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H. Hannah Cavitt, born 11-24-1857
I. Sarah M. Cavitt, born 7-30-1860
Only two given names in this family are not often seen before and since
in Cavitt genealogy. Though the writer of this family's names and birth
dates shows great age in his chirography, he was positive of his
material. We assume this William Cavitt is the father of Joseph or
Josephus (Francis) Cavitt who is the father of the six children herein
given in detail.
WILLIAM (E) CAVITT, born 1-15-1819, married Sarah Ann Nation
JOSEPHUS (F) CAVITT, born 8-23-1845
Supposed Date
J. LEE DEE CAVITT., born 1865
II. HOMER FRANCIS CAVITT., born 1868
III. BETTIE CAVITT McBRIDE, born 1870
IV. DAISY CAVITT MILLS., born 1872
V. WILLIAM IRA CAVITT, born 1874
VI. NINA CAVITT McBRIDE, born 1876
I. LEE DEE CAVITT., married Eva Ella Henry
A. Clifford Henry Cavitt, Sr., married Iva Manning
1. Willie Lee Cavitt, married L. E. Jones
a. Deborah Jones
b. Mike Jones
c. David Jones
2. Clifford Henry Cavitt, Jr., married Billie Joe
a. Paul Cavitt
b. Craig Cavitt
3. Ella Laura Cavitt, married R. A. Buckingham
a. Lynn Buckingham
4. Jimmie Lamar Cavitt
5. Velma Ann Cavitt, married Putman
6. Walter Donald Cavitt
B. Velma Lee Cavitt, married Robinson
C. Anna Marie Cavitt, married Harry Eugene Ayers
--
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Wishes, Wants, and Dreams....a few poetic illusions
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CHAPTER XVI
During the eventful trip to Rockport,, Texas on a hot afternoon, two
years before this date, we sopped in Sinton, Texas for something cold to
drink. As we resumed our trip I glanced up the block and beheld the
Cavitt Hardware Company.sign. Despite grumblings from the
left-center-front to the effect that the Volney Cavitt's would be
sending out Indian Scouts search for us, we visited with the two
gentlemen who are Cavitt Hardware Company: Bill and Olin Cavitt.
Gracious and interesting., our hosts discussed Cavitt family with us,
their ignorance of the lines. As usual, after an hour, the one we had
to pull away from the visit was our protester.
Subsequently we had several letters from the new found kinsmen (whom
cousin Volney Cavitt had also met) and the part of this chapter on the
family is the work of William R. Cavitt, his brother., Joseph Olin
Cavitt., their sister, Mary Alta Cavitt Crolley to whom we are indebted
for a great deal of research and interesting family correspondence.
In trying to connect William E. Cavitt, born 1819 to the trunk of this
Cavitt family tree, we could surmise William was the son of Patric
though it is unlikely, as Patric was 84 in 1819. Ann's brother
William, was William Whitley Cavett, born 7-28-1809 and married Eleanor
Kennard -- Since we have no other recorded William Cavitt who lived to
grown lets assume Patric., who lived to be 100 was his father and make
the ties read:
Generations:
I. MOSES (1st) CAVET, born 1685 (circa) arrived in America 1750.
Alex, oldest son, born 1705 - Patric, youngest of Moses' seven sons
II. PATRIC CAVET, born 1735 - died 1835
III. WILLIAM CAVITT, born 1819
IV. JOSEPHUS FRANCIS CAVITT born 1845
V. HOMER FRANCIS CAVITT, born 1868
VI. WILLIAM R. CAVITT, born 1905
WILLIAM E. CAVITT., born 1-15-1819, married Sarah A. Nation 1-10-1839
60- Their children:
A. James Alexander Cavitt, born 6-29-1840
B. William Armstrong Cavitt, born 10-30-1842
C. Bettie E. Cavitt., born 10-30-1842
D. Joseph Francis Cavitt, born 8-23-1845
E. Elviria J. Cavitt born 3-20-1848
F. Mary Cavitt, born 8-12-1852
G. Thomas A. Cavitt born 4-25-1855
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Hi Rita and list; does this CAVITT book have any COATS/COTES/COTE/COAT
etc in it? I'm looking for Andrew CAVET's (b. 2-4-1783 PA) wife Mary
COATS, to whom he was married on 6-30-1816 at Westmoreland co, PA, and
who died shortly after the birth of their son John (5-22-1817) and is
laid to rest in IN.
I'm having really serious "Brick Wall" syndrome here, and am desperately
grasping at any possible straw.
Thanks, Doris lesloans(a)earthlink.net
Hi Rita,
Wow! THank you so much for taking the time to scan the Dunn info. There were
a lot about my family that I didnt know.
Can you tell me the name of the book and the author?
Thank you again,
Jason Coffman
In the early days in frontier country there were few doctors. In
consequence the family home remedies were used throughout communities
and passed from one group to another as people pushed further west.
Some of these remedies were Indian herb potions, some were the outgrowth
of grannying, some trial and error. The bite of a poisonous snake was
treated (by Mrs. James Dunn who always supplied medication for the
families of their slaves) by having the child's father dig a two foot
hole in the red clay land nearby. The clay was pounded and softened and
all debris removed from it. Hot water was added until the clay was of
mud consistency. A quilt was folded and laid by the hole, the child
placed on his back on the quilt with the leg placed in the hot clay in
the hole, immersed up to his knee. From time to time more warm water
was added. This clay poultice drew the poison out of the bite and the
little colored boy was well in short order.
Another remedy for the bite of a snake was a poultice of salt, kerosene
with a little turpentine mixed in it. Both kerosene and turpentine were
used to clean the wound when a nail was stuck in a careless foot. The
doctors' say now that such medication could have caused more trouble
than it cured. Old folks swore by these remedies and., having nothing
better in those days, used them with faith they would help heal the
wound.
Poultices were made of flour, mustard and vinegar for a sprain or an
unaccountable pain in the back or chest. Cream and butter were the
remedies for burns ... it was better use the fresh butter not yet
salted.
Through trial and error, the settlers learned about the growing things
around them. Dock weed and pokeweed were both valuable to the
settlers. Pokeweed berries were poisonous but made fine ink. The root
of this plant was said to produce belladonna though there is belladonna
weed-which produces atropine and amaryllis is known as belladonna
lily. Both berries and root of poke weed were used in medicines. The
young leaves were cook three times and the water poured off after each
cooking to remove the belladonna, and this was served as spring "sallet
greens"., or green salad ... salad greens. How well we recall the
colored cook who served us delicious greens in spring when we all knew
no kind of greens had been planted in our kitchen garden. In following
her one day I found she roamed the three acres back of our house where
there was a great patch of tender, succulent long leaves which she
gathered in her apron and brought back to the house.
Not until I was asked to come to a Negro home to view the remains of a
woman who had been "conjured" to her death did I realize that poke
sallet greens could cause death if not prepared properly. This woman
had eaten poke sallet ten days before her death and five days she went
out of her mind and seemed to go into an unwakeable sleep, lethargy, or
"living death" as they called it. Apparently, the belladonna had so
dilated all sphincter muscles as to have rendered her heart useless.
Foxglove leaves were used as heart
stimulant. From this plant, we now get the refined digitalis used in
treatment of heart conditions.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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As the man reached the bed he,raised his knife and cut some strips of
dried beef that hung from the rafters of the shed room just above his
head. He turned and tip-toed out to take the jerky to be prepared for
their supper.
Nothing was said of Mr. Shook's harrowing experience that night, but the
next morning after daylight and a good breakfast, "When the mountains of
the night before had become the proverbial Molehills" he could see the
humorous side of the situation. He laughingly told the family that only
his paralyzing fear saved the life of one of his hosts.
John Young married Mary Dunn, sister of James Dunn, Sr. He was easy
going and "took no anxious thought for the morrow." This disposition
caused him to be slow to restrain his breachy horse from depredating on
his neighbors crops. Bald Hornet was an expert jumper and visited his
neighbors' farms so regularly he grew to be quite a nuisance.
Josephus Cavitt lived within a mile of Mr. Young and his field appeared
to be Bald Hornet's favorite grazing ground. After repeatedly getting
the horse out of his field and having the owner send for him, only to
have him reappear in the field within a few days, Mr. Cavitt's patience
became exhausted. On the horse's next visit, he was tied up. Word was
sent Mr. Young to get him and keep him at home. Mr. Young realized from
the tone of the message Mr. Cavitt meant what he said and that it was up
to him to get busy. So he turned to his fourteen year old son and said
to him, "George, wish you would take a gun and shoot "Old Bald". George
had been called on so often to go and bring Old Bald home he had become
sick and tired of the job. He went up and got the horse, lead him home
and out into the prairie and tied him in a grove of wild chinas that
grew on the branch a quarter of a mile in front of his father's house.
He then went and got the gun and literally obeyed his father's
instructions.
He returned to the house wearing an air of self-importance and
satisfaction to report to his mother that Bald Hornet had jumped his
last fence and that he, for one, was glad to be rid of him.
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 good will, 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 in
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. Mr. 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 comes."
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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ICQ #1280761
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These depredations caused James Dunn, Sr. and his neighbors to build the
Dunn Fort at his home in the Wheelock community. A number of the early
settlers built cabins within the Fort to protect their women folk and
children from the raids by the Indians.
An occurrence told by Catherine Dunn Cavitt in relating happenings of
early days in Texas, is of a typical incident of men emigrating to the
frontiers, building temporary improvements, often putting a few acres of
land into cultivation and remaining only a few years, then becoming
dissatisfied and moving on to sections more sparsely settled where game
was more plentiful.
A Mr. Shook who lived in the San Saba Country wrote his brother, living
in East Texas, that one of his neighbors had become dissatisfied after
the death of his wife and was anxious to sell his farm and pastures. He
said the place was desirable, the land was rich -and well watered and a
man with the cash could buy the land at a bargain. The glowing
description caused the brother of Mr. Shook to become interested. He
had recently sold his land and cattle to emigrants from the old states
and had the cash in hand. After his failure to secure a companion for
the lonely trip he decided to undertake it alone. There were no banking
facilities in this sparsely settled country in those days. Therefore,
travelers and traders were compelled to carry their money concealed in
money belts tied around their bodies under their shirts, or carry it in
their saddle bags, which made them targets for thieves and robbers who
often killed a lone traveler, appropriated his property and made away
with all evidence.
Mr. Mr. Shook had reached the Lampasas section the country became more
sparsely settled. Toward evening he traveled mile after mile without
seeing a home where he could get lodging for the night. As twilight
deepened into night the hooting of the owls and the howling of the
coyotes added loneliness to the road. Finally he saw a dim light
evidently a lighted candle in a home some distance from the road. He
rode up to the house and called, Halloo! A lady came to the door and
spoke to him. He asked for lodging for the night. She stated it was
the custom of her husband and brothers to entertain strangers traveling
through the country, that they were then out on a cow hunt but would
return soon. She told him to stake or hobble his horse as the grass was
fine. Mr. Shook threw his saddle across the pole fence, which enclosed
the yard, and carrying his saddle bags on his arm, entered the house
which was built of logs having two "lean-to" shed rooms opening into it
which were used as extra bedrooms.
