The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 46, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 15, 2006 Page: 4 of 24
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4-A
The Clifton Record
Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006
The Clifton Record
Serving Bosque County Since 1895
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Texas Revolution
Had Its Tori, Too
Before the General Council
adjourned on Nov. 14,1835, the
delegates voted in favor of the
arrest of a repentant rebel on
a charge of treason.
In April of that year, John A.
Williams called upon the colo-
nists to show proper respect for
the laws of Mexico. He was liv-
ing proof that the Texas Revo-
lution, like the struggle for
American independence 60
years earlier, had its Tories,
too.
Williams had not always
been such a law-abiding citizen.
In 1826 he enthusiastically en-
dorsed the Fredonian plot to
turn eastern Texas into a sepa-
rate republic. Only at the last
minute did he heed the advice
of Stephen F Austin and aban-
don the doomed adventure.
Having learned his lesson,
Williams labored long and hard
to get back in the Mexicans’
good graces. By the early 1830s,
he had become president of the
Liberty ayuntamiento, the local
town council, and a staunch
defender of the unpopular gov-
ernment.
“Resolutions urging modera-
tion, respect for authority, obe-
dience to law, condemning
extreme views, demanding
suppression of all unlawful-
ness" was the long-winded title
of Williams’ pompous procla-
mation of April 1835. Address-
ing the thorny issue of customs
collections, he argued “al-
though these laws may be un-
wise... to resist them by force
is more unwise and ill-timed
than the laws themselves.”
Ten weeks later, Williams
took a dim and openly hostile
view of a meeting of pro-inde-
pendence forces at San Felipe.
“I fear the people are now
ready to plunge headlong into
the yawning jaws of a hopeless
civil war,” he observed express-
ing the pessimistic opinion of
the so-called “peace party.”
Williams, apparently im-
mune to writer’s cramp, wrote
that same day a rambling con-
demnation of the violent evic-
tion of the Anahuac garrison by
Buck Travis and his buddies.
He reacted with indignation to
the “shameful attack and ex-
pulsion of the national troops”
and warned ominously that
“malcontents” were taking up
arms to join the hot-headed
Travis.
At this stage of the struggle
in the summer of1835, many if
not most Texans agreed with
Wiliams. The militant minority
bent on breaking away from
Mexico was regarded as reck-
less riffraff with nothing but
their lives to lose. Those with
families to support and a stake,
however modest, in the status
quo were reluctant to risk ev-
erything in a revolution.
But the fast and furious pace
of political events rapidly re-
duced the number of peace-at-
any-price proponents. By late
September, only Williams and
James H.C. Miller were left to
plead the case for compromise
and conciliation.
On Oct. 3, the day after the
Battle of Gonzales, Miller belat-
This Week
In Texas
History
edly sought to made amends
with his neighbors. A public
pledge of allegiance to the in-
surrection failed to wipe the
slate clean, and he prudently
departed the province.
Miller’s defection did not de-
ter Williams, who remained
stubbornly convinced the
rebels were sowing the seeds of
everyone’s destruction.
Whether he merely wanted to
be on the winning side or hon-
estly feared that the colonists
were committing mass suicide
will never be known for sure,
but his courage in standing
alone against the rising tide of
revolution was clear and un-
questioned.
Had Wiliams been content to
sulk silently on the sidelines,
the rebels probably would have
tolerated his presence. Other
critics that managed to keep
their mouths shut escaped per-
secution during the uprising
and after the victory at San
Jacinto as well.
But it was not Williams’ na-
ture to go along just to get along
nor was he susceptible to pres-
sure from his peers. He was
doggedly determined to bring
them to their senses regardless
of the personal consequences.
As far as even the most con-
servative colonist was con-
cerned, the bloodshed at
Gonzales settled the debate
once and for all. The first shot
had been fired, and there was
no turning back.
When Williams tried to talk
prospective volunteers out of
enlisting in the rebel army, he
went too far. He crossed the line
separating acceptable dissent
from despicable subversion.
The General Council, the
provisional regime which ruled
Texas from November 1835 un-
til the next March, recom-
mended Williams’ immediate
arrest and trial for treason.
Possible punishments ranged
from indefinite incarceration to
death by hanging or firing
squad.
In the faint hope of giving
red-hot tempers the chance to
cool, Williams wisely dropped
out of sight. But his vanishing
act only madfe the rebels mad-
der and induced William H.
Wharton to offer a $500 cash
reward for his capture.
Williams realized the price
on his head made him a tempt-
ing target. He slipped across
the Sabine into Louisiana with
every intention of returning as
soon as Santa Anna crushed
the revolt.
The ragtag rebels’ spring-
time triumph turned his tempo-
rary retreat into permanent
exile. For the rest of his life,
John A. Williams never again
set foot in Texas.
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By Marc Johnson
Yep, ya right! Bet ain’t a real
happy camper since them dad-
burn “Cowboys” give away an-
other football
game. She did
rename the
“Big Tuna”
again; and it
wasn’t real
nice; if ya know
what I mean.
