Oakwood

 

Taken from the article "The Flo News" in the Buffalo Express  written by Norma Moore

(August 6, 2003)
        The Oakwood, Leon County settlement platted as a township and a ten mile post location.  It founded when the International and Great Northern Railroad made its entrance into Leon County in 1872.  Then its title was Oakwoods, it receiving this title because of the large number of Oak trees growing on the black loam prairie.  at first the town premises was located in the black muddy prairie farming section of the town.  From the beginning of settlement, Oakwood was fast growing and well populated.  The Railroad brought prosperity in business opportunity and recognition of the New York and Texas Land agents and Stephen F. Austin with his watchful eyes on populating the town with law abiding moral immigrants.
        Oakwood was the earliest Leon County settlement with a broad variety of industrial enterprise to offer.  Housing made available for the settlers by the Land Agents provided a pride among the homesteaders.  They were proud caretakers of their homes and property.  The many business establishments had successful farming, ranching, and the commercial trade of the Trinity River.  Oakwood was a wealthy community.
        In 1878, with the dissatisfied homesteaders of their premises, the land agents wanting assurance of the people to remain in Oakwood.  They grumbled because of the muddy mire situation they were in, the black mud of the winter and the deep ruts of the summer caused impossible up keep and travel.  The settlers let their lots and homes go back to the land agents.  The agents and officials actually moved the Oakwood westward to Wolf Hollow giving the residents lots equal to the original ones they owned.  This brought a more thriving flourishing township with a vast population explosion.
        One of the most important gentleman to bring great success was A. J. Walston.  He was a noted farmer, grew Durham wheat for bread up until the time their bread was made from ground corn.  This was a satisfaction enjoyed by the Oakwood settlers and residents of surrounding communities.  A. J. Walston established a horse drawn cotton gin.  Later he replaced this gin with a steam operated cotton gin.  He established the first blacksmith shop, and he built the first public building in Oakwood.
        J. F. and Crawford Baggett constructed the new streets.  Charles Erwin, W. S. Wards, Alford Curtis, Beverly Witherspoon, James Mobley owned and operated dry good mercantile stores.
        Charles Evans owned and operated the first lumber hardware store.  Laura Parker was the first in operation of a hotel, Joseph Byars was the railroad clerk.  John Perrin was first postmaster of the post office established in 1880.  The first doctors and druggist were Sam Coffield and James Murdock.
        The earliest Oakwood school was held in A. J. Walston blacksmith shop.  Agnes Burchsmith was the teacher.  The grades were 1st thru 7th .  The students were promoted as they learned the levels of their reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling subjects.
        The Nix was later hired to teach Latin.  In 1896 a two story school building was erected.  This one consisted of four rooms.  Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Clark were teachers.  This school burned down in 1910 and a brick school was built.  Then in 1931 the present day school was built.

(Sept 3, 2003)
        The Oakwood Leon County Community founded in 1872 was the most flourishing, thriving settlement in our pioneer days.  It was near the resourceful Trinity River, its foundation connected with the G. N. Railroad.  With the recognition of the Government officials and land agents, it brought a rapid populated settlement of white settlers and of its previous habitants of the Indians, with trading posts of animal pelts.
        The pathway of the Spanish route of travel was Oakwood which was a favorite.  Since the 1700's a tale of Spanish gold pieces that were hidden in a lake of the Oakwood settlement has been a conversation topic for many years among the locals.
        Two Spanish men with two donkeys had their saddlebags filled with gold pieces.  They were the only ones knowing about the gold.  A band of outlaws appeared behind them on the same trail.  Through the Oakwood territory the two Spanish men hid their gold in a special place of the lake to return to get their riches.  They and others learned of the prospect of finding the gold and were disappointed, for as anyone knows it never was found.
        A remarkable man, Christopher Columbus Goodman of New York, who as a farmer, homesteader, and a land agent provided much prosperity and recognition for Oakwood and Leon County.
        Christopher seeking adventure of the New Texas and upon request of Stephen F. Austin agents, he with his land business was going to stay just long enough to populate our New Leon County with good moral people.  He then would move on.
        Christopher, so taken by the fertile rich land of the Oakwood Trinity River territory planted a variety of vegetables, corn and cotton.  He was amazed at the success he had.  He wrote letters to his brother in New York telling him he could grow anything here.  He was especially surprised of the large sweet potatoes he raised.  His correspondence of letters to his brother have been historical heritage of Oakwood.
        Leon County since the 1800's published in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly of the Winedale Press Curators Corner.  Christopher sent his wife Perillers a recipe of sweet potato pudding.  It was famous from Texas to New York, becoming a favorite of households and of Government banquets.  Perillers sweet potato pudding recipe:  grate a quart of sweet potatoes, add to that about the same amount of flour, ten or twelve eggs, salt, spice to suit your taste and mix all with molasses to a thick batter, then put in a skillet and bake the same as bread.  Then you make a sauce to pour over the top (one you prefer).  You will find a special Texas pudding.
        Christopher Goodman and his family lived the rest of their lives in Oakwood. He may have made visits to New York, yet his home was Oakwood Leon County, Texas.  Christopher, Periller and their children are buried at Mt. Pisgah cemetery of the Oakwood, Red Branch communities.  Oakwood, with Christian minded people, have been blessed with churches of their beginning on through their history until the present time.
        The first church was built by Willie Hasker and Joe Parker in 1872.  Soon a Methodist Church was built 1884.  This church was well known for the weddings that have taken place.  The first couple to be married in that church was Dr. E. P. Murdock and Annie Kate Waldrum

