CHAPTER I

"Listen to the Echoes"

HARMONY HILL VANISHED VILLAGE

In all my investigations a strenuous effort was made to determine the origin of the name, Harmony Hill, but no one was found who could answer_. this satisfactorily. The town later got its nickname, Nip N' Tuck it seems from a legend surrounding two foxhounds. The hounds ran a fox one day through the streets of Harmony Hill, causing some excitement. The owner of the dogs, on being questioned on the progress of the race, answered, Oh, I reckon, just Nip N' Tuck.

Harmony Hill is located in the northeast corner of Rusk County, in the southeast corner of the Daniel Martin league of land. The first settler in this vicinity was Daniel Martin, who came to Texas with his family in the early part of the nineteenth century. He followed Trammel's Trace from its known origin in Arkansas to the present site of Harmony Hill community and built his home on Martin's creek and not far from the present cemetery. Trammel's Trace then was used by Martin to go to Marshall for supplies when needed. This historic trail way to the south had its beginning north of Texarkana and followed a route through Jefferson, Woodlawn, Marshall, Grange Hall, thence to Camden. Passing by Hendricks Lake, it came through the center of Tatum. Thence across Martin's creek and through the Martin estate, coming to Mud Creek where it turned south until it came to Nacogdoches. From there it joined well-traveled roads to south Texas. When Rusk County was created from Nacogdoches County, Trammel's Trace was the eastern boundary of Rusk County. Sam Houston and David Crockett followed this historic route to reach the early Texas settlement Martin built his home on the banks of the creek that bears his name, about three miles southeast of the present site of Harmony Hill. The nearest white people lived in Marshall. The Indians at that time were a great menace and when in the late 70's, Mr. Homer Harris, a prominent Rusk County settler, bought the old Martin home and tore it down. He found many of the logs peppered with shot-mute evidence of numerous encounters with the red men of that day. When Martin was in need of help it became necessary for him to make the long trip to Marshall. The Indians never friendly with Martin and his family from the moment they settled in the community, Martin never knew of any definite reason for their animosity toward him and his family. Pete, son of Daniel Martin, when about fourteen years of age, was driving his fathers cows home one evening and noticed they would break away when they reached a certain place on the trail. Being suspicious, he scouted up a gully paralleling the cow path to get a view of the trail at that point where the cows took fright. He saw an Indian with his gun in hand waiting to ambush him. Young Martin shot the Indian, went home, got horses and dragged the body to Stovall Lake where it was disposed of. Later after this incident the Martins were often questioned about the disappearance of this Indian, but they always professed complete ignorance of his whereabouts.

One day, some months following this occurrence, Mrs. Martin and her small children were visiting in Marshall, while Mr. Martin and his eldest sons were left at home. A traveler named Carette and his wife and baby stopped overnight. Mr. Martin was always glad to see white people and never failed to entertain strangers who passed his way. Mrs. Carette and baby had retired in a side room, but the men were sitting around the fire talking a while before retiring for the night. The conversation was interrupted by an uneasiness among Carette's horses, which were tied near the house. Carette went to the door to investigate and was shot in the leg. He fell and rolled under the house. Martin guessed the trouble quickly and extinguished the fire in the fireplace and told his son to slip out the front of the house and hurry to Marshall by way of Trammel's Trace and bring back help. When Pete stepped out the front door an Indian started chasing him. Pete ran around the house several times and soon his father crawled through a window and stood beside the chimney. When Pete chased the Indian around the next time, Martin killed the prowler. Pete then started for Marshall, but just as he jumped the fence a tomahawk hit the rail, bounced over his head and fell in of him. He was not frightened into returning to his home, but like a true pioneer, picked up the tomahawk thinking he might need it for his own protection.

While they were gone, the baby began crying and the Indians started shooting at the house. Mr. Martin and the child^'s mother were finally able to stop the child's crying and soon the Indians ceased shooting and left, evidently believing they had succeeded in killing all the occupants of the house.

The Martins and the few settlers gradually drove the Indians west into the Cherokee Nation, but the endeavor finally cost Daniel Martin his life. With the Indian menace ended, other white people moved in and near Harmony Hill. The news spread that this area contained good farming land and people began to move in and buy plantations. Soon a good-sized village was established.

