Margaret Anna Youngblood

Notes:

MRS. MARGARET ANNA YOUNGBLOOD RAGAN DECEMBER 26, 1963

Mrs. Margaret Anna "Maggie" Youngblood Ragan will be 92 years old February 9, 1964, but a fresh complexion, twinkling eyes and amazing energy belie those years. Born in 1872 at the family home just past the bend in the north edge of Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas on the Milam road, she is the daughter of the master James and Margaret Smith Youngblood, members of pioneer families in Sabine County. The Youngblood's came from Mississippi by the way of Louisana.

Mr. Youngblood, oldest of 13 children, fought in 3 wars---Civil, Indian and Mexican--and did not receive a scratch. His relatives were not so fortunate, however. His father was killed in the Civil war (it is believed that he died in 1862); two brothers died in service, one lost an arm and another a leg. Mrs. Youngblood's grandfather, Robert H. "Bob " Smith was a man of means when he came to Texas. In the 1830's, persons desiring to become a citizen of Texas were required to have a sponsor who was already a citizen. Sam Houston, himself sponsored Mr. Smith, who lived on the Yellow pine Hi way where Roy Payne now lives. Bob Smith bought thousands of acres in many surveys in Sabine and other counties.

On January 3, 1897, Margaret Anna was married to John A. Ragen, who was born where Woods Garage now is. He is the son of Dr. Jubal Harper and Martha Ann Broadway Ragan, pioneers from Virginia. Before they were married, they never went anywhere together. During the week, he would send her a note by a Negro boy telling her he would be coming to see her on Sunday afternoon at the home of her parents. Her sister and family did not get to the wedding because the oxen which were to pull the wagon got out of the pasture and could not be found in time.

In 1900 they loaded up all their belongings in a covered wagon and drove a pair of mules to Greer County, Oklahoma to visit her father, sister and brother who had moved up there. It took them three weeks to get there, staying in wagon yards at night, and cooking in a "cook house" when they were in towns. Most of the time, however, they tied up by the side of the road, if you could call it a road, and did Thier cooking on campfires and slept in the wagon. They baked biscuits and cornbread everyday, using a "Dutch Oven" with 3 legs and a scooped out lid to put the coals on. She says it baked real good.

After a week or two of visiting, they set out on the return trip, but stopped for a year at the Halsell Ranch where they both worked. While there they took a train to Wichita Falls to see Ringland Bros. Circus and came home that night after the show. It was the only train ride that Mrs, Ragan ever took.

They finally returned to Hemphill because they did not like the severe weather, sand storms, wind and cold, and because they could not find a house to buy except a "dug out" This was a house built into the side of a hill with a portion of the hill used as walls so as to conserve building material which was quite scarce on the prairie in those days. Back in Hemphill, they bought a log house on 63 acres of land three miles south of town, which they farmed until 1928, when they traded with Bob Crowell and moved to Hemphill. Mr. Ragan died in 1958, and since then Mrs. Ragan has made her home with her only child, Miss. Willie Ragan of Houston. They spend time as possible at their home here.

Mrs Ragan recalls an incident of their Oklahoma trip. While they were spending time in a Fort Worth Wagon Yard, with a rain coat hung over the front of the wagon sheet. She had laid out a pair of trousers on the spring seat for Mr. Ragan to put on in the morning, and during the night she saw them rise up and go back down. The next morning they were gone, but when Mr. Ragan went to feed his mules, there the pants hung. Since there was no money in the pocket, the robber evidently didn't care to keep them.

James Youngblood is listed along with a brother and sister as living in Greer County Oklahoma and were the purpose of the above trip in 1900. However James Youngblood is listed on the 1910 Census of Sabine Co. TX. Therefore sometime between 1900 and 1910 he had returned to Hemphill.

C. Royall Oct 18, 1969.

Source: ARFAULKN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ARFAULKN] Wagon Trip to OK. Nancy&Charles Royall [cnroyall@wcc.net]

Margaret married John Arthur Ragan on 3 Jan 1897 in Sabine County, Texas. John (son of Jubal Harper Ragan, M.D. and Martha Ann Broadway) was born on 26 Mar 1871 in Texas; died on 6 Aug 1968 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
"Before they were married, they never went anywhere together. During the week, he would send her a note by a Negro boy telling her that he would be coming to see her on Sunday afternooon at the home of her parents. Her sister and family did not get to the wedding because the oxen which were to pull their wagon got out of the pasture and could not be found in time." (Speights, p. 36).

1. Willie Morris Ragan was born about 1907; and died.

Notes:

He was a Texas pioneer of which we are proud. He was a Texas Ranger, and participated in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. He was never known to curse, drink or use tobacco. (White and Toole, p 57). Virgie Speights writes he fought in three wars, Civil, Indian and Mexican--and did nto receive a scratch. His relatives were not so fortunate, however. His father was killed in the Civil War; two brothers died in service, one lost an arm and another a leg. (Speights, p. 36). She also indicates he was the oldest of 13 children.

