Saturday, November 17th, 1860

To day Mother came up & remained all night after going home in the morning. we ground 14 bushels of corn. Florence is still sick. weather clear & warm.

Thursday, September 13th, 1860

To day we left Sour Lake and rode 15 miles to Hardin while there I examined the records in relation to Mr. Numsen's land claims. expenses of the day $2.40. weather clear & warm.

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Texas Day by Day . . . Abolitionist minister lynched in Fort Worth . . . On this day in 1860, abolitionist Methodist minister Anthony Bewley was lynched in Fort Worth. Bewley, born in Tennessee in 1804, had established a mission sixteen miles south of Fort Worth by 1858. When vigilance committees alleged in the summer of 1860 that there was a widespread abolitionist plot to burn Texas towns and murder their citizens, suspicion immediately fell upon Bewley and other outspoken critics of slavery. Special attention was focused on Bewley because of an incendiary letter, dated July 3, 1860, addressed to a Rev. William Bewley and supposedly written by a fellow abolitionist. Many argued that the letter, which urged Bewley to continue with his work in helping to free Texas from slavery, was a forgery. The letter was widely published, however, and taken by others as evidence of Bewley's involvement with the John Brownites in Texas. Recognizing the danger, Bewley left for Kansas in mid-July with part of his family. A Texas posse caught up with him near Cassville, Missouri, and returned him to Fort Worth on September 13. Late that night vigilantes seized Bewley and delivered him into the hands of a waiting lynch mob. His body was allowed to hang until the next day, when he was buried in a shallow grave. Three weeks later his bones were unearthed, stripped of their remaining flesh, and placed on top of Ephraim Daggett's storehouse, where children made a habit of playing with them.

August 18th, 1860

The Keeper of the Journal -- James Madison Hall (1819-1866) -- is taking a break from writing of the daily happenings in his life . . . he will take up his pen again in a few weeks . . . on the 6th day of September . . . in 1860 . . . but in the meantime, elsewhere in Texas on this date . . . the 18th day of August . . .

ALAMO EXPRESS [San Antonio, TX], August 18, 1860, p. 2, c. 1. To the Reading Public. — For many reasons we consider good, we present to you the Alamo Express for your inspection and, we hope, approval. We commence this little enterprise under almost the same auspices we did the present Herald of our city some five years ago. In this connection we would say, that the Herald has fallen into speculating hands, has deserted the ways of righteousness and political honesty, and turned down the broad road of political sin. It has turned a complete flip flop into the extreme little end of democracy.

Politically, we are in favor of an opposition to secession and disunion whether headed by Lincoln or Breckinridge. We are for the "Constitution, the Union and the enforcement of the laws," a platform broad enough to hold every American citizen within the borders of our great Republic.

Aside from politics we will advocate everything we think will benefit our State, county and city; education, internal improvements, &c.

We start the "Express" because we believe another paper is needed in this city and surrounding country.

Because there is a sentiment in the country, of no mean pretensions, which we sympathise with, that needs an expression — a medium — the Conservative Union sentiment.

And lastly, because we are a practical printer. It is our legitimate business and we consider we have a right to set up in the community; as much so as any other tradesman.

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BELLVILLE [TX] COUNTRYMAN, August 18, 1860, p. 2, c. 4. Letter from Dallas. [Special Correspondence of the Telegraph.] Dallas, July 25. Ed. Telegraph.—Three negro men, the leaders in the insurrectionary plot, were executed at this place last Tuesday evening. One of them, Pat. Jennings, was the man who applied the torch to the town of Dallas, and one of the most prominent of those who were engaged in the work. Sam. Smith, another and a preacher, was a hardened old scoundrel, and the third — old Cato — has always borne a bad character in this county. They were taken out of jail, escorted to the place of execution by the military, and, in the presence of a large concourse of people, expiated their crimes as justice demanded. They betrayed no discomposure in view of the awful fate before them. Pat positively refused to say anything, and died with as much indifference as if he had been about his ordinary occupation. With unparalleled nonchalance, he retained his chew of tobacco in his mouth, and died with it there. They hung about twenty minutes, Pat dying very hard, and the other two without a struggle — the former by asphyxia and the two latter by dislocation of the cervical vertebrae.

This is a fearful warning to the rest, who yet may share the same fate. In Waxahachie, many important developments have been made, and a large amount of poison found in the possession of negroes. The whole affair will have the most important results. The dangerous sentiments entertained by some people will be shown up in their naked deformity, stripped of all adventitious coloring. Men in high places will find a practical interpretation of their political dogmas in the view taken of them by deluded negroes. The plot to devastate northern Texas is dated from a certain time, and based upon facts calculated to mislead a people no better informed than our negro population. The danger of suffering negroes to go out to celebrations, to hear political speeches and to hold meetings of their own, is rendered apparent by the developments connected with this matter. We have learned a lesson, and will profit by it.

