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The pages from Rita are wonderful, but every now and then we are reminded
that portions of the book are incorrect.
How about listing the truth? Let's not keep it a secret and perpetuate the
inaccuracies.
I'm sending, separately my "northern" Cavitt family who supposedly came from
the patriarch Moses Cavet.
Keith/Connie Street
ckcasey(a)netins.net
XI. William Crain Sparks Jr., born 1844, died 1921. He married (lst)
Frances Daniel, born 1848 and died in Bell County in 1888. He married
(2nd) Lou Hamon Dallas. By his first wife, Frances (Daniel) Sparks,
William Crain Sparks, Jr., had seven children., as follows:
A. Clarence Sparks, born in Bell County in 1873, died in Alpine., Texas,
in 1919. He married (lst) Fern Sumrall who died in Cameron, Texas, in
1894. He married (2nd) Mamie Carter.
B. Nannie Sparks, born in Bell County in 1875, living in Santa Anna,
Texas, married Roscoe Miller who died several years ago. At present she
is well and active.
C. Jennie Sparks, twin of Nannie., born in Bell County in 1875, is
living in Santa Anna, Texas. She married John Whetstone.
D. Wade Hampton Elijah Sparks, born in Bell County April 6, 1878, died
at Rogers, Texas, August 3, 1933. He married in Bell County on July 14,
1901, Minnie Pearl Clark who was born March 26, 1885. They had four
children:
1. John William Sparks, born April 2, 1902, married Mabelie Rae; they
live in Rogers, Texas, and have two sons:
a. J. W. Sparks, Jr..
b. Sgt. Wayne Clark Sparks
2. Dora Sparks, born August 9, 1904,, married Melvin R. Cobb in 1928;
they live in Cavuga, Texas
3. Barney Clark Sparks, born December 9, 1909, married Mary LaWanda
Weaver in 1944, they live in Rogers, Texas, have a daughter and a son.
a. Carolyn Sue Sparks
b. William Barney Sparks
4. Clyde James Sparks, born November 29, 1913,, married Vena Clinard
James in 1947, in Rogers, Texas., and have a son and daughter.
a. C. J. Sparks
b. Dora Jean Sparks
E.' Dora Sparks, fifth child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1882 and is living in Houston, Texas. She married Edward
Stone in 1903 in Bell County; he died several years ago.
F. Clara Sparks, sixth child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1884 and died in Houston, Texas. She married Morey
Beringer who died at Houston in 1946. Died 12-13-1964.
G. Fred Sparks, seventh child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1886, died at Lampason, in 1909. He married Gertie
Daniels.
William Crain Sparks, Jr., had two children by his second wife, Lou
Hamon (Dallas)
Sparks:
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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XI. William Crain Sparks Jr., born 1844, died 1921. He married (lst)
Frances Daniel, born 1848 and died in Bell County in 1888. He married
(2nd) Lou Hamon Dallas. By his first wife, Frances (Daniel) Sparks,
William Crain Sparks, Jr., had seven children., as follows:
A. Clarence Sparks, born in Bell County in 1873, died in Alpine., Texas,
in 1919. He married (lst) Fern Sumrall who died in Cameron, Texas, in
1894. He married (2nd) Mamie Carter.
B. Nannie Sparks, born in Bell County in 1875, living in Santa Anna,
Texas, married Roscoe Miller who died several years ago. At present she
is well and active.
C. Jennie Sparks, twin of Nannie., born in Bell County in 1875, is
living in Santa Anna, Texas. She married John Whetstone.
D. Wade Hampton Elijah Sparks, born in Bell County April 6, 1878, died
at Rogers, Texas, August 3, 1933. He married in Bell County on July 14,
1901, Minnie Pearl Clark who was born March 26, 1885. They had four
children:
1. John William Sparks, born April 2, 1902, married Mabelie Rae; they
live in Rogers, Texas, and have two sons:
a. J. W. Sparks, Jr..
b. Sgt. Wayne Clark Sparks
2. Dora Sparks, born August 9, 1904,, married Melvin R. Cobb in 1928;
they live in Cavuga, Texas
3. Barney Clark Sparks, born December 9, 1909, married Mary LaWanda
Weaver in 1944, they live in Rogers, Texas, have a daughter and a son.
a. Carolyn Sue Sparks
b. William Barney Sparks
4. Clyde James Sparks, born November 29, 1913,, married Vena Clinard
James in 1947, in Rogers, Texas., and have a son and daughter.
a. C. J. Sparks
b. Dora Jean Sparks
E.' Dora Sparks, fifth child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1882 and is living in Houston, Texas. She married Edward
Stone in 1903 in Bell County; he died several years ago.
F. Clara Sparks, sixth child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1884 and died in Houston, Texas. She married Morey
Beringer who died at Houston in 1946. Died 12-13-1964.
G. Fred Sparks, seventh child of William Crain Sparks, Jr., was born in
Bell County in 1886, died at Lampason, in 1909. He married Gertie
Daniels.
William Crain Sparks, Jr., had two children by his second wife, Lou
Hamon (Dallas)
Sparks:
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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525 head of cattle..............3,150.00
50 head of hogs.........................20.00
6 yoke of oxen........................240.00
Farming utensils.......................70.00
Household and Kitchen Furniture.......250.00
Crop of Cotton, 12 bales, No. 35......420.00
Corn and fodder........................210.00
One carriage............................75.00
xxx
By his first wife, Sarah(Reed) Sparks, Col. Sparks had six children.
I. Stephen Sparks, born 1824, died 1857, unmarried, buried in Volo
Cemetery in Bell County.
