|
|
|
| |
 |
|
 |
| |
PINE SPRINGS BIRTHDAYS
Melinda Applewood--Nov. 16
 The History of Pine Springs
Pine Springs
is located in north east Texas, in the heart of the piney woods. It was first founded in 1828 by Alexander Elliott, who led
a contingent of five families from Alabama into east Texas. At that time there was a large number of Cherokee Indians living
nearby and there were several skirmishes between the settlers and the Cherokees in the early years of the settlement.
Pine Springs did not play a large part in the Texas Revolution, but many of its men fought in the war for Texas independence.
The Republic of Texas was organized in 1836, and in 1838 Pine Springs officially became a town, ten years after it first began.
The name Pine Springs was chosen in reference to a nearby pond surrounded by a ring of pine trees.
Also in
1838, President Mirabeau B. Lamar forced the Cherokee Indians to leave Texas. Their departure left several tracts of land
open for settlement, and Pine Springs grew quickly.
The first business in Pine Springs, Adler's Mercantile,
opened in 1840 and was quickly followed by several others. Pine Springs Baptist Church was built in 1848 and by 1850 the town
also had its own school.
Texas became the seventh and final southern state to secede from the Union in February,
1861. Although no battles took place in Pine Springs, many men from the town fought and died in defense of the Confederacy.
Pine Springs continued to grow during the Reconstruction era. Many new businesses sprang up, including the Pine Springs
Hotel and Restaurant, which opened in 1867.
The Texas and Pacific Railroad opened in 1872, choosing Pine Springs
as one of its stops. The town benefitted greatly from this and the population grew once more.
By 1875, Pine Springs
contained four streets crowded with businesses, including Franklin's Mercantile, Rosalynn's Cafe, Pine Springs Feed
& Seed, and many others. The town had also established a Catholic church, giving its citizens a choice of where
to worship. Capitalizing on the boom of industry that accompanied the arrival of the railroad, the town of Pine Springs
continued to expand and prosper.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
 |
| |
Character Profile: Silas Van Buren
Silas
Van Buren was born December 22, 1829 on a plantation near Louisville, Kentucky. Both his parents were slaves on the plantation,
and Silas began working at a very young age. He was just four-years-old when he was sold to a plantation owner from Louisiana.
The memory of his mother's distraught face as they took him away is something that stayed with Silas always. He never
saw either of his parents again.
Silas's new master was a hard man, but Silas was a good worker and grew up
strong and healthy. He impressed the overseer with his intelligence and abilities, eventually becoming one of his master's
most trusted slaves.
Silas was quite popular among his fellow slaves, and one of his closest friends was Joe, nicknamed
"Parson Joe" because he knew large portions of the Bible by heart. Joe witnessed regularly to his fellow slaves,
and at the age of 18, Silas trusted in Christ for his salvation. Encouraged by his new faith, Silas became convinced that
God was going to rescue him from the yoke of slavery.
In 1850 Silas married Janie, a slave girl that worked as
a maid in the master's house, and despite the hardships in their lives they were very happy together. Their first child
was born in 1851, a son named Abraham. A daughter named Pansy was born in 1853. Silas was more content than he had ever been
before. The only cloud on the horizon was the chain of slavery that bound his family to the plantation.
But in
1857 the bottom fell out of Silas's world. The plantation suffered a bad year of crops. Faced with the prospect of financial
ruin, the master sold many of his slaves, including Silas's two young children and his wife, who was expecting their third
baby. Silas tried desperately to find a way to keep them from being sold, but nothing could make the master change his mind.
Silas changed dramatically after losing his wife and children. He grew more and more bitter with each passing
day. He blamed God for what had happened and turned his back on his faith. He became obsessed with getting revenge on the
master.
The Civil War broke out in 1861 and Silas's master, along with his sons, obeyed the call
of the Confederacy and joined the army. Silas took advantage of the men's absence and fled the plantation in early 1862,
making his way west, where slavery and the war were not such pressing subjects. He moved from town to town, afraid to stay
in one place too long for fear of bounty hunters that were sure to be tracking him.
The Civil War ended in 1865
and only then did Silas feel it was safe to return to Louisiana. He immediately began searching for his lost family. He learned
that they had been sent to Mississippi, but was unable to find out what had happened to them afterwards. He gave up at last
after three years of looking.
Lonely, sad, and bitter, Silas decided to leave Louisiana and make a fresh start.
He moved to Tyler, Texas in 1868 and got a job working for a local blacksmith. He learned the trade quickly and in 1871 moved
to the small town of Pine Springs to start his own business as a blacksmith.
Hindered by the prejudices of many
of the townspeople, Silas was forced to operate his business outside the city limits. Despite this setback, he still attracted
several customers and managed to make a sufficient living for himself.
Silas's life took a change for the better
in 1875 with the arrival of Reverend John Harris, the new Baptist preacher. The minister reached out to Silas and befriended
him. Slowly the walls around Silas's heart began to melt.
Silas returned to the Lord fully after a terrifying
kidnapping experience. He officially joined the Pine Springs Baptist Church in September of 1875, becoming the first black
man ever allowed as a member.
Silas is an extremely hardworking individual and is a fierce and loyal friend. Despite
the tragedies that have occurred in his life, he now has a deep, abiding joy that only comes from true faith in the Lord.
| Silas Van Buren's cabin, near Pine Springs. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
| PINE SPRINGS HOTEL AND RESTAURANT |
|
The Pine Springs Hotel and Restaurant is owned and operated by Richard
Austin and his wife Lydia. It opened in 1867 and was a success from the start. Located conveniently on Main Street, it is
across the street from Franklin's Mercantile and is a short walk from the school and the Baptist Church. Its rooms are
spacious and beautifully furnished and the restaurant serves the finest cuisine in Pine Springs. Make your reservations today.
| FRANKLIN'S MERCANTILE |
|
Franklin's Mercantile is owned and operated by Tom Franklin and
his wife Helen. The building itself was originally owned by Frank Adler, who opened the first mercantile in Pine Springs in
1840. Tom and Helen bought the building in 1869 and in 1870 opened Franklin's Mercantile. It carries a wide variety of
merchandise, from food to clothing to novelty items. Come take a look around Franklin's Mercantile today!
| PINE SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH |
|
Looking for a place to worship? Come visit the Pine Springs Baptist
Church. The building was completed in 1848 and was the first church in Pine Springs. Sunday morning services begin at 11 a.m.
and Wednesday night prayer meeting is at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Reverend John Harris invites you and your family to come
join the congregation.
| BROOKS RANCH |
|
Brooks Ranch was founded in 1828 and today raises some of the finest horses
in the country. Owned by Everett Brooks and his sons, Brooks Ranch is by far the most successful business in or around Pine
Springs, selling horses to buyers across the state of Texas and throughout the country. If you're looking to buy a quality
horse, Brooks Ranch is the place to go. Visit it today.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
