This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Massey, Byrd, Meador, Crowder Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/FkB.2ACE/1635 Message Board Post: (I sent this to Byrd and Massey sites, also to MOJEFFER@ Rootsweb and Denton Co., Tx. Today I'm posting to Kaufman Co. Tx.) I've enjoyed oral history and it's great when you can also locate census records and newspaper clippings to document stories. I'd like to share some of the oral history I've collected. Those of you collecting and researching Hampton Byrd who left Missouri and went to Texas may be intested in this info. There were at least two Hampton Byrds. The older Hampton Byrd from Missouri was the son of Austin Byrd and a brother to Overton Byrd. The younger Hampton was a son of Overton Byrd and Martha Tesson. This younger Hampton who married Margaret Massey was a nephew of the older Hampton who married Jane Peel. Both were in Texas. Both had descendants with similar names. All these descendants have similar oral history that has made it difficult for people like me...who are are trying to connect the history with names, places and dates.(I married into the Byrd line.) I'll first begin with Roland Drue Massey, Father-in-law of the younger Hampton Byrd. Let me quote to you from a book "112 Years IN Little Elm Community". The material in this book was organized by Mrs J. M. Harris. "Massey - R.D. & Sarah Massey came to Texas from Missouri in January,1875, settling at Little Elm. They bought land in the D.N. Cule and Hanesworth survey, the land was from Little Elm Creek to the town. One tract was on the south and the other on the north side reaching from Doe Branch east to the north lane just west of town. There house was near where the school house is now. Ira was born in Missouri and three boys, Archie, Henry, and Ura and one girl Nona was born in the Little Elm. This family came by wagon train. The train was composed of twenty wagons. No indians were at Little Elm, but plenty were in the Indian Territory. Mr. Massey started to build a new home but he died before it was completed." FYI - Roland Drue Massey and Mary Lancaster were the parents of Margaret Massey who married Hampton Byrd, son of Overton Byrd, and grandson of Austin Byrd. Margaret was one of 11 children born to Roland. After Roland's wife Mary Lancaster died, he married Sarah Anderson. I read this story, of Little Elm community, on May 6, 1976, and it peeked my interest because my husband Melvin Byrd's father S.G. Byrd (Samuel George) had told me this story in March of 1976 when we resided in Floydada, Tex. I will quote what I wrote down on that day. "S.G. recalls his father (Horace Greely Byrd) saying that when they crossed the river coming from Missouri to Texas, they had to pay to go across on the Ferry. Grandpa Roland Massey wouldn't pay for Roland Ira's horse to cross. The child cried and someone else paid the fee." Because of reading this story , I decided to research the census records of Denton County, Texas, 1880. Microfilm Reel Number T 9 #1300. In November of 1981 I found the following: Pg. 12, Line 40, House 101, Family 101: Massey Rolen D Male, age 60, profession: Farmer. Place of birth:Missouri. Next: His wife Sarah (I have beside her name in pencil, "age 38 or 39 with a ? mark") Relation to Head of family: Wife.Profession: housekeeping. Place of birth, Illinois. Father's place of birth: Penn., Mother's place of birth: Kentucky. Children: Louisa. white, single Female. age 18. Daug. born in Missouri. Father born Mo., Mother b. Ill. second child listed: Rolen, m. 9?, Son, born in Mo., Father b. Mo.Third child: Lee, male age 4, Son, b. Texas, Father Mo., Mother Illinois. Fourth Child: Nonia, female age 1, daughter born in Texas. Father in Mo. and Mother in Illinois. 1880 Census records of Denton Co. Tex., Massey and Hampton Byrd- collected and recorded by Barbara Byrd Continuing with the 1880 census records of Denton Co., Texas: page 17, line 2, house 134 and family 134 we find: Massey, Sebastian, male, age 34, Farmer. Born in Missouri, and both parents are born in Missouri. He cant read. Second listing: Cora. female age 32. Relationship to head of household: wife. Profession: keeping house. place of birth,Missouri. Both of her parents born in Missouri. Cora can't read. In same household: Samuel (single), male, age 21. Relationship to head of house, brother. Profession: a farm laborer. Born in Missouri. Both parents born in Missouri. Can't read or write. Here I'll include the newspaper article on "Uncle Bash" Here it is: The following article was in the Fort Worth, Texas paper about 1933 He is the Oldest Active Cowboy in Texas "Uncle Bash" Massey Has been Riding the Range Nearly Seventy Years By Verdi McLennan and Frances O. Landon The oldest active cowboy in Texas is "Uncle Bash" Massey of Floydada. He is one of the old-timers who can still vividly recall the ups and downs of "going up the trail." "When I came to Texas Fort Worth was just a little wide place in the road," said Uncle Bash. In those days the life of the cowboy was hazardous enough --so hazardous in fact, that insurance companies couldn't see their way clear to taking a risk. These old trail drivers, those riders of the "great unfenced world: had their share of dragons to battle--dragons untangible and many headed. What with man-killing horses gangs of desperate rustlers, swollen rivers, lurking Indians, freezing blizzards, and the innumerable other dangers besetting their path, it is not surprising to learn it took a real "he-man" to become a knight of the Lariat and Spur. The call of the range seemed to be just an inborn something for which there is no accounting. Or as Uncle Bash said, "I was just naturally born a cowboy," in replying to the question of why he chose the life of a cowboy. "All my people were farmers but I just didn't take after the plow," he added with