Person:James Stout (28)

In 1821, Henry and Sarah (Mary) Talbot Stout brought their young son, James Selen, into the area that was later to become the northeast part of the Republic of Texas. At this time, it was part of the Arkansas Territory, a wilderness overrun with Indians, and wild animals. Selen grew up never knowing anything but wilderness where he learned to be a good scout and hunter. He and Henry explored all the northeastern territory and continued to guide settlers into the area^S1.

In 1836, Selen and others heard of a battle down by the Gulf between Texans led by San Houston and Mexicans commanded by Santa Anna. Selen and some others dropped everything and headed there, arriving the day after the Battle of San Jacinto, April 22nd, where Santa Anna had surrendered. Remembering the fall of the Alamo, and other cruelties performed by Santa Anna's army, the Texan patriots were very much inflamed. Sam Houston designated Isaiah Lawson, John Stiles, and Selen Stout to guard him. Selen also served as a Texas Ranger in the Texas Revolutionary Army, July - October, 1836. He was a guide and buffalo hunter for Sam Houston's army^S2.

Selen guided many settlers through the dangerous wilds of northeast Texas. After his service in the army, Selen returned to his home at Blossom Prairie in Lamar County, married Elvira Richey about 1840, and they were to eventually become the parents of eleven children. The Stout and Richey families moved together to Daingerfield, the county seat of Paschal County. From here, James Selen Stout came in August, 1841, with county surveyor Levi Jordan, and surveyed the William B. Stout survey which included the land where Pine Forest was later located. The survey was one-third of the headright of W. B. Stout's 1,479 acres. Selen bought the land from his uncle, William B. Stout. Paschal County, which included Stout's Creek Neighborhood and had its county seat at Daingerfield, was organized in 1841 and declared unconstitutional in 1842^S3. One mile east of what became Pine Forest, on the east bank of Stout's Creek, a log church for all denominations was built, called Mt. Pisgah. This building was also used for a school, and later came to be known as the old Bumblebee school named after the large number of bumblebees that nested in the sweet gum logs^S3.

In 1855, Selen Stout gave three acres of land to William Lain, John Stuart Richey, Arthur Brown Mason (trustees of the Primitive Baptist Church of Christ) and to Robert Junell and James Barton Brumley (trustees of the community school) "reserving to the neighborhood the right and privilege of teaching school in any house now and on said premises or that may be hereafter built on the land."^S3

Selen's mother became famous in the Pine Forest community for her skill with herbs, and was known as an herb doctor. It was Selen Stout who guided the first permanent settlers to what is now Hopkins County. He made his home in Hopkins County where he died at the age of seventy-eight in 1897, having served as scout, patriot, Texas Ranger, surveyor, doctor, and citizen throughout the Red River District and Hopkins County. He and Elvira are buried at Pine Forest. A Texas Historical marker (#11695) stands as a lone sentinel beside his grave. The marker is inscribed:

Born in Arkansas, James Selen Stout was reared in what became northeast Texas. He served three months in the Republic of Texas cavalry in 1836,and in 1838 received a grant of 320 acres of land for his service. His parents, Henry and Sarah Stout,also received a land grant, and their property included the area that became Clarksville, the Red River County seat. A frontier scout and explorer, James S. Stout settled in this vicinity and helped encourage settlement in this area. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He and his wife Elvira (Richey) were the parents of eleven children^S4.

At least two of his sons served in the Confederate Army, and his children helped establish the progress of Hopkins County.

James S Stout signing his part to his mother-in-law, Martha, in the estate of his father-in-law, John Richey:

Children's Signing 11 Nov 1844: John Richey Estate

Working notes

• Is this the same person as James C Stout, who served under Becknell in the Texas Revolution?

Pine Forest Cemetery Historical Marker

Letter from Sophia C J White requesting her share of mother's estate, p1, 3

Letter from Sophia C J White requesting her share of mother's estate, p3, 4

1.   Kibart, Sylvia M, and Rita M. Adams. Pioneers of Hopkins County, Texas. (Wolfe City, Texas: Henington Pub., 1986-)
   218, 1821.

