Texas Historical Marker #08240
The Cradle. Building in which in 1891 Misses Betty Ballinger and Hally Bryan founded the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, a society for historical preservation. This Victorian structure was then library of "The Oaks," family home of the founders, who were descendants of William H. Jack, a soldier in 1836 Texas victory at San Jacinto and an official of the Republic. First president (1891-1908) of D. R. T. was widow of last Texas president, Anson Jones. #8240
2902 Avenue O 1/2, Galveston, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08269
Barry. This agricultural community was named for Corsicana businessman Bryan T. Barry, who developed the land deeded for the townsite by early settlers Dave and Effie Wright. The Barry Post Office was established in 1886, the same year the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas Railroad came through the town. The first post office was housed in the general store operated by Owen Taylor, who also was the town's first postmaster. Henry Allison later served as rural mail carrier for 40 years. Early businesses in Barry included the First State Bank, which operated from 1909 until 1931, grocery stores, gas stations, drugstores, blacksmith shops, a newspaper office, a meat market, a cafe, and a hotel. In 1910, W. T. Woodruff and R. W. Varnell formed Woodruff and Co., which sold dry goods, hardware, and farm implements. Settlers were attracted to the area by its rich farmland, and by 1920 most of the land had been cleared and planted in cotton. Barry's first cotton gin was established in 1899 by Dan McCammon, and E. Y.Jordan and Jack Hodge also operated early gins. Methodist and Baptist churches were organized by the end of the 19th century, and the Barry School, which opened in 1895, served the area until 1958. (1985) #8269
South Front Street & Houston St. (FM 1126), Barry, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08270
Barry Baptist Church. The Barry Baptist Church congregation, originally organized as the Elam Baptist Church congregation, was established in September 1891 with seven charter members. The Rev. C. R. Roberts became the congregation's first pastor in June of 1892. Early services were held in a church structure one block northeast of this site. The congregation quickly became involved in county and statewide Baptist church affairs, affiliating with the Navarro County Baptist Association of the Baptist Convention of Texas in July 1892. Additionally, the congregation was able to institute a Sunday School program by 1895, under the leadership of J. M. Head, who served as first Sunday School superintendent. In 1916-17, during the pastorate of the Rev. A. W. Luper, the congregation built its second church structure at this site. Worship services have been held at this location since December of 1917. The Barry Baptist Church congregation has been involved in a variety of missionary activities over the years, concentrating on local mission programs, and it has played a prominent role in this community for over one hundred years. (1991) #8270
Houston & 3rd St., Barry, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08271
Battle Creek Burial Ground. A surveying party of 25 Texans ran into about 300 Kickapoo Indians on a buffalo hunt; failing to heed warning to leave, the Texans were ambushed on October 8, 1838. Only seven survived, and four of these were wounded. After the escape, they came back to bury their comrades in a common grave. (1966) #8271
SH 31, W of Dawson 2 mi., Dawson, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08272
Bazette Baptist Church and Cemetery. The early farming settlement of Bazette, named for a Baptist preacher, developed before the Civil War. In 1881, postmaster and store owner William Ellison (1840-1906) deeded land at this site for the community's Baptist church. First known as Liberty Missionary Baptist Church, the congregation may have formed as early as the 1860s. In 1890, the deacons purchased adjoining land from J. L. Jennings for the establishment of a cemetery. The oldest marked grave is that of Jhonnie Hiett (1881-1891). The church and cemetery serve as reminders of the area's early history. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 #8272
CR NE 3090 off FM 636 via CR 3140, 6 mi. from Kerens, Bazette, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08273
Alexander Beaton. A native of Scotland, Alexander Beaton came to the United States in 1843. He migrated to Texas in 1848 after serving in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War. In 1850 he settled in Corsicana and began the practice of law. He was chairman of the finance committee to promote the routing of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad through Corsicana in 1871. Because of his efforts to bring the railroad to town, Beaton Street was named in his honor. Beaton was a Mason, a member of the First Methodist Church, and an amateur geologist. He married Elizabeth Jane McKinney and had 3 children. (1985) #8273
