El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-04-09
TEXAS PIONEERS.
Many of the Troubles Through Which
Early Settlers Passed


! settlers of Texas, was born in Christian
county, Ky, August Il. 1929. and came
to Texas with his fafhec, Captain Cal.
> vim BOaes, in 1884, and settled on the
: BraZos river at place a'terwa"o
known as Old Nashville. This place
was named by the emlgrants from
Tennessee who sett ed there. The
.Boales family started TO Texas from
| Lawrence county. Miss, in company
with the Tandy family, their relatives.
There was also of this party Billy
Smith and Billy Moore. On the way
they fell in with Jerry and John Bailey
and they al came on together. There
also came about this time Powers and
McCanlis. When the party arrived at
their destination only TWO settlers had
prec them and they were living in
| IL camp. One Of these was James Nc
Laughlin. When the party arrived at
the BraZOs. opposite the place where
| they wished to settle, they had TO stop
and build Il boat before they could cross
| their effects to the prairie and bluff on
the opposite side. Like all of Texas ct
that time, it looked wild and romantic.
! High grass covered the country in all
! directions and game was gentle and
plentiful, there was no lack Of fresh
meat at all times. Bread to these dar-
ing settlers was the greatest object in
regard to food supply, and they soon
| learned TO 40 WITHOUT lIldG wien UueL
| could not obtain it. The soil was very
rich and small patches of corn were
| planted at the proper season. Before
| they could get plOws and other farm
utensils these primitive BraZoS farmers
| cleared of the high weeds and cane in
| the bottoms and planted their corn with
| handspikes and then without much
| cultivation fair crops were made.
| " hen the corn was matured and we'll
4 4 !, \ 10
in. Although the meal thus made was
coarse and rough, these people were
happy and cOntented, and really saw
more pleasure and enjoyed life better
than most people at this day and time.
one great trOu bic they had TO contend
with while their crops were growing
was the game. They had to continual
" guard against bear. deer and wild
turkeys, to keep them from destroying
their crop before it was matured
enough to gather and house
Among those whom Mr.. Boales came
TO Texas with was Rev. Mr.. Smith,
mau who became noted i'll religious and
educational work in Texas and who
died. mOurned by all with. whom he
came in contact during his long and
active life upon the wild frontiers OF
Texas. At the time of his appearance
in Texas he was young, irreligiOu5 and
mad no education, and for some
time worked as striker in a black
smith shop at Old Nashville. During
I revival meeting he was converted
aud showed so much zeal for the cause
of Christ that he was taken in charge
by two Baptist preachers, Garrett and
Fisher. and educated. He founded the
famous college at Independence. which
was afterward removed tG Bolton. He
was also a relative of the Boales
family.
When these first settlers pitched
their camps and built their cabins
tlong the banks OF the BRACES they had
no trouble with the Indians, who We're |
quite numerous and often visited and |
.raded with the whites. Peace and |
quiet. however. did not long remain. |
Mexico had trouble with her American |
c0lonists, which soon b lrst forth into |
open hOstilities. After the fall of the |
Alamo the settlers all had to retreat be |
fore Santa Ana's army until the famous |
battle of San Jacinto was fought and |
wen. The old settlers called this fight
the runaway scrape.' The party !
with whom Mr.. Boales, then a boy, !
made his escape. was composed OF about |
seven,y-fve families. They went into |
camp on the west side Of the Trinity at
.'Clapp's ferry" There had been Il |
great deal of rain during the flight and
he river was very high. Here in anX-
stayed with the families for their pro- !
lection awaited news of the battle |
which they knew Houston and the |
brave men who We're with him would |
sight before they turned their backs |
upon the soil of Texas. While in this |
condition a man named Love came in |
not haste with the astounding intelli- |
gence that Houston's army had been |
sut to pieces and almost totally ami |
hilated and that they had better cross |
he Trinity and continue their flight. |
What could the wretched people do |
under the circumstances The imDaS- !
-able river in front and a fierce victor
fous army behind. The few men here
determined fight and commenced the
erection of breastworks. On the heels |
Of this messenger, however, their came
another, an express from Houston, tell
NO the people that he bad Santa Ana
l prisoner and had killed and captured
ais army and for them to return to
heir homes. Their despair was now
changed to Joy, and shout after shout
went up from the camp. Some say
that the man Love was only in sight of
the battle and saw HOuston's men pros
trate themselves to avoid the cannon
shots in the charge. aHd thought they
we're all killed and rep )rted according
w. The people at once commenced
their westward march and those who
lived at Old Nashville" arrived home
in due time.
Shortly after these events Indian
troubles commenced. a family nam
ed Riley packed up their wagon aud
moved further up the country, intend-
ING to settle on the Gabriel. but they
were attacked by the Indians. In the
fight which eusued one of the Riley's
waa xii ed, but his brother bravely
continued the fight and succe ded in
keeping off the savaSes and br ngih 9
away the body of his brother. While
the fight wa5 in progress the women
and children of the party made their
escape into the brush and succeeded in
making their way on foot back to "Old
Nashville" There was also one man
of the party who ran off when the at
tack commenced and made his escape
He reported that all the party We're
killed.
10 1887 Captain Erath, with small
company of men. had q desperate
fight with the Indians on Elm creek.