New Hope, Henderson County, Texas - A History

New Hope Community

No one, now, knows who the first white settlers of New Hope community were. One of the oldest transactions of land, the writer knows of, was dated June 20, 1838. From the Republic of Texas, to Robert C. Morris. A tract of 1920 acres, in payment for service rendered. This grant of land is also known as the Robert C. Morris survey. Another old tract was a grant to J. M. McCasland, bought by Syver “Seabreath" Olson in 1854, on his arrival from Norway. With his wife and two year old son. Another son was born that year. He was a tailor by trade and got his patterns by having the customers to lie on the ground and draw his size on the ground with a stick. Paper was probably nonexistent in this area at the time, or not to be obtained. The Olson family still possess the wooden chest brought from Norway made in 1728. They also have a sheepskin deed to their farm. 

Just to the south of the Olson farm in or about 1855, the Stephan D. Condrey family lived on their farmstead, which is owned by a granddaughter, Mrs. Viola (Beckham) Hall and son Horace Hall. A part of it is owned by J. B. Moffeit. 

The Civil War changed things drastically. Almost all the able-bodied men went off to war. 

Several of these veterans are burning in New Hope Cemetery, some in theOld Rock Hill Cemetery, and some in the Old Friendship Cemetery (known as Friendship Cemetery East). It is about one and a half miles south of the present New Hope Cemetery. The Old Friendship Cemetery was shared by blacks and whites but has been abandoned by the whites. The blacks keep their part  (known as Friendship Cemetery) clean and neat to this day. 

About this time much of the community was near the Friendship church and school. The church was a Missionary Baptist church. J. S. Lindsey deeded the church an acre of land in 1871. James Whatley and John B. Gilliland were deacons and they once had a Rev. Miller as paster. 

In 1890 the church moved to Leagueville. Services were held in the schoolhouse until a building could be built. 

The church at Friendship was a 16x16 foot log building with split logs for seats and a dirt floor. The white people began to move a few miles to the north and now, where many of the white people lived is the negro community of Antioch. They have a very nice church building. 

…the Tobe Ansleys (Edward Littleberry “Tobe” Ansley) (a granddaughter, Lexie Dean Robertsonwas once a poet laureate of Texas). The Benjamin Calhoun Ansleys, the Stewarts and many others. 

The school at Friendship was attended by children from miles around. School and church were both moved to Vale Springs. The children still had miles to walk. Some of the teachers were: Billy Culbertson, Miss Dora Colvin, Miss Jemie Ansley, Miss Eula Ansley (sisters), (Mrs. Jemie Jackson - Mrs. Eula Wood) and Miss Carrie Bass. They taught at many schools. We are told the school and church used the same building. It is not known just when the church began. 

The school was moved again to the west side of the James Thomas Jackson farm by the Brownsboro Road (site now owned by Elder Carl Lewis). It was named New Hope. It was there several years. Some of the teachers were Arma Thompson, Miss Cora Ware, Mrs. Georgia Noble, Miss Emma Reeves. Also Miss Jemie Ansley (who may by this time have married Charles T. Jackson). Mr. James “Jim” Sutherlin (who married one of the Lemuel L. Ansley daughters), Mr. George Fowler(married Ione Ansley, sister of L. L.)

One small girl, Ida Olson (Granbery) began her schooling at New Hope. Her first day at school she decided to go home. She became lost and create quite an excitement, people were hunting everywhere for her. Mr. John Lewis Beckham found her 2 or 3 miles west of New Hope (which would be somewhere around Martin Springs area). Ida Olson’s home was actually about a mile north of New Hope. Most of the country here about was woods at that time, which was in the 1890s. 

In 1910 the school was moved to the east side of the Claud Jackson  farm. About a mile and a half northwest of the farm site, so it would be nearer the center of the population. School was held here one term (about 4 months) and taught by Squire W. Fowler. Then a school was established at Fairview, near the center of the community and a school house was built at New Hope. The land for the New Hope school was donated by Benjamin Calhoun Ansley near the present day church building. The teachers here were: Mrs. Jamie Jackson, Miss Luna Miller, Mrs. Eula Wood (2 years), Miss Louise Stell (whose mother, the former Lula Jackson, grew up here), and P. H. Boles. Then bonds were voted on and we had a two-teacher school. The teachers were: Miss Fay Owen Colton and Miss Jessie Rounsavall later Miss Jessie Barry, Miss Tomp Casper and Miss Sude Holly (Morris), Miss Eva McElhaney and Miss Merlin Mitcham, and Miss Shelley Mitcham. Then the higher grades went to Browsnboro with consolidation of the schools. The primary teachers staying here included: Miss Cardia Greer, Miss Fredda Mink, Miss Louisa Ray, Victor Lewis, and a Mrs. Rowland. Then all the pupils were taken by bus to Brownsboro, beginning in 1929. 

The church, according to our information) was started at Vale Springs and was organized in 1879. But religion services were probably held before then somewhere nearby. Vale Springs was about a mile west, northwest of the present-day church. The pastors at Vale Springs included U. B. Phillips and W. M. Wainwright and may have been others. The old church record book began recording in 1884, probably at Vale Springs. Then about 1889 land was given by James Thomas Jackson and wife Aunt Click Jackson, and a frame building built. In 1893 a baby girl,Caroline, daughter of O. A. Olson was buried in the northwest corner of the church land. The beginning of the New Hope Cemetery. It is well kept now. 

