When the government of Texas was organized in 1836, Robert Hamilton was appointed County Judge of Red River County by the Congress of Texas, December 16, 1836. At this time the Republic of Texas was divided into but 23 counties as follows: Austin, Bexar, Bastrop, Brazoria, Colorado, Goliad, Gonzales, Harrisburg, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Milam, Nacogdoches, Red River, Refugio, San Augustine, Sabine, Shelby, San Patricio, Victoria and Washington. Mr. Robert Hamilton settled one mile northeast of where Madras now stands and acquired a large tract of Pecan Bayou bottom land. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the Hamilton and the Pace families, and the children of B. H. Bledsoe, are still living on the land. The Latimers and Hamiltons, with the exception of Mrs. Jane Jamison, were all Presbyterians. Mrs. Jamison joined the Methodist Church. The old Jamison home stood just south of what is now known as the North Lake, near Clarksville.

HISTORIC CLARKS OF RED RIVER COUNTY

James Clark, the founder of Clarksville, was one of the sons of Benjamin Clark, who left Tennessee with his large family and moved into the territory of Arkansas. Moving almost across the territory, he settled in Hempstead County and built his home on the old Indian mound at or near what is now the town of Washington, Arkansas. Benjamin Clark at this time was an