A description of East Texans in 1887


Kind of interesting to Piney Woods-o-philes …

The people who live in the pine woods of Eastern Texas are very primitive in their habits. As this was the first part of Texas that was settled by the early pioneers, their descendants form the principal part of the population. Traveling through the deep piny woods of this part of Texas, you often find grown men and women that have never seen a prairie country, mountain or valley, railroad or steamboat. They grow to manhood and womanhood in the heart of the thick pine woods, and are contended and happy in their log cabins. Oh, contentment, what a blessing! Their diet would by no means please the stomach of an epicure. Corn-bread, bacon and potatoes, with an occasional treat of venison, give them perfect satisfaction. Nearly all the children born and reared in the pine woods have light hair; it is a rare sight to see a black-haired family.

Very few of the descendants of the old settlers own any land. For the last forty years they have been in the habit of settling upon any land fit for cultivation. After finding a good, rich land (hammock) the piney woods settler will commence felling and cutting the trees and underbrush away from where he expects to have his field. When all the space he wants is cut down he informs his neighbors that on a certain day he will have a log-rolling. His wife makes preparations for a big dinner, and all his neighbors, for miles around, come and pile up the logs that have been cut down, then put the brush in piles and set them on fire. In a few days his field is all cleared and ready for the plow. After working some one else’s land for two or three years, he sells the improvements and his squatter’s claim to one of his neighbors, and then hunts up another piece of land to improve and sell in a like manner. The consequence of this way of living is that they are always moving and their children grow up without knowing the pleasures and comforts of a home that could be made comfortable and beautiful if the land was their own, yet the land can be bought very cheap. The people have been in the habit of using every man’s land as their own for so many years that they believe the land has no owners. Most of the timbered lands in East Texas are owned in large tracts by non-residents and their agents who pay their taxes seldom know where the land is situated; hence the squatter has it all his own way.

– From an article in The Sunny South of Atlanta, Ga., published Nov. 5, 1887


43 responses to “A description of East Texans in 1887”

  1. Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding design. “Justice is always violent to the party offending, for every man is innocent in his own eyes.” by Daniel Defoe.

  2. you’re in reality a excellent webmaster. The website loading pace is incredible. It seems that you are doing any distinctive trick. Also, The contents are masterpiece. you’ve performed a fantastic task on this subject!

  3. Thank you, I’ve just been searching for information approximately this subject for a long time and yours is the best I have discovered so far. However, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you positive concerning the supply?

  4. Somebody necessarily assist to make severely posts I’d state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual submit amazing. Excellent job!

  5. I want to express my appreciation to this writer just for rescuing me from such a instance. Right after looking out throughout the world wide web and getting recommendations which are not productive, I figured my entire life was gone. Existing without the strategies to the difficulties you have solved as a result of the short article is a serious case, and ones which could have badly affected my career if I had not encountered your site. Your good skills and kindness in touching every part was crucial. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a step like this. I’m able to at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks very much for the skilled and sensible help. I will not hesitate to recommend the blog to any person who wants and needs recommendations on this subject.

  6. hello!,I like your writing very a lot! percentage we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL? I require an expert in this space to solve my problem. Maybe that is you! Looking forward to peer you.

  7. naturally like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the reality then again I’ll surely come again again.

  8. I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!

  9. Good – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task.

  10. What i do not realize is in reality how you’re now not really a lot more well-appreciated than you might be now. You’re so intelligent. You understand thus significantly relating to this topic, made me individually believe it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t interested except it’s something to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. At all times deal with it up!

  11. Wow! This could be one particular of the most helpful blogs We have ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Wonderful. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.

  12. Simply wanna input on few general things, The website style is perfect, the subject matter is real superb. “To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature.” by Franois Auguste Ren Rodin.

  13. I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!

  14. I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.

Leave a Reply to get fildena buy mastercard Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *