A Sketch of Denton County

The American Sketch Book,
An Historical and Home Magazine, 1880

The Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas pages 201 through 213.
(copied by Polly Harmonson) Compiled by Laura Irvine

Nowhere, perhaps, have the charms of nature been more prodigally lavished than in the Lone Star State; her mountains, with their bright aerial tints; her valleys teeming with fertility; her boundless plains, waving with spontaneous verdure, her rivers and creeks rolling in solemn silence; her trackless forests where vegetation puts forth all its magnificence; her skies kindling with magic of summer clouds, and glorious sunshine-- no never need a Texan go beyond his own glorious country for natural and beautiful scenery. And in no county in the state, would you be more struck with the contribution of nature, and her scenery than in many parts of Denton County. This county forms one of the many counties in which consisted that great portion of country during the time that Texas was struggling for her independence.

The first settlements in what is now known as Denton County, was on Hickory and Prairie Creeks, in 1842 up to 1845, by the Wagners, Prices, Clarys, Kings, and others. In June, 1845, there were in all seventeen families. In the later part of 1845, came Murphy, the Harmonsons, Halfords, Weldons, Frenches, and others; and in the early part of 1846, the Carters, S. A. Venters, and the Yochonis settled on Clear Creek, and the Sricklins, on Ile D. Bois. Denton County and Denton Creek were named in honor of Capt. John B. Denton, as was also the town of Denton. He was a native of Arkansas, where he was reared in a blacksmith's shop, without any of the polish of education. He could not even read until he was a grown man and married a gem of the female world, who taught him his letters and inspired him with a desire to make of himself a man. Possessed by nature of a giant intellect, and a driving will, he soon made considerable progress in his books. Immigrating to Texas in 1839, he became a noted minister of the Gospel of the Methodist order among the settlers was, afterwards chosen chaplain of a regiment of Texas soldiers, and left his mark as a pulpit orator, though he seldom spoke in a pulpit. Old Texans say that on one occasion, when they were camped at the mouth of what is now called Denton Creek, at Hackberry Fort, and were gathered in the grove to listen to Denton's sermon, as he was rising to begin, Gen. Thomas J. Rusk walked into the crowd and took a seat. It was one of Denton's happy efforts. He chained his hearers, and immortalized the woods around with some of the grandest natural eloquence that ever rolled from human tongue. Gen. Rusk was charmed. He had never seen the preacher, and asked the writer of this, "what little thunder bolt” that could be; said that he had heard the renowned diction of Clay, of Prentis, and of Webster, but that such a deluge of rounded period, never met his ears before Denton became a lawyer, and stood at the top or the bar. He was afterward chosen captain of a company of Indian fighters, where ended his curious and eventful career in 1840 or '41. He had been a candidate for the district representative against Potter, but was beaten by four votes. The race was hard to win, Potter himself declaring he had never before seen a man so hard to defeat. His military life was brief; a brave man, one very unconcerned about his own safety, he was soon lost to his company and the state. On village creek, in Tarrant county, precisely where the road running from Fort Worth to Fort Johnson crosses the creek, on the east side, near a large tree still standing, is the spot where the brave hero fell, pierced through the heart by a shot from concealed Indians. His remains were placed on a horse, and his comrades started to carry him home, but were so pressed by the Indians that they buried him on Oliver creek, a tributary of Denton Creek, where he was left until about the year 1860, when the remains were carried by John Chism to his ranch on Cedar Creek, and buried in his yard, where the bones now rest. But the day is not far distant when they will be removed to the courthouse yard, in Denton, and a handsome monument erected to his memory.

