FALLS 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 ******************************************************************************** FALLS COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS The Texas Historical Commission http://www.thc.state.tx.us/index.html ALLEN HOUSE Marker # 126 Location: 305 Ward Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1991 Marker Text: Built in 1911 as a residence for the family of Dr. Walter and Netti (Falconer) Allen, this Greek Revival style house features a giant entablature supported by paired massive Ionic columns. The house was occupied by members of the Allen family until 1956. The following year after Nettie Allen's death, her sister- in-law Hazel Bennett Falconer donated the house for use as a community and social center. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991 BARCLAY CEMETERY Marker # 303 Location: From Rosebud, take SH 53 west about 8.5 mi, then go south on FM 1722 about 5 mi. (in Barclay community) City: Barclay Marker Erected: 1984 Marker Text: The town of Barclay was founded in 1877 when William Anderson Barclay (1849- 1927) opened a General Mercantile store here. A leader in farming, business, commercial and industrial circles throughout central Texas, W. A. Barclay also operated a large horse and cattle ranch nearby and was appointed the town's first postmaster in 1881. As more settlers moved into the area, the need for a church and cemetery became evident. In 1881 pioneer Lyddleton Smith of Washington County assigned three acres of land for a Baptist Church. The congregation that was organized became known as Beulah (later Barclay) Baptist Church, and its members set aside part of the property for a burial ground. Barclay Cemetery, with its oldest grave dating from 1882, has been enlarged several times over the years. Confederate veteran Paul Pieper (1849-1914), who moved his family to the town in 1882, donated part of his acreage for additional burial grounds in 1886 and deeded more land to the cemetery upon his death. The graveyard has been maintained by the Barclay Cemetery Association since 1915. In use for more than 100 years, the burial ground remains an important part of the history of this community. ROY BEDICHEK Marker # 11871 Location: Eddy Cemetery, Old Blevins Rd. exit off IH-35 City: Eddy Marker Erected: 1998 Marker Text: (June 27, 1878 - May 21, 1959) Born in Illinois to J. M. and Lucretia (Craven) Bedichek, Roy came to Falls County at the age of six. Educated first in his parents' school at Blevins and later at the Bedichek's Eddy Literary and Scientific Institute, he graduated from the University of Texas in 1903. He and Lillian Greer were married in 1910; their children were Mary, Sarah, and Bachman. Bedichek was a reporter, editor, teacher, and homesteader before joining the staff of the University of Texas in 1917; he became the second director of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in 1922. For twenty-six years he tailored league policies to the American ideal of education for every child. His use of educational competition as "a spur to industry and a whetstone of talent" has shaped the lives of the countless students who have participated in UIL academic, athletic, and musical contests. A lifelong outdoorsman and animal lover, Bedichek wrote "Adventures with a Texas Naturalist," which was published in 1947; his letters, evidence of his enthusiastic correspondence, were collected into two books. Bedichek is fondly remembered as a conversationalist, folklorist, and storyteller who related all experience to the natural world. "He had the most richly stored mind of any man I ever knew," said his friend J. Frank Dobie. (1998) BLEVINS CEMETERY Marker # 436 Location: From Bruceville-Eddy, take FM 1239 S about 9 miles City: Eddy Marker Erected: 1993 Marker Text: Born in the Republic of Texas in 1838, Amanda Ruble Taylor moved to this are in 1855. This cemetery began with her burial on family land in 1875. Her widower, the Rev. Issac Taylor, deeded land for this cemetery to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1879. The numerous infant grave sites reveal the harsh realities of frontier life. Buried alongside veterans of conflicts from the Texas Revolution to World War II are farmers whose perseverance and faith in the land helped shape this area. The Blevins Cemetery Association, founded in 1958, restored this site in 1991. BLEVINS COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL Marker # 435 Location: From Bruceville-Eddy, take FM 1239 S about 9 miles City: Eddy Marker Erected: 1992 Marker Text: The community of Blevins began about 1860, when Texas Revolution veteran Thomas H. Barron and his family settled near Deer Creek. The Rev. Isaac Taylor operated a school for area children from the 1870s until 1885, when Blevins School opened. A public school district, formally organized in 1916, served students in a nine-square mile area until 1939. A post office operated from 1886 to 1904, and at its height the community boasted two general stores, two cotton gins, two churches, a blacksmith shop, and ice house. BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 440 Location: From Marlin take SH 7 about 9.5 mi., then go south on FM 1771 about 3.5 mi. City: Reagan Marker Erected: 1970 Marker Text: Organized 1859 by 11 charter members; worship held regularly since. Z. N. Morrell and Judge R. E. B. Baylor were among early missionaries holding services in the settlers' log cabins. George Harlan deeded 28 acres for church, school, and cemetery in 1873. Land is part of grant given by Mexico in 1835 to his father, Doctor Isaiah Harlan. The first church building also housed an early school. Church has sponsored annual "May Day Singing" since 1887. Descendants still attend. The third (present) sanctuary was built here in 1908. BUCKSNORT Marker # 556 Location: From Marlin, take SH 6 about .5 mi (thru city limits), then go west .8 mi. on FM 712 City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1989 Marker Text: This area was first settled in 1837 by members of the Marlin and Menefee families. The settlement grew steadily, and for a time was known as Jarett Menefee's Supply Station. By the 1840s the village boasted a school, general store, blacksmith shop, racetrack, stable, saloon, stagecoach stop, and post office. According to local legend, the name Bucksnort was coined by an inebriated patron of the saloon. By the 1850s, as settlers moved into other areas in the county, Bucksnort was no longer a viable community. CAPTAIN HENRY GRAY CARTER Marker # 6516 Location: 407 Gift Street City: Marlin Marker Text: Born in Weston, Vermont. Moved to Texas in 1852. Enlisted as a Lieutenant in Confederate Army (Gen. Tom Green's Brigade, Texas Calvary) in 1861, during Civil War. Promoted to Captain in 1862 for gallantry, he fought against Gen. N. P. Banks' Army at Fort