The lady of the house prepared a warm supper which was a special treat
to him. After the meal he sat and talked to the hostess for some time.
Finally she stated her men folks were unusually late in returning home.
That she was sure he was worn out from the all day ride and showed him
to the bed he should occupy in one of the lean-to shed rooms.
Mr. Shook was disappointed that he had not gotten to meet the men and
had the chance to make an estimate of their character before retiring.
His disturbing thoughts awakened millions of stories told of men
traveling alone, who were thought to have been murdered and all trace of
them wiped out. As the hour grew late his imagination became more alert
and disturbing. He got his pistol from his saddle bags and placed it
under his pillow where it would be handy in case of an emergency.
Finally he heard the clatter of horses feet as the men returned hone.
He distinctly heard them throw their saddles across the yard fence. His
room door stood sufficiently ajar for him to see the lady of the house
tip-toe to the front door as the men entered and see her whisper to
them. He saw one of the men come on tip-toe directly toward the door of
his bedroom- and as he entered draw his bowie knife from his belt and
silently approach the bed where he lay. Shook tried to reach his pistol
to defend himself from being murdered, but found-he was paralyzed with
fear and could neither move nor cry out.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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In giving his daughter Catherine educational advantages, he gave
evidence of his appreciation of better things.
Catherine Dunn Cavitt often said her father was a practical man and
believed strongly in practice training for his children. It was his
custom to waken his children early in the morning and often say to them,
"You children get up. If you are to spend the day at play you will have
the whole day for it, and if you are to work you will have the whole day
for that." Another saying repeated often to his children was, "I cannot
teach you to love work, but I intend to teach you how to work." This
was in order that they could make a living for themselves and their
families, and if they were able to hire their work done they would know
how it should be done. He had the native Irish wit and humor. On one
occasion some woman said to him, "Mr. Dunn, your wife is Irish isn't
she", to which he replied, "Yes, Madame, but I can understand almost
everything she says." In constant contact with others in the business
world he, in a great measure, lost his brogue, but his wife retained
hers undiminished.
James Dunn, Sr. was an unusually successful businessman. At the time of
his death he owned large stock interests in cattle, horses and other
livestock. In addition to the Head Right League acquired as a colonist
he bought the Stephen Gafford League and the Jeff Gafford Tract in
Robertson County, the Jeremiah Courtney and Michael Sessum League in
Falls County and several tracts in Navarro and Freestone Counties. He
divided his lands before his death, giving to his wife his Head Right
League and divided his other lands between his four children by direct
deed, stating he preferred to administer on his own estate.
Among Josephus Cavitt's old papers was found a receipt given by J. G. W.
Pierson, official surveyor for the Sterling Robertson Colony for the sum
of $169.00 paid him by James Dunn, Sr. in 1835 for surveying for him the
James Dunn Head Right League, the Stephen Gafford Head Right League and
the Jefferson Gafford Quarter League in Robertson County and the
Jeremiah Courtney and Michael Sessum League in Falls County, Texas.
Mrs. Isabella Caufield Dunn was of an old school Presbyterian family in
Ireland, trained and drilled in the shorter Catechism and was by nature
deeply religious. These people, like many others of the
Protestant-Irish, emigrated to America to be freed from persecutions by
the Catholic Church which was in power at that time in Ireland and
England. Mrs. Dunn formed the "Old Ireland Church" afterwards known as
"Concord" on Red Top Prairie in Robertson County.
In about 1853 a church was organized and a combined school and
Presbyterian church building was erected on a part of the James Dunn,
Sr. Head Right League, donated by Mrs. Dunn, who together with a number
of others, withdrew from the Concord Church to help organize the
Wheelock Presbyterian Church, known as the Dunn Grove Church. Mrs.
Catherine Cavitt joined this church at the time of its organization and
Josephus Cavitt joined with her in about 1860 and was afterwards elected
a Ruling Elder.
In 1835 and 1836 Indians north of Sterling Robertson Colony went on the
warpath and some raids down the Brazos River murdering the settlers and
stealing horses. On one stormy night at the home of one of the Moss
family in the Wheelock Settlement there arose a great commotion among
the cattle, bellowing and bawling of the milk cattle. Mr. Moss was
planning to go out to learn the cause but was prevented by a man present
who was well versed in the tricks and writes of the Indians. He said,
"It is a scheme of the Indians trying to decoy the men from the house."
The following morning the moccasin tracks in and near the pens proved
the Wisdom of the old Indian fighter's advice. In the days and weeks
that followed a number of the settlers in different sections were killed
and scalped.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Mrs. Cavitt stated that when the milk cows arrived it became her job to
herd them away from the growing crops during the day. The cattle were
put in pens at night until the fields were enclosed. She also said the
first seeds her mother planted were those of the fat gourd which she
brought from Alabama. Those were planted in a bare spot in the prairie
where a buffalo had died, brush was placed around the spot to protect
the gourds as they grew. Fat gourds were shaped something like a pear
and would some times hold near a half bushel. The small end was sawed,
gourd cleaned and set upon end, and used as containers for sugar, meal,
salt, lard and sometimes for soft lye soap. These gourds were friends
in need for the early settlers since metal or stone vessels were
difficult to procure.
The Spanish bottle or canteen gourd also rendered valuable service to
the pioneers to provide drinking water for those traveling on
horseback. In appearance, this gourd was somewhat like a dumb-bell,
though the upper globe was much smaller than the lower one. An opening
for a mouth piece was made at the top where the gourd grew attached to
the vine. These gourds were often covered with green-buck-deer-hide,
,which shrank to fit the gourd as it dried making it more durable. It
was suspended from the saddle by a rawhide thong. A good description of
this Spanish gourd-canteen is given in the romance "All the Brave
Rifles" by Clark Venable in Book 4, Page 294.