214 N Beaton, Corsicana, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08274
Birdston Community and Cemetery. When V. I. Bird opened a general mercantile store about 2 miles to the northwest in the 1860s, Birdston community was founded. As local economy then depended on cotton, a gin was soon built near the store. In a few years, store and gin were relocated a mile east of this cemetery, at halfway point on main road from Fairfield to Corsicana. The Birdston post office opened Dec. 11, 1866. By 1867 the community also had a school; by 1872 a church building, used by all faiths. The cemetery was opened on land donated by Edd and Juliett Burleson for church and school purposes. The first grave, located near the church, was that of a child, Mary Rayburn, whose family had been traveling from Fairfield to Corsicana, stopping at Sherrard's Boarding House in Birdston, where the child fell ill and died. A second grave was dug near the church when T. J. Gilbert died on Dec. 5, 1872. By 1888 additional cemetery land was sold to trustees by Mrs. Burleson. When Birdston was bypassed in 1909 by Burlington Rock Island Railroad, it lost its post office and businesses; the school closed in 1920. The cemetery has continued in use through ensuing years, and in the 1950s had a new section annexed by purchase of acreage from the Charley Gregory Estate. (1972) #8274
FM 416, Streetman, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08275
Birdston Valley. Developed as a community of former slaves following the Civil War, Birdston Valley takes its name from the nearby settlement of Birdston (2 miles south). Located on Richland Creek bottom lands, residents of the community were primarily farmers. The Birdston Valley Cemetery may have been used as early as 1855, as evidenced by the grave of Willis Kelly (1850-1855), though the marker was probably placed at a later date. A few marked burials date to the 1870s. Many of the community's early settlers are buried here, though some are interred in a nearby slave cemetery. Religious services may have been held in the area as early as 1876. The Goodwill Baptist Church was organized sometime between 1876 and 1883. The first pastor was Isom J. Collins. The first church building was damaged beyond repair in a 1939 windstorm, and was replaced by a second structure. The Birdston Valley Masonic Lodge was organized on August 22, 1907, and met temporarily in a gin owned by Isom J. Collins. A two-story lodge was built, which also served as a schoolhouse for children of the community. The building was destroyed in a 1982 fire and replaced with a one-story structure. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 #8275
Off CR SE 1270, via FM 416, about 5 mi. from Streetman, Birdston, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08277
City of Blooming Grove. The history of Blooming Grove can be traced to the small village of Gradyville, established in the 1860s and named for two brothers, R. J. and W. D. Grady, who operated the general store. When the area was granted a postal station in 1871, the name Blooming Grove was chosen. Grady's store served as the location for the post office, with W. H. Glass as postmaster. When a branch of the Cotton Belt Railroad opened in this area in 1888, the village of Gradyville shifted one mile northeast toward the rail line and became known as Blooming Grove. Its residents voted for incorporation in 1890, and T. J. Scarborough was elected first mayor, with T. H. Butcher as first city marshal. Always a rural community, Blooming Grove has depended heavily on its cotton production and cattle raising for its economic base. Several institutions have provided the city with strength and continuity throughout its history. Churches founded in the Gradyville area that were maintained in this townsite include Blooming Grove Methodist, Olive Grove Baptist, Blooming Grove Christian, and First Baptist. Public schools began in 1869, and the Blooming Grove Masonic lodge was chartered in 1888. The newspaper, "Blooming Grove Times", was founded in 1890. (1984) #8277
S Main and Fordyce, Blooming Grove, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08278