II. Martha Ann Sparks, married Isaac Spence.
III. Nancy Sparks, died before 1857; married Alex Spencer. She left a
daughter named Martha Ann Spencer who was mentioned in Col. Sparks's
will.
IV. Harriet Sparks, married Alex Spencer.
V. Sarah Sparks, born 1833, died in Bell County in 1857; married Hiram
Hanover, buried in Volo Cemetery
VI. Elizabeth Sparks, born 1836; married (lst) LaFayette Bryant, by
whom she hadchildren: Jesse, LaFayette, and John. She married (2nd) Joe
Reveal, by whom she had: Minnie, Betty, and Frank.
By his second wife, Jane(Alexander) Skelton Sparks, Col. Sparks had six
more children,
VII. Clara Jane Sparks, born 1837, died 1920 in Wheelock, Texas. She
married Volney
Cavitt, son of Andrew and Ann Cavitt, born 1824 in Bolivar,
Tennessee, died
1903 in Wheelock.
VIII. John Alexander Sparks born 1839., died 1863, buried at Volo
Cemetery., Bell County, Texas. He married Martha Reed, daughter of
William and Emeline (Cobb) Reed, born
1844 in Bell Co, died at Cameron, Texas, in 1933. They had one child,
a
daughter named Emma who was born about 1860 and died about 1878 at
Cameron, Texas.
IX. Elijah Sparks, born 1840. He was a Confederate soldier and died
of brain fever at Camp Nelson near Little Rock, Arkansas, on November
23, 1862. He married in Bell County in 1861, Sarah Atlas Reed, daughter
of William and Emeline (Cobb) Reed, born in 1847, died near Holland,
Texas, in 1884. They had one child, a daughter, named Jane Sparks who
was born in Bell County in 1863 and died near Holland, Texas, 1907.
Jane Sparks married in Bell County in 1882, Albert Johnston McKay, son
of Daniel and Jane (Bryant) McKay, born in Bell County in 1862 and died
in Holland, Texas, in 1920. Albert and Jane (Sparks) McKay had four
children: (1) Stella, born 1883, married Sam Mewhinney;
(2) Sparks, born 1884; (3) Seth Shepard, born 1888; and (4) Albert Jr.
born 1890, died 1952.
X. Minerva Sparks., born in 1842, died near Holland, Texas, in 1918.
She married Michael Reed, son of Jolin B. and Elizabeth (Treewitt) Reed,
born 1837. He was killed in the Civil War in 1865. This sister "Nerva"
was greatly beloved of Clara and stayed with her at Wheelock a great
part of the time after Vol's stroke.
--
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to wit: Three thousand acres (more or less) of land in Brazos County and
State of Texas, and one thousand of land in Vanzandt County and State of
Texas. The above mentioned tracts of land to be divided as follows to
wit: Into five different or separate parcels of equal value. One parcel
for my daughter, Martha Ann Spence, one parcel for my daughter, Harriet
Spencer, one parcel for my daughter, Elizabeth Bryant, one parcel for
the surviving children of my daughter (decsd) Sarah Hanover, and one
parcel for the daughter of my decsd daughter, Nancy Spencer (viz) Martha
Ann Spencer.
Item second--I also give and bequeath to the above mentioned Martha Ann
Spencer, the following described property to wit: Three hundred acres of
land out of a tract of twenty-eight hundred acres owned by me in
Henderson County and State of Texas, and also a good horse, saddle and
bridle and five cows and calves.
Item three--In regard to the balance of my property of every
description, I hereby dispose of it as follows, subject to the
provisions and conditions hereinafter mentioned. My league of land on
which I now live, two labors of land on the waters of the Salado and
Lampasas in Bell County, Texas, and one third of a league of land on the
Brazos (supposed to be in Johnson County) Texas. My negroes, Liz and
child, Evaline and Child, Manda, Emaline, Til, Alick, Joe and Jack, my
stock of horses, cattle, hogs.and cc., I give and bequeath to my
children by my present wife, viz, Clara Jane Cavitt, formerly Clara Jane
Sparks, John A. Sparks, Elijah Sparks, William Sparks, Minerva Sparks,
and Samuel Sparks, share and share alike or in other words, to be
divided equally among them.
Item fourth--I hereby give and bequeath to my last mentioned children,
the children of my present wife, the balance of the twenty-eight hundred
acres of land (say 2500) in Henderson County and State of Texas, share
and share alike, or in other words to be equally divided among them.
Item fifth--I hereby give and bequeath to my wife,Jane Sparks, for the
term of her natural life, two hundred acres to include the dwelling
house, farm and other improvements out of my league of land in Bell
County on which I now reside.
Witnesses Isaac
Casey
signed Wm. C. Sparks
Frank Pendleton
dated October 6th, 1857.
In January, 1858, an inventory was taken of Col. Sparks's estate. From
the list of his possessions it is obvious that he died a wealthy man:
4000 acres of H. R. land in Bell County.....$12,000.00
2 labors of land in Bell County...2,124.00
1/3 league of land supposed to be in Johnson Co. 2,952.00
3000 acres of land H. R. League, Brazos Co...6,000.00
1000 acres of land, Vanzandt Co...2,000.00
2800 acroes of land, Henderson Co...2,800.00
Liz and child, Negroes....$1,200.OO
Evaline, negro......900.00
Manda, negro........600.00
Emaline, negro......500.00
Til, blind and worth nothing
Alick.............1,000.00
Joe, negro..........600.00
Jack, negro.........500.00
Sam Houston, horse..200.00
Romilus, horse......200.00
Thirty head horses, $65.....1,950.00
--
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When the Indians had attacked, Sparks and his man had hidden themselves
in a dense thicket, escaping with their lives, and setting out for home
as soon as it was light enough to travel. On their way they met two
brothers named Riley, traveling with their wives and children and
household effects destined for the same locality from which Sparks
fleeing. Sparks told them in detail the happenings of the night before
but the two men were unbelieving or overconfident and went on their
way. Several miles farther the Rileys encountered the war party still
in pursuit of Sparks and Jack. In the ensuing fight one of the Riley
brothers and five Indians were killed. The remaining Indians fled,
discontinuing their pursuit of Jack and Col. Sparks.