   The Stout Family by Greta Bowers Stout

2.   Minter, Dr. Thomas J. Frontiersman James Selen Stout. (http://saltillotexas.homestead.com/selens_story.html)
   2, 1836.
3.   Post, Gerald Virtrue, and 1904-1977. Alive and Good to Know, 386 pps: Dedicated to Family and Comunity Historians and to everyone who is alive and good to know. (Dallas, Texas 75234: APSWIN, Inc. 14418 Hague, Dallas, Texas 75234, 1988)
   6, 1841.
4.   Historical Marker Number 11695, in Texas Historic Sites Atlas (atlas.thc.state.tx.us)
   2000.

   (August 30, 1818 - July 19, 1897) Born in Arkansas, James Selen Stout was reared in what became northeast Texas. He served three months in the Republic of Texas cavalry in 1836, and in 1838 received a grant of 320 acres of land for his service. His parents, Henry and Sarah Stout, also received a land grant, and their property included the area that became Clarksville, the Red River County seat. A frontier scout and explorer, James S. Stout settled in this vicinity and helped encourage settlement in this area. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He and his wife Elvira (Richey) were the parents of eleven children. (2000)

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Tuck, June E. (June England), and Deborah Tuck Young. Hopkins County, Texas cemetery inscriptions : volume 1. (Sulphur Springs, Texas: D.T. Young and J.E. Tuck, c1985 (Wolfe City, Tex. : Henington Pub.))
   229.

   J. S. Stout
   b. Aug. 30, 1818, d. Jly 19, 1897

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 19995109, in Find A Grave
   includes photos, last accessed Dec 2022.

   [Also includes a transcribed letter to a newspaper, apparently in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, which he wrote late in life and which includes an assortment of biographical information.]

7. ↑ Hopkins, Texas, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   142A, dwelling/family 102/102.

   Stout, Jas. S. 32 yrs Farmer (real estate = $500) b. Arkansas
   Elvira S. 27 yrs b. Alabama
   John A. S. 8 yrs b. Texas
   Benjamin A. 7 yrs b. Texas
   Francis H. 5 yrs b. Texas
   James A. 3 yrs b. Texas
   Josephus 1 yr b. Texas

8. ↑ Hopkins, Texas, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   140, dwelling/family 107/106.

   Stout, Jas. S. 40 yrs Farmer (real estate = $1,300; personal estate = $2,800) b. Arkansas (cannot read/write)
   Elvira 38 yrs b. Alabama
   John 19 yrs Farm Laborer b. Texas
   Benjamin 17 yrs Farm Laborer b. Texas
   Francis 16 yrs b. Texas
   James 13 yrs b. Texas
   Joseph 11 yrs b. Texas
   Virgil 9 yrs b. Texas
   Martha 6 yrs b. Texas
   William 3 yrs b. Texas
   Robert 1 yr b. Texas

9. ↑ Hopkins, Texas, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   96B, dwelling/family 284/282.

   Stout, James 52 yrs Farmer (real estate = $1,000; personal estate = $1,550) b. Arkansas
   Elvira 48 yrs Keeping house b. Alabama
   Francis 25 yrs Farmer b. Texas
   James 23 yrs Farmer b. Texas
   Josephus 21 yrs b. Texas
   Virgil 19 yrs b. Texas
   William 14 yrs b. Texas
   Robert 11 yrs b. Texas
   Celin [m] 8 yrs b. Texas
   Mary 4 yrs b. Texas
   
   Henry, Edmond 23 yrs Farmer b. Texas
   Mary 3/12 yr b. Texas

10. ↑ Hopkins, Texas, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    ED 57, 140B, dwelling/family 128/131.

    Stout, J. S. 62 yrs Farmer b. Arkansas (parents, b. Illinois)
    Elvira 56 yrs Wife Housekeeper b. Alabama (parents, b. North Carolina/South Carolina)
    Mary 14 yrs Dau At Home b. Texas (parents, b. Arkansas/Alabama)
    
    Henley, Mary 12 yrs Orphan At School b. Texas (parents, b. Texas)