James A. Scott, Gainesville Texas 1891

James A Scott was the son of Dr. George Lackey Scott (born in Dresden Tennessee) and Mary Applewhite Manion.  His grandfather was William Shanks Scott who is interred in the Scott Family Cemetery in Weakley county.  

In this letter James mentions Uncle Rufi and Aunt Mat.  Rufi was Rufus Franklin Scott, George Lackey Scott's brother, who married Martha Helen Moran, John W. Moran's sister.  You may remember that Rufus and Martha made the move to Texas in 1858.  James also mentions Bettie Watkins, a girl he danced with and apparently had been sweet on but was too slow to take action since he says another man moved in and took her.  That's actually kind of sad considering that his death certificate indicates he was single.  It also tells us that he was Court Clerk at the Court of Civil Appeals and that he died from pneumonia with contributing factors being a fractured hip and diabetes.  He was born March 24 1864 and died January 23 1942.  James A Scott is interred at Fairview Cemetery in Gaineseville Texas with his parents and many other Scott relatives.

Gainesville Texas

June 4 1891

Miss Fannie Moran,

      Dresden Tenn.

My Dear Cousin,

You did not keep your word old girl, you promised to send me one of your pictures when I sent mine, and you had better start it down here or I will come over there and make things pretty warm for you.  (So he sent Fannie a picture which means we might actually have him here but he's not identified)

Cousin Fannie I appreciated your nice and interesting letter very much, was glad to know my Coz would answer my letter.

Uncle Rufi and Aunt Mat are in Kansas City and everything seems very lonesome up at his house now.  I was up to see Cousin Annie yesterday evening a little while made a fashionable call something like the one I made in the evening when you were here and left without any on knowing I was going.

The young people had a picnic yesterday and the Christian Church one to day, up on Washita River in the

Indian Territory had a special train and just think of it I did get to go to either one of them, had to work as usual, have not been any place since you left here.

Say Coz Fan, did my Tennessee Cousins think I ought to have horns? because I was raised in Texas well anyway I suppose you have convinced them that Texas people look like any other people have you not?

What do you think Miss Bettie Watkins (the girl I danced so much with) has gone back on me, I let another fellow get ahead of me, as usual I was too slow.

Well give my kindest regards to Cousin S- and little Marion and your father and write soon to your

Texas Cousin

  James A Scott

The Scott Family Cemetery is located near Martin Tennessee on private property.

Gainesville Texas Court Square ca 1885

This image was taken about 1885 in Gainesville Texas.  I was able to identify the place using some of the names on the shop signs.   John Moran's sister Martha and her husband Rufus Franklin Scott moved from Dresden to Gainesville in 1858 in a "rockaway carriage".  In a letter posted here, one of Kent's relatives writes with the story of how Martha and Rufus made their way in a wagon train "manned by their three slaves".  There's a picture of the Scott family on that page as well.

Merchants:

Robert D. Gillenwaters was a grocer and the only one I've been able to positively identify at this time.  He was the son of Rev. Edward Campbell Gillenwaters who also was a furniture dealer in Gainesville. Robert's mother was Eliza Jane Harris Gillenwaters.  He married Camilla "Mela" Manion Elliott.  Robert died in September 1900.  His wife Camilla appears on the 1900 Census census rolls as an inmate at the State Lunatic Asylum in Austin.  Camilla was the daughter of Camilla Jane Manion and Dr. M.A. Elliott.  He served as 1st Asst. Surgeon with Co. E 9th Cav. Texas.

J.L. Noth & Co. Saddles and harness

Rubey's Shoe Store, boots, shoes & hats

Bone Bros. Dry Goods

Atkinson & Bro. Boots, Shoes.  Hats & Gents Furnishing Goods

Cheatham & Haley Drugs.

To the far left you can see the iron fence of the courthouse.

Scott Home, Gainesville Texas, ca. 1870's

We believe this is the home of Rufus Franklin Scott and his wife Martha Helen Moran, the sister of John Williamson Moran.  The Scott's made their way to Gainesville Texas in 1858 in a rockaway carriage with their three slaves which had been given to them as wedding presents.

The couple had five children: William, Moran, Arthur Carroll, Oscar Franklin and Berry.   Arthur Carroll Scott would go on to become a leading cancer specialist and co-founder of the Scott and White Hospital which is now known as the Scott & White Healthcare, one of the country's leading multi-specialty groups in the United States.  His death in 1940 was attended by such notables as Governor and Mrs. W. Lee O'Daniel, seven past presidents of the Texas Medical Association, a president of the American Medical Association as well as many other colleagues, friends and family.