The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, June 23, 2006 Page: 4 of 110
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The Clifton Record
Friday, June 23, 2006
The Clifton Record
Bosque County’s Leading Newspaper
The Clifton Roeord (USPS-118-100 • ISSN-1086-9352) is published weekly, on Fridays, by
Progressive Media Communications, Inc., 310 West Fifth Street, Clifton, Texas 76634-1611.
Periodicals postage is paid at Clifton, Texas.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE Bosque County, one year $38; Elsewhere one year $45 Give old address
when requesting change of address Per copy price: 50 cents.
POSTMASTER: Please send address change to: The Clifton Record PO. Box 353, Clifton, TX 76634
PUBLISHERS *._
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BUSINESS
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without the express permission of Progressive Media Communications. Inc.
Voters Deny Depression
Governor Second Term
Ross Shaw Sterling kicked off his
campaign for governor on June 20,
1930 by introducing himself to the
Huntsville crowd as “the fat boy
from Buffalo Bayou.”
The 265-pound multimillionaire
poked fun at his gigantic girth to di
vert attention from his much bigger
bank account. Sterling also never let
voters forget that he started life as
a dirt-poor farm boy in Chambers
County, who had to quit school at 13
to lend his widowed father of 12 a
full-time hand.
Sterling’s meteoric rags-to-riches
rise began in 1903 at Sour Lake,
where he sold everything under the
sun to the oilfield workers. Within a
decade, he was the founding presi
dent of Humble Oil Company and
well on his way to amassing a colos-
sal fortune estimated at $50 million.
Selling his oil interests in 1925,
Sterling plowed his profits back into
real estate and publishing in his new
hometown of Houston. He merged
The Post and The Dispatch into a
single newspaper and recruited
former governor William R Hobby to
oversee the enterprise. The Post-
Dispatch waged a no-quarter war of
words with Gov. Miriam A. Ferguson
and her husband Jim, Hobby’s im-
peached predecessor, and helped
Attorney General Dan Moody upset
“Ma” in her 1926 reelection bid.
Presuming the amnesty bill en-
acted during his wife's administra-
tion had restored his political rights,
“Pa” Ferguson in February 1930 un-
veiled his plan to succeed Moody,
who was in the last year of his sec-
ond and last term. But after party
leaders refused to put his name on
the primary ballot and the state su
ireme court reaffirmed its 1924 rul-
that banned him for life from
>lic office, Jim again persuaded
his obliging mate to run in his place.
Sterling entered the congested
race against the advice of friends,
who argued that his enormous
wealth would alienate an electorate
hard hit by the deepening Depres-
sion. Although he trailed “Ma” Fer-
guson by 72,000 votes with barely 20
percent of the ballots, an anti-Fergu-
son avalanche carried him to victory
in the runoff.
The affable amateur could not
have picked a worse time to rule the
Lone Star roost. Like the puzzled
occupant of the White House, Ster-
ling was blamed for the dead-as-a-
doornail economy, the
disappearance of thousands of jobs
and the lack of a “safety net” to keep
the unemployed from falling through
the cracks. He was, in short, the
Herbert Hoover of Texas.
The quasi-populist appeal of
Fergusonism was made to order for
the campaign of 1932. “Farmer Jim”
hammered away at the incumbent’s
dubious devotion to high interest
rates, seemingly superfluous high-
way construction projects and con-
troversial armed occupation of the
East Texas oilfield. Sterling’s at-
ThisWeek
In Texas
History
tempt to curtail production by small-
time operators smacked of corpo-
rate cronyism, especially since the
National Guard commander was the
top attorney for Texaco and his
right-hand man was a Gulf execu-
tive.
Sterling’s vulnerability attracted
a horde of hopefuls, who split the
anti-Ferguson forces into hostile fac-
tions and enabled Miriam to build up
a six-figure lead in the first round.
She held on to win their hard-fought
August rematch by less than 4,000
out of 951,000 votes.