Mrs. James Dunn was fond of flowers and transplanted many wild flowering
plants from the prairies to a plot she had for flowers adjoining her
vegetable garden.
When Catherine Dunn Cavitt was an eight year old girl, on one occasion
she was sent to the spring for water and as she passed one of the old
slaves who was plowing near the path requested her to get a chunk of
fire from the house to provide a light for his pipe. On her return she
found the pipe lying on the ground filled with strong home grown
(stringy green) tobacco. She, in the kindness of her heart, placed a
small coal on the tobacco and puffed vigorously on the stem to have the
pipe lighted by the time the old man returned to that end of the row.
She soon became nauseated and dizzy but managed to reach the shade at
the spring and lie down exhausted and limp and finally fell asleep. Sne
was found later and carried to the house where the loving ministration
of her mother comforted and restored her.
James Dunn, Sr. returned to Alabama to make collections for property
sold when he move to Texas and took with him his daughter Catherine, who
was nineteen years of age. They rode on horseback to Red River and then
took boat to New Orleans, Mobile and up the Tom Bigbee River to his old
home near Green Castle, Alabama. When he had completed his business
matters he left his daughter Catherine to attend school and he returned
to Texas.
After living several years in his old home James Dunn, Sr. built a two
story frame house
entirely of cedar; cedar sills, sleepers and joists; the framing and
rafters were cedar poles partly hewed. The weather boarding and dealing
was planed by hand. Logs were cut out of the cedar brakes and hauled on
ox wagons to an East Texas saw mill to provide this lumber. Cedar
shingles were split with a frow(sic) and smoothed with a drawknife. At
that time there was an aboundance of cedar in the brakes along the
streams, also an abundance of post-oak timber which was widely used to
provide building material for houses and for fence rails to enclose
farms and pastures.
James Dunn, Sr. and his wife proved themselves pioneers of a high type
in moving from Ireland to America --and then in braving the discomforts
and dangers of the frontier to secure homes for themselves and better
opportunities for their children in the coming years. James Dunn, Sr.
was a good provider for his family, generous and hospitable in his
home. He was a genial, sociable man and made friends readily.
--
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Hi Doris....to be honest with you I really don't know! I am reading
this book as I scan and correct the OCR....
I am slowly trying to work through all of my Cavitt pieces of info that
I have gathered.....if I find a Coats I will be sure to post it for you!
Good luck...there are LOTS of brick walls in the Cavitt Clan for sure!
*grin*
Rita
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wishes, Wants, and Dreams....a few poetic illusions
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ICQ #1280761
For Links to all my Sites
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As they followed the Old San Antonio Road across Wheelock Prairie, many
of the wagons mired. While these were being gotten out and on to firmer
ground, Mr. Dunn investigated the surrounding country which appealed to
him. He decided to settle there and was able to secure his Headright
League of land to include the spot on which the wagons had mired. Later
he acquired his two Labors in Freestone County.
The Mexican Government at that time gave to each family of the
colonists, under Stephen F. Austin and Sterling Robertson Contracts, a
Headright League containing about 4428 acres of land and also two
Labores of 177 acres each.
James Dunn settled in a part of timber on the back-bone divide-ridge
between the Navasota and the Brazos Rivers in the northwest side of the
prairie, two miles from where their wagons had mired.
He erected temporary quarters for his family and for his negro slaves.
Wagons were sent to Colorado county, 100 miles south, to procure corn
for planting and to make meal for the family and slaves. Cows were
bought at the Mlillican Settlement to furnish milk; an empty tar keg
brought from Alabama, was scraped and cleaned out to be used temporarily
for a churn. They bought in Washington County plows and hoes and a
double crank steel grist mill, operated by hand, to grind corn for
meal. Many friends of the settlement bought their corn to grind in this
mill. Prior to securing this mill they had no meal, so made hominy of
their corn to use in place of bread.
Land was cleared as rapidly as possible, brush and poles were used for
temporary fences around the farm land. Seeds were planted before the
temporary fences were completed around the farm.
As soon as possible James Dunn, Sr. secured an Irish carpenter from
Tenosticlan, a Mexican village on the west side of the Brazos River,
and built log cabins for his family and quarters for his slaves. These
buildings were covered with split boards five or six inches wide and
about eighteen inches long rived from straight grained lasting timbers
such as oak, cedar or cypress. These cabins usually had only dirt
floors at first, puncheon or plank floors were put in. The puncheons
were obtained by hewing timbers to a six inch thickness, placing these
on a frame called a saw-rack, operated by two men, one standing under
the rack in a saw pit having his eyes protected from the dust, the other
man stood on top of the rack. Using a cross-cut saw the timber was
divided into two three inch slabs to be used for flooring, turing the
sawed sides upwards and fitting them on the sleepers with chopping axes
and (foot) adz.
When James Dunn reached Texas the Indians in the country generally were
not hostile, later many of the Mexican officials became suspicious and
antagonistic and incited the Indians to hostilities against the
colonists. Many settlers near Viesca and some of those near the Dunn
Settlement were murdered. A Mr. Moor, a Mr. Fullerton and two of the
Henrys were killed by the Indians. A Mr. Barker, from whom James Dunn,
Sr. bought corn, was shot and scalped and left for dead, but afterwards
recovered. These depredations by the Indians caused the people of the
settlement to build the Fort at the James Dunn home, known as the Dunn
Fort, for the protection of the women and children.
