to Van Zandt County "Post Offices, Cities, Towns and People" by Kitty Wheeler of Grand Saline, TX Kitty Wheeler of Grand Saline spent several years researching the post offices, cities, towns and people of Van Zandt County. A portion of her work was published by the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society in "Histories and Biographies of Van Zandt County, Vol. II," which is still in print and available for purchase by sending a check or money order for $60 to the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1388, Canton, TX 75103. This volume contains a portion of her post office research plus over 500 biographies of Van Zandt County citizens. Kitty Wheeler has generously given us exclusive permission to use all or part of her 500 page original manuscript. We are beginning with only part of her entire amazing work but we will complete this site as quickly as possible.
Index Post Office Index Post Office was established 16 Nov 16, 1901. The two gentlemen that served as postmasters and their appointment dates are as follows: Lee W. Bateman, 16 Nov 1901, and Zack B. Daughterty, 23 Jun 1903, discontinued 31 Aug 1905, and moved to Canton.
The name written in on the application for the proposed post office was Rebe. A line is drawn through this and above is written Index. On the application it also stated that Edgewood is five miles north and Canton is five and one-half miles south and Myrtle Springs is five miles southwest. The application was signed 15 Aug 1901, by Lee W. Bateman and the Edgewood postmaster, James R. Odom. On a present map the site of Index can be located just a little over a mile northwest of State Hwy. 19 on VZC Rd. 3103. in earlier days there was a road that intersected 3103 there and went over to Farm Rd. 859.
Lee W. Bateman, born September 1869, in Texas, married Ula Batts 1 Oct 1897. Ula was born February 1880, in Alabama. The general merchandising store at Index could quite possibly have belonged to Mr. Bateman before it belonged to Zach B. Daugherty, the second postmaster. Mr. Daugherty's daughter, Fanny, married G.W. Batts 4 Apr 1909. Zacharia Bay Daugherty and his wife, Mattie, came to Texas from Illinois by covered wagon in 1883. Their daughter Fanny was born two weeks after they arrived in Texas.
In January 1904, W.T. Sanders and Fate Brannon purchased a store at Index, and Prof. Larogue of Bibb, Comanche County had been employed to teach the school at Crooked Creek, near Index, the fall session of 1903, and the spring session of 1904. He and his family had moved to Index.
In March 1904, D.F. Riley of Index reported farming going on nicely. There were a great many Irish potatoes being planted and some of the farmers were talking of planting some King (cotton) seed, but the cotton acreage wasn't expected to increase. People were giving their attention to hog raising and general diversifying. The sweet potato crop was coming on well and ribbon cane acreage was expected to increase. Mr. Riley had 1-1/2 acres in cane last year and after putting up seed for the next year and paying all expenses of making up the syrup, he had $100 to the good. He was planning to plant 2-1/2 acres the next year.
The following is a description of Index made by a representative of the Wills Point Chronicle in December 1904, "A.B. Daughterty is the courteous and efficient postmaster and has a well appointed mercantile establishment.
"W.L. Branan, a merchant at the gin, I found very affable and kind. The gin is a union enterprise, owned and run by several citizens, and is a good piece of machinery, managed by John Bateman, who understands the business and is a hustler generally.
"The farms indicate an industrious citizenship and when I met with the Martins, the Batemans, the Williams, the Halls, the Hands, the Baileys, the Beards and many other too numerous to mention, I was no longer surprised at the improvements of the past ten years.
Dr. J.W. Belote, formerly of Cedar Grove, is their practicing physician and the lines have fallen to him in a pleasant place.
"The two nights we spent in that vicinity were with James Williams and Robert Martin, both of whom spared no pains to entertain me."
The people of Index had the services of a grist mill and a syrup mill as well as the businesses listed above.
In the spring of 1904, there was quite a bit of building going on at Index. Hugh Hall had built him a new house, Smith Hand had built a rent house and Joe Hand was building him a two-story residence on his other 100 acres of land. Joe was also planning to put out a large orchard.
The Union gin had done a good business the last season. They had ginned 1000 bales of cotton.
The school at Index was getting along nicely with Prof. Ab Hubbard as teacher. The children all liked him and the parents felt assured he knew how to conduct a school.
The people of Index were invited to attend preaching services once a month at the school house led by Bro. M.L. Hunt.
Today, perhaps some of the descendants of these good people worship in the church that is still active in this community, the Willow Springs Baptist Church. There is nothing more left of this village of Index.Back to Post Offices Index Page Back to the Genealogical Research Group's Home Page You are the person to visit this page since June 7, 2006
This page last updated 26 August 2006Van Zandt County Genealogical Research Group Website
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Sibyl Creasey