Butler, Mansfield, Bisland, and Pleasant Hill, where he was wounded. Married Cleopatra Williams in 1864. Moved to Marlin in 1871 and became prominent banker, rancher, and business leader. Built house on this site in 1871; in 1926 it was remodeled. Original ax-hewn log foundation, fireplaces, and square nails are still visible. CEDAR GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 769 Location: CR 4039 off FM 434 City: Satin Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: Newly emancipated blacks assembled on August 20, 1865, to form a congregation at Col. Ruben Buhl's plantation on the Brazos River (2 1/2 Mi. NE). The sixteen charter members named their fellowship Buhl's Quarters Baptist Church and met in a log cabin with the Rev. Joe Moore as their fist pastor. The Brazos River area often flooded, and in 1885 the congregation moved one mile west to higher ground donated by Col. Edward J. Gurley. The frame building there was named Rock Dam Baptist Church after the new site. According to local tradition, members were called to regular and special services by a bugle blown by brother Mose Wells. In 1890 Col. Gurley gave the church a bell that announced activity at the site. In that year the church listed almost 100 members, and the name was changed to Cedar Grove Baptist Church after the venerable trees shading the sanctuary. By 1924 membership had grown to 250, due primarily to the influx of sharecroppers on the surrounding farmland. By the early 1940s, however, land around the church was being stripped for gravel beds. In 1945 the congregation acquired this site in Satin and built a new church in 1946 under the leadership of the Rev. Hogan Guy, still using the 1890 bell. CHURCH OF THE VISITATION Marker # 863 Location: From Lott take SH 320 about 8 mi SW; take CR NW about .25 m (loc. in Westphalia) City: Lott Marker Erected: 1978 Marker Text: German natives who settled originally in Colorado County came here in 1879 looking for better land. Pleased with the soil and location, they brought their families and immediately purchased 100 acres for a church and school. The earliest Mass was said in 1882 in the home of the first settler, Theodore Rabroker. The original church building, completed in February 1884, was destroyed the following May by a terrible storm. The congregation rebuilt the structure by July. Large numbers of German-American Catholic families moved into the area. Westphalia was named after the province from which the early settlers came. Visiting priests served until 1893 when the Rev. Michael Heintzelmann was assigned as the permanent pastor. He led the congregation for the next 36 years. In 1895, with A. Fuchs of Waco as the designer and contractor, the present church house was completed. The stones were shipped by railroad from Muldoon, Texas, to Lott (8 mi. NE) and then hauled here by wagon. The central church area forms a Latin cross. For safety in storms, six inches of sway was built into the bell towers. The original-design stained glass windows are very rare and priceless. This is one of the largest wooden church buildings in the state. BOYHOOD HOME OF TOM CONNALLY Marker # 1037 Location: From Bruceville-Eddy, take SH 7 SE 1 mi then go NW CW co. Rd about 1.5 mi. City: Bruceville-Eddy Marker Erected: 1962 Marker Only COTTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 1082 Location: From Mooreville, take FM 2643 N about 3 miles City: Mooreville Marker Erected: 1984 Marker Text: This congregation was founded by a group of German-speaking families who had moved from the Washington County area to the rich farmlands of Falls County. The organizational meeting was held March 4, 1884, at the home of Anton Wittner. Fifteen charter members named their congregation the German Baptist Church of Cottonwood. For four years, worship services were held in the members' homes. In 1888, during the ministry of the Rev. F. J. Gleiss, the congregation's first full-time pastor, a church building was constructed. Additional, larger facilities were built over the years to accommodate the growing membership. During World War I, the German church was suspected of hiding arms in the sanctuary loft, despite the members' support of the war effort. In 1930 the congregation began a gradual transition from services conducted in German to those led in English. Renamed Cottonwood Baptist Church in 1945, the congregation has provided significant service and leadership to the residents of this area throughout its history. Descendants of some of the original German families continue to worship here. REV. NELSON T. DENSON AND MARLIN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Marker # 1206 Location: 507 Bennett at George Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Text: Born into slavery in Arkansas, Nelson Taylor Denson (1845-1938) was brought to Falls County in 1856 at the age of eleven. After accompanying his master in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, he returned to Marlin where he was a pioneer educator and Baptist circuit preacher. Educated by his master and inspired by the note Texas statesman Sam Houston, he became a prominent leader among the area Freedmen. On Nov. 8, 1868, the Rev. Denson started Marlin Missionary Baptist Church, the earliest black congregation in the county. Assisting him in the organization meeting was the pioneer Baptist preacher, the Rev. Z. N. Morrell. Rev. Denson was active in the establishment of several black schools, including one sponsored by the Marlin Missionary Baptist Church in 1877. Through his efforts, the opportunity for a formal education became a reality for area blacks by the mid-1880s. In 1882 the Rev. Denson became the first elected black official in the county when he was chosen commissioner of precinct one. Trusted and respected by all races, he continued to play a significant role in the community until his death at the age of 93. Today the church he founded in 1868 carries on the tradition of his enthusiasm and his service for others. DODSON PLACE Marker # 1240 Location: From Lott, follow FM 935 NW about 7 miles, private City: Lott Marker Erected: 1962 Marker Only FALCONER HOME Marker # 1560 Location: 433 Agnes Avenue City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: Constructed in 1880, this home originally housed a private boys' school known as Stafford Military Academy. When financial difficulties forced the school to close in 1886, it was purchased as a residence by Willis Lang Falconer, who had moved to Marlin from Mississippi in 1885. Falconer's family became well-known for its community service and maintained the home for more than 80 years. An interesting feature of the house is its formal Doric temple facade. FALLS COUNTY Marker # 1562 Location: From Marlin, take SH 6 about 4.5 miles S City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1965 Marker Text: Created Jan. 28, 