Simpsonville has kept up a good interest in educational affairs. She has had good teachers all along, and for a while put on graduation exercises at the close of the term. The school students are now transported by bus to Union Hill high school near Bettie. Prof. McWaters taught here during the Civil War, and Prof. Lowler also taught here seventy-five years ago.
The history of LaFayette began about one hundred years ago. The place was named for LaFayette Locke, one of the earliest settlers. A group of new settlers came in every year until about 1880, when a considerable little town and flourishing settlement was built up. These settlers were from all the southern states, and brought with them their Negro slaves. These settlers were industrious, hard working men and women, but it would have been almost impossible to develop this new country without the slave labor.
LaFayette is located in the extreme northern part of Upshur County with part of the settlement over the line in Camp County. The town, however, and all industrial enterprises are located in Upshur County. Time brings about many changes. The history of LaFayette has been rather romantic. She has had many periods of prosperity, as well as her share of adversities. But she has survived them all.
The Montgomerys were among the first settlers of LaFayette.
A Mr. Wilks settled just over the line in Camp County. Mr. Sewell settled in the heart of the village, where his widow still lives. Mr. Gregory, father of Dr. George Gregory, settled here where Mr. Reed now lives. Mr. Massey settled where Mr. Rosenkoutter now lives. Mr. Atkins settled here in 1883, at the J. H. Strange place. Dr. Bailey practiced medicine here in the early days.
A post office was established at LaFayette at the very beginning of the settlement. A star route was established from Pittsburg to LaFayette and on to Coffeeville. Mail was delivered three times a week. There is a post office here at present with mail delivered from Pittsburg every day. One carrier brings the office mail, while another carrier from Pittsburg served an R.F.D. route in the settlement.
There was a great iron ore boom at LaFayette in 1892 or 1893. This caused the town to build up. Excitement ran high. Manyfamilies moved in and many new homes were built. Other business enterprises were established, and the prospects for a real town were good. This boom caused the town to build up, influenced the social and business life of the community, but because of the money panic which came on about that time, and the lack of financial support, the iron ore enterprise failed to materialize.
The Missionary Baptists were the first to establish a congregation at LaFayette. They erected a two-story building, with a Masonic lodge in the upper story. A Methodist church was located here also.
The first school was taught in a log house. H. L. Sewell probably taught the first school. A Mr. Stephens also taught in the early days. Jack Sanders taught in the 1890’s. He had a large school during the boom days, as many new settlers moved in. In later years, the scholastic population decreased until it was impossible to maintain a school such as the community desired, so the entire school was transferred to Union Ridge.
Doctors who have served LaFayette were Dr. C. F. Henderson, Dr. Bates, Drs. George and Will Gregory, Dr. Adkins and possibly others. There is no doctor at LaFayette at present.
At one time there were three cotton gins located in different parts of the community, also a grist mill and a shingle mill. A newspaper, The LaFayette Iron Record, was printed here for a while, but is now discontinued. There are two stores and filling stations here at the present time.
Mr. Adkins has been influential in the school and social life of the community, and Mrs. Willie Sewell has run the post office most of the time since 1914.
LaFayette has rural electricity and telephone service. It has two stores, a black smith shop, a barber shop, the post office, a milk route and several local curing plants. The livestock industry is increasing. In the early days, there were saloons here, and for a while a fish house was operated here. All the residences in the town, except two, have been remodeled in the past few years. LaFayette has had no case in court in the past two years. The citizens say this is proof that it is a good place to live.
A few miles west of Gilmer is the little creek known as KelseyCreek. It was named for Dr. W. H. Kelsey, one of the first settlers of Upshur County. In the 1890’s there was a few scattered settlements near this creek, who claimed either Double Springs or Enon as their home communities. About this time, two brothers, John and Jim Edgar, who were members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, settled here. This church is peculiar, in that its members settle in groups, or colonies, under the direction and oversight of the headquarters, located at Salt Lake City, Utah. The faithful members of this organization, endeavoring to carry out the admonition of St. Paul to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together,” will sacrifice their homes, if need be, and come together in these colonies.
