The History of Cass County, Part 6

TWO BEGINNINGS MERGE INTO THE CITY OF ATLANTA

Continuing Cam County’s History: The city of Atlanta had two beginnings and two separate locations in its early history. Both were associated with the building of the Texas and Pacific Railroad from Jefferson to Texarkana in the early 1870s. Several years later the two towns were combined within the same corporate limits.

The first Atlanta started in 1862 when the Reverend Jesse Dodd and his wife, Martha, built their home and started a settlement about two miles northeast of the business area in the present town of Atlanta. The Reverend Dodd named the town Atlanta after the wellknown city of his native state, Georgia.

Soon after the Reverend Dodd erected his home in 1862, the Texas and Pacific Railroad between Jefferson and Texarkana was surveyed and the right-of-way cleared of timber. It ran diagonally across the O’Dell-Groman farm and came out near the old Stephens home, then on to near the Reverend Dodd’s new dwelling.

A town site was promised by the railroad officials to be located near the Reverend Dodd’s home, and so sure were the people that it was permanently settled, business houses were erected and opened for business.

The settlement soon grew into a little town that included two or three stores, a blacksmith shop, a grist mitt, a post office, a school and a church. Dr. George H. Salmon moved there and opened a drug store in connection with His medical services and Henry Ray Sr. built a general mercantile business. John A. O’Dell had the post office in his general store a little farther south.

Mail was brought to this office at least once a week by horseback riders from Bright Star. Arkansas and Jefferson.

The church in Atlanta was organized in 1870 by a group of Methodists under the direction of Reverend Joe Stephens who lived near the O’Dells, Eliza Pattillo named the church Concord, and several years later it was moved to Queen City and grew into the present First United Methodist Church of Queen City.

Then various circumstances and events caused the railroad to change its route and built the line west of the first surveyed site. The second route they chose, which is the present route of the railroad through Atlanta, ran through acreage owned by Captain Preston Rose Scott who was a wealthy plantation owner with his home located at the present west end of Miller Street. Scott offered to donate 111 acres to the railroad if they would survey the line through his property and they accepted the offer. Another reason given for the change in the proposed railroad route was to avoid expensive grading and construction through the rough terrain north of the Dodd land.

So, in 1872 the railroad was surveyed through Scott’s land, and the railroad plated the present town site of Atlanta. Although Scott did not plat the town, he did reserve the right to name the streets in the new community, and four of the first streets were named for his children. His three sons Hiram, Buckner and William each had a street named in his honor, and another was called Louisa, the name of Scott’s daughter. This was later shortened to Louise.

Early purchasers of land in Atlanta were A. Miles, John A. O’Dell, and Anna R. Hughes.

Com was growing on the fertile land around the several frog ponds which were located in what is now downtown Atlanta when John A. O’Dell erected the first store building .in present Atlanta in June 1873. The building was a typical country store made of rough boxing lumber and a square, planked-up front that went to the ridge of the roof. On each side of the front door was a small window.

Later in 1875, Odell bought another lot where he erected a larger and better frame building for his growing mercantile business.

T. R. A. Willis, who had been clerking for him, accepted half-interest and became the cotton buyer and bookkeeper for the firm.

Abe Miles rented the store building vacated by O’Dell and opened the first drug store in Atlanta. Joe McReynolds. Sr. and his son-in-law, Jim Hughes, built a store about 20 yards from Odell’s and of the same type.

Charley Kelly also built a store house. His father-inlaw, O. C. McClung, and his son Waddie McClung both clerked for Kelly. Robert Lanier erected a saloon building. Jim Maxey and his son. John owned the first blacksmith shop. H. D. Johnson operated the first hardware store. An elderly man named Temple had the first shoe mending shop in his home.

Joseph Porter operated the first livery stable in Atlanta located on the corner north of the well-known Hughes Hotel.

In 1875 the first physician. Dr. John Morris came to Atlanta. Dr. R. L. McClung came from Upshur County to Atlanta in 1877. Dr. Hugh Currie came in 1878. A few years later Dr. Virgil Jeter came.

The first lawyers were E. A. Allday, T. D. Adams, and a Mr. Rosser. Among the other people living in Atlanta before 1X80 were Mr. and Mrs. Tom Singietery. Mr. and Mrs. William James Howe, Minter McReynolds, Miles Hines. Mr. and Mrs. Billy Meaks, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Griffin, and John Graham.

-to be continued-