Hood
County Texas Genealogical Society
GEORGE WASHINGTON ELLIOTT
1882
- 1905 HOOD COUNTY MEMORIES
Contributed by J. T. Sears, Lipan Historian
George Washington Elliott was a Lipan resident in
Hood County from 1882 until 1905. He wrote a letter that reflected on his years
in Hood County to the Moran News just before he died in 1932. There are many
interesting references to events and people in Hood County. The letter is
reproduced below.
Dear Editor,
Hoping the experience of one who has seen other days might cause someone to
take courage in these days of depression and press on to better things. I beg
space in your splendid paper.
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I was married in 1885 and then came the
drought of '86 and '87. My father (John F. Elliott) being a poor blind man and
my wife's mother (Sarah Iles Compton) a poor widow woman, we had a swell
wedding. My credit was pretty good then for a boy, so I went to Granbury and
bought two fine bedsteads at $3.00 each and two mattresses at $3.00 each at
J.D. Foster's furniture store on time. I bought a clock at Dr. E.A. Hannaford's
drug store for $5.50 
on time. (Photo Credit: Betty Elliott Hanna)
I bought two new rawhide bottom chairs, an
old cook stove and a few dishes from my half-sister. Then I was ready for the
bride (Mary Alice Compton).
I borrowed $5.00 from my brother, John; paid $1.50 for my marriage license;
paid Esq. N.J. Gardner, an uncle of the Gardner boys of Moran, $1.50 to perform
the ceremony, and the next morning we started on our bridal tour (over the farm
to see if the corn was coming up).
In the fall of '86, I gave J.H. Doyle of
Granbury a mortgage on my pony for $20.00 and paid him 20 per cent interest.
And, by-the-way, Jim Doyle is still living, and I believe if anyone gets to
heaven, Jim will get there with both feet.
During the Cleveland administration, I had two yearlings to sell and got $3.00
each, and sold part of my cotton crop at three cents per pound.
Now I am enjoying Hoover prosperity and have
my corn bread and buttermilk at least once a day.
Some people get up in meetings and talk of wanting a blessing. Well, I got a
blessing nearly 46 years ago, and that little blessing has stuck to me through
thick and thin, and made our little home a paradise.
I bow to the will of Him who "declared the end from the beginning,"
saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." That
was my precious mother's God.
George W. Elliott
Moran, Texas
George Washington Elliott & Mary Alice Compton
Elliott - 1932
Photo Credit: Glenn Elliott
~ Web Page by Virginia Hale ~
©
1999 GLENN ELLIOTT - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PERMISSION
GRANTED FOR USE BY THE HOOD COUNTY TEXAS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Revised 22 February 2003
Frank Saffarrans