Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 15, 2010 Page: 2 of 6
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Cooper Review - Page 2
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Voices
Bob Bowman's East Texas
By Bob Bowman
Fort Brown: A refuge from
Indian attacks
In early East Texas, dozens of forts were
built by settlers to provide a safe and sturdy
refuge from Indian attacks.
One such fort stood in north central
Houston County where Indian attacks were
common. Known as Fort Brown, it was built
near Grapeland by Reuben Brown and his
neighbors in the mid-1830s.
Reuben and his wife Sarah settled on San
Pedro Creek in 1834. Sarah was the daughter
of Elder Daniel Parker, who came from
Illinois around 1830, hoping to build a church,
but Mexican colonization laws prohibited the
establishment on any church except those of
the Roman Catholic faith.
Parker returned to Illinois, organized his
church there, and brought his forty members
back to Texas in 1833 in a ox-drawn wagon
train of 24 wagons laden with members of
eight families and their possessions.
Following the route of the Mississippi
River, the wagon train crossed Missouri,
Arkansas, Louisiana and entered Texas.
Crossing the Sabine River, they followed
an old Indian trail, the Coushatta Trail, used
by Indians for trading and migration, and
eventually crossed the Neches River and made
their way to the banks of San Pedro Creek in
Anderson County.
Near the creek, the families built Fort
Brown in what is today known as the Refuge
community. Several tribes of Indians lived in
the Houston County area and, while attacks
were not consistent, they were enough to make
settlers feel uncomfortable without a place of
safety.
From the Refuge community, the Parker
family went in different directions. Daniel
Parker took his children and went to a site
near Elkhart and reestablished the “Pilgrim
Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church” in
1833. It was the first Baptist church in Texas.
Other members of the Parker clan traveled
westward to Limestone County and built Fort
Parker near Groesbeck.
Fort Brown was built of post oak logs.
Little is known about the fort, but it was used
from 1833 until 1860 when the Indian scares
subsided. It stood several hundred yards from
Refuge Cemetery on land later owned by
Huford Allen.
Some descendants of families who lived
near the fort recall seeing the decaying logs
used in the fort’s construction. Others say
the logs were moved to other home sites for
construction purposes. Pieces of pottery, glass
and even cooking utensils have been found in
the area.
Today, little is left of the Refuge
community. Its principal landmarks are a
rock store used for many years and Refuge
Cemetery, where Reuben Brown, his wife and
several children are buried.
The Browns’ oldest son, John, who died
in 1921, lived his entire life within a mile of
Fort Brown, his birthplace in 1865.
In the mid-1930s the settlement had four
stores, two churches, and a number of houses.
After World War II, many of the residents
moved away, and by the mid-1960s only
a cemetery, a sawmill, and a few scattered
houses remained.
(Bob Bowman of Lufkin is the author of
more than 40 books about East Texas. He can
be reached at bob-bowman.com)
In Years Gone By
From the files of The Cooper Review
Ten years ago
Carolyn Anglin, who
has been in charge of the
Delta County District/County
Clerk’s office since the death
of Foy Burns, narrowly
defeated a challenge from
Barbara Vaughn, local
business owner.
Cool temperatures and
gusts up to twenty-five miles
an hour presented quite a
challenge to the 97 teams who
fished the 7th annual Cooper
Lake Bass Classic Saturday,
April 8th; but they rose to the
challenge and brought in some
hefty stringers.
For the second time in
one week, a new lake record
blue catfish has been caught
at Cooper Lake. The fish
which weighed 42.431bs., was
caught by Steve and Chester
Harrington, who are camping
at Doctor’s creek Park. They
caught the big fish in eight feet
of water, fishing with a trotline
baited with nightcrawlers,
Fishing just seems to keep
getting better on Cooper
Lake.
Twenty Years Ago
Open house at the new
fire station and city hall has
been tentatively scheduled for
Saturday April 28th and will
include a dedication ceremony
as well as a free stew sponsored
by the fire department. The
date was set following a
discussion between Fire Chief
William Holmes and the City
Council Monday night.
Thirty Years Ago
Mrs. Wendell (Betty)
Slakey and Mrs. Larry (Donna)
King were elected to the
Cooper Independent School
District Board of Trustees,
and Douglas Blagburn won
reelection in last Saturday’s
election.