A large stockade containing near an acre of land was built of green
poles set up side by side, the butt end put deep and firmly in the
earth, the small end extending 12 or 15 feet above ground. Many of the
settlers, living within five or six miles, built cabins within the
enclosure for the protection of their families. While the men worked
their crops, built houses and fences and cleared land to be put in
cultivation on their own places.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wishes, Wants, and Dreams....a few poetic illusions
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ICQ #1280761
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There had been peace for two years. Indians on Colorado River in 1935
made raids. Grandfather bought corn from Barker, who had been scalped
by Indians and yet lived, with the surprised look a puckered scalp would
give.
Mexicans invaded from South and Indians from North. Indians took
advantage of disturbance and thought they would regain country.
James Dunn, I, was a land owner and considered a well-to-do man in
Ireland. After the birth of their first child, James Dunn II, and wife
decided to immigrate to America. When his father was told of his plans
he inquired the reason for such a move. James replied he desired to
secure land for his children that they would be better provided for and
live more comfortably. His Father said to him, "I gave to you and your
brother William each three acres of land. That seems to me is ample
provision for any family."
James Dunn, II, and his wife, with their infant daughter, Mary, came
from Belfast, Ireland to America in a sail vessel in 1821. Mrs. Dunn's
fare was paid by weight. She, her child and her budgit (bundle) of
clothing weighed only 113 pounds. During the whole six weeks voyage to
America the winds continued stormy, causing Mrs. Dunn to be confined to
her berth with sea-sickness. Memories of those six weeks of unhappy
experience haunted her in after life. When the winds were high, as we
usually get them in March, she would exclaim, "I pity the poor people
who are out on the ocean today."
James Dunn II, and family landed at Charleston, South Carolina and went
to the home of his bachelor cousin, Mr. Hayes, who had a large
plantation with 200 slaves near Charleston. James Dunn managed the
plantation and his wife kept house for Mr. Hayes while he looked after
his store.
After the Dunns had been with him a year Mr. Hayes moved his slaves to
an Alabama plantation near Green Castle. The Dunns came with him and
bought land near him and managed his own farm and that of Mr. Hayes near
the Tom Bigbee River. Mr. Hayes was married by an enterprising widow, a
Mrs. Berils, "who", Mrs. Dunn said, "Set her cap for him and nabbed him,
later poisoning him for his money."
After being with Mr. Hayes 12 years in Alabama, in December 1834 James
Dunn, II, and family, together with seven other families started for
Texas and reached the Sterling Robertson Colony in February 1835. The
William Henry family (kin to the Seals of Benchley, Texas); Mr.
Fullerton, who married Sallie Canfield; The Widow McMillan and her four
boys; Ed and Mary McMillan, who had just arrived from Ireland; The
Watson Family, were some of the party emigrating to Texas. These
families came by private conveyance, generally using carryalls and ox
wagons. They brought their slaves with them. They made it their rule
to go into camp at noon on Saturday to prepare for a Sunday of rest.
They reached their journey's end sooner than those who refused to
observe the rest day.
They traveled the Old San Antonio Road, often crossing the Navasota
River. They camped near the home of Jeremiah Tinnan at the place
afterwards called Tinnanville. Their supply of salt being exhausted
they tried to buy some from Tinnan. He gave them a fat-gourd, half
gallon container of salt to be divided among the eight families,
advising them to use it sparingly as salt was hard to procure at that
time, stating he had given them his entire supply as he and his family
were accustomed to do without salt, but newcomers had that to learn.
James Dunn II, (we will hereinafter designate as James Dunn, Sr. to
distinguish from his own son James) had planned to settle near Old
Nashville on the Brazos River (afterwards called Port Sullivan) which
was then regarded as "the last of civilization the Brazos River.
--
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Henry Caufield was a potter in Ireland and a farmer in America. He died
in Green County, Alabama.
Henry Canfield married Mary Castle, sister of Thomas Castle who moved to
America with Henry Canfield:
I. John - Married Miss Johnson, lived and died in Ireland
Sons - Two came to America
1. John lived in Mobile, died 2-13-1854
Married Margaret O'Connor, May 1838, died 7-18-1901
Issue: Mary E, 1840
William M Died Malvelin Hall, Virginia, 1821
Henry, 1865
John, died 1875
Alice
Margaret
2. Henry, died in Cuba, 1843, unmarried
3. William, born 1815, died 1889, married Jane Young Black
4. Mary, 1825, died 1852, unmarried
II. Thomas - born in Ireland, died in Alabama, 1-12-1859. Married
first,
Mary Ann Watson, died in Alabama; second, Mrs. Johnson, after 1859 Mr.
Hughes
1. Watson
2. Mary Jane
3. Henry John - Boligee, 1-21-1827
4. George
James Dunn started to Texas in a wagon in December, reached there in
February in the rain, mired, made camp. Route from Sabine over Old San
Antonio Road. Accompanied by families:
1. Hue and William Henry (Seale's relatives)
2. Fullerton - had married Sally Canfield
3. Mrs. McMillan (widow)
4. Mary and Ed McMillan - just arrived from Ireland
All pitched tent where James Dunn mired. Intended going to coast, but
friend advised him not to move as his land was all located and
surveyed. Took land up. Very little help available. Childrens' ages,
Mary 13, Jimmie 11, George 9, Kittie 7. Jimmie and George chopped brush
when men were gone. They used brush to keep cattle out of the corn
patch. Isabella Dunn spaded beds for gardens.
A trip was made to Millican for eight cows and calves. Corn was secured
from Colorado River, 100 miles away, to tide over until corn crop came
in. A trip was made to Washington County for bull tongue plows and hoes
and hand mill. This last item was a luxury in 1833. The Indians were
not hostile. Plenty of wild horses, turkey, buffalo to be had.