Blooming Grove School. Early pioneer Richard Gowan donated land one mile southeast of this site in 1869, on which the citizens of Gradyville (later renamed Blooming Grove), erected a small white building to house a church, community meeting place, and school. The Rev. G. P. Miller served as the first teacher. Soon the little school was too small, and in 1878 a large frame school building was erected near the town's general store. When the Cotton Belt Railroad completed a new line from Corsicana to Hillsboro in 1888, the town moved one mile north to "new" Blooming Grove on the rail line. By 1890 another school, a two-story frame structure, was built in the new town. In 1910 a red brick school building replaced the frame one. The Blooming Grove Independent School District was created by the Legislature in 1917. S. W. Henderson, superintendent from 1920 to 1925, gained accreditation for the school. By 1930 the red brick building was so deteriorated that it was condemned. Classes were held in area churches until yet another building could be erected the next year. A new junior/senior high school was completed in 1984, followed by a new elementary school in 1985. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 #8278
200 block of Grady Street, Blooming Grove, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08279
Blooming Grove United Methodist Church. In 1869, Richard and Susan Gowan gave land on Rush Creek (1 mile southeast) for a Methodist Church and cemetery. Gowan, his neighbors, and others built a white frame chapel for church and school. That building was moved to Blooming Grove in 1887. Second sanctuary was built in 1893 on the present site. The Methodist denomination operated (1899-1913) Central Texas College in Blooming Grove, increasing work of this church. Dr. Clovis Chappell (1882-1972) and Dr. E. B. Hawk (1881-1963), pastors who later won national renown, led in building (1913) the present edifice. The congregation has given 22 men to the ministry. (1974) #8279
Kerr & Third St., Blooming Grove, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08280
Brushie Prairie Methodist Church. Organized south of Frost in 1874, this fellowship grew from earlier meetings conducted in a log schoolhouse. Originally known as Post Oak Methodist Church, it was chartered with thirty-five members under the leadership of the Rev. John J. Farmer. Brothers J. M., W. D., and E. W. Johnson, and F. M. Johnson gave the land in 1893 where the present structure stands. In 1914 the church was renamed Brushie Prairie. In 1952 the Mt. Zion Methodists joined the congregation. After 90 years the church disbanded in June 1964. An annual homecoming is held here each June. (1981) #8280
FM 1578, off FM 667 via FM 744, 12 mi. from Frost, Brushie, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08281
The Joseph Burleson Family Cemetery. Joseph Burleson (1800-1877) came to Texas about 1834. He farmed for a season at Bastrop near his brother, General Edward Burleson, then lived at San Augustine for many years. In 1836 he fought in the Texas War for Independence along with his father, Captain James Burleson (b. 1775), three of his brothers, and other relatives. His brother Edward served in 1841-1844 as Vice President of the Republic of Texas, and the successive generations of the family have continued to furnish leaders to the state and the nation. In 1854 Joseph Burleson bought a final homestead of 2,775 acres surrounding this site. Located near his dwelling, this cemetery was in use as early as 1867 at the burial of his son John, a veteran of the Civil War. Mary (Polly) Warren, wife of Joseph Burleson and mother of his 14 children, was buried here in 1869. Joseph was interred eight years later. Members of related families such as the Bonhams, Keels, Reeds and Slades are represented among the 32 identifiable graves. There are known to be some lost graves. In 1892 trustees recorded a deed to the cemetery. George Burleson Slade in 1923 was last known burial prior to 1977. A family association was organized in 1977 to care for the cemetery. (1978) #8281
FM 416 W of Streetman, Streetman, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #08282
Judge John S. Callicutt. John Spencer Callicutt moved to Corsicana in 1886 and opened his law practice. As an active member of the community, Callicutt served on the founding board of the county hospital, as well as the boards of Central State Bank and other businesses. A member of the First Methodist Church, he was active in Masonic activities, including work with handicapped children. In 1935 he was appointed district judge by Gov. Miriam A. Ferguson. Married to the former Evelina Jack, he was the father of seven children. He and his wife are buried in Oakwood Cemetery. (1988) #8282
1244 W 4th Ave., Corsicana, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08283
Campbell-Elrod Cemetery. Land for this cemetery was given to the Harmony Methodist Church in 1855 by Navarro county pioneer David Wilson Campbell. Ten acres were donated to the church trustees, with part to be set aside as a graveyard and known as Campbell Cemetery. David Campbell was buried here in 1879. The land was conveyed to J. M. and Eunice Elrod in 1908. They gave the land containing the cemetery back to the church in 1914. Although there are some unmarked graves, the earliest documented burial is that of Ensly Willis (1856-1859). Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 #8283
