SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY

Harrison Graduate School

School of Distance Education

HIS 5313-30

Research Project

Professor Gary McElhany, Ph.D.

The History of Pecan Springs Ranch

STUDENT DATA:

Terri L. Roberts

terrilroberts@lionmail.sagu.edu

972-351-0176

Spring 2015

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

PECAN SPRINGS RANCH 2

Location 2

Description of the Ranch Property 4

THE HISTORY OF ELLIS COUNTY: PECAN SPRINGS IN 5

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Humble Beginnings 6

American Indian Relations 7

Railway System 8

THE SHAWNEE TRAIL 9

A Path Through Ellis County 9

The End of the Trail 10

THE TEXAS LAND GRANT SYSTEM 11

Basic Land Provisions 12

Four Classes of Land Grants 13

The Grants for Pecan Springs 14

Good Land Awaiting Use 16

THE SIMS BROTHERS 17

The Sims Before Texas 17

Slave Relations 19

Nicholas P. Sims 21

WILSON DABNEY SIMS 22

Civil War Involvement 23

Life After the Civil War 24

Establishing a Home 25

i

A Difficult Way of Life 26

A Lifetime of Accomplishments 28

A Legacy Passed to the Children 29

THE CAMPBELL RANCH IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 30

A Time of Transition 31

The Campbells 32

The Naming of L.R. Campbell Road 35

The Ranch Passes to a New Family 35

CONCLUSION 36

ILLUSTRATIONS 38

SIMS GENEALOGY CHART 47

PECAN SPRINGS MAP 48

NOTES 49

BIBLIOGRAPHY 54

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1

INTRODUCTION

One of the defining characteristics of the American West was the availability of cheap,

fertile land. An enterprising man could prosper working a land claim. This promise of freedom

and wealth lured intrepid men and their families west. These were courageous, hardy pioneers

who were willing to face dangers posed by both man and nature. Success was not guaranteed,

and many perished from the elements or at the hands of the indigenous population. Still they kept

coming. They were extraordinary people, willing to work hard, dream big, and build a new

civilization for their descendants to enjoy.

Much of the land in Texas was parceled off during the early days of its formation as a

republic and later as a state. These original orderly plots have been passed down, sold,

reapportioned, divided, and repurchased until modern-day farms and ranches often do not

resemble the original surveys. Instead, they appear a haphazard and indiscernible patchwork

quilt.

The stories of the people who lived and died while trying to transform soil into riches

create a historical narrative for these parcels of land. However, their motivation was not entirely

wealth-driven. They sought not only material wealth, but also the satisfaction of building a new

community and creating a legacy for their children and the citizens of this infant community.

Many of the early pioneers invested heavily in their communities through donating land, giving

resources for municipal facilities, and establishing churches. When pioneers settled the county,

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they came with an understanding of civic responsibility, and gave a portion of their good fortune

for the betterment of the citizens of the county.

In Ellis County, many Waxahachie street names and buildings bear the names of

prominent citizens in the establishment of the city. One of the significant family names in the

county’s history is the Sims family. Like other pioneers, they came west looking for opportunity,

and they gave generously of their good fortune. The Sims’ legacy can be found in such places as

Bethel Methodist Church, the Nicholas P. Sims Library, the Sims farm, and today’s Pecan

Springs Ranch located southwest of Waxahachie.

PECAN SPRINGS RANCH

Location

Pecan Springs Ranch is a beautiful tract of land situated on the banks of Chambers Creek.

The land features pastures and timbered areas, as well as hills, springs, and bodies of water. The

Republic of Texas originally granted much of the property to Charles Marlin, an early arrival to

Texas. It was later sold to Nicholas P. Sims and remained in the Sims/Campbell family for over

one hundred forty years until its sale to Ted and Nancy Paup in 2012. The property is located on

L. R. Campbell Road, named for one of the previous owners.

Pecan Springs is in a unique location where the Cross Timbers region meets Blackland

Prairie and Post Oak Savannah. The Cross Timbers area has historical significance. Early

travelers coined the region “Cross Timbers” because its densely forested area created a difficult

barrier to cross between east and west. The impassable foliage forced travelers to either cut a

path through the trees and undergrowth or to search for a break in the barrier where their wagons

could cross. Diverse wildlife such as bear, white-tailed deer, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes,

turkeys, and coyotes made their homes in the Cross Timbers. In addition, it was and still is a

3

central flyway for annual avian migration. Many neotropical birds, waterfowl, and birds of prey

pass through the area or winter there.1

The Cross Timbers was a well-known landmark, and travelers used it as a point of

reference in their journeys. In 1778 one traveler remarked on the region in his journal, “The

region from one river to the other, is no less bountifully supplied with buffalo, bear, deer,

antelope, wild boars, partridges, and turkeys."2 In 1854 John Pope, while exploring the region for

the Pacific Railroad described the region in glowing terms,

"….but by far the richest and most beautiful district of country I have ever seen, in Texas or elsewhere, is that watered by the Trinity and its tributaries. Occupying east and west a belt of one hundred miles in width, with about equal quantities of prairie and timber, intersected by numerous clear, fresh streams and countless springs, with a gently undulating surface of prairie and oak openings, it presents the most charming views, as of a country in the highest state of cultivation, and you are startled at the summit of each swell of the prairie with a prospect of groves, parks and forests, with intervening plains of luxuriant grass, over which the eye in vain wanders in search of the white village or the stately house, which seem alone wanting to be seen."3

The altitude of the Cross Timbers is slightly higher than the prairies around it. Its altitude

and dense growth acted as a dividing line between the Plains Indians and East Texas Indians. Its

thick tree line and undergrowth provided excellent cover for Indians who wished to mask their

movement. The Cross Timbers was also a good source of wood for various Indian tribes and

later for pioneering settlers.4

Even though Pecan Springs is located in the Cross Timbers region, the land also has

characteristics of rich Blackland Prairie. Early settlers described the prairie as a vast, endless sea

of grasses and wildflowers with sparsely scattered trees. Pioneers used the land primarily for

grazing livestock, but later they turned the prairie into farmland. Farmers found that the fertile

soil was well-suited for agriculture. It was especially good for growing cotton.5

4

Pecan Springs also has the distinction of being situated on the historic Shawnee Cattle

Trail. Texas ranchers drove longhorns through this area on their way to market from the 1840’s

until shortly after the Civil War. The prairie grasses provided cattle herds excellent grazing while

Chambers Creek provided a welcome place to rest and water the cattle.

Description of the Ranch Property

A total of 871.873 acres comprises the land mass of Pecan Springs. Of that area,

approximately one-third is forested, with the remainder being pasture. Pecan Springs boasts a

wide variety of trees including several varieties of oak, elm, and ash, as well as plum, red

mulberry, walnut, sugarberry, hackberry, rusty black haw, and willow. A large pecan grove

grows in the northeast corner of the property, and is a defining characteristic of the ranch.

Forestry experts have estimated that the pecan trees are between 100 and 150 years old. The trees

are native pecans, but one of the property’s previous owners, Minnie Campbell, grafted paper

shell branches on many of the trees.

In 1965 the Ellis County Prairie Soil Conservation District built a retaining dam in the

northwest section of the property as part of an initiative to prevent soil erosion from overflow

from Chambers Creek. As a result, the dam has created a picturesque reservoir that is abundant

with fish. In the 1970’s, the Campbells purchased a small house in Austin and moved it to a

location near the reservoir. By the time the Paups purchased the property in 2012, the house had

fallen into disrepair from lack of use. Rather than razing it, they renovated the house and turned

it into a comfortable retreat for themselves and their family.

The old homestead of the property stands on the southeast section of the property. The

homestead includes a white frame house that is approximately one hundred thirty years old, a

large barn, large chicken coop, and dairy barn. Wilson Dabney Sims originally built the

5

homestead after he purchased the property in 1878. Later, his daughter and son-in-law, Minnie

and L.R. Campbell, improved the property. Other supply and tool sheds are located in strategic

areas around the property.

An abandoned rail line for the International and Great Northern railway extends across

the southwest section of the property. The I&GN built this line in 1902 as part of a line that

extended from Fort Worth south to Harris County. The railroad carried both passengers and

freight. The company located its central depot at nearby Italy on the line that carried passengers

from Venus to Waco. The Missouri Pacific Railroad purchased the I&GN in 1956. Its 1,106

miles of track made it one of the most important parts of the Missouri Pacific. 6 By 1970 The

Missouri Pacific had abandoned many of the lines, including the line that traverses Pecan

Springs Ranch.