John and Jim Edgar decided that this location on Kelsey Creek would be an ideal place for the location of a colony. Through their efforts, other members of their faith were induced to come in and a church and a colony were established. The colony has a systematic government, with a president and other officers to manage its local affairs. The colony at Kelsey was organized about the year 1900, and W. C. Harlis was the first president. Other presidents who have served the colony at different times, were Presidents Cox, Morris, John A. Futrell, Green, Maroni Hamberlin, J. C. Wade and others. J. C. Wade is president at the present time.
After the Kelsey colony was established, it was settled almost overnight. People from different parts of Texas and other states, flocked here until soon the Kelsey community was a thickly populated area. The land was fertile and truck farming became an important industry. A large church building was erected with many class rooms, where various classes met for study exercise almost every night in the week.
A large school building was put up by the church organization, and an excellent school was maintained for several years. Teachers were sent here from Utah to carry on the work of the school. Part of the time it was run as a church school, and part of the time as a state school. The church sent many girls here from Utah to work as missionaries in the school and in the families of the community. They taught domestic science and agriculture, and for a while the school had a brass band, and a large gymnasium. Because of the lack of pupils, the school was finally discontinued at Kelsey and moved to Gilmer. The gymnasium was sold and moved away, while the school building was kept for a community center and recreation building.
It seems that no one at the present time, knows how Enon got its name. Nor does anyone know just when the first settlement was made in the community.
A man by the name of Knight gave the land for the location of a Missionary Baptist Church.
Among the early settlers were, Mr. McPeek, father of Bill and John McPeek. He settled near the center of the community at a very early date. The Rays settled south and southeast of the church building. Mr. Simpson, father of Judge Simpson, settled a little south of the church. Mr. Petty settled at a place just east of McPeek’s store. “Aunt Susan” Petty was a well known and highly respected character. The Carters settled to the northeast of the church. Mr. Fowler settled up on Cypress creek near where the Fowler bridge is located.
The first school was built just across the road south of the church. Walter Roberts and others taught school here back in the 1890’s. Later on, the school was moved farther south to what was known as Myrtle Springs. A good building was put up here, and a large school was kept up until the building was destroyed by fire. A new building was put up farther north, toward the store.
John McPeek put in a store and got a post office established at Enon, about 1890. The post office was named McPeek for John McPeek, the first post master.
Enon at present is a thickly populated community and enjoying all modern rural conveniences.
According to the church record, Enon Baptist Church was organized almost one hundred years ago, on May 13, 1848. The following members met at the residence of M. S. Long, for the purpose of constituting a Missionary Baptist Church, namely: S. I. Knight, David M. Davis, J. D. J. Davis, Sarah Knight, Martha Mattock and Lucinda Davis. A sermon was preached by David Louis, after which he was chosen to act as moderator and J. D. J. Davis, clerk. S. I. Knight, the only ordained deacon, took charge of the work.
One can fully realize the age of the Enon Baptist Church when he parallels its organization with other historical events. Itsorigin dates back to the time of slavery in the States. There are instances on record where slaves held membership in Enon church. They were designated as slaves of certain white owners.
J. M. Griffin was the first pastor, chosen in 1849. Since that time the church has had thirty-two different pastors, W. R. Arrington holding the longest record of service, having served the church 29 years at six different callings. The church had services only once each month, until 1945 when it voted to have services twice monthly in adding strength and power to the church.
Few people who now live on or near old Calloway Hill, know anything of the history and the tragedies of that little elevation. Calloway was one of the very earliest settled communities in Upshur county. Before the Civil War, it was a place of considerable note. A post office was located there when only two or three post offices were found in the whole county. A store or two and a saloon did a thriving business. In those days there was no law against making whiskey, and anybody had the right to get drunk, if they wanted to. The first settlers of Calloway believed it was every man’s natural right to get drunk and engage in fist fights just for recreation and amusement.
Calloway was the voting place for a considerable area in the western part of the county. An election was a great social occasion, celebrated by horse races, swapping horses, and drinking home-made whiskey. An old man, who was then a little boy, tells of going to an election at Calloway with his father, who was to help hold the election. He said a keg of whiskey was arranged at a convenient place, with a little tin cup for the accommodation of the voters. Undoubtedly, the whiskey was supplied by the candidates. This boy said he remembered that his father and the other men holding the election, had to close up the polls now and then and get out to help settle a drunken row. The early citizens of Calloway could be identified by their manner of dress. The men wore high-top boots, with spurs, broad brim white hats, and a red bandana handkerchief around their necks. While some of these men were rough and rowdy, they possessed high ideals of honor, and believed in treating everybody fairly.