Prairies were covered with buffalo bones where Indians had killed them.
These families lived near each other for friendship, not fear.
Corn was made into hominy until a mill was bought. Isabella Dunn made
butter by churning cream in a tar barrel brought from Alabama. Their
house was built after crop was gathered the first year. An Irish
carpenter was secured from across Brazos, who lived in Mexican Village
(Tenostic land). He built the house. Two other families moved after
their crop was gathered. Mr. Fullerton and both Henrys were killed by
Indians.
--
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who needed concern for their temporary distress. This kind of
protracted visiting was a common phenomenon in those early days and
continued through to as late as 1924, as I can attest from experiences
our parents gave us six children to help someone who could use our feet,
hands, or eyes on errands of service while the visitors spent a few
years in our home. Father almost miscued the whole scheme of things,
however, when he took into our home the wife and six children of an
itinerant evangelist whose children needed to remain in one school more
than three weeks at a time. Nine months of children who obeyed no one
was practically productive of appoplexy in our parents. It is easy to
surmise how some of the visitations in Uncle Joe's and Aunt Kittie's
home must have taxed their equanimity.
Because of its charm and the accuracy we know it contains the account of
her father's and mother's people coming to America is here included as
written by Kittie Dunn Cavitt, wife of Josephus Cavitt, mistress of Elm
Grove and mother of the twelve children who were first cousins of the
thirteen Volney Cavitt children and their dearest relatives.
Kittie Dunn Cavitt was the daughter of James Dunn and Isabella "Bella"
Caufield who came from Ireland. Isabella Caufield was the daughter of
Henry Caufield who founded the family of that name in America. One of
Volney Cavitt's sons married a Caufield girl making the kinship doubly
dear. We include enough of the Caufield history to make the connection
clear. But, for the present, let it suffice to relate that Andrew and
Ann's son, Volney, had a son named Josephus Franklin who married Mollie
Caufield. Their son is named Volney. He married Kathryn Anderson of
McGregor and their son, at this writing seventeen years old, is named
for all the Cavitt's bearing the famous names Josephus Volney Cavitt and
bears it fittingly; a fine studious young man with wide interests which
he pursues avidly and thoroughly. He and his father are, like all of
the name, gracious hosts to all the innumerable kin who go visiting them
in Rockport, Texas.
The following is originally in the fine handwriting of Aunt Kitty
(Kathryn Ann) Dunn Cavitt.
Thomas Castle, uncle of Isabella Caufield Dunn, his wife and four
daughters came with
Henry Caufield to America. Henry Caufield's wife was sister of Thomas
Castle. Thomas
Castle was first man of colony to die. He is buried on a high hill near
Boligie,
Alabama. Isabella Caufield's mother was a Castle.
James Dunn, II, arriving in South Carolina, went to look for his
relative George Hayes
a bachelor cousin and his Aunt, Mrs. Carthan. George Hayes' plantation
was near
Charleston and James Dunn lived with him one year and all moved to
Green County,
Alabama, including 200 slaves of Mr. Hayes. He located near Tom Bigby
River.
While Isabella Dunn was waiting for James Dunn to find his relatives in
Charleston she
remained on boat. Tiring of long wait she walked on pier and was much
frightened on
seeing the first negro she had ever seen and ran back to the boat.
While in South Carolina one year, Isabella Dunn kept house for Mr.
Hayes, while James
Dunn looked after his plantation. Mr. Hayes had a store besides his
plantation. When
Mr. Hayes moved to Tom Bigby River, James Dunn, wife and children
moved also. James
Dunn continued helping Mr. Hayes but bought land of his own. Mr.
Hayes married a widow
by name Berils, who Isabella Dunn said "set
her cap" for him and succeeding in
catching Mr. Hayes, poisoned him for his money. James Dunn lived
twelve years in
Green County and then moved to Texas (1833)-
As we stated at first, Isabella Dunn's father, Henry Caufield, came to
America with
Thomas Castle and lived two miles from James Dunn on the Ton, Bigby
River, Alabama.
--
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One of Grandmother's sisters married Phelean A. Casky. They moved
north. Jennie Dunn married Alexander Mawhinney. They had one boy who
married a Henry. They had four
children: James, Ester, George, Jennie.
I remember Grandmother (Isabella Caufield Dunn) well. She was small and
active. Don't you ever believe she would ever go out into the rain with
her shoes on. Your mother, if she ever wanted to know about life, went
to Aunt Mary Young.
Grandfather and Sam Houston were great friends. When Houston would come
up to see about his farm five miles north of Wheelock, Grandfather would
meet him in Wheelock and they would do their drinking and horseracing
together.
I saw an old account book at Old Man Smicht's. It was the account
against Grandfather for pint whiskey, quart, glass, gallon ... you know
in those days everybody kept it.
Lovingly,
Cousin Tennie
The widow of Felix Robertson married David (Dave) H. Love in December
1848. Beside
Tennie we know of Ben F. Love as their child. This family came to Texas
in 1840. Ben
Love was married to a Miss Weir about whom we knew "she was a devout
Baptist."
The kindly relationship of the Love and Cavitt families is shown in the
naming of one of the Ben F. Love sons. He was given the whole name of
the father of Josephus and Volney Cavitt, Andrew Cavitt. Andrew Cavitt
Love became chief engineer of the Texas State Highway Department.
Like most of the permanent homes of early Robertson Colony, Elm Grove
was long in the building. The house was a double log house with rock
chimneys at each end and wide, deep fireplaces. It was a story and a
half built of hewn cedar logs with shed rooms and an immense porch 14 x
50 feet. The house was weather boarded and ceiled with dressed lumber.
