Happy New Year!! It’s very chilly around here and Texans aren’t accustomed to extremely cold spells. While I’m sitting at my computer writing I look out at the trees that seem to be so cold. Yet I am lucky to have a roof over my head, walls to keep the wind out, and floors to keep my toes warm.
New Years is a great time to start a new project. I began a blog several years ago, slowed down and finally dropped it when I had surgery. Today I am up and about and ready to start again. A dear friend encouraged me several years ago to save all of the historical stuff I have in my head and on my shelves; notebooks from Graduate School, along with stories my families told, older people I know shared their memories with me, things my husband hears at his work and anything in the world about northern part of Texas.
I was born in Ft. Worth, Texas, how much more Texan can you get? After all, Ft Worth is known as “Where the West Begins”. Shortly after I appeared in the world, we moved to Archer City, or actually on a ranch seven miles from town. My dad was in the Army so Mother and I stayed with her parents on the ranch while he went to war. Occasionally Mother drove to the big city of Jacksboro, where my dad’s family lived. They lived in town; that grandfather was a rural postman who heard wonderful stories to tell me. I learned ranching and mail carrying as well as sewing and cooking. I loved school, especially reading and writing. It still is in my brain.
My husband grew up in East Texas at the big town of Merit, probably with less that 100 citizens. And many were related in some way. When we married, we decided we needed to live in a big city. So, we moved to Greenville, the county seat of Hunt County, where my husband’s family lived. We have been here ever since. My husband is considered a strong community leader and I got the moniker of the History Lady. Actually, I am the Chairman of Hunt County Historical Commission and author of Images of America: Greenville. I think we are both very honored.
My first Blog series covered only Hunt County, but this time we are going to meander along the Red River, wandering into Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Louisiana, New Mexico and everywhere the Red River flows. Some of the time I write about explorers such as Cabeza de Vaca, De Soto, Coronado, and others. I will go on to the Republic of Texas, Statehood, Civil War, Reconstruction with some great stories, World War I and II, the Depression, Prohibition, and anything else that is interesting. I had the honor of working with the late James M. Smallwood, and Kenneth W. Howell on the book Ben Bickerstaff, Northeast Texans, and the War of Reconstruction in Texas. It is second print, which is pretty good for historians. After that I decided to write a biography of Morris Sheppard. Everything went well until I stumbled on the fact that he was very instrumental in banking. While I can write checks as good as any woman, the banking system was confusing. That was about the time I had surgery, so poor old Senator Morris Sheppard is in the background now. Yet, I really want to finish it because he was such an important U.S. Senator from his election here in North Texas in 1912 until his death in the spring of 1941. Perhaps I can use Meandering Along the Red River as the medium for knowledge of such an outstanding Texas statesman. We’ll just have to see.
I’m excited about the new project. I hope to write two blogs each week. Feel free to contact me at carolcoleytaylor@gmail.com. I love to read your comments, suggestions, stories, and anything about Texas along the Red River.
Oh! Don’t ever try to swim in the Red in a white swimsuit. I’ll explain some hot summer day.