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Chapter 9

Biography of William Hawley Stark

A son, William Hawley Stark, was born to Daniel R. Stark and Nancy Hawley August 22, 1809 in Genesee County, New York.[1] He was their first born child indicating they were probably married before December of 1808. William’s father purchased lots #13 & #14 in section zero of township #11, range #1 from the Holland Land Company on March 28, 1809. This property was located west of the township of Caledonia in Genesee County in an area that would later be divided into parts of Niagara County, Erie County, and Cattaraugus County. The original Genesee County was located in western New York west of the Genesee River.

William had sisters named Sarah Maria/Mariah, and Prudence Jane and a younger brother named Asa/Esahl Lafitte and the youngest in this family was Amanda/Matilda who died young. William was the grandson of Asahel Stark who was the son of Christopher Stark, Jr. who was the son of Christopher Stark, Sr., who was the son of William Stark, Sr. who was the son of the Stark family patriarch, Aaron Stark, who came from England around 1630, settling in New London County, Connecticut.

Until the age of 6 or 7, William lived with his family in Genesee County, New York. They were only a few miles from Niagara Falls and Lake Erie and his grandparents, Asahel and Sarah Stark, lived nearby in Caledonia township and later in Penfield, Ontario County, New York. Probably living with the family was his grandfather, Samuel Hawley, a veteran of the Revolutionary War who had lived in Massachusetts before the war. This western New York region was newly settled when William was born and must have still been quite primitive and wild. Early in the year 1816, the family moved to West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, a trip of some 750 miles which was most likely made by boat. Imagine the logistics of transporting a family and household goods over such a vast distance around 1816. From Genesee County, one would move over land to the Allegheny River, located just south of the county on the New York and Pennsylvania border. The Allegheny then flows from north to south through western Pennsylvania and comes together with the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River, which then flows into the Mississippi and then south down the Mississippi to Louisiana.

The family settled on the west bank of the Mississippi River in a community called Port Allen, located directly across from the growing community of Baton Rouge. Property was purchased by Daniel R. Stark in 1817 which was described as “four acres front to the river Mississippi.”[2] William Hawley Stark’s Uncles named William, Samuel, and John R. were already living in the region when the family arrived and making the trip to Louisiana from New York was his grandfather, Samuel Hawley. The Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge by 1816 was a fairly well settled region, for Louisiana had been admitted as a State six years earlier and there was considerable commerce up and down the Mississippi River in the early part of the 19^th century.

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Tragedy struck the family within fours years of their arrival when Daniel R. Stark died suddenly on June 20^th 1820. With assistance from her father, Samuel Hawley, and brother-in-law, William Stark, William’s mother handled the probate proceedings which provided the names of the children of Daniel R. Stark. This is the first document to be found which shows the relationship of William Hawley Stark and his siblings to Daniel R. Stark and Nancy Hawley which states:

On September 5, 1820, William Stark and his wife, Victoria Betencourt, provided a donation of $2,200 to the children of Nancy Hawley, widow of Daniel R. Stark, with the benefactors of this donation being named William, Muriah, Prudence, Esahl, and Amanda. This document reveals the names of the children of Daniel and Nancy and reveals the children received a substantial amount of money from their Uncle William Stark.[4]

Nancy continued to live in Louisiana and is believed to have married a man named McGowan, although a record of this marriage has not been found; but is suggested in her father’s Revolutionary Pension Application presented in court in 1826.[5] On May 31, 1826, Samuel Hawley, living in Floyd County, Indiana declared; 

From this, if this Nancy McGowan is the same Nancy Hawley Stark in Louisiana, we find she was married to someone named McGowan before this petition was made and note the declaration names the grandchildren of Samuel, which are very similar to the names in the previous two documents. Nancy Hawley probably moved to Indiana to live with her father, presumably after Mr. McGowan died or she obtained a divorce and to be near the Stark family, living nearby in Washington County, Indiana. This document records William’s age as 15 on May 31, 1826. His tombstone records he was born August 22, 1809 which would imply he was 16 years old on the date of Samuel’s testimony.

William lived for some period of time in Floyd County, Indiana with his mother and grandfather, Samuel Hawley, and probably had contact with his grandmother Sarah Stark and his Stark Uncles and Aunts living in nearby Washington County. However, the Washington County Stark family members began to move to Illinois starting in 1828 for Archibald Cass Stark had twin sons born in Indiana in April of 1828 and the next child, Jasper, was born in Illinois in 1830 indicating the family was on the move.

On April 22, 1828, the Mississippi Pension Agency in Natchez, Mississippi wrote a letter to James Barbon, Secretary of War, requesting: 

From this statement, we know a pensioner named Samuel Hawley had been living in Indiana until April of 1827. This document reveals he has moved and is now living in the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Pension Agency. If this is the same Samuel Hawley, then could his daughter and grandchildren have moved with him and where might they have been living? Possible proof of where they were living can be found in the Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Marriage Records. Sarah Mariah Stark, most likely the daughter of Nancy Hawley, married John T. Lewis on December 28, 1828. The Lewis family had moved from Orange County, Indiana to Louisiana at about the same time or earlier and records reveal Samuel S. Lewis, the father of John Taylor Lewis, served as Justice of the Peace in Ouachita Parish.[7]

Around 1830, William Hawley Stark married Elizabeth Zachary, daughter of Benjamin Zachary and Elizabeth Odom of St. Tammany Parish.[8] At about this time, it is believed William Hawley purchased acreage in Ouachita Parish [Could have been Carroll Parish, formed in 1832 from part of Ouachita Parish] most likely using the money he received as a gift from his Uncle William Stark.[9] One would presume he received his share on his twenty-first birthday in August of 1830. His mother, grandfather, and other siblings may have lived with him and his new bride for the Vicksburg Register newspaper (Vicksburg, Mississippi), dated July 2, 1835 reported: 

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Texas was admitted into the Union December 28, 1845 and the state legislature marked off Newton County on April 22, 1846, from the eastern half of Jasper County and named it in honor of John Newton, a veteran of the American Revolution. County elections were held July 2, 1846 and the Newton County Commissioners Court met for the first time on August 22, 1846 at the home of Mrs. Nancy Cooper. In the minutes of the September 5^th, 1846 meeting of the Commissioners Court was recorded “List of Jury Certificates received as taxes by George Dougherty agent for Josiah Stevenson.”[1] Listed under Grand Jurors was Wm. H. Stark, $4.50.

On September 30, 1846, Bennett Hiram Zachary recorded Newton County’s first cattle brand, the numeral “7” with the cattle bearing for earmarks a crop and slit on the left ear and a crop on the right ear. Later on that same day, cattle brands were recorded for Asa L. Stark, William Herrin, and William H. Stark.[2] As addressed earlier, Bennett Hiram Zachary was William’s brother-in-law, Asa L. Stark was William’s brother, and William Herrin was William’s brother-in-law married to his sister, Prudence Jane Stark.

January 11^th, 1847, the County Commissioners met and among those listed as competent Jurors in the County were John F. Lewis [Probably John T. Lewis, William’s brother-in-law married to Sarah Mariah Stark], Asa L. Stark, B. H. Zachary, and William Herring [Probably Herrin]. Persons on this list were qualified and liable to serve on Juries in Newton County for the January term of the County Court. On the same day, the County Court passed orders related to roads and overseers of roads within the County. The following entries were made in the minutes of the meeting.[3]

Road Precinct 4. Road from Belgrade by Wm. H. Starks to subscription bridge on Big Cow Creek near Owen Taylor. Wm. H. Stark, Overseer. List of hands, L. D. Sanders, F. D. Porter, Edward Eubanks, Thos. S. McFarland & Negro.

Road Precinct 5. Road from W. H. Starks to the Ford on the creek near Wm. Herrings. Asa L. Stark, Overseer. List of hands, E. S. Hunt & hired Negroes, William Herring, James Herring, Joshua Hickman, Wm. F. Dobbs Negro.

As mentioned earlier, William Herring was William Herrin who had married his second spouse, Prudence Jane Stark, while the Stark family was living in Louisiana. William Herrin had a son from his first marriage named James Herrin [Born in 1826] who would marry Nancy Jane Lewis about 1845, daughter of John T. Lewis and Sarah Mariah Stark.[4] In Road Precinct 5, one can see the interfamily relationships between Asa L. Stark as the overseer and the Herrin’s assigned as members of his road crew. All appear to have lived in close proximity of each other. On July 12^th 1847, the Commissioners Court ordered “Road Precinct No. 4 be omitted and Wm. H. Stark, L. D. Saunders, and T. D. Porter be added to the list of hands on Precinct No. 5.” Therefore, starting in July, William was working on the Road Crew with his brother Asa L. Stark as overseer and brother-in-law William Herrin.