Tom Cranfill lived at Calloway and served as justice of the peace and a kind of lawyer. He had three sons, Luther, Albert, and Tom. The boys all left the county when they became grown and became leaders in the affairs of other parts of the state. Dr. J. B. Cranfill, an influential leader in the Baptist church, is acousin to Tom Cranfill, and lived at Calloway for awhile when he was a boy.
Dave Barton lived at Calloway and served as justice of the peace and county commissioner. Mr. Barton lived near a large spring, which became a popular resort, and was known as Barton’s Springs. Jim Barton, a druggist at Big Sandy, is a grandson of Dave Barton. Jack and Hans Finnie lived in the Calloway neighborhood and were noted horse traders. Dr. McClennon lived on top of Calloway Hill and practiced medicine as long as he lived. There are no traces of the old Calloway Hill left there at the present time, for the place is dotted with nice, modern homes, whose inhabitants are happy, law-abiding citizens. Johnson’s Chapel church is located near by, and the community is a prosperous one.
Bettie began its career in 1880. It was named for “Aunt” Bettie Anderson. Neri Anderson, who settled what is now known as the Waller place, was the first post master.
Billie Gipson, J. H. King, Bill Davis, and others, were instrumental in building up the town of Bettie. Jim Rider ran the first store. Ed Morris followed Mr. Anderson as post master. The Rose Bud saw mill located near by, shipped a large quantity of lumber from Bettie. In fact, Bettie was a considerable lumber town. Judge Lowe ran a saw mill about five miles away, and shipped his lumber from Bettie. With the lumber business and the other local trade, Bettie did a considerable business.
A bank was organized in 1913, with I. Goolsby as president and Delbert McIntosh cashier, with Mrs. Dr. Taylor assistant cashier. The bank, like all other little banks of the county, was closed in 1921.
Dr. G. A. Taylor came here in 1889, and began the practice of medicine. He has remained here all these years, and now, though he is old and feeble, the people of Bettie love him and respect him highly. Other doctors who have practiced at Bettie are, Dr. Charles Duke, Dr. Shipp, and Dr. Johnson.
Dr. Taylor, 81 years old, and Mr. W. I. Carter, 76 years old, who came here in 1890, are two of the oldest persons in Bettie.
A Methodist church was established at Bettie, and was dedicated by Ed Jones in 1891. This is the only church at Bettie, while there is a Missionary Baptist church at Oak Hill, only twoand a half miles west. A cemetery is located near the old school building.
School was first taught at Rocky Point, but was moved to Bettie in 1894. It was consolidated with Union Hill in 1914. This is an accredited high school, located just west of Bettie on the Simpsonville road. The Gilmer and Pittsburg Highway passes just a short distance east of Bettie, which is located on the Cotton Belt railroad. A number of stores and filling stations, together with a lot of nice homes, have been built up on the highway, which is known as “East Bettie.”
The first county agent Upshur county ever had was H. L. McKnight, who was appointed to that office in the latter part of the year 1908. The idea of a county agent was quite new to the farmers of Upshur county at that time and they did not know how to take it. McKnight was greatly interested in his work, and advised the farmers as to the best varieties of crops and the best methods of cultivation.
There was a standing joke told on McKnight at that time. It was said that he told the farmers they were raising the wrong kind of cotton, as it bore both red and white blooms. He advised that they adopt a variety that produced only white or red blooms. McKnight got just as much kick out of this joke as anyone else. The farm demonstration work was so new in Upshur county, that many of the farmers thought that he was a revenue officer or spy, sent into the county to see if they were really working, or putting in too much time fishing.
McKnight was succeeded by M. L. Kuykendall, who came from Hallsville. He traveled over the county in a gig, or two-wheeled cart. He was a long-winded fellow, and it was told that he would talk his audience to sleep before he quit, and when they began to wake up, he would begin all over again. However, jokes or no jokes, McKnight and Kuykendall laid the foundation for the Farm Demonstration work in Upshur county.
