Family Traditions

Marguerite Starr Crain is a distant cousin of mine. Almost half a century ago, she took the time to locate and interview some of our oldest living relatives. She transcribed the interviews and I am indebted to her for doing so. I only think it fitting to post these on my blog so that others in our family can benefit from them as well.

Don Allen Thompson

Date of interview: 27 February 1968

Don Allen Thompson, born 21 April 1876 in Bell County, Texas, was the son of Elizabeth Jane Kegans and C. Hiram Thompson and the grandson of Clarinda Pevehouse and John Kegans. The interview was conducted at the Southern Manor Convalescent Home in Temple Texas. It was dictated to and transcribed by Gladys Lipscomb, 822 North 2nd, Temple Texas. Mr. Thompson was 91 years old and while he was frail, suffered from impaired hearing, and other ailments expected in advanced years, he seemed mentally alert, retained a sense of humor and was cheerful.

Crain:  

Uncle Don, I am Marguerite Crain, Zilla's granddaughter. I'm glad to see you again. How are you?

Thompson:  

Who did you say you were?

Crain:

Zilla's granddaughter, Zelma's daughter. Or do you remember her as Tommie?

Thompson:

Well I'll be dadblammed. What are you doing here at this place?

Crain:

I happened to be near Temple so I just came by to see you and this is where you happened to be

Thompson:

How are Tommie and Sam?

Crain:

Mother is fine but my father died a few years ago

Thompson

Too bad - I only saw Sam twice - once when they came here on their honeymoon. I sure liked to hear him laugh. Nanie and I went with Hy to Vernon - mst have been in '30 or '31 and we spent the day with Tommie and Sam. That was some farm your dad had. I thought though that was a mighty big house for such a little family - didn't you have a brother or sister?

Crain:

Yes sir. I have a brother. Aunt Sally once told mother she should be ashamed of such a tacky little family.

Thompson 

(laughter)

Sally had 11 or 12 kids. How many of Zilla's are still living?

Crain:

Gladys, my mother, Ruth and Hiram. They all live in Vernon

Thompson

Hiram Garland - that was the rottenest kid I ever saw (chuckle) After he was grown he came to visit Nanie and me with one of Sally's boys - Jack I think it was. I don't think I ever laughed so hard. He could say 'how do you do?' and make you laugh.

Crain

He still is a great storyteller. Do you remember the time my grandfather, Aunt Gladys, and I visited you and Aunt Nanie when I was 15? That would be 1936. You had no phone so your daughter in Temple sent you a card us and could we come to spend the day on Sunday. You failed to get the mail so no card. The whole crowd arrived a complete surprise. I would have been horrified had I been Nanie, but she seemed to think it was terribly funny and aparently glad to see us. She kept running down into the dugout until finally we had more food than I ever saw.

Thompson

No, I don't remember that

Crain

You were quite upset because at the box supper on Friday night someone beat you out as the ugliest man there. I remember you saying it had to be crooked because you always one the prize.

Thompson

Son of a gun had to be a crook - never was anybody as ugly as I am.

Crain

When you were a child did you live near where you lived then?

Thompson

Nope - lived over on Big Elm near Oenaville

Crain

How old were you when your father died, Uncle Don?

Thompson

Eleven. He died on towards daylight, and the next morning Grandpa and Grandma Kegans came. I was sittin' out beside the house - colder than the devil, but I couldn't stay in that house. Grandpa came out and put his arm around me and told me was just about my age when his pa died and they took me home with them.

Crain

What was his name?

Thompson

John Kegans

Crain

Do you look like him?

Thompson

Lord no! He was a handsome man. Stood over six feet. Straight as a ramrod. Coal black hair. He was part Indian you know. He went to fight the Mexicans. You know that story about the Mexicans taking them prisoner and then made 'em draw beans and the ones that got the black beans got shot?

Crain

Yes sir, I know about it. Was he there?

Thompson

Mighty right he was - nearly died too. Some of his friends escaped and he would have gone with them but he was too sick. Took him a long time to get strong again. He had already fought the Mexicans during the war - afraid of nuthin' - nuthin'.

Crain

I'm sure he told you lots of stories about his experiences. What did he do during the war with Mexico?

Thompson

He sure as heck did tell stories, but they were the darndest yarns you ever heard (chuckle) He never talked about the bad times but every chance he got he would start to spin some crazy yarn and by the time he was through everybody was laughin'/ He was a good man - started the lodge at Oenaville - Methodist church too.

Crain

The Masonic Order?

Thompson

Yeah

Crain

What was his father's name?

Thompson

James Kegans - a friend of Stephen F Austin - came to Texas with him from Missouri

Crain

Is there any truth to the story that we are someway related to the Austins?

Thompson

(chuckle)

Naw - at least not that I know anything about

Crain

Who was Grandpa Kegan's mother?

Thompson

Mary Kegans

Crain

What was here maiden name?

Thompson

I'll be dogged if I can remember what her name was

Crain

Was your grandmother tall or short?

Thompson

Grandma was tall, tall and slim. She sure was good to me. You know she was born on the way to Texas. Her grandpa and the whole family came and when they stopped to raise a crop she was born.

Crain

Where did they stop?

Thompson

I don't know exactly - think it was somewhere around Texarkana

Crain

Was her father in the war for Texas Independence?

Thompson

Sure! The whole bunch was I reckon. Even Grandma listened to The Battle of San Jacinto - did you know that? She was just a young girl.