William C. Sparks's first wife's family, Michael and Martha Burnett
Reed, came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Tennessee and
Mississippi. Sallie Reed and William Sparks were married before coming
to Texas. They came to the new country about the same time her parents
moved. A brother, John Burnett Reed, did not come with his parents to
Texas but remained in Mississippi until the spring of 1836 when he rode
horseback from Mississippi to visit his parents. He got as far as the
Brazos River when he met his whole family running from the Mexicans.
The river was swollen to second banks. John had to swim his white mare
to the west side where he found the whole fleeing mass of refugees
demoralized past planning their escape. John organized the frightened
mob, using their wagons to make rafts. While the first raft was
crossing Sister Sally's baby was born and she died. When he returned
for the second load of refugees the word had come of the Mexicans'
surrender. John was offered a league of land for the little white mare
but declined, adding, "Hell no! I'm going back to God's country and my
Betsy as fast as that will(sic) white mare can take me."
After another visit to Texas in 1848 John Burnett Reed and his second
wife, Elizabeth Harris, moved to Texas, 1850. Traveling in true
southern style in a coach and four, the young bride was attended by two
Negro maids during the long journey which took from Thanksgiving until
Christmas Day. They settled on the shores of a lake on the north of
Little River and gave the lake their name.
Sister Sally was buried at Wheelock, leaving six small children. The
next year while visiting relatives in Nacogdoches, Col. Sparks met the
widow of John Skelton, Jane
Alexander Skelton, born January 28, 1807. They were married September
4, 1837.
From November l4, 1842 to January 16, 1843, Col. Sparks was a member of
the House of Representatives from Nacogdoches County in the Seventh
Congress of the Texas Republic. By June, 1848, he had moved to Brazos
County. In 1852 Col. Sparks moved to his league
of land in Bell County and lived near the settlement which bears his
name. Sparks, Texas, was a post office in 1904 but later, rural delivery
out of Holland replaced that office.
Col. Wm. C. Sparks died October 10, 1857 and his wife, Jane, died
November 26, 1869. Both of them are buried in Volo Cemetery five miles
north of Holland in Bell County, Texas. Four days before his death Col.
Sparks made his will, which reads:
I, William C. Sparks, being of sound mind and memory do briefly make
the following
words and figures my last will and testament, and it is my wish and
desire that Jane
Sparks, my present wife, and Hiram Hanover (the son-in-1nw whose wife
had died just prior to the making of this will) of Robertson County and
State of Texas, act as
Executrix and Executor of this will.
Item first--I hereby give and bequeath to Martha Ann Spence, formerly
Martha Ann Sparks(my daughter), Harriet Spencer, formerly-Harriet Sparks
(my daughter), Elizabeth Bryant, formerly Elizabeth Sparks (my
daughter), and to the children of Sarah Hanover, decsd, formerly Sarah
Sparks, my daughter, and also to Martha Ann Spencer, the daughter of
Nancy Spencer, formerly Nancy Sparks, my daughter, the following
described property,
=149=
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Measles, whooping cough, "sore eyes and every disease that man, woman
and child is heir to broke out among us." Mrs. Harris wrote.
Her little sister fell ill and her mother was weakened during the four
days the Harris family fought to cross the river.
The wagons had to be taken apart and floated to the other side. The
Trinity was "10 miles wide at the mouth."
Once out of the flooded bottomlands, the Harrises stopped at Liberty to
catch their breath, but there the sister died and the mother grew
weaker.
The flight had begun in March, but by this time it was late in April.
One day, Mrs. Harris wrote, her father, who had fought in the War of
1812, heard rumbling in the distance and assumed the Texans had been
quickly overwhelmed. The rumbling, which he recognized as the sound of
cannon fire, had been brief.
Again the family wearily resumed its flight.
A few miles from Liberty, however, a courier overtook them with the
tidings that Houston had routed the enemy.
Joyfully they turned back toward home.
On the afternoon of April 26, they crossed the San Jacinto battlefield,
where the Texans and Mexicans still were encamped.
"The dead Mexicans were lying around in every direction, wrote Mrs.
Harris. "We had to pass among the dead Mexicans and father had to put
one out of the road so we could get by without driving over the body..."
In September, Mrs. Harris attended the convention which elected Houston
president of the Republic.
She attended no more, however, explaining "after that there was too much
whisky drunk for ladies to be present."
William Crain Sparks and his first wife made their home near Wheelock,
Texas in what is now Robertson County. On October 20, 1834 Col. Sparks
received title from the Mexican government to a league of land in
Robertson Colony on the south side of Rio San Andres, later called
Little River, fifteen miles south of Belton, Bell County, Texas. Since
this was hostile Indian country, Col. Sparks made no attempt to survey
his grant until November the following year. He loaded a wagon with
corn and taking his Negro man, Jack, with him went for his
father-in-law, Mike Reed, who would accompany him to the new land.
Arriving at the Sparks League the three men constructed a pole house or
pen to protect the corn. They learned that they were alone in this vast
solitude of primeval beauty except for two other pioneers living across
the river. These two men, Taylor and John Welsh, were glad enough to
see Mike Reed who crossed the river to spend the night with them leaving
Col. Sparks and his Negro man at their newly constructed campsite.
