The Gilmer Mirror from Gilmer, Texas • Page 67

THE G1UMKK M1RHOH. Gilmcr. Texas 15. MR. AND MRS.

C. BARNWELL on their wedding day. They had driven to Bcttie lo be married by a minister there and returned to Hays Studio on Henderson Street to have their picture made. Across the street in the background is the Church of Christ, Mrs. H.

C. Wilson's and Dock Douphraic's homes. Mr. Barnwell's bird dog is in the buggy. Seen by Phone Service Oil Boom Blunted Depression Here Telephone service today is about as "common" as apple pie, but this was not always the case.

While no definite historical record is available, it is believed that the telephone did not appear in the Gilmer area until after years after the MIRROR became a means of communications for the community. Today the telephone plays an important role in assisting the newspaper to bring information to. its readers. Both the telephone and the newspaper have much influence on the business and locial climate of any community. Good Phone Business General Telephone of fie- lals point out that statistical data of the telephone system In almost any community reveals to a great degree the general business condition in that community through the years.

If' business in the community good, telephone business If business Sn general declined, so did telephone busl- ness. Telephone company records indicate that at the end of 1928 Gilmer had 350 telephones operating on a magneto system. Then came the stock market crash in 1929. At the end of that year telephones in Gilmer had declined to 341, and the decline continued in 1930 to only 315 at the end of the year. Many Texas communities continued to show strong declines in the number of telephones until the late '30s or early '40s when they began to increase in numbers.

But the telephone "barometer" in Gilmer shows that at the end of 1931 there were 414 telephones here. Oil Influence Seen What happened? That was the year that oil began to make its economic influence known, in East Texas, and even though the year 1931 was one of dismal in business records for much of the nation, Gilmer much of East Texas began to enjoy a solid, new economy; Despite the rich influence of the oil industry, telephone growth for the next three years was none too good. During 1932 Gilmer had a net gain of only six telephones for a total of 420 at the end of the year, and with the depression maintaining its grip on the business world, telephones declined to the total of 397 at the end of 1933. That seemed to be the end of decline in Gilmer, since only one year after 1933 had not seen an increase in the number of telephones. That year was 1942 when the year-end total was 585 us compared to 598 in 1941.

Magneto (o Flasher Magneto telephones continued to operate in Gilmer until 1937 when the common battery or "flasher type" system was installed here. This system was used until the dial system was in- Mailed in 1954. Indicating the continued growth of the telephone lyitem, there were 495 tele phone! here at the end of 1137, 568 in 1940, 988 in 1150, 1,825 In 1960 and 2,019 the end of 1967. Morris, division manager for General Telc- phone, that the continued growth in the telephone Industry requires cwMtant studlei by company ttami to atMre reildcnts of thta community that there will be adequate communications facilities to meet the and expansion of the area. "Our forecasters frequent- study business conditions and all other factors in the community so that we may jlan the expansion of our 'acilities as they are needed," Morris said.

"We will continue these efforts in order that Gilmer may lake advantage of the increasing activity of business and industry." CAPT. ALEX EARP Sheriff 1882-1886 History of Grice Recalls Early Days in Upshur In the Upshur County Historical Survey Committee Essay contest last April cash prizes were awarded to the top three winners. The contest was in two categories for eighth grade students seventh grade students In the eighth grade division two girls both from Har mony High School tied for first placp. The following i tne essay b'y History of Grice In the latter 1850s, just prior to the Civil War, a ijroup of pioneers came into the western part of Upshur County. They had faced many hardships on the long journey to East Texas.

Here found everything they bad ever hoped soil for growing crops, and fresh drinking water which came from cool, clear springs. They also found enormous amounts of timber used in building their homes, and an abundance of game to be used to feed their families. Here the pioneers settled. They built crude log cabins with split log walls, roofs and doors. Their furniture was by splitting logs to make tables and benches or cutting stumps to make chairs.

Now the pioneers needed a name for their settlement. They finally decided to call it Hamil's Chapel. This was possibly the name of a prominent family or even a minister. Hamil's Chapel had neither school nor church and they decided it needed both. The men of the community got together, chose a suitable location for a school and built one.

It was a simple one-room structure and lacked all comforts. As the school grew larger, a wngon sheet was stretched across the room in order to make two 1 The school remained this wny until 1914 when Mrs. A. LaRue, and Miss Ara Schrum worked up a petition to raise a bond issue to build a new school house. Tills petition was signed by everyone except one man.

