Transcribed from Dallas Daily Times Herald, August 2, 1914, p. 8
Mesquite, Tex., Aug. 1.–
I see William Wall [Wald] Glover claims to be the oldest settler in Dallas county. I knew his mother (a widow Stockton) before she and his father was married. She lived north of Dallas in 1844, and two brothers and myself went to her house one day when we ran away from the Indians.
We were living near where the convent now stands. When we got there, she had two or three guns standing in the corner of her house, but the Indians never came. this was in 1844, before Glover was born. I have a cousin, Scott Beeman, who lives in or near Dallas, who came here in April, 1842. There is not another person living in Dallas who came in 1842. He has a sister living in Clay county who came here in 1842.
She is the widow of the founder of Dallas, John Neely Bryan, who should have a monument built in Dallas to his memory. It is a shame that it hasn’t already been built.
Back to my subject: James N. Cochran was born June 1, 1846, in or near Dallas. John Bryan was born in Dallas Feb. 9, 1846. He had one brother born before him. His name was Coffee Bryan. He died while young. My brother, G. W. Cox, had a daughter born in this county Aug. 9, 1845.
The first legislature of this state on the 30th of March, 1846, passed an act creating the county of Dallas. Glover claims he was born on the 31st of July, 1846, ten days after the county was created. He missed his guess by about 110 days. I have lived in Dallas county since the spring of 1844, except while in the late war between the states. My home was here while I was in the war. I am not envying Glover of his claims, but want the record kept straight, for he and I are good friends.
I could fill many pages telling of our early life in Dallas county.
Yours, truly, H. B. Cox.
Mesquite, Tex. Route No. 4.-
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