The Mena weekly star., 1909-12-02
FOUNDER OF THE UNION.
A Short Sketch of the Life of New,
 Gresham by Ills Daughter.

 My father, Newt Gresham, th. founder of the Farmers Union, was born in Lauderdale County. Ala, Feb -uary goth. 1856 When he was six years old. his parents moved to Kauf nan County, Texas, where they soor lied. thus leaving him, at an early 2ge, to battle against the world and ts hardships. It was, undoubtedly turing this time that the foundations ,f his character were laid. The strength developed in these early struggles helped him in shaping and leading Americas greatest organiza ton for farmers.
 He was a member and a leader in the Farmers Alliance. and was never reconclled, 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 oTn labor and determina. ton. He was not polished scholar, but by dint of hard work he secured 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, n Kaufman County, and went tc 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 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 its infancy, and was the first man in the State to receive a commission to SC beyond State borders to do 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 lty in Alabama in which he was born While there he organized a good local Alliance, and before leaving the State, 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 few months, having to return to Texas on account of his wlfe's III health.
 In January. 1896, he went into the newspaper business at Granbury 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 in the fall of this year, after many hard efforts, he induced nine men of Rains County to unite with him and secure 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.
 give a list of the names of the ten men who were instrumental in bringing about the F. E. c. U. of A.: N6WI OTtbHdll, V. H. lNHuucoi IL. lS' Seamster, W. H. Cochran. B. F. Nor ris. James Turner. Tom Donelson, Jesse Adams. Tom Pounds, W. S. Sisk
 My fathe~ 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 i'll ness of five days Our earnest wish was that he might have lived longer so tha. Se could rejoice in seeing tho great work he started going on so faithfully and helping all who be longed to the great organizations Lutie Gresham.