WESTON
ON THE WING
Weekly Democrat Gazette, March
28, 1901
Roland, Tex., March 25
I left Weston early Friday morning, was mud bound late in the
evening and arrived here Saturday.
Weston is a little town northwest of McKinney about fourteen
miles, situated on a high prairie, surrounded by one of the most fertile
sections of our county. to Larkin Adamson belongs the honor of founding the town
in 1853 and a log cabin was his residence. Other settlers followed in rapid
succession and with the foresight of progressive Americans, Simon Wilson and L.
W. Stinnett opened up a genera store; the colony increased, schools were
established, churches built and in due time everything was modernized to such an
extent that the surrounding country was settled up by a thrifty set of pioneers
and Weston began to grow and eventually to "put on airs." The population will
approximate three hundred; has a model school building, and church and money in
bank to build another soon as plans mature; several business houses, two
blacksmith shops, many neat cottages and pretty girls galore.
Beginning on east side of South Main street, is located A. J.
Douglass, successor to J. A. Douglass since last October, dealer in undertaker's
goods, furniture, kitchenware, and sewing machines. The volume of business has
increased 100% within the last seven months.
Going north the next door is A. W. Runnion, general merchandise,
who began business in the spring of 1880. He does a large business and the only
mishap was a burglar about ten years ago. In order to meet the demands of a
growing trade, Mr. Runnion is ready to let the contract for a larger house west
side of Main.
The office of Dr. J. A. Avant is next. He came to Weston from
Alabama twelve years ago, has a large practice and is held in high esteem by the
people of town and community. General practice and very successful in the
treatment of diseases.
The large stores of F. M. Douglass dealer in dry goods,
groceries, hardware and implements need no introduction as the proprietor is one
of the most successful business men in North Texas, beginning about 25 or 30
years ago.
Ed Frost the clever and accommodating druggist has been weighing
out medicine about 18 months but has proved himself to be an expert pharmacist
and can fill a prescription with accuracy and dispatch.
C. E. Webster, dry goods and groceries, established since last
November is forgeing to the front and as Charley is on the carpet, he has a
monopoly of the chewing gum trade.
Crossing over to west Main on the north corner is located the
office of Dr. B. R. Spencer, another one of the "yaller hammer" state's sons
who; twenty-seven years ago, began the practice of medicine in Fulton, Ky., but
two years later came to Weston. He has a large practice and proud of it'; but
when asked what he did during a little sojourn in Arkansas, the good natured
pill-driver with a merry twinkle of one eye and curl on the upper lip, stoutly
maintained that he never as much as passed through the land of fair maidens,
fragrant flowers and wild-cat distilleries.
Proceeding southward I ran up against B. A. comer who laid the
foundation for his large trade in 1892. He handles nothing but fresh drugs and
has the confidence of the people.
Nest to meet up with was Dr. J. S. Wade who, after a successful
practice of twenty-two years, removed to Denton county, but long experience has
taught him that no set of people on earth would submit more quietly to paying
big fat bills than those of Collin and about one month ago he came back and is
regaining the hold once held.
The tonsorial parlors of W. S. Maxwell were on my route and I
went in. Learning his trade in McKinney he is prepared to give an artistic hair
cut, quick shave and only charge 25 and 10 cents, been in Weston five years and
has a large patronage.
The people of the town have appetites for anything, and J. H.
Dorsey supplies them with ice cream, confectioneries, chile and red-hot tamales.
He is from the old Palmetto State to Texas about three years. ago.
A town the size of this one with the amount of mail matter
necessary for the accommodation of the people must have a man full of push and
business to handle the enormous amount of mail matter to be distributed daily.
That such a one is found in G. W. Curtis none will deny. While the disastrous
fire of last October sent all he possessed to the skies in a cloud of smoke, he
has rebuilt, filled the house with dry goods and groceries, handles more mail,
and attends to the telephone and enjoys a larger trade than ever. As I was his
guest part of the time spent in the city, the hospitality extended by himself
and Mrs. Curtis was bounded only by the limits of the universe.
Precinct No. 4 would be in a pretty fix without Esq. B. F.