1850, from Limestone and Milam counties. Organized Aug. 5, 1850. Named for falls on the Brazos River which flows through the center of the county. White colonization in the area pre-dates the Texas Revolution, but colonists fled on news of Santa Anna's assault, 1836. John Marlin, for whom county seat was named, returned and settled near present city. Growth was steady and the first railroad reached the county in 1870. A center for farming, manufacturing and dairying. Curative artesian water gives Marlin recognition as a health spa. FALLS COUNTY COURTHOUSE Marker # 11717 Location: 125 Bridge Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 2000 Marker Text: The Texas legislature created Falls County in 1850. The first courthouse was a log cabin, possibly located on this site. In 1855 the county seat (then Adams) was renamed Marlin, and construction was completed on what became the courthouse square. The second courthouse, built of native white cedar, burned about 1870. The third courthouse was completed by 1876 but was damaged in an 1886 storm. Houston architect Eugene Heiner drew the plans for a fourth courthouse, which was completed in 1888. It deteriorated quickly, and county officials began to seek funding for a new edifice. Work began on a fifth Falls County courthouse in 1938. A county bond issue for $130,000 was matched with a 45% Public Works Administration grant in 1938. The cornerstone was leveled by the Grand Lodge of Texas, A. F. & A. M., on July 4, 1939, and the building was completed by December. Much of the façade is Austin shellstone; Texas pink granite makes up the entry steps. The courthouse was designed in the Art Moderne style by architect Arthur E. Thomas of Dallas, and was constructed by San Antonio contractors Hill and Combs. Its symmetrical façade is dominated by a three-story central entry tower with key pattern stonework across the tower parapet. Among its unusual features are the massive shellstone entry surrounds and decorative corner pilasters. Arthur E. Thomas designed various other notable structures in Texas from the late 1930s to 1970, including other courthouses and projects for the Marlin Independent School District. The 1939 Falls County courthouse continues to serve as the center of county government. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-2000 FALLS HEALTH SPA Marker # 8834 Location: Coleman Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1970 Marker Text: (Built 1895; Rebuilt 1913) At hot mineral wells discovered in 1892. Built by local businessmen, to offer healing waters to the public. Famous guests included New York Giants under 1902-1932 manager, John J. McGraw. Spa also attracted Conrad Hilton, who opened luxury hotel here in 1930. FALLS OF THE BRAZOS RIVER Marker # 1563 Location: From Marlin, take FM 712 SW about 5 mi. to east bank of Brazos River in park City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1975 Marker Text: When Anglo-Americans began to settle in Texas, the falls of the Brazos were located 2 miles southwest of here. At that time, the water fell about 10 feet over a rocky ledge. The falls served the Indians and early settlers as a trial landmark, meeting point, and campsite. In 1834 colonizer Sterling C. Robertson (1785-1842) established the town of Sarahville De Viesca at the fall line of the west bank of the Brazos, but it was abandoned in 1836 because of Indian hostilities. Later renamed Ft. Milam, the settlement lasted only a few more years. It was followed by the town of Bucksnort, begun in the 1840s on the east side of the river. The falls also formed a natural fording place for frontier travel; the rocky stream bed was the only hard-bottom crossing of the Brazos within 200 miles of the coast. The rapids marked the limit of the river's 19th century steamboat traffic as well. Organized in 1850, Falls County was named for this distinctive landmark. Marlin became the county seat in 1851, and Bucksnort soon disappeared. The Brazos River changed course in 1866, moving the Fall line to the present site and lowering the rapids to about 2 feet. Today a county park is located along both sides of the river a county park is located along both sides of River at the falls. FIRST BPATIST CHURCH OF MARLIN Marker # 1651 Location: 309 Coleman Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1977 Marker Text: In Aug. 1851 the Falls County Commissioners Court donated three Marlin City lots as sites for Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches. Pioneer preacher the Rev. Z. N. Morrell selected a lot later designated as the southeast corner of Ward and Church streets for local Baptist Church of Christ with 10 charter members on April 10, 1852. Early worship services were held in the log courthouse and later in a two-story schoolhouse. A one-room brick church measuring 40 x 60 feet was erected in 1872 by Marlin builder William McComb on the property chosen by the Rev. Morrell. It served until 1898 when McComb constructed a frame edifice on the same site. In 1902 this congregation became the First Baptist Church of Marlin. The present site was purchased in 1915 to relocate the church as noise from the nearby railroad disrupted services. The Rev. S. D. Dollahite preached the first sermon in the new structure in 1929. Education buildings were added in 1950 and 1975. The church bell, about 80 years old, was placed in a brick frame on the church grounds in 1976. This fellowship established a mission, originally known as Perry Street Baptist Church, which later became Trinity Memorial Baptist Church. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ROSEBUD Marker # 1670 Location: 105 Main Street City: Rosebud Marker Erected: 1992 Marker Text: One year after the railroad town of Rosebud was platted, the First Baptist Church was established with eleven charter members. On March 2, 1890, the small congregation organized in a schoolhouse on the Gott Farm. In September of that year the church joined the Waco Baptist Association, but in 1891 became a charter member of the newly created Falls County Baptist Association. Worship services were held on the Gott Farm until 1892. That year the Texas Town Site Company deeded a lot on this block for the construction of a church, and services have been held at this site ever since. The congregation later acquired the entire block, and built several progressively larger church structures here over the years to accommodate its growth. Since the Ladies' Aid Society was formed in 1893, the congregation has been active in missionary and social service endeavors including revitalizing a local Hispanic Baptist mission, providing disaster relief, and ministering to the elderly. From its humble beginning, the First Baptist Church of Rosebud has become an important part of the religious life of this community. It continues to uphold the ideals of its founders. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF LOTT Marker # 1842 Location: Corner of 8th and Gassaway Streets City: Lott Marker Erected: 1995 Marker Text: The railroad town of Lott was platted here in 1890 and in 1892 the area Presbytery established this church. A sanctuary, built that year under the direction of the Rev. J. W. Siler, was destroyed by a tornado in 1893. A second church building, erected in 1901, was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning in 1939. A third sanctuary was completed at this site in 1942 and in 1951 a manse was built adjacent to the sanctuary. The congregation has traditionally supported a Ladies Auxiliary and a Sunday School, and continues to be active in national and foreign missionary activities. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MARLIN Marker # 1841 Location: 411 Oaks Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1974 Marker Text: The Presbyterian faith was preached in the Falls County Courthouse in Marlin in 1852, from a pulpit that was drawn up into the rafters when not in use. Presbyterians organized a church in 1853 in Carolina community (10 mi SE) and held missionary services here. On May 2, 1874, the Rev. Levi Tenney and the Rev. Hilary Mosely, commissioned by Central Presbytery, Synod of Texas, organized this church. Mrs. S. K. Bartlett, A. M. Chatam, William McPherson, W. L. Patillo, K. Sewall, and Dr. and Mrs. E. S. Weisiger were charter members. Agnes Patillo Clark, W. S. Clark, and Mrs. H. Singer soon joined. Ruling elders were Patillo and Dr. Weisiger. After years of worship in borrowed quarters, this congregation erected its first building in 1893, at corner of Fortune and Perry streets. Motte Martin, a youth who joined this church in 1894, became in 1902 one of the earliest missionaries to the Congo. Present edifice completed in March, 1918, was site of the city's service of Thanksgiving on Nov. 22, 1918, at end of World War I. Synod of Texas met here 1922. The educational building was erected in 1954; present manse, 1966. Since 1972, Marlin has been in Presbytery of the Covenant, in the Synod of Red River. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF MARLIN Marker # 3544 Location: 411 Coleman Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Text: Missionary preachers served Methodists in this area even before the establishment of Falls County or the city of Marlin. First sent was the Rev. John W. DeVilbiss in 1842. He wad followed by other circuit riders until the Rev. Charles Brown was appointed full-time Pastor for the Marlin congregation in 1874. In 1851 the Methodist selected a lot on which to build a church in the new town of Marlin. Adjoining lots ere added to the property at Fannin and Williams streets in 1879 and 1881. In 1909, under the Pastorate of the Rev. I.F. Betts, the church purchased this site. The building, still in use today, was completed in 1910. Bricks made from Brazos River Bottom Red Clay were used, while the painted and stained glass windows were imported from Italy. The church bell was at one time used on a southern plantation. The congregation has established a long tradition of Christian service. The church held its first revival on record in 1865 and has twice been host for the Texas Annual Conference of Methodist Churches. Its women's groups have actively supported mission work at home and abroad. One member, Miss Maggie Rogers, served as a Missionary in China from 1904 to 1943. Five of the church's members having entered the Ministry. FORT MILAM Marker # 2000 Location: From Marlin, take FM 712 about 4 mi SW to FM 2027, then Go south 2 mi. to local road. Take road east .7 mi. to Brazos River Falls City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text: Built at the capital of Robertson's Colony named in 1834 Sarahville De Viesca in honor of his mother Sarah Robertson and the Governor of Texas, Agustin DeViesca. Soon after its name was changed to Milam, December 27, 1835, a ranging company built the fort as a protection to the settlers against hostile Indians. GENERAL THOMAS HARRISON Marker # 2395 Location: From Reagan take SH 6 about 3.5 mi N. to Roadside Park City: Reagan Marker Erected: 1965 Marker Text: C.S.A. (1823 - 1891) Youngest only trio of Texas Brothers who all gained rank of general in Confederate Army. Lived in Falls County in 1850s. Veteran of Mexican War and of Texas frontier defense. Rose in Civil War to command of Terry's Texas Rangers. Rode with Cavalry of Gen. N. B. Forrest who got "Thar Fustest with the mostest". Fought at Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Ft. Donelson, Knoxville, Atlanta, was wounded 3 times and had 5 horses shot from under him. Elected district judge in 1866, was removed by reconstruction regime. Served as trustee of Waco University. HENSLEE HOUSE Marker # 2454 Location: 507 N. Second Street City: Rosebud Marker Erected: 1985 Marker Text: Sam G. (1863 - 1941) and Estella (1865 - 1944) Henslee had this residence constructed for their family in 1907. As an early Rosebud businessman and city council member, Henslee was a leader in the development of the town. The modified Victorian home, which remained in the Henslee family until 1944, exhibits elements of the shingle style of architecture. Prominent features include the porch with Doric columns and the diamond patterns in the shingled gable. RTHL - 1985 HIGHLANDS MANSION Marker # 2478 Location: From Marlin, take FM 147 NE about 1 miles (just past jct. with SH 6) City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1967 Marker Text: Built about 1898-1900 by B. C. Clark. Sturdy cypress; stained leaded Glass Dome, windows--Italian imports. Elegant Gay Nineties mansion prominent in early Marlin society and one of the showplaces of Texas at the turn of the century. RTHL - 1967 Incise in Base: Restored 1964-1967 by Mr. and Mrs. Lee E. Loeffler EARLY HILTON HOTEL Marker # 2489 Location: 226 Coleman Street City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1970 Marker Text: After Conrad Hilton had initiated career that later made him foremost innkeeper in the world, at first venture in boom town of Cisco brought a dream of Texas "wearing a chain of Hilton Hotels." Reality outran dreams. This was his eighth hotel. Marker dedicated to Conrad N. Hilton (born in 1887), one of the great men of America's southwestern frontier. HOPE CEMETERY Marker # 2558 Location: From Marlin, Take FM 147 east about 9 mi then go north about 3 mi to cemetery. (on west side of road) City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1980 Marker Text: Falls County Judge W. R. Reagan, pioneer school teacher, gave this 10-acre site in 1873 to Hope Baptist Church for a meeting, school, and burial ground. The 61-member fellowship under the pastorate of the Rev. J. J. Davis erected a sanctuary to serve the "Spunky Flat" area. The first grave in the cemetery after 1873 was