Sterling refused to accept the
photo finish claiming he had been
robbed. Citing the Fergusons’ repu-
tation for stuffing ballot boxes, he
dragged the legislature back to Aus-
tin for a special session and indig-
nantly demanded a full-scale
investigation. As expected, the law-
makers wanted no part of a prece-
dent-setting post-mortem and in
effect told the lame duck to take it
like a man.
But there was no stopping the
sore loser, who would have gladly
sold his soul to the devil to prevent
the Fergusons’ return to power.
Sterling went to court to have the
election results set aside only to pro-
voke a successful counter-suit by
“Ma,” who was declared the undis-
puted Democratic nominee for gov-
ernor.
Sterling shocked and saddened
his most steadfast supporters by en-
dorsing the Republican candidate in
the general election. This symbolic
act of defiance had no decisive im-
pact at the polls but made the de-
fector permanently persona non
grata in the Democratic Party.
An inflammatory off-the-cuff com-
ment strengthened speculation that
Sterling had taken leave of his
senses. He actually wished out loud
for “somebody to shoot Ferguson in
the foot so as to end the threat he
presented to Texas politicians every
two years.” Even in the no-holds-
barred arena of Lone Star politics,
his irresponsible remark was clearly
out-of-bounds.
As a parting gesture of contempt,
the outgoing governor broke with
tradition by boycotting the inaugu-
ration of Miriam Ferguson in Janu-
ary 1933. To most Texans, this was
just bad manners and final proof
that the state was better off with
Ross Sterling in the board room
than the governor’s mansion.
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Marc
Remai
By Marc Johnson
The Clifton Record
By Our Staff And Our Readers
Family History
by mentionin’ the heat. But I got to
imSufet they of Newton A. and Elizabeth Crockett Evans
I was gonna start out this mess
...... ’ ~ ‘ otto
know, I bet they
all done realize
that.” But, I’ll
mention anyhow
that it ain’t only
hot; it’s some
kinda sultry. It’ll
might nigh take
yore breath
away if ya don’t catch some kinda
little breeze. But, here it is summer
in Texas. What we supposed to ex-
pect?
Gap Country Store gonna have a
grand opening’ on Sattiddy, the 24th
of June. The store is in the old hard-
ware building, but the B-B-Q; all
day; gonna be over to the commu-
nity center pavillion. Radio station
92.1 gonna be on hand to keep the
music goin.’
Y’all all invited and Fred wanted
me to clarify that he don’t got no
"hot” beer. They got all kinds of
spirits, “cold beer,” and fine wine.
They open from 10 in the morning
‘til 9 at night. Six days a week;
closed on Sundays. Stop in and tell
’em howdy, and welcome to the Gap
bidness community.
Ruth Taylor called to say that the
Gap School Library gonna be open
on every Wednesday from 8 ‘til 12.
Gonna have a story time from 10 to
11 and even gonna have some
snacks. This will take place through
July.
Laveme Smith tells me our Gap
Library is in need of volunteers to
help keep it open. Need somebody
to help on Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 2 to 4 p.m. Give her a call at
597-0015 if ya can give ‘em a hand.
Just a couple of hours fer a couple
of days a week. They even got vid-
eos that they need some help keep-
ing up with ‘em.
Me and Bet been watchin’ these
“round-ball” playoffs, and now, the
finals against the Miami Heat. The
game in Dallas on Sunday night, the
11th, was a good ‘un. Mavs won it
99 to 83,1 think. Rough and tumble
son-of-a-gun. They had the Army
Color Guard there and then they
brought out a feller named Elliot
Yamin to sing the National Anthem.
He was one of the contestants on
American Idol. He didn’t win that.
He did not sing this anthem good,
n fact, in my opinion, he tore it up
lak a sow’s nest. Pitiful. I was askin’
“where’s Simon Cowell”? “Where’s
Belinda”? Gawrantee she could
have done it better, much better. I
could not help but git a bit hot. Don’t
these folks what put on these big
events ever audition the folks what
gonna sing? Well, they definitely
should. It’d keep some clown lak
this from ever showin’ up.
