Boren-Reagor
Springs Historical Society This website
is dedicated to maintaining, for posterity, the history of
the community and its early settlers, along with other related
facts of the community. To help preserve the History
of the Boren-Reagor Springs Cemetery located in Reagor
Springs, Ellis County, Texas.
See the Whole Story of the Boren Cemetery
Directions to the
cemetery:
2006 Newsletter
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Contents
History of the Boren Cemetery & Reagor Springs
Reagor Springs, midway between Ennis & Waxahachie, tells the simple story of the courageous pioneers who settled near the several springs shaded by fine trees. They turned a wilderness into a pleasant community. The springs were named for Captain John Reagor, who came to the area in 1849. The first settler of the area was Southerland Mayfield, who came in 1844. Captain Reagor, a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans, came from Mississippi by wagon train bringing his family with him. He purchased over a thousand acres including the springs area. Most of his children settled around him. In 1847 the Borens came to Ellis County, at that time it was Navarro County, and was a wilderness, with streams and creeks flowing in several places. Mustang Creek was named from large droves of Spanish Mustang ponies roaming its banks; Waxahachie is the Indian name for "cow"; and the Arkikosa River was named by the Indians in the area and was later changed to Trinity River by the Spanish for the Deity. If you know someone who is buried in the Boren Cemetery, please let us know. We would like to document the information for the Ellis County Historical Commission and the Ellis County Genealogy Society. Present Day Boren Cemetery
Future of the Boren Cemetery Hey...We're all gettin' old!
We need Young People to help with the Cemetery! Right now we have a group of people who are very dedicated, but in 10 years, if no young people get involved, we all have to ask...Where will the cemetery be? Hopefully, not like it was 7 years ago?
Contact Information & Directions to the Cemetery
Please send all
donations to: Directions to the
cemetery:
An affidavit in Bell's pension application by one Alex Rogers states as follows: "I knew J. W. Bell in Jefferson Co. Tenn., long before the war. I belonged to Co. A 1st E. Tennessee Cav. in 1862. We were at Knoxville, Perryville & Chickamauga when I was captured. I personally know he served till Sept '63. I saw him almost every day up to that time. He was a good soldier, never deserted or abandoned his post." Without doubt, John W. Bell was witness to many historical events, but survived with his memories until the good old age of 80 years and was laid to rest in the Boren Cemetery under a tomb simply inscribed: "John W. Bell, Co.G Tenn. CSA Inf." John W. Bell married Rhoda Whalen Dandridge, Tenn on July 7, 1860. But was widowed by 1865. He lived in the Brushy Creek area in Ellis County. His second marriage was to Ruth Jane (Graham) Edmundson on 3 Aug 1865 in Ellis Co, TX. She was the widow of Samuel Eves Jeffers. From the Family history of Aline Jones. "The home of John W. Bell still stands at Brushy Creek. I have photos of it. It was restored around 1970 and was owned by a banker in Dallas. It has since been sold. Not sure what condition it is in at present. It was a fabulous house at one time. We were told that it was used as a stop over for wagon trains and for travelers who needed provisions for their horses, and food for the men. My great, great grandmother Mary Louisa died in that house, and is buried in the Couch Cemetery. In 1975, the Graham family had a reunion in Waxahachie and we visited that house. Lynn Jeffers, grandson of Ruth Jane Graham Bell, was in attendance. Lynn was blind, but as a young man had been in that home many times. He was able to describe everything about the house, although he had been blind for many years. He was 85 years old at that time. He was born in 1890 in Navarro County, Texas, son of George Jeffers." If you have any information on John W. Bell, please contact Stacy Cooke at scooke@consolidated.net
Nancy Boren was born in Virginia around 1754 and died in Ellis County on 11 February 1851. There is a possibility that she is buried in Boren Cemetery, Reagor Springs, Texas. But we do know that her son Michael & Riley Boren dedicated the land for the Cemetery. Nancy's husband, James Boren, Sr., died in Hempstead, Arkansas 20 December 1826 and is buried there. In 1828 Nancy and seven of her children (Michael, Joseph, Elijah, Matthew, Mary Polly, Delilah Hudson, and Sarah) and their families came to Texas. James stayed in Arkansas and William M. Boren came to Texas in 1833. Nancy was lured to Texas by promise of land. Nancy Boren received a Mexican Land Grant from the State of Coahuila and Texas on Sept. 1, 1835. This league of land is located in what is today Milam Co. This grant was subsequently found to be in conflict with an earlier grant issued to Jose Antonio Pena in 1833. The Boren title is listed as cancelled according to the Abstract of All Original Texas Land Titles. Nancy Boren's title is now in Box 37, Folder 71 of the Spanish Collection of this office. Nancy Boren also applied for Admission to Stephen F. Austin and Samuel M. Williams' colony in 1834. This petition for admission (Box 25, Folder 23) indicates that she was a widow and 64 years of age. In later years Nancy moved to Ellis County to be near her sons Joseph and Michael. On the 1850 Ellis County census Nancy is listed as 96 years of age and living with her son Joseph and his wife Annie. She died in Ellis County, Texas on 1 February 1851 leaving behind for her children the 2,222 acres of land in Milam County, Texas. She was truly the spirit of a Pioneer Woman in Texas.