During the night Reed and Welsh heard shots from across the river and
knew the two men had been attacked by Indians. When morning came they
crossed the river but found no trace of Sparks or Jack and assumed that
both had been carried off by the Indians.
--
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CHAPTER XIV
Another lateral line is the Sparks family which ties into the Cavitt
family with the marriage of Clara Jane Sparks to Volney Cavitt.
William Crain Sparks was born in Tennessee on June 14, 1798, the son of
Richard and Mildred Crain Sparks. According to family tradition Richard
Sparks, son of Thomas and Milly Sparks, was born in Scotland and
migrated to Tennessee and later to Georgia. In 1834 members of both the
Crain and Sparks families came to Texas settling for the most part near
San Augustine and Nacogdoches.
On January 17, 1836 Robertson Colony mustered in a Ranger Company.
Among those comprising this company are listed: James Dunn, Elija
Burnett Reed, Thomas J. Reed, James R. Reed, Henry Fulcher, William
Crain Sparks. It was during the war with Mexico that Sparks was Colonel
of a regiment of State Troops.
William Crain Sparks's first wife was Sarah (Sallie) Reed, daughter and
oldest child of Michael and Martha Burnett Reed. Their youngest child,
Elizabeth, was born in 1836 during the Runaway Scrape. The mother,
Sarah Reed Sparks, died.
The Runaway Scrape represents one of the wildest panics recorded in
Texas lore--a precipitous flight toward Louisiana in the face of floods,
illness, disease and death.
It began with the fall of the Alamo and did not stop until Sam Houston's
retreating little band--only a day's march behind the refugees--turned
and overwhelmed Santa Anna in a sudden attack at San Jacinto.
In that year-1836-Mexican agents were known to be dispersed among the
Cherokees and other Indians north of the east Texas settlements.
Rumors spread that these Indians were on the point of moving in great
numbers upon the unprotected settlers, whose fighting men were in the
field, and would massacre every man, woman and child.
Fugitives from the devastated west exaggerated the picture of terror,
and finally the mad rush to safety began.
One of the clearest descriptions of the Runaway Scrape is among the
files of the University of Texas. It was supplied by Mrs. Dilue Harris,
who was eleven years old at the time, and who later described the scenes
as she remembered them.
Her family, Mrs. Harris wrote, hid their furniture in a hollow, loaded
their other belongings into an ox cart and set out for the San Jacinto
river.
Five thousand refugees were jammed on the stream's west side, hoping to
ford it and put themselves out of reach of the Mexicans and Indians.
The river was rising rapidly because of heavy rains, and "everyone was
trying to cross it first," Mrs. Harris wrote. "It was almost a riot."
It took the Harris family three days to get across, but their troubles
had only begun.
"Our hardships began at the Trinity," she continued, where once more a
swelling river threatened to halt them. It was the same scene over
again-thousands of fearful settlers trying at the same time to cross.
--
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My great grandmother was a Miss Cavitt. She had a brother named Andrew
Cavitt, after whom my grandmother named a son Andrew Cavitt. My name is
really Cavitt tho I spell it Cavet. The line runs thus:
Miss Cavitt married Robert Wylie, they raised Jean Wylie, who married
Robert Humphreys.
Their son, Robert Wylie Humphreys was my father. We all lived in
Greenbrier Co., Virginia, (now West Virginia). Some of the Cavitts
moved on to Tennessee. I am a minister in the Presbeterian Church.
Very truly,
Cavet Wylie Humreys
Jackson, Georgia
12-30-1903
Clarence might have known this man. I'm sorry we did not respond, for
it would have thrown some light on these "Andrew Cavitts".
=146=
--
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Some of the correspondence of the older generation who had started
looking for the Cavitt lines is found in two letters, one a copy of a
letter addressed to Mrs. Clara Jane Sparks Cavitt shortly after the
death of her husband, Volney Cavitt; the other a letter of explanation
written twenty-eight years later by Cora Cavitt Armstrong to her cousin
John Belvedere Brooks Cavitt. Like Aunt Cora, I regret we cannot tie
Rev. Cavitt Wylie Humphries into the Andrew Cavitt family tree, but
there is no means devised that I know of to connect his great
grandmother, Miss Cavitt, with Andrew's sisters. There is no doubt,
however, there is a true relationship if I were sleuth enough to find
the connection.
xxx
Dear John,
I'm ashamed of the fact that there was no response to this letter.
Mother left it to me and I put off writing and now we would have trouble
locating him. He had information and as eager to give it out and get in
touch with the Texas Cavitts. Could this Miss Cavitt have been a sister
of grandfather? She was his (Cavet Humphrey) great grandmother. The
letter was written 28 years ago. He may not be living now. I wish we
could get in touch with that line of Cavitts, it might help. I'll ask
Dr. Watts if he ever ran across him or her, we could trace his
whereabouts.
When Ruth comes home, we will look for any papers or letters and let you
know. I want you to come home as soon as Lou comes back. You might
have an attack of indigestion right now with my cooking.
Mildred's mother is sick and she is in Navasota with the children. Rob
stays with us and takes Mr. R. to the office. So, I live in the
kitchen, but am not losing one pound - too bad!
Coming to see you before long. You'd better leave town! Lots of love.
Yours
Cora.
August 21st, 1931
This is the letter I mentioned to you. It should have been answered,
but was not,
Jackson, Georgia
12-30-1903
Mrs. Clara J. Cavitt
Wheelock, Texas
Madam:
I saw in the Christian Observer of 23rd of this month the notice of the
service of your late husband. Though not insensible to your great
bereavement and the fact that you are not in a state of mind favorable
for such matters, yet I am anxious not to let the opportunity slip to
gather some information from you as to your husbands ancestry.