THE HISTORY OF ELLIS COUNTY: PECAN SPRINGS IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

History is formed from the stories of the endeavors, successes, and failures of everyday

people. Often these people and their circumstances connect in unexpected ways. The challenge

and satisfaction of finding these connections energize the historian to dig into past characters and

events. The efforts of hardy pioneers who came to Texas seeking a better life, financial gain, and

fame formed the history of Ellis County. Their contributions to the community elevated ordinary

people to the status of local legend. One example is the Rogers family, whose house became the

first county courthouse. Today, the Rogers Hotel stands at the location of their original home.

Captain W. H. Getzendaner is remembered for donating a large amount of land to the city of

Waxahachie for a park. When he arrived in Waxahachie in 1859 he had $5.00 in his pocket and

was $40.00 in debt, yet he became a successful politician and businessman, a well-known figure

6

in Waxahachie history. 7 Ellis County history is filled with these kinds of stories that encourage

and motivate future generations.

At the time of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Ellis County was a

land inhabited only by Native Americans and wildlife. In fact, Ellis County did not yet exist.

Robertson County encompassed a large land area that would eventually be broken up into some

fourteen counties, including Ellis. William Howe, the first white settler to come to the area that

would become Ellis County, arrived sometime in July 1843. Other settlers followed, drawn by

the promise of cheap land and opportunity until finally the area had enough men that it could

petition to be formed into a new county.

Humble Beginnings

In 1849, Hans Smith and Benjamin Hawkins undertook the task to ride throughout the

area collecting signatures from eligible voters on the petition to create a new county. By that

time, the state of Texas had divided Robertson County into several other counties, and the Ellis

County region was a part of a larger Navarro County. The area was sparsely populated, and

settlers were so spread out that Hawkins had to ride out a second time to gather the few

remaining required signatures. Due to their efforts, the necessary one hundred men signed the

petition for a new county to be formed. The founders named this brand new county Ellis County

after Richard Ellis, who served as President of the Constitutional Convention in 1836 when

Texas declared its independence. 8

Thomas Jefferson Chambers, an early settler, received one of the first land grants in Ellis

County in 1834. The Mexican government granted him eight leagues of land, or 35,500 acres, for

his services rendered as a “superior judge” of Texas for several years. Later residents named

Chambers Creek in his honor.9

7

By all accounts, Ellis County teemed with wildlife before settlers began arriving by the

score. Game was abundant. A hunter could easily find deer, buffalo, turkeys, antelope, wild

hogs, or black bear in the woods. The streams and creeks were filled with fish and freshwater

oysters. Wild bees produced honey. The land was rich with wild berries, fruit, and nuts,

especially pecans, available for the taking.10 However, by 1850 white hunters had slaughtered the

buffalo, nearly eradicating the herds. Settlers arrived with farm implements, and turned the wild

prairie into a domesticated, agricultural society.11

American Indian Relations

Though there is little evidence of permanent Indian settlements in Ellis County, many

Indian tribes traveled the area, camping along creeks and springs. The most frequent visitors

were known as the Tonkawa Indian tribe. Their name was derived from the Waco word

tonkawya meaning “they all stay together.” However, the Tonkawa had a different name for

themselves, tichkan-watich which means “the most human of peoples.”12 The Tonkawa were a

nomadic people who followed the traditions of the Plains Indian culture, hunting buffalo and

other game. They also fished and gathered wild fruit, roots, berries, and nuts to subsidize their

diet. When Anglos moved into the area, they used pecans as a barter item.13

Although their presence often startled white settlers, the Tonkawa was a peaceful tribe.

The pioneers most likely found it difficult to become accustomed to scantily clad and tattooed

men and women, and their naked children. Whites especially deplored the Tonkawa practice of

binding boards to their babies’ heads to give them a flat forehead. In spite of these differences,

the Tonkawa were friendly toward whites. There are no records of any massacres or Indian wars

in the Ellis County area. In 1846, the Tonkawa and whites signed a peace treaty, and the

Tonkawa allied themselves with the whites and helped them fight the Comanche and Apaches.

8

Many of their braves served as scouts for the Texas Rangers and the army throughout the 1840’s

and 1850’s.

By the middle of the 1800’s the Tonkawa faced starvation because of the decimation of

the buffalo and dwindling number of wild game. Therefore, in 1855 government agents

persuaded them to leave the area and move to a reservation on the Brazos River. The tribe was

eventually pushed out again to a reservation in Oklahoma where they found themselves

surrounded by their enemies. While many of their braves were fighting in the Confederate army

during the Civil War, a surprise attack by several allied tribes killed 133 Tonkawa. The remnants

of the tribe returned to Texas, but, faced with starvation, they began to steal in order to survive.

The 146 remaining Tonkawa finally returned to Oklahoma in 1870, where they continued to

decline.14 By 1937, only fifty-one documented members of the Tonkawa tribe still existed.15

Railway System

During the time between Reconstruction and the Great Depression, cotton emerged as a

primary cash crop in the Ellis County area. For years, Ellis County was the top producer of

cotton in the world, and Waxahachie earned the title “Queen City of the Cotton Belt.”16 Farmers

needed a way to transport their cotton and other goods to various markets. Therefore, railroads

became a necessity for transporting produce – especially King Cotton – to market.

The first railroad line reached Ellis County in 1872. Its route traveled from Corsicana

through Ellis County into Dallas. Other railroads followed in quick succession in 1881, 1882,

and 1886. The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad (MK&T) built its line through the area

during 1888-1890. The seventh railroad to be built in Ellis County was the International & Great

Northern Railway (I&GN) in 1902. It extended through the southern part of the county. This line

9

served as part of the Fort Worth division that extended from Spring in Harris County, Texas, to

Fort Worth.

In all, eight railroads traversed through Ellis County, in addition to two electric railway

lines built for passengers. Ellis County contains almost 600,000 acres of fertile land, yet in the

heyday of cotton production not one acre was located more than eight miles from a railroad.

Over the years the county produced more cotton and other crops than any other southern county

in the United States; however it was the availability of transportation that made its farms so

profitable.17

THE SHAWNEE TRAIL

The cattle trails and cowboys are essential elements in the mythos and romance of Texas.

This aspect of Texas culture, more than any other, has enthralled worldwide audiences for years.

Cattle drives and cowboys have been the subject of numerous books, films, and television shows.

A Path Through Ellis County

For years, Ellis County was located in the heart of cattle drive territory. During the years

prior to and just after the Civil War, cattlemen moved cattle along a trail that ran from Austin to

the north, through Waco, Waxahachie, and Dallas. It crossed the Red River into Oklahoma and

ended in Missouri where the herds of cattle could be transported to northern markets by rail. This

trail was known by several names. Pioneers often called this route the Sedalia Trail, the Texas

Road, and the Kansas Trail, but it was most commonly known as the Shawnee Trail. Before it

was used for cattle, this trail was already well-defined. Indians used this route for years as they

hunted and traded throughout the territory. Later, settlers traveled this route to Texas from the

Midwest. Cattlemen began driving their herds north on the Shawnee Trail as early as the 1840’s.

10

The Trail followed a path that was roughly the same course as modern-day Interstate Highway

35 East. Chambers Creek provided an ideal to place to stop, rest, and water the cattle. Pecan

Springs Ranch lay as a wide-open space at this time, carpeted in prairie grass. Therefore, it can

be assumed that a fair number of cattle crossed over its borders, eating its nourishing grass and

drinking from Chambers Creek.

The End of the Trail

Historians credit a small insect with bringing an end to the Shawnee Trail. Ticks, carried

by Texas cattle, spread a deadly disease called Texas Fever to herds in the north. The Texas

Longhorns were immune to the disease, but northern cattle were not. Texas Fever infected herds

on farms along the cattle trail in Kansas and Missouri, causing them to sicken and die. In 1853,

angry farmers met Texas drovers at the border of Missouri and turned back the cattle. Tempers

flared for several years as Texas drovers sought ways to sneak their cattle across the border or

circumvent the most populated areas.

Cattle drives on the Shawnee Trail abated during the Civil War because much of Texas’s

manpower was off fighting for the Confederacy. Few men were driving or tending cattle, so the

unattended longhorns multiplied in the wild. Men returned home in 1866 to find approximately

six million unbranded, wild longhorns on the open ranges. There were so many longhorns

available that they sold locally for only two dollars a head. However, meat deprived Northerners

were willing to pay forty dollars a head, so cattle drivers took to the trail again. That year more

than 200,000 head of cattle were driven to up the Shawnee Trail to railways in Missouri.

However, tensions were still high. Farmers and vigilante groups in Missouri continued to turn

back and kill Texas Longhorns that they caught crossing the border. At least one cowboy was

reportedly killed in an altercation.

11

In order to protect their herds, Missouri and Kansas farmers petitioned the state

government for laws against the import of Texas cattle. State legislatures responded by passing

laws that prevented any sick cattle from Texas to cross into Kansas or Missouri. The Legislation

was ineffective, however, because the Longhorns themselves were immune to the disease and

showed no symptoms while carrying the disease-bearing ticks. Some drovers managed to get

through the Kansas and Missouri barricades with their cattle, while others began to drive their

herds on longer, more circuitous routes to avoid populated hostile areas. The drovers realized

that the answer to these problems was to find a new route that would allow Texas cattle to bypass

farming communities to get to market. As a result, they began to use the more westerly Chisolm

Trail that ran through Fort Worth. In 1867, Joseph McCoy established market facilities at the

terminus of the Chisolm Trail in Abilene, Kansas, thereby ensuring the transport of cattle to

northern markets. With the success of the new route, the Shawnee Trail fell into disuse and was

eventually abandoned.18

THE TEXAS LAND GRANT SYSTEM

In the early days of the Texas Republic (1835-1845), Texas was a vast, untamed

wilderness. Abundant wild game and fertile soil created a land of opportunity. However, it also

challenged settlers with difficulties such as changeable weather and unfriendly Indians. The

infant Texas government was eager to attract homesteaders and build a civilization. In order to

hasten settlement, the government granted large tracts of land, or headrights, to immigrants. This

not only encouraged settlement of the empty land, but also established a tax base to provide

revenue for the fledgling government. In order to facilitate the transfer of property into private

hands, the government recognized the need to create a system to record and verify private land

titles. Therefore, in 1837 The Republic of Texas created the General Land Office (GLO) to

12

administer and record the land grant process. The government of Texas granted headrights to

eligible heads of families and to single men who could prove residency and show themselves to

be good citizens.

Basic Land Provisions

Before a land grant, or patent, was issued to a settler, surveyors measured and recorded

the borders of the grant. The basic unit of measurement for land was the vara, a Spanish term of

measurement which equaled thirty-three and one-third inches. Thirty-six varas equaled one-

hundred feet. Land surveyors frequently used this term in their descriptions of distances and

borders. Other units of measurement for land included leagues and labors. A league was 4,428.4

acres, and a labor was 177.1 acres. A usual headright for the earliest settlers in Texas was a

league and a labor or about 4,600 acres.

Early surveyors did a remarkably accurate job of surveying and defining these parcels of

land, especially taking into consideration that they were often surveying uncharted streams and

unknown forests. A survey had to be made and approved before the grant could be issued. It was

not unusual for a survey to use landmarks such as “a stake in the prairie” or descriptions of trees

of a particular kind or diameter. The early price for this land was quite cheap. An eight-league

grant could be bought for as little as $1000.19

The Republic of Texas set some strict guidelines to determine who was eligible to receive

land grants. This list of requirements gives historians a framework for understanding the history

of each grant and a profile of the person who received it. Researchers can glean information

about a grantee by examining the type of grant received. Land grant records provide information

such as the settler’s approximate time of arrival in Texas, their place of residence, and marital

status.

13

Four Classes of Grants

The Texas GLO grouped land grants or headrights into four main classes. First class

grants were given to settlers who had arrived in Texas prior to the signing of the Texas

Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836, but who had not yet received a land grant. Heads

of families received one league and one labor of land while single men could receive one-third of

a league or 1,476.1 acres. These grants were unconditional, allowing the grant to be transferred

or sold even before the Certificate was issued.

Second class land grants were given to settlers who had arrived in Texas after March 2,

1836, but before October 1, 1837. Heads of families could receive 1,280 acres while single men

were eligible for six-hundred forty acres. Initially, the government issued a Conditional

Certificate that required three years of responsible citizenship. During the period of the

Conditional Certificate, the grantee could not sell the property. After at least three years of

residency in Texas, the grantee received an Unconditional Certificate which could lead to a

Patent. The grantee was not required to live on his land grant; he was only required to live in

Texas. The issuance of Conditional Certificates and qualifying citizenship requirements

discouraged speculators from profiting by buying and selling cheap land. It also curtailed

tendencies toward forging documents.

Third class land grants were given to settlers who arrived in Texas between October 1,

1837 and January 1, 1840. Heads of families were eligible for six-hundred forty acres while

single men received three-hundred twenty acres. Third class grants required similar conditions to

second class grants, including a Conditional Certificate followed by three years of responsible

citizenship before the Unconditional Certificate was issued.

14

Fourth class grants were issued to immigrants who arrived in Texas between January 1,

1840 and January 1, 1842. The amount of land granted was the same as the third class grant. The

conditions for ownership were also similar to the second and third class grants, with the

additional requirement that at least ten acres be cultivated.

The type of land grant received indicates a settler’s approximate date of arrival. Earlier

arrivals received more land than later arrivals, and heads of households received more land than

single men. A man who had a wife or dependents qualified as a head of the household and could

receive the full grant of land, but only if his dependents were living in Texas with him. If he

came alone, then he only qualified for the land grant for single men. If his family arrived later, he

could apply for an augmentation.20

In all, Texas issued 17,382 First Class land grants, 6,056 Second Class land grants, and

37,670 Third Class grants. Though this seems like an enormous number of grants issued in the

early years, it makes up only twenty-one percent of the 290,597 patents given by the state of

Texas as of 1986.21

The Grants for Pecan Springs

In the case of the Pecan Springs Ranch, two primary grants comprise the land holding. A

section on the northwestern edge of the property was originally deeded to Lewis B. De Spain or

D’Spain. He received a second class grant, so it can be deduced that he arrived in Texas before

October 1, 1837. He applied for the grant on January 18, 1839 and received a Conditional

Certificate for 640 acres. This indicates that he was either single or his family did not reside in

Texas since 640 acres was the amount given to a single man for a second class grant. His

application was submitted in San Augustine County. On September 21, 1841, Texas issued him

an Unconditional Certificate after he met his residency requirements.22 De Spain continued to

15

live in San Augustine County, and there are no records of him residing on or improving the

property. After his death, his estate sold the land to John Dabney Sims on January 17, 1857. 23

The property remained in the Sims family for over 150 years.

A land grant given to Charles Merlin forms the larger portion of the Pecan Springs land.

Merlin was born circa 1800 in France. He immigrated to Texas sometime before 1839 because

he received a third class Conditional land grant from the state of Texas on March 11, 1839.24 The

Texas government issued the Unconditional Certificate on October 7, 1844. The Merlin

headright is unique and of historical significance because it was signed by Sam Houston, then

President of the Republic of Texas. While it is not unusual to see a land grant signed by Houston,

the majority of land grants were signed by Anson Jones, the last President of Texas.25 Mr. Jones

was president during a majority of the years when the early grants were issued.

The surveyors described the Merlin grant in the fashion of most land grants of that time,

delineating the borders by naming landmarks. The Merlin survey was described as:

Six hundred and forty acres (being his headright) of land situated and described as follows in Robertson County – on the waters of Chambers Creek a branch of the Trinity River. Beginning at the West corner of a survey of 640 acres made for W R Horne a stake in prarie (sic). Thence North 30 degrees West nineteen hundred varas with the South West line of a survey of 640 acres made for John Levi to his West corner a stake in the prarie (sic). Thence South 60 degrees West nineteen hundred varas to a stake from which a Spanish Oak 14 inches in diameter bears North 53 degrees West 3 varas. And an Over Cup Oak 24 inches in diameter bears North 75 degrees east 24 varas. Thence South 30 degrees East nineteen hundred varas to the West corner of a survey of 640 acres made for Ann H. Stokes, a stake in the prarie (sic). Thence North 60 degrees East nineteen hundred varas with the North West line of said Ann H. Stokes survey to the place of Beginning.26

Both the De Spain and Merlin grants are recorded as being located in Robertson County

since Ellis County had not yet been formed at that time.

16

Good Land Awaiting Use

In spite of having prime black soil prairie land, neither De Spain nor Merlin seemed to

take a personal interest in the land. They neither performed any improvements on the land nor

planted any crops. It is unclear whether they even personally saw the land. Merlin filed for the

land grant from the city of Houston in Harris County, and he resided there the rest of his life.