In the Newton County 1847 Tax Records will be found “William H. Stark, agent for Nancy Hardin, taxes on the 640 acres in the David Pool Survey.” In the same tax year will also be found “Nancy Hardin, agent for Napoleon Hardin, 1,481 acres of the Enos Hardin Survey.“ From these records we find there is a Nancy Hardin living in Newton County. Nancy Hawley, William’s Mother, married Enos Hardin after 1838 who then probably died around 1847. Nancy had most likely received a slave named Ann as part of the estate. On December 29, 1847, Nancy Hardin, a resident of Newton County, Texas, declared in a document of indenture [given over to work for], that the slave named Ann was assigned  by this binding contract to work for Nancy's grandchildren  named, “Daniel Lafayette Stark, Samuel Hawley Stark, James Terry Stark, Lewis Miles Stark, Martha Ann Stark, Mary Stark, Elizabeth McFarland Stark, children of William H. Stark and Elizabeth Stark, all of the County and State aforesaid. Witnesseth, that the said Nancy Hardin for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars in hand paid by their next friends and the love and affection which she bears for her grandchildren afore named, doth by these presents…..”[5]

This document revealed Nancy Hardin of Newton County was the grandmother of William Hawley’s children and his mother, as we know her given name was Nancy from the earlier records. In a land record dated October 28, 1848, 160 acres was deeded to Alex Sappington of Carroll Parish, Louisiana by W. H. Stark and his wife Elizabeth and signed in Newton County, Texas in front of a Notary on this date. This document was witnessed by Harriett ?Meritt? and Nancy Hardin.

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The sell was recorded November 29, 1848.[1] Recorded on the next day, November 30, 1848 in the same Parish and Conveyance book was the sell of property to the same Alex Sappington by William Herring of Newton County, Texas. A witness to this transaction was John De Hart, married to William’s half-sister, Mary Commander Herring who would move to Newton County, Texas in 1849.[2] These transactions would seem to show William Herring and William Hawley Stark were neighbors in Ouachita Parish, part of which became Carroll Parish after 1832. This would probably be property located near “upper” Bayou Macon.

Figure 1

Map of Original Newton County Property Surveys.

Made when Texas Joined the Union In 1846

Following is about the De Hart family, this quote found in the publication  entitled "Some Early Southeast Texas Families" by Thomas A. Wilson [1866-1944]. 

"Uncle Johnny Dehart [Editor's Note: He was born in Louisiana in 1818] lived on White Oak Creek at one time but moved to a place near Call Junction where he died many years ago. I do not remember much about his family, but I have always heard he was a good man. I knew his sons Abel, Dave and Eugene [Editor's Note: Abel, born in Louisiana in 1838, was a private in Company C, 11th (Spaight's) Battalion. Another son, Winant, whom Wilson does not name, was born in Louisiana in 1840, and he served in Company H, 13th (Burnett's) Cavalry. Dave and James (also not named) were born in Texas in 1849 and 1844 respectively. Eugene's name does not appear in the 1850 Census. He must have been born after that year.] Abel married Amanda Ellen Ford. Dave Dehart was tax assessor of Jasper County at one time and never married. He was crippled. Eugene married a Haney. I think one daughter married a Wilson, and then John Page. She was the widow Carter when I knew her, and I hear she married a fourth time. [Editor's Note: This daughter's name is not in the 1850 census. Martha Ann, born in 1846, married George W. Stamps in 1864.] John Page was killed in the Whitman Mill pond. He dived from a shed and broke his neck. I think he had a daughter named Belle."

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William sold much of his original 4,428 plus acres between the years 1843 to 1859. The following deed transactions totaled 4,300 acres William and Elizabeth sold from the original William H. Stark survey:

¨ 320 acres to William Louisa Seybold, Instrument dated January 11, 1848 & filed January 11, 1848, [Deed Book A, page 118].

¨ 1500 acres to C. S. Hunt etal, Instrument dated September 16, 1846 & filed May 10, 1848, [Deed Book A, page 153].

¨ 1500 acres to Samuel P. McFarland, Instrument dated September 16, 1846 & filed May 10, 1848 [Deed Book A, page 153].

¨ 50 acres to C. S. Hunt etal, Instrument dated March 1, 1847 & filed May 10, 1848 [Deed Book A, page 155].

¨ 50 acres to Samuel P. McFarland, Instrument dated March 1, 1847 & filed May 10, 1848 [Deed Book A, page 155].

¨ 200 acres to Wiley Scott, Instrument dated July 25, 1846 & filed January 14, 1850 [Deed Book B, page 96]

¨ 139 6/8 acres to Joseph Whitman, Instrument dated November 21, 1856 & filed Sept. 25, 1857 [Deed Book C, page 70]

¨ 177 ½ acres to Elizabeth Swift, Instrument dated October 26, 1843 & filed May 17, 1858 [Deed Book C, page 143]

¨ 364 acres to Adam Whitman, Instrument dated April 17, 1858 & filed June 10, 1858 [Deed Book C, page 149]

All of these transactions recorded W. H. Stark & Elizabeth Stark as the Grantors and were property on the original W. H. Stark survey. The last deed transaction listed above was to Adam Whitman who had moved to Newton County in 1855. He set-up a Mill on Whitman Creek [Known as Davis Creek today] and established Whitman’s Ferry located about a mile below Belgrade on the Sabine River and called by many Salem‘s Ferry. Among his children was a daughter named Martha C. Whitman who became the second wife of William Hawley Stark which will be discussed later in this text.

On March 15, 1854, William, for a consideration of $1,000, purchased the 1,280 acre headright of his brother, Asa Lafitte Stark. On the same day, Asa Lafitte Stark’s spouse, Matilda Donaho purchased the original surveys of F. H. Pollard and Willie Donaho. Each consisted of 177 acres and the southern boundary of the Donaho Survey was common with part of the property Asa sold to his brother.[1] The purchase of Asa’s property gave William Hawley Stark considerable frontage on the Sabine River, which his original Mexican Land grant did not have. This property was located north and east of the Mexican Land Grant and the southwest corner of Asa’s headright was the northeast corner of William’s property. [See map inset, page 108, Fig. 1] Adam L. Stewart and his wife Margaret, the sellers of the Pollard and Donaho properties, stipulated “We reserve from this sale one acre of land so as to include the place known as “Dougherty’s Landing” on the Caney Creek.” [Newton County Deed Book B, page 399.] Willis Donaho, the original owner of the Donaho Survey arrived in Texas in 1832 as a widower with two children. He lived along the Texas-Louisiana border near Bon Weir and ran a ferry across the Sabine River for several years.[2] This was probably the location of the above mentioned Dougherty’s Landing. As we will see, this particular one acre would figure into William Hawley Stark’s future.

The Adam Whitman Deed transaction of June 10, 1858 was the last which records the names of W.H. Stark and Elizabeth Stark as the sellers of property. In late 1858 and early 1859, there was an epidemic called “black tongue” which raged through the region which proved to be fatal to older people. The symptoms were similar to the “flu” and doctors could not treat the victims. Adam Lackey Stewart and his wife Margaret died days apart from this disease in early 1859 and it is likely Elizabeth Stark succumbed in March of 1859.[3] Elizabeth was buried in the cemetery that later became known in Newton County as the Lewis Myles Stark Cemetery. At the time of her death, Elizabeth’s younger five children ranged in age from 5 year old Adam Lackey Stark [Probably named after Adam Lackey Stewart] to 14 year old Mary L. Stark. In between were 12 year old Elizabeth Stark, 9 year old Nancy Stark and 7 year old William Hawley Stark, Junior. Martha C. Whitman and William Hawley Stark were married May 15^th 1859.

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Asa Lafitte Stark’s wife, Matilda Donaho, died in 1856 and Asa was forced to sale the property consisting of the Pollard and Donaho surveys at auction to payoff debt. The property was purchased by N. H. Rice July 5, 1858 for $354 and December 24^th, 1859, William Hawley Stark purchased these surveys from N. H. Rice for the same amount.[3] The properties were located north of the Asa L. Stark survey and fronted on the Sabine River. The Northeast and Southeast corners of these surveys were located at the mouth of Caney Creek where it empties into the Sabine River, this being the location of the one acre Adam L. Stewart excluded from his sale of these surveys to Matilda Stark in 1854.

