Back in the 1850's when this area was being settled, the Belews were establishing the Belew settlement along with the Hendersons. The Plunks were a large family that settled a large spread of land during that time. The Plunk family settled west of the Belew Cemetery and went almost to Elm Creek. The Williams spread was another large spread of land that included several hundred acres which was located on the west side of Elm Creek. The Cagle family obtained the Williams five or six hundred acres.

Ben Cagle married his new Cherokee bride who was a member of the Plunk family. Ben Cable and his wife started their family on the hill which has become known as the Cagle Hill place. Today the descendants of Ben Cagle and his wife still own and operate this farm which has been reduced in size.

The Cagle family was involved in cattle drives. They also raised hogs and grain and alfalfa hay.

The hay baler that was used in the neighborhood was a horse drawn implement. Setting up the hay baler required a lot of work and maintain. One strong horse was hooked to a long iron pole that went around in a circle. Every two hours or so the horse was given a break.

Horse drawn rakes would go out into the field and scoot the hay forward to where a crew of 20 workers were waiting to begin making the bales of wrapped hay.

According to an old Aubrey newspaper, the alfalfa hay from the Cagle bottom land was loaded on the flat bed cars on the trains. According to this old newspaper, the Cagles had a market for the hay at Pilot Point.

The Cagle family herded the cattle down Black Jack road to the city streets of Aubrey and then corralled them in a pen and loaded for shipment to Fort Worth.

The only horse pulled baler that I know of is in Bobby Redfearn’s collection of family heirlooms. If Bobby had a way to pull that baler in this year’s parade, then the majority of the people present would probably think that it was a whisky still.

Whiskey had its place on the large Cagle Hill Ranch. A good well of pure mineral water continues to exist at the foot of this hill.

Shawn brought his little growing family of modern day Cherokees to town this past week. He brought me a beautiful Native American wall emblem that was used by families in the 1800's. It is basically what the Europeans would call a "coat of arms." Shawn and his wife Traci built this handmade ornament for me.

Shawn is still one of the Cagle family members that lives on the beautiful hill.

[ Home ]