“Dateline” was on just before this
NBA game and it was some kinda
story about a China Spring native
named Nathan Self. It was a 2-hour
show and I hope the leaders of our
country, and others, got the chance
to see it. It may change some of
their thinking’ about all our troops
in harms way; wherever they may
be. It got my attention.
Did y’all hear where our guvimint
thinking’ about upping the fines fer
indecent exposure lak what hap-
pened to Janet Jackson? Don’t they
got nothing’ better to do? They
oughtta fine organizations what al-
low folks to sing the National An-
them other that the way it oughtta
be sung. Plain, and simple; way it
was written. Leave out all them
whoop-de-do’s etc. By the way,
feller named Michael McDonald
sanL
he done fairly good.
This years community bible
school gonna be hosted by St. Olaf
Lutheran this year. All the churches
in the community take turns being
host, and then all work together to
do the school fer all the kids. It’ll be
from July 10 thru July 14 from 9
a.m. to noon. It’s primarily for kids
age four thru 8th grade. The older
kids are invited to help out with all
the younger ones. Theme this year
is “Fiesta.” Judith Gallegos is the
director this year.
I mentioned last week about lo-
cal folks with the TV program all
around performance horse weekly
going to the Rio Grande Valley and
watching them folks trying to keep
tick infested cattle from crossin’ the
border in to Texas. Heck of a show.
I forgot to mention that Billy Glass
was along on this trip. Want to
watch it Time in RFD-TV on Thurs-
days at 3:30 p.m., or at 9:30 p.m.PM.
Also come on Sunday morn at 7:30
a.m. Catch it.
See ya next week,
Marc,
Marc at the Gap
Bosque County History:
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ps
As Sub-Chairman of the History
Book Committee, Bosque County
Historical Commission, I received
the following letter:
22 May 1984
Elizabeth Torrence
216 North Avenue M
Clifton, Texas
Dear Sub Chairman:
This is not exactly as it says in
the instructions (Bosque County
Family History Outline/Guide), but
I am no typist.
My feeble mother and father had
such a strong desire for me to try;
so I am sending you this. Maybe
you can find someone to do it over,
and use it someway.
Sincerely,
A. E. Evans
In a later letter dated June 17,
1984, Arthur Evans explained that
he had done extensive research on
Newton A. Evans in the Houston
Public Library and the State and
National Archives. In writing up the
family history, the only changes
made were: the historical facts that
he wrote have been rearranged in
chronological order;
and additional informa-
tion written in the June
letter have been added.
Both letters are on file
with the Newton A.
Evans Family History
in the Bosque County
Collection.
“Family History of
Captain Newton A.
Evans by Arthur E.
Evans (Great Grand-
son)”
Newton A. Evans, the
third son of Walter R.
and Sussannah Evans, [
was born on Dec. 27, *
1815, in Tazwell,
Claiborne County, Ten-
n., near Cumberland
Gap. His father was the
County Clerk. The two
older brothers, Jesse E
Evans, born in 1806,
was a doctor, and
Walter H. Evans, born
in 1810, was a lawyer.
When his father died in
1837, Newton lived with
his mother and became
head of the household.
In June, 1846, New- LEFT ALONE are the
ton became a member tombstones of Mrs. E.
of Company F, 1st Ten- Evans and Cap N.A.
nesseeMountedVolun- Evans. According to
teers to take part in the Arthur Evans, the
Mexican War. His Com- stones were placed at
pany was known as the the gravesite in 1915,
Claiborne Blues. It was 26 years after the death
at this time that Cap- of Newton Evans. The
tain Evans first set foot correct dates for Cap-
in Texas as the troops tain Evans should be:
made their way down born Dec. 27,1815 and
the west bank of the died July 10,1889.
— Courtesy of the
Bosque County Collection
To The Years
* m
4i*> Jv-
1870-1890
w
za
ng it tonight down in Miami, and
t done fairly good.
Brazos on their way to
Matamoros, Mexico.
The Tennessee Mounted Troops
went to Monterrey and on to
Tampico. Here they boarded a ship
to take them to Veracruz Misfor-
tune struck in the landing at
Veracruz. The ship overtuned and
all their horses were drowned.
