ERATH COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS Contributed by: Joan Renfrow ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** ERATH COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS The Texas Historical Commission http://www.thc.state.tx.us/index.html ACREA CEMETERY Marker # 11867 Location: 8 mi. NE of Stephenville on US 377; .5 mi. N on FM 150 City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1999 Marker Text: According to oral history, John Wright, who stopped for a time in Erath County on his way west, died nearby in about 1857 or 1858. Landowner Clayborn Oxford donated the land for Wright to be buried on this site. The earliest marked grave is that of Oxford's infant grandson William, who was buried in 1859. The graveyard, then known as Oxford Cemetery, was deeded to Erath County by the Oxford family in 1888 for use by area settlers. Over time the cemetery took on the name of the surrounding community, Acrea. Descendants of the Oxfords and other pioneer families continue to maintain and use the cemetery. (1999) BERRY HOUSE Ref. # 80004116 Location: 525 E. Washington Street City: Stephenville Marker Text: In 1869 Colonel J. D. Berry erected the structure at 525 E. Washington with the help of stonemason J. J. Wyatt. A fine example of one of the few remaining structures of the English Cottage Design, the Berry Cottage is the oldest house still standing. The Berry House is one of the few examples of residential Gothic Revival architecture in Texas and the oldest house in Stephenville. Reminiscent of the houses popularized in Andrew Jackson Downing's Cottage Residences of 1842, the Berry House is a graceful interpretation of the style sometimes called "English Cottage". It was the home of the influential John Berry family from 1869 to 1900. Berry, an adopted son of the state of Texas, was born in 1820 in Morgan County, Alabama. From 1836 until 1868 Berry traveled throughout the South working first as a salesman in New Orleans. Later pursuits included agriculture, merchandising; and eventually law. Mary Elizabeth Wilkes was married to John Berry inn 1844, in Marion County, Mississippi. The Berrys moved to Texas following his service in the American Civil War. Following a short stay in Waco the Berrys moved to Stephenville where Colonel Berry established a law office and a bank. Upon the death of Mrs. Berry, in 1900, J. D. Berry sold the home, offices, and all their possessions. Subsequent owners of the Berry Cottage allowed to fall into disrepair, until it was purchased by the City of Stephenville with the aid of Mrs. Birdie H. Frey in 1965. The cottage was restored through public donations sponsored by the Stephenville Study Club and serves as an historical house museum today. BLUFF DALE SUSPENSION BRIDGE Marker # 441 Location: Berry Creek Rd., CR 49, 0.25 mi. N. of US 377 City: Bluff Dale Marker Erected: 1978 Marker Text: For at least 20 years vehicles had to ford the Paluxy River to reach Bluff Dale and points west. Wagon traffic increased after the Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railroad line reached the town in 1889. This iron bridge began to serve the public by spanning the Paluxy about 1891, on the main access road that became State Highway 10 and later U.S. 377. By 1933 arterial highway travel demanded a wider bridge. In 1934 authorities moved the "swinging" bridge 1.5 miles upstream where it serves local traffic. (1978) BLUFF DALE TABERNACLE Marker # 442 Location: Corner of Glenn and Holmes Streets City: Bluff Dale Marker Erected: 1982 Marker Text: This tabernacle was built about 1906 on land given by Andrew Jackson Glenn, donor of the Bluff Dale townsite. The scene of many community events, including plays, singings, funerals and a high school graduation, the structure was primarily used for early camp meetings. Conducted for all area denominations and lasting for days, the revivals served as a source of community identity. The tabernacle is now used for an annual homecoming celebration. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 BOWMAN RIDGE CEMETERY Marker # 12328 Location: 6 miles south of Stephenville on FM 914, then 1.2 miles southwest on CR 275, then 1.1 mile south on CR 273 City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 2000 Marker Text: The namesake of Keith's Branch Community, A. B. Keith, deeded one acre of land to the Primitive Baptist Church around this site for use as a burial ground in February 1885. The earliest known grave in the cemetery is that of Wilson H. Benson, who was born in January 1886 and died that November. Confederate veteran J. N. Hamrick was interred here in 1895. In time, the area became known as Bowman Ridge for pioneer Benjamin Bowman who gave land for a schoolhouse. The graves of children buried before the 20th century are a testament to the often harsh conditions of pioneer life. In the year 2000, there were about 60 graves in the old cemetery and an additional 11 with illegible tombstones. The cemetery continues as a chronicle of Erath County. (2000) HISTORIC BRICK STREETS OF STEPHENVILLE Marker # 2493 Location: 984 Vanderbilt Street City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1978 Marker Text: Seeking to improve the town's dirt streets, the Stephenville City Council in 1929 authorized paving by the Thurber Construction Co. High-quality bricks from Thurber (26 mi. NW), popular with builders around the state, were laid over a Macadam base and bonded with a tar-like substance. Individual property owners bore most of the cost, despite the economic hardships of the Depression, and viewed the brick thoroughfares with pride. Although some of the streets have since been covered with asphalt, the brick pavement remains handsome and durable. (1978) CAGE HOME Marker # 620 Location: 194 E. Long City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: Merchant, rancher, and banker J. H. Cage bought this property in 1876 and moved his family into an existing house. After his death in 1912, his children had the house moved and in 1913 built this home for their mother, Janie. Designed by the Fort Worth architectural firm of Sanguinet & Staats, the Cage home exhibits Colonial Revival styling with Prairie School influences and features beveled glass, two-story brick piers, and one-story octagonal columns. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983 CAUDLE CEMETERY Marker # 12374 Location: 8.8 miles southeast of Dublin on FM 219, then 2.9 miles east/northeast on CR 284 to gate of Flying B Ranch, then 1 mile east on ranch road to cemetery City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 2000 Marker Text: Once known as "South Bolton Cemetery," this is the final resting place of Mary Follis (d.1879), who was buried here during the ownership of James and Louisa Franks. Hers is the earliest marked grave. T. W. Bolton bought the land in 1879, and James Robert and Tennessee Caudle purchased it in 1883. Family matriarch Rebecca Clayton Caudle, widow of Mark Caudle, was buried here in 1886. Fannie Caudle (1877-1895), who died on her wedding day and was buried in her bridal dress, was the last person buried here. There are fifteen marked and more than 40 unmarked graves. Two of those believed to be interred in unmarked graves are Martha Elizabeth Caudle, who died in 1889 or 1890, and her granddaughter, Mamie Caudle. Descendants rediscovered the cemetery and restored it in 1997. (2000) CEDAR POINT SCHOOL Marker # 773 Location: From Stephenville, take FM 205 E. about 10 mi. to junction with FM 2481 City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1996 Marker Text: Originally known as Elm Grove School, the Cedar Point School began about 1860 in a log cabin nearly 2 miles east of this site. In 1894 J. J. Davidson donated three acres of land here to the community. The school built on this site housed one teacher and 40-50 students. The first building was destroyed by a windstorm in 1908, and the rebuilt structure was destroyed by fire in 1928. The school was a meeting place for the surrounding area, and was deeded to the community after the school closed in 1948. Cedar Point School continues to be used as a center for local events and activities. (1996) CHALK MOUNTAIN CEMETERY Marker # 12543 Location: 18 miles southeast of Stephenville on SH 67, then 1.5 miles south of village of Chalk Mountain City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1991 Marker Text: The village of Chalk Mountain originated as a trading center before the Civil War. The earliest burial at Chalk Mountain Cemetery, the only burial ground to have served this community, is that of Abigal Davis (d. 1874), but the presence of unmarked burials indicates possible earlier use. Confederate veteran Hiram Berry Rogers (1840-1929) deeded the cemetery to the county in 1915. Over 350 graves, including those of Rogers and veterans of the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War, are interred here. It has been maintained by a cemetery association since 1959. (1991) CLAIRETTE CEMETERY Marker # 900 Location: From Hico, take SH 6 N about 7 miles City: Hico vicinity Marker Erected: 1991 Marker Text: Joseph and Elizabeth Salmon and their children moved to the Republic of Texas in 1839. They settled in this area in 1854. When their 15-year-old son, Albert, died in 1858, he was buried at his favorite campsite in a grove of oak trees on the family land. Albert's brother, Joseph Salmon, Jr., deeded the acre of land surrounding the gravesite for use as a community cemetery in 1876. Additional land acquisitions over the years have increased the size of the cemetery. The diverse styles of gravestones found here serve as reflections of the area's pioneer heritage. (1991) CLAIRETTE SCHOOLHOUSE Marker # 901 Location: From Hico, take SH 6 N about 7 miles City: Hico vicinity Marker Erected: 1985 Marker Text: The first Clairette schoolhouse was a one-room log structure built as early as 1871. This two-story building was constructed in 1912, one year after the creation of the Clairette Independent School District. It served until 1949, when the rural school was closed. The native stone building was then used for various community functions. The old Clairette schoolhouse features a one-story porch with Tuscan columns at the entryway. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1985 CROW OPERA HOUSE Marker # 1122 Location: 187 W. Washington City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1977 Marker Text: The first floor of this limestone building, erected before 1892, housed the Erath County National Bank, with Dr. M. S. Crow as president. His wife Mollie Jane Crow suggested use of the top floor for cultural events. The opera house auditorium, which held about 400 persons, was the site of theatrical productions, dances, and town gatherings. Its use declined by 1920 with the rise of motion pictures. Other commercial enterprises later occupied the Romanesque style structure. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977 DENNY CEMETERY Marker # 1205 Location: 1 miles E of Bluff Dale on US 377 City: Bluff Dale vicinity Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: Alfred W. Denny (d. 1877) came to Texas in 1853, settling first in Clarksville, and then moving to Weatherford in 1860. During the Civil War (1861-65) Denny served in a Ranger unit stationed at Stephenville that guarded Texas' western frontier. In 1867 he bought 320 acres, which included the site where he was later interred. There are 17 known gravesites of family members in the Denny Cemetery, including Denny's wife Mary Elizabeth and infant grandson Walter Calloway Baldwin, who was killed by a horse in 1879. The burial ground was restored in 1982. (1983) DOUBLIN INN Marker # 1260 Location: SW end of Cottonwood St., old part (dirt road), facing railroad tracks City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1971 Marker Text: Site of pioneer outcry: "Indians a-coming! Double in!" Built by Alex Dobkins when his family and kin settled here on fertile land bought (1846) by J. R. Holland, his father-in-law. House was a stand on Fort Worth-to-Yuma stage line; also a fort until Indian raids ceased, about 1870. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1971 OLD DUBLIN MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY Marker # 3722 Location: From Dublin, take old Gleming Road S about 0.7 mile City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1978 Marker Text: The earliest use of this burial ground was in 1864 at the death of Ellen, daughter of J. H. Keith. William ("Big Bill") Keith donated this memorial to his Aunt Ellen with the understanding that it would be used for free public interments. It was called "The Old Dublin Cemetery" until 1961 when an endowment was created and the name was changed. There are about 1400 graves including 292 without names that are noted only with filed stones or funeral home markers. This graveyard is still in use. (1978) DUFFAU BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 1292 Location: Near intersection of FM 1824 and FM 2481, in the Duffau community, 6 miles northeast of Clairette City: Clairette vicinity Marker Erected: 1979 Marker Text: On Sunday, October 6, 1878, elders A. W. Elledge, O. W. Hughart, and D. Shipman began this fellowship with 17 charter members. Elder Elledge served as the first pastor, conducting services on one Saturday and Sunday of each month. Soon after organizing, members furnished material and erected a sanctuary at this site. After a fire destroyed that building in 1935, this facility was completed. The membership reached about 125 before Duffau School consolidated with Hico in 1960 and the settlement declined. This is the only active church. (1979) DUFFAU CEMETERY Marker # 1293 Location: 6 miles northeast of Clairette on FM 1824, then 1.5 miles south on FM 2481 and 0.75 miles east on CR 214 City: Clairette vicinity Marker Erected: 1997 Marker Text: Francis T. Duffau was among the early settlers who arrived in the late 1850s to farm in this community. The Duffau post office was authorized in 1860. Duffau became a thriving trade center but later declined after suffering several disastrous fires and being bypassed by the railroad. The nearby Duffau mineral wells became a health resort, attracting people to the area. A separate post office was in operation at Duffau Wells in 1884. H. B. and Eliza Hollis sold land to the Duffau School District in 1884; the Duffau School merged with Hico schools in 1960. Church of Christ, Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches served the community for many years. The oldest recorded grave in the Duffau Cemetery is that of Nancy Shipman in 1865. Jacob and N. E. McCarty deeded five acres of land for cemetery purposes in 1874. Among the more than 950 marked graves are those of veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, as well as members of a number of fraternal organizations. The Duffau Cemetery Association was formed in 1958, and a trust fund was established in 1964 to help maintain the graveyard. The cemetery continues to serve Duffau and the surrounding communities. (1997) DUFFAU SCHOOL Marker # 11868 Location: 15 mi. S of Stephenville on US 281; 4 mi. E on FM 1824 to Duffau Store; .5 mi. S on FM 2481 City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1998 Marker Text: This schoolhouse was built by architect-contractor George Coleman of Stephenville in 1936 with the $4,700 insurance settlement received after an earlier school building burned. The simple one-story structure, built of brick veneer over frame construction, is topped by a hipped metal roof and features a shed-roof front porch entry. Heated with wood stoves and lighted with oil lamps, it served the community as a school until 1958, when the Duffau School was consolidated with schools in nearby Hico. The building was converted to a community center maintained by local citizens. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1998 EARLY COMMERCIAL BUILDING Marker # 1341 Location: At Lyon Museum, corner of E. Blackjack and S. Grarton Streets City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Text: Constructed of wood about 1880 by Joseph E. Bishop, son-in-law of A. H. and Sarah Jane Dobkins, founders of Dublin. Veneered 1895 with native stone, and remodeled 1943, 1965. Colorful, important occupants have included banks, medical clinics, a drugstore, newspaper plant, saloons, and a dress shop. (1972) EDNA HILL COMMUNITY Marker # 1392 Location: 9 miles S of Dublin on FM 1702 City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 1994 Marker Text: Abundant grassland, timber, and water induced pioneers to settle in this area of Texas's western Cross Timbers region in the 1850s. Ranching and cotton production dominated early land use. Barbee Cemetery was established nearby about 1863. A community developed near a school built here in 1904 on land donated by Brack Salyer. The school and community were named for Salyer's granddaughter Edna Wilson. The 1930s depression continued a decline of Edna Hill which began in the 1920s. By the early 1990s all that remained was Baptist church, community center, and a few homes. (1994) ERATH COUNTY COURTHOUST Marker # 1494 Location: 100 Washington City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Text: Founded in 1854 and named for early settler and land donor John M. Stephen, the town of Stephenville became county seat when Erath County was created in 1856. The first county courthouse, a wood frame structure built in 1856, was destroyed by fire in 1866. By 1890 Erath County was experiencing an economic boom. The railroad had reached this area in 1889, and local business increased as shipping opportunities improved. County commissioners called for bids to design a new courthouse in 1891. J. Riely Gordon submitted the winning design. The construction contract was awarded to S. A. Tomlinson of Fort Worth. Gordon, who became a nationally known architect, had designed two earlier buildings on the town square (the First National Bank and the Crow Opera House). He is well known for his Texas courthouse designs. A distinctive rendition of the Romanesque Revival style, this courthouse, completed in 1892, features striking use of locally quarried limestone accented with Pecos sandstone. A 1988 restoration project included the addition of an adjacent courthouse annex. The central clock tower of the historic courthouse has been the most prominent feature of the surrounding landscape for more than a century. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1963 FIRST METHODIST CHURCH OF STEPHENVILLE Marker # 1771 Location: 328 W. Washington City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Text: This congregation, organized in 1855 with ten charter members, traces its history to the founding of Stephenville. Early worship services were held in the Masonic lodge building on the town square. A sanctuary erected in the 1890s was replaced by this Beaux Arts style building in 1917. Featuring giant order Corinthian columns and art glass windows, it remains an important local landmark as the church continues to serve the community. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING Marker # 1785 Location: 198 S. Belknap Street City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1994 Marker Text: Built in 1889 to house the city's first bank, this is the earliest of three structures on the town square designed by prominent San Antonio architect J. Riely Gordon. It features elaborate stonework and large arches typical of Romanesque Revival architecture and a Queen Anne style tower and pedimented entrance. The bank, organized by C. J. Shapard and with assets in excess of $158,000 by 1893, merged with Farmers National Bank in 1925 due to depressed oil and cattle prices. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994 THE GALLAGHER HOUSE Marker # 2099 Location: 261 N. Grafton City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1980 Marker Text: This Victorian residence was built in 1895 for W. T. Leggett, manager of the Dublin Music Company. The two-story Classical Revival porch was added to the east side of the house in 1907 during the ownership of J. H. Wilder. In 1914 the property was purchased by Michael D. Gallagher (1854-1921), a native of Ireland who owned a local mercantile store. Members of the Gallagher family lived in the house for 35 years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980 HANCOCK CEMETERY Marker # 12352 Location: 8.8 miles southeast of Dublin on FM 219, then 2.9 miles east/northeast on CR 284 to gate of Flying B Ranch, then 1 mile east on ranch road to cemetery City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 2000 Marker Text: The earliest marked grave on this site, once known as "North Bolton Cemetery," is that of Asa L. Anderson (1875-1876), who was buried here during the ownership of the James and Louisa Franks family. The Franks sold the land to T. W. Bolton in 1879, and the Caudle family purchased it in 1883. The Hancock name comes from the family of Benjamin T. and Elizabeth (Ruyle) Hancock, settlers who came to this area in about 1887. Most of those interred on this site are related to the Hancocks, many of whom helped found the nearby communities of Alexander and Purves. The cemetery contains about fifty graves. The last marked grave was that of Charles Martin Knorzer (1852-1943). The burial ground is a chronicle of the pioneers of Erath County. (2000) D.L. HARRIS HOUSE Marker # 1144 Location: 718 N. Patrick City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1982 Marker Text: This residence was constructed in 1901 by D. L. Harris, a partner in a Dublin mercantile store, and his wife Claire (Jackson) Harris. The home's design reflects a mixture of architectural styles that were popular at the turn of the century. Notable detailing includes the distinctive gabled roof with ornamental trim, wide veranda and fishscale shingling. Stone for the house's foundation was quarried locally and shaped at this site. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 SITE OF HOTEL KNOX AND THURBER MINING OFFICE Marker # 4814 Location: SW corner of Town Square, FM 108 City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: The Texas and Pacific Coal Company built the first-class Hotel Knox about 1895. In addition to serving out-of-town guests, it was a social center in Thurber and home to many of the town's white collar workers, including store clerks and staff of the adjacent mining office where general manager William Knox Gordon maintained his headquarters. The Hotel Knox burned in 1907 and was replaced by the Plummer Hotel. Although the town was dismantled in the 1930s, ruins of the mining office were still visible decades later. (1995) THE COMMUNITY OF HUCKABAY Marker # 5311 Location: FM 219, across from Huckabay Cemetery City: Huckabay Marker Erected: 1975 Marker Text: In 1875 a small group of pioneers from Arkansas and Tennessee acquired land here on the headwaters of the Bosque, starting the "Flat Woods" settlement. Confederate veteran John Copeland (1841-86) taught the first local school sessions (1876,1877) in his home, and gave land (1879) for a cemetery and (1883) for school. A Church of Christ congregation was formed in 1876. G. W. Glenn opened the first store in 1878. Baptist and Methodist churches were founded in 1881. John Huckabay, a farmer-storekeeper who brought the settlers' mail from Stephenville, led in securing a post office (1888), which was named for him. He was postmaster in 1888-91 and 1893-95. By 1890, town had general stores, groceries, drugstores, 2 blacksmiths, barber shops, an undertaker; and later (briefly) a bank. John Huckabay and W. C. Rigsby opened a cotton gin, 1891. C. H. Hale, an outstanding teacher, founded (1902) the Huckabay Academy, a high school that later offered college courses. It is said the Academy won every debate, oratory event, and athletic contest it ever entered. It closed in 1914. The village dwindled in changing economic and travel conditions. The school, churches, cemetery, and tabernacle became focus for the community. The post office closed in 1965. (1975) THE REV. HENRY HURLEY Marker # 4253 Location: In Duffau Cemetery; from Duffau, take FM 2481 south about 2 mi then go east 3/4 mi on county road to cemetery City: Duffau vicinity Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: (Dec. 24, 1796 - Sept. 14, 1869) A minister in the Primitive Baptist Church, the Rev. Henry Hurley came to Texas in 1844. His years in the state were spent organizing frontier churches and helping pioneers settle in new communities. He established churches in Hunt, Fannin, and Collin counties before moving to Erath County about 1859. In that year Hurley organized the Bosque Church of the Primitive Baptists and served as its pastor until his death. Recorded - 1983 JOHNSVILLE CEMETERY Marker # 11869 Location: 12 mi. E of Stephenville on US 67; 1 mi. S on FM 2481; .25 mi. W on CR 208 City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1998 Marker Text: The community of Johnsville, settled before 1860, was named for John Z. Martin when he was appointed first postmaster in 1901. Once a thriving