Elias Hankins

Served in the Home Guard of the Texas Calvary during the U.S. Civil War.

 Seems like he might have wounded by a mini ball in his ankle during the war and had trouble with it many years.  

He went to the Veterans Hospital years later after it started getting worst in Greenwood Texas. He tied himself onto a horse and rode from the NewBoston, Texas area to Greenwood, Tx and sold the horse and went to the hospital had his leg amputate and used the balance on the ale of the horse to pay for transportation back home near New Boston, Tx.

Family members that Elias had made a lead sheath to wrap around his leg to protect it from being hurt b hires when he put shoes on the horses. He was a blacksmith. Applied for a patent for a plow in 1915

He had several amputations 1st just above the ankle 2nd just below the nee 3rd above knee. He had ostiomylitus (sp), cancer of the bone (sometimes called white leg), He also had a leg brace and as a blacksmith he would pour out debris out of his high top boot at the end of the day. Also obtained a paton for a plow in 1915.

He and his family moved from Freestone County, Streetman., Texas (near Corsicana, Texas) to the "Big" Woods in Bowie County, Tx near New Boston Tx in approximately 1917 where he had bought land unseen but he had believed was cleared.

Upon arrival he found out that it had not be cleared and had to be dependent on the older boys to hep clear it to grow food.

However Jim,Arthur, and Roy "Dutch" left for W.W.I and Rache who was married to Helen Morris had a baby girl Lee who died . This left Ola, Myrtle, Irene, E.O. and Joe Bailey to fend for themselves.

Pappy Dad (Elias) used to sit in a square back chair and when the children would run around his chair he would catch them E.O. and Marie on the Murphreeburro, (sp?) lease where Marie was born.

He must have been a very determined man.

He is buried next to Oa his 2d wife in Rose-hill Cemetery in Texarkana, Tx.