=145=
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"I'm glad you decided on joining a church with Sherd. I think the wife
should follow the husband into his church if she can, but I can't make
up my mind to go let those, Methodists preach me into hell every
Sunday," Jim said one day as we rode to the farm to can corn. His
health was too precarious for him to do much traveling alone. He
suffered untold agonies with angina pectoris of which he died three
years after my admission into the Clan Cavitt.
The little letter to Sheridan while he served with Rainbow Division in
France from his father written on a blank bank deposit slip, told
poignantly of the older man's love for and pride in his son who "never
gave your mother or me an instant of uneasiness in your life. I cannot
see how God could require of us such a fine son, and in His grace we
pray you will came back safely to us here." It was signed simply, "Your
father."
--
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An Irishman by the name of Taylor came to America from the old country
landing at Columbia, South Carolina in the late 1700's. With him he
brought twin sons, John Calvin Taylor and Simon Taylor. Both boys
became medical doctors: Simon remaining in South Carolina and John
Calvin Taylor moving to Forkland, Alabama at the forks of the Warrior
and the Tom Bigby Rivers. The first marriage of Dr. John C. Taylor
produced five daughters and two sons: John C., Jr. who died a small boy,
and William Taylor. The daughters were: Minnie who married John
Cockrell; Mary called "Pet" who married Col. John Terry; Florence called
Florrie, died just as she was ready to graduate from a young ladys'
seminary; Dell married Dr. W. L. Glass who moved to Wheelock, Texas, and
established a private school; Fiora married a Mr. Barnett.
Mr. John C. Taylor, widower, married a second time, this time the widow
of John Bragg, mother of Gen. Braxton Bragg. The widow Bragg was before
her marriage Miss Cornelia Ann Rutland. Mrs. Bragg had one child,
Amelia Bragg. When the new home was established Dr. Taylor and his
large family moved to Birmingham where he re-established is medical
practice. Young William King Taylor was a successful attorney. He fell
in love with his new step-sister and Miss Amelia Bragg became Mrs.
William King Taylor.
The new Taylor family had a small daughter whom they named Cornelia Ann
Rutland Taylor. When she was two years old her sister, Amelia Bragg
Taylor, was born and the twenty year old mother died. Little Cornelia
Ann could remember her aunt, Mary Taylor Terry, taking her to town and
purchasing new shoes for her to wear to the funeral of her mother.
Little Ann was born November 11, 1867, and Amelia in 1869. As long as
Grandmother Taylor lived the little girls were all right, but on her
death there was nothing for them to do but go to Texas and live with the
Glass family in Wheelock where Dr. and Mrs. Glass had their school.
Ann was a beauty as her pictures from age two will attest. She was a
beautiful older girl when James Volney Gavitt married her, and she was
still a beauty when she became my mother-in-law, when she was sixty
years old. Annie Taylor Cavitt showed herself equal to any emergency
and reared a family of six sons and one daughter, having experienced
with her young husband, Jim, the shock and grief of losing everything
they had in the 1888 blue norther; having the shattering experience of
losing their second son, Volnoy,as a child of three with the dread
diphtheria and almost losing their youngost son, James Carter, from the
same disease when he was four years old.
However, Annie aften said that the hardest to bear of all her sorrows
and grief was the period of three months when they did not hear from
their beloved Sheridan while he served overseas in World War I. Both
parents found in the fourth son the sweetness and strength, the
thoughtfulness and steadfastness every parent dreams of in a son. Each
said that their hearts broke when no message came from the battlefront
and finally on writing to their old friend Senator Tom Connally they
found that Sheridan was alive....that mails had been held up and that he
had written.
Christmas Day after the November llth Armistice, when they heard.-from
Connally, the postmaster of Holland, Tom Lewis, walked the length of the
town with six letters in his hand and a block long string of interested
friends who knew the anxiety in the Cavitt home, following him as he
called, "They've come, he's all right." He waved the letters over his
head for the parents to see.
Born an Episcopalian, Annie Taylor Gavitt decided she would join the
church in their town most like her own and became a staunch Methodist.
Jim remained as staunch a Presbyterian. Annie wondered whether indeed
Jim might not be far from the fold but the letter (quoted) to John B. B.
Cavitt and his statement to me verified what everyone saw in the
splendid man who was James Volney Cavitt.
=143=
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seven sons, the eldest being 15, in a new country, a stranger in a
strange land, but she possessed unusual business ability and with the
assistance of some good reliable slaves, she bravely struggled on, as
many others had to do.
The hospitality of the people was unbounded. They were few in number,
but true
to each other. We found a good friends in Judge Cummins, who kindly
advised us to take possession of a new log house belonging to him which
he had just built in Washington county, near where Independence was
afterward located.
In the fall season we returned to our crop. We gathered a bountiful
crop of as fine corn as I have seen since, altho it had received very
little cultivation. At that time every man took his gun to the field
with him to protect himself from the Indians who were very troublesome
and dangerous.
DUNN'S FORT
Then the settlers decided to concentrate on account of the danger in
being scattered, so they built a fort and all moved to that to protect
each other. The place was called Viesca. One day, Jim Coryell, a
friend of our family, the same who came with my father in 1834 to locate
land, went from the fort with some others to cut a bee tree, which was
about half a mile from the Fort, and while there, they were attacked by
Indians and Coryell was killed.
In the summer of 1837, we moved to Robertson County and bought land from
Col. E. L. R. Wheelock, and we lived there until mothers' death in
1881.