In 1840, Captain Reid took the Steamboat Washington into the Sabine River with Captain Peter D. Stockholm acting as pilot who told this story reported in the Galveston "Daily News" on April 12, 1888, “ …and with much hard labor, fought his way through the tree tops, sunken logs, sand bars, and shoals, and finally, when the water fell, he tied up at Fullerton's Wharf, just below Sabinetown, where she remained during the summer of 1841. The boat was neglected, her seams opened, and when the water came up the following fall, she sank. Years afterward, the ribs of the old "Washington" marked the final resting place of that fourth attempt at steam navigation on the Sabine River.[4]

In 1844, Captain Stockholm made a successful run up the Sabine River in the Scioto Belle which opened the river for travel and commerce. Family tradition and some publications relate William Hawley Stark contributed to cleaning the Sabine River of stumps and fallen trees receiving 664 acres from the State of Texas for his efforts.[5]

December through June was the best time for the steamboats to move up river, for the water was at it’s highest during the winter and spring rains. Those who worked on the steamboats made $15 to $30 weekly making them the highest paid men in the State of Texas. During the off-season, these men worked as ship carpenters in the shipyard making about $15 weekly.[4]

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F. H. Pollard & Willis Donaho Surveys & Deeds

June 6^th, 1848; State of Texas, Newton County; Book A, pages 162 - 163¶ Schedule of the property both real and personnel now owned and possessed by Margaret Stewart wife of Adam L. Stewart of this County and State aforesaid - it being her own property separate and apart from that of her husband aforesaid. As follows - to wit -. One Thousand six hundred and sixty five acres of land in the County of Newton aforesaid and the headright of Adam L. Steward. Six hundred and forty acres of land in the County of Newton, the headright of Francis Williams. Three hundred and twenty acres of land in the County aforesaid, headright of Wm. F. Dobbs. One hundred and seventy seven acres of land in Newton County headright of F. H. Pollard. One hundred and seventy seven acres of land in Newton County headright of W. Donohos. 6 head of cattle marked with a crop and split in the right ear and branded thus S.--. 100 head of hogs more or less in the same mark as that used for the cattle. One sorrel mare and her colt; one gray mare and her colt; one bay horse (a pony); one waggon; two yokes of Oxen; All the household and kitchen furniture now in use by the parties aforesaid. The foregoing list or schedule of property I certify to be a correct statement of what is now owned by me in this County. Given under my hand the 6^th of June 1848. Signed: Margaret Stewart.

March 15^th, 1854; State of Texas, County of Newton; Book b, page 399¶ Know all men by these presents that we Adam L. Stewart and Margaret Stewart husband and wife and both of the county and state aforesaid for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred and fifty four dollars to us in hand paid by Matilda Stark of the place aforesaid the receipt of us hereby acknowledged and acquitted us grant bargain, sell, release, covey, and transfer unto the said Matilda Stark all our right, title, ?cloices?, interest and demand of us or to the following described tract or parcel of land, to wit: one tract the headright of William Donoho lying on the Sabine River in the county aforesaid adjoins the headright survey of A. L. Stark on the south and the labor of F. H. Pollard on the north also another tract or parcel of land the headright of F. H. Pollard lying on the Sabine River fronting on the same and adjoining the aforesaid tract of W. Donoho on the North each of the said tracts containing one labor or one hundred seventy seven acres. The whole tract here sold containing three hundred and fifty four acres for particular description and field notes reference will be made to the original patents for the source from the state. We reserve from this sale one acre of land so as to include the place known as Wm Dougharty’s Landing on the Caney Creek. To have and hold the premises aforesaid (except the acre above reserved) together with all and singular thoughts privileges and appointances to the same belonging or in any ?wise? Incident or appertaining to the only proper ???? Benefit and be hoof of the said Matilda Stark and her heirs or assigns forever and we will warrant and defend the title to the premises aforesaid from and against the claim or claims of all persons whatsoever legally claiming the same. In testimony of the aforegoing we herein do place our singnatures and (???? Instead of seals) on this the fifteenth day of March A. D. eighteen hundred and fifty four. Signed: Adam L. Stewart, Margaret Stewart. Witness: William his X mark Brailsford, Friend Mc. Stewart.

June 25^th, 1857; Newton County Probate Court Book A, # 51, page 376¶ Estate of Matilda Stark, Deceased; The State of Texas County of Newton¶ Whereas the County Court of Newton County and State of Texas have ?appointed? The undersigned commissioners to appraise and value the property of Matilda Stark, Deceased have proceeded to make the following appraisal of three hundred & fifty four acres of land on the Sabine River it being the headright of Willis Donaho and F H. Pollard we appraise to seven hundred dollars. Given under our hands this 25^th day of June 1857. Signed: Adam L. Stewart, John H. Ford, B. H. Zachary

July 5^th, 1858; Newton County Deed Book C, pages 155 & 156¶ This indenture made the 5^th day of July A. D. 1858 between Asa L. Stark administrator of the Estate of Matilda Stark Deceased of the first part and N. H. Rice of the other part where as said Matilda Stark deceased was in her lifetime by virtue of a title deed from A. L. Stewart the lawful owner of three hundred and fifty four acres of land situated on the Sabine River in Newton County and known as Stewart’s Bluff at the junction of Big Caney with the Sabine River it being granted by Government to F. H. Pollard & Willis Donaho by force virtue of which last recired deed or indenture the said decedent became in her lifetime lawfully seised in her he demesne as of ???? And the premises aforesaid and being so thereof seised died intestate after whose death the said administrator representing unto the County Court of Newton County that there was no personal property belonging to said estate to pay the debts of said decedent whereupon the court granted the administrator and order authorizing him to sell the real estate of said decedent to pay the debts of said decedent therefore the premises aforesaid was sold at public sale at the Court House door in the County of Newton on the first of June for the purposes aforesaid to N. H. Rice for the sum of three hundred and fifty four dollars he being the highest and last bidder which sale on the report therefore made to the said County Court was on the 28^th day of June A. D. 1858 confirmed and ratified by said court in firm and binding forever as by records will show. Now this indenture witnesseth. [Didn’t have page 156]

December 24^th, 1859; Newton County Deed Book C, page 434 & 435; The State of Texas County of Newton, page 434¶ Know all men by these presents that I N. H. Rice of the County of Newton in the State aforesaid in consideration of the sum of three hundred and fifty four dollars to me paid by William H. Stark of the County and State aforesaid have granted bargained sold and released and by these presents do grant bargain sell and release unto the said William Stark all that certain tract or parcel of land situated in Newton County State of Texas on the Sabine River and known as Stewart’s Bluff granted by the Government to F. H. Pollard and Willis Donaho and deeded by A. L. Stewart to Matilda Stark and by Asa Stark administrator of the estate of Matilda Stark to N. H. Rice for amore particular description of said tract of land reference is had to the last mentioned deed which is of record in the County Clerk’s office of Newton County in Book C of the record of deeds pages 155 & 156 together with all and singular the rights members hereditments and appurtenances to the same belonging or in any wise incident or appertaining. To have and to hold all and singular the premises above mentioned unto the said William H. Stark his heirs and assigns forever and I do hereby bind myself my heirs executors and administrators to warrant and forever edfend all and singular the said premises unto the said William H. Stark his heirs and assigns against ever person whomsoever lawfully claiming or to claim the same or any part thereof by through or under me. Witness my hand and seal this the 24^th day of December A. D. 1859. Signed: N. H. Rice¶ The State of Texas County of Newton, page 435¶ Before me John Moore an acting Notary Public in and for the County of Newton State aforesaid personally appeared N. H. Rice who acknowledged that he signed sealed and delivered the within deed on the day and year therein mentioned for the considerations and purposes set forth in the same. To Certify which I hereto sign my name and affix my notorial seal this 24^th day of December A. D. 1859. Signed: John Moore, Notary Public.

Who Paid Taxes on F. H. Pollard & Willis Donaho Surveys: 1847 - 1850: A. L. Stewart | 1851: No Data | 1852 - 1853: A. L. Stewart | 1854: No Data | 1855 - 1856: A. L. Stark agent for Matilda Stark. W. H. Stark agent for A. L. Stark | 1857 - 1858: A. L. Stark. [Note: A. L. Stark petitioned the probate court May 25^th, 1857 to be administrator of the estate of Matilda Stark, deceased] | 1858: A. L. Stark | 1859: No Data. A. L. Stark sold these properties July 5^th, 1858 to N. H. Rice for $354 to pay the debts on the estate of Matilda Stark. William H. Stark purchased the property from N. H. Rice December 24^th, 1859 for $354. | 1860: No Data | 1861 - 1867: W. H. Stark | 1868 - 1869: No Data | 1870: a) W. H. Stark paid on the Willis Donaho Survey. b) C. Seybold paid on the F. H. Pollard survey.

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Steamboat landings, many of which were originally ferry crossings, became important destinations for goods being shipped up the river from Sabine Pass, supported the operation of the steamboats with wood for their boilers, and provided a location for steamboat passengers to embark or disembark. With the purchase of the A. L. Stark, Donaho, and Pollard Surveys, William Hawley Stark now had considerable property fronting on the Sabine River which could serve as both a ferry crossing and steamboat landing. In 1860, William had a fully operational steamboat landing called Stark’s Landing, which was located near the junction of the Sabine River and Caney Creek. William built a warehouse on the river for storing bales of cotton and other items produced in Newton County while waiting for the next steamboat to land and which could hold goods shipped from Sabine Pass until they could be picked up by Newton County residents.

