Mrs. Arch McKay

“ So far as railroads are concerned, Jefferson will become the Atlanta of all that portion of the State known as “Northeastern Texas.” Associated with this fact is another equally significant in a manufacturing point of view. We have here within striking distance inexhaustible supplies of material for the manufacture on an extensive scale of an endless variety of articles; and for steam purposes we have living waters and fuel in abundance. Indeed Nature has here strewn upon the earth’s surface and planted beneath it forests and mines immeasureable in extent and of inestimable value. ”

“ Some of the most palatial steamboats on the western rivers, and there were palatial steamers in those days, plied between Jefferson and New Orleans. Among them were: The Danube, Bessie Warren, Red Cloud, Iron Cities, Koontz, John T. Moore and Lizzie Hopkins. The cabins were elegantly furnished and the furnishings surpassed those of the best hotels of the country. Each steamer carried an Italian band which played at the landings, during meals, for balls in the evening, or whenever wanted for the waltz or schottische. People dressed most elaborately in those days, both men and women. ”

“ When we learn to act instead of employing others to act for us, then, and not till then will we become independent.
Here, too, we should without delay erect Cotton and Woolen Mills, Cotton Seed oil mills, Cotton gin and Cotton press manufactories, where nothing is required but capital, labor and enterprise.
There is no reason why a broom, or a harness, or saddle, or a horse-collar, or a carriage of any description, or a pump or a chair, or a barrel, or a single article of furniture should be imported into Texas. ”

“ The old families, who were not so famous, but were the real stamina of the town down through the ages, when prosperity had passed on to other fields and living was hard—yet they lived on and kept the home fires burning until today Jefferson seems doomed to again come to be, and is known the state over as a promising oil center—with prosperity again in view. ”

“ In the gift of this splendid piece of work lay the life time love of Jefferson, a devotion of a little immigrant girl grown to womanhood, and the gratitude of her children to a little city that had given Mother and Father happiness. ”

“ While the foolish heart of the woman fluttered with hope and thrilled with fond desires, the hand of the master murderer of modern times, pushed the rim of a deadly revolver within an inch of her white temple, where rippling masses of sunny hair fell in clustering curls, and without a tremor sent a bullet crashing through her brain. ”

“ From the erstwhile little shop at ‘Four-Mile-Branch’, renamed Kellyville in honor of its founder, the many camping wagoners, after disposing of their farm and ranch produce in Jefferson, hauled plows and other products throughout the expanding Southwest and the name KELLY became a household word.
“During the Civil War and Reconstruction days iron was very scarce; so this pioneer industrialist built a furnace, and from the abundant East Texas ores smelted high grade pig iron for his own use and sold surplus tonnage, which met with great favor. ”

“ There is, for instance, within the immediate neighborhood of our city more iron ore than can be consumed in centuries, and this ore is richer than any other yet known in the United States. Six miles from the center of Jefferson are iron hills towering above the surrounding country which alone will yield an inexhaustible supply of ore and, this ore is richer and more easily worked than that found in Missouri’s famous “Iron Mountain.” ”

“ Seated on the moss grown rock, the woman out the initials of her husband in the soft bark of a curly maple and with a fond woman’s foolish heart treasured the false vows of her brutal lord in whose inhuman breast lurked a purpose so dark, so deadly that the fiends of hell must have shuddered at its import. ”

“ Jefferson, Texas
Largest and Finest Hotel Building West of the Mississippi
Has been fitted up in a style of elegance and comfort, that entitles it to the patronage of the home and traveling public. The rooms are comfortable, and have new furniture. The table supplied with the best the market affords; and the servants attentive. In a word it is the business of the Proprietors to consult the comfort of guests, and to make the house a desirable stopping place. ”

“ During the Civil War the Confederate Government established a slaughter house, or packing plant, at Jefferson, through which to draw on Texas for a meat supply for the army. Cattle and sheep were slaughtered by the thousand and the dressed meat carried down to New Orleans, where it was reshipped to various branches of the army. The Federals sought to capture the meat supply of Texas but were defeated and the packing house continued to be operated until the end of the war. ”

“ All the cotton raised in Louisiana, Southwestern Arkansas and North Texas was “wagoned” to Jefferson, and was often stacked up for six or seven miles out waiting to be weighed. The annual receipts exceeded 100,000 bales. Farmers would take nothing but silver and gold for their cotton. They had no faith in bank notes and greenbacks, except when they went to pay their taxes. Then they exchanged silver and gold for paper money which was worth only seventy-five cents on the dollar but was accepted at face value by the government. ”

“ She is ever ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need and to any project for the betterment of her home town. She recalls many of Jefferson’s earlier days when it was a real city and by her much of the past history of our little city has been preserved. She recalls the big fire of 1866 even though she was quite young, she says that she and her family were living at the Irvine Hotel (now the Excelsior) and had their clothes and articles that they especially desired to save tied in bundles, so that they might escape in case the hotel burned. ”

“ Going west, along the line of the Texas and Pacific Railway, we soon come to those immense prairies, whose settlers must rely, during our day at least, on other sections for their building materials, wagon materials, furniture and wooden ware, and everything else which requires timber in its construction. Right here, then at this end of that great 11 thoroughfare, we should and must manufacture ready-fitted timbers for building, including shingles, sash doors, and blinds and every other article needed in the construction of houses as well as furniture and wooden ware for the same. ”