According to 1840 tax records, Merlin owned a town lot in Houston.27 Merlin’s family consisted

of his French-born wife Eliza Baiz (1815-1850) and their two daughters. Merlin died on October

13, 1854 from an apparent overdose. A report issued by the Houston Telegraph reads:

“Found Dead: Mr. Charles Merlin, an old resident of this city, and formerly keeper of the Alabama House, was found dead in his bed on yesterday morning. He had been on a spree several days before, and had a phial of black drops, from which he had taken a few drops to quiet his nerves on Thursday night. It was found that he had taken during the night the entire contents, which occasioned his death.”28

Merlin’s death left behind two young daughters: Celestine, age thirteen, and Julia, age

eleven. Merlin’s rather sizeable holdings went to his daughters. In addition to the land that he

owned in Ellis County, he also owned three hundred twenty acres in Erath County, thirteen and a

half lots and a house in Houston, and thirteen hundred and ninety-eight acres of land in Harris

County.29 The Merlin estate sold the land in Ellis County to Alfred Whitaker in 1863 for

$1,280.30 By this time Celestine and Julia were both married and still residing in Houston. The

terms of Merlin’s will divided the Ellis County land and the profits from its sale between the two

sisters.31

Alfred Whitaker experienced some financial difficulties shortly after purchasing the

Merlin land, and as part of bankruptcy proceedings sold several properties to Alfred Gee in

1867.32 These properties included the Merlin grant. Fortunately for Whitaker, he was able to

recoup some of his expenditures since Gee purchased the Merlin land for approximately $1,485,

17

about $200 more than Whitaker paid for it. Gee then sold the 640 acre Merlin grant to Nicholas

P. Sims in 1869.33 Nicholas demonstrated shrewd business sense because he was able to buy the

land for $1,000 in gold. In 1878, he then sold the land to his nephew, Wilson Dabney Sims, for

$4,500, earning a profit of $3,500.

THE SIMS BROTHERS

The historical narrative of Pecan Spring Ranch traces its beginnings to the arrival of John

and Nicholas Sims’ families in 1851. The Sims families were some of the earliest settlers to

arrive in Ellis County, and they helped to pioneer its development. They came with considerable

resources and immediately began acquiring acreage, including the Merlin and De Spain land that

would later become Pecan Springs Ranch. Two primary creeks supply water to Ellis County:

Waxahachie Creek and Chambers Creek. Since water was of the utmost importance to survival

and farming, the Sims turned their attention to the fertile land located on the waters of Chamber

Creek.

John Dabney Sims, the oldest of eight children, was born in 1802 in Virginia. His

younger brother, Nicholas P. Sims, was born in 1806. The two brothers displayed close familial

ties because they made several significant geographic moves together. The Sims family moved to

Maury County, Tennessee, where they each were married. John married Elizabeth Elliott, and

they had a total of eight children. Nicholas married Amanda Zollicoffer, but they remained

childless. Around 1837, both Sims families moved to Lafayette, Mississippi, where they farmed

for some eighteen years.

The Sims Before Texas

There is no clear record of why the Sims families pulled up stakes in Mississippi and

came to Texas, but the move was clearly a family endeavor. The group that came included John

18

with his wife Elizabeth and their eight children, his brother Nicholas with his wife Amanda, and

their sister Lucy with her husband, Ezekiel Brack. Nicholas’s brother-in-law, J.C. Zollicoffer

also came with his family and mother. The Sims families were cotton and corn farmers. It was

not unusual for farmers to move farther west in search of fertile soil and more acreage.

Therefore, the availability of land with its rich, black, prairie soil provided the Sims families an

excellent environment in which to raise crops in Ellis County. They did not come as speculators

hoping to turn a quick profit. Their actions demonstrated that they relocated to Texas to begin a

new life.

The Sims families were not strangers to the pioneer lifestyle. John D. and N.P. Sims were

among the earliest purchasers of the Chickasaw Cession land in what became Lafayette County,

Mississippi when the Chickasaw Indians were removed.34 They understood the crude way of life

and the privations, as well as the feeling of accomplishment of taming a new land. Both John and

Nicholas were involved in the settling of the county seat, Oxford, Mississippi, and turning it into

a municipality. As the new county courthouse was being built, it became apparent that settlers

needed roads to be constructed in order to travel to the county seat. John and Nicholas were both

appointed to the Jurors of Review to mark new roads running from Oxford to various other

points.35 As some of the first pioneers, the brothers purchased some of the best land available.36

This fertile land contributed to their success as farmers, and according to a list of persons owning

land in 1850, the Sims brothers were quite successful. In addition to the fourteen slaves that John

owned, he also owned three-hundred sixty acres of land valued at $4,000. His farm equipment

was worth $880, and he produced one thousand bushels of corn in 1850. Nicholas owned three-

hundred twenty acres of land valued as $2,300. His farm equipment was worth $600. He

produced one thousand bushels of corn and thirty-three bales of cotton.37

19

After coming to Texas in 1851, Nicholas made his first land purchase on Chambers

Creek on May 24, 1851 when he bought 640 acres of land from A.L. Hulm. It is likely that the

whole family unit settled here together because three years later a deed records that Nicholas

purchased 118 acres of the Hulm’s headright from his brother-in-law Ezekiel Brack. Since the

Hulm’s headright was already in Nicholas’s name, it seems reasonable that the whole family

went in together to buy the land, and then in 1854 Nicholas bought out Brack’s share.

John D. Sims’s first official land purchase occurred on December 24, 1853 when he

bought 320 acres from Andrew Davis. He bought another tract of 447 acres in 1856, and then on

December 17, 1857 he purchased the L.B. De Spain headright for $1850 at an auction held by

the De Spain estate.38 The De Spain headright is part of the property on the northern edge of

Pecan Springs Ranch. These purchases were the beginning of the Sims brothers’ acquisitions.

Slave Relations

The Sims family’s farming endeavors in Mississippi were quite successful as evidence by

their slave acquisitions. John Sims only owned two slaves while they lived in Tennessee 39, but in

Mississippi that number grew to five slaves by 184040 and then to fourteen by 185041. Nicholas

held nine slaves of his own in 1850. While owning this many slaves did not elevate their status to

the title of a Planter, it did indicate their comparative wealth. Only about one-third of the white

population in the South in 1830 owned slaves. This statistic decreased to one-fourth of the white

population by 1860.42 Of that number, most whites owned only a slave to two to help with

household tasks or in the fields. Owning fourteen slaves would have put John Sims in the top

fifteen percent of slaveholders. In 1840, he owned two adults and three children, indicating that

they were most likely a family. In 1850, just before moving to Ellis County, he possessed three

adults, four teenagers, and seven children. By 1860 John Sims owned twenty-four slaves and five

20

slave houses; he could now be categorized as a Planter and his slave demographic looked more

like an authentic plantation. 43 Of his slaves, nine were between the ages of twenty-one and fifty-

eight. Fourteen were children under the age of thirteen. Fifteen were male, while nine were

female. Again, the high number of children indicates that John Sims’s slaves were probably

family units.

According to the 1860 Ellis County Slave Schedule, Nicholas Sims owned nine slaves

and four slave houses. It is interesting to note that the 1860 Federal Census shows a J.C.

Zollicoffer, with his wife, children, and mother, Abigail Zollicoffer. This data indicates that

besides his brother’s and sister’s families, Nicholas’s brother-in-law’s family and his widowed

mother-in-law also came to Ellis County and settled in the same area. The move to Texas truly

was an extended family venture. The Zollicoffers also came with considerable resources. The

1860 Slave Schedule shows that J.C. Zollicoffer owned twenty-one slaves. The 1870 Ellis

County census recorded eighteen black individuals with the Zollicoffer surname which also lived

in proximity to Nicholas.44 It was a common practice for slaves to take the surname of their

former masters when they were freed; therefore, the presence of so many black Zollicoffers

indicates that they were the freed slaves of J.C. Zollicoffer. All these facts demonstrate that

Nicholas may have had access to those slaves as well, which may explain why he only owned

nine slaves even though he had large land holdings. Masters often loaned or rented their slaves to

neighbors or family when they had need. In 1870, these black Zollicoffers also may have been

share-croppers for Nicholas. The borrowing back and forth of servants is reinforced in the 1870

census which shows that Abigail Zollicoffer had a black teenaged houseboy whose last name

was Sims.

21

As a slaveholder, Nicholas was reputed to be a kind, generous master. In a memorial to

him, the Waxahachie Daily Light reported, “It was said that no closer tie ever existed between

master and slave than existed between N.P. Sims and his slaves.”45 After freeing his slaves,

Nicholas assisted the older ones with procuring a comfortable place to live, and he was known to

aid them with monetary gifts. His favorite servant, Old Uncle Bob, came to visit Nicholas the

day before his master died. He had been his slave and companion since birth and he apparently

deeply mourned his ailing master saying, “This is de las’ time I’ll ebber see old marster ‘live.”46

Nicholas P. Sims

Nicholas P. Sims was an influential and highly respected character in Ellis County

history. Since he was the owner of the Merlin headright for nine years before selling it to W.

