Looney Family Letters
Scanned images of a story that my Grandfather, Dennis Asbury Looney handwrote in 1954 about his knowledge of the Early 1888 settlements of Rosebud, Travis, Cedar Springs, Pleasant Grove, Wilderville Area in Falls County. He could never have imagined that his story would one day be posted for the whole world to read.Submitted by Larry W. Johnson, Grandson of Dennis Asbury Looney
I've transcribed Dennis Looney's pages as best I can. The question marks represent words I could't read and my notes/changes are in [square brackets]. The items in parentheses are Mr. Looney's notes. If you can read it better than I did, please send me your notes.
There was a gin at Wildervill Run by Steam, a Dr ?ole, a grocery store & Beer Joint.
We picked cotton for old man Rick Harris on the Polk farm Mile West of Wildervill. We also Picked cotton for Fitty? (Bill) Smith on Cotton Woood Creek between Rosebud and Land (Now Travis). Lang school House was on the Rige [ridge] east of Travis about 3/4th mile.
Father Rented Land from Ben Groobey 1889. (Now the Looney Land east of Rosebud). Grooby had the first gin in Rosebud. It was on Marlin & Rosebud Road near the Eddy Pashel Place.
there was no store in Rosebud. Just Post office & Black Smith shop, owned by Allen Taylor. There was 8 familys Lived in the the Presant Citty Lometa?, the Gotts, Ben Grooby, F A Looney, Tom Perkins, John Grakey, Shed grady, Mr Mollnes, Jim Gott.
They were wild Turkey, Deer, Rack Coon, Wolves & Wild Cats. I wish the boy of Rosebud Just had the game we Boys had then.
Jess Howard and half Brother of mine was Hunting in Pont Creek bottom. A Deer jumped up & both shot at him & Killed him. but never knew which one Killed him. both had old ???? muzle Load Rifles. Any way they Divided 50-50.
We chased a Wild cat one nite with Houns untill he got to Pont Creek bottom. The Rack coons was so thick every Dog taken a coon trale & we lost track of the cat.
There is only one woman Living that was here in 1888 that I Remember. Hers Marthy (HOWARD) Williams, George Williamss Wife. Miss Marthy lived with her Parents, Mr & Mrs J R Howard South of Rosebud. There is only 5 men With my Self that lived here 1888 & 1890. Tom Gott, Davis? Furgason, Neeley Watkins, Hall Stalsmarch.
We moved from Rosebud in 91, came back 99 and Worked the S J Slade Land the same we worked in 89. Made 31 bale cotton. Sold it at 8 cts. Made a crop on Thornton Asberry Place 1900 that was on Hogg Creek east of Tom Gotts Presant Home. And Where the Brama cattle Ranch is Now.
I went to S?????? top oil field July 1901 then Beaumont, Sour Lake and married Miss Emma McBrid [McBride] Sept 3d 1903. Moved back to Rosebud 1904 then to the Grove. and here I am now. Wife & one Daughter Living in 3 block of where I lived with my Parents in 1889 - 1899. And give God the Prase for my Long life and good Home.
Rosebud - 66 years ago - by D A Looney in the fall of 1888.
When I was a lad of 16, Father and Mother removed to Rosebud 4 years before there was a Store here. Cedar Spring. (Valasca then) had a store & old, what we call a Muly gin, A cross the Road from the Presant School. ??? men would transfer the Press full of ??? Cotton. There was a beam attached to Press - underneath - and a mule Would go Round & Round like a Sorghum Mill. Until the Cotton was Pressed.There was a gin at Wildervill Run by Steam, a Dr ?ole, a grocery store & Beer Joint.
We picked cotton for old man Rick Harris on the Polk farm Mile West of Wildervill. We also Picked cotton for Fitty? (Bill) Smith on Cotton Woood Creek between Rosebud and Land (Now Travis). Lang school House was on the Rige [ridge] east of Travis about 3/4th mile.
Father Rented Land from Ben Groobey 1889. (Now the Looney Land east of Rosebud). Grooby had the first gin in Rosebud. It was on Marlin & Rosebud Road near the Eddy Pashel Place.
there was no store in Rosebud. Just Post office & Black Smith shop, owned by Allen Taylor. There was 8 familys Lived in the the Presant Citty Lometa?, the Gotts, Ben Grooby, F A Looney, Tom Perkins, John Grakey, Shed grady, Mr Mollnes, Jim Gott.
They were wild Turkey, Deer, Rack Coon, Wolves & Wild Cats. I wish the boy of Rosebud Just had the game we Boys had then.
Jess Howard and half Brother of mine was Hunting in Pont Creek bottom. A Deer jumped up & both shot at him & Killed him. but never knew which one Killed him. both had old ???? muzle Load Rifles. Any way they Divided 50-50.
We chased a Wild cat one nite with Houns untill he got to Pont Creek bottom. The Rack coons was so thick every Dog taken a coon trale & we lost track of the cat.
There is only one woman Living that was here in 1888 that I Remember. Hers Marthy (HOWARD) Williams, George Williamss Wife. Miss Marthy lived with her Parents, Mr & Mrs J R Howard South of Rosebud. There is only 5 men With my Self that lived here 1888 & 1890. Tom Gott, Davis? Furgason, Neeley Watkins, Hall Stalsmarch.
We moved from Rosebud in 91, came back 99 and Worked the S J Slade Land the same we worked in 89. Made 31 bale cotton. Sold it at 8 cts. Made a crop on Thornton Asberry Place 1900 that was on Hogg Creek east of Tom Gotts Presant Home. And Where the Brama cattle Ranch is Now.
I went to S?????? top oil field July 1901 then Beaumont, Sour Lake and married Miss Emma McBrid [McBride] Sept 3d 1903. Moved back to Rosebud 1904 then to the Grove. and here I am now. Wife & one Daughter Living in 3 block of where I lived with my Parents in 1889 - 1899. And give God the Prase for my Long life and good Home.
