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Husband:
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W. H. PORTWOOD
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|
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Born:
|
1830
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in:
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LOWNDES CO., MISSISSIPPI, USA
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Died:
|
1865
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in:
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HOPKINS COUNTY, TEXAS, CSA
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Relationship with Father:
|
ROBERT K. PORTWOOD - Natural
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Relationship with Mother:
|
MARY PORTWOOD - Natural
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Reference number:
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333
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MILITARY SERV:
|
SERVED IN THE CSA
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Occupation:
|
CATTLEMAN
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|
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Medical
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Cause of death:
|
COMPLICATIONS BROUGHT ON BY IMPRISIONMENT IN A YANKEE POW CONCENTRATION CAMP
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Notes
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ENLISTED AUGUST 17, 1861 AT THE AGE OF THIRTY-ONE AS A PRIVATE IN COMPANY D, FIRST REGIMENT, NINTH BRIGADE OF THE TEXAS MOUNTED VOLUNTEER RIFLES UNDER CAPTAIN JOSEPH A MOORE.
HE WAS ENLISTED BY JAMES G HAMILTON IN HOPTKINS COUNTY, TEXAS.
HE SAW DUTY WITH GENERAL SILBEY DURING THE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO, THEY SUCCEEDED IN CAPTURING ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTE FE. ON FEBRUARY 21, 1862 HE FOUGHT IN THE CONFEDERATE VICTORY AT VAL VERDE. ON MARCH 26-28 OF 1862 HE WAS AT THE " GETTYBURG OF THE WEST ", THE BATTLE OF GLORIETA PASS ON THE SANTE FE TRAIL IN THE SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CHRISTO MOUNTAINS OF NEW MEXICO. 2000 TEXAS REBELS TOOK ON 3000+ YANKEES IN THE BATTLE THAT WOULD DECIDE THE FATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE SOUTHWEST. THE BOYS FROM TEXAS WON THE BATTLE WITH ONLY 32 OF THEIR MEN KILLED TO 300 YANKEE DEAD. IT WAS SO COLD THAT MANY OF THE WOUNDED FROZE TO DEATH ON THE SNOW COVERED BATTLEFIELD. THEY FORCED THE BLUEBELLIES TO RETREAT THREE SEPERATE TIMES BETWEEN 11 AM AND DARK, DRIVING THEM BACK 25 MILES, BUT HAD TO RETREAT TO TEXAS WHEN SEVERAL HUNDRED OF KIT CARSON'S MOUNTIANMEN AND BUFFALO HUNTER VOLUNTEERS COUNTERATTACKED THEIR 100 MAN SUPPLY TRAIN , FROM THE REAR, KILLING 8OO HORSES, 500 MULES, AND BURNING 90 WAGONS OF SUPPLIES FOR THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN. THEY SPIKED THE REBEL CANNON AND BURNED WAGONS OF FINE MEXICAN BLANKETS, AMMUNITION, WINES, BRANDIES, PICKLES, CANNED FRUITS, WINTER CLOTHING, AND HUNDREDS OF NAVY REVOLVERS.
THEY HAD MINOR BATTLES WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, BUT WERE FINALLY PULLED INTO THE DEFENSE OF VICKSBURG IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 1863. HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER AND BECAME ILL WHILE IN CAPTIVITY, AND DIED WEEKS AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM THE WAR.