J. O. Allen, one of the best known cotton raisers in East Texas, was the first district agent to cover all Northeast Texas. He was the owner of the old Holly McGee farm at Concord, which, at that time, was considered the best farm in the county. In the summer of 1910, Allen, with the help of some of the leading citizens of the county, organized the first Upshur County Fair. He was assisted by Lon Phillips, who was county judge at that time,Jack Obyrne, J. M. Perdue, W. M. Dunagan and all the business men of Gilmer. The Fair was held in buildings constructed around the court house square, and with the traveling shows and carnivals, a great show was produced. Every one looked forward to the opening day, and they came from all the surrounding country for three days recreation. This Fair was also a source of education for the citizens of Upshur county, demonstrating the resources and possibilities of the county.
Dock Douphrate, Bob Barnwell, and Berry Futrell had new Buick cars at this time, and they gave the Corn Club Boys a free ride out to the end of Montgomery Street. This was the first automobile ride for those boys and they enjoyed it very much. But during these trips, teams of horses and mules that they met, became so frightened that they climbed the steep banks along the road, carrying wagons and drivers with them, while barrels of flour rolled out of the back of the wagons. Someone, too, ran an old Model-T Ford out to the circus stand for ten cents a round trip. Many of the older people got their first automobile ride during the first Upshur County Fair. The cars caused so many runaway scrapes of the farmers’ teams that they became very resentful against them. County Fairs and automobiles hit Upshur county about the same time, and the car added a big attraction to the Fair.
The County Fair was kept up in Gilmer for a few years, but soon interest began to lag, and now the County Fair exists only in memory. The old time County Agent who began the Farm Demonstration, passed with the County Fair, and now that work is on a more business-like basis, and the agents are no longer looked upon as spies or secret revenue agents, the farmers no longer seem to fear that the County Agent is trying to pry too deeply into his affairs.
Upshur county has had a number of County Agents since 1908, and among them were, W. M. Dunagan, of West Mountain, and A. W. Kinnard, who was the first A&M graduate to serve as county agent. He was sent from Brazos county. Many others have followed them, and all have done a noble work for the county.
For a number of years prior to 1935, farmers of Upshur county and the adjoining counties, had turned their attention to the cultivation and improvement of the sweet potato. The yam, so extensively grown and so popular in East Texas, was found to be of superior quality. To further encourage the cultivation of this excellentproduct, and to further advertise and popularize the modest East Texas yam, the “East Texas Yamboree” was inaugurated. It was not to represent Gilmer and Upshur county only, but all East Texas, hence—“The East Texas Yamboree.”
It seems that the idea of the Yamboree originated with J. A. Brogoitti, who was acting manager of the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce at that time, and J. L. Sowell, vocational teacher in the Gilmer high school. They were assisted by W. D. Seals, who was serving as county agent for Upshur county at that time, and Miss Lorene Stephens, then county Home Demonstration agent. The idea was very popular and every public official and individual citizen assisted when they could. W. C. Barnwell and J. R. Penn, two outstanding potato raisers of the county, gave their moral and financial support to the new enterprise.
The East Texas Yamboree was organized in the fall of 1935, with W. C. Barnwell president, and J. A. Brogoitti, manager. It was a modest beginning, but it continued to grow until it became quite an extensive Fair, with a number of other exhibits than the yam. About forty counties of East Texas took part in the exhibits, and it continued to grow in interest and popularity, until it became one of the outstanding events of East Texas. It was also a great social event. The schools and other enterprises of the county, and of the surrounding towns and counties, took part in the parades with their brass bands and decorated floats. Traveling shows and carnivals added their attractions to the occasions. Fiddlers’ contests, and the old-time square dance, with its called sets were held on the paved street adjoining the courthouse square, in the evenings. Crowds gathered from all over the state, until it seemed that Gilmer could not hold all the people.
Because of the war conditions, the East Texas Yamboree was discontinued in 1941. It is scheduled to be opened up again, however, in the Fall of 1946, in a celebration of unusual importance, to be known as “The East Texas Victory Yamboree.”