kennedy -
Nettie Kennedy -
Joseph Meredith's
wife and adult
children:
Mrs. M. E. Meredith 1854
Jim Meredith -
Fred Meredith -
Maud Lake Meredith -
Hunt Meredith -
Mable Tusch -
Tessia Edmonson -
Lex Edmonson -
Fred Meredith -
Bessie Bond, d/o
B. F. Marchbanks -
Ralph Getzendaner -
Tom Yates 1866
Col. Ben Watson's children
John Watson -
Mrs. M. E. Anderson -
Mrs. Mollie DuBose -
Mrs. Nan Templeton -
Sons of A. A. Kemble
Y. D. Kemble 1861
W. S. Kemble -
E. P. Kemble -
Bennie W. Kemble -
B. F. Forrester 1865
B. C. Lancaster 1854
Thos. B. Criddle 1866
J. F. Bryson 1852
Mrs. M. E. Calfee 1857
Mrs. J. F. Mulkey 1859
Mrs. Alice Mulkey 1849
B. T. Hawkins 1852
W. D. McElroy 1856
T. J. Quinn 1854
R. W. Derden 1861
A. J. Loyd 1855
J. F. Wyatt 1860
H. J. Wyatt 1864
Sarah W. Thompson 1860
d/o R. M. Wyatt
Erma O. Todd -
Frank F. Farrar 1857
H. M. Burleson 1861
Mrs. M. F. Shaw 1859
Mrs. R. H. Patterson 1857
G. R. Boren 1847
R. E. Orr 1854
P. E. Rape 1855
W., J. Winford 1847
D. S. Goble 1857
G. W. Goodwin 1855
F. E. Witherspoon 1849
W. C. Rockett 1845
U. Minden 1850
D. L. Barnett 1857
Allen Poe 1859
W. L. Douglas 1860
J. E. Cooper 1861
S. R. Minden 1865
Sam Goble 1876
A. T. Miller 1859
Mattie Fearis 1855
C. U. Fearis 1866
Mrs. S. L. Boren 1848
W. W. Ludwick 1853
L. O. Wilson 1864
J. Em Hawkins 1848
J. P. Apperson 1845
J. H. (Buck) Farrar 1853 [letter, undated, from J. P. Apperson regarding
early settlement published Waxahachie Daily Light August 31, 1907]
Ellis County Pioneers:
It is possible that I can give you some reminiscences of good old Ellis County
that will be of some interest....having lived in her from [18]45
continuously to [18]65 except the four years that I was in the rebel army
trying to establish a southern confederacy. I think Bob Mayfield (please
excuse me I know him best by that name) your worthy President (God bless
him I only know him to love him). He saw some pretty rough times in
those days. He saw more of it than I did, having outdated me 2 or 3
years. If I recollect (and I think I do) he subsisted on mustard greens
and buffalo meat (and that without salt until he raised a crop of corn).
And by the way I was nearly in the same predicament; for I bought my
first corn from him. Poor Richard that a little nonsense now and then
is relished by the best of men. So here goes. What I am about
to relate was a stern reality with Brother Bob. I have given you his
bill of fare. Now for his attire. He made moccasins using buffalo
hide for soles and buckskin for vamps. His pants was buckskin and when
they would get wet they would be about a foot too long, and when they got
dry they would nearly lift him off of the ground. He endured all these
things like a little man. It was a ground hog case. Nothing else
to be had here then. what a grand country this was then. What
luxurious nutritious grass covered those wide extended plans. When
we would hunt for game on foot we would take it Indian file and take it time
about going in front to beat the grass. What a great time it was to
travel over those prairies and witness the different species of animals.
Deer, antelope, wild horses and buffalo buy the thousands. I
could give you some personal adventures with the buffalo, but I fear I have
already exhausted your patience. Will say that I only lack 16 years
of being a native of Ellis County. I love Texas and her people. I
think we have the greatest country on earth. Her products are so varied
and her climate so mild.
Respectfully submitted, J. P. Apperson
P. S. Ask Bro Bob how many deer we saw in one gang. I think he put
it at 500.
Waxahachie Daily Light August 31, 1907
The first annual picnic and reunion of the Ellis County Pioneers' Association
was held at West End Park today. The attendance was good considering
the fact that the Association was organized only a few weeks ago. Quite
a number who live in the more distant parts of the county came in last night
to be on hand at the beginning of the proceedings this morning. The
members of the reception committee were out early today to meet the trains
and welcome the visitors. A goodly number came on the trains while
the people living near Waxahachie came in private conveyances. In all
there were several hundred people on the grounds during a greater part of
the day. There was a bountiful supply of good things to eat and at
12 o'clock dinner was spread in the shade of the park trees.....Col. Robert
F. Mayfield of Sardis, the oldest living white citizen of the county, is
President of the Association. He was on hand to act as master of
ceremonies. The exercises at the auditorium began at 9:30 with an excellent
musical program by the Wise Orchestra. A prayer was offered by Rev.
J. S. Davis, followed by the address of welcome by Col. B. F. Marchbanks.
At the conclusion of the roll call quite a number of new members were
enrolled. Addresses were delivered by Hon. Geo. C. Pendleton of Temple
and Capt. Em Hawkins of Stephenville, both pioneers of Ellis County. At
2 o'clock this afternoon Hon. A. C. Owsley of Denton spoke followed by short
talks by pioneers. Hon. Jack Beal gave the closing address.
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