(Sept 10, 2003)
        The Oakwood settlement plated in 1872 was the most flourishing township of Leon County of our early pioneer days.
        Oakwood has always been blessed with Christian citizens who founded churches from its beginning and all through its history.  The first church was built by Willie Hasker in 1872.  Then in 1884 a Methodist church was established.  This church was an attraction to couples who were to be wed.  The first wedding held at the Methodist church was Doctor E. P. Murdock and Annie Kate Waldrum.  Then protestant churches were built of the early days and there were six churches in Oakwood.
        Every Sunday they were all full with active members.  Today Oakwood is blessed with Church of Christ, Baptist Church, Back to the Bible Church and a Methodist church.
        Oakwood's first bank was established in 1900 by Oscar Wiley and Mr. McKenzie.  He later sold his interest to Oscar.  In 1910 Mr. Wiley's bank was robbed.  The robbers making their get-away on a railroad hand car left their tracks by the strewn papers found between Oakwood and Buffalo.  This helped to catch the robbers.
        Another bank was opened in 1910.  This one was owned and operated by J. W. Barton.  He also built the first brick residence in Oakwood.  Oakwood has an established bank today.  It is owned and operated by Roddy Wiley who is a descendant of Oscar Wiley.  The first newspaper was "The Sun" owned and operated by the Bookman brothers.  This one was followed by the Oracle, which was owned and operated by Perry Jetton, Rambo and Scarborough.  This was a well recognized newspaper of Leon County.  The operation brought special published items of community and county publications of the special needs of the people.  It also brought citizens attention to the facts and the gathering of the citizens to the Centerville court house.  Today a section of the Oakwood Oracle building is located in Buffalo, near the auction sale.  This was once part of Oakwood, now Buffalo.  History shows since 1910 there were six mercantile stores in Oakwood in the early days.
        B. B. Kinbrell is well known for the most success.  He a natural business leader of Florida, started his success at fourteen years old, with money he had saved from every available job he could find in Florida so that he could come to the New Texas.  Settling in Oakwood first he fished in Glaze Lake, brought his catch to town on Saturday and sold them  He was very conservative.  Soon he had enough money to own his own land and open a store.
        His operation was prosperous.  He established a flour milling business, which was in operation for many years.  There were many national civic and social organizations in Oakwood of the early days and over the years.
        The Daughters of the Republic, The Masons, Eastern Star, The Women's Christian Temperance Union, Land Agent Conference Meetings.  Government Railroad and commerce trade official meeting and special church singings and Missions all were events of Oakwood.

(Sept. 17, 2003)
        Oakwood founded in 1872 the most thriving community of Leon County of the 1800's was noted for its industrious, Business trade one of the most remembered is J. M. Dixon Drug Store. Dixon a young man as a professional druggist with the Southwestern drug company of good business qualifications with fine characters of being a most agreeable, helpful gentleman to his patients.  He brought a recognized enterprise to Oakwood with his drug store in the 1920.  The Gatesville and Star Newspaper publishing of Macks Drug store described his business as being one of the most modern drug stores west of the Leon river.  Mack Dixon keeps his store like a parlor, carries a full line of drugs, patient medicine, druggist sundries and maintains a prescription department and believes in the patronage to his customers of full satisfaction and always willing to assist in pushing his community forward and his soda fountain with his variety of ice cream treats excellence brings crowds of people paying compliments.  Making remarks there is no other ice cream to match Mack's. His drug store was the gathering place on Saturday's for all age groups to visit and have the pleasure of his excellent ice cream and other goodies.  Mack and his wife Ida, owned a farm and a Drug Store in Oakwood provided a richness of class and wealth to Oakwood bringing a great foundation of the Pioneer days and a memorable treasure of today.
        Also the D. W. (Deck) Moore drug store business is a fond memorable operation of Oakwood he with his drug business established in 1914 was an Oakwood foundation for 50 years.  He employed many local people this being the pharmacy for the two doctors of Oakwood.  He sold many prescriptions a day.  Deck married to Dr. Murdocks daughter, Lula Murdock who was a most loved, respected doctor of Oakwood.  These two families provided many years of medical success to the township.
        Doctors Carter, J. F. Bell and Bing are other well remembered doctors of Oakwood.  Oakwood's Proctor and Rice hotels were thriving businesses.  All Proctor and his wife owned, operated the Proctor hotel, its location was on front street facing the Railroad, it supplied the Railroad workers, farmers, commerce trade and land agents the cotton market visitors and many other traveling visitors refreshful, clean restful nights of sleep.  The Rice hotels located on the present Bob Holloway property furnished the Oakwood business leaders and the traveling visitors with three wholesome delicious meals a day and perfected lodging.  There were Real Estate business of the township, these with the land offices brought a booming population.  Oakwood was considered the Leon County complete settlement of business construction and operation and of captivating with a stage.