Early Pioneer Days in Texas
Chapter XV
C. C. Yoakum
This noble pioneer was born in Hardy County, West Virginia, near the Allegheny mountains, and spent his youth in that interesting community, but cast his lot with Texas pioneers in 1839. He has a vigorous body and enjoyed life abundantly.
It was his duty to tend his father's stock, which he ranged in the excellent grass of the prairies so abundant as to reach the animals' sides. It was great sport to him to give chase to them as they were attempting to get away from control on fleet-footed horses racing as if they were racing for life. Fond as he was of the hunt, and being of a jovial nature, he had many friends among the young men who spent a great deal of time hunting. A real royal time they had with their dogs and guns in pursuit endeavoring to keep up with the hounds and kill the wild game and carniverous animals. How he delighted to tell of the enjoyment he got out of the delightful mountain springs with their abundance of flowing, cool, clear water. How he used to enjoy the scenery of the mountains and tell of the view away out in the distance seemingly a hundred miles away, and with what awe he was inspired as he looked at the variety of colors in nature's paint shop among the trees and cliffs and mountains as peak stood up above peak, seemingly trying to outreach one another in the attempt to reach a higher plane and endeavor apparently to reach heaven and seemed to be trying to get in touch with the infinite. The mountain seems to be the place of God's revelation to men in all ages. He gave Moses the law on a tablet of stone in the mountain. Moses had his last view on earth at the promised land somewhere in the mountain. And in the mountains, where Moses was either translated or buried, Satan contended with the angel for his body.
In those Virginia mountains, where our subject spent his boyhood days, it was an ideal home to him, but the temptations of the call of Texas brought him here in '49. He landed at Shreveport, at which place he bought an ox team, and came overland in a wagon and located at his old home place, six miles northwest of Honey Grove. This place he calls home home, sweet home the place he so much loved and labored so many years during his manhood days in improving and building.
C. C. Yoakum and his good wife, Mary, were very industrious, hard-working people and accumulated an independence with good property and a good quantity of stock. They had two sons and two daughters, all of them now living Bettie, the oldest, married Mr. Dock Gober, and after his death married Mr. Bud Stallings, and live at Eulia, Swisher County ; Ed., the oldest son, married Miss Lee Nicholson, and they live in the old Capt. Nicholson home; they have two children, a boy, Willie, and a daughter named Ethlyn. Miss Mollie Yoakum, the younger daughter of C. C. Yoakum, married P. B. Johnson, and have five sons Henry, Mort, Carl, Ivan and Willie. Mr. Johnson is a prosperous farmer, and his boys are equally industrious and are good business men. Mr. Mortimer Yoakum married Miss Laura Erwin, and they were parents of four boys and four grils. They live in the old homestead and are all doing well.
C. C. Yoakum died in 1909 and his wife preceded him in 1887. Their labors are over and have passed to the home prepared from before the foundation of the earth, for that is the promise to those who are redeemed of the Lord, and they were certainly good, Christian people.
Chapter XVI
Capt. W. Underwood
Capt. W. Underwood, a retired merchant of Honey Grove, Texas, is a native of Sumner County, Tennessee, where he was born February 17th, 1828. He is the son of Nathan and Judith (Martin) Underwood. His father, who was a tailor by trade, was born in North Carolina and died in Wilson County, Tennessee, in 1842. His mother was born in Robinson County, Tennessee, and died there in 186__.
Capt. Underwood was the youngest of five children all deceased except himself the others being Minerva, Albert, John and Frank. Capt. Underwood settled in Texas in 1855 and was a clerk in the store of B. S. Walcott until the breaking out of the war, in which he took an active part until the close. After the struggle was over he returned to Texas, engaged in business, and has been ever since until about 1900. He retired from active work, and since then has lived quietly in Honey Grove. In 1868 he was married to Miss Martha Bagby, of Clarksville, Texas, who died January 9th, 1915. They had two sons John Arthur and Frank W. They have been associated with their father in business several years.
Capt. Underwood is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
Chapter XVII
Pioneer James Baker
Naturally I feel that great credit is due my father, who emigrated to this country in 1837 with his family, as being one of the first pioneer Texans. He certainly had all the hardships and dangers that went with that worthy title and was useful in his way toward the building of this great commonwealth. He was a civil engineer by occupation and often, while in the performance of his duties with my oldest brother, Thomas C. Baker, were surprised, while carrying the chains, by approaching Indians, who harassed them in their work. He generally was able to make friends with the Indians, but it was trying on my mother, who looked upon the times and conditions as being times of peril. As I sit now, writing this little reminiscence of my life, I do not seem to be able to make my pen write the words that best express the conditions as they then existed. In fact, I do not think that pen is capable of depicting the hardships and dangers that attended the trials of the early pioneer.
I was born in 1838, and was only a child when my father was having the experiences which most try a men of metal, but I well remember the opinion of some of his comrades who lived neighbors to him for years. There was in old Red River and Lamar Counties old Uncle Sam Orton, Uncle Davy Lome, Mr. Harmon, Mr. Chisholm, old Father McKenzie, and many others who were lifelong friends of my father. From my earliest recollections I remember Brother James Graham; he preached all over the country, not having a specified station, but going from place to place, wherever he could accomplish the most good. We did not have fine churches with upholstered pews and were content to hear the Word of God from the lips of those men who were willing to endure the storms and perils of the circuit to preach in hewed log cabins in which were placed hewed log benches for seats; satisfied to hear the words of redeeming love revealed through Christ to a fallen world and enjoying the consciousness of his fellowship.
In those days we were building from the bottom up, little by little, those stout old Democrats who laid the foundation which has stood the test of time and adversity as well as enjoyed the advantage of success.
My father was a Democrat, a soldier in the War of the Revolution, was in the Battle of New Orleans on the 8th of January, 1812, and served with my eldest brother in the Florida war. My two brothers, William and Robert, were also en- listed in the war with Mexico, and my brother Robert in the Civil War, so I feel as though we should be enrolled as pioneers, not only as home builders, but as home defenders as well.
My father went to glory in 1871, on Christmas day; he was then eighty-four years of age. He died at his home, six miles south of Bonham. He had been preceded by mother several years before, who passed to the world triumphant on the 21st of October, 1858.
A brighter and more perfect example of true Christian character was never left as a legacy to children than was that of him who left the example of those I am writing of to the child who is penning these lines. There were ten children born to my mother; six have gone on before and we four are remaining, awaiting the summons to the grand reunion, as I pray God we shall meet together in glory around the Father's throne a united family.
These words are penned and these reminiscences recited by the youngest child of one of the noble pioneers, and may these men linger long in the memory of those who appreciate the worth of those who gave their lives for the good of our native land is the wish of
Virginia C. Spence
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