During my boyhood, schools were scarce, and teachers very inferior in
this country, so that an education was very limited. I enjoyed the
wild,free life, which a new free country afforded and was out with
several scouting parties, exposed to dangers and hardships. I was a
volunteer in the Snively Expedition, and also in the Moorehouse
Campaign. The country thru which we traveled was mostly uninhabited and
uncivilized, and large bodies of savage Indians and herds of buffalo as
well as other wild animals infested the country, which made traveling
dangerous."
The foregoing data was not dated or signed by Volney Cavitt, but we
below attach J. F. Cavitt's approval of its authenticity. Joe Franklin
Cavitt was a son of Volney Cavitt. We quote J. F. Cavitt.
"This memoir was dictated by my father, Volney Cavitt, to my mother,
Clara J. Cavitt, with the intention of writing his biography for his
children, but he died before it was completed. I am very familiar with
my mother's handwriting and know that she wrote it and I can certify
that this is a true and correct copy of the original instrument, which
was neither signed or dated. This copy of the original made and signed
by me on August 22, 1940.
Signed: J. F. CAVITT
McGregor, Texas.
Elabarating further upon the life story of this pioneer, we were
authorized by J. F. Cavitt., to trace the operation of the various
expeditions in which Volney Cavitt saw frontier service. There were two
notable expeditions. The Snively Expedition and the Moorehouse
Expedition that are conspicuously noted in the frontier history of
Texas. With notes furnished by J. F. and S. A. (Bud) Cavitt, we
continue our story.
--
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his family of 7 boys and 6 girls. He never moved to his lands on the
Leon River which he inherited from his father Andrew Cavitt. He
developed extensive cattle interests and was closely associated with H.
J. Caufield for many years.
He had a foreman on the Leon River ranch named Jack Tiller Fisher. This
foreman always wore heavy gold or silver earrings. Jack said that the
earrings helped to make his hearing keener.
In 1876, S. A. Cavitt, a 16-year-old son, but an experienced man, in so
far as the rules of the open range were concerned, came up to look after
his father's cattle and land. S. A. (Bud) Cavitt spent a good portion
of his time in McLennan and Coryell Counties. A great deal of that time
was with H. J. Caufield. He and his brother J. F. developed extensive
interests in Coryell County after moving there in 1885.
--
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Volney Cavitt had a brother named James, about 12 years old, of whom
James Coryell was very fond. On the morning that the Coryell party went
out to cut the bee tree, he insisted to Mrs. Cavitt that the boy be
allowed to go along; but Mrs. Cavitt refused fearing that an attack by
Indians might occur. S. A. (Bud) Cavitt relates that a family tradition
says that Coryell was Irish, and that Coryell always called James Cavitt
'Chamis" the Gaelic equivalent of James.
THE SNIVELY EXPEDITION
During the era of the Texas Republic an extensive overland trade was
carried on between Mexico and Missouri, by way of the Santa Fe Trail,
between Jefferson City and Santa Fe, New Mexico. This trade was by pack
animal, and wagon caravan, or the clumsy Mexican ox carts.
In 1842 news reached Texas that a rich caravan was leaving Missouri for
Santa Fe. The caravan was to be routed over the Santa Fe Trail, which
crossed the far northern part of the Texas Republic. In the spring of
that year, Col. Jacob Snively, with a command of 200 men, one of whom
was 19-year-old Volney Cavitt, set out to intercept, and capture the
Mexican caravan. The expedition camped on the Arkansas River and sent
out scouting parties to gather needed information concerning the enemy.
It was found that a Mexican escort of 500 men and 200 U. S. Mounted
troops were acting as convoy. In June, the Texans routed a part of the
Mexican guards and captured rich booty. In an attempt to divide the
spoil, contention broke out, Captain Chandler, with 70 men, quit the
expedition and returned to the settlement.
Captain Cooke of the U. S. Troops sent for Snively, and inquired why he
was waging war on a United States territory. Col. Snively informed
Captain Cooke that he was an his ownright since he was on Texas soil,
but Captain Cooke took all weapons allowing the Texans to keep only ten
muskets with which to guard themselves from the Indians on the long
march home. The U. S. Government later conceded that the Texans were on
their own soil and paid Texas $18 each for all the muskets taken.
Not long after the Snively expedition, Volney Cavitt joined another
expedition bound for the Texas frontier. This was the Moorehouse
Expedition. The intent of this expedition was to guard the frontier
from marauding Indians and Mexicans also to intercept such Mexican
operations as might be interrupting the neutrality by carrying on trade
across the Texas territory.
The expedition penetrated far into the northwest, which at that time had
a sparse population of roving bands of Indians. Large herds of buffalo,
deer, and antelope were seen; also flocks of wild turkey and prairie
chicken.
A few friendly Indians accompanied the expedition, as scouts and
hunters. Finally, a Mexican outfit was attacked, and it netted one
Mexican prisoner. This prisoner was turned over to the Indians for safe
keeping. That night camp was pitched. In the night, a great commotion
was heard in the Indian camp. Yelling, shouting, and chanting, together
with terrible screams of agony. Upon investigation it was found that
the Indians had staked and tied their prisoner down and were roasting
him alive. Nothing could be done about it for the Indians were well
armed and resented interference.
A short time later Cavitt was scouting from the camp and was captured by
enemy Indians and taken before their children. Thru the intercession of
the Indians, in the white expedition, he was released.
Volney Cavitt settled down to farming and ranching near Wheelock and
there reared
--
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seven sons, the eldest being 15, in a new country, a stranger in a
strange land, but she possessed unusual business ability and with the
assistance of some good reliable slaves, she bravely struggled on, as
many others had to do.
