1880 Road Overseers
Submitted by Elaine Nall Bay
Until about 1900 roads were maintained by dividing the roads into districts about 6-10 miles long and by appointing a road overseer and requiring men within the districts to maintain the roads. All men between the ages of 18 and 60 were subject to road duty. Each man was required to work the roads 10 days per year in order to keep the roads in passable conditions. Roads were classified as 1st class (60 ft wide), 2nd class (40 ft wide) and 3rd class (30 ft.wide); most roads were 3rd class roads.
Precinct #1 (Emory-Wills Point Road)
C.H. Yoakum, overseer
Hands : J.M. Bethell
Hugh Gordon
T.R. Mitchell
W.N. Brook
J.W. Greer
W.N. Motes
R.J. Cooke
A. Hamlet
David Northcutt
Tom Cox
W.A. Hart
J.F. Pierson
E.B. Davis
Lee Horn
M.S. Pierson
? Evans
Sam Jones
J.D. Smith
J.N. Forbis
John Killman
John Trontman
Spencer Forbis
T.S. Magee
M.C. Whitfield
? Gorden
W.M. Malone
Robert Wilder
J.F. Gorden
H.W. Martin
? Wordenz
Precinct #2 (Emory-Cedar Grove Road)
S.S. Waskom, overseer
Hands : Ben Bullard
T.M. Hughey
Thomas Pounds
F.M. Cain
W.M. Lamb
J.W. Quarles
J.D. Cain
F.M. Lawrence
John Smart
S.T. Cain
S.E. Lindsay
A.E. Sparks
J.L. Curry
Samuel McGowen
W.H. Sparks
J.W. Goolsby
Wm. McGowen
Thomas Waskom
Frank Holmes
Dick Murray
Precinct #3 (Emory-Cedar Grove Road)
William Cooke, overseer
Hands : T. Daniel
Timmeny Slider
J.B. Woosley
Andy Dement
Wm. Spradling
J.P. Woosley
John Lindsey
John Wheat
J.W. Woosleyz
Precinct #4 (Emory-Greenville Road)
B.F. Killiam, overseer
Hands : H. Abercramby
James McCloud
George Parlor
James Burke
L. McShan
G.A. Phillips
E.R. Flewellen
W.M. McShan
H.D. Phillips
Anderson Hill
Frank Martin
N.E. Phillips
James Hobbs
Nives, Charles
Moses Trimble
A.O. Kelley
Nives, Daliel
M.A. Vincent
W.F. Killian
J.L. O'Kelley
W. Woosley
Precinct #5 (Emory-Greenville Road)
J.W. Goddard, overseer
Hands : Wm. W. Baird
J.K. Greer
S.J. Rice
C. Ballew
C.C. Harris
John Rowell
John W. Ballew
E. Harris
M.L. Scott
J. Blanagam
J.M. Harris
R. Sullivan
Benj. Brien
?. McFaddens
Thomas Thrasher
G.B. Chambers
T. A. Martin
D.C. Trimble
George Cooper
B.B. Montgomery
John Watson
V. Goddard
W.F. Montgomery
J.A. Willingham
Precinct #6 (Emory-Sulphur Springs Road)
Benjamin Wilson, overseer
Hands : Bud Forbis
Martin Lamb
W.S. Spradling
Henry Gviton
O.D. McIlroy
M.L. Williams
James Jackson
S.G. Payne
?. Wilson
Wm. Jackson
Levi Rushing
?. Wilson
John Kerr
Jerry Seegar
Precinct #7 (Emory-Wills Point Road)
C.H. Hensley, overseer
Hands : Thomas M. Allred
W.S. Maloney
E.C. Reynolds
?. Bateman
J.W. Montgomery
Wm. Sheffield
J.J. Follis
John Morehead
James Slider
J. Gary, Jr.
M.A. Motes
O.P. Spradling
H. Herridge
Mike Motes
T.C. Spradling
Matt Herridge
V.T. Murphey
W. Strickland
B. Hill
J.B. Northcutt
A. Stuart
George Johnson
W.M. Porter
T.J. Tommlinson
H.P. Kelsey
J.A. Reid
Wm. Tomlinson
Henry Malone
M.C. Reid
S. Williams
Precinct #8 (Emory-Wills Point Road)
J.H. Boring, overseer
Hands : J.G. Aignier
H. Meier
S.N. Coon
E.Z. Ripley
J.W. Johnson
Egbert A. Trumble
Isaac Lamb
Cornelius Williams
Precinct #9 (Emory-Alexander Crop Road)
S.J. Stuart, overseer
Hands : Thomas Havins
Henry Phillips
B.L. Taylor
Thomas Jones
J. Potts
J.R. Taylor
James Killian
W.O. Richards
W.H. Taylor
J.P. Knight
Wm. Taylor
Precinct #10 (Emory-Alexander Crop Road)
W.J. Jennings, overseer
Hands : J. Adams
J.B. Greer
George Mitchell
A.M. Anderson
J.K. Jennings
M.J. Mitchell
W.P. Burke
J.R. Jennings
T.H. Mitchell
J.A. Cates
W.J. Jennings
J.R. Phillips
Phillip Cates
W.M. Jennings
John Potts
T.D. Deaton
W.W. Jennings
W.J. Potts
R. Funderburk
C. Mentent
J.F. Pranke
W.B. Ratliff
Precinct #11 (Emory-Clark's Crop Road)
J.H. Mitchell, overseer
Hands : J.W. Auld
F.M. Hall
J.W. Rushing
J.M. Austin
W. Hriatt
?. Sheffield