Denton County was organized in July 1846, and Joe Tunner was elected chief justice; W. G. Gavin, sheriff; M. Ramsower, district clerk; W. King, county clerk. The first county seat was Pinkneyville one half mile east of the present city of Denton and there the first court was held under a tree in the fall of 1846, by John T. Mills, district judge, and W.C. Young, prosecuting attorney. In the fall of 1846, a company of rangers under Capt. A. Stapp, was stationed at Britten Spring, west of Big Elm and had an engagement with a party of thieving Indians on Denton Creek; three Indians were killed, one in a hand to hand fight, by Capt. Pres Witt. Denton County was a frontier until 1854. Indians were much worse at stealing than at killing during that time. The county seat was moved from Pinkneyville to Alton, six miles south, and was moved from there to another place called Alton, two miles west, and from Alton to the present city of Denton, in May, 1857. It was at one of the courts held at Alton (Judge Todd presiding, and Col. McCoy, or Dallas, district attorney), that a citizen of Collin County was tried for stealing some old irons, Col. McCoy defending. Testimony proved nothing on the question at issue; but investigators found him guilty on general principles; not having a good name, the jury decided that he must be guilty, and that the punishment he would receive would be nine lashes "well laid on”. A motion was made by the defendant's counsel for a new trial, but while motion was being argued, the sheriff took out defendant, and inflicted the penalty, nine lashes, after which defendant told McCoy he need not argue for a new trial any farther, for he had realized the verdict. Then Col. McCoy asked jurors if they found defendant guilty of stealing the iron. They said no, but they knew him once, in Collin County, to steal a pot or apple dumpling from a widow woman. By this time, the eight Spanish gourds of whiskey the court had ordered from Bonham (the nearest trade post), gave out and the judge ordered the sheriff to adjourn his court to the next civilized county. One of the old pioneers of Denton County was Col. J. L Lovejoy, who figured conspicuously with Capt. J. B. Denton, and who still lives in Denton County, and has many friends. Among the first settlers of 1855, were W. J. McNeil, C A. Williams, Josiah Young, R. H Hopkins, J S. Chism and many others we did not get the names of.

In the year 1857, the first town lots were sold. The town of Denton was surveyed and laid off by Judge J. A. Carroll, (the present judge of the district court), assisted by Col. S. P. Bebee, and Welch. In 1861, Denton County polled eight hundred or a thousand votes. During the war, the frontier partially gave way, but in 1868 was raided by murderous and thieving Comanches and Apaches, by whom several persons west of Elm were killed. A. G. King, and three sisters of the first settlers, reside in Denton County. Among the early settlers that still live in the county, are 0. M. French, H. Murphy, John Carter, Perry Harmonson, S A. Venters and others. Elizabeth, Henrietta, Harriet and Oliver Creeks were named after daughters and a son of Henry Hedgecox. He and John C. McCoy were agents of Peters' Colony. The county of Denton is situated in the heart of the rich grain-growing region of north Texas. It joins Collin on the east, Wise lies to the west, and Grayson and Cook form its northern boundary, and Tarrant and Dallas its‟ southern. The soil is all of excellent quality, and is highly productive. The county of Denton has five towns, all of very good size. Pilot Point is very near as large as the town of Denton; Lewisville is the next in size, then Bolivar, Elizabethtown, Little Elm, all situated in magnificent farming localities. No portion of Texas presents greater inducements to the honest, industrious immigrant, whether farmer, merchant, mechanic, or professional man, than Denton County. It has perhaps the most lasting streams of water, the widest prairie, and finest grass range in the state. Denton County stands unrivaled for its large droves of fat cattle, which never fail to keep the county supplied with money; and for rich farming and gardening, the soil is as good as any that can be found. I have visited many parts of the state, and the crops and gardens of Denton and Denton County are up with those of any other county. The soil here is as rich and productive of corn, wheat and cotton, as any land in the state. I have been through Denton County, and I must say that I have never seen better prospects for crops than I find in the county at present. The corn is splendid, the cotton was never better. The farmers, who are the bone and sinew of the state, have fired up with the spirit of enterprise; the spirit of improvement is plainly to be seen. You see new houses, barns, etc., under way of construction all through the county. A stranger coming into Denton county, and seeing the farmers working and improving, would be led to the conclusion that these people were contented and had come not for a season only but intending to remain permanently. It seems that all are united in making themselves lasting homes. The same spirit is manifested among the merchants, the mechanics, and the traders. This certainly is to be an era in the history of improvement in this part of the country. The population of Denton County is seventeen thousand, six hundred and seventy-two.

