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Adam Sullivan and William Gibbard are credited for settling the community of Cedar Grove in Kaufman County in the 1840s. The early town site was located at the junction of the Austin-Clarksville Roads and the Jordon Saline - Dallas Roads. There was a post office established there in 1850 and it remained active until 1874. Records show it to have been the second most active post office in Kaufman County at the close of the Civil War. A letter posted at Cedar Grove can be seen HERE. In 1861 the Cedar Grove community had a hotel, three mercantiles, a gin, saloons and a church. Cedar Grove Lodge No 308 A. F. & A. M. was established in 1868 and continued until to 1913. A reference to early Cedar Grove is made in the book, "A Part of the Lord's Big Garden-Kaufman County's Early Years" by Horace P Flatt, page 48; "...Cedar Grove was the largest and most prosperous town in the county and furnished Kaufman County its first sheriff & clerk. It was the first part of the county settled. In 1848….William H McBee, Adam Sullivan & William Gibbard located their Headright certificates here & laid out the town of Cedar Grove. There was at that time a large grove of tall cedars inside what is now Gibbard's field, which gave the name to the town. But like the Cedars of Lebanon they have long ago disappeared. There was at that time a dozen or more families this side of the Sabine River." When the Texas and Pacific Railroad came to Wills Point in 1873, it was the partial undoing of Cedar Grove, as many residents moved to where the railroad was creating more businesses. However Cedar Grove remained a trading center until the 1930s when it still had two or three stores. All that remains of the community today are the two cemeteries, Cedar Grove and Cedar Grove Black. Adam Sullivan was born 1 Mar 1801 near what is now Logan Co KY, son of Andrew Sullivan. The name of his mother is not known. He married in Vandeburgh Co. IL on Feb 13, 1823 to Eleanor "Nelly" Blevins. Adam & Eleanor are listed with their family on the 1830 and 1840 Vermilion Co IL census records. They came to Texas in 1841, settling first in Red River County. In 1843 Adam was a member of Sam Houston's ill-fated Snively Expedition. Adam acquired land from the Republic situated south of the Sabine River and he moved to that land in 1844 - it was first a part of Nacogdoches County, then Henderson County and ultimately Kaufman and Van Zandt Counties.  This is how the cabin looked in 1930's still on the original Adam Sullivan headright The original Log Cabin built by Adam Sullivan in Cedar Grove in 1846 still stands. The house & a large portion of land was purchased from Sullivan in 1852 by William Wills, the man for whom Wills Point, Texas is named. The cabin was moved to Wills Point in the 1970's and is preserved there in the town's park. Erroneously the plaque in the park says Wills built it - it has been proven through land records that Adam Sullivan built the cabin upon his arrival to Texas. Below is a photo of how the cabin looks today, minus the lean-to porch extension that had been added to the original by Wills.  1850 Kaufman Co TX Census HH# 232 / 233
1860 Van Zandt Co TX Census - Sabine Beat HH# 618 / 635
In 1860 Adam Sullivan recorded owning 1 slave - a black female age 23. Adam Sullivan died 18 Dec 1866 in Wills Point, Texas. He is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Kaufman County, near his wife and some of his children.  Sons of Adam & Eleanor Sullivan Cyrus & Milton Wearing Militia Uniforms Milton served in CSA - Co C 15th TX Cavalry ~ Submitted by Jack Shepherd ~ Known CHILDREN of Adam & Eleanor Sullivan
On some early Census records and documents his name is spelled SULLIVANT & SULLIVENT. 
Tintype of Adam's daughter Louisa Sullivan Allen Circa 1870 Written on reverse -"Lizzie Allen" Last Will & Testament of Adam SullivanAdam Sullivan's Will was Filed for Record on the 31 Mar 1857 and recorded in Van Zandt County on the 1 April 1857. The following document was hand-written by Adam Sullivan. The transcription is shown here exactly as it was written, with misspelled words and incorrect punctuation.
Below is copy of Adam Sullivan's Signature  ~ CENSUS NOTES ON ADAM'S CHILDREN ~1860 Van Zandt Co Census - Andrew P and family 1870 Kaufman Co TX Census - Andrew P & family 1880 Van Zandt Co TX Census - Andrew & family 1900 Van Zandt Co TX Census - Andrew 1910 Quay Co NM Census - Cyrus Sullivan 1920 Quay Co NM Census - Cyrus Sullivan ~ Confederate States Army ~All of Adam's sons except Cyrus, and both his sons-in-law served in the Confederate States Army.
