It was not the intention of the author to simply add another book to the great number being daily published, but realizing the need of preserving for future generations facts locked within the covers of musty tomes, newspapers yel­lowed with age, together with the personal knowledge of a few still living, knowing of no such record extant, in such a collected form, this work was begun; which at the first was meant to be a short history of Harmony Hill and the cemetery there.

In delving into the historic lore surrounding this hallowed spot, it soon became apparent that Harmony Hill never lived and never died of itself. The sons and daughters of the hardy pioneers seeking other worlds to conquer spread to the far reaches of the country, adding to the record of their illustrous fore­bears their achievements in building a new empire. Therefore, the history of Harmony Hill was found to be so closely interwoven in the pattern of the history of Rusk County and the State itself, that no stopping place could be found short of mentioning some surrounding towns and communities, whose citizenship were but parts of the original group who dared to come and to conquer.

In gathering data for this book, much work was done and much help needed. The author traveled many miles, going over the actual grounds, checking dates on cemetery markers, interviewing many people. To those who so generously con­tributed of their time, labor and information, the author is duly grateful. Without their assistance the work could have never been finished. Credit is therefore given, first of all, to Mr. Gil S. Jones of Henderson whose desire was keen for the work to go ahead, and for the use of manuscripts in his possession. These coupled with his personal recollections which were still fresh in his memory, made invaluable contributions to this effort.

Our thanks are extended to the Henderson papers from whose pages were taken valuable articles written By Mr. J. N. Thornton. Some information was taken from pamphlets written and compiled by the Junior Historian of the Texas State historical Association of Austin.