Crain

Did they live close to the battlefield?

Thompson

I don't know where they lived - down around Houston somewhere, though. But when the Mexicans started in their direction her grandpa gathered all the women and kids in the family together and they struck out east towards Louisiana trying to outrun the greasers. They had to walk at night and hide during the daytime - They were camped one day asleep in a thicket when the gunfire woke them up and they knew right then and there what was goin' on.

Crain

They must have been scared half to death

Thompson

Well I reckon they were! The Alamo wasn't far out of their minds, you know. Grandma said they just crouched in that thicket wonderin' where all their menfolks were - said she would always remember her grandpa standing beside a pine tree - had his hat pulled down nearly over his eyes - so still he didn't even bat an eye. After a while the guns stopped and then they heard a horse comin' - her grandpa slipped out in the clear to see who it was and yelled back that it was a Texan so they all came out of the bushes. He had been in the Revolution you know?

Crain

Who?

Thompson

Her Grandpa Hodge. The man saw them and as he passed he yelled that the Mexicans had surrendered they could go home. He never stopped his horse - just galloped on but turned and yelled back - go home, the war is over. She said they all just fell on their knees crying and thanked God.

Crain

Who was her grandfather, Uncle Don?

Thompson

Name was Hodge but I don't know that I ever heard what else - her pa was James Pevehouse.

Crain

Then her mother was a Hodge. Do you remember what her given name was?

Thompson

Em

Crain

Was that an initial 'M' or a nickname Em?

Thompson

Darned if I know. They just called her Em

Crain

How many brothers and sisters did Grandma Kegans have?

Thompson

I don't know. Tab lived here in Bell County - then there were some that were old batchelors - were a bunch of Hodges here too - Lord almighty there was a time when I couldn't spit without hittin' some darned relative in this county. Tab was a baby I think when they were runnin' from the Mexicans.

Crain

Are any of them living around here now?

Thompson

None - pure dee - all have been watered down they don't know who they are.

Crain

I know the feeling - that is what I am tring to find out myself.

Thompson

(chuckle) 

Maybe you ought to watch where you step. Her grandpa loved fine horses but he and her pa gave all they had to the army. He had one especially fine stallion he kept until they were ready to leave and he dismounted handed the reins to her brother and told him to take him to the army - he would walk with the rest of them.

Crain

Grandma's brother?

Thompson

Yeah

Crain

Wonder which one he was

Thompson

I don't know. All the slaves went with 'em. They drove their cattle into the river bottom so maybe the Mexicans wouldn't find them - buried what food they could - packed a few belongings and some grub in a couple of oxcarts and took off late in the afternoon. They had told the slaves they were free to go or stay - they all went. Grandma said it rained so much their d???s so deep the oxen had a hard time and if it hadn't been for a couple of slaves who really knew how to handle those buggers they never would have made it.

Crain

How many of the family went along?

Thompson

All of 'em I reckon - and I think that would have been a bunch

Crain

Did they burn their houses before they left?

Thompson

I don't think so - no they didn't

Crain

Were they still standing when they got back?

Thompson

I don't know

Crain

Where are the Keganses buried?

Thompson

Coleman Texas

Crain

But Uncle Don, I have looked all over that court house and they insist to me there is no record of their dying in Coleman

Thompson

I said they were buried there. I didn't say they died there. They died in McKinney. I was there when Grandpa died. We had gone to see Uncle James and it was December and ice on the ground. He slipped, fell, and broke his hip and died. But I tell you he was still standing straight and had black hair thick. He was part Indian - did I tell you that?

Crain

Yes sir. But how was he part Indian? What tribe?

Thompson

Well now I can't tell you that 'cause I don't know

Crain

Some of the family say his mother was Mary Ross. Does that ring a bell with you?

Thompson

Well, yes I think it does. I think that's right.

Crain

Uncle Don, where was your father born?

Thompson

Right out there at Oenaville. It is hard to see how a man as handsome as he could have an ugly kid as I am - mybrother Charley wasn't much for looks either. Where do you live?

Crain

Midland

Thompson

Lord - that is a long way out there. What does your man do?

Crain

Yes, it is a long way to Midland - my husband is an orthodontist

Thompson

What in thunder is that?

Crain

That is a dentist who straightens teeth. I would like for you two to meet but we thought it might be too many in your room

Thompson

If Nanie were still here we would ask you to spend the night - we like that,

Crain

We would like it very much too, Uncle Don. And I'm sorry she isn't here. She was a dear person. I remember she laughed so often

Thompson

Yeah, she did - and there were times when she was hard put to bring up a laugh, but she usually could do it. Grandma Kegans laughed a lot too. I guess the poorest feller in the world is one who doesn't have what it takes to laugh.

Crain

That seems to be a family characteristic and I am grateful for it. We must be going Uncle Don but I want to come back soon and visit you more, I notice your birthday is on San Jacinto Day and my birthday is on the 24th of April so maybe we can come and have a celebration on all three counts.

Thompson

Well, you had better stay while you are here - I am 91 - that's old as thunder and it makes a pretty slim gamble I'll be here for that celebration. Can't you just come back tomorrow?

Crain

I certainly wish I could, but my husband has patients waiting for him in Midland so we have to go. Can we visit on the phone? I could call you.

Thompson

No, Honey. I can't hear very well and that dangblasted phone makes it a lot worse - can't hear a thing but a lot of buzzin' You'll have to come back - soon

Crain

I shall.

Note: He did not live until the birthday