At one time Harmony Hill boasted three main streets, two of which were named for neighboring towns in whose direction they ran. Henderson Street ran east and west. Camden was the home of the one to the north, and Kuykendall Street was the name of the trail to the south. The last got its name from John W. Kuykendall who owned a thousand acre plantation and gave the land on which Harmony Hill was built. History reveals that all the early settlers including Daniel Martin, were Primitive Baptist. This sect did not believe in Foreign Missionaries and practiced the ceremony of foot washing. The first church in Harmony Hill built by this group, was a one-room flat roofed log building. Later the few other denominations in the community were allowed the use of this building.

Perhaps the first merchant at Harmony Hill was Matt Chamness. His store, like all others of Pre-Civil War days, was classed as a general store and was intended to satisfy all the needs of the community, even to the bar in the rear where liquor was freely dispensed, especially on Saturday nights. Druggists, Blacksmiths and Doctors soon followed, and about 1860 the first school was built. It was a two-story affair, the second story being used as a home and the lower story for a school from Monday through Friday. On Saturday, the school was a ballroom and on Sunday it became a church. The village inhabitants all gathered in town on Sunday afternoon and watched horse races along Henderson St., which was the main thoroughfare through the business section of the town.

Harmony Hill continued to grow. After the Civil war, a great many newcomers settled there, but like many other frontier towns, its doom was writ ten by the coming of the railroads. In 1887 when the "High Dry and Windy" was built through Tatum to Carthage, Tatum was favored with a station and Harmony Hill left off entirely. People gradually moved to Tatum, Henderson and Longview. Harmony Hill was one of the richest towns until the coming of the railroad, but now all that remains of the old town are scanty remnants of the business section, one or two old homes in a state of decay, and one of the most beautiful cemeteries in all of Rusk County.

The following information was furnished by Gil S. Jones of Henderson after referring to deed records of Rusk County and his own memory. He was 78 years of age, the year was 1948. "To those of you who are old enough to remember, please turn back to the year 1884, or 64 years ago when we were a bunch of barefoot children. I do not mean to say all the graves were neglected when I say or refer to the organization that had it’s beginning in 1884 and was continued to this day. There was a change, however, a new committee was selected in 1903 composed of Sam Findley as chairman, Mrs. J. E. Holtzclaw, treasurer, and Gil S. Jones member, at which time the meeting date was changed from May 1^st to the second Saturday in June of each year.

Holtzclaw has served from 1903 to this date (1948). It is true that some families prior to the time of this organization, met and worked some of the graves while others were neglected. Hence, the need for an "organization of this sort."

In the western end of the cemetery there is a grave covered by a flat rock on which can be still traced the carvings of the three initials of the man's name who lies buried under it. The initials are J. W. H. Tradition has it that the rocks mark the resting place of a member of a geological surveying party sent out from Washington to do work for the government in that section. Mr. Jones, interested in the history of what is probably the very first person buried in the cemetery, wrote Washington and was told this party consisted of four men. Two seemed to have been brothers, J. H. and J. W. Hill, and that one of them died and was buried on the slope of a hill about a mile west of Martin's Creek.

Added to this is the story preserved in the Matthews family to the effect that such a man took sick and died in the home of W. B. Matthews, the great grandfather of the author. Matthews owned and lived on a large tract of land near Harmony Hill at that time. Records indicate this man died in 1851. Records also indicate Matthews sold this tract of land to Berry Adams in 1854 and bought five hundred acres from J. P. Gladney further west in Rusk County. The companions of Hill did not see fit to inscribe his full name, placing his initials only, which weather has almost worn away; but many people now living remember when the date could be plainly read. So far as can be determined, this is the first grave made on the land, which later was to be Harmony Hill Cemetery. Possibly because, in part, of the foregoing facts, John W. Kuykendall donated the original two acres and selected this spot as the cemetery in the year 1852. Homer Harris in later years gave an acre on the north side; Dr. A. 0. Menefee added the fourth in 1942 when the new fence was built.

