RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 10, 2010
KINSEARCHING
by
Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
These selected items concerning residents of the Lone Star State are from a 1908 clipping of a partial page from the Dallas Semi-Weekly Farm News, published in Dallas, TX. Although the specific day's date does not appear on the clipping, it may have been in early August since the latest date on items is August 9. Interestingly, some 1908 topics, such as drilling wells and occasionally finding alligators in unusual places, are subjects that still make headlines in early twenty-first century newspapers. (Surnames are capitalized for emphasis and sometimes punctuation is added for clarity.)
Hereford, Aug. 8 - "Thirteen-month-old boy of Mr. and Mrs. Allen BELL of Dimmitt fell in a tub and drowned today."
Taylor, Aug. 8 - "The Evans-Burke Company, one of the oldest lumber and gin firms in Taylor, has been dissolved, J. B. BURKE retiring and S. F. EVENS (sic) succeeding."
Terrell, Aug. 8 - "The negro (sic) who attempted to rob the cash drawer in B. L. COCKRELL's store here yesterday has been arrested by City Marshal Joe H. KELLER, and will be given a preliminary trial before Judge Thomas R. BOND. He claims to be under 16 years of age."
Greenville, Aug. 9 - "City Assessor and Collector John ELLIS completed the rolls of the city valuations yesterday."
Houston, Aug. 7 - "A new well at Humble was brought in this morning on the place owned by W. S. FARISH...."
Jefferson, Aug. 8 - "Young HENDERSON, who was shot, a report of which has been made to The News, is dead."
Temple, Aug. 7 - "The Bell-Penn Oil Company, compased (sic) of Pennsylvania and Bell County capitalists, has ordered that work be recommenced on drilling the oil well on the KOLLS farm, west of Temple and in the vicinity of Belton."
Greenville, Aug. 7 - "Silas G. LACKEY of Weiland has exhibited some fine samples of squaw corn here. This corn was planted April 27 and was twenty-eight days without rain. Mr. Lackey considers it the best drouth-resister (sic) of any variety of corn. It yielded forty bushels to the acre. Mr. Lackey combines science with his farming and gets results accordingly."
Midland, Aug. 8 - "R. W. LANGFORD's tenant house was burned tonight, loss $700."
Paris, Aug. 8 - "While Buster REED was examining a double-action revolver in a store at Garretts Bluff Wednesday and was holding it close to his face, it was accidentally discharged. His eyes were badly powder-burned, which may result in the loss of his sight."
Taylor, Aug. 8 - "Advices from Reno, Nev., are that the remains of the late Gov. John SPARKS of that State will be removed from Reno to Georgetown, his former home, in this county and there interred by the side of this wife, who died during their residence in Williamson County many years ago."
McKinney, Aug. 9 - "Wofford, the little 5-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Clint THOMPSON, was bitten by a copperhead snake while at a picnic Thursday. The child's life was probably saved by the quick action of his mother in binding a handkerchief tightly above the wound and sucking out the poison."
Westbrook, Aug. 9 - "The Mitchell County News, published here, was purchased Monday by Frank C. VAN HORN, recently of Dallas. The first number under the new management appeared Friday. B. P. BROWDER, its former owner, has gone to Aspermont, to a higher altitude, for his health."
Sherman, Aug. 8 - "The vital statistics report for Grayson county (sic) for July is seventy-eight births and forty-two deaths."
Temple, Aug. 9 - "The annual convention of the Salado Baptist Association, one of the largest and oldest organized religious bodies in Texas, will be held in this city, commencing...Aug. 11, and will continue for three days. From 150 to 200 delegates are expected...."
Weatherford, Aug. 8 - "Two negroes (sic) fishing in Town Creek, near the Texas and Pacific depot today, caught a baby alligator which measures about three feet in length. One of the negroes (sic) saw the reptile and quickly obtained a hoe, with which it was dragged from the water. Its presence in the creek has occasioned much conjecture, and the only explanation yet offered is that with others of its tribe, it must have come up stream from the lower Trinity during some of the past high water."