W. T. Block wrote the following about the steamboat era on the Sabine river;[1] “The shrill blast of an approaching steamer was the most welcomed sound that many pioneer East Texans ever knew. Its arrival meant mail and newspapers from Galveston, city "drummers" and other faces in the settlement; new merchandise in the stores, and perhaps a year's cotton crop returning from Galveston in the form of gold coins. Inversely, its sailing signaled the dispatch of mails, the departure of friends; a load of cotton, hides, and other commodities bound for market, and, oftentimes, young lovers en route to a Galveston honeymoon.”

During the days of Spanish and Mexican rule, Stark’s Landing had probably been an important place for crossing the Sabine River. Mule trains loaded with gold and silver would start their journeys in the west at places like San Antonio, Nuevo Laredo, and Piedras Negras, with Nachitoches, Louisiana as their destination. These wagons, loaded with treasure, had to pass through Jasper and Newton Counties and were often attacked by robbers. Many times the men operating the mule trains would hide the treasure they were carrying along the route, intending to come back and retrieve it later. Needless to say, there were many rumors and much speculation about gold and silver being buried in both Jasper and Newton Counties and many a person tried to find this hidden treasure without success. In 1867, however, workmen were building a wharf at Stark’s Landing and while sinking pilings into the Sabine River, discovered bars of silver weighing a total of 214 pounds.[2] This discovery would seem to imply Stark’s Landing may have been on the route taken by the Spaniard and Mexican treasure wagons, perhaps making it’s location an ideal place to cross the Sabine from the very earliest days of exploration in Texas and Louisiana.

William’s two oldest sons married the Dougharty sisters named Amanda Catherine and Julia Cassandra. Daniel L. Stark married Amanda January 12, 1854 while Samuel Hawley Stark married Julia May 8^th, 1856. Amanda and Julia were the daughters of George Dougharty and his spouse, Courtney Caraway.

George Dougharty was born in South Carolina in 1784 and was a surveyor by profession, arriving in Texas in the 1840’s. George and his son, William Hardy Dougharty [Son born in 1819 to first wife of George Dougharty named Elizabeth Sojouner], purchased 1,500 acres from Adam Lackey Stewart September 20^th, 1845.[3] On August 27^th, 1847, George was present at the first meeting of the Newton County Commissioners Court serving as County Clerk and kept the minutes of the meeting. William H. Dougharty had been elected County Commissioner and was present at the same meeting. On January 11^th 1847, George was “appointed to survey ascertain and mark the County line dividing the County of Newton from Jasper.“[4]

George married his second wife, Courtney Caraway, January 1^st, 1835 in Franklin County, Mississippi. This was Courtney’s second marriage, having previously been married to David Ford in the same County and State January 30^th, 1822. From this marriage she had children named; Elizabeth Ann Ford, b. 1826; Hester Ann "Hettie" Ford, b. 1832; and John Harrison Ford, b. 1825 [Was 35 in 1860 Newton County Census.] In the 1850 census for Newton County, George Dougharty was recorded with wife Courtney and had children living in the home named: Francis Bascomb Dougharty, age 20 [was son of Elizabeth Sojouner, first wife of George]; Hester Ann “Ford“, age 18 [Daughter of David Ford] and listed as children of George and Courtney were Marshall Joseph Dougharty, age 15, Amanda Catherine Dougharty, age 13, Julia Cassandra Dougharty, age 11, and Charles Bowman Dougharty, age 7.

Courtney died before September of 1853 and George took out a license February 20, 1854 to marry Harriet Hall, widow of Britton Hall but was killed by an ox on March 28^th, 1855, leaving the younger children still living at home orphans.[5] Asa Lafitte Stark married his second wife, the above mentioned Hester Ann “Hattie” Ford March 26^th, 1857 in Newton County and the 1860 census for Newton County reports Marshall Joseph Dougharty and Charles Bowman Dougharty are living in the home of Asa Lafitte Stark and his second wife, Hester Ann “Hettie” Ford, the half-sister of the Dougharty brothers. By 1860, we find the Dougharty family, Ford family, and Stark family have bonded together through marriage and will find the next generation families created by marriage were living in close proximity to each other in the Newton County Census of 1860.

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W.H. Stark was reported on page 5 of the 1860 census living in dwelling #31 and was family #31 in the census report. Living in dwelling #27 was D. L. Stark and his spouse, “A.” J. H. Ford [John Harrison Ford] was living in dwelling #28 and a document dated in October of 1859 revealed he was the guardian of George Bowman Dougharty, his half-brother.[1] In dwelling # 29 was S. H. Stark and his wife Julia. Next door to W.H. Stark in dwelling #30 was J. A. Whitman, a cousin of William Hawley Stark’s second wife, Martha C. Whitman. On the other side of William Hawley Stark in dwelling #32 lived the widow of William’s brother-in-law, Penelope Zachary, whose husband, Bennett Hiram Zachary, had died in August of 1860. Living at dwelling #35 was George Davis, brother of the above Penelope Zachary, who was married to Sarah Elizabeth Whitman, sister of William Hawley Stark’s wife, Martha. We find these families, all related in various ways, living close to each other, most likely in and around Stark’s Landing. All of the men are listed as farmers and appear to own property accept for J. A. Whitman. Penelope Zachary has no property value listed in the census and has personnel property listed as having a value of $600.

After being admitted into the Union December 28^th, 1845, Texas had enjoyed rapid growth in it’s population, economy, and agricultural production. The 1860 census reported the State of Texas had a population of 604,215 of which 182,566, or 30.2% of the population, were slaves. The total number of families was 76,781 of which 28%, or 21,878 families, owned and average of 8 slaves. From 1850 to 1860, the total number of acres under cultivation had increased from 11 million to 23 million and cotton production from less than 60,00 bales to over 430,00 bales by 1860.[2]

When Texas was admitted to the Union there were 27,555 slaves reported on the tax rolls and by 1860, the slave population had grown by 662% increasing the importance of slaveholders and slavery to the political and economic life of the State by 1860. On the eve of the Civil War, most of the new comers to the State had come from southern states that would secede from Union, slaveholders owned 73% of the state’s real property, and nearly 70% of the state’s political leaders were slaveholders.

In the 1860 census year, Newton County had established a mixed agricultural economy based on corn, potatoes, cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses. Cotton production had jumped from 152 bales in 1850 to 2,091 bales in 1860. Although there were few large planters in the County, the number of slaves was also growing and in 1860 reached 1,103, 34 percent of the county's population total population of 3,244.[3]

On February 2^nd, 1861, a convention of Texas delegates passed and ordinance titled “A Declaration of the Causes which Impel Texas to Secede from the Federal Union” which would dissolve all political connection with the government of the United States and set a date of February 23^rd, 1861 for the voters of Texas to ratify or reject the ordinance. One paragraph in this document stated; “We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.”[4]

The Citizens of Texas voted to secede from the Union on February 23^rd, 1861 and the State of Texas formally seceded from the Union on March 2, 1861 and rather than return to being an Independent Republic, joined the Confederate States of America.[5] Clearly, from the Declaration of Causes for the State of Texas to Secede, the continuation of the institution of slavery was at the heart of the reasons they chose to secede.

Abraham Lincoln , in his Inaugural Address of March 4^th, 1861, tried to reassure the southern States they had nothing to fear from his election and appealed to them to peaceably and lawfully preserve the Union. In the beginning of his address, he said, “Apprehension seems to exist among the people of the southern States that by the accession of a Republican Administration their property and their peace and personal security are to be endangered. There has never been any reasonable cause for such apprehension. Indeed, the most ample evidence to the contrary has all the while existed and been open to their inspection…..”

However, Lincoln clearly warns “that no State upon its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the Union; that resolves and ordinances to that effect are legally void, and that acts of violence within any State or States against the authority of the United States are insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to circumstances.” Therefore, Lincoln was determined to preserve the Union and regard any acts of secession from the Union as acts of rebellion.

In the early morning hours of April 12, 1861, Confederate Artillery fired on Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina and after 33 hours of bombardment, the Federal garrison surrendered. On April 15, President Lincoln called 75,000 militiamen into Federal service to put down the rebellion of the seceded States and on April 19 he ordered a naval blockade of the southern states from South Carolina to the mouth of the Rio Grande River.[6]

The Stark family had been participating in the financial expansion from agricultural and steamboat commerce moving up and down the Sabine River by 1860 but the Civil War would change the dynamics of the fortunes of this small population in and around Stark’s Landing for most of the young men would join the Confederacy, leaving families and loved ones behind to run the farms and businesses.