Hardin to look after its affairs. He came from South Carolina a few years ago
and was elected to the office he now holds about three years ago and is,
therefore, serving his second term. One hundred and thirty-six criminal cases
have been tried by him and all decisions except two were sustained and the
excepted cases were tried before juries. There were two appeals in civil cases
but the decisions were sustained in the higher court.
T. C. Bounds is the wide-awake constable and he is not there for
his health, either. There has been no escapes but one poor fellow tried the
Kilgore method of getting through doors but the wiry officer was "on to" his job
and the prisoner decided to remain on the inside.
Still further south is the residence and office of Dr. J. W.
Crosswhite, who came in Feb. 1895. First saw the light in Tennessee but after a
few years of practice went over to Kansas City where he followed his profession
for a number of year, the last two or three he was assistant health office of
the city. He is a dignified and courteous gentleman and is kept so busy that
it's a difficult matter to find him.
Going in the direction of the rising sun I came to the
blacksmith, carriage and repair shop of D. W. Jones. Laving Melissa about 18
months ago he finally located on East street. A good smith, fine carriage
trimmer and painter, he is crowded with work all the time.
My nest place to stop was in the millenary establishment of Miss
Ela Adamson. She, too, suffered in the late fire but realizing that the feminine
population of the town and community must have artificial flowers, laces,
feathers, finery and more feathers, she purchased another stock and on Easter
the fair six will vie with each other in showing the most complicated hat and
longest feather. After a look at so many nameless articles my appetite asserted
itself so in company with J. F. Wester made a dive for the nearest hotel, O. A.
Brown, proprietor. This house was opened to the public four years ago and has a
large patronage.
S. L. Adamson runs the south Side Hotel and while the house is
only two months old, has a good local patronage and the number of boarders
increasing.
Last but not least, I made my way to the public school building
where I found Prof. J. C. Tucker very busy but he took time to furnish me a few
items as follows: School opened 29th of October, 123 has been enrolled, about
110 in daily attendance but at the present time about 35 are down with the
measles. Everything moves like clock work, the pupils are advancing rapidly,
patrons pleased and the trustees are rejoicing because they have nothing to do
but to approve a couple of vouchers every month. Prof. Tucker came form Cook
county and is under a five years' contract. Holds a diploma from Southwestern
University conferring the degree of bachelor of science. Miss Della Jones of
Rexton, Lamar county, has charge of the primary department.
Am glad that Fritz is writing all he knows about Callis; A
writer has recently "culled" Lavon for a batch of interesting items, and, by the
way, Mary has come "all the way from Pike." Hope to hear from you oftener,
friends.
T. J. F. Wester and family I am under special obligations for
kind treatment during old Boreas' pranks last week.
D. W. Leigh
ON THE WING
Weekly Democrat Gazette May 18, 1912
Personal Mention of People You Know by Our
Field Man.
Our campaign for last week began at Weston a splendid little city fourteen
miles northwest from McKinney. Our first victim was T. B. Williams, cashier of
the Weston Guaranty State Bank, who proposes to place Weston on the map by
inviting capital and enterprises to locate there. His town needs a hotel, livery
stable, railroad or an interurban from Anna, a small town eight miles east from
Weston and on the H. & T. C. railroad, to Gainesville via Celina and Pilot
Point. In order to keep posted on current events, Mr. Williams subscribed for
the Daily Courier-Gazette.
C. C. Caruth farmer and stockman was in high spirits when your field man
called and was busy overhauling his big thresher, preparatory to beginning the
threshing season a few weeks hence. His own fields of waving grain look good,
make him feel happy and his purse almost bursting with fatness leaped for joy
while begging unloaded for the price of one year's subscription to the
Democrat-Gazette.
A. G. Button the cleaver and accommodating post master is the right man in
the right place. Ready at all times to wait on you and impart needed
information, he bids fair to be Uncle Sam's boy for many moons and by the way he
reads the Daily Courier-Gazette.
N. H. Crosswhite, who recently purchased the W. H. Hurst farm of one hundred
and twenty-seven acres one and a half miles south of town, is a native of
Tennessee and left Mountain City, that state, six years ago. Mrs. Crosswhite has
been back in the old home since last January on a visit to her father, whom she
found dead on her arrival. Her return home is expected within a week. During her
absence housekeeping was looked after by three charming daughters, Misses
Maggie, Annie, and Dottie. With no alternative, he wrote a check while we ground
out a receipt, for a year's subscription to the best weekly newspaper published
in Texas.