Michael Boren was born 10 March 1806, Warren County, Kentucky and died 11 July 1875 in Reagor Springs, Texas. He is buried in Boren Cemetery. Michael and his first wife Bettie Morrow lived in Austin County, Texas near old Washington-on-the-Brazos as early as 1829. He was a hero in the fight for Texas Independence. He served as a colonel under Sam Houston in Sterling W. Robertson Co., Army of the Republic of Texas and was discharged, receiving 320 acres of land for his service. His wife, Bettie, and their 3 children were involved in The Runaway Scrape after the fall of the Alamo and before the Battle of San Jacinto. Bettie died after her son Albert was born and is buried in Burleson County, TX. Michael married his second wife, Mary Ann and had 9 children. They moved to Ellis County in 1847 and settled 2 miles east of Reagor Springs, Texas. At that time Reagor Springs was in Navarro County. Michael hauled lumber and groceries with oxen from Shreveport, Louisiana to Reagor Springs, Texas. Most of his children settled in the area. On his tombstone is "Here lies a Texas Veteran and Christian". Michael married his third wife, Mary Eliza Cooke, sister of Henry L. Cooke. Michael and Mary were married after June 1860. Their daughter Anna was born in 1861. He was 53 at the time of the marriage and Mary was 36.
Henry Lechmere Cooke was born in Newbern, North Carolina on December 23, 1809. Henry brought his family to Texas in 1856 and settled on Mustang Creek. He was a schoolteacher who taught in a log cabin behind the Church of Little Bethel; a Baptist Church organized in 1859 where Henry and his wife, Martha, were both charter members. When Henry died October 11, 1885, his daughter, Sallie, had just given birth to her son Billy 2 weeks earlier. The body was in the casket in a wagon to be carried to Boren Cemetery. She was weak and still in bed and didn't go to the funeral, but, because she wanted to see her father once more, two uncles lifted her up to see him in the wagon.
Rhoda Wheat was the 2nd child of Michael & Bettie Boren. She is buried in the Boren Cemetery. She was born 27 August 1831, Austin County, Texas and died before 28 September 1868 in Ellis County, Texas. She married James Wheat 26 April 1848 in Lamar County, Texas. James Wheat died before 28 September 1868 and is buried in the Boren Cemetery. James & Rhoda bought a farm from Wm. Gaston and Eleanor Catherine (Kendall) Cooke. The deed was delivered 25 June 1859. On 25 August 1877, the home place was 115 acres. At that time Wm. M. Boren was Administer of the estate. James & Rhoda died leaving behind 5 minor children; James, William Riley, Sarah Eliza, Texana, & Joseph. On 28 September 1868 Michael Boren, the children's grandfather, was appointed Administrator of James & Rhoda's estate, dying without a will. After Michael died, Wm. M. Boren was appointed temporary Administrator on 21 July 1875 and guardian of the 5 children.
Henraetta Wheatley was the third daughter of Pierce Henry Wheatley and his first wife, Sarah. She is buried in the Boren cemetery, along with her half sister Ora Belle Wheatley. She was born in Henderson County, Tennessee 14 April 1863. In 1878 she came to Ellis County, Texas with her father and his second wife and their seven other children. She died 21 July 1895.
Information on Books on Boren History & the Cemetery "Borens, Past & Present" by Helen Meeks This book is 499 pages of Boren history. The book covers from John Boren 1726 to present day. Also, Helen has a section on mis-placed lines. She felt they tied into John Boren, but just could not put them together. All profits go to the Boren Reagor Springs Historical Society for the preservation of the cemetery. If interested in purchasing a copy just contact: Denise Maddox
"The History of Boren Cemetery" by Nancy Boren Solohubow Excerpt from a book in progress describing the history & preservation of the cemetery: Remembering the William Arnold Lewis Family Five members of the Lewis Family are buried in the Boren Cemetery. William Arnold, his son Oscar and two grandsons (William Oscar and the Infant son of Jim and Faye Lewis). Elizabeth Davis was the unmarried sister-in-law of William Arnold. William Arnold Lewis was born April 1, 1847, in Mannings District, NC. He enlisted December 20, 1862 in Pitt County, NC as a private in the 17th Regiment of Infantry Co. K (Moore's Roster of NC Troops, V. 2, p. 68). Mr. Ramsour was one of his commanding officers. After the Civil War William journeyed to Texas and settled in Ellis County. He married Emma Jane Davis, who was born on the Davis family property in Red Oak, TX, July 27, 1854. Emma's sister Elizabeth and three brothers were born on the family homestead also. The sixth generation of the Davis family lives there currently. To submit information to be included in the book contact: Nancy Boren Solohubow
Other Boren History Several Borens and Maddoxes were involved in this feud in the Four Corners area of Fannin, Grayson, Collin, and Hunt counties. Website with my Boren History...please visit...Denise (Historian & Web Designer for BRSHS)
John W. Bell and the 43rd TN Infantry
The 43rd was organized at Knoxville, Tenn. during the winter of 1861, mustering into service on December 14, 1861. Company G was comprised of men from Jefferson County. Learn more about the 43rd by reading an account of John W. Bell's service to this division by Stacy Cooke. Borens in the Civil War First Muster Roll of Captain Alfred Johnson's Texas Spy Company of Cavalry Unattached Texas Volunteers, reorganized for the un-expired term of three years or the War from the first of September, 1862, commanded by the Commander in Chief of the Texas Military District, called into the service of the Confederate States, in the Provisional Army, under the provisions of the Act of Congress passed February, 1862 (date of this muster), for the un-expired term of three years or the War, unless sooner discharged.
Contributors to this page: Helen Meeks, Bud
& Nana Lou Dudley, Denise Maddox Webmaster for the
BRSHS Denise Maddox © 1997 Denise Maddox
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John W. Bell A Confederate Soldier
