Cincinnati was founded 1837-1838 by James C. DeWitt, and was an important port until it was ravaged by the yellow fever epidemic of 1853. It was at that time almost wiped out, but later regained a portion of its importance, only to die once again as a result of the decline of steamboat traffic on the Trinity, which had brought it into being in the first place. By the year 1884 the population of the area was given at 35 and even those people gradually left, until today there are no residents at all to be found at the location of the former town, which at one time numbered 500 or 600 people, and was even larger than Huntsville in the earliest days of the two settlements. (W. R. Webb, The Handbook of Texas)
Today the visitor to the site of once busy shipping port will see very few reminders of the old town; the area is used as grazing land for a large number of cattle. There are a few scattered bricks and stones which were once part of some of the buildings there, but most of such evidence had been removed. There is an old well still to be seen, which was used by the people of the town to supply their water, but it is no longer in used. A marker was erected by the State of Texas in 1936 to indicate the town site, and to the casual visitor unfamiliar with the area, this marker would be the only thing to show that there had once been a town there.
The site of the old settlement is located on a high bluff overlooking the Trinity, from which may be obtained a very picturesque view of the river. Off to one side of the town site there is an old cemetery, with only a few tombstones remaining. One lot enclosed by an iron fence, and the graves in there have been better preserved than others within the once large cemetery area. Traces of some of the old roads leading into the town may still be seen id one looks carefully.
In 1837 H. M. Crabb deeded to James C. DeWitt on labor of land "...to be selected by him as his natural headright..." the area DeWitt selected had been granted to Crabb by the government of Coahuila and texas from the allotment of the empresario, Joseph Vehein, and was located on the Trinity River. Shortly after this grant was made, DeWitt began selling lots in the surveyed area known as the town of New Cincinnati. The area was surveyed by William Charles Brookfield, who was granted 5 town lots in Cincinnati as payment for his work. The town was well laid off and was divided into 40 blocks fronting on the Trinity River. One block was set aside as a public square. The streets running to the river were Water, Brookfield, DeWitt, Hall, Commerce and Grimes streets, and the cross streets were Trinity, Jackson, Richie, Main, Fowle, Walnut, Milam and Pennsylvania.
James DeWitt died in the latter part of 1838 or 1839, shortly after getting his town underway. DeWitt's wife, Sarah Ann, married Frederick Pomeroy, a leading citizen of Cincinnati, in 1839. Pomeroy later appointed Isaac Tousey as attorney to settle the estate of DeWitt.
The development of Cincinnati seems to have gotten off to a rather slow start. The town was visited in April, 1839, by Adolphus Sterne, who wrote in his diary, "Mr. Clapp has built a good home for travelers, about 8 or 10 others smaller, saw only one store." When Sterne visited the place again in August 1843 he wrote, "Cincinnati has not much improved since I saw it last." Miss Melinda Rankin, a resident of Cincinnati, also writes of the slow growth of the settlement during its first few years. She seems to attribute this to a great extent to the poor moral standards of the town which she thought discouraged others from moving into the area. However, at the time she wrote, she said things seemed to be improving and that the prospects for the town were looking better. A building had been constructed which was to serve as both church and school, and this, she felt, would greatly improve the moral and intellectual standards of the community.
It seems that Cincinnati never had a very good reputation for morality, however. In 1868 John F. Kelly, a newcomer from Ireland an an employee of Dr. J. H. Smith, who ran a store in Cincinnati, made several entries in his diary concerning the character of many of the persons with whom he had dealings. "Oh, Texas, thy youth are truly demoralized." In his opinion, "Very few of them are truly faithfully honest -- very few indeed." In describing what he considered to be the average character of the Texans, Kelly said, "They lack (very much indeed) the experienced ingenuity and skill as well as that indomitable spirit of the go aheaditiveness so prevalent in the Northern character... They have been too much accustomed to leading an easy, indolent life, hence their lack of enterprise and haste..." In regard to promises made by Texans Kelly had this to say; "But. 'Shaw' talk about the people of this state being punctual to what they promise. this in undoubtedly less principal and honor attached to these people in that respect than any I have ever known. May I never experience such a collection of beings in any part of the union." (John F. Kelly, Diary, entry of April 3, 1868)
Frederick Pomeroy and Isaac Tousey seem to have been two of the town's most prominent citizen. They ran a store in partnership, and each owned large areas of land in the vicinity of the town. Pomeroy also owned a ferry, a brickyard, and a tanyard. A license to keep the ferry was necessary, for which the operator has to pay $25 a year in addition to posting bond. The ferry was necessary for the stage line, and there were quite a few people living on the other side of the river from the town itself who crossed to trade in Cincinnati. When the water was high there seemed to have been a difficulty in crossing the river. Kelly mentions in his diary on April 19, 1868, that on that day they had the first customer from over the river since the overflow 3 weeks prior.