They had to make their way over
rough terrain on foot. Newton
sailed to New Orleans in 1847 and
returned to Tennessee.
On March 8, 1848, Newton mar-
ried Elizabeth Crockett, daughter
of Robert E. and Betsey Gibson
Crockett. He and his father-in-law,
Robert Crockett, became co-own-
ers of a large iron works near
Cumberland Gap. Newton also
served as County Clerk of
Claiborne County from 1850-1854.
After his mother, Sussannah
Evans, died in 1855, Newton sold
his interest in the iron works, a
store, and 5000 acres of land to Rob-
ert Crockett and moved his family,
Elizabeth and three children - Rob-
ert, Elizabeth Ann, and Daniel, to
Livingston County, Mo.
The Evans Family lived in Mis-
souri about two years and then
moved from there to Carrolton, Ark.
On Feb. 15,1862, Newton joined the
Confederate Army as Captain Com-
pany B, 27th Arkansas.
Captain Evans was a firm be-
liever in the Confederacy, and at
Corrections,
Clarifications
Horn Shelter
Exhibit Correction
CLIFTON — In the last
Wednesday’s issue of the Clifton
RecoiuI, an error was made in the
article “Museum Announces Horn
Shelter Exhibit Unveiling.”
It has been brought to the
newspaper’s attention that the con-
tents of the suitcase will be burial
artifacts and not the actual bones,
as was reported in the cutline be-
low the photo, Have Bones, Will
Travel.”
The Clifton Record apologizes
for any confusion or harm this er-
ror may have caused
one time had a trunk full of Confed-
erate gold certificates. The family
suffered hard times; evidentally the
money received from the sale of the
iron works, store and land near
Cumberland Gap in Tennessee had
been spent in backing the South in
the Civil War. After the loss of the
Battle of Pea Ridge, Elizabeth
Evans and their seven children
were forced to move into the Indian
Territory (Oklahoma became a
state in 1907) where they suffered
great hardships while Newton was
away with the Confederate Army.
Two of the children, Elizabeth
Ann and James E died of yellow fe-
ver in 1865, Daniel was hanged as a
“badman” by Judge Parker at Fort
Smith Sept. 2,1875.
After the war New-
ton worked with con-
struction of railroads.
He came to Meridian,
Bosque County, Texas
in the fall of 1875. Here
he found an old friend,
T. C. Alexander, from
his old Tennessee regi-
ment and a new friend,
Tom M. Pool. While
working as a surveyor
in and around the Me-
ridian area, Newton lo-
cated 160 acres of land
near the Cayote com-
munity that had not
been claimed. He sent
for his wife, Elizabeth,
and three of their chil-
dren, Crockett, Tho:
mas Jefferson, and
Andrew Jackson to
come to Bosque
County to live on this
acreage. They had to
live on the land for a
year before they could
apply for a deed. New-
ton Evans received a
deed, signed by the
governor of Texas, on
Nov. 16,1876.
Although the family
never returned to the
economic and social
standing that they en-
joyed before 1855 in
Virginia and Tennes-
see, Newton was a
leader in the Cayote
area. He served as act-
ing Justice of the Peace
in the 1880s - perform-
ing marriages and
other duties. Some his-
torians say that he
gave the name of Cayote to the
community. He operated a black-
smith shop on the route of the
Chisholm Trail.
Newton died on July 10, 1889, at
the age of 74; his wife, Elizabeth
Crockett Evans died in 1905. They
were buried on their land some
eight miles north of Valley Mills.
Photographs taken by Guy Main
for the Bosque County Historical
Commission in 1989 show the
fenced in gravesite- sadly neglected
and uncared for.
In Volume 1, Cemetery Records
Of Bosque County, the graves are
listed: “Two graves on the Sid Eakin
place about 8 miles north of Valley
Mills.
