James William Stewart

James William Stewart was a farmer in Cassady community of Hopkins County, Texas. He went by Jim or J.W. He had what was probably the only commercial business that ever existed in Cassady -- a two-pump gas station in front of his unattached garage. Customers hand-pumped the amount of gas they wanted into a clear glass container on the top of the pump. The gas was gravity-fed into the car tank.

Photo of headstone: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txhopkin/CemPhotos/BrashearCem/S/...

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Sulphur Springs News-Telegram, Aug. 25, 1957 Cuff Notes column

J.D. Rorie has reason to be excited over his "new" car. It almost qualifies as an antique and has been checked out in good operating condition, too.

The vehicle is a 1928 Chevrolet which Rorie purchased from (the estate of) Jim Stewart of Brashear. Stewart had owned the car ever since 1928, when he purchased it from the Osborn Chevrolet Company, then the local dealer. Woodrow Harrison, who was cleaning up Rorie's new purchase for a return to the roads, reported the car has been driven only 16,000 miles in its 29 years of existence and that it runs well. Only apparent weak spot, he added was an exhausted battery.

Among other things Mr. Rorie will have to do toward refurbishing his find is to get it back on the state registration rolls. The present license tag is a 1950 version.

Photo caption: OLD TIMER READY TO GO AGAIN — J.D. Rorie, Sulphur Springs implement dealer, looks over his recently purchased 1928 Chevrolet which he is planning to put back on the road soon after a long retirement. The car, which has been driven only 16,000 miles, is being cleaned up in the Woodrow Harrison Service Station. (Staff Photo by T. A. Wright)

Photo at http://www.geni.com/photo/view/2197561?album_type=photos_of_me&end=&photo_id=6000000014874246066&start=&tagged_profiles=

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James W. Stewart

By Gertrude Stewart as told to Rose Marie Jennings (Hughes)

James W. Stewart, born October 20, 1867, was the eldest child of Willis Andrew Stewart and Nan Phillips who were married in 1866 in Lauderdale County, Alabama. Willis Andrew Stewart was born to Martha A. Herman and James ("Joseph" incorrect in original) W. Stewart one year after their marriage on June 19, 1845. Soon after Willis Andrew's birth on June 20, 1846, his father died and Martha A. took the baby and went to live with her mother, Mrs. Mary Herman. Their post office was listed as Center Star, Alabama, in the 1860 census.

The National Archives was able to find only one record of the Civil War service of Willis Andrew. This was a document showing that as a volunteer he received no pay in the Eleventh Cavalry of Alabama, under Gen. Bedford Forrest, at age 18. See "My Heritage" by Jimmy Stewart for more details.

Late in the year 1882, the W.A. Stewart family moved to Hopkins County, Texas, and settled in a community called Oakland. I was always impressed with the log cabin on Grandpa Stewart's farm and I believe that Grandmother and Granddad lived there right after they married but nobody knows definitely about this. Willis Andrew Stewart died December 20, 1920, and is buried in the Ridgeway cemetery. In this area there is an old cemetery called the Stewart Cemetery which has access but no road through the Stewart property. Following are some quotes from the lengthy tribute to W.A. Stewart in the Hopkins County paper.

"In his daily life he was a plain, unassuming, unobtrusive man, polite and courteous to all. He believed in honesty, morality and industry and was of a charitable and sympathetic nature. He favored better educational facilities and endorsed and supported all attempts at bettering the social and moral standing of his community. He was a successful farmer, a good financier and though he began life very poor, yet by hard work, good management and fair dealing, he had amassed a sufficiency of this world's goods to afford him ease and comfort. His funeral services were conducted on Wednesday afternoon Dec. 22nd in the Oakland Presbyterian Church (which he had assisted in organizing and maintaining) by Rev. Fred S. Rogers of this place, assisted by Rev. W.E. Graham of Greenville, after which his remains were laid to rest in the Ridgeway Cemetery in the presence of many of his lifetime friends and associates.

- By his friend, R.W. Harris"

James W. Stewart and Mary Alice Hammonds were married September 13, 1888, in Hopkins County, Texas. Mary Alice, born September 213, 1868, was the oldest child of John Calvin Hammond and Emma Brown who were married December 5, 1867. Emma Brown was born April 12, 1849. Her mother, Mrs. Milly Brown married Stephen Shelton on January 27, 1853.

The Sheltons lived near the Hammond family and both Emma and her sister, Julie, married Hammond brothers. John Calvin Hammond and his wife and their children moved to Hopkins County,Texas, about 1880 and settled at Emblem which is 5 or 6 miles north of Oakland. The Hammond ancestors are listed in the letter written by Lela Howard for her grandchildren. John Calvin died Dec. 13, 1903, and is buried at Emblem. His wife, Emma, who died February 15, 1929, had to be buried at Greenview because the roads made a trip to Emblem impossible.