Wellington Sullivan's wife, Martha, drew Widow's Pension #39714 for his CSA service. ~ KNOWN GRANDCHILDREN of ADAM SULLIVAN ~ Tintype circa 1867 Written on reverse "Conney Allen" Son of Louisa & John Allen
ADAM SULLIVAN'S ORIGINAL 1844 TRIP TO CEDAR GROVEArticle from Vertical Files of the Van Zandt Genealogical Library
THE SNIVELY EXPEDITIONTaken From the Northern Standard Clarksville, 12th September 1843 Mr. Charles DeMorse; As much has been said of the conduct and doubts expressed of the bravery of Col. Snively, our commander in the late expedition to the Arkansas River. I will mention that up to this time I left the Command (viz the 1st July) I saw nothing in the conduct of Col. Snively on any occasion that might be construed as a want of courage, but to the contrary on all occasions where in exhibition of bravery was demanded, I found him foremost, cheering and urging his men on to action with undaunted courage. I am very respectfully, your ob't servant, Joseph Waples Jackson County Missouri The undersigned, citizens of Texas, having arrived in the United States under peculiar circumstances, and calculated perhaps to create false impressions in the minds of some persons, deem it but justice to themselves and their fellow soldiers to make the following statement. On the ......day of 1843, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, Commissioned Col. Jacob Snively to raise a corps of volunteers not to exceed three hundred in number for the purpose of capturing any Mexican caravan that might find within the limits of our territory. Acting under this commission Col. Snively raised one hundred and eight volunteers and on the 25th of April took up the line of march for the portion of Texas in which he was commissioned to operate, and directing our course by the compass on the 27th of May struck the Arkansas River at a point which we conceived to be Texan Territory, and some miles below the crossing of the Santa Fe Road. After various movements which it is not necessary here to detail; on the 29th of June about seventy five men conducted by Capt. Chandler, started for their homes, leaving one hundred and five men under the command of Col. Snively. On the 30th Col. Snively's command when encamped about 35 miles below the crossing on the south bank of the Arkansas River, and within the Republic of Texas, were suddenly surprised by the appearance of a party of United States Dragoons, with two Howitzer's commanded by Capt. P. St. George Cook, who drew up his men on the opposite side of the river, and placed them in order of battle. He then sent a messenger to Col. Snively requesting a conference with him on the north of the river, promising him a safe passport to return to his command. In compliance with the request Col. Snively accompanied by one man crossed the river, and to his great surprise was informed by Capt. Cook that he considered him within the territory of the United States - that he, Cooke, had an overwhelming forces, that we were completely in his power, invited him to examine his howitzers, and concluded by telling him that he required his command to surrender their arms within one hour, or he would open a fire upon them. It was in vain that Col. Snively expostulated, in vain that he told him the time was too limited and would all be consumed in crossing the river and getting back to his command (the ford being a mile below). Capt. Cooke finally consented however to permit the one hundred and five men to retain ten guns, and Col. Snively finding him inexorable left him to recross the river, telling him that he would make every effort to persuade his men to surrender their arms; he had proceeded but a few yards when Capt. Cook sent two men to recall him - when he returned told him that he would accompany him, Col. Snively supposing he intended to go over himself with perhaps a few attendants, but to the surprise of our commander Capt. Cooke ordered his whole force to march, crossed the river, came within three hundred yards of our encampment and drew up in battle array planting his howitzers (with matches lighted) so as to make our encampment all before we were apprised of his demands. The man who accompanied Col. Snively was then commissioned to inform us of the terms on which Capt. Cooke demanded our arms. Our surprise upon hearing them cannot be imagined. One hundred and five men with only ten guns for defense from our enemies and to supply us with provisions, (for we were at this time nearly destitute) during a march of five or six hundred miles through a wilderness and hostile country, we were completely appalled at the prospect before us. Add to this, we had just received certain information that there were eight or ten thousand Commanche's within two or three days march of us, whose character was too well known to hope for anything but hostility from them. Indian massacre and starvation on one had stared us in the ....on the other one hundred and ninety six dragoons with glistening sabres, bayoneted carbines and two howitzers charged with paixham shot ready to cut us to pieces rendered our situation extremely perplexing. In this dilemma we concluded to demand of Capt. Cooke that he should receive us as prisoners of war, we did so, received no answer from him, and in a few minutes Col. Snively ordered us to ground our arms, which order was immediately obeyed. When Capt. Cooke had taken possession of them, and