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Archiver > Southern-Trails > 2001-05 > 0989367082


From: "Sara D" <>
Subject: Re: [SouthernTrails] Texas Trace Part 2
Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 19:11:22 -0500
References: <004601c0d7fd$e1f87c70$5a592904@user.jcpenney.com>


Nov 1st. arrived at St. Francis River...an end to the swamp. Paid $2 to
ferry across. 2nd, passed Longee toll bridge, paid $3. 3rd, level
country, beginning of small prairies. 4th, ferried White River and a bayou.
5th, "struck the grand prairie." 6th, left the prairie, "which is 30 miles
wide" 7th, rested. 8th, country flat and poor. "We passed another
Arkansas shaving machine [to wit toll gate] which cost $1." 9th, Little
Rock...country hilly, piny, poor and rocky, but the water clear and pure and
plenty. 10th, Benton. 11th, Mr. Clarke left them as he would settle in
Arkansas. Came to Rockport, then ferried the Wahatau. 12th, forded Caddo
River. 13th, set out up the Caddo, camped 3 miles from Antwine. 14th
crossed the Antwine River and after a short distance turned right. Crossed
Wolfe Creek. 15th, forded little Missouri River and "some fine creeks."
16th, traveled the road along the Sabine bottom and camped 6 miles from
Little River. 17th, ferried Little River for $2.50. 18th, bad road through
Red River bottoms. Turned up Red River here and had good road along the
bank. Camped that night on Texas soil. 19th, travel. 20th, arrived at
Clarksville in Red River County. 21st, rain and more rain and stopped in a
school house to dry their bedding. 22nd, traveled only 16 miles. 23rd,
arrived at Paris in Lamar County and went 5 more miles to "Mr. Morgan's."
24th, arrived at Honey Grove. 25th, rain and snow....arrived at Bonham in
Fannin County, "which appears to be in a growing and flourishing condition."
26th, Kentucky town at Pilot grove, then to Bing Newton's, halted to look at
the country. 28th, "found friend, John Furgason" A few days after the
19th of December [he had tried for 19 days to rent land], he purchased a
"survey on Pilet [sic] Grove Creek for which I paid $600 in gold and $300 in
a wagon and mare." He raised a house and was cutting boards to "cover"
when a note from James P. Dumas notified him that he had prior claim to the
land....he happened to be with the man from whom he, Deatherage, purchased
the land, Charles Carter, the night before the land was paid for.
Deatherage thought it strange that he waited until the house was raised
before claiming the land. Carter then gave him another section lying on the
Cedar branch of Choctaw, which he accepted.

I hope this may prove useful to someone. Happy hunting, Sara Deatherage

Jerry Coffey wrote: <snipped>
I have never determined the route the Texas Trace made that came from
Tennessee to NE Texas. The entry point of Texas at the time was at Fulton,
Arkansas. It was located on the Red River near present day Texarkana. I
assume it was through central Arkansas. Could it possibly up the Red River
frome the Mississippi, I doubt it.



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