To any one who wishes to see the surrounding country of Denton and Denton County, a drive of six miles from the town would take them to where Dame Nature has constructed a huge pile of brown sand stone, called Pilot Knob, and which rises grandly up, to a giddy altitude. A sweeping survey of the entire surroundings from the top of the knob, presents, at one and the same time, one of the grandest sights in nature. In rapid succession, we survey the rich prairies, points of timber, creeks, mounds, peaks and farm houses innumerable, and from this grand stand in the center of the county, plainly visible to the naked eye for thirty miles around, the red men of Texas in the older times, were in the habit of making their observation for both friendly and unfriendly purposes. On this knob, not very long since, was the rendezvous of Sam Bass (the great train robber of much notoriety) and his party. It was at this place that they fought the citizens of Denton. About two months since, the last one of the notorious gang was caught and imprisoned. And Pilot Knob has now become a delightful resort for the people of Denton. North Texas, agriculturally speaking, may be said now to be on a boom. Such crops, particularly corn and cotton, have perhaps never been seen before by the oldest inhabitants. By the rapid building of railroads, it is opening a territory of great agricultural richness heretofore almost unknown. The State of Texas is fast becoming a commonwealth of vast resources and value. Ten years hence the state will have railroads connecting with every point in the country, and carrying her vast agricultural products to the markets of the world. At the present time railroads are the go. Work is being rapidly pushed forward on the Dallas and Wichita R. R., which is soon to reach the town of Denton. From Whitesboro, in Grayson County, the Texas and Pacific Company are extending the transcontinental branch of their road, which will also run through Denton and on to Fort Worth. The town of Denton is situated on a beautiful ridge between the cross-timbers and Elm Creek, rendering it quite convenient to wood and water. The soil is rich, fertile, and well adapted to the growth of vegetables, fruits, etc. The people are industrious, intelligent and enterprising, and will ere long have a town that will compete with any of its sister towns for the business of that section of the state. It is the county seat of Denton County. Denton is a place where one‟s eye will dwell with delight, on the neat cottages, with their shrubberies and green grass plots. The climate is salubrious, healthy and delightful. There is not anywhere around any local cause for malarial disease. Its high altitude, its comparatively dry atmosphere, always in summer rendered cool and refreshing by prevailing south winds, must be favorable to health. A few hours drive into the country one evening gave me the opportunity to see some of the beauties and advantages of Denton. Far away in one direction lay the broad expanse or prairie, wondrous in its sublime extension, while at our right, along the skirts of timber, lay the most beautiful farms, decorated with their abundant crops of cotton and corn. In December 1875, the courthouse was burned, and all the books were entirely lost; and in 1877 it was rebuilt at the cost of forty thousand dollars. It is a very handsome building and is certainly a great ornament to the town.

The population of the town of Denton is twelve hundred and five. It has the following church buildings and church organizations: M. E. Church S. has a neat frame church building, and parsonage, J. W. Clark, pastor; Cumberland Presbyterian, D. R. Grafton, pastor; Christian Church, I. J. Lampton, Pastor; Union Baptist Church of Denton, S. A. Beauchamp, pastor. All have good churches. The M. E. Church N. and the Old School Presbyterians have church organizations but no church buildings. The colored people have two church organizations, the Colored Baptist and the African Methodist. Masonic Order, Standfield Lodge No. 217, chartered June 1858, has a Masonic Hall, a two-story frame building. I.0.0.F. Lodge was chartered February 1859, and Knights of Honor, Lee Lodge, chartered Jan. 1879. There are four good schools, as follows: E. B. Kyte, seventy-five scholars; J. S. Chapman, sixty scholars; Miss Golliher, forty; Mrs. Hunt, forty. A colored school, thirty scholars. Scholastic population enrolled: two hundred and twenty white and forty Negroes. The board of trustees of the town have purchased seven acres, a half mile south of Public Square, upon which they are very soon to erect a ten thousand dollar house for a female school. R. R. Mayo & T. B. Wheeler own a steam saw and grist mill, with a capacity of grinding two hundred and fifty bushels of grain per day, and cutting three thousand feet of oak timber. Davenport has a merchant flouring mill capable of grinding five thousand bushels of grain per day.

There are several steam cotton gins in the town, at which were put up two thousand bales of cotton last fall. The trade of the town during 1879, amounted to three hundred thousand dollars. It is estimated that the cotton crop of Denton County will reach between twenty and twenty-five thousand bales this year. Lands are cheap, and the citizens invite immigration to come and aid in developing the resources of their community. There are two weekly papers published in the town of Denton, both of which are ably conducted. The Denton County Record was established in 1879, by W. P. Withers, its present editor and proprietor. It is a four page (seven column) paper, democratic in politics, though devoted more specially to the interest of the town and county. It is a spicy and interesting paper. The Monitor was started in 1868, by Thos. R. Burnet, now editor of The Christian Messenger, at Bonham, and Chas. W. Geers. After about six months, Burnett sold its interest to Geers, who continued publishing the paper alone, until February, 1879, when he sold out half of the paper to G. H. Crouston. After a year, Geers again took full control until the 18th of June 1880, when he retired from the business, and the publication has since been continued by the present able editor, D. N. Dodson. The Monitor, was the first paper printed in the county, and has lived to see the death of numerous journalistic ventures. It is a large paper for the size of the town, has a large circulation, and wields considerable influence. In the winter of 1876, Geers was awakened by the cry of fire. He arrived on the square just in time to see the roof of his printing office fall in. He turned, and walked across the square, and bought out the other paper, and The Monitor came out the next week, the same as usual. To its kind and courteous editor, the assistant editor of the SKETCH BOOK would return thanks for his many acts of kindness, and hopes that he will continue be a success in the editorial fraternity. Mrs. Lacy has charge of the Lacy House. She is an old Texan, and one that has great experience in this particular line of business. The table is all that a good market, good cooks and cleanliness can render it - that is to say, she keeps the best house in the city.

