Review of Hall's Journal - Part Six

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Worry and Sweat

At this time -- 'we pause for a commercial'!! Well -- NOT REALLY! But, at this time we DO PAUSE to think of how, through the many, many years of destruction that Old Man Trinity River has wrought to SO MANY FARM OWNERS, Land Owners, up and down the Trinity River -- as know that there has been enough worry and sweat, enough to make a fellow 'just lay down and die'! So -- at this time we might just as well, put in a sort of 'commercial' for all Texans who have shared the worries and tribulations of farms -- and business dealings in connection with the overflows of the Trinity River -- and of the Thousands of Texans who have been interested in harnessing the Trinity River to better serve TEXANS as a whole.

The mythical 'Arabella' of The White Heron's who knew of the troubles of mankind, all along the banks of the Trinity River -- troubles caused by heavy rains and floods, comes vividly to mind, even as one reads of the overflows back in the days of James Madison HALL. Businessmen and friends of the Trinity River Authority projects will readily call to mind 'the Voice of Arabella 'calling to' fellow Texans 'to rise and follow' the flock -- of white Heron's' to Anahuac to partake of FISH and then settle down to discuss matters regarding the Trinity River, that the Trinity could BETTER SERVE ALL TEXAS, AND TEXANS. Today -- the harnessing of waters at the Little Elkhart Creek Damsite is but one of the major steps on the projects along the Trinity River. It is going to help, tremendously, for all Texans. But let's get back to the Journal and SEE what was taking place at Elk Hart Creek, just 106 years ago.

"Monday, January 14, 1861", James Madison HALL wrote "Today, it rained torrents, swelling the Elk Hart to the utmost capacity, and putting us in fear that the Mill Levy would 'again' be washed away. Towards evening, however, the wind hauled around to the north and the rain ceased."

And, on "April 7th, 1861 -- HALL entered this: "Today, the steamer Ruthven arrived, and James Wrigley returned home from Galveston. The river rose 7 feet plumb water, and the steamer Col. Stell started for the upper river with a large freight -- --."

"Monday, April 8th, 1861", HALL entered this: "the steamer Alamo passed down ladened with 900 bales of cotton. The river still rising, and in fine boating condition."

"Wednesday, April 11, 1861," HALL wrote this: "The steamer Lucy Guin passed down with little freight. The river is very high, and still rising with every appearance of an overflow."

HALL entered the following on: "Friday, April 19th, 1861 -- "today the river attained the greatest height, coming within about two feet of the warehouse sills, and overflowing a large scope of country below and above the point. But little business doing in the way of selling goods."

And so, reports of the overflow continued, and HALL's accounts of the damage done to the Mill, and to his fields, and to life in general along the river were told in a most interesting manner.

To be continued . . .

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Five

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Steamboats Arrive

The chronicling of events transpiring in connection with the various steamboats playing up and down the Trinity (during times that the water was high enough to make it navigable) also makes interesting accounts to read. Hall's Bluff did a thriving business on these days, for instance, take this account which James Madison [HALL] entered in his Journal: February 27th, 1890 -- Today, the steamer Queen passed Hall's Bluff, bound up the river. The steamer Lone Star passed down.

Other steamers plying up and down the Trinity River were named in HALL's Journal. He wrote accounts of the steamers each time they appeared at the Bluff, and whether going up or down the river. Here is a fair example of the names of the steamers --

• The Mary Hill,
• the G. H. Bell,
• the Kate,
• the Swan,
• the Lucy Guin,
• the Alice,
• the Ruthven,
• the Alamo,
• the Sunflower,
• the Oricaba,
• the Royal Arch,
• the Mary Lenard,
• the T. J. Emery,
• the government steamer Col. Stell,
• the Indian No. 2,
  and the sloops
• Grey Hound, and
• Luna.

There were, no doubt, others.

Cargo

The cargo varied with each shipment from Galveston up the river. Household articles, store supplies, furniture, matting for carpeting of floors, salt, nails and many various items were brought up the river on steamers. Beef, hides, wood, bales of cotton and other varied supplies were transported down the river.