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Marriage Information
|
|
|
Name:
|
ELIZABETH LINDLEY
|
|
Married:
|
December 25, 1856
|
|
Beginning status:
|
Married
|
|
HOPKINS COUNTY, TEXAS, USA
|
|
Ending status:
|
Death of one spouse
|
|
|
|
Marriage Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wife:
|
ELIZABETH LINDLEY
|
|
|
Born:
|
February 1841
|
|
in:
|
SULPHUR SPRINGS, HOPKINS CO., TEXAS
|
|
Died:
|
DECATER, TEXAS, USA
|
|
Relationship with Father:
|
DR. ELI LINDLEY - Natural
|
|
Relationship with Mother:
|
SARAH CRISP - Natural
|
|
Reference number:
|
334
|
|
Education:
|
McKINZIE INSTITUTE IN EAST TEXAS, SYLVAN ACADEMY AT DANGERFIELD, TEXAS
|
|
Occupation:
|
HOMEMAKER
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|
|
Medical
|
|
|
|
Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Child:
|
BEAULAH PORTWOOD
|
|
|
Born:
|
1858
|
|
Relationship with Father:
|
W. H. PORTWOOD - Natural
|
|
Relationship with Mother:
|
ELIZABETH LINDLEY - Natural
|
|
Reference number:
|
5494
|
|
|
|
Medical
|
|
|
|
Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marriage Information
|
|
|
|
|
Marriage Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Child:
|
WILLIAM HARLEDGE PORTWOOD
|
|
|
Born:
|
1861
|
|
in:
|
HOPKINS COUNTY, TEXAS, CSA, NORTH OF PURLESS
|
|
Died:
|
1948
|
|
in:
|
SEYMOUR, BAYLOR CO., TEXAS USA
|
|
Relationship with Father:
|
W. H. PORTWOOD - Natural
|
|
Relationship with Mother:
|
ELIZABETH LINDLEY - Natural
|
|
Reference number:
|
306
|
|
COMPANIES:
|
PORTWOOD RANCH & COMPANY,
|
|
Education:
|
SADDLE BRED & ED
|
|
Friends:
|
WATT TANNIHILL, SAM JONES, HARRY HALSELL, DAN WAGGONER, QUANNAH PARKER
|
|
IN MEMORIAM:
|
BURIED ON THE STAKED PLAINS OF NW TEXAS
|
|
MILITARY SERV:
|
SCOUT AND INTERPETER DURING INDIAN WARS
|
|
Occupation:
|
INDIAN FIGHTER, RANCHER, FARMER, OILMAN
|
|
RELIGIOUS:
|
"BURY ME NOT ON THE LONE PRAIRE"
|
|
|
Medical
|
|
|
|
Notes
|
|
W. H. WENT TO WORK FOR DAN WAGGONER IN 1875 WHEN HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD. HE TOOK HIS WAGES IN CATTLE AND RAN THEM WITH WAGGONER'S ON THE OPEN RANGE AND LATER ON LEASED COMANCHE LAND. THE PORTWOOD DUGOUT, HIS 1ST HOUSE, CIRCA 1885, A SOD HOME HEATED BY BUFFALO CHIPS, IS STILL PARTLY REMAINING ON SP RR ABSTRACT 430 OF THE CURRENT WILLIAMS RANCH 8 MILES SOUTH OF DUNDEE IN ARCHER COUNTY. IN 1893, AT 32, HE SOLD ALL HIS CATTLE AND HIS BRAND TO DAN WAGGONER AND WENT INTO PARDNERSHIP WITH FERD HALSELL AND THEY RAN THE HEART BRAND IN STONEWALL COUNTY.
IN 1897 IN THE SMALL TEXAS TOWN OF AURORA AN ALIEN SPACE SHIP CRASHED, KILLING IT'S PASSENGERS. WORD OF WHAT ACCURED SPREAD RAPIDLY ACROSS THE TEXAS PLAINS. W. H. PORTWOOD AMOUNG OTHERS SET OUT TO SEE THE STRANGE SIGHT. ACCORDING TO HIS SON HARRY AND MARY HELEN PAGE THE MAN ON WHOSE LAND THIS HAPPENED PUT THE HUMANOID CREATURES' BODIES AND PARTS OF THEIR FLYING MACHINE IN HIS BARN ON EXHIBIT. IN THE 1930'S W. H. TOLD HIS SON HARRY OF SEEING THESE BODIES, HE SAID THAT THEY WERE SMALL LARGE HEADED CREATURES MUCH LIKE DWARFS AND LOOKED VERY OLD AND BALD. HE SAID THAT SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICALS CAME AND TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY.
AROUND 1900 HE WAS CAMPED ON THE BLACKFLAT NEAR HESTAND SPRINGS WHEN HE SUDDENLY NOTICED THE SUN GOING BLACK. THINKING IT WAS JUDGMENT DAY HE WANTED TO GET BACK TO HIS HOME IN BAYLOR COUNTY BEFORE THE END. IN HIS RACE TO REACH THE RANCH HE RODE HIS HORSE TO DEATH. WHAT HARLEY WITNESSED WAS A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
ON AUGUST 4, 1904 HE BOUGHT THE BLOCK HEADQUARTERS RANCH ON THE BRAZOS RIVER AND 700 HEAD OF CATTLE FROM W. D. FARRIS FOR $4.25 AN ACRE. HE MOVED HIS FAMILY TO SEYMOUR AND THEY STAYED AT THE OLD WASHINGTON HOTEL UNTIL HE COULD HAVE THE FAMILY "TOWN" HOUSE BUILT FOR THEM.