In 1868, a party of Indians, supposed to be about twenty strong made a raid into Wise and Denton counties. Crossing Denton Creek, near the Overland Road, and meeting no opposition, the redskin marauders, at twelve o'clock one night, dashed into the town of Denton, unperceived, and drove out about thirty horses. The next morning, horses were missed from lots and pastures. Indian trails were discovered in the fields, and every circumstance attested that their very doors had been visited by savages. Scouts were sent out, in several directions, when it was discovered that the Indians had gone out by the Gainesville Road, to the crossing on Clear Creek, gathering all the horses on the route. No attempt had been made by them to kill, scalp, or capture any of the citizens whose houses they had passed. When crossing Clear Creek, they attempted to capture two of Mr. Rol‟s little boys that happened to be some distance from the house. Their main object seemed to be to steal as many horses as possible. They gathered all the horses on their way, until the drove amounted to some fifty or sixty, then left the settlements beyond Clear Creek, and started out in the direction of Cook County. Capt. R. H. Hopk1ns, Stephenson Curley, and three other men whose ranches on Clear Creek were swept of a good deal of valuable stock, mounted fleet horses and went out in pursuit. Another force of ten men, also, joined in the chase, farther in the rear not being able to keep pace with the Indians all of whom were now remounted upon fresh horses. The chase continued for many miles over the prairie, the party keeping in sight of the Indians all the time, until Hopkins' squad made a flank movement for the purpose of getting reinforcements from some ranches on the right. This move so confused the Indians, who thought this was some stratagem that they turned into the brakes and briars on Clear Creek, where they were charged upon by Hopkins and his men, and nearly all the stolen horses re-captured. The Indians escaped with the horses they were riding, and went off in the direction of Montague County. Soon after this raid, a runner hastened to town, and reported Indians in force, between the residence of Thos. Eagan and that of George McCormick, five miles from the town of Denton, gathering horses. Some twenty-five of the citizens immediately armed themselves as best they could, mounted horses and started in pursuit. About ten miles from town, the scouts observed a couple of Indians on Hickory Creek, driving some fifteen horses to the main head, when they raised the yell and charged, recapturing the horses. Mr. Tarleton Bull was in the lead, and fired first at close range; the ball taking effect near the spine, when the Indian turned and fired upon Mr. Bull, but missed his aim. He then raised his bow, but was pierced with three more balls before he could use it. Mr. Bull secured his pony, and Mr. E. Allen returned with his gun, bow and quiver. The other Indian escaped. The scouts then, pushed on closely after the main body of savages up North Hickory, but did not come up with them until they halted at Chism Ranch. Here, at the sound of their bugle, the Indians formed in line of battle. A dog belonging to one of the scouting party, hearing the sound of the bugle, ran over to the Indians and was instantly killed. The force of the scouting party, by this time, had increased to forty-three men; the number of savages was estimated at one hundred and fifty. Firing commenced on both sides, when the Indians seeing the comparative smallness of the squad, raised the war whoop and charged. The men retreated in disorder, and formed on the bank of a little prairie creek. In the retreat, Mr. Severe Fortenberry was killed, scalped; stripped of his clothes, and disfigured in too barbarous a manner to relate. Mr. William Eaves received a slight wound, and Mr. George McCormick's horse was shot and killed under him, but he succeeded in making his escape across the creek. The Indians were successful in the fight and succeeded in getting away with two or three hundred heads of horses.

