God formed a little verdant spot
And filled it with His bounty;
Men come to dwell within its bounds,
And named it “Upshur County.”
About one hundred years ago, the history of Upshur County began.
As one drives over our modern highways, through our towns and villages,
and passes the beautiful country homes by the wayside, he can hardly
realize the condition of the country one hundred years ago. No towns, no
homes, no roads, with this vast expanse of territory occupied by wild
animals and a few Indians. The hoot of the owl and the yell of the
savage were the only sounds that broke the lonely solitude.
During the period of the Texas republic, a number of emigrants from the
older states were induced to settle in Texas, but most of them settled
in the southern part of the state near San Antonio or Goliad, while a
few settled in East Texas near Nacogdoches.
The Civil War checked the emigration for a while, but after the war
closed, Texas was making liberal offers to settlers, and all roads
leading to Texas were crowded with emigrants to the Lone Star State.
Upshur County, in the eastern part of the state, lay in their path, and
was settled at an early date and by a high class of citizens. This part
of the state was well watered and timbered, and was well stocked with
wild game, so the early settler had little trouble in building his home
and procuring food for his family.
Log houses were first built near some bubbling spring where an abundance
of pure water could be had. As there were many fine timbers here, the
early log cabins soon gave way to larger and better homes. Crude
sawmills were soon built which converted this timber into lumber for
building purposes.
A few of these old pioneer log houses have been preserved until the
present time, monuments of the pioneer days.
The living conditions in Upshur County were very simple in the early
days. They had few luxuries and knew nothing of modern conveniences. But
they made the best of what they had and were contented and happy. Every
home was a miniature manufacturing plant. They made their own clothes
and shoes, and, in fact, almost everything else used by the family. The
spinning wheel and loom were kept busy in every home. In those days,
large families of children were common, and these youngsters were taught
to work. Many little girls, five or six years old, prided themselves on
their skill in sewing and knitting. The men and boys wore home spun
jeans. Little money was possessed by the settlers and little was needed.
Home made wagons, with wheels cut from large black gum trees, with
wooden spindles, were common in those early days. The wagons were
usually drawn by a yoke of oxen and the creaking noise made by the wagon
informed the neighbors when someone was going along the road.