At New Hope Church, the pastors were Albert Little, Drury Towns, T. B. Vinson, Alphonso A. Kidd (relative of present Kidd family). Of Alphonso A. Kidd, his brother remarked: “When Alphonso opens his mouth, it is like a syrup pitcher, the words gushed out, and is hard to cut off.” Benjamin Calhoun Ansley, Pink Ross White, Era Urquhart, B. F. Pully, A Nolan, Blount, Brewer, also T. H. Hall, H. T. Swartz, J. L. Ross, G. M. Fletcher, Sr., L. E. Green, and E. S. Browner. 

Then a new church building was built about 1/2 mile west of the old one on land donated by B. C. Ansley and white off his old home place. The pastors here were: W. A. Pounds, Sr., S. M. Dunham, Sr., J. R. Ritchie, M. R. Turner, S. H. Innis, Walton Day, G. C. Childress, Maedgens, F. R. Stewart, S. I. Dent, C. H. Doak, Ray Gibbs, George D. Loden, J. R. Lockhart, G. Mouton Fletcher, C. N. Tunnell, W. T. Stevenson, Charles Schneider, Jr., B. L. Owen, Brady Williams, Gene W. Marshall, J. Paul Kirby, Don Webb, W. Jack Owen, G. Ray Lloyd, B. Rozell, Jack Worsham, and Walter Bowden (1972). 

New Hope is a United Methodist Church and the most of the residents are and have been Methodist and other good people live here and attend the churches of their choice. 

The older settlers included the Condrays, Colvin, Beckhams, Olsons, Loosiers, Adairs, Tindels, Wares, Felts, Barns, Jacksons, Days, Harrisons, two related families of Stewarts and Gores, 3 sets of Ansleys and many others. A. M. Gore was the first one buried on Jennings Mountain (at his request) and it’s used regularly now. 

J. T. Jackson (native of Alabama) and sons operated a horse (or mule) drawn cotton gin in the early days. J. T. was general roustabout. The sons, Charlee, Will, and Claud drove the mules and the wife and mother was the weigher. After ginning, the farmers would band together and take the bales of cotton to Shreveport or Jefferson to market. Bringing back supplies to last for the year. After the railroad came to Tyler, it was a closer market. Later on a Mr. G. L. Parker and Henry Tindel operated a cotton gin. 

Some 40 or 50 years ago, sawmills were operated by Mr. “Red Will” Harrison and the Woodward brothers. O. T. and Ivy Lee. Also Buck and Ted Allen. 

Syrup mills were on the Lonzo Tindel and Olson farms (may have been others) in the earlier part of the century. Most families made syrup for the next year’s “sweetening.” They were favorite gathering places for the boys of the neighborhood, and especially during syrup market time. They chewed cane, wrestled, boxed and played games. 

This community is bounded on the easy by the Martin Springs and the now nonexistent Pine Hill community. On the north by Brownsboro, and the west by what was called Fair View, and Leagueville community, and on the south was Antioch and Lake Palestine. 

What was small family farms a few years ago, now is, for the most part, is cattle pastures or small acreage with a home on it. Most of the bread winners are working in Athens or Tyler or somewhere else, with farming as a sideline. 

The community had its share of patriotic men in service, fighting for their country. Civil War veterans buried in New Hope are William N. Anderson, George W. Bonds, John L. Beckham (of Hook’s Brigade), J. Wesley Felts, and James T. (Tom) Jackson. Probably others are there in unmarked graves. Some were buried at Friendship and Old Rock Hill Cemetery. 

In World War I the boys from here who were in service included: Ernest L. Beckham (who served 3 times),Connie Adair, Emory McEwin Belcher, Ed Adair, George Debnam, Ellis Felts,Marvin Olson, and Russell Starr. All came home.

In World War II, they were: Ernest L. Beckham (Army), his son and daughter John J. Beckham and Christine Beckham, both Navy. Clifton Weesner and Dudley Weesner. Bruce Welch, Lloyd Woodward, Tilmer Jackson, Ozie and Ester Parker, all Navy. In the Army were Ellard Weesner and Wilburn Weesner, J. C. Wade, Ben and Bill Barnes, W. C. Morman, Wofford Browning, Ed Jackson, Jack Jackson, and Joe Jackson, Willie Smith, Dillard Felts and Howard Felts, Thurman Morman, and Arch Jr. Granbury, T. B. Jackson and Thurman Jackson, Jack Kidd, L. P. Starr and Thurmon Starr, Coy Tindel, Laurence Harrison, Donald Jarrett and John Harrison and Harold Black of the Air Force. 

In the Korean conflict they were: Paul Loosier, Ester Olson, Tilmer Jackson, Gale Woodward and Billy Glen Tindell. They all returned safely from Korea. 

In Vietnam was: Stanley Gideon, Lawrence Harrison, and Grover Dickson and Wayne Braggs who lost an eye in combat. 

Those who gave their lives for our liberty in combat were: Walter Coleman Morman, son of Mr. Leonard C. and Eva Lee Kidd Morman, Ellard M. Weesner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Menelius Weesner, andWofford Browning, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alwyn Douglas Browning. This was from World War Two. 

Grover Lee Dickson son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Earl Dickson gave his life in Vietnam. 

Two former residents who grew up here have retired from careers in service. They are: John J. (Jake Beckham) from the Navy and Laurence Harrison with the Army Air Force. 

Many tales are told, or have been told, of the practical jokes and incidents of the old timers. When troubles came they banded together to help each other. They try to help still. But due to the rush of present-day activities, the closeness seems to have disappeared, at least in part. 

Church services are held each Sunday morning in a new brick building located on FM 314 south of Brownsboro 5 miles. 

Transcribed from unknown author and unknown source by Jaycie Smith, December 2015.