The following are the principal business houses of Denton. Berry H. Deavenport, staple and fancy dry goods, etc. Inge & Elliott, druggists, south side square. Griffeth & Dawson, hardware, iron, farm implements, etc. J. J. Garman, general groceries and saddlery. D. Kowskey, choice, fresh groceries, east side of the square. Lipscomb & Burton, druggists and pharmacists. Lacy House, Mrs. E. Lacy, Proprietor. Piner & Austin, attorneys at law and land agents. R. J. Rich's Star Store, dry goods, clothing, hats, etc. A .W. Robertson, attorney at law. J. M. McNiell & Co., groceries, dry goods, clothing, hats, etc. W. A. Smith & Co., staple and fancy groceries, queensware, glassware, woodenware, etc. Emory C. Smith, attorney at law. R. C. Scripture, staple and fancy groceries. J. B. Watkins, drug store, drugs, patent medicines, etc. Williams & Greenlee, general merchandise. J. A. Withers, staple and fancy groceries, provisions.

Pilot Point is a town of eleven hundred inhabitants, covering an area of two square miles, situated on an eminence. On the 25th of December 1853, on this eminence there was a town site surveyed by George W. Newcome, the then county surveyor of Grayson County, and James Pearson, an old Texan, and owner of the land; which they named Pilot Point, out of respect to the brave rangers, who had driven the red men farther west, to find more benial (sic) hunting grounds. A portion of the town lots were sold in the year 1854, at which time Dr. K. W. Eddleman bought several, upon which he, in summer of the same year, erected the first dwelling house ever built in Pilot Point. His son, L. Z. Eddleman, was born in this house, and was the first person born in the town. In the same year, there were several log storehouses built on the public square. The first frame storehouse was put up by Maj. J. D. Walcott, in the year 1858, which stands still on the square. Dr. Eddleman and Major Walcott were the real founders of the town, because they gave the first impetus and directed the first efforts to develop the town. Dr. Eddleman is still surviving, and is an honest and highly respected citizen in our midst, while Major Walcott, after leading a long and useful life, was gathered to his fathers on the 16th day of February 1880.

The town is situated in the north east part of Denton County, right on the eastern edge of the lower cross timber, but a mile or two from the south boundary line of Cook and Grayson Counties, and about seven miles west of the west boundary line of Collin County. The main body of the town is located upon quite a prominent point of land, overlooking a vast expanse of beautiful undulating prairie county, lying to the east, northeast, and southeast of town. While the cross timbers partially obstruct the views lying to the northwest, west and southwest, almost the entire surrounding country is cleared and fenced into beautiful farms, with nice orchards, verdant pastures, expansive fields, commodious barns, cheerful and tastefully arranged cottages. So that this town is actually nestled within the bosom of a beautiful and very productive agricultural region, filled with thrifty, well-to-do farmers, and a very intelligent class of citizens. The town has a public square, which is built upon all around, with different kinds of business houses. The town itself impresses the stranger, by presenting in its later improvements such solid and substantial brick buildings as are built by Capt. N. Wilson, Ross & Brother, and others, men whose enterprise and business vim build towns and push other moves to successful ends. It is to them and other such men as Col. John Collier and Dr. Eddleman and Messrs Jones & Moffett, editors of the Pilot Point Post, a most able and valuable paper, that Pilot Point owes largely for its past, and looks for its future prosperity. There are two good high schools in the town; one at the Pilot Point Institute, under the charge and management of Prof. Franklin, and the other at the Brooks Academy, under the management of Prof. Stronglean. The Pilot Point Institute is situated in the eastern edge of the town, and has a capacity sufficient to accommodate four hundred pupils, while the Brooks Academy is situated nearer the center, with a capacity sufficient to accommodate one hundred and twenty-five pupils. Both of these institutions are now on rising ground, and bid fair to be permanent.