James married Margaret J. Smith about 1856. Margaret (daughter of Robert H. Smith and Mary Ann Johnson) was born about 1839; died about 1877. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Educated in New Orleans, and was a beautiful lady. (White and Toole, p 57).

Notes:

The son of Benjamin and Susanna Collins Youngblood. Henry Youngblood and family moved to Desota Parish, LA in 1837. Eight of their sons fought in the Civil War, two of them giving their lives. (White and Toole, p 81).

There are numerous Youngblood families in the 1850 Newton County, Texas census. There connection to this family, if any, is not currently known.

Henry married Sarah Miller Harvey about 1816 in Marion County, Mississippi. Sarah was born about 1801; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Harvey, b ca 1700, was living in Va. in 1742, but moved his sons, John Jr., Michael, and THOMAS to S.C. in 1756. THOMAS HARVEY and his four sons, John, Evan, James, and MICHAEL (Sr.), are listed in the DAR Records. They were all in Gen. Eliza Clark's co. in the American Revolution. MICHAEL HARVEY (Sr.) d in Ga in 1810, m REBECCA HAWKINS, (dau of PINKETHMAN HAWKINS). Issue: MICHAEL JR. m POLLY CLOWER in Warren County, Ga in 1796. Issue: SARAH MILLER HARVEY, b Ju 10, 1801. The family moved to Pike County, Miss, in 1810. (White and Toole, p 81).

Notes:

Married:
Virgie Speights shows that they has 13 children. (Speights, p. 36).

Notes:

Robert H. Smith entered Coahuila-Texas sponsored by Sam Houston. He bought the Sion Smith Headright and paid for it four thousand red gold dollars. He is listed on the first census of Texas with parents, John and Mary Smith. Their home was on the Pineland Road west of Hemphill, and they are buried in the Smith Cemetery, now known as the Old Whitehead Cemetery. When Robert sold this land he reserved a fifty foot square of land for the preservation of the cemetery. This family was from North Carolina and was related to the Pace family, early pioneers of Sabine County. Robert H. Smith married Mary Johnson, and their home was where the Roy Payne home is now. He raised fine horses, farmed, was a real estate dealer, and a member of the Littleton Fowler Masonic Lodge, which buried him with full honors when he died Sept. 20, 1867 (White and Toole, p 56).

Robert married Mary Ann Johnson. Mary was born before 1819; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The Sabine County Reporter
October 22, 2014
Pages 1 and 2

"Milam Cemetery receives marker"

The Texas Historic Cemetery Dedication Ceremony for Milam Cemetery took place on Saturday, October 11, following the annual Nethery reunion...local historian Weldon McDaniel....gave a presentation outlining some of the significant historical events that took place in Milam and the importance of preserving the history of Milam Cemetery. He said as many as 85 percent of all early settlers coming into Texas put their boots in red dirt. Although San Augustine and Nacogdoches counties have a friendly battle over which is older, Milam is just as old as either of them....

Dorothy Nethery Spain had the honor of reading the script engraved on the marker:

"Milam, the first County Seat of Sabine County, has a history of travelers and visitors stretching back centuries. Native Americans and Spanish exploreres, soldiers and missionaries passed through and often camped on Las Boregas Creek. Texian settlers encountering the natural abundance echoed the words of Stephen F. Austin, who recorded in his diary entry of July 16, 1821: "We then suddenly came to an open rolling country thinly timbered soil about the color of Spanish browne, and in some places redder. This Red Land is very productive and is covered with the most luxuriant growth of grass I ever beheld in any country." The settlment first called Red Mound (Red Mount) was the seat of Government for the Sabine District since 1822, and was surveyed as a town site in 1828.

Milam Cemetery is on a high hill overlooking the historic community. The exact dated of the first burial will never be known Spanish Explorers were passing through present-day Milam as early as 1539 and camped on Las Boregas Creek a few hundred yards west of the cemetery. Local hisorians believed Anglo burials occurred here probably as early as 1775, since travelers used the campsite down the hill on the Las Boregas. The land on which the cemetery is located was granted to JOHN SMITH on Feb. 26, 1835. The first marked burial is dated 1864, although more than 100 unmarked graves are suspected. The numerous military Veterans dating back to the Creek War are interred here, as well as prominent early citizens from the CAUSEY, WEATHERRED. McGREW, and NETHERY families. Milam Cemetery may be the oldest organized cemetery in Sabine County, and cherished chronicle of generations of visitors and residents."

John married Mary ???. Mary was born about 1773 in Virginia; died before 1851; was buried in John Smith Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]