Incumbent J.O. McGuyer
and JoAnn Preas and Leonard
Mays were elected Saturday to
three year terms on the Cooper
City Council from a slate of
six candidates.
Forty Years Ago
In one of the lighter
turnouts in recent years Cooper
voters gave approval to Larry
Skinner, Ralph Hocutt, and
Cloyce Adams as Aldermen.
These three men are expected
to take office on April 15 and
will serve on the council with
Gene Leslie, Fred DePoyster,
and Mayor Joe A. Chancellor.
Two hundred forty
five voters in the Cooper
Independent School District
went to the polls Saturday
returning Dr. Gaza Janes to
his position on the Board of
Trustees and electing Dean
Harrison to the other vacancy.
The voters also returned C.C.
McKinney, T.C. Wilhite, and
Lane Young to positions on
the County School Board.
Fifty Years Ago
Some sources at Delta
County have disclosed that the
lease dollars have started the
business activities to humming
after some pretty wet, cold
winter months. Sun Oil, Shell
Oil, Arkansas and other major
companies have reported
doing most in the leasing as
the outlook for a major gas
spill in the county continue to
be bright.
The second annual Junior
Livestock Show held at the
Rodeo Grounds in Cooper last
Thursday was termed a great
success by the officials of the
affair.
Owners - Jim and Sally Butler
JimB@Cooperreview.com
Publisher/Editor - Roger Palmer
Roger@Cooperreview. com
Office Manager/Staff Writer - Kimberly Palmer
Kim@C ooperreview. com
THE COOPER REVIEW (UPS 131940) is printed weekly, except the
fourth week in December. Second Class Postage is paid at Cooper, Texas
75432.
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MEMBER
2009
TU
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
nm
IT
On The River
li
With ET
Maplecroft
Thursday, April 8, we left on one of our
“every month or so” trips to eat crab legs at
a Bossier City buffet and to check on Robert
Dupont. East of Marshall on Highway 80 are
some of the prettiest wisterias we ever saw.
They go to the top of some pines close to
eighty feet tall. After an hour of eating very
tasty crab legs we had to give up.
Friday morning we stopped by commercial
fisherman Robert Duponfs place on the bank
of Twelve Mile Bayou. Still catching lots of
fish in his hoop nets. On to Bass Pro Shop in
time to see the alligator truck drive in. Just now
getting warm enough to put the gators back in
the fenced in pond in front of the store. The
Alligator Park in Nachitoches was unloading
two of the six foot long critters. Quite a crowd
gathered as two handlers carried the gators
from a trailer to the pond.
While I sat in the pickup waiting for Jean
to get through shopping I studied a road map
looking for something new on the way home.
In Marshall on the map I noticed the Starr
Family Home State Historic Site. We later
found the beautiful home named Maplecroft
surrounded by brilliant azaleas at the corner
of Grove and Travis Streets. James Frank
Starr had this house built in 1870 - 1871
from lumber shipped in from New Orleans.
Starr was the Secretary of the Treasury for the
Republic of Texas from 1839 - 1840.
After we knocked on the door a young
lady invited us in and we were amazed at
the fourteen foot high ceilings. Doors made
of cypress and about ten feet tall throughout
the house. The upstairs rooms’ ceilings were
“only” twelve feet tall. Throughout the house
are family portraits, Louis XVI style furniture,
Wedgwood china, Venetian glass, porcelain
birds and much more. Everything there is
antiques reflecting one hundred fifty years and
four generations of history.
Several elaborate beds are close to two
hundred years old. Two of them have the
“roof’ over the top which was used to suspend
nets to keep out mosquitoes. Several of ten
babies were born in one of these beds. For
those who enjoy this kind of thing go as soon
as possible to catch the beautiful azaleas and
dogwood in bloom. Gather a few friends and
make a nice day adventure. It’s only about a
two hour drive and worth the trip. Call 903
935 3044 and double check to see if they are
open before you go.
Cousin Dan Peters and his thirteen year old
son, John, came to hunt with me the weekend
of April 3-4. Saturday after we walked a long
way my dogs found a hog and caught it in a
creek. The meat was added to their ice chest.