that of a young girl whose family was traveling through the region. Over the plot they built a small house which washed away in a flood. The first marked site, dated 1874, is that of Alma Etta Watters. A summer revival conducted in 1921 under an arbor revitalized the congregation, and for several years the prayer meetings continued to draw large crowds. As residents moved to cities and young men went into military service in World War II, the membership declined. IN 1943 the last service was conducted. The sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1966. In the early years relatives and friends provided maintenance for the burial ground. Hope Cemetery Association was organized in 1974 and a tabernacle was constructed five years later. The graveyard, with 104 marked sites and many unmarked plots, continues to serve the area. HOT MINERAL WATER Marker # 2568 Location: Coleman and Railroad Streets City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1973 Marker Text: A well drilled on this site in 1892, in an effort to secure a public water supply, produced 48,000 gallons of hot mineral water daily from an artesian deposit underlying the area. At first believed unfit for human use, analysis proved the water possessed curative powers. On initiative of T. A. Cheeves, Drs. J. W. Cook, J. W. Torbett, and N. D. Buie, a health resort was developed, with a bath house built in 1895, and another well drilled in 1910. Marlin became a Mecca for health-seekers from all parts of the country, providing basis for local prosperity. INDIAN BATTLEFIELD Marker # 2630 Location: From Marlin, take SH 6 N about 6.5 miles City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Text: At this site, near the pioneer home of George Morgan, a battle took place, January 16, 1839, between settlers in this region and Indians under Chief Jose Maria in which the colonists were defeated. A treaty with these Indians made soon after brought comparative peace to this region. LIVE OAK CEMETERY Marker # 3102 Location: From Lott, take Hwy. 77 S about 1.5 mi. then go west on county road about 2.5 mi., and go south .5 mi. to cemetery City: Lott Marker Erected: 1982 Marker Text: The pioneer Falls County community of Live Oak began shortly after the Civil War. Originally known as Camden and later as Rupee, the settlement was the site of stores, a cotton gin, post office, doctors and a Masonic lodge. The Live Oak Baptist Church was established in the early 1870s. A log cabin served as the sanctuary and was also used as a schoolhouse. Land for the church, school and this community cemetery was donated by brothers George and E. R. Hodges, sons of pioneer area settler Homer Hodges. The earliest marked graves in the burial ground date from 1877 and are inscribed with the names Ida May and Mary T. Other graves here include those of E. R. Hodges (1840-1905) and members of his family; Pinkney Pulaski Hodges (1813-1895) and his descendants; prominent community leaders J. J. Hodges (d. 1918) and his son Bradley (d. 1961); and members of the pioneer Vinson and Jordan families. Live Oak began to decline in the 1890s when the area was bypassed by rail lines. The Baptist Church closed and the school was consolidated with the Lott district. Only the pioneer Live Oak Cemetery remains to mark the site of the early agricultural settlement. LOTT Marker # 3133 Location: NW corner of SH 320 and Judge R.W. Bailey Drive City: Lott Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: Located on a straight line from Cameron to Waco, this site was the natural choice for development of a new town along the San Antonio and Arkansas Pass Railroad in 1889. The Texas Townsite Company bought land from area pioneers Captain and Mrs. George H. Gassaway, who had purchased 7,000 acres in 1871. The railroad was given a right-of-way, and development began on a town, named in honor of railroad president Uriah Lott (1842- 1915). As the construction crew worked to complete the rail line businesses sprang to life in the new town. A post office was established, and the city was incorporated in a November 1890 election. City officers were elected in December, and Albert B. Hemphill became the first mayor. The Texas Townsite Company donated land to the town for a school and churches. The first school opened in 1890, followed by churches of several denominations. Fraternal organizations were established, and the Lott Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1895. Following the completion of the railroad, Lott experienced a time of rapid growth. Although the railroad route closed in 1949, the town flourished. MARLIN Marker # 3221 Location: Corner of Fortune and War Streets City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1990 Marker Text: In 1851, one year after Falls County was created, the town of Marlin was designated county seat. Formerly known as Adams, it was renamed for area pioneer John Marlin. The first courthouse was a log structure which also served as a school and community gathering place. A post office was established in 1851, the city was incorporated in 1867, and railroad service began in the 1870s. The discovery of hot mineral water wells in 1892 caused an economic boom. Spas, hotels, and hospitals were built, and Marlin was a noted health resort for the next fifty years. SITE OF THE HOME OF JOHN MARLIN Marker # 6525 Location: From Marlin, take SH 6 SW about 2.5 mi., then take local road west about .5 mi. City: Marlin Marker Text: Built in 1835. On January 10, 1839 it was attacked by about 70 Indians who were repulsed and seven of their number slain. One of the four defenders of the home was injured. McLENNAN'S BLUFF Marker # 3303 Location: From Rosebud, take FM 1963 W. about 1.5 mi., then go north on CR 347 about .5 Mi. City: Rosebud Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: Once known as "Sugar Loaf," this bluff overlooking Pond Creek was a landmark to early settlers in area. In 1835, Neil McLennan, a native of Scotland, built his home here, on land that had been granted to him as a member of Sterling Clack Robertson's Colony. The present town of Rosebud is located on part of Neil McLennan's land grant. McLennan's brother Laughlin settled his family about one mile north of this site. During the spring of 1836, Indians killed Laughlin McLennan, his wife and his mother, and captured three of his sons. As a result, the Neil McLennan family spent much of their ten years in Falls County in the nearby town of Nashville, a haven for settlers that had been begun by Sterling Robertson. In 1839, while a member of Capt. George Erath's scouting expedition, Neil McLennan first saw the territory that was to become McLennan County. He returned there in 1846, built a home, and lived there until his death in 1867. As part of the earliest Anglo settlement in this part of Texas, the McLennan family helped open the frontier for