frontier times – Page 5 – Texas History Notebook

Big Tree, Koiwa Warrior

Neither the year nor place of his birth is precisely known, but he is believed to have been born around 1850. He is most often mentioned along side other Kiowa warriors such as Satank and Satanta. Big Tree (Ado-ete) is associated with numerous raids including the Kiowa attack of May, 1871 on the Henry Warren wagon train. Big Tree was arrested later that month, tried in June of that year in Jacksboro in the court of Judge Charles Soward. The prosecutor was future Texas governor S. W. T. Lanham. The Kiowa defendants were represented by a local attorney named Joseph Woolfolk.

Oliver Loving’s Family, Part 1

Oliver Loving was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky on December 4, 1812 to Joseph Loving (1786 – 1842) and Susannah Mary Bourland Loving (1788 – 1850). Joseph and Susannah were married in Kentucky around 1806. They had many children, most of whom remained in Kentucky, but Oliver and at least three of his siblings moved to Texas. Joseph and Susannah remained in Kentucky until their deaths.

Lottie Deno (Carlotta Thompkins Thurmond)

There were a number of colorful female characters in the early days of Texas. Lottie Deno was the nickname of a woman who appears in fictional tales and historical accounts of the Old West. In reality, she appears to have been Carlotta Thompkins Thurmond (1844 – 1934). She is widely mentioned to have been the inspiration for Miss Kitty, a character on radio and television in the two series, both named “Gunsmoke,” that each ran for many years. In Texas, she is also mostly associated with the shanty town that grew up around Fort Griffin on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River.

Mabel Gilbert and family

Mabel Gilbert was a Texas resident for most of his adult life. He and his family only lived in Dallas a few years, but they were contemporaries of the Beemans and John Neely Bryan and other early settlers. The Gilbert family story begins with Mabel himself. Mabel Gilbert was born on March 4, 1797 in what is now Dickson County, Tennessee. At that time, however, it was still part of North Carolina. According to genealogy records, his parents were William Gilbert/Gilbreath (1764 – 1827/1836) and Nancy “Nicy” Morris Gilbert/Gilbreath (1770 – 1840). Mabel is believed to have been the third son of the couple. The origin of his first name is unknown as Mabel is generally considered to be a feminine name. Mabel was followed by Temperance Gilbert, a daughter, and at least three more sons. The Gilbert childrens’ years of birth range from 1790 to 1810.

Edward H. Tarrant

Edward H. Tarrant (1796 or 1799 – 1858) was the namesake of Tarrant County. He was born in South Carolina and was the son of Samuel A. Tarrant and Nancy Anna Hampton Tarrant. He was the youngest of at least four children. His father died in 1799 and his mother remarried after many years. Tarrant was living in Muhlenburg, Kentucky at the outset of the War of 1812 and is said to have participated throughout the war, including the Battle of New Orleans. After the war ended, he lived for some time in Tennessee before moving to Texas after 1830, settling first in Red River County.