Texas Historical Marker #08159
King's Highway - El Camino Real - Old San Antonio Road. First opened by Louis de St. Denis, 1715; route from Mexico to Louisiana. This location within sight of famous "Old Evergreen Tree." #8159
?, Lincoln, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08160
King's Highway - El Camino Real - Old San Antonio Road. First opened by Louis de St. Denis, 1715, route from Mexico to Louisiana. #8160
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08161
King's Highway - El Camino Real - Old San Antonio Road. First opened by Louis de St. Denis, 1715, route from Mexico to Louisiana. #8161
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08162
King's Highway - El Camino Real - Old San Antonio Road. #8162
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08163
Helen Knox. (1885-1959) Historian-financier. One of the few women given athletic letters (in tennis) at the University of Texas. Born in Giddings, daughter of bank president W. A. Knox, she became (1927) manager of women's accounts, Chase National Bank, New York. Known for her writings on banking, she was chairman of finance in restoration of home of Gen. Robert E. Lee; she belonged to Colonial Dames and D. A. R., and was president (1944-46), National Association of Bank Women. #8163
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08164
Lee County. (Star and Wreath) County named for beloved Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Led army of Northern Virginia which included famed Hood's Texas Brigade. He said about them "I never ordered that brigade to hold a position that they did not hold it." "The enemy never sees the backs of my Texans." In the Battle of the Wilderness the Texans, seeing Lee set to lead the charge and fearing for his safety, halted, shouting, "General Lee to the rear," until he complied. Lee once declined furloughs for the Texans for he needed their services. He considered them his best shock troops. About Lee's surrender a Texan said, "I'd rather have died than surrendered; but if Marse Bob thinks that is best...Marse Bob is bound to be right as usual." COLONEL ROBERT E LEE IN TEXAS 1857-1861 Robert E. Lee spent 25 months on the Texas frontier, proving and seasoning grounds for great army leaders in the impending Civil War. With the 2nd U. S. Cavalry at Camp Cooper, he led a 1,600-mile scouting expedition into Indian country. He commanded the 2nd, first at San Antonio - leading the attempt to capture Mexican bandit Juan Cortina - next at Fort Mason. Lee learned how to adapt himself and his men to outdoor life and adverse conditions he later faced on battlefields. Knowledge of the ways of his fellow officers who later held high ranks in both armies... #8164
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08165
Lee County. Located on Old San Antonio Road, on land surveyed in 1821 as part of the original colony of Moses and Stephen F. Austin. In 1854 became site of major settlement by Wend from northern Europe, led by Pastor Johann Kilian. Had only school in U. S. that taught in Wendish-- language surviving only here and in Australia, in the modern world. County was created from Bastrop, Burleson, Fayette and Washington. Organized in 1874, it was named for Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), general of the Army of Northern Virginia, in the southern Confederacy, 1862-1865. Giddings is the county seat. #8165
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08166
Lee County Courthouse. Designed by J. R. Gordon along lines similar to New York State Capitol and several buildings at Harvard University. Classified as Richardsonian Romanesque style, after the famous Louisiana-born architect Henry H. Richardson. Built by Sonnefield, Emmins and Abright of San Antonio, 1899. Replaced first courthouse, which burned 1897. Located on crest of divide separating the Colorado and Brazos River basins. #8166
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08167
Town of Lexington. Settled in 1837 in area then part of Burleson County; named for Massachusetts town where the American Revolution began. First inhabitants of the area were Tonkawa Indians. The first white settler was James Shaw (1808-1879), a young surveyor and teacher from Ohio. He received a land grant for service in 1836 in the Battle of San Jacinto. He settled here, 1837, and set up first post office at nearby String Prairie community, 1849. Although early cotton industry declined, the town revived, 1890, when San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad reached here. #8167
?, Lexington, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #08168
Lexington Schools. First local school session was held in 1849 in log home of Capt. James Shaw (1808-79), founder of Lexington, then in Burleson (since 1874 in Lee) County. Andrew Neill Lodge No. 138, A. F. & A. M., to which Shaw and other patrons belonged, joined with newly-formed School District No. 9 in 1854 to build a 2-story schoolhouse-lodge hall a mile south of town. In 1860 the school became Lexington Male and Female Academy, using same hall. A frame schoolhouse (1892) and one of brick (1910) antedated the present plant that was begun in 1936 with high school building. Incise in base: Sponsors: 8th Grade Class of 1970-71 #8168
?, Lexington, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #08169
William Preston (Bill) Longley. (October 6, 1851 - October 11, 1878) Texas outlaw Bill Longley was from a respectable family, but his hot temper, his fondness for liquor, and unsettled conditions during Reconstruction led him to become one of the most daring gunslingers of his day. He was said to have killed 32 persons before his capture in 1877. Tried for a Lee County murder, he was hanged in Giddings in 1878. Before Longley died, he repented and urged others to avoid his example. His grave was once outside the cemetery bounds. #8169