also deprived us of our side arms, and in one instance even of a knife, he sent us word that "we must accept his terms or have worse". It still remains buried, and perhaps ever will in the dark mind of Capt. Cooke what those "worse terms" were would have been. Ten men took guns which Capt. Cooke so liberally granted us, and he ordered the rest of them to the United States sid of the river. As night approached there was an alarm in our camp that a Mexican force was approaching. Col. Snively sent over a request to Capt. Cooke that would he furnish us a guard for the night, to this request he received no answer. The next morning Capt. Cooke sent over a company of Dragoons and requested Col. Snively to march his men over the river, he complied, and being paraded in front of Capt. Cooke's command, he, Cooke, addressed us by the appellation of fr-i-e-n-d-s and told us that he had concluded to furnish an escort to as many of us as wished to go to Missouri, to accompany us to a place of safety, about fifty of us determined to go with the escort, and the remainder under Col. Snively preferred to attempt to make their way to the settlements in Texas, with the hope perhaps that they might be able to overtake the party under Capt. Chandler. Capt. Cooke having divided the ten guns, giving five to Col. Snively's party and five to the party going to Missouri. Thus we separated, Capt. Cooke with the compliance of a polished bandit wishing Col. Snively a pleasant journey, and pledge his hone that the Indians would not attack him. A prospect of pleasant journey indeed, with only five guns through thousands of Commanche and other hostile Indians. When we who were going to Missouri had arrived at Ash Creek (having stopped a few days at Pawnee Fork) a party of our men who had left with Capt. Chandler overtook us from whom we learned that the disarmed party, before they overtook Capt. Chandler's command, were attached by a party of Commanche and Kioway Indians and lost several horses, that on the next day after the attack by mere accident, they were joined by the party under Capt. Chandler, and the whole body were this day again attacked by a much larger force of Indians than on the preceding day, who evidently supposed from the weak defense which had ben made the day before, that they were all or nearly all disarmed, that in this attack one man was killed (.....Caldwell) and one so severely wounded that his recovery was considered extremely doubtful, about fifty horses were taken. That two other men (Simons and Sharpe of Clarksville) had been killed (it was confidently believed) whilst acting as spies, one of their scalps having been exhibited by an Indain to our men during the attack. They also stated that they considered it extremely doubtful, whether in their defenseless condition one half of them would ever reach their homes. Arrived at Cotton Wood Fork, Capt. Cooke, ascertaining that we had more than the five guns he had restored to us, (some of the party who came up having brought guns with them) sent a company of Dragoons to our camp with orders to take from us all of our arms, some of the men wishing to go direct from this place to Fort Gibson, applied to him for their guns to defend themselves and kill game for their subsistence, he refused to return their arms they then asked him for some provisions; his reply in character with his whole course was, "you may kill and eat a mule, as you appear to have plenty of them", they then applied for a passport, which he also refused. When we had arrived within about a days march of the settlements, about twelve of us having encamped within two or three hundred yards of the Dragoon encampment, he, Capt. Cooke, sent orders to us "to remove one quarter of a mile". Whether this order was given through fear or malice we are totally unable to decide; if the former, we assure Capt. Cooke we had no intention of attacking and cutting up his command with our knives (they being all the weapons we had) for we have not but the kindest feeling towards them, and would have scorned to take such an advantage even of Capt. Cooke. If it was done through the latter motive, we hope by this last act he has fully vented his spleen and will here after rest satisfied. In conclusion we would say that we consider Capt. Cooke morally and in the sight of Heaven guilty of the murder of our men who were killed in consequence of being disarmed, and of all who may be killed from the same cause. We ought however in justice to him state, that he gave us four hundred and twenty three pounds of flour and twenty five pounds of coffee. We cannot publish this statement without expressing our gratitude to the other officers, and men generally, for their generosity and kind and gentlemanly treatment, by even sharing their provisions with us to their own great inconvenience, and will conclude by observing, that bravery and magnanimity every go hand in hand. The undersigned do hereby certify that the above statement is correct:
Below is a Letter written by Adam Sullivan  Compiled for this website by Kathey Hunt, from information provided by Mary Achterhof, K. K. Hunt, Linda F. Harwell, Justin Sanders, J. D. Sullivan & other unspecified donors to the Kaufman County Library Genealogical Archives, the archives of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Library. Photo(s) from the Marie Reasonover Collection - Kaufman County Library. |