“ Being situated at the head of navigation, on Big Cypress Bayou, a port necessitated by reason of the immovable raft, which long since formed in Red River, above this point: heretofore Jefferson has been compelled to rely on water transportation; it is, therefore, with a great degree of satisfaction that she witnesses the movements on foot to make her a great railroad center. When her facilities for transportation are thus increased, no town in Northern or Eastern Texas will have a brighter future, or greater commercial advantages. ”

“ We, therefore, invite capitalists at home and abroad to unite their means with ours and assist us in manufacturing what we have enumerated and other necessities of life. We have the locality for doing this in a preeminent degree, & hence the invitation is here extended.
In this connection we should invite the special attention of boat-builders to the fact that at Potter’s Point on Fairy Lake—or “Ferry Lake,” as it is sometimes called—15 miles from this city is one of the most desirable places in the South for a Dock-yard. ”

“ No section of country that can be named offers a better quality or a greater variety of timber for building and manufacturing purposes than that in the immediate vicinity of the City of Jefferson. For building we have, in the greatest abundance, the very best of pine, black-walnut, gum, white-oak and cypress ”

“ From Linden they came to Jefferson, Texas from which point it was agreed that Mrs. Rothchild should return to Cincinnati and have her marriage certificate recorded changing the date, as agreed upon, after which she was to return to her husband. The poor girl looked forward with eagerness and hunger to the day she would return to her home bearing the honored name of wife and be clasped once more in her mother’s arms. Alas! The poor girl lies in an obscure corner of the Jefferson Cemetery, her body long since dust and food for worms. ”

“ That is here should be the saw mills, the planing mills, the shingle machines, machinery for the manufacture of ready made houses, furniture, wagon and wooden ware manufactories, etc. Besides, here too, where we have the iron and the white oak and the hickory we should manufacture every kind of agricultural implement our State requires. There is no earthly reason why we should import these—why others in their manufacture should falter at our expense. We have all the requisites, all the essentials right here at home ”

“ Some of the present citizens of Jefferson tell that the 1500 silver dollars were the gift of one man, famous and beloved in this section, Mr. F. A. Schluter, and that the date was 1858 since that is the date on the bell.
The bell was brought by water down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, then back up the Mississippi and Red Rivers to Shreveport and through Caddo Lake and the Cypress to Jefferson.
The Church Buildings
The Methodist Church building entered into the early history of Jefferson. In the early days a private school was taught in the basement. ”

“ The first church was a small frame building located on the corner of Line and Jefferson Streets. In 1873 the brick church was built by Mr. John Ligon, on Jefferson Street. It was at that time the finest Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Texas. Dr. N. P. Modrall was the first minister in charge of the New Church. The 1875 general assembly met in the church. After the assembly the railroads of Texas gave all the delegates from other states a free excursion over Texas, visiting Dallas, Houston, Galveston and other places of interest. This beautiful church is still standing and in constant use. ”

“ PROMINENT CITIZENS OF JEFFERSON IN HER EARLY DAYS
Many of the prominent men who had a part in the making of Texas were born and reared in the little historic town of Jefferson. Mrs. Anna Hardwick Pennybacker was living in Jefferson and wrote the greater part of her “History of Texas” while here. Her father, Dr. J. B. Hardwick, was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Jefferson.
Col. D. B. Culberson
Col. Culberson was congressman from the First Congressional District for twenty-two years. He was one of the leading lawyers of the State, and was prominent in the famous Abe Rothchild case. ”

“ McDonald came to Jefferson, Texas, in 1886 and operated a flour mill and later had charge of the City gas system.
When the boys were old enough and trained as machinists, Mr. McDonald 25 went into the machine shop and foundry and together they built a business which is considered one of the most complete machine shops in East Texas.
The present owner, E. B. McDonald is considered an authority on much of Jefferson and Marion County history. He is a hobbyist of note and collects authentic markers of the country’s history. ”

“ When railroads began to cross Texas, the wagoners with their long wagon trains gradually disappeared from the rough, muddy roads. Boats ceased to ply the bayou and the important trading center of Jefferson lost its prestige. Then the Kelly foundry and factory were totally destroyed by fire, with no insurance. In 1882 salvage from the wreck was moved to Longview, a new railroad center. ”

“ In 1836 the townsites of Houston, Texas, and Jefferson, Texas, were established, similarly on the banks of bayous. Houston, the largest of Southern ports today, was founded on Buffalo Bayou and Jefferson, Texas equally important as a center of trade and commerce during its brief reign in the days before and following the Civil War, was located on Cypress Bayou. ”

“ B. J. Benefield, an honored citizen of Jefferson, gives to Jefferson, Texas, the honor of having had within its city limits the first artificial ice plant in the United States and many say in the world.
Old settlers claim that it was in operation in the late 60’s but Mr. Benefield places the date at 1874 or ’75 because he returned to Marion County from Red River County in 1874 and began working for Boyle and Scott, as the first dispenser of artificial ice, using his own wagon and teams, and sold the ice for ten cents per pound. ”