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08170
Robert Devlin McClellan and Sarah Lewis Rainey McClellan. First professional educators in Giddings, opening a private school in 1874. In 1883, start of Giddings public free schools saw the McClellans heading the first faculty. McClellan (January 19, 1837 - December 30, 1888), a noted mathematician, taught until his death; Mrs. McClellan (deceased February 2, 1914) remained at her post until 1895. Patterns they set still shape schools. #8170
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08171
United Methodist Church of Lexington. The Lexington Methodist Episcopal Church, South, appears in the records of the East Texas Conference as early as 1850, with the Rev. Jefferson Shook assigned as pastor. Its history, however, can be traced through the histories of four other Lee County churches. The Liberty Methodist Episcopal Church, South, met west of Lexington, and the two congregations shared the same pastor. When the church disbanded in the 1930s, some of the members joined this congregation. Tanglewood Methodist Episcopal Church, South, served the Tanglewood community (5 mi. N) During the 1930s the congregation sold its land and church building and forwarded the proceeds to the Lexington Church, and the few remaining members came into this congregation. The Early Chapel congregation met in the northern part of the county as early as 1850. Members of the dwindling fellowship voted to move their memberships to the Lexington Church in 1927. The German Methodist Church in Lexington was founded in 1882 with the Rev. Jacob Ott as first pastor. In 1939 the two Lexington Methodist congregations merged. With its membership additions over the years, the United Methodist Church of Lexington has grown to provide significant service and leadership to the community. #8171
?, Lexington, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08172
Henry Prentice Redfield, Texas Soldier. (May 27, 1819 - February 27, 1900) Born Derry , N. H.; came to Texas, 1831. Joined army, 1835. Fought at Battle of Gonzales, 1835; Siege of Bexar, 1835; San Jacinto, 1836 (all in Texas Revolution). Fought in Indian wars: wounded at Battle of Plum Creek in 1840. In Battle of Salado Creek, 1842. In Mexican War he joined 1st Texas Cavalry, 1846-47. Fought at both Resaca de la Palma and the Siege of Monterrey. Married (first) Sarah Card and (second) Julia Kersting. #8172
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08173
St. John Lutheran Church. With the assistance of pastors from neighboring communities, a Lutheran congregation was organized to serve the Lincoln community in April 1886. The Rev. Th. Wolfram arrived in 1887 to serve as St. John's first resident pastor. Ministers in the early years also filled the role of teachers at the school located on the church grounds. An 1892 sanctuary constructed during the pastorate of the Rev. Louis Ernst served the congregation until it was damaged in a 1957 tornado. St. John Lutheran Church stands as an important part of the heritage of Lee County. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 #8173
?, Lincoln, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08174
St. Paul Baptist Church. This congregation was organized in 1870 by ex-slaves Bob Bennett, James Collier, Andrew Jackson, Elijah Lewis, Alfred Williams, Steve Williams, Henry Wilson, and their families. They worshiped first in a residence provided by Alford Williams, then erected a sanctuary in an area known as "The Flat." One prominent early member was Matthew Gaines (1842-1900), a former slave who became a minister, state senator, and spokesman for civil rights. St. Paul Baptist Church moved to its present location in 1911. The congregation supports a variety of community service activities. #8174
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08175
St. Paul's Lutheran Church. --- #8175
1572 CR 211, Serbin, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08176
Serbin. Trilingual (Wendish-German-English) community founded 1854 by 588 S\Wends under leadership of the Rev. John Kilian. The Rev. Kilian (evangelical Lutheran) named place Serbin because the Wends were descendants of Serbs. A thriving town 1865-1890; had grocery, dry goods, jewelry, drug and music stores; shops of wagon maker, blacksmith, saddler; post office, 3 doctors, 2 dentists. On Smithville-Houston oxcart road-- sending out cotton, other produce, and hauling in staples. Decline began about 1890 as railroads bypassed settlement by several miles. #8176
?, Giddings, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08177
James Shaw. (Star and Wreath) Born August 6, 1808; served in the Texas War for Independence; soldier at San Jacinto. A Representative or Senator in five Congresses, Republic of Texas. Died February 10, 1880. His wife Nancy Ann Shaw, born May 13, 1811; died August 9, 1871. #8177
?, Lexington, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #08178
Shorter Chapel, A. M. E. Church. Organized in 1875, this was one of the first black churches in Giddings. The congregation was named for the Rev. James A. Shorter (1817-1887), ninth bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Anthony Anderson (1843-1922), one of the founders of Shorter Chapel, provided lumber for the first church building. That structure was destroyed by a storm in 1915. Members now worship in the third building erected at this site. #8178
613 W. Houston St., Giddings, TX, United States