Pot Rack Creek - Desert
REMINISCENCE OF PAST - THREE CREEKS IN COLLIN COUNTY NAMED BY PIONEERS OF 1844 - RUN OUT BY THE INDIANS
Progeny of these Early Settlers among Collin’s Most Honored Citizens
In the year 1844 William Warden, father of F. M. Williams and Chief Warden, in company with George W. Smith, Dick Cantrell, Jeff Hart, and another man, came from Missouri into the northeast part of Collin county hunting a location, but were run out by the Indians who at that time occupied the county and raised a white man’s scalp every chance. They retreated into Fannin county and about two years later entered Collin again.
George W. Smith, an ex-soldier of the war of 1812, was the father-in-law of Wms. Warden and of W. C. Pruitt who was for a long time justice of peace of Blue Ridge precinct.
Dick Cantrell was the father of J. R. and G. W. Cantrell who live near Blue Ridge, and Jeff hart the father of a whole generation living there.
It was at the last entrance into county that the pioneers came to a creek and finding fresh signs of Indians wandered around.
In hunting around they found on the banks of another creek a place where an Indian had stuck a forked branch in the ground on which to hang his pot, and they called this "Pot Rack" creek. Then they moved their camp over to another stream, and here they found numerous signs of Indians. While the others were out hunting one of the men left in camp lost his nerve and deserted them. From this circumstance they called this stream "Desert creek." These streams bear these names today.
It is hardly necessary to add that these pioneers found locations on which to rear a numerous progeny as most useful citizens who have helped to make Collin county, once a wilderness, the garden spot of the world. They did it with much trial and tribulation, and we say, all honor to the pioneers.
Progeny of these Early Settlers among Collin’s Most Honored Citizens
In the year 1844 William Warden, father of F. M. Williams and Chief Warden, in company with George W. Smith, Dick Cantrell, Jeff Hart, and another man, came from Missouri into the northeast part of Collin county hunting a location, but were run out by the Indians who at that time occupied the county and raised a white man’s scalp every chance. They retreated into Fannin county and about two years later entered Collin again.
George W. Smith, an ex-soldier of the war of 1812, was the father-in-law of Wms. Warden and of W. C. Pruitt who was for a long time justice of peace of Blue Ridge precinct.
Dick Cantrell was the father of J. R. and G. W. Cantrell who live near Blue Ridge, and Jeff hart the father of a whole generation living there.
It was at the last entrance into county that the pioneers came to a creek and finding fresh signs of Indians wandered around.
In hunting around they found on the banks of another creek a place where an Indian had stuck a forked branch in the ground on which to hang his pot, and they called this "Pot Rack" creek. Then they moved their camp over to another stream, and here they found numerous signs of Indians. While the others were out hunting one of the men left in camp lost his nerve and deserted them. From this circumstance they called this stream "Desert creek." These streams bear these names today.
It is hardly necessary to add that these pioneers found locations on which to rear a numerous progeny as most useful citizens who have helped to make Collin county, once a wilderness, the garden spot of the world. They did it with much trial and tribulation, and we say, all honor to the pioneers.