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Charles Quantrell, Guerilla Chief.Addressed Sewing Circle Only Once In His Lifetime, That in ShermanSTUDIESWEATHTOK, J. 1A,KHIn Thmdalltcs at McHhmW'hlW lh» Juit' • trell w«w hors. ■ boy* taught oohpol F.d living and J' the latter the Boyce Q. living her. tnher ploo* lt;-th**»r nm learnin 1SC3 Charles Quantrell. Ih* gusrlba CMHI... ** •H'*HU b~.lq-r.e~ami apart much of his time »n Hhtjman. Accompanied •* h,‘*III well In .. iiiu*r- j Palmer's wtlb. UjS.1■= » -4- - -thsscisu*i 'a* well as friend'latter pf ih( Mr lhttmo1Llteosntly. also. of n Ut-!dent that occurr*r\ssi £ ss • - - «—•?“ ~cH and Qunn-r of the Jamea x Atmun. Ir.I*. I.ovIiik. Hr., i.t County Clerk nt to arhool to ulso received from this Mta-Itecama Allen the time Jeaae he Jamea boy* friend* In thh .tolled here and v had relative*MW BILL At.lilt t Itpfmter •riurn »/ -------plain to read as print, and although written in 1»6J. Mxty-lhrvc yean. ago. ts well preserved.The letter l» the property of Mr*, j. M. Stevie of Woodvllle. Okla.. a cousin to Couniy Auditor All* * Noble of Sherman. and It was through Mr. Noble's courtesy that the letter was sent to Sherman and P* mission given to publish It.The letter was artltentoMrw Potts. wife of Colonel John Potts. Urge plantation owner of the l’» ion Bend community. In the north-MM p*n ° '“«“n cou,;..-'Isaid that Hhern* only city In the S. ut Into tho hands o' * nd ho tells ho a the day.Mr. Hopson said -The Souther «. the last two jre*-* maintained In th organised counties a partment. where » ‘ of foodstuff Which county produced •This produce w lt;rt of tithing prons of an Incl-Sherman while .rayson county perhaps la the ii that ever fell mob of women, -uantrcll savedonfnl.rucy. for us existence • unty site of allcoiumtsmry de .. kept all kinds that particularWeather d-• r picking h of much was i’» estimated uei). says the lure In a n« cr damage results l roni bales of cot have shown UnCt stages loratlon o( c condition—n and decay ol | MUdcw. u lowers the the value, weaken the Is seriously css of dec ped. the fib stroyed ent Excess n permitted l a number o ncd and p. picked befo wet with i rained upoi4 T22L ^h„J.!co”on *•»~.........- - *• A1? piled on th. iconmiUaarts* ration* could be drawn n havthe time the letter * ^ 111! ^ p.isstng soldle s and all war wld- ^ coGon j,Grayson couniy bordered or. to oW, ^ wrrlt;, prtv, 0|Ced to draw ra-lndian Territory. Colonel l*otts. »• ^ alBO rhv punilK.r „f wld-«dthy Mississippi cotton P*“l*r-0ws was very lars^n Grayson coun had moved his family and about «•nau mo»*« —----* - .. .Slaves to Texas- At that Unto 1 led Itivcr was navigable for part of the year clear to ITeston Band, and that was a shipping point to out cls o. (he Mississippi river. Colonel lh»t » bought a large acreage of land la Grayson county and had thousand acres 1*~M »n the Territory. He was among the first men to improve his cattle, and took an interest in the offspring of the first lied Durham cattle ever brought l„ America, these having been shlp-p-d to Colonel It- G. Shannon of Sherman by Queen Victoria direct from Englandty. and many of war rations very •The officer Inneeded theseh.irgc of the Shcr- ________was Major Blaine.a veteran of th- T-xas war for In-dependence, and the father of lohn M. Blaine for many year* chief of police of 8hen .n. By reason of bountiful crops, tho Hhcrman com missary was unusually well sup plied with graii flour and meatand u«came well sa-wn to all thewar widow, in the county. However, they became dt«-n tufted with thesame ness of th- tons they werepermitted to dra» By this time the trade I*-tween T. vs. -nd Mexico hadfrom tngianu. trade Ik-tween T»xa» »na .wexico —«One of tho biggest problems that ]deVeloped ,nlo al proportions. Cot Colonel I’otts had to deal with was „ ruUWlt;1 m TeX w*a haul-*-! to th' tho problem of cattle rustlers, or Mq t;raI|d# moUi . i„a ..rtcc