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The Civil War Years

On June 7^th, the 6^th Cavalry Battalion and 13^th Cavalry Regiment departed from Porter’s Spring for Arkansas but were ordered in route by Brigadier General Henry Eustace McCulloch to stop at his headquarters in Tyler, Texas for training and to allow stragglers to rejoin the unit. July 2^nd , the Regiment started their trek north to Little Rock, Arkansas but were forced to halt their march in the southwest corner of Arkansas in Lafayette County, Arkansas due to an outbreak of measles and typhoid fever. They initially camped near Spring Bank but later moved their camp to Walnut Hills. During this epidemic, the 13^th Cavalry lost 30 men. Among them was twenty-one year old Wynant DeHart who died August 7^th. He would have celebrated his twenty-second birthday September 17, 1862. The Regiment left Walnut Hills August 22^nd arriving in Little Rock September 6^th, 1862.

Samuel Hawley Stark was reported absent in the July and August Company muster because he was on detached service. He was reported present in the September and October musters and had last received pay from Captain A. T. Monroe June 30^th of 1862. The day after the Regiment arrived in Little Rock, William Blewett became ill, dying September 19^th of a disease described by his brother-in-law, Major Charles R. Beaty of the 13^th Regiment, as “hemorage of the bowells.”

On September 20^th, John Thomas Stark was named commander of the “Dreadnaughts.” He was not related to the William Hawley Stark family. He was born December 19, 1821 in Preble County, Ohio, the son of Jeremiah Stark and Susannah Jamison. Jeremiah moved to Missouri and then to San Augustine, Texas about 1840 where John Thomas Stark married Martha Ann Skidmore July 21^st, 1847. J. T. Stark is recorded in the 1860 Newton County Census as a 38 year old merchant with real estate and personal property valued at $6,000.

The 13^th Texas Cavalry was added to the 1^st Brigade of an newly organized division commanded by Brigadier General McCullock. On October 2^nd, Brigadier General Allison Nelson’s 10^th Corp and Brigadier General H. E. McCulloch’s 1^st brigade, were combined into a force of 25,000 Texas and Arkansas troops. They were dispatched from Argenta on a 55-mile march east from Little Rock to the White River. Arriving at their destination in a driving rainstorm on the evening of October 4^th, they were informed the Union forces were moving up the Arkansas River in an attempt to split to Confederate Army. Nelson and McCulloch were ordered to return to Argenta. On the trip out, Nelson became ill and was returned to Little Rock, suffering from pneumonia, where he died October 7^th.

The march back to Little Rock was made under the most horrendous of circumstances. The troops did not have the proper clothing and equipment to operate in cold weather and began the return trip in a soaking rain, marching at times in water and mud up to their knees. To compound their problems, on the first night on the trail back to Little Rock, a cold front passed through producing storms, hail, sleet, and more rain. After two days and nights of marching in the cold, damp, windswept countryside, the men arrived back at Argenta, many already sick with chills and fever.

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October 14^th, McCulloch, now commander of the 1^st Brigade and 10^th Corp was ordered to winter quarters located at Camp Hope which was fourteen miles northeast of Argenta and two miles east of the town of Austin, Arkansas. To honor General Allison Nelson, McCulloch renamed the new encampment “Camp Nelson.” The men continued to suffer from the cold and because of a contaminated water supply and scant protection from the weather, epidemics of typhoid and black measles passed through the ranks killing 500 men within six weeks. One can imagine those well enough to walk, making the rounds each morning to see who had or had not survived the night and then forming burial details to bury the dead.

George W. Davis died November 13, 1862 and was among those buried just outside of Camp Nelson. He left a widow, Sarah Elizabeth Whitman, the sister of William Hawley Stark’s second wife, Martha Whitman. Sarah would later marry William Hawley’s nephew, William Augusta Zachary, August 27, 1863 in Newton County.

The November and December Muster of Company H reveals Samuel Hawley Stark was in the hospital in Little Rock. The Regimental Return for Company H, 13^th Texas Cavalry reports S. H. Stark was “Sick at Camp Nelson since 23 Nov. 1862.” In the December Regimental Return recorded S. H. Stark as “Sick at Little Rock since 22 Dec. 1862.” The last entry to be found for Samuel Hawley Stark was made in the Register of the Confederate States of America Rock Hotel Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas. This document reported S. H. Stark was admitted December 16, 1862 and died of disease March 12, 1863.

Prior to the death of Samuel, the steamboat "Roebuck" arrived at Stark's landing at 4 PM on February 2, 1863. The Roebuck had been modified to accommodate Union prisoners captured January 1, 1863 at the conclusion of the Battle of Galveston. They were being moved up the Sabine River to Burr's Landing, from where they would be marched over land to Alexandria, Louisiana to be exchanged for Confederate prisoners. The Roebuck offered little shelter to the elements and was considered "a miserable old craft" by Sergeant William H. Hunt of Company I of the 42nd Massachusetts Regiment. According to Sergeant Hunt, "The weather had been cloudy, rainy and cold almost the entire trip, creating great inconvenience to the men, who were obliged to use rubber and woolen blankets to stop rain-water leaks in their sleeping places. Several were quite sick."

Private George Fiske, Company D, had been keeping a diary of the trip and made this entry on February 2^nd 1863; "We started at daybreak, and having good luck have made a good day's journey and at four o'clock p.m. tied up here at Stark's Landing or Ferry, being accommodated by a flat boat as are all the ferries in Texas.  There are three or four houses here and quite a large clearing.  We are all out of provisions - both meal and meat.  Tomorrow the teams are to be dispatched several miles back into the country for meal, and the guard are to hunt cattle.  So we shall probably make but little headway tomorrow."¹

Private David Chapin [1] of Company I, was one of the sick whose condition worsened and on the night of February 2^nd, died as a result of his ailments while on board the Roebuck.

On February 3^rd, George Fiske made this entry in his diary; "Part of the teams were dispatched early after meal  while the rest were engaged in bringing wood for the boat, and part of the guard went in search of cattle.  At ten o'clock we performed the saddest duty of a soldier - the burial of a comrade,  David Chapin, of Company I, who died last night of typhoid fever.  After much labor and expense, a rough board coffin was constructed in which the remains were placed and conducted to the grave at the edge of the woods.  The guard marched in front with reversed arms, their bugler playing the "dead march."  Upon reaching the grave, we assembled around while the funeral services were conducted by the Chaplain.  When all was over, the guard fired three volleys over the grave, and with uncovered heads, we marched past and took our last look at our departed brother, and then returned to the boat. We felt very grateful to these kind-hearted cowboys for the respect they paid to our dead."

David Chapin was buried in an area that later became the family cemetery of William Hawley Stark.   A neat head-board, with name, age, company and regiment inscribed thereon, was placed on his grave. The Roebuck then continued it's journey up the Sabine River, arriving at Burr's Ferry at 3:30 on the afternoon of February 4^th. Private Henry C. Sellea, Company D, who had been sick for four days on the boat, died February 7^th, a few days after arriving at Burr's Ferry and was buried in the Burr Family Cemetery, a ceremony performed as was given David Chapin at Stark's Landing. On the morning of February 9^th, the prisoners started their overland march arriving in Alexandria February 18^th, 1863, where they were paroled and rejoined the 42^nd Massachusetts in New Orleans February 22^nd,1863.

During the Civil War, William Hawley Stark and his second wife, Martha Whitman, had two daughters named Queen Victoria Stark, born March 29, 1861, and Dorothy Jane Stark, born January 06, 1864. In 1867, the father of David Chapin, George Austin Chapin, wrote a letter to William Hawley, enquiring into the burial place of his son, David. However, the letter was delivered to another William H. Stark related to John Thomas Stark and never delivered. In the year 2002, through a set of unusual events, the letter was finally delivered to the descendants of William Hawley Stark and David’s gravesite was located and marked with a tombstone per the wishes of his father.²

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William Hawley Stark Family Group

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Chapter 10

More Civil War Years

Spaight’s 11th Texas Battalion

On April 20, 1861, one-hundred and two men were mustered at Sabine Pass as a militia company serving for 90 days. They called themselves the “Sabine Pass Guard.” During their 90 day enlistment, they build Fort Sabine, obtained four cannon and shot from Galveston and Houston, and studied artillery manuals in preparation for defending Fort Sabine. When their enlistments expired in July, most of the men re-enlisted and were formed into two companies, one artillery captained by James B. Likens which kept the name “Sabine Pass Guard“, and the rest of the men were formed into a cavalry company, the Ben McCulloch Coast Guard, raised by Dr. James H. Blair, a Sabine physician.[1] This enlistment was to be for one year.

