This information was found in the vertical files of the genealogy department of the Longview Public Library.

THE AVINGER CITIZEN
Special Historical Edition
June 18, 1954

HARRIS CHAPEL IS NAMED FOR FOUNDER

A former captain in the Confederate army built the first church in the community, seven miles west of Avinger, that still bears his name. Owner of around 2700 acres of land and numerous slaves, he gave the initial six acres for the newly organized Methodist church and cemetery. His daughter, who later became Mrs. Johnny Williams, was the first person buried there. Her husband ran a sawmill just east of the church. Story has it that prior to her death, she designated a certain dogwood tree under which she wanted to be buried.

The first church building was erected during slavery times; it was of log construction. The present building is the third one on the same site, the second structure having been severely damaged by a windstorm in 1947.

OTHER PIONEERS

Other pioneer families in the community were the McCains, the Sorrells (a Miss Sorrel married a McCain), the Goolsbys, Everetts, Hediks and the Stormans; the later being all Baptists.

Joe McCain, 83, presently of Avinger, was born and raised two miles west of the church. His father came from Mississippi at the age of 17 in and about 1846. He married Miss Lou Steward from Alabama a short time afterward. Mr. Joe married Deilah D. Griffis, Dec. 27, 1898, at the Griffis home about two miles east of the church. Bro. G.K. Williams was the officiating minister. Thirteen children were born to this union, six boys and seven girls, nine of whom are still living. Avinger members of this family are Willie, Jack, Rabb and Shake McCain; Mrs. Herman Earl Stroman of Rt. 3, Avinger and Mrs. Claudie Mathis of Rt. 1, Hughes Springs.

Burton Goolsby, son of A.A. Goolsby who came to Texas from Georgi in about 1850, now makes his home in Avinger with his daughter, Mrs. Roy (Alpine) Hooten. The late Mrs. Burton Goolsby was Miss Martha Elizabeth Everett. She died in 1938.

FIRST SCHOOL

Mrs. Hooten's husband, the late Roxy Hooten was killed in an automobile accident. Their son Elwyn is now a student at the University of Texas.

The first school in this area was located about two miles east of the church. It became disbanded and a later school was established at Violet Hill, four miles closer to Avinger, shortly after 1920. This school was discontinued right after the close of WWII and the building town down in about 1948.

There is a story about one early settler in the community, in this case a woman, who allegedly killed a man back in Alabama and was shipped up from New Orleans to Jefferson by river boat in a packing case. Friends at this end of the line were supposed to have let her out of her hiding place once she had reached her destination and was a safe distance from the authorities. The same individual was later alleged to have thrown a colored baby into a large wash pot of soap cooking over an open fire. She was also particularly rough about putting up with any of her neighbors stock that chanced to get out and come hear her place; once she captured a stray animal and she would usually defy the owner to come and get it, using it for her own purposes in the meantime.