village on the main road from Stephenville to Glen Rose, Johnsville consisted of general stores, a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, fraternal lodges, a school, a church, and numerous homes. The oldest graves in Johnsville Cemetery are those of the two infant children of Curtis and Annie (Cox) Burks and of W. B. and Mary (Smith) Cox. The children are believed to have died in 1907 and 1910. In 1910 Edward and Martha (Shaw) Cox sold 1.5 acres of land adjoining the Christian church for use as a cemetery. The church was then almost fifteen years old. Pioneers from all walks of life settled in the area; teachers, Masons, blacksmiths, merchants, soldiers, preachers, farmers, mothers, fathers, children, and many others created the community known as Johnsville. Many of them and their descendants were interred here in the Johnsville Cemetery. In 1948 the Johnsville School was consolidated with schools in Pony Creek and Chalk Mountain to form the Three Way School District. By 1997, only the Church of Christ (formerly called the Christian Church) and the cemetery remained as a record of the area's pioneer settlement. The Johnsville Cemetery continues to serve the area. (1998) LINGLEVILLE Marker # 3090 Location: Main Street, FM 8 City: Lingleville Marker Erected: 1990 Marker Text: Founded in 1884 by Jacob C. Lingle, the town of Lingleville originally covered a ten-block area. A post office was established in 1885, and by 1892 the community boasted stores, blacksmith shops, a mill, gin, and three churches. Although bypassed by the railroad, the town thrived and soon included education facilities and more businesses. Almost completely devastated by a downtown robbery and fire in 1901, the town rallied and rebuilt. The 1919 oil boom at the nearby Desdemona oil field brought increased settlement and business to Lingleville. (1990) LINGLEVILLE TABERNACLE Marker # 6255 Location: FM 219, about 0.2 mile S of FM 8 City: Lingleville Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: Built in 1913, this tabernacle served as a permanent structure for summer religious revivals, and eliminated the need to rebuild or repair the brush- covered arbors that had been used in earlier years. Local Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian church congregations helped erect the structure, which included the hand-made benches. Like many tabernacles, it also served as a community meeting place. It is still used for the annual Lingleville Homecoming. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983 Incising on base: Sponsored by Lingleville Homecoming Committee 1982 & 1983. WILLIAM T. MILLER GRIST MILL Marker # 5847 Location: 120 S. Park Street City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1975 Marker Text: Stonemasons Joe E. Bishop, "Rocky" Davis, and "Old Frank" Hamilton built this 2-story native stone mill for William T. Miller (1846-1936) in 1882. Steam power was used to grind grain here until a crude oil engine was installed (1918). The grist mill was converted to feed production after W. M. Wright and his son-in-law, Ted C. Robbins, purchased it in 1926. In 1974 Robbins and his wife gave the structure to the Dublin Historical Society as a museum for W. M. Wright Historical Park. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1975 MILLERVILLE CEMETERY Marker # 3383 Location: From Stephenville, take US 281 south about 15 mi. to FM 1824. Follow FM 1824 east about 3 mi.; then take caliche road south about 3 mi. City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: Henry and Lourilla Osborn Miller, immigrants from Missouri who settled in Cooke County, Texas, during the 1860s, bought land in this area about 1876 which they subdivided into small farm tracts and sold. Settlers who purchased the farms organized a Church of Christ and in 1877 Rufus and Ann Green Ascue Birdsell donated one acre of land a short distance north of this site for school purposes. By 1881 much of the Miller's original land holdings had been sold and a community by the name of Millerville had been established. Although local tradition indicates earlier interments here, the first recorded burial was that of Joseph Beaver, Sr., in 1877. Two acres were set aside for cemetery purposes in 1881 by Ebaline and Michael Ramfield. Ramfield descendants in the Giesecke family have continued a family tradition of land ownership in this area into the 1990s. Birdsell School, a general store, and the Millerville Church of Christ constituted the town center in the early 1900s. The cemetery served the community and contains the burial of many of the area's earliest settlers and their descendants. Maintained by an association since 1980, the cemetery represents the last physical reminder of the village of Millerville. (1995) MORGAN MILL TABERNACLE Marker # 3472 Location: Intersection of US 281 and FM 1188 City: Morgan Mill Marker Erected: 1994 Marker Text: The community of Morgan Mill, named for early settler George Bryan Morgan, traces its history to the mid-19th century. A post office was established in 1877. Several community church congregations shared a brush arbor in the summers for revivals and other meetings. In 1910 the brush arbor was replaced with this permanent structure, named the Morgan Mill Tabernacle. In addition to serving the churches, the tabernacle also was used by the local school and other community organizations. It remains in use as a community gathering place. (1994) NEW YORK HILL Marker # 3587 Location: From Thurber, take I-20 South access road east about 90 yards City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: This area of Thurber developed after 1917, when the Texas and Pacific Coal Company expanded into the burgeoning oil industry following W. K. Gordon's discovery of the Ranger oil field. Renamed in 1918, the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company brought staff for its new oil division to Thurber from New York. Thirty-one houses were built here on New York Hill. Church Street climbed the hill from town, as did sidewalks and brick steps, some of which were still visible decades later. The buildings on the hill were removed in the 1930s when the company town was dismantled. (1995) OLDEST HOME IN STEPHENVILLE Marker # 3841 Location: 525 E. Washington City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1967 Marker Text: Built in 1869 by J. D. Berry. Native limestone; Victorian architecture distinguished by steep roof, narrow windows, filigree gingerbread trim. Purchased 1965. Restored by public donation sponsored by Stephenville Study Club to house historical museum. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. OXFORD HOUSE Marker # 3894 Location: 563 N. Graham City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1994 Marker Text: Erath County native, attorney, judge, and civic leader W. J. Oxford (1861-1943) bought this property in 1879. In 1898-99 he had this house built with a $3,000 legal fee he earned in a major lawsuit. The Oxford House is an outstanding dramatic example of the late Queen Anne style and represents the only structure of its kind in Stephenville. It features a cypress wraparound porch, second level balcony, ornately detailed woodwork, character-defining cupola, and a copper eagle weather vane. After the 1920s the house was used as a boardinghouse, a bank, and as a private residence. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994 PECAN CEMETERY Marker # 3968 Location: From Dublin, take FM 219 SE about 9 miles City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 1992 Marker Text: The Pecan Cemetery traces its history to 1880. The oldest marked grave is that of Horace F. Adams (October 19-November 14, 1880), son of Isaac (1842-1931) and Mary (1855-1915) Adams, who are also buried in the historic graveyard. A memorial marker for Civil War casualty Daniel Turney (1829-1864) bears the earliest death date, although he is actually buried in Tyler. His family placed the memorial at his wife's grave site in the 1960s. The cemetery contains a number of 19th-century graves. It was the primary burial ground for residents of the Purves Community, which grew up around a blacksmith shop owned by James Purves. Friendship Baptist Church, located near the cemetery, served the community from 1884 until it disbanded in 1915. The building was torn down in 1922 and the material was used to build a tabernacle at Pecan Cemetery. Funerals were held in the tabernacle, and on annual special days families gathered there for refreshment while working in the cemetery. The Pecan Cemetery Endowment Corporation was formed in 1961 to provide perpetual care for the graveyard. (1992) PECAN CEMETERY TABERNACLE Marker # 3969 Location: 8 miles southeast of Dublin on FM 219; then 1.5 miles south on CR 291 (Pecan Cemetery Road) City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 1996 Marker Text: In 1884 J. W. McKenzie deeded 3.5 acres of land for church and cemetery purposes in the Purves Community. A portion of the donated land has been used as a burial ground since 1880. The Friendship Baptist Church disbanded in 1915 after serving the area for more than 30 years. Lumber from that church building was used to construct this tabernacle in 1922. The building is a well-preserved example of a group meeting shelter. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1996 PRESIDENT'S HOUSE Marker # 4115 Location: Tarleton State University campus, Hall of Presidents, corner of Doc Blanchard Blvd. and Military Drive City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Text: This home was built on the Tarleton State University campus in 1923 to serve as the residence of the college's chief executive officer. Originally called the Dean's Home, it was first occupied by the family of J. Thomas Davis, who is credited with designing the house. Exhibiting Mediterranean style influences, the home was built of native stone by local and student workers at a cost of $8,000. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 OLD PUBLIC WATER WELL Marker # 3786 Location: Greenwood Street City: Bluff Dale Marker Erected: 1971 Marker Text: An early day oasis for travelers and cattle herds. Dug about 1887 by crew building Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad. At first artesian, lost power when well was dug nearby to supply locomotives. Local residents, who now have private wells, still use this well in emergencies. (1971) Incising on base of marker: Restored 1965 by Bluff Dale Study and Garden Club PURVES LIVE OAK CEMETERY Marker # 11870 Location: 5.6 mi. southeast of Dublin on FM 219; 1.3 mi. S on CR 317 City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 2000 Marker Text: The earliest marked burial on this site is that of an infant who was born to the Ascue family on July 20, 1880, and died the same day. Though no deed to the cemetery has been found, deeds to the surrounding property refer to the four- acre burial ground. The Purves community was named for John Purves, who founded a church in the area in 1890, and William M. Purves, who became the town's first postmaster in 1897. Among the pioneers represented here are members of the Ascue, Bruner, Case, Currier, Daniel, Harris, McCurdy, McGee, Munch, Rasmussen, Stephens, Tatum, Turnbow and Whisenant families. With 359 graves in 1999, the cemetery continues to serve the community of Purves and the surrounding vicinity as a burial ground and a chronicle of history. (2000) RAMSEY CEMETERY Marker # 4175 Location: From Stephenville, take FM 8 NW about 3.5 miles City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: The nearby burial ground is named for William Ramsey, who in 1886 formally deeded the land around several early graves as a cemetery. The oldest legible tombstone, dated 1862, bears the name of Rebecca Henning. Many burial sites are marked only with native stones. Some of Erath County's first pioneers and several war veterans are buried in Ramsey Cemetery. Some of the pioneers and their descendants who are interred there are members of the Patton, Robertson, Lancaster, Tudor, Hampton, Carr, Mitchell, and Wideman families. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. ROUND GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 4360 Location: From Dublin take FM 2156 about 5 miles north, then take county road about 2 miles west City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Text: First church in western Erath County. Organized by the Rev. R. D. Ross in 1871 with 16 charter members. Had first Sunday School reported in county, 1872. Original church of logs and rough native lumber was built on site given by Ross family; rebuilt 1938. (1972) SAINT BARBARA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH Marker # 4438 Location: From Thurber, take I-20 S access road E 80 yards City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: Most of Thurber's immigrant population, representing eighteen nationalities, were Catholic. Missionary priests ministered to the town until 1892, when the coal company erected a Catholic church at the bottom of graveyard hill. Originally named St. Thuribus, it was renamed St. Barbara's to honor the patroness saint of miners. A church school, Hunter Academy, operated from 1894 to 1923. The church building was moved two miles north to Mingus when Thurber was dismantled in the 1930s, and was returned to Thurber in 1993 by Thurber preservationists. (1995) SELDEN Marker # 4634 Location: From Stephenville take SH 281 south about 6 miles, then follow FM 913 east about 2 miles City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Text: This community was originally named Garrett Springs for early settler J. B. Garrett who owned land along Sims Creek. It became known as Selden after the mid 1850s, when John Selden moved to the area. The settlement developed as an important early commercial center for nearby farms. It was the site of a grist mill and cotton gin, as well as a school, post office, lodge hall, and stores. The history of Selden is a reminder of the important role farming communities played in the agricultural development of Erath County. (1988) STEPHENVILLE CHURCH OF 1900 Marker # 5112 Location: 525 E. Washington City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1977 Marker Text: The Rev. John William Everds led his Presbyterian congregation in raising funds to erect this church, 1899-1900. It was designed by local builder and church leader William John Wilson. Fishscale shingling decorates the steeple of this carpenter Gothic edifice, occupied by the Presbyterians until 1966. Threatened with demolition at its original site, it was moved in 1976 to the grounds of Stephenville Historical House Museum and restored by community effort. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977 JOHN TARLETON Marker # 2814 Location: Corner of Lillian and Washington Streets City: Stephenville Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: John Tarleton was an orphan, who at an early age worked his way from New England to Knoxville, Tennessee. Employed in a dry goods store for over forty years, he invested in government land certificates, eventually securing patents to thousands of acres. Arriving in Texas in the 1870s, he lived briefly in Waco, where he operated a mercantile store. He moved to this area in 1880, and entered the cattle business. At his death in November 1895, he left the bulk of his estate to found Tarleton College, which opened in Stephenville in 1899. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 DANIEL ROBERTS AND MARY ANNA (GARLAND) THORNTON Marker # 6397 Location: From Stephenville, take SH 108 NW about 16 miles then go W 2 miles on local road City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Text: D. R. Thornton from Mississippi married Mary Anna, daughter of frontier fighter Peter Garland in Anderson County, Texas, in 1853. The Thorntons settled here in 1857 as cattle raisers, and helped make this frontier safe for less hardy citizens. Mrs. Thornton was midwife and doctor to fellow settlers. The couple reared eight children. Thornton, a Confederate soldier in the Civil War (1860s), served as county commissioner (1876-78), and gave land for local school (1882). Hannibal Cemetery stands on the donated land. (1976) THURBER Marker # 5486 Location: Smokestack Park area on northeast corner of I-20 and FM 108 City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1969 Marker Text: Most important mine site in Texas for 30 years. Coal here, probably known to Indians, was "discovered" in 1886 by W. W. Johnson, who with his brother Harvey sold out to Texas and Pacific Coal Company in 1888. (T. and P. Coal Company provided fuel for the Texas and Pacific Railroad, but was independently owned.) Town was named for H. K. Thurber, friend of T. and P. Coal Company founders. Most dynamic firm member was Robert D. Hunter (1833-1902), developer of 7 of 15 mines. Next president was E. L. Marston, Hunter's son-in-law, who left mining largely to William K. Gordon (1862-1949), an engineer who brought daily output to 3,000 tons. Then in 1917, Gordon (backed by management of coal company) was primarily responsible for discovery of Ranger oil field, 20 miles west. Adoption of oil- burning railway locomotives cut demand for coal. Last mine here closed in 1921, and the 10,000 or more inhabitants of Thurber began to move away. The coal firm changed its name to Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company and was sold in 1963 to Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Inc., for $277,000,000.00. Renamed Texas Pacific Oil Company, it is now one of largest independent domestic energy suppliers. Much coal (by estimate 127,000,000 tons) remains underground. (1969) SITE OF THURBER BIG LAKE AND DAIRY Marker # 4902 Location: From Thurber, take I-20 South access road east 1 mile City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: In 1891, a 20-acre "Little Lake" was built south of the Thurber townsite to supply water to the community. It soon proved inadequate, however, and five years later a 150-acre "Big Lake" was constructed here about a mile southeast of town. Texas and Pacific Coal Company president R. D. Hunter organized a hunting and fishing club at the Big Lake for company executives and staff. Water from the lake irrigated company-owned farmland in the valley below, and provided water for the nearby Thurber Dairy. The dairy's twin silos were still visible decades later. (1995) SITE OF THURBER BRICK PLANT Marker # 4901 Location: From Thurber, take south access road to I-20 east 100 yards City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: Texas and Pacific Coal Company general manager W. K. Gordon, seeing potential in the shale mud found in Thurber, persuaded company president R. D. Hunter to build a brick plant here in 1897. Original machinery included three Ross-Keller brick presses powered by a Corliss