H. Vanhouser, a Kentuckian because he was born there; a republican because it
suits him; a Texan because he makes money living here, talks intelligently
because he reads much and renews for the Democrat-Gazette because it's the
biggest and newsiest county paper published south of Mason and Dixon's line,
Mighty good man.
W. J. Hurst a native of the Palmetto state came to the Lone Star state
thirty-six years ago and during that time has acquired several acres of black
land in the suburbs of the town on which some years ago he built a beautiful
residence and in the declining years take like easy and smoke the old pipe under
his own vine and fig tree. Has been reading the Democrat-Gazette for may years
and a dollar bill pushed his figure up another year.
H. D. Gilbert has been a citizen of Texas since 1876 and reader of the
Democrat-Gazette for over twenty years and expects to keep it in the family,
during the remainder of his days whether few or many.
P. M. Mugg in Texas since 1848, and on the same farm his father settled in
that year. Father of two boys and two girls and all married. His lands are
burdened with a heavy growing crop of wheat, oats, and corn laughs through one
corner of the mouth while being tickled with a hoe. Oh, yes, he reads the
Democrat-Gazette and pleads guilty to over twenty years of offense by so doing.
P. B. Mugg, chip from the old block and a half fellow, renews for the big
weekly while his good wife prepared an excellent dinner for your field man. We
have a "rep" for a jumbo appetite and on this occasion our record was fully
maintained. What could your field man accomplish without the aid of such good
and thoughtful housewives as Mrs. Mugg?
A. B. Hamilton is another good man but unfortunately born in South Carolina,
but later saved his reputation by moving to Arkansas where he lived eleven
years. In 1865 he sought refuge in Texas and two years later settled in Collin
county where he soon acquired a magnificent farm one mile northeast of town. His
present crop consists of wheat, oats and corn. We noticed several hogs twirling
their tails in defiance of hard times and a few bee hives scattered about the
premises will make it hard for the sorghum makers this summer. For twenty-five
years a reader of the Democrat-Gazette, he has the "habit" and wears the "smile
that won't come off."
N. E. Hamilton, son of the above, dropped his wad when he saw your field man
coming with tomahawk and scalping knife and picked up a receipt for one year's
subscription to the Democrat-Gazette and considered himself fortunate at that.
Just as well "dig up" on short notice and avoid trouble. He invited us to look
at some stock which he and his brother, B. M. Hamilton, own. Four jacks and one
stallion, the latter half Reno Clipper and a number one saddler. Of the four
jacks they are splendid animals and one of them is the largest this writer ever
saw. These young men deserve the success coming their way looking to the
improved breeds of stock. Their barn is located on the farm of their father one
mile northeast from town. If interested in good stock a visit to their barn will
pay you.
Mrs. Louisa Hitchcock and daughter, Miss Mattie, are old acquaintances of the
writer and we gave them a friendly call last Friday morning. Mrs. Hitchcock had
just returned from the home of her brother-in-law, J. B. Hitchcock of the Lone
elm school district who had been seriously ill for several days but who, we are
glad to say, is improving and the regain of his health only a matter of a few
days. Miss Mattie was the victim of typhoid fever last fall but her health is
excellent now. Both of these worthy ladies were formerly of the Valdasta and
Altoga communities but two years ago purchased a pretty cottage in Weston and
will make that town their future home. Readers of the Democrat-Gazette for many
years its weekly visits are hailed with joy for it is the medium through which
they learn the happenings of the east side communities.
Alvin Brown, a big farmer, a little northwest of town is another good man
whom we have just added to our list of victims to the Democrat-Gazette, his
brother, W. F. Brown, also acted wisely by joining the procession of the Weekly
Democrat-Gazette readers.
While W. J. Williams was considering the many commendable features of the
Democrat-Gazette your field man got busy, writing a receipt for a year's
subscription to that excellent family weekly, and Mr. Williams will read a
mighty good county paper twelve months.
E. L. Flanery is a son of the late W. B. Flanery, who was a reader of the
Democrat-Gazette for many years and orders our big weekly for his own home. Such
friendship and confidence we appreciate.
contd
JOTTINGS BY THE WAY
Daily Courier Gazette, June 8, 1938
Mrs. O. S. Scott
Cont'd from Chambersville....