Goin’ fer two
instead of just a purty simple
one point conversation was a fi-
asco. Then, T.O. drops a pass.
He finally catches one fer a
touch-down and then proceeds
to use the football fer a piller
and acts lak he gonna take a
nap. What a dumb thing to pull.
Cowboys liable to send him
someplace else to sleep if he
keeps up this kinda mess. Aw
well; it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Things got to git better; cain’t
git much worse.
Elections are finally over.
Some folks purty sad; and some
really glad. Now, we just lookin’
forward to when them candi-
dates git all their signs took
down. Media folks probably
gonna be goin’ on a diet since
they gonna miss out on all them
ads. Millions of dollars was
spent. I’m gonna bet that Harry
Blue up there in heaven is grin-
ning lak a possum. I’d nearly
bet he one of the last folks what
would simply vote a straight
Demo ticket. He told the story
many a time down to the feed
store about them dad-burn Re-
publicans costing him, and
many others, thousands of dol-
lars when the cattle market
went south years ago.
The Gap had one hunnerd
and seventy five folks what ex-
ercised their right to vote. No
idea how many voted early.
Purty good turn-out; as it
should be.
Supt. Sigler told us at last
Chamber meetin’ that a
hunnerd and nine students en-
rolled here at the Gap “Recog-
nized" school. Sure be nice if we
had some more but it seems
that just a whole bunch of us
gittin’ too old to raise any more
children. You young’uns keep
up the good work.
I done told y’all ‘bout the
Shriners “Cans for Kids” col-
lection cage down to the s’east
comer of B & M Feeds. Several
sacks of cans done been col-
lected and they hopin’ fer many
more. Fine way to recycle yore
empty aluminum cans and help
the Shriners help the kids.
Please don’t put no metal dog
or cat food cans in this basket.
They won’t go; need to be alu-
minum cans only.
Well, there’s a young four- or
five-year-old boy over to
Hamilton what could use our
help. His name is Tye Bates and
he’s takin’ chemo. He can get a
treatment paid for with only a
gallon of them aluminum pull-
tabs. Suzi Bottlinger told me
about it and B & M Feeds here
in the Gap generously agreed
to put out a bucket to put these
pull-tabs in. Tye’s Mother
works at Jordan Pharmacy in
Hamilton so we could leave
them with her if it’d be handier
for y’all. Suzi comes through
the Gap every day since she
lives in Hamilton and works at
the Clifton Lutheran Sunset
Home down to Clifton and she’ll
be glad to take 'em to Hamilton.
Call me at 597-2588 if’n ya got
any questions. Don’t seem lak
it’d take many of us to collect
enough tabs to really help this
young feller. Right?
Y’all got yore “Lutefisk” tick-
ets yet? Gonna try and cut off
ticket sales on the 18th of this
month; November. They avail-
able at all the branches of First
Security State Bank and Ruth
Tucker has some down to Mus-
tang Valley Water here in the
Gap. Questions; or tickets by
mail; call Barbara Epley Lee at
597-2531. Annual supper, as
usual, on the first Sattiday in
December. This year it be on
the 2nd. Lookin’ forward to
seein’ a bunch of y’all there. By
the way, there’s always turkey
and dressing if ya happen to be
among the folks wnat may not
lak the “Lutefisk”. Meal served
family style and ya git to eat ‘til
ya cain’t.
Stores done had their Christ-
mas stuff out even way before
Halloween and, or, Thanksgiv-
ing. Is this gittin’ might nigh too
commercial? Course, it’s been
goin’ on fer years so don’t think
it’s much chance they’ll change
it none. Some of them big
stores who, in years past, have
chosen to greet their custom-
ers with “Happy Holidays”, in-
stead of “Merry Christmas”
done changed their mind. They
are goin’ to acknowledge
“Christmas” this year. Celebra-
tion of the birth of Christ and
they thought it’d be smart to
down-play it. What the cat-hair
they thinking’about? Anyhow,
I’ll now wish y’all all a happy
Thanksgiving, and a Merry
Members of the Bosque County Commissioners Court
1884-1886
Tom M. Pool
Thomas M. (Tom) Pool, a
child of the Milam County fron-
tier, was bom at Port Sullivan,
Texas, on March 16, 1849, the
son of John C. and Caroline
Lane Pool. Tom’s childhood
was to be one of sadness and
hardship.
After serving as a Texas
Ranger in 1839, John C. Pool re-
turned to Nashville-on-the
Brazos and married Caroline
Lane in 1840. About a year later,
they moved to Port Sullivan, lo-
cated at the confluence of the
Little and Brazos Rivers; built
a house; and cleared land for a
farm.
This couple became the par-
ents of a son, Jonathan, bom on
Nov. 15, 1841, a daughter,
Nancy, born on Jan. 17, 1844,
and Thomas, bom on March 16,
1849. As a Milam County fron-
tiersman, John C. Pool was a
member of military organiza-
tions and traveled away from
home; however, as time went
by, he spent more time with his
family and became a prosper-
ous farmer and rancher.
