Robertson County - TXGenWeb

These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format by other organizations or individuals. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of Mrs. Carson's descendants or contact Jane Keppler, Robertson County TXGenWeb coordinator.

Volunteer Jo Ella Snider-Parker (SPJPVine@aol.com) purchased a copy of this thesis from Texas A&M's Cushing Library & beautifully re-typed this work. Mrs. Carson's niece, Janis Hunt, has been contacted to obtain the needed copyright permission.

CHAPTER VIII: RETROSPECTION & PROGRESS

Into this New Republic came hardy, courageous settlers, with perhaps little education and training and little money, but with high moral standards, great hopes, and determination to make good. They came into a land where only a few years before the red man roamed at will, unthwarted by the white man, taking whatever suited his fancy, and leaving little or no imprint of his life, only relics of his warrior days.

It was no journey for the weak, for in the early days it was a long and weary trek, with disease, outlaw attacks and other hardships threatening daily. Only the brave would attempt the migration and only the strong could hope to survive. Such sturdy manhood, and womanhood made up the early pioneers of Robertson County.

In the succeeding years of this very old county, many changes have taken place. The old pioneers who developed this section of the country, both farmers and merchants, have faded from the picture, and in this seemingly space of time the county has witnessed their places being filled by a new generation. In the Brazos bottom, the younger generation, evidently, lacked the “know-how” of their progenitors. Too, conditions have changed as the years have passed, bringing into focus some new and extravagant practices. Gradually the old plantations, containing from 600 to 3,500 acres, began to change hands and the old names began to disappear from the tax rolls. The remnants of many old families began to move to other parts seeking employment in order that they might earn their daily bread. The story seems tragic as the fine old homes gradually disappear, by fire, by decay and by wrecking.

The changes have worked to an advantage for the towns. The plantations of yesterday have been reduced to farms. Many of the old homes have been replaced by neat bungalows and are housing farmers, who diversify their crops, farm with tractors and other mechanical implements instead of heavy Missouri mules, use and pay day laborers, and are retiring the “third and fourth” share croppers whose settlements, according to the colored idea were: “Ought is ought and figger is figger, all for the white and none for the xxxx.”[223]

There is a long chapter of adversities behind the people of Robertson County, and it would be well if much could be forgotten. The future of the county is promising, with diversified farming, alfalfa--the new money crop--cattle, and modern farming methods. The most important element in the minds of the people in the western section of the county is, that the Brazos River controlled to remain in its banks, will just “keep rolling along.” This very part of the county is now the outlet for the modern “Valley of the Nile.” It has all the many fine facilities which could easily make Sterling C. Robertson feel justly proud of the development of his timely creation.

It was into this land that the sturdy settlers planted the seeds in the early 1830’s. They came to erect homes, plant crops and build a new civilization. They built well, for today can be seen the evidence of their efforts in the well developed farm, improved highways, modern institutions, and thriving towns.

In the early development of Robertson County there were many romantic episodes, colorful incidents, and stories of real heroism which have left their marks on the lives of the people. The influences were so diverse that it is almost impossible to generalize on the characteristics of the heroic pioneers who left to the succeeding generations a timely thought from the lips of an old settler. “A good county in which to live and not a bad place in which to die.”

[223] Wilkerson, op. cit., p. 5.

Note: This chapter is reproduced as it was originally written. Some of the language used reflects the tenor of the times and is considered offensive today and has been removed from this website.