The church facilities of the town are excellent. The Christians, Baptist and Cumberland Presbyterians not only have large and flourishing congregations, but each has a neat church building of its own. The Old School Presbyterians have an organization, but no house as yet. No railroad, as yet, has reached the town, but the Trans-continental branch of the Texas Pacific is soon to be completed to that place. The citizens have donated to the railroad company one hundred acres of land within the corporate limits of the town, for depot and other purposes, as well the right of way through the town. It will undoubtedly amply remunerate the company to extend its line on through that town, so easily situated within the heart of so flourishing a farming region. There are numerous and tastefully erected private residences, with handsome gardens and yards adorned with flowers, shrubbery and shade trees, situated here and there throughout the town. The atmosphere is pure and good, being almost entirely free from malaria at all seasons of the year. There is no creek very near the town, but yet there is an abundant supply of good well water. The wells are from sixteen to forty feet deep and afford generally a pure, soft, freestone water, though there is a good deal of hard water throughout the country.
There are creeks affording an abundance of water, lying in all directions, not very distant from town. Pecan Creek is the nearest, which is two miles east and southeast. Buck Creek is four miles to the northeast; Isle D. Boise is three miles to the northwest and west, and Big Elm Creek is six miles to the southwest. The cross-timbers and bottom lands of those creeks are heavily wooded, making the fuel supply inexhaustible for years to come. The soil of this section is rich, black sandy soil, and exceedingly productive. It is well adapted to the culture of corn, oats, cotton, vegetables, grapes and fruit. It is easily cultivated, and yields, when the seasons are favorable, immense crops. The average cotton crop is two-thirds of a bale per acre. The soil and climate seems better suited to the culture of cotton, vegetables, fruit and grapes than anything else. There are a goodly number of excellent orchards throughout the county, in which the peach, plum, cherry, apple and pear are grown very successfully. There is a great deal of wine made of cultivated grape. Raspberries, blackberries, and other berries, do well with proper cultivation. The citizens are generally a moral, intelligent, thrifty, well-to-do people, and all seem anxious to see their country develop into a first class country, which it is rapidly doing. The principal businessmen are: R. M. Baird & Co., dry goods, notions, hats, caps, etc. John Collier, lawyer, land agent, and notary public. N. W. Parker, agent for Dodd, Brown & Co., wholesale dry goods, St. Louis. E. E. Dismuke, druggist. M. A. Dale, stoves and tin ware. Davidson & Co., general merchandise. Pilot Point Seminary, M. B. Franklin, principal. Edwards House, M. B. Edwards, proprietor. Ross & Bros., general merchandise. Sharp & Doran, groceries, provisions, furniture, etc. W. E. Shegog, groceries, etc. N. Wilson & Co., general merchandise. D. A. Welborn, Postmaster. Thos. N. Wylie, physician and surgeon. W. R. Phillips, dry goods, groceries, etc. W. S. McShan, general merchandise. M. M. Slaughter, general merchandise.

Lewisville is a beautiful prairie village of two hundred and eighty-five inhabitants, situated in the southern part of Denton County, five miles north of the Dallas County line, and three miles west of the grand verdant banked Elm Fork of Trinity River, commanding a view of the heaven-favored tendrils that border the sunny banks, and spot the high enticing waters of Deity's creation. Lewisville has seventeen business houses, two hotels, one church, two schools, two halls, Masonic and Odd Fellow, the former being one of the oldest and largest lodges in the state, the latter being five years old, with a flourishing and growing membership. The adaptability of Lewisville as a point for large trade is notable for many reasons, prominent among which is its being surrounded on all sides by the most desirable rich farming lands, productive of most everything that grows. It is twenty-five miles from Dallas by the Dallas and Wichita R. R., and it is fifteen miles from Denton, immediately between. Lewisville has excellent flourishing mills and cotton gins, is adjacent to fine timber for most purposes, has excellent well water, and an abundance of it, at the depth of twenty-two feet. The Methodists have a church. The Baptists and Presbyterians are well organized. Schools are large and well regulated. Lands improved and unimproved to be bought on easy terms. Lewisville is located on Halford Prairie, a high grand outlook upon the unparalleled beauties presented in the distance by prairie, river and wood. Lewisville was named for Lewis, to whom one of the first land grants was made. The citizens of the town already enjoy the railroad facilities. The Dallas & Wichita R. R. will run by the place to Denton, and is, at the present time, within two miles of the town of Lewisville. The compiler is indebted to L. A. Venters, Mr. Williams, Col. Collier, A. W. Robertson, Squire Elever, for historical data; and to Judge Carrel and lady, Capt. Wilson, Mr. Williams, Judge Hogg and Dr. Taddleman, for many courtesies extended, to all of whom she tenders her sincere thanks. The principal business houses are: J. W Hatcher & Bros., dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, etc. Smith & Donald, drugs, patent medicines, etc. James Hayes, hardware, stoves, nails, plows, etc. W. D. McMilliken, dry goods and groceries. Robert Wilson, staple and fancy groceries. Ervine House, best hotel in the town; G. W. Ervine, proprietor. James & Alcorn, groceries, confectionery, and all kinds of country produce.