BELLVILLE [TX] COUNTRYMAN, August 18, 1860, p. 3, c. 1. We hear by Ed Tucker who is just from Houston, that it is reported there that the towns of Tyler and McKinney have been burnt up.

Saturday, August 4th, 1860

Today I purchased a through ticket to New Orleans for which I paid $48-- and left Baltimore at 10 O'clock A.M. and arrived at Washington City at 11½ O'Clock & put up at the U.S. Hotel. expenses at Baltimore $16.50. weather clear & warm.

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On this date . . . the 4th day of August . . . in the year 1860 . . . while J.M. Hall and his father, Joshua James Hall, are en route back home to Houston County, Texas from New York City . . . W.E. Moore, Asst. Marshal in Houston County, Texas enumerated the following Hall household at their Elkhart residence . . .

• Southern Views of the Census

YAZOO DEMOCRAT [Yazoo City, MS], August 4, 1860, p. 1, c. 3. The Crocket (Texas) Argus says: that "during the last term of the District Court of Grimes County, eighteen free negroes went into voluntary servitude to different persons in the vicinity of Anderson. Two families to Wm. Berryman, two men to Angus Passmore, and one man to Robert McIntyre, two families to James W. Barnes, and one woman to John R. Kenard.

BELLVILLE [TX] COUNTRYMAN, August 4, 1860, p. 2, c. 6. The Abolition Plot in Texas. We extract the following from a letter to the Houston Telegraph, from Dallas, giving further particulars of the extensive Abolition plot discovered there a few days ago:

The outhouses, granaries, oats and grain of Mr. Crill Miller, were destroyed a few days after the destruction of Dallas. This led to the arrest of some white men, whose innocence, however, was proved beyond a doubt. Several negroes belonging to Mr. Miller, were taken up and examined, and developments of the most startling character elicited. A plot to destroy the country was revealed, and every circumstance even to the minutiae, detailed. Nearly or quite a hundred negroes have been arrested, and upon a close examination, separate and apart from each other, they deposed to the existence of a plot or conspiracy to lay waste the country by fire and assassination — to impoverish the land by the destruction of the provisions, arms and ammunition, and then when in a state of helplessness, a general revolt of the negroes was to begin on the first Monday in August, the day of election for the State officers. This conspiracy is aided and abetted by abolition emissaries from the North, and by those in our midst.

The details of the plot and its modus operandi, are these: each county in Northern Texas has a supervisor in the person of a white man, whose name is not given; each county is laid off into districts under the sub-agents of this villain, who control the action of the negroes in the districts, by whom the firing was to be done. Many of our most prominent citizens were singled out for assassination whenever they made their escape from their burning homes. Negroes never before suspected, are implicated, and the insurrectionary movement is widespread to an extent truly alarming. In some places the plan was conceived in every form shocking to the mind, and frightful in its results. Poisoning was to be added, the old females to be slaughtered along with the men, and the young and handsome women to be parceled out amongst these infamous scoundrels. They had even gone so far as to designate their choice, and certain ladies had already been selected as the victims of those misguided monsters.

Fortunately, the country has been saved from the accomplishment of these horrors; but then, a fearful duty remains for us. The negroes have been incited to these infernal proceedings by abolitionists, and the emissaries of certain preachers who were expelled from this county last year. Their agents have been busy amongst us, and many of them have been in our midst. Some of them have been identified, but have fled from the country; others still remain, to receive a fearful accountability from an outraged and infuriated people. Nearly a hundred negroes have testified that a large reinforcement of abolitionists are expected on the first of August, and these to be aided by recruits from the Indian tribes, while the Rangers are several hundred miles to the North of us. It was desired to destroy Dallas, in order that the arms and ammunition of the artillery company might share the same fate.

Our jail is filled with the villains, many of whom will be hung and that very soon. A man was found hung at our neighboring city of Fort Worth, two days ago, believed to be one of those scoundrels who are engaged in this work. We learn that he had stored away a number of rifles, and the day after he was hung a load of six-shooters passed on to him, but were intercepted. He was betrayed by one of the gang, and hence his plans were thwarted. Many others will share his fate.

I have never witnessed such times. We are most profoundly excited. We go armed day and night, and know not what we shall be called upon to do.

YAZOO DEMOCRAT [Yazoo City, MS], August 4, 1860, p. 2, c. 3. The Abolition Plot in Texas. . . . The Galveston News of the 28th furnishes further particulars, as follows: We learn from a gentleman, a resident of Ellis county, who left Waxahatchie on Monday last, and arrived this morning, some further details of the results of the discovery of the diabolical abolition plot, that was to sweep over Northern Texas with the incendiary's torch and murderer's weapon.