In September of 1861, Captain Likens was promoted to Major and authorized to raise Likens’ Sixth Battalion of State Militia. Blair’s Cavalry became Company A, Likens’ Artillery company became Company B, commanded by K. D. Keith, Infantry Company C was recruited from Newton County and commanded by Captain Josephus S. Irvine, and Infantry Company D was recruited from Tyler County and commanded by Captain W. J. Spurlock.[1]

In June of 1862, Major Likens was promoted and authorized to raise a regiment of Texas Cavalry. Captain Spaight was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed 11th Texas Battalion which became known as “Spaight’s Battalion.” Josephus Irvine was elected Major and executive officer of the Battalion and W. C. Gibbs was elected to replace Irvine as Commander of Company C.[1]

Many of the men from the Stark family and their extended families were recruited by Josephus Irvine and served in Company C. Josephus Somerville Irvine, born in Lawrence County, Tennessee, August 25, 1819, was a veteran of the Texas War for Independence and saw action April 21st , 1836 in the decisive “Battle of San Jacinto.” Some early Newton County Commissioners Court meetings was held at his home on Quicksand Creek before the community of Newton was selected as the site for the County Government.[2]

He recruited many of William Hawley Stark’s relatives and members of his extended family. The following men served in Company C who were related in some way to the Stark family and William Hawley Stark:

1) Charles Bowman Dougharty; His half-sister, Hester Ann Ford married Asa L. Stark March 26, 1857. Asa L. Stark was the brother of William Hawley Stark. Charles was recorded living in the home of Asa L. Stark in the 1860 census. After the War, Charles married William Hawley Stark’s daughter, Nancy Matilda, October 2, 1867.[3] Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

2) Abel Herring DeHart; Was the son of John Dehart and Mary Commander Herring. Mary was the half-sister of William “Bill” Herrin who married Prudence Jane Stark. Prudence Jane was the sister of William Hawley Stark. After the war, he married Amanda Ellen Ford sometime before 1876, the daughter of John Harrison Ford.[4] Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

3) James M. DeHart; Was the son of John Dehart and Mary Commander Herring. Mary was the half-sister of William “Bill” Herrin who married Prudence Jane Stark. Prudence Jane was the sister of William Hawley Stark. Not known if he survived the war. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

4) John Harrison Ford; Was the brother of Hester Ann Ford who was the second spouse of Asa L. Stark. Charles Bowman Dougharty was his half brother. Their mother was Courtney Caraway who married second, George Dougharty. In 1859, was recorded as the guardian of Charles B. Dougharty.[5] John married Margaret Stewart, the sister of Adam Lackey Stewart.[6] Survived the war. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

5) Andrew Jackson Herrin; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Prudence Jane Stark.[7] Married Mary Jobner after the War. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

6) James Herrin; husband of Nancy Jane Lewis who was the niece of William Hawley Stark and daughter of Sarah Mariah Stark, William Hawley’s sister. James was a son born to the first wife of William “Bill” Herrin. His second wife was Prudence Jane Stark. James died in 1864 and was buried in the DeHart Cemetery. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

7) Stephen B. Herrin; nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Prudence Jane Stark.[4,7] Survived the war and is recorded in the 1870 census for Newton County, Texas as married to Nancy, age 18. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.[7]

8) William Herrin, Jr.; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Prudence Jane Stark.[4,7] Was recorded in the 1860 census for Calcasieu Parish. Married Mary Hoosier and had one child in 1860 census. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.[7]

9) Asa S. Lewis; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Sarah Mariah Stark. Married Sara “Sab” Page June 09, 1861in Newton County. Recorded in Newton County 1880 census with wife Sarah and 4 year old adopted daughter name Maude.[8]

10) George W. Lewis; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Sarah Mariah Stark.[8] Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

11) William M. Lewis; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Sarah Mariah Stark.8 Married Ellen Wilkinson July 03, 1865 in Newton County. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

12) Daniel Donaho Stark; Nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Asa L. Stark & 1st wife Matilda Donaho.[9] Married March 24, 1864, in Newton County, Julia Cassandra Dougharty, widow of Samuel Hawley Stark who died of disease in March of 1863 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Samuel Hawley Stark served in the 13th Texas Cavalry and was the son of William Hawley Stark. Julia Dougharty was the sister of Charles B. Dougharty. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

13) Daniel L. Stark; Son of William Hawley Stark and 1st wife, Elizabeth Zachary. Daniel married Amanda Catherine Dougharty January 12, 1854 in Newton County. Survived the war and died in 1904. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

14) George Whitman; Son of Joseph Whitman and brother of John Adam Whitman who married William Hawley Stark's daughter, Mary L. Stark.

15) Joseph Whitman; Brother-in-law of William Hawley Stark and brother of 2nd wife Martha C. Whitman. Married Henrietta Elizabeth Foster June of 1865. Died December 22, 1932. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

16) William Augustus Zachary; nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Bennett Hiram Zachary & Clarinda Bennett. Bennett Hiram Zachary and Elizabeth Zachary were siblings.[10] Married Sarah Elizabeth Whitman August 27, 1863 in Newton County. Sarah Elizabeth was the widow of George Davis who died of Disease in Arkansas while serving with the 13th Texas Cavalry. Sarah Elizabeth was also the sister of William Hawley Stark’s second wife, Martha Whitman. William Zachary died in 1878 while working as an engineer aboard the steamboat Rinn which exploded on the Sabine River near Deweyville, Texas. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

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The men of the new battalion mustered near Beaumont and began their training. However, in July of 1862, The British steamer Victoria docked at Sabine Pass with yellow fever on board. By August, 300 soldiers and civilians were afflicted with the disease and had begun to die. Resident’s of Sabine Pass fled to Orange and Beaumont, spreading the disease to these communities. By September, the disease had afflicted about 100 civilians, all but 14 men in Company A, and all but 16 in Company B before the area was quarantined. Colonel Spaight was in Houston on a Court Martial Assignment and sent a team of Doctors and Nurses to report on the severity of the epidemic. On their advice, he furloughed the men of his battalion not quarantined who returned to their homes. Those in Companies A and B assisted the quarantined communities.[1]

Because of the fever, the upper coast of Texas became an inviting target for a Union offensive due to the weakened Confederate defenses and on September 24, 1862, Union ships blockading the Texas coast took advantage of these circumstances. Warships under the command of Lt. Frederick Crocker crossed the sand bar at Sabine Pass, and began shelling Fort Sabine. The men of Companies A and B were called out and after a brief exchange of artillery fire, Major Josephus S. Irvine spiked his guns and evacuated the Fort. September 26th, Crocker's men came ashore, destroying Fort Sabine, a railway bridge over Taylor's Bayou, and the railway depot near Sabine City.[11] Crocker left the steamboats, Rachel Seaman and Dan, captured in the Calcasieu River, to guard Sabine Pass and harass the soldiers and civilians and on one occasion, the Dan shelled the soldiers of Spaight’s Battalion camped at Taylor’s Bayou.[1]

In September of 1862, the Union Naval flotilla blockading the Texas Coast Commanded by Commodore William B. Renshaw, was ordered to move their ships into Galveston Harbor if conditions were favorable. October 4, the Harriet Lane steamed into the harbor and in a bold move, Renshaw demanded the City of Galveston and the harbor surrender. Taking advantage of the confusion of the local authorities, he then ordered his other seven ships holding position offshore to enter the harbor. The Confederate battery at Fort Point challenged the incoming ships by firing a warning shot at the Union fleet and was promptly silenced by the larger guns of the Union Warship Owasco. Worried about the safety of civilians living in Galveston, the city's defenders negotiated a four day truce which would allow the residents time to evaluate the island. However, during the truce, Confederate troops evacuated the island along with their weapons and machinery which was vigorously protested by Renshaw but which he could not prevent with his fleet anchored in the harbor. Galveston was occupied by Union forces on October 8 which was described by prominent Galveston attorney, William Pitt Ballinger as "a bleak day in our history."[12]

Major General John Bankhead Magruder, a veteran officer who had served with Robert E. Lee in the fighting around Richmond, became the Confederate commander of all of the forces in Texas on November 29, 1862 and gave the recapture of Galveston top priority. He began planning for the recapture of the island before additional troops could be landed. At 4:00 AM on New Year's day, January 1, 1863, Magruder himself pulled the lanyard of the center situated siege gun placed at the end of 20th street, sending the shot into one of the buildings at the end of Kuhn's Wharf. The men of Spaight’s battalion could hear the cannonading from Sabine Pass.[13] The Confederates won the day, capturing a large number of Union sailors and three companies of the Massachusetts 42nd Regiment.