un.’the money In vast.thieve*.The I’otts home was the social cenA MV ft -----ter of North Texas and the Indian Territory. This family had .ntertain-cd 8am Houston. James Throck-inorton and other men of the day There were several young ladle, and ,. * II.. » M .1 t hfl Ithea big price and such necessary supplies as the bl *ckado had deprived the peop of. and you could buy most anyth is In tho principal towns If you had good coin withwhich to pay forNow, some piopagan.lUt startedThere were several young Uvui- s “ ' J -Now. some piupagandUl sturu-i young men In the family, and the 1^ rejKrt an„mg the war widows elite for miles around would gath-lf GrjyOB county that this trade __ • k. i•mis home and *n joy danc-1 , j »• b* I he cov-aternt the I’otta home and enjoy •i*nc*lWM all'living carrl*d on by the gov mg and other social dlvermoos. |ernfneal. and thv all of thewe .om-Bhrly In l»«s men who did not |nUM|,Ue- including the luxuries.among which wascoffc and tea. had been purchased b the government for the u*e Of the fnmilU-s of the soldiers. but that the officers In charge wrre selling them to the pco-ndrtr' . ...want to go to war b-gun to drift into the old Indian Territory am* cow stealing grew worw. In the spring of that year Quantrell. J-*ss*» and Frank Janus. Allan Baltner and « number of leseer UghU of the Quantrell men came to Grayson county. Quantrell soon found a friend In Colonel Potts and frequently made the Pottt home his headquarters. Soon after the arrival of the guerilla chieftain at the Potts home, cattle rustler* stopped In this section of North Texas and Southern Indian | Territory.IWfore Christmas It was n*re*s*ry for Quantrell and men to make a sudden departure for Missouri, and lit was while In that state the letter was written. It waa as follows:I Camp Lookout. I*cc. II. lll«3-Mrs. Potts—“After my compliments, you win allow me to present you with some coffee. And. in consideration of yourpie and keeping the money. This report resulted in a garret of war widows, delermroofs. Wlu the gin. th Ively wet results.More frc the bale ■ from rain cotton, ubi or wet flc of ware hoi posure on forma.HIM test! partnivnl I ltios in th these exp* bales of c being ston remain I ng weather ui In th* a few po cent of a OpOMil d from an C21 poun 510 poun* an uveraa To prlt; damage, the great the bales the grou moisture, thorough is glnnec the stnt cuf and the rrnu cesa of r ble to I house |r. g itia • .---ganlMtion . **e plact d to havojen.what was conuag to them. ThU or-ga.ilx-illon was especially strong In North Texas counties, and also In Texas.Mr.ur-bef 1M4. taelf inHr-I.s**.l h» Home, M«»h.-One day In the winter the city of yh-rman found the hands of a m*'b of wlld-.yed. des|H-rat.* ond hungry women, armed with gun*, axes, sledge hammers and clubs The mob numbered more than »15.. and tho members came on horseback. Tho leader was a Mrs. Savage. She was a born leader, and bad she Uen a man would at leastCop letitlon.No. 141Cotton. the DWash I ti|W MIV VW K' ------ w --IfilH BIIW II II - ■■And. in consideration of your hAVQ bmn n Krner,i In the army of klndneas to my mm who have beoni\ Confr,lt.racy. Those who cameu° • at your house, we are all under many I ^ |th ht,r 0|^y,.d her every command, obligations to you un-l your daugh- Thp mob BUrr,„inde*l th«* commissary ter*, and when we are far off »|and Mr% being the spoke*-that heters. and wbm we are «ar and |r,danger we will often think of told M .Joe B«»'nhospitality received ul your hands.. ^ soldier's rations cont..tn-*dAnd. should It happen that the ent- coff,w. and tea. and that hemy should Invade your home, you . . ,---- _.,..».~iain*r these thingsI my snoum j*-.iwill rememlter that we will strike a blow for your all. My respects to \K1: ill your family./ll “Itespectfully yours.“W. C. Ql'ANTKKI.L.In 1861 Quantrell and hU band llljs I kept tho Yanke**s from going on the five Potts plantation. Severn! men wereof i illtl*rn-.im« —------ .