the pride of the old-time cattleman. "Why, ever since I can recollect I have wanted to be among cattle. I loved to work with them. I just seemed to understand them and they seemed to understand me," he finished, in almost a tone of camaraderie. A Covered Wagon Pioneer Massey's trip to Texas in 1868 was made by the usual covered wagon train of those pioneer days with mounted guards or lookouts in front and rear of the line of wagons. When they camped for the night they followed the old pioneer precaution of forming a circle with the wagons and posting sentinels to watch while the others slept. Fortunately, this particular group of covered wagons reached their destination near Denton in tip-top condition. As had been learned this cattle loving Massey youth felt no hankering after agriculture. He was a cowboy born and his 66 years in Texas have been spent on various ranches of the state. In fact, his whole life up to date has been one spent up the trail, on the round-up, riding the range or in other words, being a typical cowboy. Among his earliest experiences, he can boast three long drives. The first of these began near St. Louis, Missouri and ended--after days of the usual trail adventures--in Montana. This was followed by a drive on which he pushed into Idaho. Later came this trip from Idaho to Texas. "In those days," said Uncle Bash speaking of his early years in the cattle country of Texas," when we went up the trail with a herd of longhorns, we had plenty of ups and downs--sometimes with bad weather and then the cattle rustlers gave us quite a lot of trouble. In the cattle rustling days we had to be always on the lookout day and night for the all too numerous cattle thieves. Sometimes we would get the herd gathered up and have to stand guard all night. When we would get the herd bedded and be riding round, whistling or humming to quiet the cattle, a bunch of rustlers would charge out into their midst with a whoops and a yell and the whole herd would stampede and scatter to the four corners of the earth. But taking it all, the rustlers usually got as good as they sent." The Rustler Everything has its contradiction. As night is to day or shadow to substance, so is the despicable rustler to the upright cattleman. Wherever was found the cattleman, there lurking close by was his distorted shadow the rustler. The Indian, though both pillager and murderer was a picturesque, aboriginal man following the dictates of his conscience. But the rustler was the fallen, contemptible depravity of enlightened man, the conscienceless demon of darkness. The well known "necktie" parties of that day were the justified reaction of outraged honor. For the past twenty-five years Uncle Bash has operated the T. M. Bar Ranch for Thomas Montgomery of Floyd County and his is still every inch of a cowboy. He actively directs the ranch and is in the saddle just about as much as any of the other "hands" on the T.M. Bar. The long drives "up the trail" are no longer necessary, however. For instance, as Uncle Bash explains, "now we have corrals to put our cattle in and run them through a chute, brand and vaccinate them all at the same time and only have to carry them about 15 miles to ship them." But Mr. Massey likes to be along on the round-up and to corral and drove the cattle under his charge to the railroad point from which they are shipped to market. "I wouldn't think of turning a bunch of young fellows loose with the roping and branding without being there to show them how it was done." These words from the gray-haired foreman of the T.M. Bar carried more than they present on paper. There are more reasons than commercial ones why he wouldn't be missing on such an occasion. He would not only be there to see that Mr. Montgomery's interests were protected but also to see that the cattle got as humane handling as possible. A True Gentleman "I never have and I don't now ride my horse in a gallop when I'm out among my cattle." Uncle Bash continued. "I just trot along slow and don't disturb them when they are grazing or bedded and I would fire one of my hands as quick for that as anything else" And there you have his type--a representative of that laudable class of gentlemen, gentlemen in the true and noble sense of the word. As a tribute to the men of the Texas range and especially so that class still actively preserving the traditions of ranch life. The oldest active cowboy was honored by the 1933 Fort Worth Stock Show. From among the 160 worthy aspirants for the title Uncle Bash Massey was chosen as due the honor because of this 84 years and his present activeness. "I have always been in good health," boasted and laughingly added.with the exception of getting a leg broke and being struck by lightening." Then wishing to give credit for the real source of his long, healthy, and happy life. Uncle Bash tenderly concluded. "I married one of the best cooks in Texas." Continuing on same microfilm, reel number T 9#1300 page 19, line 19, house 153, family 153 of Denton County, Texas: Head of Household Hampton Byrd, male age 44. A Farmer, his birthplace Missouri. Both his father and Mother's place of birth Missouri. Second name: Margaret, female, age 35. Relationship to head of household, wife. Profession: housekeeper. Birth place Missouri. Father born in Missouri, Mother born in Tenn. 3rd person: Thomas, a male age 18. Relationship to head of household, son. A farm laborer. Place of birth Missouri. Both parents place of birth, Missouri. 4th person Jacob, 14 yr.. old male. Son to Head of Household, a farm laborer born in Missouri. Both parents place of birth is Missouri. 5th person: Benjamin, a 13 year old male. Son to head of household, a farm laborer, born in Missouri. Both parents born in Missouri. 6th person: George, a 11 year old male, son of head of household, a farm laborer, and born in Missouri. Both parents born in Missouri. 