During the next three months, General Magruder began to transfer Colonel W. H. Griffin’s battalion from Galveston to Sabine Pass and Spaight’s five companies of cavalry and infantry, all to be dismounted, to Virginia Point on the mainland across from Galveston Island. Artillery Company B, commanded by Captain K. D. Keith, remained at Sabine Pass and was assigned to the cotton clad steamboat “Uncle Ben”, patrolling Sabine Pass and Lake Sabine. September 8th, 1863, a Union invasion fleet attempted to enter Sabine Pass but was repulsed by Lieutenant Dick Dowling’s artillery stationed at Fort Griffin. The Uncle Ben attempted a feint towards the Pass from Sabine Lake, but was forced back because of the small size of it’s artillery. After the battle of Sabine Pass, the Uncle Ben crossed the channel and towed the disabled Union Gun boat Sachem to the Texas Shore. Company B would spend the war defending Jefferson County and Sabine Pass.[1]

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May 1, 1863, the rest of the battalion was ordered to central Louisiana to assist the troops of General Richard Taylor [Son of President Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States] fighting to relieve pressure on the defenders of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Colonel Spaight's troops became a part of the commands of three other Texas commanders, General Tom Green's brigade, Colonel R. Major's brigade, and Colonel J. W. Speight's brigade, whose Fifteenth Texas Regiment was a part of the brigade he temporarily commanded. Although the names “Spaight” and “Speight” were pronounced the same, they were spelled differently and were two different men, which has caused some confusion during this Louisiana assignment of Spaight’s Battalion. During the six months the Battalion was in Louisiana, Colonel Spaight's companies engaged in more than twenty skirmishes, the battle of Fordoche Bayou on September 29th and the Battle of Bayou Bourbeau on November 3rd, 1863.[1]

Infantry Companies C, D, & E were placed under the command of Colonel Speight‘s Brigade. Cavalry Companies A & F were under the command of Colonel R. Major‘s brigade. General Tom Green was in command of the combined force. The cavalry companies were in several skirmishes during June and July and in August, Spaight’s Battalion and many of the other Confederate units were struck by illness. Captain Gibbs' Company C reported six dead of disease and a total of thirty-seven sick during the Louisiana campaign, presumably of measles. One analysis of the rosters showed Company C had 137 men which was reduced to 94 able-bodied fighting men due to illness.[14]

Green’s brigade and Speight’s Brigade crossed the Atchafalaya River September 28th, 1863 and attacked the 19th Iowa and 26th Indiana Regiments on Fordoche Bayou, these advance Union Regiments having become isolated from the main body of Major General Nathaniel Franklin’s retreating Army. Green led a frontal assault while Speight’s and Mouton’s Brigades were ordered to attack from the rear.[15] Under the command of Colonel Gray, Speight’s and Mouton’s Brigades began moving under cover of rain to the enemies rear at 7:00 A. M. on the 29th, marching single file through swamp before reaching their position of attack by 11:30 in the morning, which was five miles west of Morganza on the Mississippi. Mouton’s Brigade was held in reserve and Speight’s Brigade was ordered forward under Lieutenant Colonel Harrison to attack the infantry camped at Mrs. Sterling’s plantation on Bayou Fordoche. Green was to engage the advanced cavalry camped at Fordoche Bridge. The Federal infantry force was camped at Mrs. Sterling's sugar house [sugar mill] and Negro quarters in well defended positions behind a high levee and amongst the buildings.

In the line of battle formed from right to left, the Confederates had Speight’s Regiment, Major Daniel Hawpes Regiment, Spaight’s battalion [Infantry Companies C, D, & E] of Texas Volunteers, and Clark’s Battalion of Louisiana Volunteers. As the line of battle was being established about four hundred yards from the sugar house in a cane field, the Union infantry commenced firing. Return fire from the Confederates had little effect due to the height of the sugar cane and the order was passed down the line to press forward. Two hundred yards from the Union lines, the Confederates came upon an open field, exposing their ranks which was the cause of a considerable number of casualties as the Union infantry fired from the protection of the levee, sugar house, and Negro cabins. A new line of battle was formed and it became clear that the attackers would have to charge the Union positions. From the Texans arose a Texas yell and “up and at them“ as they mounted a spirited charge across two hundred yards of open field against the Union positions. As they advanced on the Union positions, Confederate soldiers were caught in a withering wall of small arms fire but continued their heroic charge. Spaight’s Battalion reached the sugar house first and was quickly joined by Clark’s, Hawpes. and Speight’s Brigades. As the Union positions were being overrun, they fell back to the Negro Cabins with the Confederates in close pursuit, the Texans still yelling like demons from hell.

As the combatants reached the Negro quarters, hand to hand combat commenced as the Union soldiers fought from house to house, giving a good account of themselves as they made a orderly retreat towards the levee. Placed in two gaps of the levee were two six pound Parrot guns which began to join the battle, sweeping deadly shot into the streets of the Negro quarters. Although the Confederates had now gained and won the sugar house and Negro cabins, it was proving to be costly as the Union soldiers poured deadly and accurate fire into the Confederate ranks from only sixty yards. Mouton’s Brigade, held in reserve, could not be called up as a flanking force because they were protecting against a possible attack commencing from Union forces stationed in Morganza.

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Meanwhile, General Green had been having trouble routing the Cavalry camp, taking longer than expected. The battle at Bayou Fordoche near the sugar mill was on the verge of being loss when General Green overwhelmed the Union Cavalry and advanced on the levee. As Green's Confederate forces yelled in victory, the Confederates at the mill mounted an assault from the Negro quarters causing the Federal troops resistance at the levee to collapse. Although the Confederates had won the day, the cost was twenty-six dead and eighty-one wounded. Many of these casualties were suffered by Spaight's Battalion, with nine killed and ten wounded resulting in a casualty rate of fifteen percent. Two men from Company C killed in action killed were A. F. Inman and James Patterson Irving, the son of Major Josephus Irving.[5,6] Union losses were One hundred-fifty men killed or wounded and four hundred-seventy-five taken prisoner. Two six pound Parrot guns, some much needed medical stores, and a considerable number of Enfield rifles were also captured. Of the Union soldiers captured, there were 36 officers, two of them being Lieutenant Colonels.[16] One Nineteenth Iowa officer noted: "The Rebels got everything we had except our clothes."[17]

November 3, 1863, General Green attacked the rearguard of General S. Burbridge’s 1,625 man brigade at Bayou Bourbeau, seven miles south of Opelousas, Louisiana. In the insuring battle, the Union forces were routed with 154 of their number killed or wounded. Causalities for the Confederate force was 180 killed, wounded or missing. Spaight’s Infantry Companies fared much better in this fight, not making contact with the enemy until their surrender was already underway. Cavalry Company A was in a fire fight with a Union Cavalry which they chased back to the town of Vermillionville.[18]

Later in November of 1863, Spaight’s Battalion returned to Texas where the men were given leave to briefly return to their homes for visit. They reassembled at Beaumont Post and the various companies were scattered from Sabine Pass to Niblett’s Bluff, Louisiana on the Sabine River.

Headquarters Company and Companies A through F of Spaight’s Battalion were reassembled at Niblett’s Bluff at the time General Franklin was suffering embarrassing defeats in northwestern Louisiana from April 8th to April 12th of 1864. On April 24th, the Union gunboat, Wave, moved into the Calcasieu River from the Gulf an anchored below Lake Charles, followed three days later by the gunboat Granite City. Colonel W. H. Griffin was ordered to “attack the small force at Calcasieu and disperse, defeat, and capture the expedition.”[19] Colonel Spaight ordered Companies A, C, D, & E to join Company B at Sabine Pass while he proceeded to Lake Charles with Company F to safeguard Confederate cotton, steamboats, and blockade-runners at Lake Charles.[20]

On May 4th, 1864, Colonel Griffin ordered the three infantry companies of Spaight’s Battalion along with four other infantry companies, one battery of artillery and 30 cavalry, about 300 men, to leave Sabine Pass. They were ferried from Sabine Pass to Johnson’s Bayou and then made a 38 mile march overland to Calcasieu Pass where they surprised the Union gunboats at anchor on May 6th. Fighting from exposed positions in the prairie around the Pass, the Confederates were able to send in accurate Cannon and Musket fire. After a ninety minute spirited defense the Union gunboats, hampered by having no steam pressure and their anchors out , surrendered after taking considerable damage from the Confederate batteries. Only one man from Spaight’s Battalion, Jackson Risinger of Company D, was killed in this action along with 13 other Confederate soldiers.[21]

This was to be the last battle for the men of Spaight’s Battalion. Captain Gibbs, commanding Company C, surrendered the Company in May of 1865 at Bolivar Point, Texas at which time the men returned to their homes in Newton County. Many of the men of Spaight’s Battalion were bitter about the defeat and the uncertain future it represented for them. In his final entry in his diary, dated May 25th, 1865 Sergeant Conner wrote, “And with this ends our hopes and efforts to establish a separate Independent Republic. And with this surrender, we surrender our State's Rights Doctrine, not from moral conviction, but from bayonet conviction, which rules all others. Thousands have sealed the struggle with their lives; wealth has been expended, but political corruption (?) has lost to us our dearest rights as a nation of southern people.”[22]

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13th Regiment of the Texas Mounted Volunteers

John Howell Burnett, Commanding, and Anderson Floyd, second in command, resigned from the Texas Senate in January of 1862 and organized the 13th Regiment of Texas Cavalry which mustered February 22, 1862 in northeast Texas and March 1, 1862 for the southern counties. Volunteers were recruited from Newton County, Texas by William Blewett who became the first commander of Company H, known as the “Dreadnaughts.” The following men served in Company H who were related in some way to the Stark family and William Hawley Stark:

1) George W. Davis; Was the brother-in-law of William Hawley Stark. He was married to Sarah Elizabeth Whitman, sister of the second spouse of William Hawley, Martha C. Whitman. George died from disease November 13, 1862 at Camp Nelson in Arkansas. His widow, Sarah Elizabeth, married William A. Zachary in August of 1863. Entered as Private and was Private when he died.

