On January 29, 1812, James Schoolcraft was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky.  He married Temperance Trent and moved to the unsettled regions of Illinois; taking an active part in the work of developing the county.  He was in the Black Hawk War, and located his land upon warrants issued to those who served in that struggle.  While in Illinois he was a peace officer in his community for twelve years, only surrendering the office when he moved to Stoddard County, Missouri in 1852.  His son, John W. Schoolcraft, was born in Hamilton County, Illinois, December 24, 1837.

The Schoolcraft family moved to Texas in the late 1850s, settling in Stephens and Palo Pinto Counties.  James Schoolcraft dealt in farming and stock raising, suffering heavy losses through Indian depredations but still was prospering, and at one time he owned fully 3000 head of cattle.

Although John Schoolcraft enjoyed very little schooling due to the family moving about, he became one of the early school teachers of this section.  He married in Missouri two years before coming to Texas.  His wife was Sarah Y. Jones, daughter of Britton Jones, a farmer of Stoddard, Mo.  Seven children were born to Sarah and John Schoolcraft as follows:  Five daughters -- Mary Frances, Mirettis Charity, Serena Isabella, Clara May, and two sons -- Oscar Britton and Jack R.

After a year of teaching school after his arrival to Texas, Mr. Schoolcraft turned his entire attention to the care of his cattle.  He was a prominent figure on the frontier during the war commanding a company of Rangers, which was sustained at his own expense.  He was in frequent encounters with the Indians.  In 1870 he established a store in Palo Pinto and was successful there, clearing $15,000 in the ten years that he followed this business.

John Schoolcraft was postmaster at Palo Pinto for 6 years, was justice of peace for eight years, and owned some of the expensive stone structures erected during this period.  Early plats of the town of Palo Pinto indicate that he at one time owned a large part of the residential section of town.  He served this county as county commissioner for two years.  He was a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a member of the Independent Order of Red Men.  He belonged to the Baptist Church, and was a deacon, and served as church secretary a number of years.

His son, Oscar Britton, married Annie Maxwell in 1898 in Palo Pinto.  To this union two children were born, Thelma Ruth, who died in 1925, and Eugene Childress who lives in Palo Pinto and is the present justice of the peace, and is a former owner and publisher of the Palo Pinto County Star.

Eugene C. Schoolcraft married Lois Smith in 1950 and to this union two children were born, Oscar Britton II, who died in infancy, and a daughter, Annie Bridget, two months old.