For the first 13 or 14 years of their marriage J.W. and Mary Alice Stewart lived in Oakland where all their children were born. They farmed but did not own their own farm. A central part of their lives there was attending the Presbyterian Church which "Grandpa" Stewart had helped to organize. Everyone had to be dressed in stiffly starched and ironed white clothes. That much flat-iron ironing took hours to do. The family rode to church in a surrey and completely filled a pew where no wiggling, squirming, or talking was allowed.

Mother remembers going visiting in a surrey with fringe on the top. There was one large front seat and a smaller one in back. Jenny, the horse, was afraid of a certain bridge and always jumped to one side which frightened the children. Grandmother always said, "Hold tight!" so they would not fall off.

The Cassady community was named for the large Cassady ranch which was split up and sold to buyers. The Stewarts bought a part that was to become their home for many years. At the time of its purchase there was no house on the plot but there were nearby neighbors such as the Newt Walkers (our house), Will Mangrams (Uncle Aud's house), and the Goss Walker's (Denham house). The Cassady ranch house was west of the Stewart plot but it burned soon after the move and it was not rebuilt. In order to buy the good prairie land each purchaser of 100 acres had to buy 20 acres of timber also. Since this farm was almost 200 acres, 40 acres of Big Creek Bottom land had to be bought. "Grandpa" Stewart bought the land and later transferred it to J.W.'s name. J.W. came and with the help of Mr. Mangram and Mr. Butler built enough of the house so that the family could move into it. In September of 1902, they moved into 3 rooms, one with a breezy opening for the unfinished fireplace. As it became necessary and possible, they enlarged the kitchen, added the South room, dining room and south porch.

There was no school closer than Paint Rock (a distance of two miles) so those old enough for school, (Velma, Aud, Leora, and Gertrude) had to walk to Paint Rock daily. Their dad worked to help get a school closer and the Cassady School of one room was built. Students were all ages, beginners to grown men.

The family all had to work and there was plenty to do; raising cotton, corn, lots of oats, Derhm cattle, mules, horses, hogs, geese and chickens as well as a garden and an orchard. One 25 acre block was kept as a hay meadow and has never been broken. The excess from the garden and orchard was put up for the winter. Grandmother dried her own peaches and apples and also filled many jars. Sweet potatoes were dug on the halves and put in a hill to keep as long as possible. Granddad walked to the Kennemur land and worked hard "many a day" for 75 cents a day to help feed and clothe his family. Grandmother sewed and taught the girls to sew when they were old enough. Most of them were good at making edging which was put on everything then, pillow cases, tablecloths, slips, blouses, and dresser scarves. Mother did tatting, a pretty art that very few people do anymore.

This was a large family like most were then and they ate lots of good food. Trips to town in a wagon were slow and infrequent so sugar was bought in 100 pound sacks, several 48 pound sacks of flour bought at one time, and salt was bought in large bags. During cane season, twenty or more gallons of syrup would be bought. They made their own lard and soap. Dried peas and beans were picked and stored for winter use. Occasionally a wagon with a butchered beef covered with canvas would go up and down the road selling fresh meat. Dutch peddlers sold sewing materials, etc. Wagon loads of loose peaches would pass their house on the way to a market. In 1809, Hopkins County had an estimated 1,116 acres in peaches. Those peaches are remembered as twice as big and twice as good as now. Blackberries were grown around Divide and they would take the biggest wash tub and pick it full to can.

There was a bored well for water but it was hard water so a cistern was dug for drinking water.

With all this there was still time for fun with taffy pulls, syrup pulls, popcorn, popcorn balls, checkers, and "42". A frequent statement of Grandmothers was, "If you don't stop fussing, I'll throw the dominoes away". There were singing schools, prayer meetings on Wednesday nights in Cassady school house and preaching on Sunday. Families had house parties where games were played.

One of the highlights of the year was the visit from Aunt Matt who would arrive on the train with a large trunk for a visit of several days. That trunk was as much fun as Aunt Matt and to miss the first unpacking was to miss half the fun. It always contained crisp white shirtwaists, new fashions, hats, frills, and surprises. But work had to go on regardless and sometimes those who had to go back to work in the fields after lunch resented those who could stay and watch the unpacking.

Grandmother had a never-failing habit of writing notes to fill in every day of the calendar, usually about the weather, crops, visitors, births, and deaths. On February 25, 1950, she wrote, "Fair except a few flying clouds early. A high South wind. We had lots of company today, nearly all of the children were here. They all went to Brother Johnny's funeral. Had a large crowd at Divide Church". On Christmas Eve of that year she had written, "Fair and smoky and foggy. A big dew with no wind. Cooler this morning. Cooking the turkey today. A nice Christmas Eve."

This was a close family who visited regularly and were interested in each other. Both parents lived a long full life and died before any of their children did, which is the way they wanted it. Mary Alice Stewart died at the age of 84 on August 25, 1952, from a cerebral hemorrhage. James William Stewart died at age 89 on October 31, 1956 after a short illness beginning with severe chest pains. They are buried side by side in the Brashear Cemetery.

(Minor editing by Bob Stewart)