Their tent was the kind that sets up in the
back of a pickup and did very well during a
hard rain. Sunday we rode four wheelers,
stopping occasionally to see if any dogs were
barking. Hogs were found and they quickly
swam South Sulphur. While searching for a
crossing we walked downstream and almost
stepped on a two foot long cottonmouth that
was luckily still sluggish from the forty degree
early morning temperature. Its skin now hangs
on John’s wall and will be made into a hatband
for his girlfriend. Soon the running hog swam
back to our side of the river and my dogs
caught it. I grabbed its back legs and John
harvested it with my hunting knife. Later Dan
shot at another with his pistol but missed. The
Grapevine guests went home with some meat
and memories.
Thursday, April 8, Jim Gerard and Mitch
“Fifty Four Ford” Matlock from Commerce
hunted with me near Pecan Gap and harvested
a nice hog. There’s lots of damage from rooting
in pastures and fields in our area.
Find the Moon, Venus, Mercury, and the
blurry Pleiades (Seven Sisters) low in the
western sky on the nights of April 15-16. The
nights of April 21-22 the Moon seems to pass
near orange Mars. April 22 the Lyrid meteor
shower wifi be at its best just before dawn.
Try standing near an ATM machine and
when somebody enters their pin number,
holler “Got it” and run away.
A woman explained her housekeeping
(or lack thereof) habits: I don’t do windows
because I don’t want the poor little birds to
try to fly through one and get hurt. I don’t
wax floors because I don’t want my visitors
slipping and falling. I don’t disturb spider webs
because I think all little animals should have
a place to live. I don’t Spring clean because I
love all the seasons and don’t want the others
to get jealous. I don’t plant a garden because I
don’t want to interfere with God’s designing.
I don’t put things away because my husband
would never be able to find them. I don’t do
fancy meals because I don’t want my guests to
stress out on what to fix when they invite me
to their house.
Police officer: Excuse me sir. The neighbors
are complaining your dog has been chasing
a man on a bicycle. Are you crazy? My dog
can’t ride a bicycle.
The joy of motherhood: What a mother
experiences when all the kids are asleep.
etra327@embarqmail.com
That Wonderful Year 1965
According to the Thursday,
April 15, 1965 issue of the
Cooper Review:
Construction work on an enlarged
driveway at the Cooper Post Office and a face
lifting to the Delta County Courthouse is now
underway at a total cost of approximately
$20,000 for the two projects.
Mrs. Mary Galvan, English and speech
instructor at Sam Houston High School in
Arlington, was one of two teachers honored
recently by the Arlington Kiwanis Club as
“Teachers of the Year.” The teachers were
presented plaques as being most representative
of the elementary and secondary teachers in
the system.
Organization of the 1965 Kid Baseball
program in Delta County wifi be undertaken
Thursday night, April 22, in the District
Courtroom, Cooper. Dean Harrison, acting
president is open to all persons interested in
the summer program.
Postmaster Dave Hendricks and merchant
Thurmond Hunt met with a generous and
ready response as they got an early bird start
on the Cancer Crusade in the Cooper business
area. Others who are crusading in this area are:
Joe Choate, Patsy Barton, Lola Nell Morgan,
Mrs. Wilson Riggs, Mrs. Verlee Morgan, Mrs.
Ray Banks, Mrs. Joe Chancellor, Gene Good,
Truman Whitlock, Dean Harrison, and Odie
Bridges.
Seven churches are cooperating in an
Easter Sunrise Service, which this year wifi be
held at the First Christian Church at 6:30 a.m.
next Sunday. The early service is sponsored
each Easter by the Cooper Ministerial Alliance,
and is held at a different church each year.
“Onions in the Stew” is the title of
the comedy based on the book by Betty
MacDonald, which wifi be presented by the
Senior Class of Cooper High School Friday
night, April 16k in the high school auditorium
at 7:45.
Screwworm Eradication Program fund
drive is underway in the Delta County and
throughout the state in an effort to raise
$300,000 the state of Texas needs to keep this
program going until Federal Appropriations
can be made available July 1.
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Palmer, Roger. Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 15, 2010, newspaper, April 15, 2010; Cooper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth805122/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Delta County Public Library.