CHAPTER VI.

Settlements at Barnard, and Himmon and Haley Mills.

The record of events of the period prior to the organization of Hood county, includes men of sister counties so intimately associated with our own people as with them to constitute one community. Indeed in those days a community of interest extended over a large territory. Barnard's mill, erected as early as about 1860, so near the confluence of the Paluxy and the Squaw creeks with the Brazos, all rich in fish, deer and turkey, as well as the soils which produced the indigenous grasses and fruits in luxuriant growth, with promise of future development into farms, seemed to be the central object about which immigration converged, and then passed up these valleys.

Allen Holley, the Swank brothers and Baldy Martin are prominent names of men who settled on Squaw creek near its mouth, and all were men of influence. Baldy Martin, who is still a leading spirit in all that affects Glen Rose and Somervell county, now at an advanced age, surrounded by a large circle of relatives, not only of his own immediate family, but of his brothers and the intermarriage relationships. A large balance of power has always been conceded to the Martin's in all the political and public concerns of this locality, and "Uncle Baldy", as he is known, has always been the chief oracle of this potent influence. Farther up the Paluxy a man by the name of Goather erected another water mill, afterwards known as Himmons & Haley's mill, now Paluxy, which also became the nucleus of another settlement, extending up the several forks of Paluxy. Worthy of mention among them are such men as Jesse Kimmel, still happy and jovial as a youth in the possession of his fine Paluxy farm, bounded on the south by a range of hill country, which long ago graphically named the "Mountains of Hepsterdam." John Meek, a man of sober demeanor, and of good influence, and one who has largely aided in the promotion of good, wholly reliable and trustworthy in all his relations as a citizen; he has raised many children, all of them who have made good citizens, and some of them are advanced in life. So that "Uncle Johnny", from the apex of a life constructed of eight decades of usefulness, looks complacently down upon the third generation of his descendants. His children were settled close about him for many years, but finally began to spread out into other parts. Abe Young, who married one daughter, has been a merchant at Strawn, Texas for some years past; Sam King, I believe is in Erath; he is another son-in-law. His two sons, Chris and Cave, have been for many years among Hood county's best farmers, but are now about to locate to coast country, where flowers, fruits and mosquitoes flourish the year round. W.S. Ethridge holds on to his mercantile business at Paluxy, where he has been engaged in business for about twenty-five years past, and is a man of wide influence. And still another son-in-law, Ben Earp, now lives near Morgan's Mill. He was the well known wit and humorist of this settlement, and on mail days, while the neighbors were waiting to be served, as on all occasions, he was ready with his wit to turn the crowd to roaring at the expense of someone. He was a good farmer as well as a joker.

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