Following the disorganization and reformation of affairs, both social and material after 1861, cemeteries as well as business and human interest in general suffered neglect, but in 1884, when Harmony Hill Cemetery was grown over with weeds, briar patches, bushes, even great trees, some people of the reviving and prosperous town gathered one day in April on the front porch of Homer Harris' store and formed a temporary organization for a better care of the cemetery to be later known as The Harmony Hill Cemetery Association.

The temporary officers were Alex Carter, chairman. The others were Berry Adams, N. M. Reece, and James B. Langhorn and S. J. Hendrick. On the following Sunday at the church, a "Call to Arms" was issued for the entire citizenry to meet on May l, 1884 at the cemetery, and war was waged on all that was undesirable. With saws, axes, mauls, wedges, hand sticks, hoes and rakes, the clan gathered for the conflict. Dinner was served by the women. In the afternoon, when the place was thoroughly cleaned, the ladies decorated every grave; and the same date each year thereafter, became Harmony Hill's decoration day.

The system worked well until the coming of the railroad to that part of the country in the year 1887.The building of nearby towns with their advantages and subsequent near depopulation of Harmony Hill, brought about some changes in this arrangement. The newer generation of people who had moved to Henderson or nearby towns, adopted another system of keeping the grounds. The second Saturday in July became Decoration Day.

When The Harmony Hill Cemetery Association was organized on May 1st., 1884, George Scott, a Baptist minister, was Master of Ceremonies. Willis Knox, a Presbyterian minister offered prayer at the dinner that followed the business meeting. The first permanent corps of officers of the organization were: Alex Carter, chairman, and the others were Berry Adams, James B. Langhorn, S. J. Hendrick, and Homer Kelly who served without charge for several years. Mr. Jones has furnished us with a remembered list, which is possibly incomplete, of heads of families who were present at the first meeting May 1, 1884.

Harmony Hill is no longer a town, but the Harmony Hill folk of long survive in their children and are honored in their good and worthwhile attainments. Many men and women of old. Harmony Hill families have become prominent in Rusk County and elsewhere in east and west Texas; some in distant cities. The cemetery is one of the best kept and one of the loveliest spots in all Texas. Funds for its upkeep come from all parts of the state, andlocal people meet yearly for picnics. In naming the early inhabitants of Old Harmony Hill much research was done with the help of all existing records the files of old newspapers and finally talking with one of the few nowliving settlers. The following list has been compiled. The author is well aware that some have been overlooked, and for this we are regretful.

The Tribbles

The Francis Cherry family, whose children were Mrs. Walter Ash (Minnie), Mrs. Millard Pliler (Lorna) of Longview, and Fannie Lee of Ft. Worth. Other children now deceased were Mrs. T. J. Buchanan (Emma), Mrs. W. T. Callahan (Fannie Lee) and Gilchrist of Tatum.

The Mack Cherry Families, The Langhorn families, The Gladney families. The Menefee family, "Dr. A. C. whose children were Minnie Belle, Tate, Grace, Albert and Agnes.The Menefee family, W. K., whose children were Christine and Gladney.

The Kuykendall families included Jim, Joe, Webb, George, Mont and others.

Webb Kuykendall's children were Robert, Arthur, Charles, John William, Jim Janie Jewel and Nan Tatum, most of these survivors now live in and around Tatum.

The Wilhelms

The Harris families, Homer and Jeff

Dr. A. G. Shaw, whose daughter, Mrs. Lola Miller and her two children, Louise and Angus.

The Gil S. Jones family

The Steve Jones family

The Martins (one of the very first in that community)

The Findleys, Lawrence, of which much has already been said, was a very first settler, being at one time Postmaster and Peace Justice besides operating a general store.

Lawrence Findley's sister-in-law, Lois Howard

The W. D. Matthews family, Broad Carter, the Grigsby families, the Adams family, Berry, J. Q., Sid, Riley, Bee and Miller and Dade

The Wrights. Tom, whose children were Brock, Robbie, Sue, Hudna, Ora and Anna.

Jeff Harris, whose children were Anna, Phala and Nellie.

The Chamness families, Matt probably operated the first store in Harmony Hill.