7th person: Harris (this would be Horace Greely), nine year old male. Son of head of household, and a farm laborer. Born in Missouri. Both parents born in Missouri. 8th person: Mary a 7 year old female, a daughter to head of household. Born in Missouri. Both parents born in Missouri. 9th person: Charles, a 6 year old male. Son to head of household. Born in Texas. Both parents born in Missouri. 10th person: Birthie, a 4 year old female daughter. Born in Texas. Parents born in Missouri. 11th person: Birtie, a 4 year old female daugther born in Texas. Both parents born in Missouri. (Barbara's notes: I believe this child was a male...Bert Byrd who survived the posioning in 1884.) (10th & 11th were twins) I spelled them as they were spelled on the microfilm. 12th person: May a 2 year old Female. Relationship to head of household, a daughter. Born in Texas. Both parents born in Missouri. 13th person: No name given, but a 6 month old female. Daughter to head of household. Born in Texas. The following is a newspaper article that tells of the poisoning of the Hampton Byrd family. (There's much oral history that goes with this story.) Newspaper article in The Kaufman Sun, January 10. 1884 ________ Nine of the Byrd Family Poisoned-Three have since died and three of the others are in precarious condition. _______ A Diabolical Crime Shrouded in Mystery-- The officers have been very negligent and the fiend yet goes free. Last Tuesday week the family of Mr.Hampton Byrd, living near East Fork, ten miles west of Kaufman, on the farm of Dr. J.A. Bennett, partook of their New Year's dinner. Shortly after the meal the party of nine were taken with the most violent vomiting and purging in the stomach and bowels. Dr. Roberts of Crandall's Station was summoned and at once pronounced it a case of poisoning. Matters continued to grow worse and Dr. Mulkey of our town was sent for. He reached the scene of suffering at eleven o'clock Thursday night, where, to use his language, the sight and manifestations of pain baffled description. The night was intensely cold and the house open, with but one fire place, with nine helpless persons, the mother with a two month old baby in her arms, and these requiring as many nurses to help them on and off their pallets every few minutes. Their pitiful appeals for water with their cries, "I'm burning up," was it is said truly affecting. On his arrival Dr. Mulkey at once pronounced the father and two children as being in an entirely hopeless condition. They being in extreme collapse, with no perceptible pulse, and as cold as if dead. They were kept alive forty-eight hours, when two of the little daughters aged five and seven years, died Saturday morning and the father Sunday night. Of the six living, three are thought to be out of danger, but the other three are still in a precarious state. What the poison used was, or how introduced into the system, or who it was administered it is still shrouded in mystery. The doctors differ as to the character of the poison. Dr. Roberts thinks it was a vegetable substance, and Dr. Mulkey that it was a most active mineral irritant, with symptoms that indicate arsenic more clearly than anything else. (some words unclear...the word "Wednesday" and something about..." twelve o'clock") ....examination was held, though every persuasion was used by certain parties to have an inquest held sooner. Dr.Mulkey even went so far as to go out with all his instruments and summoned Dr. Roberts and six men to hold an examination under the promise that the justice of the peace and other officers would be present, but they failed to come, and it was not until Tuesday evening, after the most urgent importunities were made, that the officers consented to go out Wednesday morning to hold an inquest. Such negligence, such a dereliction in the discharge of official duty, we think has no excuse or apology. It is a shame and an outrage upon common decency and a disgrace to our country. Who should bear the brunt of the blame we are not exactly able to say, but the people of New Hope settlement will certainly not forget it soon. Had Mr. Byrd been rich the officers would have gone through fire or cold to have held an examination and unveiled the mystery and ferreted out the author of the crime, not for once thinking whether they would get pay for it or not, but Mr. Byrd and family were poor and uninfluential and this was the trouble. Whether they were poisoned by accident or some fiendish wretch doesn't lessen the negligence of the officers or exculpate them from public censure. Other comments in paper: Hanging is too good for the man who was so mean as to poison nine persons through spite or hatred for certain members of the family. _______ The poisoning of the Byrd family is the most horrible and diabolical crime ever committed in Kaufman County, and yet it seems that the officers have made no efforts to ferret out the fiend who did it. Three corpses lay in the house three days before a post mortem examination was held. Barbara's thoughts: I talked with a woman by phone in Kaufman County who said she received an old letter that tells of the death of the man who was released from jail and who poisoned the Byrd family. According to oral history he was hung on a icy, cold, night by some young cowboys. I'm still searching for a copy of the "old letters" that tell the "rest of the story" ... Among descendants of Hampton Byrd the oral history has different twists and turns. You will find those who say this story happened in Cottle County, Texas...It appears to me from the old newspaper clippings that the Byrds were poisoned in Kaufman County. Do any of you have more information? After reading the article, do you have any idea where Hampton and children may have been buried in Kaufman County? I'm searching for ANY clues. Barbara Byrd Port Orchard, Washington barbjbyrd@yahoo.com