Shelby County Today

April 28, 2016 - Joshua Hall Truitt was born in North Carolina on 11/21/1829 to James and Sarah Hall Truitt. His family migrated to Texas in 1838 and arrived before his tenth birthday.  By 1840, the Truitt family settled in what is now known as the Pine Ridge area on lands where the Truitt cemetery is located.

Joshua grew up helping the family farm the land they had settled. His father, James A Truitt, was very involved in the affairs of the Republic of Texas and served in the Congress of the Republic in 1846 and 1847.

Following the lead of his oldest brother, Alfred M. Truitt, Joshua served with the Moderators in the local civil war and later enlisted in The First Texas Cavalry Regiment to fight in the Mexican War under Col. John C. Hays. He returned to Shelby County two years later in 1849 after being certified disabled.

The 1850 Shelby County Census shows twenty-year-old Joshua Truitt still living at home with his parents and younger siblings.

In 1852 Joshua married Mary Jane Ross who had just had her 14th birthday.

The Truitts were the first known contracted mail carriers for Shelby County. During the 1850’s through the 1860’s Joshua and his brother, Levi Marion contracted to bring mail from Natchitoches, La. to areas of East Texas ranging from Marshall to Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Jasper. 

Masonic records from 1854 show Joshua Hall Truitt to be a charter member of Truitt Lodge # 149 which met at A.m. Truitt’s store.

1856 found Joshua Truitt in charge of cleaning out the Sabine River from Logansport/Brookland to Orange to facilitate increased transport of goods via the river.

Duty called again, and in 1863 Joshua enlisted with Captain D.M. Short’s Company E Third Regiment Texas Cavalry of the CSA. After two years and fighting in several battles, Joshua received orders to return home and resume mail delivery.

During the 1860’s Joshua Truitt served terms as County Commissioner and as Texas State Legislator. Later he operated a general mercantile store.

Joshua and Mary Jane had ten children. Mary died in 1913, and Joshua in 1916. Both are Buried in the Truitt Cemetery.

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas will be honoring Joshua Hall Truitt with a Citizen of the Republic Medallion Ceremony at the Truitt Cemetery Homecoming on May 7th, 2016. The public is invited to attend.

Direct descendants of Joshua Hall Truitt are eligible to apply for membership in The Daughters of the Republic of Texas or The Sons of the Republic of Texas organizations. For information contact Maggie Casto at 936-248-3361.

Sources:

1. History of Shelby County, Texas Published 1988 Vol. I by Shelby County Historical Society.
2. United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLG-XM4 : accessed 27 April 2016), Joshua Truit in household of James Truit, Shelby county, part of, Shelby, Texas, United States; citing family 29, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/cem_pics/cem_truitt.htm
4. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/military/shortmusterroll.htm 
5.  Freemasonry in Shelby County, Texas 1846-1900 Published in 1965 by J.B. Sanders

Click the photo above for the full size image.

April 28, 2016 - Photo by Shelby County Today - Bo Barbe, a public educator in Shelby County for over 34 years was honored by his family and friends with a Roughrider Memorial plaque on Thursday, April 28, 2016. Mr. Barbe, a 1953 Center high School graduate was a big believer in education. He earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Stephen F. Austin.

During his 34 years in public education he spent 12 years at Excelsior Common School, 5 years Shelby County Co-op, 1 year Timpson ISD, and 16 years Center ISD - First Director of Special Education. Bo had been serving on the Excelsior ISD School Board for 19 years at the time of his death.

His wife, Linda Barbe, also taught kindergarten at Excelsior and Center ISD for 29 years. She attended Cooper Arcadia School 1st thru 3rd grades and graduated Timpson High School in 1956; Stephen F. Austin in 1972, and gained a Masters Degree at Stephen F. Austin in 1984. Their children, John Barbe and Deb Poquette helped Linda write the following note describing him to the recipient of the first scholarship to be awarded in his name next month.

Bo Barbe was many thing to many people. To the students in his classrooms, Mr. Barbe was a giant of a man with deep compassion for children and learning. To the many kids he influenced outside his classrooms, Mr. Bo taught many lessons. Lessons he learned as a boy growing up in Shelby County; he showed kids how to farm, work hard and respect the land.

He taught many to hunt and fish and love the outdoors; he taught the correct way to grip a baseball and he showed how an education sets the groundwork for success later in life. To his many friends and co-workers, he was always there with a big grin and sage advice... most of the time it even was asked for. He expected the best from his students and teachers and was usually rewarded in seeing them exceed not only his expectations but theirs as well!

From the Barbe Family, we were lucky to call him Husband, Dad and Poppa. We wish you much success and hope this scholarship helps you soar far beyond your goals and exceed your teachers expectations.

April 26, 2016 - The Junior Chamber of Commerce (JCC) program is bigger than it has ever been. The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce had a record setting year with 307 members signup for the 2015-2016 term from all the Shelby County Schools. The program has 54 seniors of the 307 members who are graduating in May. Many of those graduating have been JCC members since their 8th grade year and have represented the Chamber and the community for six years.