The hospitality of the people was unbounded. They were few in number,
but true
to each other. We found a good friends in Judge Cummins, who kindly
advised us to take possession of a new log house belonging to him which
he had just built in Washington county, near where Independence was
afterward located.
In the fall season we returned to our crop. We gathered a bountiful
crop of as fine corn as I have seen since, altho it had received very
little cultivation. At that time every man took his gun to the field
with him to protect himself from the Indians who were very troublesome
and dangerous.
DUNN'S FORT
Then the settlers decided to concentrate on account of the danger in
being scattered, so they built a fort and all moved to that to protect
each other. The place was called Viesca. One day, Jim Coryell, a
friend of our family, the same who came with my father in 1834 to locate
land, went from the fort with some others to cut a bee tree, which was
about half a mile from the Fort, and while there, they were attacked by
Indians and Coryell was killed.
In the summer of 1837, we moved to Robertson County and bought land from
Col. E. L. R. Wheelock, and we lived there until mothers' death in
1881.
During my boyhood, schools were scarce, and teachers very inferior in
this country, so that an education was very limited. I enjoyed the
wild,free life, which a new free country afforded and was out with
several scouting parties, exposed to dangers and hardships. I was a
volunteer in the Snively Expedition, and also in the Moorehouse
Campaign. The country thru which we traveled was mostly uninhabited and
uncivilized, and large bodies of savage Indians and herds of buffalo as
well as other wild animals infested the country, which made traveling
dangerous."
The foregoing data was not dated or signed by Volney Cavitt, but we
below attach J. F. Cavitt's approval of its authenticity. Joe Franklin
Cavitt was a son of Volney Cavitt. We quote J. F. Cavitt.
"This memoir was dictated by my father, Volney Cavitt, to my mother,
Clara J. Cavitt, with the intention of writing his biography for his
children, but he died before it was completed. I am very familiar with
my mother's handwriting and know that she wrote it and I can certify
that this is a true and correct copy of the original instrument, which
was neither signed or dated. This copy of the original made and signed
by me on August 22, 1940.
Signed: J. F. CAVITT
McGregor, Texas.
Elabarating further upon the life story of this pioneer, we were
authorized by J. F. Cavitt., to trace the operation of the various
expeditions in which Volney Cavitt saw frontier service. There were two
notable expeditions. The Snively Expedition and the Moorehouse
Expedition that are conspicuously noted in the frontier history of
Texas. With notes furnished by J. F. and S. A. (Bud) Cavitt, we
continue our story.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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In retrospect Volney Cavitt saw his life a bit more prosaically than
perhaps it was in reality, as he lived it. It is apparent from the
following account that he, too, had decided to write a history of the
early days but was unable to complete it before his death. This account
is taken from Coryell County News published at Gatesville, Texas,
Tuesday, April 5, 1949 and was furnished to the editor by two sons of
Volney Cavitt: Joseph Franklin, called "Joe," and Sheridan Alexander,
called "Bud."
HISTORY OF CORYELL COUNTY
VOLNEY CAVITT
(From Volney Cavitt Notes)
Andrew Cavitt was born in 1796 in the state of Virginia, and in his
early manhood moved to Tennessee where he settled near the town of
Bolivar. In 1834 he came to Texas, then a province of Mexico, where he
located lands in the Sterling C. Robertson Colony. He returned to
Tennessee for his family in the same year. With his family, and other
imigrants, he returned to the Falls of the Brazos in the winter of
1834-35, requiring three months to make the journey by wagon, arriving
at Viesca, the seat of Robertson's Colony in early March, 1836. After
the "Runaway Scrape" in 1836 while attempting to return to his home in
Viesca, he was taken ill with fever and died at Millican July 1, 1836,
where he was buried.
Andrew,Cavitt had seven sons, all born in Tennessee, among them was
Volney, who was born January 2, 1824, and who died November 30, 1903.
>From Volney Cavitt's notes, and from the notes of Newton C. Duncan, a
lifelong friend of Cavitt's, all of whom knew James Coryell, come the
following accounts and versions of their associations with the pioneer
for whom Coryell County is named.
VOLNEY CAVITT NOTES
My father was formerly a Virginian, but in his young-manhood went to
live in Tennessee. He married my mother, Ann Cavitt, a daughter of
Richard-and Rutha Cavett of North Alabama. They were-married on the 8th
day of April, 1821,, and afterwards lived in Hardeman County Tennessee,
near Bolivar. There were born to them seven sons, Whitley, Volney,
Josephus, Sheridan, Franklin, James and William. They had no daughter.
They are all buried in the home cemetery at Wheelock. My father came to
Texas in 1834, in company with a friend, a young man who was a surveyor,
whose name was Coryell. They located on and near the Leon River, in
what was afterward Coryell County. The county at that time was infested
with savage Indians. My father returned to Tennessee. Coryell remained
in Texas. My father then decided to move his family to Texas, and spent
three months on the road, traveling in wagons, with ox teams and one
carryall which held my mother and children. The roads were so muddy and
so much water, and bad weather to contend with, that we made very slow
progress being winter weather, we were three weeks crossing the
Mississippi bottom. We reached the Falls of the Brazos, and camped near
where the town of Marlin stands. Then the counties were unorganized and
we were a part of Robertson's Colony. We reached there early in the
spring and planted a corn crop in what we called "Weed Prairie" in the
Brazos bottom. We had no plows and cultivated with hoes.
Then the settlement was broken up by Indians. We then went, for safety,
to what is now Millican, but was then only a small settlement, and there
we camped on account of high water, the Braxos being too full to cross.
My father proceeded with the help of a negro man, to dig a canoe in
which to cross the river. While we were engaged there, my father died
of fever. That left my mother a widow with
--
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Sadie Griffin Cavitt married Dr. Samuel Gideon, Prof -.Texas University
in the Department of Architecture.