Dabney Sims, his name is associated with Pecan Springs Ranch. Therefore, no history of Pecan

Springs can be complete without an examination of his contributions to Ellis County. His

obituary in the Ellis County Mirror on May 29, 1902 stated that “Uncle Nich” was the oldest

landmark and most remarkable man in Ellis County. In Nashville, he served as a member of the

military company that greeted General La Fayette when he toured America. He was among the

earliest settlers in Ellis County where he engaged in wheat farming and stock-raising. Though he

had limited formal education, Nicholas managed to educate himself enough to become a teacher

for three years before he turned his hand to farming. His successful agricultural endeavors

enabled him to buy large tracts of land in Ellis County. However, by the time of his death he had

disposed of all but three hundred acres of land. He spent his final days living with his stepson,

Judge O.E. Dunlap, whose mother was Nicholas’s second wife, Eliza Dunlap.47 He died on May

24, 1902 after a few days’ illness.

22

Nicholas’s most noteworthy contribution to the city of Waxahachie was the Nicholas P.

Sims Library. His will stated,

“I am without descendents, and have passed the best years of my life in Ellis County, Texas, where I have accumulated the bulk of my fortune, and am desirous of promoting the mental, moral, and physical advancement of the people of said county, and of the City of Waxahachie, its county seat, and especially of the youth of said county and city, and think this can best be done by the disposition of the residue of my estate which I make by this Will.” 48

The county used Nicholas’s bequeathed funds to build the library on land donated by

Captain W. H. Getzendaner. In 1905, the library was dedicated in a grand civic event combined

with the thirty-sixth anniversary of Trinity University and the inauguration of their new

President. The Nicholas P. Sims Library was among the first ten libraries built in the state of

Texas, and certainly one of the few that were privately funded. The total cost of the library and

Lyceum was $34,255.76.49 It is interesting to note that Nicholas’s step-son, Samuel Dunlap, also

left a large part of his estate to the city of Italy for the establishment of a public library.50

WILSON DABNEY SIMS

Wilson Dabney Sims was about twenty-seven years old when he came to Texas with his

father and siblings in 1851. He was born in Maury County, Tennessee on October 3, 1824. After

arriving in Ellis County he continued to live with his parents, John and Elizabeth, on Chambers

Creek and worked on the farm for the family interest. After several years of labor, his father gave

him $500 with which W. Dabney conducted his first land purchase of two hundred sixteen acres

on March 21, 1857. He paid $2.50 an acre.51 He set about making improvements on the land but

continued to live with his parents until after the Civil War.

23

Civil War Involvement

During the Civil War, Ellis County contributed fighting men to the Confederate Cause

through the Twelfth Texas Cavalry Regiment of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi. Commanded

by Colonel William Henry Parsons, the Twelfth Cavalry became known as “Parsons’s Brigade.”

Discrepancies exist concerning W. Dabney’s service in the War. The sketch in the Memorial and

Biographical History of Ellis County states that he “enlisted in Company F in Parson’s Cavalry

Regiment and served in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. He was mustered in and discharged at

Hempstead, was neither wounded nor taken prisoner, and continued to the close of the war.”52

His obituary in the Waxahachie Enterprise on May 16, 1892 also stated that he served through

the war in Parson’s Brigade; however, the source of information for the obituary was probably

the sketch in the Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County. It is clear that W. Dabney

did indeed enlist in Parson’s Brigade; however his Confederate service record states that he

served as a corporal in Capt. J.C. Brown’s Company. Brown commanded company “E”, the Ellis

County Grays. Therefore, W. Dabney could not have served in company “F” as his biographical

sketch stated. His service record indicates that he enrolled at Camp Hebert near Hempstead on

October 28, 1861, and his term of enlistment was for twelve months.53 However, he did not serve

the entire year. His muster card records that he enlisted on August 10, 1861 at Waxahachie and

was mustered in on August 23, 1861 at Camp Tarrant. He was then discharged at Camp Hebert

on October 28, 1861 after serving two months and six days. His name does not appear on any of

the known rosters for Parson’s Brigade, which further supports the assertion that he served a only

short time. As a matter of interest, his muster card indicates that at the time of his discharge W.

Dabney owned one horse valued at $170, horse equipment valued at $30, guns at $45, and one

24

pistol at $60.54 The Confederate government had little money to fund an army, so soldiers

supplied their own horses, equipment, and munitions.

One possible explanation for his short term of service could be that he became ill at

camp. Camp Hebert was located on the Sims Bayou about eight miles from Houston. In fall

1861, the weather was recorded as being particularly foggy and dismal.55 Because of the damp,

rainy conditions many men became sick and died. It is probable that W. Dabney was among

those casualties, and he returned home to recuperate. Around May 25, 1861 more men were

organized into the army under the Conscript Act. As fresh replacements came in, the veterans

who had served their year went home, and many did not re-enlist.56 After his recuperation he

probably was not required to return to the cavalry since his term of service was up, and he may

not have wanted to return after experiencing the discomforts of camp life.

Life After the Civil War

After the Civil War, the South experienced great economic hardship. Southerners made

sacrifices in support of the War, and as a result of their defeat many were in financial ruin.

Confederate script was useless, and the destruction of property was enormous. Ellis County was

more fortunate than much of the South because Texas was not turned into a battleground. The

men of Parson’s Brigade were proud of this fact, because their efforts had prevented the union

army from crossing the Texas border. The most significant loss most people experienced in Ellis

County was the forfeiture of their slaves. The loss of labor presented many challenges as former

masters and slaves worked out new work and social contracts.

W. Dabney continued to live with his parents after the War, and didn’t marry until later in

life. He married his first wife, Sally High, in 1871 when he was forty-six years old, and she was

twenty. They had one daughter, Sallie. Unfortunately, both mother and daughter died in April

25

1873. The cause of death is not recorded, but it is logical to conclude that they both perished

from illness in the same month. In 1875, W. Dabney married Sally’s younger sister, Bettie High.

Bettie was eighteen years old when they married. From this union they had two children, Bessie

and Lou Ella. Bettie died in 1879 after four years of marriage. Their daughter, Bessie, died in

1891 at the age of fifteen. W. Dabney then married Evelyn Whitfield one year after the death of

Bettie in March 1880. They were married eleven years before W. Dabney died at the age of

sixty-seven years. W. Dabney and Evelyn had three children: Minnie Evelyn (1880-1959),

Wilson Dabney (1883-1956), and Patrick Whitfield (1887-1936).57

In spite of the toll of post-war Reconstruction, the Sims family thrived. In 1876, W.

Dabney made several land purchases totaling five hundred sixty acres. On January 29, 1878 he

bought the Merlin land grant from his uncle, Nicholas Sims. In all, W. Dabney eventually owned

some 5500 acres of land in Ellis County.58

Establishing a Home

W. Dabney chose to make his home on the Merlin survey property. Since water was a

key element for survival, he built his house at a remote location on a spring and created a cistern

dug out of solid rock. The house was a single-story frame structure that was updated and

remodeled several times. The old homestead still stands and retains some of its original features,

such as high ceilings, original floors, and original foundation timbers. Because of the remote

location of the homestead, it was difficult for the children to attend school. The Sims solved this

problem by hiring a live-in tutor for a time to educate the children.

A draw was located to the east of the house, and across the draw the Sims built a row of

houses for tenant farmers. Since they were built in a straight line, they became known as

“Stringtown.”59 The Merlin survey was never worked by slave labor since its cultivation

26

occurred after the Civil War. However, the 1870 and 1880 censuses record many black

individuals with the last name of “Sims” living near the Sims family. The proximity of black

Sims individuals to white Sims families indicates that many stayed with their former masters as

tenant farmers. The pre-Civil War slave schedules do not record any personal data of slaves

beyond their race, age, and gender. The post-Civil War censuses give the former slaves some

identity, with names such as Simeon, Keziah, Fannie, and Maggie. These censuses also record

their birthplaces, and group them according to families. This information confirms that these

individuals were former Sims’ slaves because the oldest ones were born in Lafayette County,

Mississippi.60

A Difficult Way of Life

Life in the late nineteenth century was difficult and often a struggle just to survive. The

number of W. Dabney’s wives and the deaths of two of his children illustrate the high mortality

rate of that time. Nicholas Sims was married twice, and his second wife was married four times.

