I will state emphatically that it was the largest group I have ever seen in Aubrey for any occasion. I do believe that everyone had an excellent time with all of the entertainment that was going on. Thank you to Janet and Warren Mathis from Kid Lightnin Productions for providing such excellent entertainment.

I just can’t honestly estimate the number of people that showed their loyalty to the fund raiser for the Aubrey Area Library.

This same person that asked me total number of people, also asked how many Cherokees were here. I had a conservative estimate of about 600 Cherokee descendants (whether they know they are Cherokee or not). He asked how did I know this and I explained that when my family of brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews gather for a reunion, there are 200 of them, so I responded that my method of calculating all of the Black Dutch and Black Irish people in the neighborhood is based on the facts that there are many families in our area that are much larger than my family that are Black Dutch and Black Irish descendants.

By claiming the ancestry of the Black Dutch and Black Irish some 150 years ago allowed many of the local Cherokees to live in the early days of the Texas settlements, otherwise they would have been forced to leave the area. There are other historians in Denton County that claim and publish that there were no Indians in Denton County after the 1840's. They were here they just didn’t claim their Indian ancestry.

Just a word or two about the Cherokees who were here this weekend for the peanut festival and parade; the Cherokees were very excited that they won a first prize ribbon in the parade. The Cherokees are a very family oriented group and one does not have to guess about the brotherly and sisterly love that they show for each other. Our group is growing and the newcomers are finding the family atmosphere is evident as they are involved in other various activities of the Northern Towns District and the State Tribe.

I would like to share with you a paragraph from our Texas Tribe Chief D.L. Hicks’ recent newsletter. It is as follows: "There are more people in this world who do believe in a Creator or Supreme Being, and Spirits Helpers than do not. Most of us do, for we do not wish to be left alone in this huge universe we live in. The Ani-Tsalagi believed in the Supreme Being, a Creator of all things. They were a very religious and spiritual people. They brought the sun up every morning with song and prayer, for to our people religion was a daily thing not just to be followed on one day of the week. They went to the river to perform Amayi ditatiyi ‘taking them to water’ where the person performed atawetiyi, ‘ducking seven times under the water.’ This was performed in equani, ‘river’ a sacred messenger. When the river was used in ceremonial prayer, it was called Yvwi Gvnahit, ‘Long Man.’ The Ani-Tsalagi in the old days used many terms for Sacred Entity to pray and thank Him for what He has given to his people. Good rain. A good wife, or husband. Beautiful children. Good Crops. All the good things that we get from Him. A person could also pray for help, for some cure of disease, or to block someone who was trying to do you or yours harm. A person may go to an adawehi ‘religious leader,’ to ask for help. One of the favorite names to use in opening a prayer was Asgaya Galviati Agiduda, "Man Above, My Grandfather.’ Because Grandfather was a great compliment to a person, as well as a Being. A person prayed to Unequa, ‘The Great White Being,’ which the whites called ‘The Great Spirit.’ To the Tsalagi, Unequa was more than just a Great Spirit. Unequa was the creator, the ruler of the World. The Lord of all Things."

The Chief goes on: "Before the coming of the European Christians, there were no witches, sorcerers, shamans or magicians in the religious order. That is what Christians called other people who did not believe like they did. To the White man, the Red man was an infidel, a heathen and only part human. Being only part human, they didn’t know how to pray or have religious beliefs in the first place. There was no such thing as the Bugger Dance in the old days of our people. The Bugger Dance came about by Christian missionaries who wanted to make the Tsalagi people think their dances and beliefs were as barbaric as were their people and society."

I think the above comments from the Chief are very worthwhile, because if you can imagine what this world was before Columbus made his discovery some 500 years ago, the natives of this hemisphere were after all a very religious and prestigious people and most certainly recognized the Creator and His creations.

On Friday, April 14, 1893 – Charlie Wilson of Pilot Point has purchased the Aubrey Meat Market.

On Friday, April 28, 1893 – Edison’s phonograph was exhibited on the nights of the 21^st and 22^nd at the Aubrey Academy. The program was of choice selections. There was a good attendance.

On July 7, 1893 – The Aubrey post office changed hands from Joel Rhodes to Jim Slaton and has been removed to the east side of Main Street.

On August 18, 1893 – A two story building has been finished at New Hope, four miles south of Aubrey. The first floor is for Missionary Baptists and the second floor is for Odd Fellows.

On September 22, 1893 – Charlie Turner and W. E. Mountain have finished their new blacksmith shop. Aubrey now has three blacksmith shops and a livery stable.