The land in Uvalde County is and always has been lovely but rugged. The northern part of the county, where the communities of Reagan Wells, Aldine and Exile were, is limestone hills with fairly steep terrain and rocky rivers with low water crossings. Even today, most of the land is heavily wooded with juniper, live oak, red oak and cedar.
Neighbors might not be close to each other geographically (as in next door), but they developed strong relationships during the early days of settlement. Troubles with Indians, raids by Mexican bandits, and feuds fueled by the trials of Reconstruction encouraged neighbors to help each other. To know the history of Uvalde County is to know the families that were enumerated in Precinct 3, E.D. 136 of the 1880 Census.
Families listed here had direct connections to the Lafferty family at some point between 1860 and 1880 (and beyond).
Abe Kelly, Felts, Ware, William Friday, Mouser, Richard and Ed Hokit, O’Bryant, Heard, Luxton, Cox, Bingham, Maples, Kelley, Cantrell and Fenley.
Find a story for one family and it will invariably draw in a neighbor or some kinfolk. Unearthing tidbits about these folks has invariably led to the discovery more about the Old Rover and his family.
Interesting note — The 1880 Agricultural Census has a large note at the end stating that the following people were “Goat Owners”: Fenley, Bingham, Luxton, R. Hokit, Mouser and Ben Maples.
Occupations listed on the census: Clerk in general store, sheep raiser, shepherd, goat raiser, cattle raiser, farmer, blacksmith, dealer in general merchandise, wheelwright, school teacher, servant, carpenter, cook, nurse, stone mason, hay making, teamster, and keeping house.