In Dallas and Ellis counties, committees, composed of the coolest, steadiest and most respectable citizens, were appointed, and were at work all last week investigating the whole affair. No one but those immediately interested knows who compose the committees, nor where or when they meet, or what they are doing. Their chief object is to ascertain what whites are at the bottom of the plot. No one else interferes in the investigation.

In Ellis, the County Court has organized patrols on an extensive and well managed system.

The negroes' confessions — made apart and at great distances — concur in the leading points; and all ever [sic] white men originated the plot and directed their movements.

They promised the negroes their liberty and their masters' goods, etc., and to lead them to Kansas; the negroes were told also that the next President would be a Northern man, who would free them all.

The negroes concerned in Ellis county were principally of mature age and those allowed by their owners a good deal of liberty. The young ones were not allowed to participate in the plot, and many were not trusted with the secret at all. Their idea was to burn all the stores where arms and ammunition were kept; and on election day—the 6th August, when the citizens were away from their farms and houses—the negroes were to rise, seize on all arms, and, headed by their white leaders, to attack the houses here and there, murder defenseless women, burn and destroy, and finally, it is presumed, march off in a body towards Kansas.

Waxahatchie was to have been set fire to on the 8th — the same day Dallas and so many other places were fired; but an accidental fire in the town, that day, aroused the citizens, and the negro appointed to the deed became alarmed, and left. He was to have returned and repeated the attempt last Sunday, had not the plot been discovered.

Note from Keeper of the Blog . . . I currently live in Ellis County, Texas . . . 10 miles from Waxahachie . . . both of which are mentioned in these news reports . . .

Tuesday, July 3rd, 1860

To day I left home in company with Father in route to New York, and arrived in Crockett at 10½ o'clock a.m. there arranged my business & left on the stage at 10 o'clock P.M. expenses of the day $12.50. weather changable.




Received an email today from a great-granddaughter of the man referred to above as Father . . . her Dad is the son of the child often referred to in The Journal as Toby . . . she said . . . My dad use to tell me that Joshua James (Father) and James Madison would go to New York off and on to buy goods for their stores and have the goods sent by ship to Galveston where the goods went up the Trinity River to Hall's Bluff. They would stop in Baltimore and visit old family and friends. James Madison was born in Maryland. Esther Margie . . . thanks, cousin Esther!



DEMOCRAT AND PLANTER [Columbia, TX], July 3, 1860, p. 2, c. 3. Our Trip to the Beach. We last week took a trip to that part of the county lying on Cedar Lake and the lower Bernard. We found that section suffering equally with others from the excessive drouth. The crops are looking quite as well there as elsewhere. — There will be some fine crops of cotton raised in that neighborhood, and some inform us that they will make corn to sell.

At the beach we found several planters with their families, who have gone there to spend a few weeks. The fishing, the cool and refreshing sea breeze, and the delightful bathing, is a pleasant relief from the dust, drouth, and in some instances, dull prospects, of the plantation. It seems strange that more of our wealthy planters do not avail themselves of the benefits of that healthy location; it may perhaps be accounted for from the fact that a few weeks residence at the beach costs so little, its advantages are not fully appreciated. — Few of our citizens who, at great expense, visit celebrated watering places, realize how pleasant a summer resort they have at their very door, as it were.

In taking the census of those people who live on our Gulf coast, we can but notice how rare are the occurrences of death among them. The fact that two places like Quintana and Velasco do not support a physician is worthy of note and very good evidence of the health of that locality.



CHARLESTON MERCURY, July 3, 1860, p. 4, c. 2. Ladies' Dress.-- The saying is proverbial that when two ladies pass on the street, they are sure to turn their heads to see how each other are dressed. We were witnesses a short time since to a scene of this kind, which was decidedly amusing. We were sitting in our office, gazing out at the window, when we espied, on the opposite side of the street, two ladies, dressed in the extreme of the fashion, approaching each other with heads thrown back, and a dignified scornful look, which was meant, we suppose, to convey the idea that they were totally unaware and careless of each other's presence. They passed, and before twenty feet had separated them, they both turned at the same moment, to see how each other was dressed. They were caught. There was confusion. One of them, with lowered crest and quickened pace, passed on. The other, under the impression, no doubt, that she was still gazed at by the lady who had just passed, resorted to a subterfuge. Her bonnet -- poor thing -- was just at that moment found to be terribly out of order, and the way she twisted her neck and tugged at the bonnet, was painful to the neck and death to lace and artificial flowers. We guess the curiosity of these two ladies was satisfied, and no more observations were made that day, at least.-- Macon Telegraph.