Old Man River

When torrents of rain descended for several days, and perhaps lengthened into weeks of rain, Ole Man Trinity River would go on a rampage. As it rained, the river would RISE, and, as it rose it would bring destruction, to crops, cattle, horses, the mill that the HALL's owned, and barns and everything in the river's wide path of destruction.

To be continued . . .

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Four

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Hunter's Paradise

Hall's Bluff seemingly was a paradise for hunting turkey, squirrels, deer, or for just going fishing for catfish or a long string of sun-perch that would make the best eating, ever. Sometimes, on a special occasion, oysters by the barrel would arrive by the steamers, from Galveston -- and the HALL family really did enjoy a feast, then.

There were accounts in the Journal about the Christmas being prepared either by the little woman or under her own personal supervision, all prepared in its own glorious, marvelous goodness.

There were accounts of the children who sometimes, and quite often, came down with a severe cold, high fever, chills and such, and there were accounts of the doctors visits. Sometimes the distance made it a necessity for the doctor to stay overnight, and sometimes the patient's illness caused the doctor to stay hours at a time too.

There were various accounts of the management of the farm such as planting cotton and corn, the grinding of corn or wheat at the mill, the mill breaking down, and the equipment replaced or repaired, the troubles with farm labor, the business of running the warehouse at the landing wharf, the worries and fears connected with the river overflowing and destroying all the crops planted; the oxen getting out of the rail fence enclosures and being lost for several days on end; the accounts of sending out the hired hands to find and fetch them back, the accounts of the fine horses they had, and of one especially prized horse (this seemed to be the horse Hall called 'Rat') who happened to a tragic accident and 'Rat's' subsequent death . . . all these simple little things taking place, year after year, day by day, and all told in a simple homespun manner that is delightful to read.

As one turns page after page one also gets the feeling that one is actually being introduced to a host of people who played a prominent part in the early life of Houston County, for, it is through these pages that you will meet with many people, some living at Hall's Bluff, some at Crockett, and some who traveled frequently up and down the river for one cause or another.

To be continued . . .

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Three

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Hall's Bluff

James Madison HALL and 'the Little Woman' as he called his wife, found happiness and contentment in making a home at Hall's Bluff. First, the land for the house had to be cleared, which took quite a bit of time . . . then, the site for their houses had to be settled upon, and finally, in Time, the house was built and furnished. The furniture, finally arrived, by steamer from Galveston. The Journal records of how the furniture was left out on the banks of the Trinity River, so urgent was the need of the steamer to go up the river and of how fast and furiously 'all the hands had to work' to get all the furniture hauled to the site of the house before the rains descended!! Matting was also brought up, by steamer, for a floor covering. Then, IN TIME, there was a garden plot to be decided upon, then planted and culvitated by the hands, with 'the little woman' in charge of supervision. Then, there were rails to be split and pickets to be made for the yard fence, and for fence to be built on the place (rail fences) and then oxen had to be used for plowing the cleared fields in order that they could plant corn or cotton.

There were many, many trips to be made to Crockett to buy additional supplies for the house or for the farm in general. Occasionally there were trips just to pay the Doctor, and settle accounts when due, or to visit friends in Crockett or, up-country. There were occasional trips further away from home such as to Liberty, overland by horse-back, or, by steamer or to Livingston, Sumpter, Dailey, Coleto, Huntsville, Galveston, or Houston.

To be continued . . .

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Two

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Note This

It seems that Joshua J. HALL also kept a diary, which he kept from 1848 to 1854. It is hoped that, in Time, a copy of THIS diary will soon be placed in our Houston County Library, if one is still in existance.

With this introduction of The HALLS -- let's get back to some of the contents found in "A Journal of the Civil War Period" by James Madison HALL.

The Journal, beautifully bound in brown leather, with lettering done in gold, is a masterpiece of information about people who lived in Houston County, at Hall's Bluff, and surrounding counties. To be sure, not ALL of our hometown early settlers will be mentioned, but quite a host of people are mentioned to make the Journal a very desirable one to read. It makes good material to do research in. The pages show authentically copied pages of the originals, these pages having been Zeroxed.

To be continued . . .