later immigrants. Their part in the area's history has been remembered with the naming of this bluff and the neighboring county. MOOREVILLE CEMETERY Marker # 3463 Location: CR 499E City: Mooreville Marker Erected: 1992 Marker Text: Irishman Robert Moore was the first person to settle permanently in this area. Arriving in the 1850s, he opened a general store on top of a hill south of Cow Bayou. By 1859 several other families lived here and the community became known as Mooreville. Confederate veteran Edward McCullough (1834-1902) came to Mooreville in 1865 and later purchased land that included this site. During his ownership this cemetery was established. The graveyard appears to have been used by the community at large from its beginning; the earliest marked graves, which date to 1866, bear surnames of Martin, Grayum, and Russell. The burial ground's existence was first recorded in deed records in 1876, when Edward McCollough deeded land for a burial ground. Since World War II, the historic burial ground has been maintained by the Mooreville Cemetery Association, which was formally established in 1973. The association counts among its members many descendants of Mooreville's original permanent settlers. The Mooreville Cemetery is an important cultural resource in this area. It remains a tangible reminder of this community's pioneer heritage. MOOREVILLE METHODIST CHURCH Marker # 3464 Location: FM 2643 City: Mooreville Marker Erected: 1992 Marker Text: Methodists living in this area were gathering for worship services as early as 1866. The following year, the Rev. Howell L. Taylor assisted the group in formally establishing a Methodist church congregation. Named the Mooreville Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the congregation had eighteen charter members. Early worship services were held 2 miles southeast of this site on George W. Bowman's farm. By 1874 the congregation had completed its first church structure. Built on land donated by Edward G. Hanrick, it was located 2 miles north. Services were held there until 1882, when the congregation built its second sanctuary at this site upon land donated by Edward McCullough. In 1912, the congregation constructed its third and present worship building. The appearance of the wood frame structure is eclectic, as its architectural elements reflect a variety of styles. Prominent features include a Queen Anne style shingled bell tower, bungalow style skirtwall foundation and bracketing, and beaux arts style arched windows. The historic church congregation has played an important role in the community's religious history. SITE OF THE HOME OF GEORGE MORGAN Marker # 3469 Location: From Marlin, take FM 2117 NW about 3.5 miles City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text: Indians attacking the house on the night of Jan. 1, 1839 killed George Morgan, Mrs. George Morgan, Mrs. Jackson Morgan, and Miss Adeline Marlin. MUSTANG PRAIRIE Marker # 11872 Location: 16 mi. E of Marlin on SH 7 to Kosse; 3 mi. SW on SH 14 to CR 283 City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1997 Marker Text: Though included in the Sterling Robertson grant of 1834, Mustang Prairie had only a handful of settlers prior to the Civil War. With Reconstruction and the 1870 arrival of the railroad at nearby Bremond came many business people. The majority of settlers were from Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The first dated burial in Mustang Prairie Cemetery was that of seven-year-old Laura M. Jones in 1869. Most of the families of Mustang Prairie are interred here. By 1872, Jonathan B. Davis had established the New Hope Baptist Church. Schoolchildren first attended classes in the church building; a three-room frame schoolhouse was built in 1877. In 1910 Mustang Prairie was granted a "conditional" eighth grade, and a two-story addition was built. By 1921 a storm had destroyed the building and its two-story addition; the original building was rebuilt. By 1939, only 13 students remained in the school, which was closed in 1940; students transferred to Kosse, later to Bremond. Within the decade, New Hope Baptist Church services were discontinued; the church building was demolished by tornado in the early 1980s. Now a small community, Mustang Prairie upholds a proud history of influence in Falls County and beyond. (1997) SITE OF NORTH PRAIRIE SCHOOL Marker # 11873 Location: US 77, 6 miles N of Chilton City: Chilton Marker Erected: 1999 Marker Text: On June 8, 1896, the citizens of North Prairie petitioned the Falls County Commissioners Court for a community school district, and North Prairie School District No. 65 was created. In 1910 a 2-room school housed two teachers and about 20 students. By 1926 the North Prairie School had grown to include about 30 students with three teachers providing instruction in nine grades. World War II called away many of North Prairie's young people. The community declined in population as did many community schools of the era, and in 1946 the North Prairie School District was consolidated with nearby Chilton schools. The North Prairie schoolhouse was razed within a few years, but remains a significant part of local history. (1999) OLD SETTLERS AND VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF FALLS COUNTY Marker # 3809 Location: From Lott, take FM 2027 about 6 miles SE City: Lott Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Text: Some 75 years after pioneers opened this region, the "Old Settlers Association of Falls County" was organized on July 4, 1908. In 1909, the Willis L. Lang Camp of Confederate veterans and the settlers held a joint reunion. Merging later, they chartered the "Old Settlers and Confederate Veterans Association of Falls County" in 1911. Goals were to memorialize deceased comrades, honor the pioneers, and preserve southern history. Signing the charter where John M. Jolly, Edmund Pierson, and J. H. Robertson of Marlin; R. B. Bratton of Kosse; N. R. Watkins and F. O. Porter of Lott. This 17.9-acre permanent reunion ground was acquired in 1912 from the family of J. K. Tomlinson, an 1858 settler from Georgia who, along with a son William, enlisted and died in the Civil War. In 1936, an historic log cabin was relocated here--to exhibit pioneer memorabilia. A new charter in 1946 renamed the organization the "Old Settlers and Veterans Association," signifying its opening to the soldiers of later wars. Patriotism, education and historical preservation are still stressed. Falls Countians in state and national life reflect ideals which have been instilled by this association. PERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Marker # 3991 Location: From Perry, take FM 1240 E about 2 miles City: Perry Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Text: Organized in 1872 west of Perry in home of Theodore Reusse (Rice) by a circuit rider, the Rev. F. Mumme. To 