Cap. N. A. Evans 1812-1889
Mrs. E. J. Evans 1825- 1905
According to Arthur Evans, the
stones were placed at the
gravesite in 1915 - 26 years after
the death of Newton Evans. The
correct dates for Captain Evans
should be: born Dec. 27,1815 and
died July 10,1889.
Arthur Evans planned to send
more of his research materials to
the Bosque County Collection, but
he died before this was done. If any
of the Evans descendants read this
article, I would appreciate hearing
from you. Elizabeth Torrence, 102
S. Ave. Q, Clifton, Texas 76634.
A Little Bit
of Nothin’
from 01’ Norm
By Norm Taylor
Lj-1
Bosque Kids
My wife came home last Mon-
day from Meridian State Park
raving about Bosque kids — how
smart and well mannered and
fun they are! She had been in-
vited to give the “Thought for the
Day” at the 4H Day Camp.
Lanelle chose the thought, “Na-
ture is Imagination.” This is a
quote, she told me, by William
Blake from her book, Nature
Thoughts.
“Are the kids mainly from Clif-
ton, I asked?” “Oh, no,” she said.
“They are from all over the
county.”
My wife sees all kinds of things
in rocks — animals, birds, noses,
skulls, chocolate cake. She used
some of her rock collection to stir
the kids’ imaginations, too. She
loved their responses!
Another guest was Mr.
Clawser, a rancher from Glen
Rose. He had brought his red
tailed hawk to introduce and tell
about. He also showed his slides
of birds of the area. The kids con-
tinued to be attentive and ask
good questions. When Mr.
Clawser showed his slide of the
black vulture, he asked, “Does
anyone know why the vulture’s
legs are white?” Immediately two
boys spoke up, “Because he
poops on them!” “Right!” ex-
claimed Mr. Clawser. “You are
the first kids to know that answer
when I’ve asked it in my many
presentations! How did you know
that?” “Saw it on the Discovery
Channel!” came the response.
Cheers,
ol’ Norm
Onward...
Thru The
Fog |
£
WSmM
More Scattershots
Kinda like those potater chips, once
you start you just can’t stop. It had
been a while since we’d shared some
points to ponder to get those cranial
muscles stretched out, and no sooner
had we finished that another batch
came this way from friends of the
Bosque County Institute and Outreach
Ministry of Deeply Intense Thought and
Semi-Fhctual Information.
• Why is it when birds of a feather
flock together, they usually end up
pooping on your clean car?
• When you’re feeling down,
whistle. It makes the neighbor’s dog
run to the end of his chain and gag
himself.
• A penny saved is no longer a
penny earned. A penny saved is
merely governmental oversight
• The real art of conversation is npt
only to say the right thing at the right
time, but also to leave unsaid the
wrong thing at the tempting moment.
• The older you get, the tougher it
is to lose weight, because by then your
body and your fat have gotten to be
really good friends.
• The easiest way to find something
lost around the house is to buy a re-
placement.
• He who hesitates is probably
right.
• Did you ever notice that the Ro-
man Numerals for (40) are “ XL?” Co-
incidence? We think not.
• If you think there is good in ev-
erybody, you definitely have not met
everybody.
• If you can smile when things go
wrong, you probably already have
someone in mind to blame.
• The sole purpose of a child’s
middle name is so he can tell when
he’s really in trouble.
• There’s always a lot to be thank-
ful for if you take time to look for it.
For example, isn’t it nice that wrinkles
don’t hurt? •>
There’s bound to be more, and
they’re probably on the way, but this
should keep you going for a few days
at least. Until then, osmosis, amoebas,
and Onward... thru the Fog!
fillisen s tise?
an? /Accents
BIG FURNITURE SALE
Nice Recliners • Couches • Love Seats
Swivel Rockers • Bedroom Suites
Household Decor • Clothes • Jewelry • Movies • Purses • Etc.
_ Large Assortment of Light Houses
■ Consignments Welcomed
1116 N. Main St., Meridian (next to library)
1
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Smith, W. Leon. The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, June 23, 2006, newspaper, June 23, 2006; Clifton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth790015/m1/4/?q=%22~1~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Nellie Pederson Civic Library.