Review of Hall's Journal - Part One

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

In our Houston County Library there is a three hundred and twenty-five page Journal that's going to prove of interest to many descendants of pioneer families living in Houston County. This Journal has just recently been presented TO THE LIBRARY by Mrs. Mahala HALL BROWNLOW of Shreveport, La., and her nephew Robert L. HALL of Anahuac, Texas.

The Journal is of the Civil War period, and was kept by JAMES MADISON HALL when he lived at Hall's Bluff during the years 1860-1866.

Here, we feel that we should give a biographical sketch of James Madison HALL, who kept the Journal -- and to this we turned to our ever highly prized "History of Houston County" written many many years ago by Judge A. A. ALDRICH; and from this, in part, we quote.

"James Madison HALL was the son of Joshua A [James] HALL. He was born February 22nd, probably in Maryland. He came with his father to Houston County as early as July 1st, 1839. He married Cornelia A. BRACKEN, as early as 1851.

"James Madison [HALL] was elected district clerk in Houston County in 1847, and held the office until 1857.

"About 1858 he and his first wife were divorced and he later married his stepsister, a daughter of his stepmother, Mahala HALL, with whom he lived until his death in 1866."

The Journal "covers the entire period of the Civil War from 1861 to 1866. In this he has preserved some valued history of that period."

"James Madison HALL was the son of Joshua H [James] HALL. The records show that JOSHUA J. HALL was here as early as July 1st, 1839; and that he was owner of more than twenty-three thousand acres of land on which he located his home, and on which he lived up to the time of his death. He later married the widow Mahala L. SHARP, the daughter of Elisha ROBERTS, a pioneer citizen of San Augustine County. Soon after reaching Houston County he established a warehouse and business at a point on the bank of the Trinity River, near his home, which, ever since, has been known as Hall's Bluff.

"Hall's Bluff," as Judge A. A. ALDRICH wrote "was quite a business place where cotton was shipped to market on steamboats that plied the river to and from Galveston. The business of hauling cotton to that point, and goods from that point, to Crockett merchants, was a regular trade before the coming of the railroad."

To be continued . . .

John H. Wootters

Throughout the pages of the Hall Journal are multiple mentions of a family by the name of WOOTTERS . . . the first appearance of a WOOTERS occurs on Saturday, March 10th, 1860 when J.M. Hall records the following . . . To day we commenced to plant corn in the old ground with two plows running. In the evening Sam Sharp & John WOOTTERS came out from Crockett; Weather clear but cold. I paid Bill HICKS in cash $1. on a/c of rails. . . . the following information from Google Books describes some of the WOOTTERS individuals . . .

John S. Wootters, M. D., is not only known and honored as one of the representative physicians and surgeons of his native county, but is also a scion of a family whose name has been most prominently and worthily linked with the annals of Houston county for more than half a century. He is engaged in the successful practice of his profession in the fine city of Crockett, metropolis and judicial center of Houston county, and his distinctive prestige in his chosen vocation, together with his status as one of the loyal and progressive citizens of the county that has ever been his home and in which his popularity is of unequivocal order, renders most consonant his specific recognition in this history of his native state. Dr. Wootters was born on the old homestead of his father, on the banks of the Trinity river, in the western part of Houston county, Texas, and the date of his nativity was October 3, 1870. He is a son of . . .

Captain John H. and Berta (Smith) Wootters, the former of whom was born in Maryland and the latter in North Carolina, both families having been founded in America in the colonial epoch of our national history. Captain Wootters was reared and educated in his native state and there continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits until, as a young man, he determined to follow the star of empire in its westward course and came to Texas. He established a home in Houston county but soon after his arrival in the Lone Star state he subordinated all personal ambitions to tender his services in defense of the cause of the Confederacy.