4 charter members, 11 others were added during 1872. This Victorian Gothic revival building was erected 1884-85 of pine and cypress lumber bought in Houston and hauled here by ox wagons. It was dedicated Feb. 7, 1885. In 100 years, 37 pastors have served the congregation. RTHL - 1972 JUDGE ALBERT G. AND HARRIET ELIZABETH GRIMES PERRY Marker # 3990 Location: SH 6 R.O.W. City: Perry Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Text: Tennessee native Albert G. Perry (1807-1874) began the study of law at age sixteen in his brother's Alabama law office. He became a successful attorney, but in 1831 left for Texas, settling in Washington, where he opened a law office. The following year, on January 8, he married Harriet Elizabeth Grimes (1816-1888), the daughter of pioneer Jesse Grimes (1788-1866), signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. In 1826, Harriet had arrived in Texas with her father and eight siblings, one of whom, Albert Calvin Grimes, later died at the Alamo. In late 1833 or early 1834, Perry became secretary to the Alcalde at Sarahville de Viesca in Robertson's Colony (in present Falls County), and in 1835 was first lt. of a frontier defense Ranger company. He was a member of the Viesca Committee of Safety, and was a delegate to the Consultation of 1835. The Perrys lived in Washington from 1836 to 1843, when they moved to Anderson in present Grimes County. In 1852 they moved to Falls County, where they farmed, and he was county and district judge. In 1883, when the railroad bypassed the community of Peyton, a new settlement developed along the rail line and was named Perry in honor of Albert G. Perry. PHILLIPS CEMETERY Marker # 4009 Location: From Lott, take Hwy 77 S about 3.5 miles City: Lott Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: Ezekial Thomas Phillips (1830-1905), a Civil War veteran, moved his family to Falls County in 1869. His son Robert M. Phillips (b. 1857) died in a shooting accident on March 18, 1883, a short time before his wedding. He was buried on this tract, which was to have been a wedding gift from his father. Requests for burials at this site were so numerous that Phillips donated the land as a public cemetery in 1903. There are 350 known graves, including those of Phillips and his wife Louise "Lucy" Jane (Wade) (1836-1897). Phillips Cemetery has served residents of the area for over a century. JONATHAN COCHRAN POOL Marker # 4068 Location: From Lott, take Hwy 77 S about 3 miles, then go E on CR about 3 miles City: Lott Marker Erected: 1983 Marker Text: (Aug. 6, 1806 - Feb. 21, 1886) A native of Georgia, Jonathan Cochran Pool moved to Texas with his family in 1815, settling in what is now Red River County. As a young man, he enlisted in the Texian Army and participated in early revolutionary skirmishes at Anahuac, Nacogdoches, and San Antonio. Pool later served as an Indian Scout for Gen. Sam Houston. In 1852 he settled in Falls County, where he was a farmer and stock raiser. A Civil War veteran, Pool was buried at this site on his plantation. POWERS CHAPEL Marker # 4103 Location: From Rosebud, take FM 1048 E about 6.1 miles, then go S on FM 2027 about 1.5 miles City: Rosebud Marker Erected: 1978 Marker Text: Before 1850 the Rev. Joseph P. Sneed (1804-1881), a Methodist circuit rider, organized the congregation later known as Powers Chapel. Luke Powers and John Cullines donated this land for a log church house built in 1855. It served as a community center and school until a two-story building, with a Masonic lodge upstairs, replaced it in 1870. This structure was completed in 1890. Acreage from other land gifts provided for the cemetery and the tabernacle which took the place of an early brush arbor. Revivals and Memorial Day services are still held here. HOMESITE OF THEODORE RABROKER Marker # 4163 Location: From Lott, take SH 320 S about 9 mi. (S. limit of Westphalia) City: Westphalia Marker Erected: 1979 Marker Text: Founder of Westphalia Community In 1866 Theodore Rabroker (1835-1905) and his wife Mary Ann (Brucktops) (1836-1886) immigrated from Westphalia Province, Germany. They lived for a time in Pennsylvania and Iowa. In 1877, while moving to Frelsburg, Colorado County, Rabroker saw the fertile land in this area and visualized a German-Catholic community here. In 1879 he and his wife and three children became the first settlers. In 1881 Rabroker purchased 217 acres from William Neyland and became Neyland's land agent, encouraging Frelsburg families to come here. Rabroker provided a place for prospective residents to live until they bought property. Only German-Catholics were invited to settle within a five-mile radius; this resulted in strong community traditions. The Rev. John Lauth celebrated the first Mass in 1882 in the Rabroker home (400 yds. W). The residence served as the center for village religious and civic activities until a church building was completed in February 1884. After a storm destroyed the structure in May, Rabroker led efforts to erect a new church edifice, complete in July 1884. After his first wife died, Rabroker married Theresa Halfman (1854-1932) and they had six children. The Rabroker home was destroyed by fire in 1975. SITE OF ST. PAUL SCHOOL Marker # 12527 Location: 3.4 miles N of Marlin on SH 6, then 2 miles E on FM 2307 (St. Paul Road) City: Marlin vicinity Marker Erected: 2001 Marker Text: Founded by the German farmers and ranchers who settled this part of Falls County, St. Paul School dates to 1896 when a schoolhouse was built near the St. Paul Church. After school trustees purchased land in 1906 and again in 1910, a three-room schoolhouse was built just west of this site. The school served students through the ninth grade, after which they went to Marlin to complete their high school education. After providing educational and athletic programs to local students for 52 years, St. Paul School consolidated with the Marlin school district in 1948. Part of the water well that once served the school remains on the property as a physical reminder. (2001) SALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH Marker # 12727 Location: 2 miles S of Barclay on FM 1772 City: Barclay Marker Erected: 2002 Marker Text: Salem Lutheran Church Organized November 24, 1901, in the Hamilton schoolhouse, this congregation began with 17 charter members, many of whom had come from the Welcome community in Austin County. The Rev. W. Utesch, who also was from Welcome, provided guidance and leadership at that first gathering. The congregation of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church held monthly services in its first years. In May 1906, Lutherans in the neighboring community of Cyclone decided to join the Salem church. That union brought about a strength in numbers that allowed the church to call the Rev. August Dziewas as its first resident pastor soon thereafter. Land was purchased