Before I get into today’s article I want to mention the fact a new Texas Historical Commission marker has been erected here in the county honoring one of the Confederate units from Navarro County. This unit known as the Navarro Rifles was one of two units which came from this area. During the dedication ceremony I was amazed at the names I recognized when the Sons of the Confederate Veterans group read off the honor roll of the men who served in this unit during the Civil War. I could not help but think of each cemetery where many of these veterans of the war are buried. Brandon Ford did an excellent job researching the material for the marker. Needless to say I have recently written about the fact the Texas Historical Commission has completely changed the process in acquiring a marker. Brandon’s narration went through the marker process with flying colors and the marker people with the Historical Commission did not require any further information. Navarro County’s newest historical marker is erected in front of The Cook Center at Navarro College and the local J.L. Halbert Camp is planning to start working on another marker for the Corsicana Invincibles, the other unit which came from our area during the Civil War.

On the 1850 agricultural census, 19 people were listed as farmers who grew oats as one of their cash crops. The total production of oats for those 19 individuals in 1850 was 1,224 bushels. Ten years later, when the 1860 agricultural census was done at the same time as the population census, the total number of oats producers had risen to 113 which is about six times the number of growers in 1850. The overall quantity of bushels produced in 1860 was 11,720 bushels which represents about 10 times as many bushels. Obviously many of the new farmers who migrated here in the time period between 1850 and 1860 decided oats was a crop they needed to produce. However, the total oats production was not as popular as bushels of Indian Corn.

On the list of the top producers of oats, several new names appeared for the first time. This may be a good indication of where some of these people migrated from such as the mid-west area. At the top of the list were two men who were both here when the 1850 census was taken. William F. Henderson, one of the few survivors of the 1838 Battle Creek massacre and a local surveyor, and Alexander Younger both stated they had produced 500 bushels of oats. Mr. Younger’s name was second on the oats produced list in 1850. Jonathan White was next on the 1860 census with 480 bushels followed by W.S. Robertson with 450 bushels of oats.

Calvin Newman came in fourth with 400 bushels followed by seven men tied for fifth with 300 bushels each. These men were William Holcomb, William Davidson, F.N. Brooks, James T. Persons, James C. Jones, George Valentin Perry and Elijah Jeffers. Most of these men lived in the eastern half of Navarro County. Next on the list were three men tied at 250 bushels each. They are James Little, Robert Hodge and Jesse Roberts. Close behind these individuals were six men tied at 200 bushels of oats each. Those six individuals were William R. White, E.H. Root, Benjamin Britton, Soloman B. Van Hook, Michael Welch and Susan Anderson, the widow of Dr. Anderson who was shot by William Love in 1855. Wilson H. Phelps was the only man who stated he had produced 175 bushels of oats and five men, Squire Smith, Charles Kerr, James C. Key, William H. Love and R. A. Younger, all told the census taker they had produced 150 bushels of oats.

Seventeen individuals told the census taker they had produced an even amount of 100 bushels each. They were William Laseter, Henry Jones, Mat Finch, A.M. Biars, L.D. Powell, Asa Chambers, Naz White, Harvey White, Nathan Newman, F.D. Vanhook, H.P. Walker, Elijah Anderson, Sam Hamilton, James A. Farmer, Henry Fitzgerald, Alfred Linsey and Jeremiah Melton. Oats, just like any other semi-perishable crop, had to be stored in a dry environment which meant another compartment in the barn or a separate facility. I cannot help but wonder just how successful each farmer was at keeping mice and rats from getting into the various grains they had in storage each year. I feel sure poisons were available and I would think most if not all of the poisons available back in those days would be completely banned today.

On the 1850 agricultural census, there were seven men listed as growers of cotton and the total production in 1850 was six bales of cotton. We have heard or read numerous times about the huge quantities of cotton grown here in Navarro County but obviously cotton was not a popular crop in 1850. By 1860, the production of cotton was on the rise but cotton production did not reach huge proportions until after the Civil War. Part of the reason for this was the inability of our local farmers to be able to break the heavy waxy blackland soil. Metal plows capable of breaking this durable ground were not manufactured until after the war was over. In fact even though the Civil War brought forth a terrible crisis for America, one of the good things which came about because of the war was the knowledge learned by the iron manufacturers to make durable iron objects in many shapes. During the war the iron makers were busy creating all types of iron objects associated with the war effort such as cannons, iron clad boats, armor plating and guns of all sizes and calibers. After the war was over, the iron manufacturers turned their efforts towards the production of things needed by the populace to rebuild the nation. One of the best iron products produced shortly after the war was over the iron plows. The nation needed to be fed and the production of crops expanded tremendously. Also if the nation was successful in producing agricultural crops for both human and animal consumption, any excess products could be exported abroad to help get the nation back on its feet. The ability to mass produce iron tools brought about significant changes to America.

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Next week: The quantity of cotton produced locally in 1860