These people generally traveled up to the Ohio River and came by boats down to the Mississippi River as they headed toward the mouth of the Arkansas river. They then traveled up the Arkansas River until they reached the part of Indian Territory (Oklahoma) that allowed them to travel by wagon to the Preston crossing on the Red River. They then crossed the prairie in western Collin county where they could see long distances across the Little Elm creek and on to the different points of the Big Elm Ridge to the west and on the eastern slope of the soon to be Denton county.

Little Elm settlement was perhaps the first community to secure a post office; however, I do believe that most of the artifacts that I possess were mailed to the Arlington area and at the Johnson station which was located in the eastern section of the to-be-named Tarrant county.

There were several great uncles and aunts on my Daddy’s side that lived in the Old John Station area for a good while after most of them came to Aubrey. It seemed to be more of a permanent address and was more stable for receiving mail from the relatives back east.

Rather continuing to use factual materials of the downtown village of Onega that we have so often referred to is almost like a book within itself and many things can be mentioned about this settlement that was called Onega. I have many documented printed facts about the downtown location referring to the 1850's and 1860's, until a mysterious fire destroyed the location during the 1860's.

It was not however long before it sprang back and became a business center again, perhaps larger than it was in the past. Two cotton gins were in the making as the local natives were beginning to find other ways to make a prosperous region and business area. It became the location of a large water well that was known for its ability to provide the iron ore and mineral water which the residents found to be a healthy prescription for the betterment of living a healthy life. It is evident that many people lived to be over one-hundred years of age; I have ancestors on both sides of my grandparents that lived over one-hundred years and in one case I have one ancestor that lived to be one-hundred-seventeen years of age.

The natives found that the mineral water in Onega was excellent for cooking, cleaning, and was ideal for the use in making the local beverage that was so popular among its constituents. While the illegal beverage was home produced and home consumed, it was also marketed to points further away than Denton and on into Tarrant county.

I have my doubts that this industry caused the long life of the natives, but we must remember that doctors and medicine were a rarity and these folks depended on each other for comfort and health.

You see Great-Great-Grandmother Jane "BlackEye" lived to be one-hundred-two and my grandmother was near 90 when she made me vow to her that I would go and secure this product for her. Grandmother didn’t have diabetes as so many of us have now, and the two just don’t mix.

While the railroad company was about to begin construction of its lines through Aubrey, it played an important part in the livelihood of the locals. The trains stopped to pick up livestock, chickens, cream, butter, eggs and other local produce. It was not obvious under any circumstances the other items that were loaded onto the train. The engineers of the steam engines were very busy loading the five gallon wooden kegs in the engine control room, which made a seat for the engineers which they occupied all of the way into Fort Worth. The loading practice was so well timed and worked like clock-work. Everyone had a specific job, so that the few minutes that the train was stopped, the loading was so near perfectly performed that no suspicion was never revealed. The secret project was a joint venture from the manufacturer to the transportation.

My grandfather was the public scale weigher. He was probably in all likelihood not involved with this system and its operation because he was very busy running the scales as they weighed the cotton and other items that were being shipped.

I found this beautiful stationary with a very large green emblem of the company that was receiving the two kegs. The letter is addressed specifically in a personal and private envelope with the date of the transaction and the letter was signed. It asked my grandfather to go and see just what he could do about the five gallon kegs, because they were being shorted about one-half gallon from each one. I am not sure at this time as I tell you what happened as to what caused the one-half gallon of the valuable cargo to evaporate or if it was intended to be a shortage as it was processed and packaged at the factory (out in the woods). But the main point of the letter was that the law enforcement people were not in any circumstances to go to the official law enforcement to create the investigation.

If my grandfather couldn’t solve the shortage of the famous high quality product, then it was surely understood that is as far as the investigation was to go. I am sure my grandfather didn’t go to the sheriff, because the bottom of the old letter which is still in beautiful condition and the bright stationary was so attractive; there was a penciled quote in a handwriting that resembled my grandfather’s handwriting that was written "too bad."

Others have recalled that my grandfather had said that "shucks, that’s not any of my business."

See you next week, for "WE ARE HERE; FOR WE NEVER LEFT."