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Biographical Sketches of Dimmit County Residents Enumerated in the 1880 Census
Source: "Branches and Acorns" SWTGS Quarterly, Vol. IV, No. 1 - September 1988
Information provided to B&A by Verner Bell, SWTGS Member
[Family numbers reference the 1880 census family #'s]
Family 73 - Billy McLaughlin and his wife, "Aunt Lindy," made their home in the fort,
a building that now exists only in the memory of a few. It was located near Carrizo Creek, on down Pena Street
from the square. Built in 1870 by Peter Marksfield, it was sold to William McLaughlin in 1875. Flora Fraizer Dickens
recalls living in the fort in later years. It had walls three feet thick and a large built-up Mexican-type fireplace
for cooking. It was divided into two rooms, had two doors and one window, and was approximately twenty by eighteen
feet. The roof was lower than the sides, so that the men could lie down and be protected from Indian fire: there
were gun holes along the top walls for the men to use to fire on the Indians.
Abe Dillard was probably the mail hack driver to Eagle Pass that concocked the story about the delegates from Carrizo
Springs being drunk in Eagle Pass when they organized Dimmit County.
Family - "Additonal" at bottom of Page 9, Leonard Bell married Mary Burleson and their children were
Frankie, who married Bill Roberts; "Javelin" John Bell, who first married Louisa Brown, then married
Mrs. Edna English Bell, who was formerly Lee Bell's wife, and still later married Ivie Roberts; Mollie Bell, who
married Arch Brown; Rube, who married Tissue Berry, and Nig (L. L. Jr.) who married Martha Brown. Three brothers
and sisters from one family married three brothers and sisters from another family. These three Brown children
who married John, Mollie and Nig Bell, were the children of Rev. R. H. Brown, who was born in Germany in 1846,
and in 1888 became the pastor of the Baptist Church in Carrizo Springs.
Family 74 - Rube Bell, a son of Jonathon Ruben Bell, Sr., married Elizabeth English (from the Levi English clan).
They were the first couple from Carrizo Springs to be married. They rode horseback to Eagle Pass to obtain a marriage
license. They had nine children. Maggie married Will Spindle. Other children were Alice, who married John McFarland:
Dainie, who married Charlie Lindenborn: Mollie, who married George Randall: Sy, who married Maggie Oden: Fate,
who married Clara O'Bryant: Sam, who married Louise Means, and Jackie, the youngest of Rube's children, who is
believed to have never married.
Family 76, 78, 79, 87, 88 - Lafatette (John?) Lloyd Vivian and two sons, Albert and Frank were killed in Civil
War. He was from Sedalia Missouri, but later moved to Goliad in 1839, fresh from remains of Jean Laffete's Colony
at Galveston. After his death, his widow Caroline and sons moved to Dimmit County in 1867 and settled on land on
Pendencia creek which was later sold to T. A. Coleman who called his ranch headquarters "Cometa." She
(Caroline) moved to Pearsall, Texas, where she had a large two story home. Her daughter and family lived with her
until her death. Note, land was paid for in gold pieces. Chlidren of this Union were: John (#88), Lafayette, Jim
(#79), Bill (#87), Henry Calvin (Dick), Wesley, Kit, Hester (#78) and the two sons killed in war, Frank and Albert.
Also killed after they came to this country, either by Indians or Mexicans were "Blue" (a nickname) and
Charlie - both were scalped. The Old Vivian home is still in Goliad. Carolyn or Caroline's husband was Lloyd (Edward)
Vivian, one son, Frank, buried between them in Cemetery in Goliad. Frank born Aug 24th, 1841, died Oct 8th, 1866.
Caroline born Dec 28th, 1817, died March 17, 1902 in Pearsall, TX. Lloyd born Jan 12th, 1819.
Family 80 [see Family 82]
Family 82 - [Complete history on this family group in Dimmit County Mesquite Roots by Laura Tidwell.] French Strauther
Grey "Doc" and Louisa Jane Craig Osgood White left Goliad in 1867. Grey White "led the wagon train
of Whites and Vivians [see Family # 76] who were to establish the first permanent settlement on Pendencia Creek
in Dimmit County." They were accompanied by Simon Love [see Family # 80], a black orphan about 13 years old,
whom they found on the road.
Family 84 - Margaret Bell was one of Johnathan Ruben Bell's nine children and stepchildren. He brought the youngsters
to Texas in the early 1850s after the death of his second wife in Mississippi. Margaret Bell first married Bud
English, Aaron John "Bud" English, b. June 14, 1841, was the first of 11 children born to Levi and Matilda
Burleson English who founded Carrizo Springs. Bud was killed during an Indian raid on July 4, 1865.
The tragedy happened in the area of the Leona River settlement in Frio County where many of the Bell and English
families lived at the time. It is believed that the death of his son was a major factor in Levi English's decision
to move to Dimmit County. Bud's widow, Margaret, later married his brother Edward English, and had five more children.
Bud and Margaret had Levi who married Mollie Williams and then Lorena Hazelrigg and his third wife was Emma Chisholm.
Lenny married Allie Killy, Jodie married Jesse Hazelrigg and later married Clara Fortner. Billy English married
Eva Vivian. Margaret and Ed English's oldest child was Plasette, or "Plas," who married Martha Boatright;
Sam married Lula Vivian; Mollie married Ed Vivian who was a cousin to Lula Vivian; Eddie married Margaret (Maggie)
Taylor; and Jim, the youngest, married Minnie McMain. Edward English, Sr., died in 1920.
Martha Bell, another daughter of Johnathan Ruben Bell, married Sam Neill. They had six known children. Mollie married
Willie Bright; Maggie (husband ?); Sam Neill married Lizzie Hay; L. L. married Mrs. Manda Roberts, and T. T. Neill
married Maggie Sawyers. Doug may have married.
Families 87,88 [see Family 76]
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