FHWC: Where Grandma came from

Grandma's parents were married in Hillsboro, Tx in the summer of 1894. George and Rebecca probably met in Johnson County after her father, John M. Joplin, moved his second wife and children there from Tennessee sometime before 1900. George's parents and maternal grandparents had been living in Johnson County by 1880, having previously made a go of it in Lamar County after his parents married.

George and Rebecca had both grown up on farms, and they continued with what they knew. Along with George's parents Ben and Mattie, older brother John R.'s family, and little sister Bettie Frances, George and Rebecca headed about 100 miles west to rent a farm in Comanche County.

The economy in Comanche County was booming for farmers and ranchers between 1890 and 1900, and the rapid population growth reflected that. Cotton farming in the area increased dramatically from a single bale produced in 1860, to over 24,000 commercial bales in 1900. Comanche County was the place to be.

George and Rebecca Nowell

The Nowells established a cotton farm, worked hard, and raised their family. I can't say for sure whether their first two children, Della and John Benjamin, were born before or after they arrived in Comanche County. Della was born 2 Jun 1895, and John B. was born 6 Nov 1897. But they were definitely living on a Comanche County farm by 1900, where the rest of their children were certainly born.

George Columbus "Kit" Nowell came along on the 26th of January, 1901, followed by Grandma Zula Irene on November 11, 1903. Maggie Lorraine and Dora were born in 1906 and 1911, respectively.

George's father's health was declining by then. Joseph Benton Nowell was receiving a small pension for his service in the civil war, but he was no longer able to work. On the 5th of July, 1913, Ben Nowell passed away at the age of 69 or 70 (born 1842 or 1843), when Grandma was 9 years old.

George and Rebecca had two more children, Tommie born August 13, 1914, and J.D. born on the 30th of August in 1916. However, things weren't going as well as they had hoped.

The Nowell's, like most of the cotton farmers in Comanche County, were struggling. Cotton crops were being destroyed by an infestation of boll weevils, leaving farmers in the area with nothing to show for their hard work. As Grandma would say, they didn't have a pot to piss in, or a window to throw it out of.

It was time to get out of Comanche County and try their luck elsewhere.

Sources:

• "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXQ7-BYC : accessed 03 Feb 2013), George Nowell and Rebecca Joplin, 05 Jul 1894;


• Grandma's bible


• "United States Census, 1880," images, HeritageQuest Online (http://0-www.heritagequestonline.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org/dvimage/genealogy/stage/dvimage?filename=/heritage/vault/hqc23/T9/1313/1/366B.tif&invert=0&scale=2&mimeType=application/pdf
  ), George Nowell, 5-PCT, Johnson, Texas, United States; Series T9, Roll 1313, Page 366.


• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3LW-M48 : accessed 03 Feb 2013), George Nowell, ED 26 Justice Precinct 1 (west half), Comanche, Texas, United States; citing sheet 11B, family 198, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241622.


• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3L7-XGY : accessed 03 Feb 2013), Joseph B Nowell, ED 27 Justice Precinct 1 (east half), Comanche, Texas, United States; citing sheet 18A, family 322, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241622.


• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3L7-LCR : accessed 03 Feb 2013), John R Nowell, ED 26 Justice Precinct 1 (west half), Comanche, Texas, United States; citing sheet 11A, family 194, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241622.


• "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MK15-83L : accessed 03 Feb 2013), George N Nowell, Justice Precinct 2, Comanche, Texas; citing sheet 15B, family 299, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375554.


• "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MK15-VRG : accessed 03 Feb 2013), Ben Nowell, Comanche, Comanche, Texas; citing sheet 8A, family 123, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375554.


• "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MK1P-PMS : accessed 03 Feb 2013), John R Nowell, Comanche, Comanche, Texas; citing sheet 19A, family 331, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375554.


• "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD7F-CCG : accessed 03 Feb 2013), J. M. Joplin, District 8, Henderson, Tennessee, United States; citing sheet 289B, family 0, NARA microfilm publication T9-1262.


• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3PS-5MK : accessed 03 Feb 2013), John M Joplin, ED 54 Justice Precinct 1 (southeast part), Johnson, Texas, United States; citing sheet 20B, family 350, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241649.


• TSHA - Comanche County http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcc20