story of Henrietta, Texas
 

 


Time after time    December 9, 1999
By Nikki Anderson
(excerpts from an untitled 1928 paper, column by Mrs. L.P. Hodge)
Fort Buffalo Springs

  Back in the '60s (1860s) a fort
was established in the south-
west part of this county for the
protection of the few scattering
settlers, who had found living in
this county almost unbearable
on account of the Indians.
  The fort was located near an ever lasting spring which was an asset to a country which did not have any large rivers or watering places in droughty seasons.
  At this spring, herds of buffalo would come for miles to quench their thirst.  This gave the soldiers an idea for a name for their fort and it was christened Buffalo Springs.
  The faithful soldiers, of which my grandfather was one, suffered many hardships and traveled all over this part of the country driving Indians back across the Red River and into Indian territory.
  There were forts stationed near the river and they would try to warn the scattering settlers when the Indians crossed the river to make a raid on the people in Clay and Montague Counties.


  Cambridge, County Seat ,
Clay County--The Coosier
  In 1870, there was one family and perhaps a few boys at

 

 Cambridge, the county seat of
Clay County, also a Dr. Elderidge
 who heard from some cowboys
that the Indians had left the Fort Sill reservation and headed south.
  The doctor left for Gainesville
at once, but the family remained
to care for their belonging and
stock.
  The Indians raided this home,
killed the father and captured
the wife and girls.
  Dan, the 10-year-old son, hid in the high grass until the Indians had
gone, returning to the house he found his father dead, his mother and sisters gone.
  They had not left a horse, so the boy set our and walked from his home to Montague, where he secured help and returned to his home.
  His father had been dead for two days.  He was wrapped in a blanket and buried in a lone spot near Cambridge.
  The officers from Clay County went to Fort Sill and interceded with the government for the return of Mrs. Coosier and her daughters.
  Finally, paying $200 each, they were returned to their home.
  A number of our pioneer families lived at Cambridge and later when the railroad came through, moved to Bellevue.
  Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Lippencott were one of these families.

 

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