The Green Forest tribune., 1908-04-10
FOUNDER OF THE UNION.
A Short Sketch of the Life of Newt
 Gresham by His Dauuhter

My father, Newt Gresham, the
 founder of the Farmers Union, was born in Lauderdale County, Ala, Feb. ruary 20th, 1856. When he was six years old, his parents moved to Kauf- man County, Texas, where they soor died, thus leaving him, at an early
 age, to battle against the world ane it's 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 America's greatest organiza-
 ton for farmers.
 He was a member and leader in
 the Farmers Alliance, and was never
 reconciled, after the death of that or
 der, 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 determina-
 tion. He was not a polished scholar, but by dint of hard work he secured q 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 a 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 dc organizing work. He was the best posted man re- garding farmers organizations in Tex as. Leaving his young wife with her he went to the very commun- ity in Alabama in which he was born. While there he organized a good local fhiiioilSV, anu pCiOl ' HIS ls'V olaG1, a year later, he succeeded in organiz- 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 Of his wife's III health.
 In January, 1896, he went into the 1f,rIr emo h,,r ot Cro l-,It T,1 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 Encouragement 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 about the F. E. c. U. of A.: Newt Gresham, O. H. 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 thought to the bad. He was a loving husband and father. He died the 10th of April 1906, 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 and helping all who be- Longed to the great organization.- Lutie Gresham