2) Wynant DeHart; Was the son of John Dehart and Mary Commander Herring. Mary was the half-sister of William “Bill” Herrin who married Prudence Jane Stark. Prudence Jane was the sister of William Hawley Stark. Died August 7, 1862 at Walnut Hill, Arkansas of Disease. Enlisted as private and was Corporal when he died.

3) Francis B. Dougharty; His half-sister, Hester Ann Ford married Asa L. Stark March 26, 1857. Asa L. Stark was the brother of William Hawley Stark. Enlisted as Private and mustered out as Corporal.

4) Marshall J. Dougharty; His sister, Julia Cassandra Dougharty, married Samuel Hawley Stark, son of William Hawley Stark. Marshall was recorded living in the home of Asa L. Stark in the 1860 census. Asa had married Marshall’s half-sister, Hester Ann Ford. Enlisted as Private and mustered out as Sergeant.

5) Andrew Jackson Herrin; nephew of William Hawley Stark and son of Prudence Jane Stark. 7 Survived the war and married Mary Jobner. Enlisted as private and mustered out as private.

6) Samuel Hawley Stark; Son of William Hawley Stark. Married Julia Cassandra Dougharty and had three children when he enlisted. Died of disease March 12, 1863 in Little Rock Arkansas Hospital. Was buried in the Camp Nelson Cemetery. Enlisted as private and was private when he died.

Samuel Hawley Stark, at the age of twenty-five, was recruited by Captain William Blewett February 20, 1862 in Newton to serve in Company H for a period of 12 months. Samuel and the above men reported for duty in Crockett, Houston County, Texas March 1st after traveling 115 miles. William Blewett, named command of Company H, was not present at this first muster of the company which was conducted by Captain S. M. Drake. On his arrival in Crockett, Samuel’s horse and equipment were valued at $165. The Thirteenth Texas Cavalry Regiment completed it’s organization May 24th, 1862 at Porter’s Springs, Houston County and was placed under the command of John Howell Burnett.[23]

William Blewett and his parents moved to Jasper County in 1849 from Georgia. William was sent back to Georgia where he completed his formal education at the Fletcher Institute in Thomasville, Georgia . On his return to Texas, he taught school in Jasper County before marrying his 1st cousin, Nancy Adams, May 20, 1862. In 1858, William and Nancy moved to Newton, Texas where he and his brother-in-law, Able Adams, opened a store.[24]

On June 7th, the 6th Cavalry Battalion and 13th Cavalry Regiment departed from Porter’s Spring for Arkansas but were ordered in route by Brigadier General Henry Eustace McCulloch to stop at his headquarters in Tyler, Texas for training and to allow stragglers to rejoin the unit. William Blewett wrote the following to his wife, Nancy, June 11th .[24]

Dear Nancy

I am at this time 8 miles below Tyler awaiting for dinner. The Regiment Camped 3 miles above here last night and will go about 15 miles To day and if nothing prevents we will overtake them Tonight. This is Wednesday and I have been 4 ½ days getting here which is about 140 miles I have had to Travel Slow on account of My mule getting Lame the second day after I Started, but She is improving So that I shall make a good ride today. The people on the road Say the Regiment is in good health and are getting along very well. I have heard that we are to stop a few days in Titus County and if so I will write you from there again. We are now on our march to Little Rock Arkansas Company G 13th Texas Mounted Regiment.

Your William

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July 2nd , the Regiment started their trek north to Little Rock, Arkansas but were forced to halt their march in the southwest corner of Arkansas in Lafayette County, Arkansas due to an outbreak of measles and typhoid fever. They initially camped near Spring Bank but later moved their camp to Walnut Hills. During this epidemic, the 13th Cavalry lost 30 men. Among them was twenty-one year old Wynant DeHart who died August 7th. He would have celebrated his twenty-second birthday September 17, 1862. The Regiment left Walnut Hills August 22nd arriving in Little Rock September 6th, 1862.

Samuel Hawley Stark was reported absent in the July and August Company muster because he was on detached service. He was reported present in the September and October musters and had last received pay from Captain A. T. Monroe June 30th of 1862. The day after the Regiment arrived in Little Rock, William Blewett became ill, dying September 19th of a disease described by his brother-in-law, Major Charles R. Beaty of the 13th Regiment, as “hemorage of the bowells.”[25]

On September 20th, John Thomas Stark was named commander of the “Dreadnaughts.” He was not related to the William Hawley Stark family. He was born December 19, 1821 in Preble County, Ohio, the son of Jeremiah Stark and Susannah Jamison. Jeremiah moved to Missouri and then to San Augustine, Texas about 1840 where John Thomas Stark married Martha Ann Skidmore July 21st, 1847. J. T. Stark is recorded in the 1860 Newton County Census as a 38 year old merchant with real estate and personal property valued at $6,000.[26]

The 13th Texas Cavalry was added to the 1st Brigade of an newly organized division commanded by Brigadier General McCullock. On October 2nd, Brigadier General Allison Nelson’s 10th Corp and Brigadier General H. E. McCulloch’s 1st brigade, were combined into a force of 25,000 Texas and Arkansas troops. They were dispatched from Argenta[27] on a 55-mile march east from Little Rock to the White River. Arriving at their destination in a driving rainstorm on the evening of October 4th, they were informed the Union forces were moving up the Arkansas River in an attempt to split to Confederate Army. Nelson and McCulloch were ordered to return to Argenta. On the trip out, Nelson became ill and was returned to Little Rock, suffering from pneumonia, where he died October 7th.

The march back to Little Rock was made under the most horrendous of circumstances. The troops did not have the proper clothing and equipment to operate in cold weather and began the return trip in a soaking rain, marching at times in water and mud up to their knees. To compound their problems, on the first night on the trail back to Little Rock, a cold front passed through producing storms, hail, sleet, and more rain. After two days and nights of marching in the cold, damp, windswept countryside, the men arrived back at Argenta, many already sick with chills and fever.[28]

October 14th, McCulloch, now commander of the 1st Brigade and 10th Corp was ordered to winter quarters located at Camp Hope which was fourteen miles northeast of Argenta and two miles east of the town of Austin, Arkansas. To honor General Allison Nelson, McCulloch renamed the new encampment “Camp Nelson.” The men continued to suffer from the cold and because of a contaminated water supply and scant protection from the weather, epidemics of typhoid and black measles passed through the ranks killing 500 men within six weeks. One can imagine those well enough to walk, making the rounds each morning to see who had or had not survived the night and then forming burial details to bury the dead.[28]

George W. Davis died November 13, 1862 and was among those buried just outside of Camp Nelson. He left a widow, Sarah Elizabeth Whitman, the sister of William Hawley Stark’s second wife, Martha Whitman. Sarah would later marry William Hawley’s nephew, William Augusta Zachary, August 27, 1863 in Newton County.

The November and December Muster of Company H reveals Samuel Hawley Stark was in the hospital in Little Rock. The Regimental Return for Company H, 13th Texas Cavalry reports S. H. Stark was “Sick at Camp Nelson since 23 Nov. 1862.” In the December Regimental Return recorded S. H. Stark as “Sick at Little Rock since 22 Dec. 1862.” The last entry to be found for Samuel Hawley Stark was made in the Register of the Confederate States of America Rock Hotel Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas. This document reported S. H. Stark was admitted December 16, 1862 and died of disease March 12, 1863.[29] Of the six young men who went to war revealed to be related to William Hawley Stark, only three would return.

The surviving members of the Regiment were reorganized by McCulloch in November of 1862 and departed Camp Nelson November 24th bound for Little Rock and then reassigned to Pine Bluff in early January of 1863 under the command of Major General John G. Walker’s Texas division which became known as “Walker’s Greyhounds.” Captain John Thomas Stark continued as Commander of Company H until he resigned November 26th, 1864 due to poor health. Eugenia Stark, daughter of John T. Stark, later wrote; “A year later my father came home with an honorable discharge, because of broken health. No one expected him to live to reach home, but an old man at whose house he spent a night gave him a prescription of roots, leaves and barks which, when gathered and prepared according to directions, finally cured my father, but by that time the war had ended.”[30] Thomas J. Brack took command of the Company until the end of the war.

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Camp Nelson Cemetery located near Little Rock, Arkansas