The Pepper family, Jack Brown family whose children were Bob, Boley, Mack and Horatio.

The Dunklins, Greers, Dollohites, Calloways, Pools, Keeners, Abe Smith, McNeece families, Weavers, Romans,

Garrisons, Watts, Vinsons, Vincents, Sutherlands, Wiers, Whitakers, Carlisles, Kellys, Lassiters, Mays, Freeman

Williamsons, Kinards, Robinsons, Reagans, Turlingtons, Millers, Grahams Corneliuses, Birdsongs, Wyatts,

Cobbs, Clarks, Watsons, Logans, Jeff Klutz, Garners, Jesters, Walter Jernigan, Abe Smith, Aleo Bradley, Ben

Hall, Silas Gray, Granville Nero and the Gillispies.

At one time there were sixteen stores in Harmony Hill. The first doctor on record was Dr. S. J. Hendrick, who was followed by Drs. King, Shaw, and Menefee.

The first church was a one-room flat roof log house, built by the Primitive Baptists, but shared with-other denominations. Jim Robinson of Harmony Hill owned the first steam cotton gin in Rusk County.

The present committee of the Cemetery Association consists of Mr. Pierce, Mrs. McCune, Agnes Menefee, Mrs. Walter Ash, Robert Beall, Fred Grant, Gilchrist Cherry and others. Perhaps there is no person who loves Harmony Hill and its beautiful cemetery more than Mrs. Walter Ash of Longview. She contributed the fence now surrounding the cemetery, had built the concrete walks, the patio, the sign on highway 43, nearby the retaining walls, and contributed generously to the concrete picnic tables and the well.

No account of Harmony Hill would be complete without mentioning her school system. Charlie J. Livsey taught the school in Harmony Hill in 1884 - 86. He was then a young man, but was later to become the leading educator in Rusk County. He taught only this one period, which if not his first it was close to the beginning of a teaching career, which extended over forty years before his death in 1925. It was C. J. Livsey, ably assisted by his brother, J. A. Livsey, also a teacher, who began the campaign in Rusk County for school consolidation and bus transportation for children. A powerful influence was added to his efforts by County Judge, B. J. Hendrick. Consummation of the movement came slowly; for the first school busses were not in operation until 1922 at Oak Hill.

Mrs. M. R. Ballinger of Henderson is a sister and Mrs. D. W. March, also of Henderson is a cousin of this well remembered, greatly respected and esteemed educator. Mrs. Harry Maloney of Henderson is a niece; and there are other living nieces and nephews.

J. Booty taught at Harmony Hill in the early 1870's. He was admitted to the bar and was Judge of this Judicial district for a number of years. He died at Tyler about 1933. Judge Booty was born and reared at Carthage. Homer Harris attended school at Harmony Hill before, and during the War Between the States, and was a pupil of Booty in the early 70's. Some of Mr. Harris' fellow students are now living; Mrs. Betty (Jones) Adams of Dirgin community, Alva Jones of Dallas, Jim Dollahite of Hallsville, Mrs. Sudie (Chamness) Bowen of Tatum, Mrs. Mattie A. Murry of Water Valley, Texas, W. M. Harris of Imperial Valley, California, brother and sister of Homer Harris. Mrs. Eliza Harris, an elder sister of Homer Harris, taught the school two terms in the late 80's.

J. Lawrence Findley was a student in Harmony Hill School before, during and after the Civil war. He originally came from Alabama. In after years he was elected Justice of the Peace for that district and held this office for over thirty years in the room where he attended school. He was made postmaster, the last Harmony Hill had.

When Tatum had finally absorbed trade and much of the population (by reason of its railroad facilities) the mail route out of Tatum covered the Harmony Hill territory. This route was carried by Gil S. Jones.As Justice of the Peace, Judge Findley's decisions were almost totally unquestioned in the community, so high was his standing as peacemaker and just Judge. He has numerous descendents in Texas. Noel Y. Findley of Longview, Lonnie P. Findley and Mrs.^-Charles Kuykendall of Tatum are grandchildren of this man .

Mrs. R. T. Gladney, mother of Tatum Gladney of Henderson, taught the school during the 1878-79 term. Her brother, Wesley Tatum, taught before and died while thus engaged.