Congratulations to the following seniors and thank you for your service to the Chamber of Commerce and for your community involvement.

Center High School - (Junior Chamber of Commerce) Mayra Hernandez, Jacqueline Alvarado, Juan Apolonio, Deja Goodwin, Sarai Ramos, Gabriela Castaneda, Rosalva Huerta, Emily Campbell, Merari Gonzalez, Brylee Hendricks, Brianna Cox, Kori Bailey, Stephanie Presa, Daniela Garcia, Brittany Lawrence, Marissa Birdwell, Hunter Wigington, Arnol Escobedo, Chloe Gipson, Elizabeth Hernandez, Tynequa McGee, (Young Ambassadors) Sara Lindsey, Noemi Guerrero, Juan Garcia, Paloma Ruiz, Sydnee Denney

Joaquin High School - (Junior Chamber of Commerce) Kristen Harvey, Jasmine White, Dustin Romsey, Julianna Martin, Shelby Diven, (Young Ambassadors) Destiny Cooper, Cole Powdrill, Lavadezamen Atkins, Maddison Andres, Colby Hamilton, Alexis Byrd

Shelbyville High School - (Junior Chamber of Commerce) Marrissa Roberts, Jabria Jenkins, (Young Ambassadors) Devenne Smith, Cleosha Jeter, Wytavia Jones, Ty Miller, Christasha Johnson

Tenaha High School - (Junior Chamber of Commerce) Tyler Muckelroy, Colton Goeke

Timpson High School - (Young Ambassadors) Kiasmin Page, Cadey Belrose, Rocio Venegas, Whitley Cantrell, Hannah Wolf, Anna Cuevas, Bethany Lindgren, Vanesa Pacheco, Kara Thorne

Junior Chamber of Commerce (JCC) members are Shelby County students who are in the 8th to 12th grades that meet the criteria and as JCC members they assist the Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors in various projects and opportunities of hospitality and service. They assist in many chamber and community events. JCCs must wear their Chamber shirts which are a dark blue when volunteering.

For JCC members to become a Young Ambassador, they are required to have been a JCC for 2 years and a junior or senior in school. As a Young Ambassador they are required to fulfill more chamber and community hours than JCCs. Young Ambassadors wear a hunter green shirt when volunteering.

April 26, 2016 - Larry Black Shares Lawsonville History and Miles Cemetery Restoration with TAGHS

Even with the advent of the internet and the ability to search records online, genealogical research is often difficult. African American genealogy is doubly challenging because slaves were usually not identified in the census and birth and death records were seldom kept.  San Antonio resident and retired Air Force veteran A. W. “Larry” Black has not been deterred by these challenges as he has sought to learn more about his ancestors, many of whom came to Rusk County as slaves.

A native of Lawsonville, a mostly disappeared community in southeast Rusk County, just north of Concord, Mr. Black was introduced to genealogy by a neice. Mr. Black's father had told him that their ancestors came from Alabama by way of Louisiana in 1857 as the slaves of Benjamin Franklin Miles, who settled near Lawsonville and started a plantation. Mr. Black's research bore this out and revealed the existence of the Miles Cemetery somewhere near Lawsonville, where the Miles and many of their slaves are buried. Mr. Black's brother said that he believed he knew where the cemetery, now located on private property and unkept, was located. Permission was granted by the current landowner, who knew the cemetery's location but nothing of its history, for them to visit the graveyard. Accompanied by the landowner, they eventually came to an overgrown old cemetery, surrounded by an iron fence, about ¾ of a mile back in the woods.

Inside the fenced 30' by 50', plot Mr. Black and his party were excited to find several fine headstones, the largest of which was that of Dr. Albert B. Miles, son of Benjamin Franklin Miles, who died in 1894. Nearby stood a number of other impressive markers, including that of Benjamin Franklin Miles, who had been interred there in 1864. Further searching of the area outside the fence revealed many additional but more modest markers. Some of these bore the names of persons known to have been slaves. Others were unmarked. Mr. Black had a burning desire to see the historical cemetery restored. The landowner, pleased to know who the people who were buried on his property were consented, with the stipulation that no large trees be cut.

That was eight years ago and the Miles Cemetery looks much different today.  Mr. Black has made frequent trips from San Antonio, returning to the graveyard and, with the aid of family members and volunteers who must be taken to the site on a trailer, clearing away brush and small trees. 46 graves are now known, 26 with names, and more are being discovered with each visit. Mr. Black says he always offers a prize to the person who finds the most additional graves on each visit and his pride in what has been accomplished is obvious. “  I admire the people buried in that cemetery for what they did in the past.  We work there now to honor them and have fun”  he says.  The group will return to do additional work on October 8 and invites anyone who would like to help to join them.  Mr. Black may be contacted at awblack1945@yahoo.com for more information.

 TAGHS meets at 2pm on the third Wednesday of each month in the Meeting Room of the Timpson Public Library, located on the corner of Austin and Bremond streets. The public is invited.