In collecting data concerning Carthage's early history, Mrs. T. L. Anderson, one of the county's oldest citizens, having passed her ninety-first birthday, assisted greatly. She is the mother of a large family of children, four of whom reside in Carthage. These are: Dr. Irwin Anderson, W. D. Anderson, Mrs. Henry Matthews, and Miss Meter Anderson. The following is given as related: "Pulaski on the east side of the Sabine River was once county seat of the county. It was there I was born in 1844. In 1848 a petition was gotten, up to change it. There was some rivalry existing between other contestants as to a desirable site. The Legislature ordered an election. John Anderson donated one hundred acres for the site of this town, therefore won the election. From this day Carthage, the name chosen, has held this honor. "At this time the country was a solid forest of giant trees of all kinds, and all kinds of wild animals abounded. It was a common sight to see a mother deer with her baby lying by her side as one rode by in these woodlands. Regulators and Moderators rode these paths to warn all new-comers they were not wanted in this region, The double-barrel shot gun was carried to kill just such trespassers. My father S. L. Davis also carried his gun every time he left our house. (This was before Carthage was elected.) "There were no saw mills here at that time. Trees were cue down and hewn into logs and made into dwellings with shelters for windows and dirt floors. The jail, courthouse, stores, and saloons were all made of logs. There were no churches or school houses. My father ran a hotel on the corner where Grimes Babery now is. It extended to the Christian Church where a garden and negro quarters were found. Where the ice plant is, there was a tan yard and a spring of cold water. Later a whiskey still was put in, then the whiskey flowed freely, often mixed with blood. As a little girl, I've often seen sand soaked streets with blood shed in public feuds and confusion. All schools were held in the "Old Masonic Hall" that stood where Jerry Long's old house now stands. Here I learned my abc's and three R's from the Blue-back Speller. The "Hall" was used by all denominations. When a preacher did come, everybody turned out to hear him. All the north corner of the square where Jones store is was a small log house used as a jail. I've been in it, though not as a trespasser. Near the Central Baptist Church where the late Judge T. E. Boren's home burned at that time was owned by Mr. Arch McKay, the owner of a grain mill located) where A. J. Holmes residence now is. It was later burned by a young woman because it got on her nerves. In these early days things were serene, and all traffic was done in wagons over dusty roads.


Sam Sprauls had a. ginger cake and beer shop on the corner now occupied by Jim Bird's brick building. He did his baking in a big brick oven on the street that passed Bert Bakers old house. These ginger cakes were a foot long and an inch thick. My how my mouth watered for a mere bite. These were the days that fortunate was the girl that could boast of a store bought pair of stockings, but walked bare-footed almost to the church and then dressed her feet and walked in "Priscilla" style. No young man kept a young lady out nights later than ten o'clock. She wasn't considered a desirable maiden if she crossed her limbs in public or dared expose more than her toes and ankles. I've lived to see many, many changes, both good! and had. May the time never come when my folks become too modern to meditate upon the old fashioned days with its ways.