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May 24, 1006 |
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The old Cagle house that sat on top of Cagle Hill for so many years is no longer there. This house was where many family get-togethers occurred during the last 50 to 100 years. I owe Kenneth and Carolyn Wilson recognition and commendation for their interest in local history. Kenneth and Carolyn were driving around on the back roads some twenty-five or perhaps thirty years ago. They graciously took snapshots of the many old and decaying structures in our area. Their collection of photos really shows their interest and knowledge of local history that is not documented in the school books. Garland Wilson and his wife, Irene, raised their large family on Blackjack Road, and were neighbors to the Cagles. There is certainly enough information circulating around about the early settlement to maintain and keep a book and it should be done. The Cagle home was larger than most family homes. From the period of time around the Civil War, the Harmon log house was the most prevalent structure in the area. Notice the squared iron rocks that served as the foundation. The house required a number of hours to assemble. The iron rocks and oak logs were easily found in the area, making the log house a popular idea. Under close examination of the Cagle house, you can detect the use of a good framing square, hammer and hand saw (these were about all of the tools required in constructing this home). The roofing shingles were made from cedar wood. Cedar was easy to work with and was termite resistant. The Cagle home was built without a framework, but was however, built with a 1 x 12 yellow pine and rock stone. The 1 x 12 requires a 1 x 4 that was plain or with a milled indention to conform to the rest of the house. The front porch on the home was the place for entertaining guests. It would be safe to assume that a hand-dug well about 30 feet deep was built near the home to supply the family and livestock with water. The fireplace was another necessity for family comfort. The Cagle home appears to have a fireplace built of rock (the same rocks used for the foundation), with bricks on the top. The fireplaces were located on the west and north sides of the home, which created a natural draft effect that would allow the temperature to flow naturally throughout the home. Jacob Plunk was born in 1807. He was married to Mattie J. Priest on February 11, 1839. He died on October 28, 1876. To Jacob Plunk and Mattie Priest the following nine children were born: David, Eliza West, Nancy E. Plunk (she married Thomas Bates Cagle), Magerell Lillian, Peter, Jacob, Mark Daniel, John Manon, William Plunk and George Ann Plunk. Thomas Benton Cagle married Nancy E. Plunk. I recall several of the Plunk family and the children of Benton and Nancy Cagle. Some of the Plunk family lived on the road to the McKinney Bridge. David Plunk wrote the following letter to his mother and daddy on March 22, 1862. It reads as follows: Clarksville, Red River County, Texas Dear Father and Mother, I now take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time and hopeing when these few lines come to you , they may find you all well xxxxxxxx and will remain here a few days and then we will go to fort smith in arkansas to old frises and macculloc army. I heard the other that frise and macculloc had a fite with the north and kiled six thousand northern men and lost, too thousand southern men. I have nothing of importance to write mor than we all xxxxxxxthre macmckinney I stopped and went in to the jail and the hallway. So nothing more at present, David Plunk, To F. Priest and Family I am calling for you local photography and history enthusiasts, go through your old photos of farms. I am especially interested in photos of the corn crib that was on the Harmon estate that occupies a spot where the local geese on Mike Behrend’s farm now live. I am anxiously looking for a photo of the log house, as it no doubt is estimated to have been built and used as a residence during the early days of Onega. So if you can help me out, we may luck out with an appearance in the Dallas Morning News, as they are currently working on Onega’s beginnings. The log house will fit with the information they are trying to put together. |
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