The business establishments in Cincinnati were numerous, in addition to those already mentioned as being operated by Pomeroy and Tousey. Robert and John Matthews were ginwrights and wagon and furniture makers. An advertisement placed by them in the Item, January 29, 1853, gives us a description of their business: R. & J. Matthews - Ginwrights, Wagon, and Furniture Makers, Cincinnati, Texas. WOuld again inform the planters and public generally, that they have on hand a supply of Gin Stands, which they warrant to be equal to the best and if not proved so, on trial, the money will be refunded. Also wagons of the most approved style and finish on hand. Wagon repairing, etc. Furniture of their own make, bureaus, bedsteads, folding tables, workstands, etc. Blacksmithing neatly done. They also keep a good tavern where travelers can always find every accommodation."
Dr. J. N. Smith erected, in 1853, a new warehouse for the accommodation of shippers and receivers, and also operated a general merchandise store in the community. (Mrs. I. B. McFarland, Houston)
George Hunter, mentioned in Chapter IV in connection with the wreck of the Fanner, was a tavern owner in Cincinnati. Adolphus Sterne spoke of having eaten there on his visit to the town in 1843. He "took dinner at Mr. Hunters, a tolerable good tavern for Texas."
Dr. J. H. Morgan was a dentist and surgeon who seems to have divided his time among Cincinnati and other East Texas towns. The Huntsville Item February 5, 1853, carried an advertisement of his which stated that he was then in Cincinnati but would soon return to treat his Huntsville patients.
In December 1849, Rev. Robert Waters and Miss Melinda Rankin opened a school in the town, known as the Cincinnati Academy. This school was rather short lived, however. By the year 1851 Miss Rankin was helping Rev. Weyman Adair in his Cincinnati Classical and Collegiate Institute, which prepared older boys for college, but also accepted younger boys and girls.. Rev. Adair taught the older boys while Miss Rankin taught the girls and younger boys. (Thomas Campbell, History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church)
Yellow fever struck Cincinnati in the fall of 1853. By the end of the year the town was reeling from the staggering toll of lives taken. Panic seized many of the people, most of those who were not struck down by the fever abandoned the town. In September 1853 a traveler stopped at Hunter Tavern after having become sick while returning to his home in Palestine from Galveston. Mrs. Hunter waited on him until he left on the next stage. It was later learned that he died shortly after this. No one knew just what his illness had been, but shortly after his departure, Mrs. Hunter had taken with the same disease. the people of the town still did not suspect yellow fever, and several of the women visited her before she died. Thus the fever was rapidly communicated throughout the town with the aid of the many mosquitos from the muddy riverbottom lands. (History of the Hunter and Stevens Family, in possession of Willene Story, Tyler, Texas)
An interesting theory held by some of the towns people as to how the fever got its start was told in the Telegraph and Texas Register of November 4, 1853; a visitor to the town inquired if the source of the fever were known, if it had been brought from Galveston or Houston. the citizens at that time seemed to be unable to account for its appearance. Some had believed that it started through a dead horse that had been permitted to remain close to the town, the stench of which had been diffused through the area.
The doctors of the community were kept constantly on the move, trying desperately to halt the rapid spread of the disease, but yellow fever was a relatively new disease in Texas, and very little was known about it. The Negro slaves of the community did not seem to be susceptible to the ever as did the whites, and they performed invaluable service in caring for the sick. Cincinnati had been dealt a terrible blow, and it seemed for a time that it was completely wiped out.