The money was raised, and a new school house was built. It had four rooms, and was considered one of the first modern rural schools in Upshur County. The school hnd the second rural basketball team in the county and boasted of winning every game they pltiyed. Later a fifth room was added to the four-room structure by Vesta Wallace. She did this in order to have a room by herself.

During the years following the Civil War a church was built, This was a Methodist Church and was built with the understanding that any Protestant (tilth could hold services there, A legend li told to how Grice Cemetery wai started. It dates back to about 1858 when the community was Hamil's Chapel. A horse thief was caught, tried and hanged, and buried on an adjacent piece of land. Later when the landowner wonted to sell his property, the buyer held back because of its subterranean occupant. In order to sell his land the owner proceeded to exhume the remains of the horse thief and rebury them on the present cemetery site.

This was about 1868. The first marked grave in the cemetery however Was that of Jacob Schrum. The marker is a large stone slab, which lies on the ground and the burial date is 1871. By this time Hamil's Chapel had become fair- sized community. It had a few businesses; such a cotton gin, grist mill, owned by Fed Bates.

Mr, Bon Turner owned and operated a dry goods store. There was a drug store, grocery and department store owned by John Bates and a general merchandise store owned by John Grice. Also in the early 1880s there was the Lickskillet Saloon. In addition to Mr. Grice being proprietor of the store he was named postmaster.

The postoffice was named Grice due to the fact that it was in Grice's store and he was the postmaster. Therefore the name of the pioneer settlement of Hamil's Chapel became known as Grice in 1891, There have been many changes in the of Hamil's Chapel and our present day community of Grice. The main changes have been in the church. As previously mentioned, the original church was Methodist. A Missionary Baptist Church now stands at Grice.

At one time a Congregational church sprang up, but it was soon just a memory. The present church is just a little south of where the original church stood. Another great change in the community has been in the school. Grice School consolidated with the other rural schools of this area in 1939 to form Harmony School. The loss of the school in the community weakencc Its strength as it docs in all communities where the school is demolished.

As the ycm's hove passed it has become smaller and smaller, but Grlcc will exist for years to come. Capt. Earp Reports His Company Roll In 1919 Capt. Alex Earp sent the Upshur County Echo the following letter and muster roll of the men in his company that served with Locke's regiment during the" War between the States. He stated in his letter the paper was dated Sept.

10, 1861, but did not give the name of the paper which would also be of interest at this time. After his return from the war Capt. Earp served Upshur County as Sheriff from 1882 to 1886 and served as County Commissioner in 1895-96. His father Alexander Earp served as Sheriff in 1856. Captain Earp was born August 10, 1832 and died March 5, 1920.

On April 7 of this year a historical gravemarker was dedicated at his grave in Hopewell Cemetery. The marker had been awarded by the Texas State Historical Survey Committee through their program of marking the graves of distinguished law enforcement officers. In connection with the dedication was a gathering of many of the Earp descendants with a special service and dinner on the ground held at the Hopewell Methodist Church. Muittr Roll of Company 0, 10th Texas Dismounted Cavalry. Enlisted in 1 Ml To My Old Confederate Comrades of Upshur, Wood, and Van Zandt Counties: While looking through some of my old papers I ran across a list of my old Confederate Comrades which composed the first company I raised during the civil war.

This paper is dated September 10th, 1861. In looking over this old piece of paper, which I esteem very dearly, it brought back to me recollections of my young manhood. In reading over the names of the young men en- isted, with me, many of whom are now dead; there is sadness when I think of vast number who have gone to their graves, yet I em happy to say to those who are living that I shall never forget the many hardships, mingled with pleasures, that we endured dur- ng that unpleasant engagement, and to those of my comrades who are still living I beg to say that it is always a pleasure to me to see them and retrospect the past. I am now eighty-seven years old, and in fine health. I lave given a list of my old comrades, as I am sure those who are living would like to Know who enlisted with them, and it will to you, as it has to me, bring back Eond recollections of our aoyhood days.

Yours truly, Alex Earp. Alex Earp, Peter Rogers, R. W. Smith, L. G.

Hefner, W. W. Turner, J. P. Daniels, W.