FM 744, 11 mi. W of Corsicana, Corsicana, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08284
David Wilson Campbell. A native of Georgia, David Wilson Campbell migrated to Texas in 1835. He served in the Texas army the following year during the Texas War for Independence. A pioneer farmer in Navarro County, he gave ten acres of land to the Harmony Methodist Church in 1845. Part of that acreage was used for this cemetery where many Campbell descendants are buried. Campbell was married three times and had children from each marriage. Recorded - 1978 #8284
FM 744 in Campbell-Elrod Cemetery, Corsicana, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08285
Chatfield United Methodist Church. In 1846, the Rev. J. E. Ferguson, whose son was to be a governor of Texas, preached to Methodists in this area. Robert Hodge, who founded Chatfield, built a brush arbor and let camp meetings be held at his spring. In 1858 he donated a site for a lodge hall, where all faiths worshipped for years. In 1886, Mr. and Mrs. Nail McMullan gave the Methodists a site for a church of their own. Peak membership came in 1896 under the Rev. George Clark. The original building was destroyed by a storm in 1937; the present one was completed in 1938. (1976) #8285
FM 1603, 12 mi. N of Corsicana, Chatfield, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08286
Dr. Will Coleman, Sr.. A native Texan, Will Coleman (1882-1953) grew up caring for livestock on the Robert Witherspoon Ranch in Chatfield (12 miles northeast). His family moved to Corsicana in 1899; in 1911, Coleman graduated from the McGills University School of Veterinary Science in Montreal, Canada, and received his license to practice in Texas nine years later. By 1925, he had established his own veterinary clinic in Corsicana. One of the first black veterinarians in the area, Dr. Will Coleman lived at this site with his wife, Mattie, and their 12 children. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 #8286
S. Third St. & E. Eigth St., Corsicana, TX, United States
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #08287
Thomas Affleck. Born and educated in Scotland, Thomas Affleck (1812-1868) emigrated in 1832 to the United States, where he became one of the most well-known agriculturalists of his time. A prolific writer, Affleck was associated with several agricultural and horticultural publications. An early advocate of scientific farming, he wrote and theorized on topics such as forage, erosion control, hedging, livestock improvements, and plantation management. His publication, "Affleck's Southern Rural Almanac and Plantation and Garden Calendar," was published yearly from 1845 to 1861. During the late 1850s, Thomas Affleck and his wife, Anna (Dunbar) Smith, came to Texas and established their Washington County plantation, which included what is now the Gay Hill community. The Affleck plantation, known as "Glenblythe," was extensive and highly organized. It included a wagon factory, where wagons and ambulances were made for the Confederacy. After the end of the Civil War, Thomas Affleck was active in developing plans for Texas' economic recovery. He traveled to England and Scotland, encouraging investment and emigration. Upon his death at the age of 56, Affleck was buried near this site in the graveyard he established on the grounds of "Glenblythe." #8287
?, Brenham, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #08288
African American Catholic Community. Believed to be the oldest African American Catholic community in Texas, this settlement traces its history to the late 1840s. The Spann families migrated to Hidalgo from South Carolina in 1848, bringing several slaves to the area. A Catholic mission was established for the new settlers and the slave families worshipped with them at a log cabin called the Holy Rosary or the Old Spann Chapel. The Old Catholic Cemetery, located near the log cabin, was the Spann family cemetery. The Spanns and the Sweeds (the slave families) are buried there, and it is still in use today. In 1888 Father Martin Francis Huhn organized a mission specifically for the African American community, conducting Mass monthly in the log chapel. A separate chapel was constructed in 1936 by Father George Elmendorf and named Sacred Heart. In 1969 a church building and community hall were constructed at Post Oak on land deeded from Spann descendants to the Sweeds. The church structure was named the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel. A new church building was completed in 1995 to serve the African American community in the Brenham area, descendants of the original Sweed families. #8288
?, Brenham, TX, United States