steam engine nicknamed "Old Hunter." The operation covered five acres and employed 800 men. Brick manufactured here was used to pave roads through out Texas, including old Bankhead Highway (US 80), Austin's Congress Avenue, Fort Worth's Camp Bowie Boulevard, and the Galveston Seawall. The plant closed in 1931. (1995) THURBER CEMETERY Marker # 5487 Location: From Thurber, take Old SH 108 north .25 miles City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: Encompassing slightly more than nine acres, the Thurber Cemetery documents the multi-ethnic Thurber community. The graveyard was divided into three sections with separate entrances: Catholic, Protestant, and African American. There are more than 1,000 graves here, including almost 700 unmarked burials. The oldest tombstone is that of Eva Chapman, an infant who died in 1890. More than half the total graves are those of infants and children, a reflection of such epidemic diseases as scarlet fever, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and whooping cough. (1995) SITE OF THURBER'S FIRST COAL MINE Marker # 4903 Location: From Thurber, take south access road to I-20 100 yards east City: Thurber Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: Two hundred yards southeast of this site, at the base of the hill and at a depth of 65 feet, the first coal mine in this area was placed in operation by brothers William W. and Harvey E. Johnson. After Harvey's death in 1888, and because of labor and financial difficulties, William Johnson sold his mining interest to R. D. Hunter's Texas and Pacific Coal Company. Railroads provided a ready market for coal, and the company town of Thurber (named for investor H. K. Thurber) became completely unionized after a 1903 strike. The company employed 2,500 miners of 18 nationalities. (1995) TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH Marker # 5560 Location: 433 N. Patrick Street City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Text: Bishop A. C. Garrett preached in Dublin 1881; in 1884 organized Trinity when he found an Episcopalian, Mrs. John Harris, living here. Church building started in 1889 was first used for services by the Rev. W. W. Patrick in 1890, consecrated in 1897. Frame building had stone veneer added in 1947. (1972) TURNBOW CEMETERY Marker # 5570 Location: From Dublin, take FM 219 south about 11 miles, then take county road east about .5 miles City: Dublin Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Text: Kentucky native Chesley Turnbow wed Sabra Rose of Tennessee in 1827. They lived in Tennessee and later in Arkansas before moving to Texas in the 1850s. By the 1870s they had settled on land at this site. The cemetery began as a family burial ground in 1879 with the interment of their grandchild, Henry Lee Rose, the infant son of Granville and Mary (Turnbow) Rose. In April of the following year Dovie Powell, the daughter of Louis Blake and Louisa (Chaddock) Powell, was buried in a nearby grave. That same month Chesley Turnbow, patriarch of the Turnbow family in Erath County, died and was buried near his grandson. Seven of his ten children are also among those buried here. Although the cemetery was established by the 1880s, it was not formally set aside until 1940. The donors were the heirs of William and Lettie Fox, Tennessee natives who moved to Erath County about 1870 and later purchased the Turnbow property. Individuals buried at this site include members of the Turnbow family, other pioneer settlers and their descendants, longtime residents of the surrounding rural community, and veterans of military conflicts, beginning with the Civil War. (1988) UPPER GREENS CREEK CEMETERY Marker # 5612 Location: From Dublin, take 67/377 northeast about 4 miles and go north on county road 1 mile, then go west about 1/10 mile City: Dublin vicinity Marker Erected: 1996 Marker Text: Early settlers to the Greens Creek area arrived from Georgia and Alabama in 1873. They bought farms, cleared the land, built homes, established a school, and organized two churches. Religious services for the Baptists and Methodists were held separately in members' homes until 1877, and later were held in a log schoolhouse. John W. Moore deeded two acres of land to the Baptist church in July 1880. Half of the land was used as a burial ground, as five graves had been placed there. It became known as the Greens Creek Baptist or the Upper Greens Creek Cemetery. The earliest documented grave is that of one-year old Luther Kiker in 1877. Six of the original thirteen charter members of the Greens Creek Baptist Church are also buried in this graveyard. Additional cemetery land was deeded to the Upper Greens Creek Cemetery by Nath G. Mulloy in 1909 and Fred and Stella Dupree in 1960. The cemetery contains the burials of many of the area's pioneer settlers and their descendants and veterans of wars ranging from the Mexican War to the Korean War. The cemetery is maintained by an association and continues to serve the community. (1996) J.F. WARNOCK HARDWARE Marker # 2675 Location: North Greenwood Street City: Bluff Dale Marker Erected: 1984 Marker Text: Jeptha Franklin Warnock came to Erath County in 1898 and later settled near Bluff Dale. In 1908 he opened a hardware store and in 1915 built this structure to house his business. Here Warnock provided supplies and implements to the surrounding agricultural area. A community landmark, the Warnock Store features a brick parapet, wooden storefront, and transom windows typical of early commercial buildings once common in Texas. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984 WYATT-BOYD RANCH COMPLEX Marker # 6399 Location: From Stephenville, take US 281 south about 5.5 miles City: Stephenville vicinity Marker Erected: 1987 Marker Text: This is a rare example of a virtually complete 19th-century Cross Timbers farmstead. Thought to have been built in the early 1870s by James J. Wyatt, the Cumberland plan one-story rough limestone two room ranch house was altered in the 1890s by J. H. Boyd and modified in the 1930s and 1940s. Other structures in the ranch complex include a single-room masonry dugout, two stone barns, and a rock base for an elevated cistern. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987 Incising on base: In honor of Naoma Caudle Frey Hickie, 1987