Morris, W. Mathis, J. Gage, J. N. Sims, N.

Dailey, H. Morris, J. Andrews, J. L. Basmore, J.

P. Bailey, J. T. Bap, M. W.

Beavers, D. W. Beam, I. Bap, I. N.

Boykin, S. Burns, W. Brown, I. R. Cpntrile, W.

C. Calbert, I. P. Cherry, N. J.

Cherry, W. H. Clinton, A. H. Cope, W.

H. Cope, A. Coslet, I. Coker, J. H.

Coffey, J. N. Calbert, S. H. Davis, S.

S. Davis, J. J. Davis, G.W. Davis, S.

N. Davis, D. W. Dunwoody, H. Davis, J.

M. Davis, M. C. Ellis, H. Earp, J.

C. Earp, R. M. Earp, C. R.

Earp, S. G. Gillard, B. F. Goss, W.

L. Goss, B. F. George, A. J.

George, J. A. George, J. Hughes, J. M.

Hurst, W. B. Harrison, S. B. Hardy, L.

G. S. Jones, W. M. Jones, W.

J. Jones, G. W. G. Jones, J.

M. Long, T. B. Lilley, E. Linley, L.

E. L. Lee, W. T. McGee, D.

D. Merette, J. A. Milincr, J. T.

McSpaddcn, J. L. Mathis, A. J. Morris, W.

N. Mathis, A. Stcelman, J. A. Steelman, E.

Shrum, J. N. Monyon, T. W. Smith, S.

H. Spear, A. Sims, W. F. Snider, I.

R. Sanders, W. M. Smith, W. V.

Shelton, H. L. Smith, C. C. Turner, T.

W. Taylor, H. H. Talley, I. M.

Tucker, S. T. Wilson, F. Williams, C. E.

Wallace, C. Wilson, W. J. Walker, E. H.

Warren, B. W. Walker, T. H. Wims, 0.

Walton, T. M. Jones, H. Edwards, C. B.

G. Edwards, C. Gllllland, Hi W. C. McMurter, W.

G. Harper, C. A. McKinney, F. Trowell, W.

Tuel, Sidney Cox, Bob Ringo, John Ringo, Ringo, 11 And there are good People Here" Shortly after the Civil War a family moved to County from the Old South, leaving behind the woes of Reconstruction and Carpetbaggers. Like many from the old states at this tinta they were looking for a new home in a new land. Here in Upshur County they found just what they wanted in a homasite and wrote back to their relatives "We are near the village of Gilmer, this is a good land with plenty of timber for building and firewood, abundant springs of pure clear water, and there are good people here." Gilmer and Upshur County grew from such pioneers. They were not looking for quick wealth, but a place to build a home in good land with good neighbors. They were not the boomtime laf gers who came to work in the sawmills and moved on whan tfce woods were cut over.

Each economic, era of this county's development During the reign of cotton, many moved in, but with the first failure or when their sandy land wore out, numbers moved on ta the richer lands of West Texas or the factory jobs of Dallas. The undefeated ones stayed here and found other ways of making a living. An oil boom came bringing in workers and speculators from all over the nation. Each in his own way contributed some measure of growth to Upshur County, but as the oil activity died dawn many of these citizens moved away. Some stayed, of course, and joined the descendants of those early pioneers in building Gilmer.

From its earliest history there has never been one enduring feature that one could say "That's what built Gilmer." Some cities grew beside seaports, or a river. Others achieved their growth from a strategic location as a railroad center, and still others owe their being to a large military installation or one big factory. But there was no such reason for Gilmer. Her only excuse for being and the secret of her stable and steady growth has been the people who found this a good land and were willing to make their own opportunities here. They were the ones who were willing to dig down and keep up the schools, churches and the town in the lean years when the going was rough.

They learned adaptability and stability. These Gilmerites were and now are friendly and neighborly, yet they are not impressed by the braggart, or wealth without worth. They believe and teach their children to believe that patriotism means pride in one's country, not a term of derision. They also believe "A Man's Word is His Bond." It's still here, the heritage of those pioneers, so if you are looking for a homesite, come to Upshur County; there is still plenty of land "with good timber and pure clear water" and: There are good People Here" P.S.—And that's why today we are congratulating the publishers of The Gilmer Mirror on their long service to Upshur County. They art among those who stayed.

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