A BRIEF HISTORY OF NECHES, TEXAS *************************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Transcribed by Dan & Paula Trigg Submitted by Scott Fitzgerald - scottfitzgerald@tyler.net East Texas Genealogical Society, 1st Vice-President 31 March 2007 *************************************************************************** Originally published in The Tracings, Volume 5, No. 2, Summer 1986, Pages 46-50 by the Anderson County Genealogical Society, copyright assigned to the East Texas Genealogical Society. A BRIEF HISTORY OF NECHES, TEXAS The town of Neches was established in 1872, the year the I.-G.N. railroad was built through this section. The town was originally know as Nechesville, but was later shortened to Neches. The townsite is located on the J. C. Ogden and A. R. Stevens surveys. The business part of the town is located on the Stevens survey and was donated by J. J. (Jack) Davis. The land on the Ogden survey was donated by Murdoch McDonald. The division line between the Stevens and Ogden surveys begins at a point on the Neches mountain and running south passes just west of the depot and the Valley Baptist Church. The land was donated to the I.-G.N. Railroad but was surveyed and developed by the New York & Texas Land Co., Ltd., and all original deeds in the town were signed by this company. The first house in the town was built by the above mentioned Jack Davis and was on the site of the present home of the Neches Telephone Exchange. This property still belongs to the Davis family. The first families to move into the town were the Bennette, Posey and P. W. Ezell families. These gentlemen, along with Mr. Laban Suggs, who lived on a farm 1 1/2 miles south of town, established the first general merchandise store in the town. It is interesting to note here that Mr. Suggs was the first farmer to introduce registered Jersey cattle in this community, if not in the county, and the strain of this fine herd is still evident in this vicinity. The first hotel was built and operated by Murdock McDonald on the site of the residence now occupied by Mrs. J. B. McDonald. FIRST POSTMASTER The first postmaster was J. I. A. Caps. In 1872 he was succeeded by T. R. Dunn who served until 1906. The post office was in a building which stood where the J. B. McDonald store now stands.. Mr. Dunn was succeeded by Mr. F. O. Carroll, and following is a list of those who have served in that capacity: Mrs. A. A. Maraman (Mrs. C. W. Doss), Jno. F. Brown, A. D. Mchaffet, Ernest Daly, Laura Daly, L. W. Spalding, E. S. Howe, and Mrs. Irene King. The first drug store in town was established in 1872 by T. R. Dunn. The business is still in existence and is owned and operated by Mr. Dunn's son, E. S. Dunn. The first station agent was Mr. Geo. C. Osborn. The station served a large territory, there being freight lines overland to Fincastle in Henderson County, Old Kickapoo near Frankston, and Mound Prairie, then a thriving community. FIRST BLACKSMITH SHOP The first blacksmith shop was owned by Mr. Jas A. Carlton and Mr. Jno. A Kelly. Mr. Carlton is now serving as county Treasurer of Harris County which position he has held for the past 30 years. Incidentally, Mr. John Kelly served his county as treasurer, also. The first photograph gallery was owned and operated by Mr. Geo. McDonald [a line is missing here] ed studios in Palestine, Athens and Dallas, probably the first in Dallas. The first cabinetmaker was Mr. Jno. R. Sammons and many pieces of furniture made by his hands still grace the homes of Neches. J. I. A. Capps owned the first tannery and it was located near the residence occupied by Mrs. Frances Delk. Mr. John Todd was the first shoemaker and not only repaired shoes, but made boots and shoes as well. IRON FOUNDRY Mr. John Hansen owned as iron foundry and the building stood where the residences now occupied by Homer Bell and J. C. Furnish now stand. The gin factory owned by Miller, Billops & Co. stood on the vacant lots between the residence of Miss Lizzie Dunn and that of Mr. F. O. Carroll. This company, aside from operating a gin, manufactured all kinds of machinery and iron utensils. The first doctor in the town was Dr. J. A. Taylor and shortly afterward came Dr. Sutherland, Dr. White and Dr. Lawrence. The first Masonic Lodge in the town was moved to Neches from Mound Prairie some time in the early 1880's. The first Worshipful Master is said to be J. I. A. Capps. (This is not authentic, since the records are not available on short notice.) The first church in the town was the Methodist Church. It was organized in 1872 and was pastored by Rev. Jno. Adams. Some time after this, Baptist and Presbyterian churches were organized, and all three organizations used the school house for worship. FIRST CHURCH BUILDING The first school in this vicinity was known as Stovall Academy and was about three miles south of Neches. The academy consisted of one large room and was built of logs. Rev. Mr. Stovall established the school, and the building was also used as a church with Mr. Stovall as pastor. The school was established in the late 1850's or early 1860's. Among the distinguished citizens this school has turned out was B. F. Yoakum, the railroad builder. The first school in the town of Neches was built in 1872. As has been mentioned, it was on the site now occupied by the Christian church. It consisted of one room and the first teachers were Rev. Jno. Adams and Miss Mollie Webb. In 1882 a two-story building was erected on the same lot and among the early teachers were Jesse Vermilion, G. D. Crawford and Miss Claude Henderson, mother of Mr. Jno. A. Green. Some time later Stovall Academy was torn down, the timbers all being numbered and moved to Neches and the building re-erected just as the original except for the roof. This school was operated as a private school by "Parson" W. A. Moore and Mrs. Martha Farrar. The building today is owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Ray as a residence. In 1913 a brick school building was erected and is still in use as an elementary school. Prof. Red, now teaching in Palestine High school, was the first superintendent in the new building. In 1928 four school districts, Neches, Mt. Vernon, Hollywood, Coperas Grove (now Todd City) voted to consolidate and build a high school in Neches. This was made possible through legislation brought about through the influence of State Supt. S. M. N. Marrs. The Neches unit was the first to consolidate under the new legislation and Mr. Marrs stated the project was more or less an experiment, and on its outcome would rest largely the future of rural high school education in the state. FIRST CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL The first building consisted of three class rooms and a small auditorium. Prof. J. H. Houser was superintendent for the first two years. He was succeeded by Prof. Geo. Tipton, who is now serving his fifth year as superintendent. At the close of the second year it was necessary to enlarge the building. By the opening of the third year domestic science, vocational agriculture, shop work and the commercial department has been added and the building was enlarged to accommodate students doing junior high school work. A large gymnasium was added and physical education is now one of the departments. The work of both boys and girls in this division is outstanding. The special cabinet which had to built in the school to hold the various trophies won in scholastic and athletic contests is perhaps the most eloquent proof of just what the school has accomplished in local and state contests. The enrollment throughout the unit is 582. Nineteen teachers are employed with nine of these teaching in the high school. Each elementary school in the unit has an active Parent-Teacher Association. These in turn are organized into a central P.T.A. in Anderson County. The crowning achievement of the school is the 22 1/2 credits awarded the school in the seven years of its existence. Mr. Marrs lived to see his project not only well launched but coming into fruition, and today the Neches Consolidated High School is the outstanding example in the state of what may be done for rural high school education. (Thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. W. Taylor, Miss Ellen Taylor, Mr. E. S. Sunn and Mrs. W. H. McDonald for the data given in this short history of Neches.) [Editor's note: This historical sketch was specially written for the Historical Edition of the Herald, printed on Feb. 12, but came too late. It is produced today by request.] Submitted by : Mary Gregory A copy of Mrs. Walter McDonald's 1936 Newspaper.