The Kerrville Times from Kerrville, Texas • Page 6

SIX Pioneer History By J. J. Sfarkey STORY OP EARLY SCHOOLS OF KERU COUNTY We are this week continuing tlio story of iho early schools of Ken County as shown by the Commissioners' Court records from 1856 on for a few years. W. E.

Pafford was the earliesl school teacher, whose name appearet in theso records and some other teachers were also named in last story. At the May term of court, 1862, there appeared a neme which will be recalled by many old timers, R. F. Crawford, known as Bob Crawford. Crawford afterwards became a lawyer and was county attorney of the county in later years.

The record in 1862 is this: "The tabular statement of R. F. Crawford, a school teacher, was duly examined and approved by the court. It is further ordered by the court that an order be granted to R. F.

Crawford for the amount of $43.04 out of the school fund of Kerr County." A similar order was granted Crawford at the August term of court. On the 30th day of September, 1862, it was ordered by the court that "Forty dollars be paid to A. M. Lindsay to be applied in getting the patents of the school lands due Ken- County." The first mention of a scholastic census appears in the records of the county in 1863. At that term of court (June 22, 1863) also appears this record: "The county treasurer was aiithorized to collect from the state $58.59, due Kerr County's school fund.

At a session of the court, August, 1863, G. A. Staples was allowed $35.90 for teaching a public school at John L. Conner'rs residence and at the same term, J. P.

Stroope, county clerk, was paid nine dollars for work in recording letters patent for Kerr County School land, nine in number. There were no records of schools from 1863 to 1866. In January, 1866, some important school items are in the record. One is, a Board of School Examiners is appointed These seem to be something a county board of trustees. They evidently had charge of all the schools of the county.

A board of school examiners, composed of three men, had been appointed in that year. After a lapse of about three years from 1863 to 1866, in which very school business seems to be going on, the county again gets buay educationally. The court at the January term, I860, appointed as school examiners, F. H. Cocke, R.

F. Craw-' ford, P. T. Thompson, Thos. Saner and R.

Tegner. The commissioners also created six school districts i the county, described as follows: School District No. 1, Kerrville, to extend from the mouth of Johnson's Creek to Holloman'a Crossing. (The mouth of Johnson Creek is at the! present site of Ingram and Hollo-! Crossing is at the mouth of Campmeeting Creek, opposite Legion) No. 2 to extend from the mouth of Turtle Crook the Ban- "dera County line.

District No. 3, Cypress Creek; District No. 4, Johnson's Creek; District No. 5, from the mouth of Johnson's Creek to the boundary li enof the county (Kimble and Kerr): District No. 6, from Holloman's Crossing down to the mouth of Turtle Creek, including from Lang's up Verde Creek.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1931 in the records, I wrote to Miss Cynthia Pafford of Center Point, daughter of W. E. Pafford, asking for further information concerning her father's pioneer teaching experience. Miss Pafford sent me a clipping written by Rev. N.

G. Ozment, at the time of W. E. Pafford's death, which gives this information: "Win. Elkanah Pafford was born in Smith County, Tennessee May 29, 1832.

He came to Texas iin 1854 and to Kerr County in 1857. He taught the first school ever taught in Kerr County. This was in 1857. The school was taught in a log cabin used for a Court House, church house and school house. He was married to Miss Lydia Eugenia Burney July 22, 1857.

Eight children were born to them, Mary, Ira, Arthur, Robert, Cynthia, Julia, Delia and Etta. He died in Center Point October 23, 1915." Miss Pafford states that Mrs. Alonza Rees of Center Point whose maiden name was Ellen Brown, went to school to W. E. Pafford in the little old log Court House in Kerrville which was Kerr County's first Court House and was located on the northeast side of Jefferson Street, facing the Court House Square.

Rev. W. E. Pafford lived for many years at or near Center Point, and occasionally filled the pulpit as a Methodist preacher. OLD TRAVIS COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND JAIL TO BE REPLACED WILLIAM ELKANAH PAFFORD FIRST KERR CO.

TEACHER After investigating the Kerr Co. records as to the first school teacher in Kerr County and finding W. E. lhe first teacher mentioned Travis County has just completed a million dollar court house and jail, located in Austin, and will soon tear doWn the old court house and jail which have been in use since 1871. The Sunday Express of August 9 carried pictures of the old and new court houses and jail and also an article by W.

D. Hornaday, giving-valuable history in connection with the old court house which was Travis Coujity headquarters for 55 years, and some facts of interest about the old jail which stood just to the rear of the court house. The old court house stood on the corner of the block just south of the State Capitol building grounds and was- the scene of much of it of statewide interest. Hornaday's account of this old court house: "iin legal iiomenclature there is no such building in Texas as a state court house, but in actual practice the old court house of Travis County has served that purpose these many, many years and the new court house that takes itsr place -has inherited that function. "It is because of the fact that practically all of the stato law suits are by venue tried in the district courts at Austin that the court house of Travis County fulfils a two-fold function.

Men, who afterward achieved prominence in state and national affairs, wtm their first legal spurs in the dingy courtroom of this temple of justice. It was here that Albert Sidney Burleson afterward Past Master General and T. W. Gregory later Attorney General, both in the cabinet of President Woodrow Wilson won their first legal victories. In the shabby courtroom James S.

Hogg as Attorney General of Texas; Charles A. Culberson likewise Attorney General; Dan Moody, who prosecuted in the same official capacity, all on the highway to the Governorship of Texas gave forth flights of oratory and demonstrated their ability as public officials that put them on their way to still higher honors." It; will be remembered that Dan Moody, when Attorney General of the state, was slated to deliver the commencement address to Tivy High School graduates and his engagement here because he was engaged at the time in a suit to annul highway contracts made the Ferguson administration, which were regarded as excessive. (Continued on page 7) EXPERIENCE IS STRENGTH WE TAKE PRIDE IN THE AGE AND STRENGTH OF THIS INSTITUTION, BUT OUR POLICY IS BASED UPON THE BELIEF THAT THE BANK IS OLD BECAUSE IT IS STRONG--NOT STRONG BECAUSE IT IS OLD. Ghas. Schreiner Bank (Unincorporated) Kerrville Texas ESTABLISHED 1869 The Year's Greatest Opportunity in SDAYS FRIDAY October 23 October 31 Sale of Living Room Suites and Odd Chairs To Reduce Our Stock of Living Room Furniture, We Are Going to Cut Prices Right and Left We Mean It! This Is Your Golden Opportunity.

ater LARGE 3-PIECE BED-DAVENPORT SUITE Covered in Jacquard velour, with reverse cushions, and coil springs in Bed-Dav- enport; Club Chair and Tufted Back Chair. A real bargain. $95 NOW Regular $139 Value CUSTOM BUILT 2-PIECE MOHAIR SUITE A Kroehler custom- built suite the kind that formerly sold for over $300. $149 NOW Regular $225 Value TASPESTRY SUITE Three pieces, covered with tapestry; reverse cushions. An outstanding value.

at this low price. $67-50 NOW Regular $95 Value PULL-UP CHAIRS $7.85 Regular $11.50 Value Good looking occasional chairs, covered in Jacquard or Moquette; sturdy built. BIG LOUNGE CHAIRS We have a number of these big easy chairs, covered in tapestry or mohair. Many of them at pi'ice during this sale. JFrasT- FUHN1SH YOUHHOIUE IT TEIIS WI1AI tUUAHE W.

A. FAWCETT FURNITURE COMPANY.