He was one of the first of the valiant young Texans to respond to the call of the southern states when the Civil war was precipitated on a divided nation. He enlisted in a company that was organized for service in Virginia and which later became one of the seven companies forming the battalion commanded by Colonel Louis Wigfall. Upon the formal organization of the First Texas Regiment the company of which Captain Wootters was a member became Company I of that regiment, which became a part of Hood's Texas Brigade, which gained fame as one of the most gallant and dashing of the Confederate forces in the long and weary conflict between the north and the south. This brigade has been memorialized in song and story and in the history of the great internecine conflict few commands have been granted greater distinction and honor. The initial official position of Captain Wootters was that of first sergeant of his company, and through faithful service and marked gallantry he soon won promotion through the lieutenancies to the rank of captain of his company, and in this office he ably commanded his men thereafter until the close of the war. In all the splendid forces of the south there was to be found no braver or more gallant soldier than this young Texas captain, and it was his to participate in a number of the fiercest and most sanguinary engagements marking the progress of the great conflict, as he shared in all of the service of his regiment in the commands of Generals Lee and Longstreet. Among the more important battles in which he took part may be mentioned those of Etham 's Landing, Seven Pines, the seven days' battles before Richmond, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Second Cold Harbor, Bermuda Hundred, and the almost continuous fighting during the eight months' seige of Petersburg. At Bermuda Hundred he received a severe wound in the wrist, but he continued with his command until the final surrender of the distinguished and loved commander, General Robert E. Lee.

After the close of the war Captain Wootters returned to Texas and assumed a clerical position in the city of Galveston, where later he engaged in the commission business. In the late '60s he returned to Houston county and purchased a tract of land on the east bank of the Trinity river, which was then a navigable stream, and there he turned his attention to diversified agriculture, and stock-raising, besides which he built up a prosperous business as a merchant, with well equipped general stores in the villages of Daly's and Grapeland.

In 1877 he removed with his family to Crockett, the county seat, for the purpose of affording his children proper educational advantages and also with the view of expanding the scope of his business activities. Here he became associated with his brother, the late Major James C. Wootters, in the mercantile business, and they built up one of the largest and most successful enterprises of the kind in this section of the state, the firm ever maintaining the highest reputation for fair and honorable dealings and for effective service in meeting the demands of an extensive and appreciative patronage. With this business Captain Wootters continued to be actively identified until his death, which occurred on the 21st of January, 1892, at which time he held prestige not only as one of the pioneer merchants of the city of Crockett but also as one of the leading business men and most honored and influential citizens of Houston county.

His elder brother, Major Wootters, survived him and continued the business until he too was summoned to eternal rest. To Major Wootters a special memoir is dedicated on other pages of this work, and to said article reference may be made for further data concerning the business activities of these sterling brothers who played so large a part in the civic and material development of Crockett and Houston county.

Captain Wootters was a man of broad views and mature judgment, his life was guided on the highest plane of integrity and honor, and he commanded at all times the inviolable esteem of his fellow men. His political allegiance was given to the Democratic party, and he manifested his abiding interest in his old comrades in arms by retaining affiliation with Crockett Camp of the United Confederate Veterans, of which he was a charter member and one who held the affectionate regard of his comrades in the same.

He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Crockett, of which he continued a stockholder until his death, and he otherwise gave liberal and timely support to measures and enterprises advanced for the general good of the community. He was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity for many years and was a most zealous and devout member of the Baptist church, as is also his widow, who still resides in Crockett. He served with all of consecration as a deacon of his church and also as superintendent of its Sunday school, the while, in a more generic way, his influence and co-operation were ever given in the furtherance of moral and educational movements and all other things representing the higher and truer ideals of human existence. Known and loved for his noble character and unfailing sympathy and kindliness, Captain Wootters left the gracious heritage of an untarnished name and his memory shall long be cherished in the city and county that represented his home for many years.

His cherished and devoted wife, who aided him in making their home one of ideal order, is one of the loved factors in the representative social activities of Crockett, and she has been a most earnest worker in the Baptist church in her home city, as has she also in the D.A. Nunn Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, of which organization she was the first president. A gracious gentlewoman who exemplified the charms of the fine old southern regime, she is held in affectionate regard by all who have come within the sphere of her influence. . . .

Google Books. Bibliographic information. Title -- A history of Texas and Texans, Volume 3. A History of Texas and Texans, Eugene Campbell Barker. Authors -- Francis White Johnson, Ernest William Winkler. Editors -- Eugene Campbell Barker, Ernest William Winkler. Publisher -- American Historical Society, 1914. Original from the University of Michigan. Digitized Jul 29, 2005