Jeff Clewis
?. McFateridge
M. Smith
?. Cooper
Thomas Mills
Thomas Taylor
John Cox
Robert Mitchell
James Turner
R. Fuston
W. O'Rear
M.V. Turner
Wm. Fuston
A.P. Parish
Isaac Wheat
A. Willingham
Precinct #12 (Emory-Winsborough Road)
J.A. Childers, overseer
Hands : William Bridges
Virgil Gill
Ben Morris
Thomas Dean
G.A. Godfrey
V. Nash
James Dunn
James Harrison
T.W. Pinson
James Ford
Wm. Harrison
Rufus Robbins
H.C. Ford
Willis McKay
Thomas Sells
W.F. Gainey
Elisha Magee
David Spicer
J. Terry
Precinct #13 (Emory-Mineola Road)
W.S. Hopkins, overseer
Hands : ?. Allen
Wm. McCord
R. Magee
J. Butler
Alex McRight
George Melton
J.R. Dyer
N.A. McRight
Thomas Melton
John Eaton
Bose Magee
W.H. Reid
C.B. Johnson
N. Magee
John Shipley
Precinct #14 (Emory-Sulphur Springs Road)
William Tabor, overseer
Hands : B.J. Adams
W. English
W.S. Robertson
C.R. Anderson
J.A. Goodnight
Wm. Tabor
R. Blankenship
Robbs Hands
P. Vanlandingham
Lon Braziel
?. Hudson
Sam Williams
A. Dement
H.C. Middleton
Precinct #15 (Sulphur Springs to Wills Point)
T.A. Williams, overseer
Hands : O.H. Anderson
P. Pace
J. Compton
?. Roberson
Cain Cooper
Wm. Worcester
Sol Jackson
Precinct #16 (Sulphur Spgs to Wills Point)
C.R. Lindey, overseer
Hands : Y.H. Barton
Hugh Lynch
?. Reid
Simon Cain
Isham Lynch
T.W. Shook
John Havins
C. McElory
?. Stockton
Frank Hill
?. Morris
W. Stockton
J.L. Hughes
J. Myrick
Wm. Wilson
Buck Lynch
?. Peeples
Precinct #17 (Sulphur Spgs to Wils Point)
J.W. Aker, overseer
Hands : J.W. Acres
Thos. High
Chas. Millander
W. ALexander
Henry Hill
John Rains
Clinton Dement
Mark Hobbs
Mark Tollett
Joe Fletcher
Frank Martin
Frank Trimble
Gus Heath
Leek Martin
Joe Ward
Precinct #18 (Wills Point to Mineola Road)
Frank Samford, overseer
Hands : Joe Bullard
Ed Kennemer
Peter Roe
Thos. Bullard
H. Kennemer
S.W. Roe
W.J. Byrum
J.C. Kennemer
P. Sheilds
Precinct #19 (Wills Point to Mineola Road)
John Northcutt, overseer
]Hands : ?. Barker
Wm. Harvey
A. Taylor
R.R. Carter
Wm. Jones
Milam Taylor
F.M. Harvey
W.G. McClure
W.G. Wills
Jas. Harvey
John Nix
T.K. Woosley
Precinct #20 (Wills Point to Mineola Road)
Thomas D. Tankersley, overseer
Hands : H.W. Aaron
V.A. Goodson
Marion Parker
Albert Arnold
M.A. Hayes
J.W. Tankersley
S.R. Ayer
Burk Newson
E.L. Turner
W.A. Bullock
Drade Newson
John Turner
W.H. Dees
Jerry Newson
W.H. Turner
Am. Edgar
Thomas O'Rear
H.B. Waites
A. Gleghorn
J.H. Parish
H.W. Willisford
L.A. Parish
J. Wooton
Precinct #21 (Wills Point to Lone Oak Road)
James Stuart, overseer
Hands : A. Cornelius
A. Hunt
J.P. Reid
Theo. Finn
R. Jones
Silas Reid
Wm. Fitzgerald
W. Laws
W.J. Rivers
J.C. Flowers
Wilburn Laws
S.O. Stockton
?. Harper
J.H. McMahan
O.F. Voyles
Ed. Hughes
N. Minchue
H. Hughes
Bud Plemons
Hands at Mrs. Lynch's : Booker and hands
Mit Neil
Thos. Neil
Precinct #22 (Donelton Road)
S.J. Ward, overseer
Hands were : hands at Bellah
hands at Clarks
hands at C.C. Shepherd's
hands at John Stephen's
hands at Trimble's
hands at Woosley's
Precicnt #23 (Wills Point to Mineola Road)
J.J. Jordan, overseer
Hands : J. Adair
A. George
Wm. McGayhey
H. Cobern
P. High
Hugh Moore
J. Compton
F. McGayhay
P. Whitis
W. Garrette
Sam McGayhey
M. Wooten
Precinct #24 (all roads in Prect. 24)
Hands were :
G.L. Cain
J.R. Hunt
Isaac Ryan
M. Clark
W.M. Kitchings
H. Scott
J. Coates
S. Laws
T.E. Stucker
W. Coates
Ed McElroy
Quint Thomas
L.J. Coiner
J. C. Mercer
J. Thornton
J. Fowler
Joseph Ogle
J. Thornton, Jr.
N. Fowler
Nat Rabb
Joseph Thornton
Buck Genkins
George Ryan
W.L. Thornton
Precinct #25 (all roads in prect. 25)
M.M. Gamblin, overseer
Hands : H. Cates
Jas. Fitzgerald
F. Slatter
Wm. Clifton
F.L. Holland
W. Walker
John Earley
D. McAlister
M.W. Ward
Samuel Early
Wm. McAlister
T. Williams
J. Fitzgerald
Dick McBride
Don Yandell
Jack Yandell
Home