Selected Families and Individuals

Notes


Lorenzo Dow NICHOLS "Jr"

1.  Education:  Graduate of University of Missouri & University of Chicago Law School.

2.  Occupation:  Attorney, Chicago, Illinois.

3.  Lived in Flat River, Missouri in 1951.


Austin CHOATE

1.  Austin was an energetic livestock man.

2.  In 1901 San Saba County had one of the severest drouths of its history.  Many cattle men moved their herds out of the county  to grass.  That year the divide between the San Saba and Llano Rivers, in Menard and Junction City country was favoreed by good rains and the grass there was fine.  Thomas Sloan found grass on the Gentry Creek and Big Saline, but was unable to lease it, so bought several thousand acres.  He hurried home and soon had about 1200 head of his drouth-stricken cattle rounded up to send to the new ranch.  His son, Jym A. Sloan, drove this herd through.  Another herd of 500 or more was soon rounded up and sent to the new ranch with Sloan's son-in-law, John T. Baker, as trail boss.  On this drive Austin Choate was cook and grub wagon boss.  Austin remembered cattle better than any other man in the drive.  One of the fundamental considerations of a real cow man is to remember individually his cattle.

    Austin's father, "Uncle Gabe", served in the Mexican War in 1846.  He told many experiences like the following:

    Two children, Tobe and Rebecca Jackson, had been stolen by Indians who had murdered the rest of the family about 20 to 30 miles down the Colorado River from their camp.  This happened in 1858.  The Jackson's were killed at their ranch on Pecan Creek, now Mills County.  The Indians were followed by the rangers under the command of Lt. Gid Cowan and about 30 or 40 citizens.  The pursuit party seems to have dwindled however, to about 8 or 10 citizens and a detachment of rangers including Uncle Gabe.  They came upon the Indians camped on the head of Bitter Creek, Nolan County, and were successful in recapturing the children together with about 78 head of horses.


Walter Scott SIMMONS

1.  The Walter Simmons family lived on a beautiful farm near Ada, Oklahoma, where all the kin and neighbors have been and are still welcomed to enjoy its beauty and hospitality in good ol fashioned "get-together's".  They enjoy feast laden tables and horseback riding and all the entertainment that goes with a family Sunday Dinner in the country.  Vera, who later lived on the Old Place mothered all the family and distant kin and entertained in the same hearty generous fashion as did her fore bearers.  She was a teacher in the public schools at Ada.


Vera Mae SIMMONS

1.  Occupation:  School Teacher in Ada Public Schools

2.  Note:  This writer, Earl Jones, believes he was in Mrs. Simmons 9th grade Algebra Class at Ada Junior High School about 1950.