•killed in the skirmish, but no furtheffort wus made to l»othcr the Potts property.Remembered by Editor.Dick Hopson of thiscity, who 1861came to Grayson county In 1S6I. wer U*d was for many years editor of |*‘* tlHII| the fiherman Courier. knewQusn- tlonban. v-..- and had been will,holding the— thing* from the ration* of the war widows' of C.my-on county She added that they had come for what belonged to them nnd would stand no fo*ill»hne.Major Blaine very gracefully surrendered, Pi -educing the keys, he escorted the ladle* through his warehouse. show mg them that h« had none of these things. The ladles were not satisfied •nd argu* d that what they sought whs Jn some other building Most of the business houses were locked „„ nnd empty. To these the women n -w turn**! their alien1. 8. several in the Dee Sunday l*een V • hes nightnight ' Johi u rew flue b« Mr. •n.. lt;Sunda lludgi Itcv the .\ uVlw day s Mr. son. Sutur Mr Alsty week Mr. nta*. Mioryigh-ighterv-illen I for rern-lH-r-000,-f theI ne nii'i......-------- --- ...trell personally. He says Quantrell was below medium height, being perhaps 5 feet eight Inches tall. He w..s sandy cotnplexloned with sandy lialr. blue eyes that seemed lo chnr.go to a violet shade at times. Ho w is quiet, unassuming, never raised his voice In conversation, never smoked, drank or swore. Whlls there were about fifty or sixty men with him here, all of them were under perfect discipline. He never spoke to n man but one time. In a 1 »w tone of voice, nnd no man was ever known to disobey himandcontinual ivain for thOn the was a gen*broner. u lie had qt brought tc At tho firs od his dooi In due con it wus a * Sherman * reachedih hammers und uxes|.;hlldy ut rduy butfur-ndayrou Id table» disoney nun.When Qunntrell. fho James loys t hurlle Q • • a ... a t IlLnsmnn In ft’ft t fit* Ml. ir quest, gearchlng In much coveted luxuries.,t side or the square I store kepi by 1. Hrll-•oct of Grent llrltuln.A stock of goods Miermun from Mexico.,,K-n Of trouble he lock-ng got out Of the way.. of time the mob—and mob now. a number f .11.on having Joined It — rearm.. f! tore, broke down »t*sdoors and w* rehelping themselves J r',,v when ih. .nexpvet-d happened- -P-nighonto.son.It*8..tunighII.H*-iilatesMsleSumVisit. the jourtreupgen-long i forn iicii ............- -nnd others returned *o Sherman in HI64. they struck camp in Northeast Hhermnn. on the spot where the W. H. Lucna store is located on North Broughton street. There was n splendid well of water nnd n good camping place With the others cnme two men. Chapman nnd I.yon. Thee men were tog-ther all the time, slept in the same tent, nnd one wus never seen without the other. It was saidof them that they had robbed a Missouri I sink of fC.Ono In gold andhad Joined Qunntrell when the party euuie so ith. It was said that these ■tier burled their gold nenr wher* they camped. In the Intter pnrt n*1««« tbev rod# hack to Missouri /'h jgaihor. and both wars kUlsd. 1 »«wlng Ctrell, the guerilla, enlcr-i.nannounred Ills »*ry•d thea|.|e.ir;.n.e died a hnlt on what wus going on. M wus un.iccompi.nl* d by any person llo g»vo no orders, made l no threuts n.,r attempted any force, but In . I*.a well modulated voice (andconctwit. !•:•! ItnoW think nf They are kinds or footed, hi without lt;think of to themcame iiunailing uIt wyour husbands I If they could see you. . he front enduring n 111 •lt; ishlps. hungry, bure-.. ,rved. doing their duty i....Int. What would Ihey i |n this line he talked ... time, nnd they bc-. d leuvlngt he goods und 1,0 doors «s they left, probably the only timei rell ever addressed nGc,' and II probablyHi cm on l*« er ; Cl. tethtool
Newspaper Details
Mckinney Weekly Democrat Gazette
Mckinney, Texas, US
Thu, Oct 14, 1926
Page 19
Full Page
Clipped by
Natalie B.
TX, USA 07 Nov 2016
Other Publications Near Mckinney, Texas
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