PAUL BUNTING CRAIG

The following bio was taken from page 159 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

"Leaving Panola, and goin’ to Van Zandt! Leaving Panola, and goin’ to Van Zandt!" This cry from Nora and Ben, who were playing in the front yard of their home in the Oakland Community five miles east of Henderson, brought other members of the P. B. Craig family to the front porch to look. The cry heralded the approach of a covered wagon. The wagon, as a rule, was carrying a family from Panola County to the "Free State of Van Zandt." From all accounts, there was an exodus of quite a grand scale. According to Nora, Ben, and others, the wagon usually pulled into the Craig yard for the families to visit. They refreshed themselves and their stock before moving on. Often they spent the night. They came as strangers. They departed friends. Hospitality was a way of life for Paul Bunting and his wife, Martha Jane Goodlett Craig. They loved their home, their neighbors, and their church. Often passers-by stopped to admire the well-kept yard and garden as well as the orchard nearby. Some offered to buy the place. I’m told that Paul Bunting’s stock replay was: "Stranger, I’ll hate to leave this place to go to the GLORY WORLD!"

Paul Bunting, affectionately called "Uncle Bunt’ by relatives and neighbors, was the son of Reuben Terry Craig. At the age of seventeen he ran away and joined the Confederate Army, serving in Ector’s Brigade. With him was a Mr. McKinney, an Irish soldier-of-fortune, who had taken up residence with the Craig’s. The two were buddies and life-long friends. (McKinney taught in the Henderson College on College Street. Later, he taught at Clayton in Panola County. He is buried there.)

Aside from his family, Paul Bunting loved best his war buddies and looked forward to the annual reunions. How thrilling it was to hear Aunt Nora and, in my day, Ben, tell of these associations.

Paul Bunting and Martha Jane had eight children: Josephine Elizabeth, Annie Laurie, Georgie Oliver, Mary Esther, Paul Henry, Benjamin Terry, Nora Earle, and Eugene Bunting.

Josephine and Annie Laura died as children. Their graves began the Craig Cemetery. Martha Jane died of cancer in 1900.

George Oliver married Mollie Williams. Mary Esther, a teacher, married Robert Brown. Paul Henry married Nollie Robertson. Benjamin Terry married Ella Robertson. Nora Earle, a teacher, married Howard Richey of Cherokee County. Eugene Bunting had a childhood illness that produced high temperatures. As a result, he was brain-damaged. After his father’s death, he was placed in the state asylum at Terrell. He died there in the 1920’s.

Paul Bunting and his wife donated three aces of land for a church and school at Oakland. On Friday afternoons he attended a spelling bee, taking along candy for the winners. A nice home library contained works of his favorite author, Sir Walter Scott. For the local newspaper published by his friend, Colonel R. T. Milner, he wrote a column under the pseudonym "Solomon Grundy."

After a brief illness in June 1917, Paul Bunting died and was buried in the Craig Cemetery beside Martha Jane and their daughters.

Submitted by Mary Craig.