Farmers faced the challenges of nature every day. Texas climate can be capricious and

unforgiving. In Ellis County, the years of 1854-1860 were so dry that many farmers began

growing barley in place of the usual corn crop. The year 1857 was unusually cold while the

summer of 1860 recorded searing temperatures up to one hundred twelve degrees. The dry

conditions resulted in frequent prairie fires caused by spontaneous combustion. In January 1879,

temperatures dipped to two degrees. A flood was recorded in 1887, and the next year there was

so much rain that people reported floating on rafts above the telephone poles on Chambers

Creek. February 1898 set the record as one of the most frigid spells the county had ever

experienced, with temperatures falling to ten degrees below zero.61

27

One of the worst of nature’s ravages, though, was the legendary locust plague in the fall

of 1876. The skies darkened with the insects, and they dropped to the earth to a depth of several

inches. The horde ate everything green and any natural fibers they could find, such as curtains

and clothing. They then deposited their eggs and died. The stench of the dead insects was

terrible. Even worse, poultry and pigs gobbled up the insects, tainting their flesh with an

unpleasant taste. Their meat was inedible for months. The locust eggs then hatched from

February to April 1877. By May, the locusts moved on, leaving a barren earth behind them.62

These examples illustrate some of the challenges faced by the pioneers of Ellis County.

However, in spite of adversity, the Sims families thrived and prospered. The 1860 Agricultural

Census shows that John and Nicholas were already well on their way to prosperity. At this time,

W. Dabney was still living with his parents. He had just begun to work his land, so his

production is not at the same level as his father’s and uncle’s. Still, the figures demonstrate that

he had already accumulated a considerable amount of land, and he had significant potential

earnings.

1860 Agricultural Census63

John Dabney Sims Nicholas P. Sims Wilson Dabney Sims

Improved acres 400 200 40

Unimproved acres 800 718 876

Land cash value $6,000 $2,756 $832

Horses 4 11 0

Milk cows 25 34 2

Asses and mules 6 3 1

Working oxen 20 6 0

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Other cattle 75 46 2

Sheep 100 500 0

Swine 100 100 0

Livestock value $2,700 $2,530 $200

Wheat 4,000 bushels 715 bushels 0

Rye 75 bushels 100 bushels 0

Corn 2,500 bushels 400 bushels 0

Oats 400 bushels 0 0

By 1880, W. Dabney owned fifty acres of tilled land. This figure did not include his total

land holdings, but only that which he had tilled and planted with crops. The Agricultural Census

records that sixteen of his acres produced fifty bushels of Indian corn, and fourteen acres

produced two bales of cotton. He owned livestock worth $30 and farm machinery worth $14. He

also held six barnyard poultry that produced fifty eggs in 1879.64 The year of this census was the

year following his purchase of the Merlin survey from his Uncle Nicholas, so he was still in the

early stages of the development of his farm.

W. Dabney’s father, John, died in 1879. In his will he left W. Dabney $2,500 in gold as

well as a total of 235 acres of land from various surveys including the L. B. De Spain survey. He

disposed of the rest of his property to his children and grandchildren. W. Dabney wisely invested

his funds. After January 1880, he conducted approximately thirty property purchases.65

A Lifetime of Accomplishments

The history of the Sims family demonstrates that faith was an important element in their

life. In 1851, few churches had been established in Ellis County. As a result, it was difficult for

worshipers to congregate. Farmers and rural dwellers faced an additional challenge because they

29

lived in remote areas removed from any community that would have a church. The Sims families

recognized the need for congregational worship after they had newly arrived in Ellis County. In

1853, a brush arbor revival meeting resulted in the founding of Bethel Church at Greathouse,

southwest of Waxahachie. The Sims families helped in its establishment. The following family

members are listed as charter members: E. M. Brack and wife, Maria Sims, J.D. Sims and

family, N. P. Sims and wife, and P.C. Sims and wife. N.P. Sims gave ten acres for the

establishment of the church and cemetery. W. Dabney Sims was recorded as one of the church’s

most supportive members. When things were needed at the church, he would say, “Get it. I will

pay for it.”66 Over the years, the congregation has taken the church through several iterations of

building and rebuilding, but it is still standing today. Several charter members are buried in

Bethel Cemetery, including W. Dabney who is buried beneath a large, decorative headstone.67

Besides farming, W. Dabney showed abilities as a competent businessman. His scope of

interests far exceeded just farming the land in Italy. He owned a cotton gin for his own use,

thereby saving the money required to have his cotton ginned at a secondary location. He served

as the director and principal projector of the First National Bank in Waxahachie, which at that

time had a capital of $100,000. He held the role of a stockholder of the bank at Bryant, Texas,

which also had a capital of $100,000. In addition to these accomplishments, he had two

residences and an office in Waxahachie, two offices in Italy with fifty acres of land adjoining,

and one office in Milford. At one point, W. Dabney received appointment to the office of County

Commissioner by the Provisional Judge, Jack Hamilton.68 W. Dabney’s civic and religious

contributions to the development of Ellis County were significant. Men like him and his Uncle

Nicholas played a large role in taming a wild land and creating a cultured society in Ellis County.

These pioneers left a legacy for the benefit of future generations.

30

A Legacy Passed to the Children

Wilson Dabney Sims died on May 10, 1892. At the time of his death, he had four living

children: Louella, age fourteen; Minnie, age twelve; Wilson Dabney (W.D.), age eight; and

Patrick, age five. His wife, Evelyn, raised the children on her own. After Minnie married, Evelyn

lived in Waxahachie with her and Minnie’s husband until her death on December 20, 1911 at the

age of sixty-two.

Minnie, W.D., and Patrick all attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

While a student, Patrick showed musical prowess and participated as a vocalist. He was a

member of the college Conservatory as a vocalist and was a second tenor in the Glee Club. W.D.

participated more in the social aspects of college life. He was a member of the Southwestern

University Iota Chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He also served as an officer in a tongue-

in-cheek organization called the Anvil Corps. Dabney’s membership in the Corps demonstrated

his appreciation for irony, and provides some insight into his character. The Anvil Corps’ stated

purpose was the “Furtherance of Local Gossip and Discouragement of Women’s Rights.” Their

motto read “Knock or the world knocks with you.” W.D. held the title “His Majesty, the Sledge

Hammerer.” Other officer titles included Heap Big Steam Hammerer, The Steady Knocker, The

Occasional Knocker, and The Tapper.69 It is not surprising that the membership role did not

include any women.

W.D. may have had a satirical sense of humor, but he was also considered to be a man of

sterling character. Judge A.R. Stout mentioned him by name in The History of Ellis County.

Stout wrote that W.D. Sims was in the company of the kind of men who were “influential in all

things, both political and otherwise, because of the example they have furnished by the kind of

life they have lived. They have never sought any office, unless it was a thankless one such as

31

town councilman or school trustee, but they have lived for the betterment of their community and

have helped make it and all about it a finer place in which to live.” 70 This high praise attests to

the exceptional character of the members of the Sims family.

THE CAMPBELL RANCH IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

In his will, W. Dabney Sims divided up his land among his children with the provision

that it was to be kept in the family. Patrick received the portion of land that included the Merlin

survey with the house that his father had built. Minnie, W.D., and Lou Ella all received their

portions as well. In 1906, Minnie married Lee Robert Campbell, and they farmed the property

that Minnie had inherited. The 1910 census indicates that they resided in Waxahachie, but L.R.

farmed their land.

A Time of Transition

Unfortunately, Lou Ella Sims Siddons and her husband experienced financial difficulties,

and were on the verge of losing the land she had inherited. In order to keep the property in the

family, Minnie arranged to buy Lou Ella’s portion. On October 2, 1915 she purchased 458 4/10

acres of land from Lou Ella and her husband for $8,000. This investment proved to be too great a

financial stretch for Minnie and L.R., and they found themselves in the same financial quandary.

They began selling off small tracts, holding on to as much as they could. However, an

unforeseeable crisis in the form of the Great Depression ended Minnie’s hopes of keeping all the

land. In the end, she lost Lou Ella’s land as well as her own. The last large tracts of land were

sold in 1933 and 1934 to Traveler’s Insurance Company and Union Central Life Insurance

Company.71

32

In 1917 the United States entered World War I, and once again Ellis County sent its men

off to battle. Patrick Sims registered for the draft on May 31, 1917. His card gives a vague

physical description of him being tall, of medium build, with blue eyes and light hair. His

occupation was a self-employed capitalist and charity worker. His military experience was a

single year that he served as a private in the Texas A&M ROTC.72 Patrick did, in fact, serve in

the U.S. Expeditionary Forces in Europe. The 1920 census records that after the war he lived in a

boarding house on College Street in Waxahachie. Patrick stated that he was a retired farmer with

a “hand all gented.”73 It is uncertain what this precisely means, but it is obvious that he had

injured his hand in some way. The Campbell family maintains that Patrick was injured in the

Great War and may have been exposed to mustard gas.74 By 1930, Patrick returned to live on his

property in the house on the Merlin survey and resumed farming. This year’s census confirms

that Patrick was a veteran of World War I.75

Patrick’s brother-in-law, L.R. Campbell, also registered for the draft. By the time of his

registration, September 12, 1918, L.R. was married and had one child, William Dabney

Campbell. At the time, he was living on his land and farming. His card gives the general physical

description of medium height, medium build, blue eyes, and black hair.76 Fortunately for L.R.,

the Armistice was signed two months later on November 11, 1918, so he never had to serve in

the trenches of the Great War.