Thursday, June 14th, 1860

To day I remained home. Hands in the cotton. weather clear & warm.



TEXAS BAPTIST [Anderson, TX], June 14, 1860, p. 3, c. 2. The Dress of Little Girls.

As before intimated, the race of girls is well nigh extinct in America, and, instead of the natural girl of the olden time, we have a kind of nondescript species to which we apply the name of girl. This species is somewhat difficult to describe. In their general conformation, so far as we are able to judge, they have a strong resemblance to real natural girls; but then their habits are very different from those of the natural species. A genuine girl is very much like a boy in her habits; she is free and unrestrained in her movements, disposed to be boisterous, has all the artlessness of childhood, runs, romps, and kicks up her heels, without the fear of man before her eyes, and cares not a pin for dress or the opinions of the world. On the contrary, our modern nondescripts are prim, demure, affected, reserved, stiff, artful, dressy, vain, miniature women. Still they do not seem to be in their element, having a kind of unnatural, amphibious look, like a duck out of water. Occasionally they will break through all restraints, tear their clothes, freely indulge in rude sports, and, in short, act like any other child; but then a lecture on their duties and grave responsibilities as "little ladies," together with some extra dressing, generally recalls them from their wanderings and restores them to the sphere of womanhood.

In dress, they are like women, only a little more so; where low necks are worn by older women, the "little women" wear VERY low ones; where short skirts are worn by the grown ones, our small ones wear very short skirts; where short sleeves are worn only occasionally by the mothers and older sisters, our little tribe of feminines are often seen without any sleeves at all; and while grown women have a semblance of protection at least for the lower extremeties [sic], our embryo women have not even the shadowy protection of lace to cover the parts exposed by the shortness of the skirt. Now, let us ask seriously, what must be the effects, physical and moral, of such absurdities in dressing girls? After what has been said on the importance of preserving proper warmth and circulation in the extremities, in speaking of the dress of infants, it is needless to dwell on the disastrous effects of low necks, no sleeves and unprotected legs in little girls of feeble heat generating powers while undergoing those active changes of all the vital organs which cause a strong predisposition to inflammatory affections. We will only say, then, that so long as the absurd fashions of the day are followed in dressing girls, just so long will those "mysterious dispensations" continue that are daily chronicled in the papers, and that bring such grief and desolation to the family circle.

To speak of the moral effects of fostering a spirit of pride and vanity by useless finery in dressing girls, may rather out of our province; we will only remark, then, that so long as girls are taught from their infancy that their chief attraction consists in the external adornment of their persons, just so long will the cultivation of the mind and the graces of the spirit be neglected; just so long will we have vain, light, frivolous women, who are fitted only to shine in the ball room among men as frivolous as themselves, while they are wholly incapacitated for the solid enjoyments and important duties of domestic life.

Friday, June 8th, 1860

To day I went to Hall's Bluff for a keg of printers ink and sent it to town to Hepperla. I went to see Sam Sharp, who is still improving. I also sent Melinda to the place. The hands still at work in the cotton. weather changable & warm.

The Crockett Argus was established in 1860 by J. M. Hall and J. C. Hepperla and for a time edited by Preston Hay, one of the most finished writers ever in the State; truly was Hay a genial, whole-souled gentleman. After Hall committed a homicide at Crockett he left the paper. Hepperla was killed during the War. The Argus was published only in 1860 and 1861. . . . from History of the Texas Press Association by Ferdinand B Baillio.

Saturday, June 2nd, 1860

Billy Stewart & Col. Hay left for Crockett. I went to see Sam Sharp who is still sick. The hands at work in the cotton. Weather changable & warm.





1860 Clarksville Standard
Clarksville, Texas

STANDARD [CLARKSVILLE, TX], June 2, 1860, p. 2, c. 5. The party given last night at the New Store of the Messrs. Rhines, passed off pleasantly and satisfactorily to all present. The dance was kept up, until the lateness of the hour warned all that it was time to desist. Though the attendance was small—

All hearts beat happily; and when
Music arose with its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes looked love, to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage bell.

STANDARD [CLARKSVILLE, TX], June 2, 1860, p. 2, c. 5. The Bell Ringers. This company gave two concerts at this place, on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, at the Masonic Hall. Music upon bells being quite a novelty here, naturally induced more to attend that are generally wont to do, at musical performances. They performed each night to crowded houses, and each performance vied in excelling the other.

STANDARD [CLARKSVILLE, TX], June 2, 1860, p. 2, c. 5. The Allentown (Pa.) papers state that within a week the greater portion of the Southern pupils of the Bethlehem Female Institute have been withdrawn from the school.