One room was floored with cedar planks. The home stood in a large yard
surrounded by native trees; elm, hickory, cedar, mulberry, and pecan.
There were pink, scarlet and purple crepe myrtle among the larger trees.
The house stood on a point projecting out from timber on the north and
west and a blackland prairies stretching out east and south. Kittie and
Josephus planted peaches, apples, quince, figs, plums, berry and other
edibles about the home. Kittie's flower gardens were the talk of the
neighborhood... she had blooms when everybody else despaired of gardens.
Built in similar fashion from cedar logs were the homes of the slaves,
the smoke house, cribs, stables and various outhouses needed in those
times. Everyone had a spring house or well house where water was
obtained and the milk and butter kept cool. The constellation of
buildings, well constructed and always well kept with flowers blooming
the year round made Elm Grove a good sight to behold.
Always known for its hospitality to friends and relations the Joe Cavitt
home was a refuge for many people until better conditions should
obtain. One old lady whose husband was in the penitentiary in another
state never knew her husband had met with hard times as Joe and Kittie
took her in and gave her money each month indicating that her husband
had sent it to Joe for her use.
Some of the people who found love and care with this family were the
Loves: Pat,
Tennie, Ben and Dora; a Mrs. Feeney, Josephine Summerville, Jimmie Cox,
Mrs. Mollie
McKenzie, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison; Dock Cavett and his whole family;
Amanda and Betty
Barnett; Julia Baker; Susan Sample and family...some were relatives,
some only friends
=16o--
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C. Third child of James and Isabella Dunn was George Hayes Dunn, born
9-30-1824 at Green Castle, Alabama, married Nancy Jane Killough on
February 24, 1860. George died in 1896, Nancy in 1897. Their children:
(lst) Mary, who died single; (2nd) James B. Dunn, married Eula Covey;
(3rd) Isabella Dunn, married Marion Armstrong; (4th) Josephine Dunn,
married Tom Sims; (5th) Sallie Dunn, married Marsh Mitchell, (6th)
Millie Dunn, married John Jackson; (7th) George Dunn, married Lillie
Brown; (8th) John Dunn, married Addie Powers; (9th) Annette Dunn,
married Will Currie; (10th) Nannie Dunn, married Fay Currie; (llth) Sam
Dunn, married a Miss Scott; (12th) Ida Dunn, married DeWitt Love; (13th)
Ada, married Ernest Marsh.
D. Fourth child of James and Isabella Dunn was Catherine Ann Dunn, born
2-17, 1826, married Josephus Cavitt at Dunn's Fort, 4-12-1840.
E SEPARATE GENEALOGY FOR THEIR DESCENDENTS
The niece of Kittie Dunn Cavitt, Tennie Love Collard, gave this
information about her father in a letter to John Belvedere Brooks
Cavitt, Kittie's and Josephus's son.
James Dunn, the second, born in Ireland 11-23--1793, married Isabella
Caufield on ,(month missing)-21-1817 and died 8-27-1851, was the father
of Catherine Ann who married Josephus Cavitt at Old Dunn Fort on
4-12-1848, and another daughter Mary, mother of Mrs. Collard.
Mary Dunn, first married Felix Robertson ... with whom she eloped
8-3-1837. In the letter here quoted Tennie Love Collard is referring to
their grandfather, James Dunn,II.
Dear Cousin John, Wichita Falls, Sept.
21. 1931
I have waited to write as I wanted to get data from Dora knowing she had
some from Mrs. Stewart. Grandfather had one brother, William, and three
sisters who came to the states at the same time (from County Antrim,
Ireland).
Cora says they lived near Green Castle, Alabama.
_?___ knew after Mr. Robertson died Mother and your mother went back to
Alabama. My half-bother Felix Robertson was born there six months after
his father's death. Aunt Kittie went to school there.
You knew Mother eloped with Robertson. She came back on visit went to a
Masser,
Grandmother visited her. The last time she came Grandfather wanted to
know why she did not
come home. She came, had two little girls... she returned home to
Independence. In three weeks both children and Mr. Robertson were
dead. Then she and your mother went to Alabama.
What I gather from the papers, Sterling Robertson was not a kinsman. He
was to put ____? families in Texas. Grandfather was one of these. He
stopped to rest his team and did not go over to Pt. Sullivan but came
back and took up his League in Robertson and labor in Freestone.
One Felix Robertson was an uncle of Brother Felix. I have seen him.
Grandfather died before I was born but I remember Grandmother Isabella
Caufield Dunn well. I was at our mother's in 1862 when Willie Robertson
was born at Grandmother's. Brother Felix had come down to run her
farm. Another call came and he and Andy Richards went to airfield, I
think, joined Peaks Company under Gen. Greey. I knew both of these men
in childhood.
=159=
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A. Mary Young, II, born 1-17-1814, married Mr. Adair, who died leaving
her with a son who died young and a daughter, Annie, who ran away and
married William Stuart, who was a brother of her mother's second
husband, Randle Stuart. Annie Adair Stuart died leaving two children:
Ellen Stuart, who married Wick Gregg, and Randle, II, who married Annie
Young (no kin.). Mary Dunn Young Adair and Randle Stuart, I, had two
children: (lst) Mary Ellen Stuart, who married Dr. John Cameron, and
(2nd) Willie, who married Madora Love.