After World War I, Ellis County experienced a time of growth and prosperity. Increased

agricultural production, especially cotton, led to a “Golden Age” period of affluence. New

advances in farming equipment allowed farmers to plant and harvest more crops with greater

ease. In 1929, the first combine came to Ellis County. This invention combined reaping,

threshing, and winnowing of grains into a single job, and represented a significant financial

33

investment. Patrick and W.D. Sims were among the first in Ellis County to purchase and use this

new advancement in mechanized farming.77

The Campbells

State censuses provide much valuable information about L.R. Campbell and Minnie. In

1910, L.R. and Minnie lived in a house in Waxahachie, even while he was working the farm. The

residents of their home included their son, William “Bill” Dabney, Minnie’s mother, and an Aunt

C.W. McManus. By 1920, they had moved out to the property near Italy on Bell Branch Pike and

were farming there. The residents living with them were their son, L.R.’s parents, and two aunts.

L.R. worked as a general farmer while his father worked as a poultry farmer. On August 26,

1924, L.R.’s father, Rev. William Campbell, died and was buried in the Waxahachie City

Cemetery. Rev. Campbell’s wife, Lucy, went to live with their oldest son in Houston, where she

died on April 24, 1930. She was brought back to Waxahachie to be buried next to her husband.

In 1926 L.R. and Minnie relocated to Highland Park in Dallas where they bought a home.

Instead of farming, L.R. worked as a farm agent and later a salesman for P.H. Whiting & Co. 78

while Minnie wrote for a magazine.79 Their son, Bill, spent his senior year of high school in

Dallas and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1927. He went on to attend SMU, and

graduated from there in 1931. In 1936, Patrick Sims died. In his will, Patrick bequeathed his land

which consisted of the Merlin survey to the Campbells. As a result, L.R. and Minnie relocated to

Ellis County and returned to farming on the homestead Minnie’s father had built.

Bill remained in Dallas after his parents returned to Ellis County. On November 7, 1941

he married Mary Ethel “Patsy” Gannon. One month later, a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base

at Pearl Harbor pulled the nation into the worldwide conflict that became World War II. After a

year of marriage, in December 1942, Bill entered the military and served in an anti-aircraft

34

artillery division. He was stationed in the Pacific Theater on Saipan in the Marianas, and was

discharged on May 31, 1946 at the rank of first lieutenant.

After Bill returned to Texas, he and Patsy relocated to Amarillo where they became

involved in the community. Bill served on the boards of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce,

the YMCA Eldon Durrett Memorial Scholarship Committee, and he delivered meals on wheels

for many years. He also served for a time as president of Comco Insurance Company and vice

president of Southwestern Investment Company.80 Patsy was a member of the Amarillo Junior

League and active in the Amarillo Art Force, Amarillo Symphony, Garden Club, the Amarillo

Opera, and other civic organizations. She was also involved in founding the Globe News Center

for the Performing Arts and received the Golden Nail Award for her contribution to the arts.81

L.R. and Minnie continued to live in the home that her father, W. Dabney, built on the

Merlin survey. L.R. and Minnie were active in their church, the First Methodist Episcopal

Church in Italy, where Mrs. W.R. Guyer recalled that L.R. at one time served as the Sunday

School Superintendent.82 Minnie Sims Campbell died on November 28, 1959 of a coronary

thrombosis.83 L.R. passed away less than a year later on August 10, 1960. They were both buried

in the Waxahachie City Cemetery.

Bill and Patsy Campbell lived the rest of their lives in the city of Amarillo where they

raised four children: William Dabney, Jr., Pricilla, Patricia, and Ward Gannon. Even though they

did not reside on the Ellis County property, they continued to take an active interest in it. They

held family gatherings and work days on the property, and they kept the Sims house renovated

and in good condition. The family typically resided in the old homestead during their visits to the

property. In the 1970’s the Campbells bought a small parcel of land that was part of the original

De Spain survey. This purchase gave them direct access to Farm to Market Road 876 for an

35

alternate entrance. In 1965, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board built a soil

conservation dam on this parcel, which led to the formation of the current lake on the property.

Since the family was growing, they needed more space for their corporate family visits.

Therefore, they purchased a small house from Austin and moved it onto the De Spain property.

They built several additional rooms on this house to provide more sleeping space. Bill

entertained the hope that he might someday return to the Campbell Ranch to live and work;

however, that plan never came to fruition. In the meantime, Campbell Ranch was leased out as

pasture for cattle. Bill passed away on December 12, 2008, and Patsy followed on January 24,

2013. The property of the Campbell Ranch was left to their children.

The naming of L. R. Campbell Road

For years, the locals in the area unofficially called the road that ran past the Campbell

Ranch Bell Branch Road, but it was not named on any official document or map. In 1991, the

county began giving official names to rural roads as part of the uniformed addressing project for

the 911 emergency response system. Usually, the county named rural roads based on a well-

known ranch or resident that lived on that road. Therefore, it was suggested that the road be

named L. R. Campbell Road after the last owner of the Campbell Ranch who farmed the land.

Since a Campbell Road near Maypearl already existed, the initials L.R. were used to differentiate

between the two roads. County Commissioner Dale McClain agreed with the suggestion, and

officially renamed the road L. R. Campbell Road. This act recorded L.R. Campbell’s legacy in

cartography. To the north of Chambers Creek, L.R. Campbell Road becomes FM 876, and the

current Bell Branch Road intersects from the west with L.R. Campbell Road.84

36

The Ranch Passes to a New Family

In 2012, the Campbells sold the Ranch to Ted and Nancy Paup. After surveying the

property, they renamed the ranch after two of its most defining characteristics: the springs on

which the original homestead was built and the old pecan grove. Since they purchased the land,

the Paups have provided a great deal of care to Pecan Springs Ranch. They renovated the house

located at the northern entrance to L.R. Campbell Road and they reseeded the overgrazed

pastures with prairie grass. A new family now enjoys spending time together, fishing and caring

for the land that has been the home to others before them. The legacy has been passed into new

hands.

CONCLUSION

The history of any parcel of land is largely determined by the stories of the people who

live on it. The Pecan Springs property bears witness to a family that braved the caprice of Mother

Nature and poured their energies into creating a prosperous farm. Their lives were filled with

triumphs and joys as well as heartache and trials. Evidence of their endeavors can still be seen in

such features as the original homestead and the pecan grove.

The unwritten history of Pecan Springs Ranch consists of unnamed travelers and

inhabitants who occupied the land before civilization came to the area. Native Americans and

Spanish conquistadors were the earliest to roam the area long before the first Anglo settler

arrived in Texas. The prairie supported a significant wildlife and buffalo population that attracted

Indian hunters. Chambers Creek offered a perfect place for an Indian encampment, providing the

tribe with fresh water and fish to subsidize their diet. The cacophonic sounds of cattle bellowing

37

and drovers yelling could at one time be heard across the land as cowboys herded their cattle up

the Shawnee Trail. These unwritten stories comprise part of the history of Pecan Springs.

The written history of Pecan Springs begins with the land grant from the Republic of

Texas to Charles Merlin in 1839, signed by President Sam Houston. Merlin was one of the

earliest arrivals to Texas, a real pioneer. The rest of its history is primarily formed by the efforts

of the Sims family. Nicholas Sims, the first farmer to own the land, was a man who was highly

regarded in the Ellis County community. His greatest contribution to Ellis County was the public

library and lyceum that was built from funds left to the city in his will. Testimonials portray him

to be a remarkable, respected man.

His nephew, Wilson Dabney Sims, was no less remarkable, notwithstanding the fact that

no edifices bear his name. W. Dabney accumulated a large amount of property and great wealth;

however, he freely gave of his resources to his church. His service in such positions as the

director of First National Bank and appointment to the position of County Commissioner

demonstrated his respected character. He also provided well for his wife and children.

