Red River County has a rich history from being a major gateway for pioneers to Texas. Pat B. Clark has captured some of this history through interviews with early settlers and their descendants and through his own experiences. Clark's family settled the town of Clarksville, which became the county seat. A biography of the author is in the Introduction.

The book includes biographical sketches of prominent early families, first-hand accounts of pioneer life and stories of interactions between the settlers, their slaves and the Indians. Military records include the exploits of Militia Captain Henry Stout, the members of Company F of Whitfield's Civil War Legion of Texas Cavalry and a long, arresting letter from Major Ben McCulloch describing his activities at the Battle of Buena Vista during the war between the United States and Mexico. (Whereabouts of the original McCulloch letter is unknown.)

It may help the reader better appreciate the value of moneys mentioned in the book to know that $1 in the mid 1830s would be equivalent to about $17 in 2004, or a $10 horse would be worth about $170 now.

A reader who has never lived in Red River County should know the town of Bogata is called "Bogota" by its citizens.