Mrs. J. S. Dodson accompanied this newspaper scribe on our drive to Weston.
Our first stop was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Thompson to see Mrs. Margie
Thompson Miller, who is our reporter from her community for these papers.
We enjoyed a brief visit with Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Thompson. The former is
confined to his bed most of the time, a sufferer from rheumatism, but is gaining
in weight and seems to be steadily improving. Mrs. Thompson waits upon her
husband assisted by her son, Beuford, who lives nearby.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Chambers have gone to Greenville to visit his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Chambers, former Chambersville people.
Mrs. W. E. Scriber suffered a heart attack Tuesday, but was resting some
better Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Hume's baby son, Jack Marshall, is very sick at the home
of his grandparents Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Hume, south of McKinney.
Ezra Smith has been removed from the McKinney City Hospital to the home of
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Gainey. He has had pneumonia but is now convalescing.
Dorcas Jean, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Moss Conner, has the chicken
pox.
Bobbie Keith, little son of Mr. And Mrs. Vernon Haynes, of Lone Elm, is quite
ill of pneumonia at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Scott in
McKinney.
There is quite a lot of sickness in this community.
H. L. Haynes is recovering from an attack of pneumonia.
Mary Frances, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Giles, has pneumonia.
A son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Scribner has been critically ill of scarlet fever
but is improving.
Mrs. Emma Airhart and Miss Louise Hendrick of McKinney were guests of Mr. and
Mrs. W. O. Herron. Mrs. Airhart's young daughter makes her home with her aunt,
Mrs. Herron and attends Chambersville School.
Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Dodson and little daughter, Betty Jo, attended the funeral
of Mrs. John Robertson at Waketon, Thursday. Mrs. Robertson was an aunt of Mrs.
Dodson.
We visited in the home of Mrs. B. A. Comer while in Weston. Both she and her
daughter, Mrs. O'Conner, were busy crocheting bedspreads. We had the pleasure of
meeting Miss Marjorie Holder of McKinney, a teacher in the Weston School, a
position she has held for eleven years. She boards in the home of Mrs. Comer.
Mrs. Frank O'Conner is our excellent reporter for the Daily Courier-Gazette
and the Weekly Democrat-Gazette for Weston.
We made it a point to drop in on our good friends, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Dodson,
and their attractive little daughter, Betty Jo, around the noon hour and enjoyed
lunch with them. Mr. Dodson owns and operates the local gin and will close down
for the season after a few more days of ginning bolls.
INLAND TOWN WESTON GOOD
Special to The Sherman Democrat, August 17, 1939
Many Descendants of Pioneers of 1850 Still
Reside in Town
WESTON,
Texas.—Weston is located in Northwest
Collin on land which was owned by William Culwell, Richard M. Mugg and John Choate in 1850. Today, descendants
of each of these men own land which the three settled.
William Culwell, III of Warner, Okla., owns the original home place of
William Culwell, Sr., who was a farmer, blacksmith and doctor. William Culwell,
IV, is also a doctor, being an assistant surgeon at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore,
Md. A home which was built by the elder Culwell about 70 years ago is still
standing. His son, John Wesley Culwell, of Weston, lives on part of the original
place.
F. B. Choate, son of the late John Choate, owns and resides on a part of the
farm settled by his father. The Mugg place is owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs.
J. Lee Howell, the latter a granddaughter of the late Richard M. Mugg. B. M.
Hamilton of Sherman is another descendant of Mr. Mugg.
The original town plat of Weston consisted of 21 acres, seven each being
provided by the three donors. Lark Adamson, grandfather of Willie and Elby
Adamson of Weston, built and operated the first grocery store here. He named the
town for his home town, Weston, Mo.
Lee Wilson, grandfather of Mrs. Ina Mitchell of Weston, and John Douglass,
father of Mrs. Bill Cassaday of Weston, were the first trustees of Weston. W. T.
Button, father of Henry and Elzy Button of Weston, operated one of the first
saddle and harness shops here.
Years ago Weston was said to be one of the most up to date inland towns of
its day, having stores, saloons and hotels of note. The Weston bank closed its
doors November 30, 1927.
