The Monticellonian., 1908-04-02
FOUNDER OF THE UNION.
4 Short Sketch of the Life of Newt
 Gresham by His DauQhter

My father Newt Gresham. the founder ef the Farmers Union. war born in Lauderdale County. Ala. Fe6. -uary goth. iS5G When he was siv years old. his parents moved 10 Raul. man County. Texas. where they soor lied. thus leaving him. at an earls age. 10 battle against the world an6
 its hardships. It was. undoubtedly during this time that the foundations of his character were laid. The strength developed in these early struggles helped him in shaping and leading Americas greatest Urganiza- lion for farmers.
 He was a member and a leader in he Farmers Alliance, and was never reconciled. after the death of that or Ter. until he succeeded in having an other take it's place.
 My father never had the opportuni- ty of attending a free public school. All the education he received was the result of his own labor and determna- ton. He was not a polished scholar but by dint of hard work he secured a good practical education and a vast amount of general information.
 In May. 1877. with seven dollars in his pocket. he left his home at Cedar Hill in Kaufman County, and went to Terrell, Texas, where he boarded a train for Fort Worth, on his way to Granbury. Hood County. Texas. There was no railroad from Fort Worth to Granbury. and not having money enough to hire private conveyance he walked the entire distance of for ty miles. He then hired himself to work on a farm at thirteen dollars a month
 In January, 1881, he married Miss Ida Peters, whose home was in Gran bury. He joined the Alliance in it's infancy, and was the first man in the State to receive a commission to go beyond State borders to de organizing work. He was the best posted man re garding farmers organizations in Tex as. Leaving his young wife with her parents, he went to the very commun- ity in Alabama in which he was born While there he organized a good local Alliance, and before leaving tae State, a year later, he succeeded in crganiz- ing many thousands into the Alliance He then went to Tennessee. taking his wife with him, but remained there only a few months. having to return to Texas on account os his wife's III health.
 In January. 1896, he went into the newspaper business at GranbuIy. In 1899 he moved to Greenville, Texas, where he was engaged in newspaper work also In January, 1902. he moved to Point, Rains County, Texas, and i'll the fall of this year. after many hard efforts, he induced nine men of Rains County to unite with him and secure a charter from the State. My father was made General Organizer, and in the face of every discour agement be- gan the work of building up our great Farmers Union.
 I give a list of the names of the ten men who were instrumental in bringing about the F. E. C. [. of A: Newt Gresham, O. II Rhodes, D. L. seamster, W. H. Cochran. B. F. Mor- ris, James Turner, Tom Donelson. Jesse Adams, Tom Pounds. W. S. Sisk.
 My father was honest, sincere, self sacrificing. always seeing the good points in fellow man, and never giv- ing a thought to the bad. He was a loving husband and father. He died the 10th of April. 1a0G, after an ill- ness of five days. Our earnest wish was that he might have lived longer so that he could rejoice in seeing the great work he started going on so faithfully and helping all who be- longed to the great organization.- Lutie Gresham.