From a letter written by
John C. Pool to his half-brother,
Lowry Scrutchfield, in the sum-
mer of 1852, it was apparent
that he was looking forward to
moving his family to his Bosque
County land.
Dear Brother,
I embrace this opportunity
and drop you a few lines. We
are not very well at present....
There is a great deal of sick-
ness in this part of the coun-
Tom M. Pool
try... Our crops are the best I
have ever had ... I shall come
up to see you in the fall but in
the interval write tome ...
Your friend and brother,
Jonathan Pool
John C. Pool didn’t live to
make the journey to Bosque
County. He died on Jan. 7,1853,
at the age of 35, and their old-
est son, Jonathan, twelve years
old, died Feb. 7,1853. Bereaved
Caroline Pool took her two chil-
dren, Nancy and Thomas to
Bosqueville to live with her
brother. She died in 1854, and
Nancy and Tom were sent to
live with their half uncle, Lowry
Scrutchfield, who had estab-
lished a farm in the Bosque
River valley on land that had
been granted to his half
1870-1890
By Elizabeth Torrence
Bosque County History:
Looking
To The Years
brother, Texas Ranger John C.
Pool, in 1839.
Life in the Scrutchfield
home was difficult for the Pool
children - Nancy 10, and Tom,
5 . In 1854, Lowry Scrutchfield
was away from home a good
part of the time. He was an In-
dian fighter, a surveyor, and
County Judge of Bosque
County and had little or no pa-
tience with the orphaned chil-
dren. He took care of them,
protected their property rights,
and saw that they had an edu-
cation, but they missed the love
and care of their parents.
They helped Nancy
Scrutchfield, wife of Lowry,
with chores on the farm and
attended school.
Tom first attended school in
a one room log cabin on the
Scrutchfield place at the age of
five. During the Civil War years
he attended the old Clifton
Academy on Clear Branch.
Tom boarded with a family in
“Old Town” Clifton and crossed
the Bosque River each morning
to walk to the school. From 1866
to 1869 he went to the Rock
School on Hog Creek. It was
there that his school mates in-
cluded William E. and John C.
Cureton, Mary Odle, Margaret
Melvina Cutbirth, and other
young people of the community.
(To be continued).
-$* Editorial / Opinions
The Clifton Record
By Our Staff And Our Readers
A Little Bit M
in’ W
of Nothin
from 01’ Norm
By Norm Taylor
Westinghouse
One of my frustrations now
days is that I can’t remember
things. I can’t remember where
we travelled years ago in detail
nor can I recall what happened
to me in college or graduate
school, or even the names of my
friends. One of the things that
irritates me the most is that at
times I can’t even recall what
my wife just said to me a mo-
ment or two ago. What is it? Is
it age? Or is my mind slipping
away as the days pass. My doc-
tor told me recently it is the re-
sult of bypass surgery which
affects people differently.
I’ll never forget one thing.
Years ago when laughing with
a group of friends one of them
said to me, “Norm, no matter
what the subject you can al-
ways come up with a story or a
joke to match it!”
Just today on television I saw
an ad for a new Westinghouse
refrigerator and I immediately
thought of the joke I had put
back in the “never to be forgot-
ten part” of my memory.
I asked my wife, “Do you re-
member my story of the lady
who opened her refrigerator
door and found a rabbit?”
“What are you doing in there?”
she asked the innocent animal.
“I’m just westing. Outside on
the door it says
‘Westinghouse’.”
Cheers,
01’ Norm
Christmas and good health to
all.
Ain’t no way to out-guess
what this sorta strange
weather gonna do. Heater one
day; A/C the next.
We all still hopin’ fer more
rain. Some tanks was lucky
enough to catch some water
but a whole bunch of 'em still
mighty low, or plumb dry.
I ‘bout got vapor lock so I’m
gonna share some “You know
you’re a redneck” if ya take
yore dog fer a walk, and you
both use the same tree. Or, the
Salvation Army declines yore
furniture. You come back from
the dump with more stuff than
ya took. You’ve been involved in
a custody fight over a huntin’
dog. Ya know how many bales
of nay yore car will hold. Yore
wife has a complete set of salad
bowls, and they all say “Cool
Whip” on the side. A tornado
hits yore neighborhood and
does $100,000 worth of improve-
ments. Yore workin’ TV sits on
top of your non-working TV
Many of our Armed Forces
still in harms way on a daily
basis. Reckon these new folks
goin’ to Washington gonna be
able to change that any. Time
will tell; and we still need to
keep them all, including the
leaders of all nations in our
thoughts and prayers.
See ya next week,
Marc,
Marc at the Gap
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Smith, W. Leon. The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 46, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 15, 2006, newspaper, November 15, 2006; Clifton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth790323/m1/4/?q=%22~1~1%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.