Early doctors here were Doctors Russell, Stogdill, Black, Harris and Gotcher.
At present there are approximately 165 persons living within the limits of
Weston. The business section consists of grocery stores operated by Roy Mayes,
T. C. Mitchell, J. Lee Howell and Kerr Crosswhite, who is also postmaster; a
blacksmith shop operated by Ed Cravens; cafe, Burtis Willis; garages and filling
stations, Troy Cowan and Joe Frair; barber shop, G. O. Jones; laundry, Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Jones; ice house, S. M. Berry and his son-in-law, Ted Morris. J. J.
Brown of McKinney and Douglas Cassaday of Weston own and operate the local gin
and skating rink.
There are three churches, pastors of which are the Rev. Tommy Sandlin,
Methodist; the Rev. J. R. Hilger, Baptist, and the Rev. A. D. Rogers, Christian.
Weston also has a gymnasium and a school building program is underway to
replace the school which burned April 23 this year. Weston has its own water
system and now has rural electric service.
WESTON
Daily Courier Gazette, Oct. 1, 1946
Centennial Edition
TEXAS' FIRST RFD CARRIER WAS AT WESTON
Texas'- and Collin County's- first rural free delivery mail
carrier was a native of Tennessee, who was born January 28, 1846, the same year
that Collin County was founded. He was J. W. Baker and when he was nine years of
age, he moved with his parents from their home in Dandridge, Tennessee, to
Marshfield, Mo. He came to Collin County, settling near Weston, in 18980 and
resided there until his death on November 28, 1913.
Circumstances surrounding the rural free delivery of mail are
odd. In 1899 Congress appropriated $3,000 for "experimental" rural delivery in
the United States. In due time after making application for the route, Mrs. A.
Klinglesmith of Dallas, a daughter of the late Mr. Baker, explains, "George W.
Curtis, my brother-in-law of postmaster, then Weston was notified by the
authorities in Washington that they would send a man who would inspect the
proposed route. In a short time they sent a man named Mr. Olsen from Minnesota,
who much to our surprise, granted us the route.
"He threw a wet blanket over us by saying that his orders were
to establish it in an obscure, out-of-the-way place-certainly he wasn't very
flattering. He said he thought that Weston would fill the bill. "It was on
February 15, 1900, that my father was dispatched with his first delivery, which
consisted of about 75 pieces of mail. My brother, E. L. Baker, Texas' first
substitute carrier, was the Weston substitute."
The salary of $450 per year or $35 per month was not an
attractive one, as the work was hard, mail boxes were often placed in out of way
places requiring the carrier to get off his horse, walk quite a distance, crawl
through the barbed wire fences in order to reach their mail box; the first route
was laid out to cover five school districts, stretching from Weston south to
Lone Elm, west to Cottage Hill, back north and east to Lone Star and to Warden,
then south to Weston again. The carrier made the route by Buggy, horse-back or
foot, depending on the weather.
"The length of the route was 26 miles when it was dry and the
weather good," explains Mrs. Klinglesmith, "a little more than 50 miles when it
was really muddy."
From Mrs. Klinglesmith account anything sufficed for a mail box
- a bucket, gourd or anything that would hhold an occasional letter or the weekly
newspaper-nearly all the farmers took a weekly then.
Mr. Baker resigned in 1901 and his brother-in-law, J. G. Hargis,
was named second carrier of the Weston route. He, too, soon tired of hard work
and poor pay and resigned to be succeeded by Oscar brown, a native of Collin
County, as the third carrier of the Weston route. John Jeeter was the fourth
carrier; Ed Wester was the fifth, resigning to his brother, John Wester, who
resigned Sept. 1, 1946.
According to Mrs. Klinglesmith, the people at that time were
jittery about the expense such a venture would create and predicted that it
wouldn't last. It was far from popular. Congressman J. W. Bailey refused to
endorse it, saying it would bankrupt the nation. Some thought $35 per month a
big salary for a man who did nothing. "Spite influenced those who were receiving
the benefits form the rural delivery service to cause the carrier a portion of
his trouble," Mrs. Klinglesmith points out.
Communities
Index
- Recommended citation:
"Weston - Collin County Communities,"
Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of
Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].
|