It was our great pleasure to hear a lecture by this chaming, erudite,
witty man on the Architecture of Texas. Sadie, who was a gifted artist,
told us in our one short visit with her that she had for years had the
privilege and pleasure of being the restorer and retoucher of the
paintings in the state buildings at Austin.. At this time, Aunt Cora
Gavitt Armstrong had introduced us and Sadie was in Bryan to break up
the old home of her parents as the house was to be torn down.
Unfortunately for posterity these two gifted people never had children
and the family lines are impoverished by their deaths. Like her
husband, Sadie was accorded the honor of being buried in the State
Cemetery at Austin.
FUNERAL SET TUESDAY
FOR U.T. PROFESSOR
Austin, Texas, Aug. 13 - Final rites will be held here Tuesdav afternoon
for Samuel E. Gideon, 69, professor of architectural design and
architectural history and one of the best-known members of the school's
faculty, who succumbed early Monday.
A nationally known water-colorist and historian of art and architecture,
Professor Gideon suffered a heart attack early in the summer. Pneumonia
and other complications followed.
Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard and
having studied in Italy, Holland, France and Belgium, he'came to the
university in 1913 and resigned in 1923 and then returned the following
year.
A member of the American Institute of Architects, he served on many
important committees and commissions for it, among them the 1943
national committee of planning of the City of Washington, D.C.
Professor Gideon also wrote extensively about Texas and southwestern art
and architecture.
At the time of his death, Professor Gideon was working on several books,
including one on Admiral Chester W. Nimitz of Fredericksburg.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sadie Griffin Cavitt Gideon.
--
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The newspaper report of the death of John Belvedere Brooks Cavitt could
only indicate some of the greatness of this quiet, strong,
self-disciplined Christian gentleman no one person could know all his
qualities of superior self-denial, unequaled stewardship of his wealth
and time.
Throughout a lifetime of hearing stories from John's relatives, reading
his writings and admonitions to others I feel it becomes clearer and
more easily read as a life of service to his day and age through his
implicit faith in God through Jesus Christ.
DEATH ENDS LIFE OF MAN RICH IN SERVICE
Allotted Years of Marlin Citizen
Crowned With Far Reaching
Influence
A long life of service whose influence extended throughout Texas was
brought to an end with the death of J. B. Cavitt, age 70 years, at 4:30
o'clock Sunday morning. He had been in ill health for some time his
condition becoming acute during the last week.
Born March 12, 1863, at Wheelock, Robertson County, J. B. Cavitt was a
son of the late Josephus and Catherine Dunn Cavitt. He was reared in
that community end attended Southwestern Presbyterian College at
Clarksville, Tennessee. Returning to Wheelock from School, he became an
active factor in the life of that community. A member of the
Presbyterian church since early in his life, he became an elder of the
church at Wheelock and also served as superintendent of the union Sunday
school of that community. In 1906, he moved to Falls county and had
resided in and near Marlin ever since. As a member of the Falls county
selective service board during the world war, he contributed materially
to the efforts of this city and county to aid in doing its share to help
bring that struggle to successful conclusion. He long had maintained an
active interest in public affairs.
The channel through which Mr. Cavitt's service found greatest expression
was the Texas Presbyterian College for Girls at Milford. He was a
trustee of that institution, serving as a president of the board, and
devoted much time and money to its development. It was through this
medium that his influence extended into all sections of the state.
Deceased was the last of six brothers who grew to manhood. He is
survived
by three sisters, Mrs. Mary Washington of Marlin,
Mrs. H.G. Herring of Anchorage, Kentucky and Mrs. W. C.
Gilmore of Ocean Springs, Mississippi; also a number of nephews and
nieces, including Norman Cavitt and Miss K. D. Washington of Marlin.
The body remained in Marlin overnight, being taken to Wheelock at one
o'clock Monday afternoon for funeral services at 3:30 P.m. in the old
family home -there. Last rites were conducted by Rev. W. R. Hall of
Corsicana, formerly pastor of Presbyterian churches at Marlin and
Milford and while located at the latter place intimately associated with
Mr. Cavitt as a fellow trustee of Texas Presbyterian College. Burial
was in the family cemetery at Wheelock.
--
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John B. B. Cavitt wrote this appreciation of his brother-JAMES ANDREW
CAVITT:
Andrew Cavitt the second son of Josephus and Catherine Cavitt was
endowed with exceptional qualities and attainments of heart and mind. He
was a fine looking man; winsome in manner and attractive in appearance,
full of goodwill, a happy, fun loving temperament, magnetic
warm-hearted, unselfish and sympathetic for the unfortunate, and put
brightness into the lives of those around him.
Andrew was a dutiful son., cheerful, industrious and faithful in the
discharge of the obligations resting on him. When there was need for an
unselfish service to be rendered, he usually was called on for the
assistance which he contributed cheerfully and heartily.
At the time of his death, Andrew Cavitt had practiced law only a few
years, yet was fast winning a name and reputation for unusual ability in
his profession. John C. Farr was a fellow student with Andrew in the
Lebanon Tennessee Law School where they became warm friends. After they
finished their course in the Lebanon University, they became partners in
the practice of law in Waco Texas. Dr. Farr later moved back to
Tennessee. In a letter written by him to Watt C. Caufield of Waco,
April 24, 1876, soon after Andrew Cavitt's death, he said, "I often
think of Andrew and feel that my best friend is gone,to his final home.
He was a good, true friend. I never expect to meet his equal - he was
like a brother to me. I feel he was prepared to go and meet his God. I
hope I may be as well prepared when the summons come."
=136=
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