The Sims family was part of the generation of hardy pioneers and courageous trailblazers

that came to Ellis County and helped to tame the land and establish civilization. While the

address of Pecan Springs places its location in the township of Italy, Wilson Dabney farmed its

land long before the founding of the town. Waxahachie was nothing more than a log cabin

courthouse when the Sims family arrived. Circumstances required these people to be self-

sufficient for their food, clothing, and lodging. Life was a struggle for survival.

The Sims family bought the Pecan Springs property when it was nothing more than a

wild land, and with ax and plow they transformed it into a home and producing farm. Their

names can be found liberally sprinkled throughout historical accounts of the county with

38

testimonials of their character and contributions. They are in the company of men who formed

the history of Ellis County, and Pecan Springs is part of that legacy. Pecan Springs has the proud

heritage that it was owned and worked by a family who contributed significantly to the

development of Ellis County, and its profits were used for the betterment of that county’s

citizens.

Illustrations

38

Bethel Church in Greathouse pioneered by the Sims family

39

39

Nicholas P. Sims Nicholas P. Sims Library

Program for the Joint Dedication of the Sims Library and the Inauguration of Trinity University’s New President

40

The Anvil Corps photo from Southwestern University’s yearbook. WD Sims is on the top row, fifth from the left.

Kappa Sigma – WD Sims is the top middle photo.

41

Rev. Willie and Lucy Campbell

42

The Homestead built by Wilson Dabney Sims circa 1880.

“String Town”A remainder of tenant farmers’ houses

43

The Interior of the Homestead

The entryway

Kitchen

44

The Parlor

Bedroom

45

The Barn

The Old Gate to the Campbell Ranch on LR Campbell Road

46

Pecan Springs RanchFormerly the Campbell Ranch

Owned by Ted and Nancy Paup

47

48

49

Notes

1 Bob Jones Nature Center, “Cross Timbers Ecosystem: A Natural Wonder!” http://www.bjnc.org/about-cross-timbers.php (accessed April 2, 2015).

2 Texas Parks & Wildlife, “Cross Timbers and Prairies Ecological Region,” https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/cross_timbers/ecoregions/cross_timbers.phtml (accessed April, 2 2015).

3 Ibid.

4 "CROSS TIMBERS," Handbook of Texas Online  http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ryc04 (accessed April 02, 2015). Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association

5 Texas Parks & Wildlife, “Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie Wildlife Management: Historical Perspective,” https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/post_oak/ (accessed April 2, 2015).

6 Hugh Hemphill, “Missouri Pacific Railroad,” Texas Transportation Museum,http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-rr-missouri-pacific.php (accessed April 5, 2015).

7 The Sims Public Library, Formal Opening and Dedication Program, Courtesy of the Sims Public Library, 1905.8

Kelly McMichael Stott, Waxahachie: Where Cotton Reigned King (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2002), 20-21.9

A.R. Stout, “Pioneer Country: Its Origin, Early Land Grants,” History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 11.10

Ibid., 8-9.11

Stott, 16.12

Ibid., 12.13

Jeffrey D. Carlisle, "Tonkawa Indians," Handbook of Texas Online http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmt68 (accessed March 21, 2015). Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.14

Ibid., 13.15

Carlisle, “Tonkawa Indians.”16

Stott, 154.

17 Ruth Stone, “Railroads,” The History of Ellis County (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 51-52.

18 Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, Spring 2003, Gene Krane, editor, Journal/Magazine/Newsletter, 2003; http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45378/ (accessed March 20, 2015), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation, Austin, Texas.

19 A.R. Stout, “Pioneer Country: Its Origin, Early Land Grants,” History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 13.

20 Gifford White, 1840 Citizens of Texas, Volume 1: Land Grants, Austin, Texas (St. Louis: Ingmire Publications, 1983), vii-xiii.21

Gary Mauro, The Land Commissioners of Texas, 150 Years of the General Land Office, Austin, General Land Office of Texas, 1986 quoted in Charles E. Gilliland, David Carciere, and Zachry Davis, “Texas Title Trail.” Land Markets. Publication 1760 ( January 2006).22

Ibid., 66. 23

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. C, page 86. 24

White, Land Grants, Austin, Texas, 173. 25

A.R. Stout, “Pioneer Country: Its Origin, Early Land Grants,” History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 11.

26

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. E, page 163.27

Gifford White, 1840 Citizens of Texas, Volume 2: Tax Rolls, Austin, Texas (St. Louis, Ingmire Publications, 1984). 67. 28

John S. Ford, The Texas State Times (Austin, Tex,), Vol. 1, No. 46, Ed.1 Saturday, October 14, 1854. Austin, Texas: Ford, Walker & Davidson. The Portal to Texas History. http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth235731/m1/2/zoom/?q=charles%20merlin (accessed February 28, 2015).29

Ancestry.com. Texas, Land Title Abstracts, 1700-2008 [database on-line]. (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations inc., 2000).30

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. F, page 192. 31

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vo. E, page 163.32

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. F, page 663. 33 Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. I, page 414.

34

John Cooper Hathorn, Early Settlers of Lafayette Co., Mississippi. A Period Study of Lafayette County from 1836-1860 (Columbia, TN: P-Vine Press – Skipworth Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc., 1980). 4-5.35

Ibid., 19.36

Ibid., 10.37

Ibid., Appendix A.38

Ellis County Clerk, Land Grant Records, Vol. C, page 86.39

Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census: Maury, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 177; Page 393: Family History Library Film: 0024535 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.40

Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census: Lafayette, Mississippi; Roll: 215; Page: 172; Image: 348; Family History Library Film: 0014841 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.41

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census: Lafayette, Mississippi; Roll: M432_375; Page: 254A; Image: 64 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.42

John B. Boles, The South Through Time: A History of an American Region, Vol. 1. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004), 197.

43 Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.44

Ancestry.com 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.45

“Dedication of N.P. Sims Library,” Waxahachie Daily Light, April 26, 1905.46

Ibid.47

Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892), 501-502.

48

Nicholas P. Sims Obituary, Ellis County Mirror, May 19, 1902.49

Nicholas P. Sims Library, Informational Pamphlet, Waxahachie: Nicholas P. Sims Library, 2014.50

Daughters of the American Revolution. Rebecca Boyce Chapter (Waxahachie, Tex.). Genealogical Records Committee.Texas Genealogical Records, Ellis County, Volume 21, 1680-1968, Book, 1968; (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth105046/ : accessed March 20, 2015), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nicholas P. Sims Library and Lyceum, Waxahachie, Texas.51

Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892). 253.52

Ibid.53

Wilson D. Sims Confederate Service Record. www.fold3.com/image/#10218132. 54

Ancestry.com Texas, Muster Roll Index Cards, 1838-1900 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

55

Lillie Tolleson, “Civil War and Reconstruction,” The History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 40.

56 Ibid.

57 Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, 253.58

Ellis County Clerk, Index to Deeds, S Grantees, From 1845, Ellis County, Texas.59

Campbell family, “History of the Dabney Sims House”, 1994.60

Ancestry.com 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009; Ancestry.com 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

61 Ruth Stone, “Beginning of Ellis County,” The History of Ellis County, Texas, 4.62

Ibid.63

Ancestry.com Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 [database on-line] Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

64 Ibid.65

Ellis County Clerk, Index to Deeds, S Grantees, From 1845, Ellis County, Texas.

66 Mrs. Dunaway, “History of Bethel Church,” History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 30-33.67

Ancestry.com U.S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.68

Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892). 253-254.69

Ancestry.com U.S. School Yearbooks, 1880-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.70

A.R. Stout, “Political History,” History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1972), 283.71

Ellis County Clerk, Index to Deeds, 1913-1935, C-D.72

Ancestry.com U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.73

Ancestry.com 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operation, Inc., 2010.74

Interview with William Dabney Campbell, February 2015.75

Ancestry.com 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2002.76

Ancestry.com U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.77

Everett Couch, “Agriculture,” The History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1971), 308.78

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.79

Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2002.80

Obituary of William Dabney “Bill” Campbell, Amarillo Globe-News, December 14, 2008. file:///C:/Users/James/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/HS0ZQTWZ.htm (accessed October 20, 2014).81

Obituary of Mary Ethel “Patsy” Campbell, The Dallas Morning News, January 26, 2013. file:///C:/Users/James/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/JCP1M6CD.htm (accessed October, 20, 2014).82

Daughters of the American Revolution. Rebecca Boyce Chapter (Waxahachie, Tex.). Genealogical Records Committee.Texas Genealogical Records, Ellis County, Volume 21, 1680-1968, Book, 1968; http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth105046/ (accessed March 20, 2015), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nicholas P. Sims Library and Lyceum, Waxahachie, Texas.

83 Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.84

Interview with Alysa Kirton, Administrator of Precinct 3, Ellis County, Texas, March 20, 2015.