B. The second child of John and Mary Dunn Young was James Dunn Young
(called Jeems), born 11-13-1816, married first a widow named Henry,
whose maiden name was Fullerton. Their one child, Lizzie Young, married
Mr. Chatham and lived in Franklin, Texas. Jeems's second wife was Miss
Lankford who was said to be a tyrant. Their children were: (lst) Henry
Young, (2nd) John (said to have barely escaped justice), (3rd) Wilson,
(4th) Ben (said to have been a bad egg), (5th) Julia Young, married
Miles Clifton, (6th) Bell.
C. The third child of John and Mary Dunn Young was Sarah Young, born
7-5-1819, died single in 1866. About Sarah, her mother, Mary Dunn
Young, used to say, "I never intend to let any man run off with my
Sarah. I need her myself here at home."
D. The fourth child of John and Mary Dunn Young was William E. Young,
married Mary Jane Caufield, who was a sister of Henry J. Caufield. They
had four daughters, one son.
E. The fifth child of John and Mary Dunn Young was John Young, who died
a bachelor.
F. The sixth child of John and Mary Dunn Young was Elizabeth Young, who
married Stokes, had two daughters.
G. The seventh child of John and Mary Dunn Young was Jane Young, who
married George McMillan. Their children: (lst) Alice, married Bud
Walker, (2nd) Mary, who married George Wickers, (3rd) Bettie, who
married Churner Skains. After his death she married his brother, Tom
(4th) Willie McMillan, who married Maggie McMordie.
V. James Dunn, II, born 11-23-1793 in Ireland, died
8-27-1851 at Dunn's Fort.
He married Isabella Caufield on 5-21-1817.
Isabella was the daughter of Henry Caufield. She was born
5-24-1797, died 8-27-1863. Their children were:
A. Mary Dunn, III, born in Ireland, 1-24-1820, died 11-1856, married
first Felix Robertson 8-3-1837. Their two daughters and Mr. Robertson
died within the sane week. Their only son, William Felix, was born
after his
father's death Mary married second, David H. Love, in December,
1848. Their children were: (lst) Pat Love, married Laura McCracken;
(2nd) Tennie Love, married Dr. F. R. Collard; (3rd) Ben Love, married
Amelia Talbert; (4th) Dora Love, married Willie Stuart.
B. Second child of James Dunn, II, and wife, Isabella Caufield, was
James Dunn, III, or Jr.. born 7-26-1821 at Green Castle, Green County,
Alabama. He married Missouri Ruffian Gray on 2-14-1850. They had two
children, George, who died young, and Mary, who married a Mr. Johnson,
Navarro County, Texas.
=158=
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CHAPTER XV
The Dunn Family connected to Cavitt history through the wife of Josephus
Cavitt, Catherine Ann Dunn, granddaughter of James Dunn, I, and daughter
of James Dunn, II. This material is taken from the research of a
great-grandson of James Dunn, I, John Belvedere Brooks Cavitt, and the
writings of his mother.
James Dunn, I, married Ann Hayes. Both lived and died in Ireland.
Their five children were: lst. Jennie, 2nd. Annie, 3rd. William,
4th. James, II, 5th. Mary. In 1821 all five children of James and Ann
Hayes Dunn emigrated to America.
I. Jennie Dunn married Alexander Mawhinney. Their four children:
Jennie, Ester, George, Jim Mawhinney
II. Annie Dunn married Phelan A. Casky. They moved to Illinois and
settled near Chicago to get away from slave holding people. Their eight
children were:
A. Ann Dunn Casky
B. Alex Casky (had two sons, three daughters)
C. George Casky (had two sons, four daughters)
D. Catherine, died single
E. Margaret, married but had no children
F. Jane, married a Mr. Flemming (had two sons, one daughter)
G. Elizabeth Casky, died single
H. Robert Casky, married and lived in Alabama. He fought on the
Confederate side in the Civil War joining in 1860. Only once did he
visit his family in Chicago. He was a very successful business man.
III William Dunn, II (named for his father's brother, William Dunn,
who after
the death in Ireland of his first wife came to Alabama and married Mary
Casky). William II, married a Miss Cooper of a proud family. They
lived in Alabama. Their ten children were:
A. James Dunn, married a Miss Dunnigan, moved to Mississippi and later
to Navarro County, Texas, where he
was known as Mississippi Jim Dunn.
B. William Dunn, Jr., a successful rancher in Taylor and Coleman
Counties, Texas, died a bachelor.
C. John Dunn married and lived in Mississippi.
D. Alexander Dunn, killed 1861 in Civil War.
E. Charles Dunn, moved to Texas and married, was killed in Civil War in
1861, known as "a born soldier."
F. George
G. Dan Dunn, moved to Texas, married Ruth Matthews and was killed in a
duel
in Wheelock, Texas, by a man named Lehrman.
H. Jane Dunn, married a Mr. Wilder in Alabama. After his death she
moved
to Texas.
I. Elizabeth, married a Mr. Curley in Alabama, had one daughter, Mary
Curley,
who married a Mr. Hickman. Mary Curley Hickman lived near Nexia,
Texas.
J. Ann Dunn, married a Presbyterian minister.
IV. Mary Dunn, I, married John Young in Ireland, December 1812. They
came to America and settled in Pennsylvania to be near the Castle
kinspeople. They had seven children. They moved to Green Castle, Green
County, Alabama, and from there to Robertson County, Texas, where they
lived close by her brother, James Dunn, II, on a part of the Stephen
Gafford Headright League of land. Their children were:
--
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Hi...
I searched through the Cavitt mailing list and boy! I found a lot of stuff on
the descendants of Josephus and Catherine Dunn Cavitt. I noticed that the
book has 12-14 pages of info on the Dunn family. I would love to know what it
has to say about them since I am related to Catherine Dunn through her mother
Isabella.
Thanks,
Jason Coffman