Letter from Mary Mowinckle Johnson to Camila, February 13, 1975

Photocopy of a letter from Mary Mowinckle Johnson to a woman named Camila. The letter goes into details about Johnson's time as a teacher at the Eanes Rock Schoolhouse and she also inquires about the Marshall family.

Transcribed text

_The following text was extracted via OCR from the digitized scan held by The Portal to Texas History (UNT Libraries). OCR can introduce errors, especially on handwritten material; the canonical record links to the original scan._

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Dear Camila: I have just read your letter. The stories about pioneer families in Travis Co. published 1956 in a book Oak Hill, Cedar Valley Pioneers and edited by Mrs. Mary Mowinckle Johnson has some information. There is one abet Charles Johnson family written by Janie May Johnson Greer. Ethel should have a copy of the book. There is also a story about the H.B. Marshall who was (an) early settler of Eanes. Mrs. Marshall was Viola Eanes. Her father lived in Austin. To find out when they purchased land, go to the County Court House - ask the County Clerk to let you see the records of land deals of those early years. It will be under the name of those who bought land. I taught Eanes school in 1903. I knew the Marshalls - used to visit in their home. They had two daughters - Mildred who married .... North East Pennsylvania. She wrote this story. Sshe had no children. .... had 2 or 3 - one is a special friend of Mar... Holemann Thaxton. There were several Marshall boys - John was the last one. He died a few years ago. Does't Edward Johnson know anything about the family? If Ethel doesn't have a book there should be one in the Travis Co. Library - I am sure Ada Nolen (4609 Tejas Trail, Austin, Tex. Ph. 444-5272) has a book. She used to work at the Court House in Fritz Robinson Office. Both Mr. and Mrs. Marshall attended the Pioneer Association meetings during their life time. After she died and he was too old to drive, Frank and Gertrude Johnson brought him. He was the one who got his two main neighbors, John Carlson and Henry Johnson interested in building a school house. That was the building I taught in 72 years ago. Henry Johnson didn't have children in school 100 years ago. Frank was 6 months younger than I am. He was born December, 1885. It does't sound possible that school is 100 years old. Don't you all have clipping about Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Johnson in a newspaper. There was a pictuare of them and the Johnson house. I have a copy but it is in a box at Mar.... By reading about schools in Pioneer Book, it says after public lands of Texas were declared school land, revenues from rentals, leases and sale provided the first apportionment for public schools. S.C. Sneed was

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appointed supervisor for Travis County. He appointed Trustees J.M. Patton, Robert Eanes, and Mr. Turley. Trustees were elected in each Community desiring schools. The year was 1879. So it seems Eanes will have to wait 4 more years before they can get a marker. Mr. Eanes did starat a Sunday School and later got a church organized. The abotive mentioned families were the foundation of the Eanes settlement. I am sorry this so scattered but I consulted my book and read the 3 stories - schools, Chas Johnson - H.M. Marshall- Grandpa Johnson was living when I first knew the family. He died in Aug 1904 I think before I married

Mary Mowinkle Johnson

Original record: metapth1065523 on the Portal to Texas History.