HARLEY TOOK HIS FAMILY TO THE ST. LOUIS WORLD'S FAIR ( THE CENTURY OF PROGRESS FAIR?), MIGHT HAVE BEEN 1912. HIS SON HARRY HALSELL PORTWOOD TOLD ME (JAY KNOWLES) THAT HIS FATHER NOTICED THAT FRANK JAMES, THE NOTORIOUS OLD WEST OUTLAW AND GUNMAN, WAS GIVING LECTURES AT THE FAIR. FAMILY LEGEND HAD LONG HELD THAT JESSE AND FRANK HAD USED PORTWOOD LAND TO HIDE ON IN THE 1870'S AND EARLY 80'S, AND THE KIDS HAD HEARD THAT THEIR DADDY HAD TAKEN THE INFAMOUS ROBBERS LAUDER AND HORSES ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. WELL, THE "OLD MAN" AS HELEN PAGE PORTWOOD CALLED HIM PUSHED HIS WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE CROWDED LECTURE HALL WITH HIS BOYS IN TOW. ABOUT 3/4'S THRU HIS TALK FRANK JAMES STOPPED ABRUPTLY, SQUINTING INTO THE CROWD HE BLURTED OUT, " IS THAT YOU HARLEY ? FOLKS, STANDING AMONG YOU IS A FELLA WHO PULLED MY TAIL OUT OF THE FIRE MORE THAN ONCE, AN OLD TEXAS INDIAN FIGHTING COWMAN BY THE NAME OF HARLEY PORTWOOD." OLD HARRY'S EYES TWINKLED WITH FIRE AS HE RECOUNTED THE TALE TO ME IN NOVEMBER OF 1971 SHORTLY BEFORE THE BIRTH OF MY SON HARRY, HIS GREAT GRAND SON. HE WENT ON TO RECOUNT A FESTIVE EVENING IN A ST. LOUIS HOTEL EATING "BIG-AS-YOR-PLATE" STEAKS WITH FRANK JAMES & REFORMED OKLAHOMA OUTLAW AL JENNINGS, AND LISTENING TO THE THREE OLD TIMERS SWAP TALES OF LIFE AND DEATH IN THE OLD WILD WEST. THEY KEPT REFERRING TO HARLEY AS "THE KID".
IN 1936---- HE OWNED OVER FIFTY OIL WELLS WITH A DAILY OUTPUT OF FOUR HUNDED AND FIFTY TO FIVE HUNDRED BARRELS. HIS FIRST WELL, KELLY-GREEN-PORTWOOD#1 WAS STARTED ON MARCH 27, 1919, IT WAS A CLASSIC TIMBER RIG, BUT IT WAS A DRY HOLE. OLD OIL MAPS OF BAYLOR COUNTY SHOW ONLY TWO PORTWOOD WELLS OPERATING BEFORE 1930. THE BULK OF THE PORTWOOD WELLS CAME IN WITH THE GREEN FIELD IN 1938.
IT WAS OFTEN SAID THAT HE FED NEARLY AS MANY HUNGRY MEN OUT THE BACK DOOR AS HE DID OFF THE DINING TABLE. HE TOOK MANY A FAMILY THAT WAS OUT OF WORK IN THE WINTER AND FED THEM UNTIL WORK OPENED UP IN THE SPRING. ANY MAN OR BOY WHO GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW ON OR OFF THE RANCH THAT WORKED FOR HIM WAS GOTTEN OUT OF TROUBLE AND PUT BACK TO WORK.
DEFINING FILM MOMENTS: ( BEST VIEWED IN ORDER )
"RED RIVER" 1948 BY HOWARD HAWKS WITH JOHN WAYNE, JOHN IRELAND, WALTER BRENNAN, AND MONTGOMERY CLIFT
"CIMARRON" 1930 WITH RICHARD DIX AND IRENE DUNNE
"DUEL IN THE SUN" 1946 BY KING VIDOR WITH GREGORY PECK, JOSEPH COTTEN, LIONEL BARRYMORE, JENNIFER JONES, LILLIAN GISH, AND BUTTERFLY MCQUEEN
"BOOMTOWN" 1940 WITH CLARK GABLE, SPENCER TRACY, CHILL WILLS, CLAUDETTE COLBERT, AND HEDY LLAMAR
"GIANT" 1956 BY GEORGE STEVENS WITH ROCK HUDSON, CHILL WILLS, JAMES DEAN, ELIZABETH TAYLOR, DENNIS HOPPER, AND MERCEDES McCAMBRIDGE
"HUD" 1963 WITH MELVYN DOUGLAS, PATRICA NEAL, AND PAUL NEWMAN
"THE LAST PICTURE SHOW" 1971 BY PETER BOGDANOVICH WITH BEN JOHNSON, CLORIS LEACHNAN, CYBIL SHEPHERD, ELLEN BURSTYN, JEFF BRIDGES, RANDY QUAID, AND TIMOTHY BOTTEMS
|
|
|
|
Marriage Information
|
|
|
Name:
|
DOTTIE SUNDAY CARPENTER
|
|
Married:
|
September 19, 1893
|
|
Beginning status:
|
Married
|
|
DECATUR, WISE CO., TEXAS USA
|
|
|
|
Marriage Notes
|
|
|
|