Among the students of the late 70's was R. M. Mays, now living in Shreveport. He was admitted to the bar and was County Attorney in Rusk County for several years before removing to St. Louis. Other students were Gil Cherry and descendents of his living in Longview, El Paso and Wolf City. Jule Hendrick, brother of S. J. Hendrick, Mark Wyatt, both now deceased, also attended there. Hendrick's descendents are Mrs. Emma Pierce and Mrs. Mary Shearon of Tatum. Others were Dush Shaw, County Clerk of Gregg County for over forty years, Oscar Calloway of Comanche County, lawyer and congressman for two terms for the old 17th Congressional District. Walter Mills of Houston, long time minister of the Methodist church, Dade Adams of Marshall, one time rural mail carrier out of Dirgin. Adams now deceased, operated a snow shop in Marshall for a number of years. John and Oscar Freeman, farmers of Ennis, Texas. Howell and Gil B. Gladney, farmers in Oklahoma. Andrew and Ab Gear, farmers of Palmer, Texas. John C. Williamson (deceased) farmer near Tatum, Mark Hill, now a businessman in old Mexico. The late Joel Turlington of Tatum, Columbus Calloway, farmer and rancher now living in Ennis. Gil S. Jones, Justice of the Peace for a number of years in Tatum, now living in Henderson Mrs. J. H. Langhorne taught the school about 1886-87. Some of her pupils were: Miss Langhorne, now wife of Dr. Whiteside of Houston. Jim Langhorne of Dalhart, Texas. Jim Langhorne of Timpson, Miss Maude Robinson and Mrs. D. W. March of Henderson. The Cherry children - including Annie Bertha (Mrs. Gillam) of Henderson, Miss Lizzie Watt (Mrs. J. E. Holtzclaw) of Tatum. Mrs. Sudie (Chamness) Bowen, of Harris Chapel community near Tatum, in Panola County, all attended school in Harmony Hill before and after the Civil war.

John Holland succeeded Livsey as teacher at Harmony Hill. He became a Baptist preacher and lived in Tyler.

Miss Sudie Lacy was also a teacher in the late 80s. Mrs.- Charlie (Vinson) Baker, Mrs. Annie (Vinson) Pool,

Mrs. Bettie (Vinson) Young of Carthage, Miss Rhonda Wilhelm of Tatum, were students in 1884-86 as- were

Mrs. Matt (Reece) Carter of Longview. Judge T. J. Watt taught the school in 1888-1892. Among his pupils were Albert Griffin of Henderson, Miss Nettie (Cobb) Griffith of Longview, the late Joel Turlington of Tatum. Perhaps the most successful man who attended this school was Homer Harris, merchant of Henderson._- He was in the mercantile business at Harmony Hill when quite a young man. In the late 70⁸s moved to Henderson about 1889, and was a successful businessman there for many years, being connected with the firm of Mays & Harris, as well as the banking business. Over sixty years of prosperous business is his record.

The school at Harmony Hill was for the most a one teacher affair, and there were sometimes one hundred and fifty pupils. Acquiring an education then as now was largely dependent upon how much the pupil wanted or needed it. The school of that day turned out men and women of whom the community, state and nation are still proud.

Mr. Wilhelm came to Harmony Hill in the year 1854 and operated a blacksmith shop for many years. At his death, Mack Deckard, a Negro, was hired to take over his business and conducted it successfully for many years,

Go with me to the heart of this once thriving ghost town, though it is, it will surely stir your imagination with shadows of our vigorous and courageous pioneer people. with a slight breeze in the air, if one listens closely, you might still hear faintly the deep-set baying of ole’ Nip N^' Tuck as they thunder down the main street. Yes, I'll go back to Harmony Hill for the inspiration of it. I'll stroll through the silent city of the long ago and I'll come away strengthened. In the hurly-burly life that we live I will be made to realize it cannot:

"Despoil the winds of Heaven of their power,

Or take away the poetry of the seasons,

Or strip the morning and evening of their solemnity,

Or make the sun and moon to be of small account,

Or turn the ocean into a little thing,

Or erase the memory of a sacred spot".