Dog People of Caneyhead
As a native of Southeast Texas, I always puzzled at a unique culture that resides in the Neches River bottoms north of Silsbee. The were clannish, used unque words, had different customs and dressed differently from other Texans. Additionally, they worked with dogs, were extremely secretive, and I was told at a young age to avoid the area where they lived without an invitation, and especially alone at risk of being shot! I suspected their culture was a result of history, or where they had lived before they came to SE Texas in 1850, in fact I suspected Appalachia. I began 10 months of intensive research and what I found was absolutely fascinating. I stumbled pon a 1942 Master's Thesis on the Dog People, written by a local attorney told the story of several weeks spent living with them. He described "it was like stepping into the 1700's" and outlined all aspects of a Culture--language, religion, superstitions, music, and family relationships. This alongside my genealogical reseach and interviews showed me what was considered a Lost Culture, similar to the Cedar Choppers of the Hill Country. This story has been one of our most popular exhibits, and has attracted a very large media following.
The exhibit is largely wall-sized graphic panels that exhibited the various aspects of the culture by category. The exhibit also covers the 5 Deserter Camps duiring the Civil War and their battles with Confederate Troops. During the research, I happened across a book written by Virginia Bynam, Professor Emeritus of history at Texas State University called "The Free State of Jones". Further research revealed that a large percentage of the settlers who settled in CAneyhead originated in or around Jones County Mississippi. Her book details a remarkable time during the Civil War when the people of Jones County, following the passage of the "Twelve Slave Law" allowing slave owners to escape service in the Confederate Army, deserted the Confederate Army and declared Jones County a "Free State", unbound by the laws of the Confederacy. There were numerous battles with the Confederate Army with a great many deaths. This was made into a movie in 2016 called "The Free State of Jones" starring Matthew Macconoghey. The same people settled in Hardin County that were a part of the Free State of Jones also created 5 deserter camps in Hardin County and fought the Confederacy. This was an unknown element of history until this exhibit.