for a parsonage, and the congregation acquired the former Terry's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, south, building to serve as its house of worship. A cemetery, with the first burial dating to 1903, is also associated with the congregation. As membership in Salem Lutheran Church increased, a larger sanctuary was needed. The new church building was completed and dedicated in 1924. Additional facilities were constructed through the years to accommodate new programs and activities. With its emphasis on worship, mission and outreach, Salem Lutheran Church has played a significant role in the religious and cultural heritage of this rural area of Falls County. (2002) SITE OF COLONIAL CAPITAL SARAHVILLE DE VIESCA Marker # 4592 Location: From Reagan, take SH 6 north about 3.5 mi. to roadside park City: Reagan vicinity Marker Erected: 1970 Marker Text: Founded 1834 by Sterling C. Robertson, colonizer of a 100 by 200-mile area embracing all or part of 30 later Texas counties. Situated near falls of Brazos River, where over a stony ford passed much traffic between east and southwest Texas, this was Robertson Colony capital. An important Sarahville site was land office, where settlers applied for their titles. Town was named for Robertson's mother, and for Agustin Viesca, Governor of the province of Coahuila and Texas. Target of Indian hostilities, Sarahville was abandoned, 1836. ST. PAUL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Marker # 5072 Location: 6 miles N on SH 6, then 2 miles E on FM 2307 City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Text: In 1894 German settlers founded the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Congregation with the Rev. F. W. Ernst Hartmann as pastor. In 1896 they built a school and called their first resident minister, the Rev. Dr. Samuel D. Press (1875-1967), who was later head of Eden Seminary in St. Louis for 35 years. The first church building was replaced by the present structure in 1920. Renamed St. Paul United Church of Christ after four denominations merged in 1957, the fellowship has played a vital role in preserving the German community's heritage. STRANGER COMMUNITY, CEMETERY AND CHURCHES Marker # 5136 Location: 9.5 miles E on SH 7, 1 mile N on FM 1771 City: Marlin Marker Erected: 1980 Marker Text: This community was originally settled as Blue Ridge prior to 1850. Thomas McKissick Garrett donated land (two miles northeast) for the establishment of a school, church, and Garrett Cemetery. With the estate settlement following his death in 1862, the property was removed from public use. This location was donated by David Barclay and two grandsons of Thomas Garrett, James Franklin Erskine and Thomas Jasper Erskine. The name Stranger was suggested by a visiting Frenchman about 1870. Buildings for a Methodist-Presbyterian Union Church and a Baptist church were conducted in July 1869. The first school classes were conducted in the new sanctuaries. By 1877 the Union Academy and Union School had become public free schools. A separate schoolhouse (1/4 mile northeast) was constructed in 1902. Stranger once had a cotton gin, stock dipping vat, doctors, general stores, blacksmith shop, stagecoach inn, and mills, but only the cemetery and church buildings remain. The sanctuaries, where services were conducted until 1960, are now used for the biannual homecoming activities. TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH Marker # 6533 Location: From Perry, take SH 6 N 1.75 miles then go E on county road for about 3 miles City: Riesel Marker Text: The first Lutheran worship service in this area of Falls County was conducted in 1882 by a traveling missionary, The Rev. John J. Trinklein. Speaking to a largely German congregation, he encouraged the organization of a Lutheran church. By June 1883 Trinity Lutheran Church was established, and the members had purchased four acres of land and had erected a chapel. Within ten years, growth in membership at the church near Riesel necessitated the construction of a new sanctuary. The building was completed in 1891, only to be destroyed by a tornado the following year. A new church building was dedicated in June 1893. The fellowship now worships in a sanctuary completed in 1937 during the pastorate of the Rev. E. A. Heckmann. Trinity Lutheran Church has been served by numerous pastors, including the Rev. F. Wunderlich, who founded a Christian day school that was operated by the church for more than 80 years. The Rev. H. Studtman served this fellowship form 1904 until 1926, when he was appointed first president of Concordia Lutheran College in Austin. The Rev. Louis Boriack translated the church's constitution from the original German and rewrote it in English during his 1951-56 pastorate. Elements of the church's German heritage are still visible today. UNION CEMETERY Marker # 5593 Location: From Lott, take US 77 N about 4 miles, then go W about 4 miles on FM 935 City: Lott Marker Erected: 1996 Marker Text: Four acres of land were donated for Union Cemetery by early settlers Joseph Marcus Jackson and his wife Eleanor Thompson Jackson. Named Union Cemetery because it serves all of the communities around Durango, the earliest recorded burial was that of infant Mary Braswell in 1836. Among the more than 800 burials are many of the area's pioneer settlers and their descendants, and veterans from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The cemetery is maintained by an association established in 1977, and continues to serve this area of Falls County. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF LOTT Marker # 5603 Location: Walnut at N. 5th Streets City: Lott Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Text: This church was organized in January 1890, the same year Lott was incorporated as a town. The first meetings were held in the Masonic lodge building under the direction of the Rev. R. V. Hocutt. Trustees of the church purchased land at this location in 1892 from the Texas Town Site Company. The first sanctuary here was destroyed by a storm before it was completed, and was replaced by the original section of the present building in 1895. Known earlier as Lott Methodist Church, South, and Grace Methodist, the congregation was renamed. WESTPHALIA LITTLE SCHOOL Marker # 5772 Location: From Lott, take SH 320 SW about 8 miles to Westphalia community, then take county road NW about .25 mile City: Lott Marker Erected: 1982 Marker Text: Plans for the establishment of a school to serve the German Catholic community of Westphalia began soon after the earliest settlers arrived here in 1879. Under the direction of the first trustees, Anton Jansing, Joseph Hoelscher, and Stanislaus Rollewitz, the school was set up to provide parochial and public instruction. The Westphalia Little School opened in 1884. Early teachers were J. H. Pels; Professor A. Kechoff; Brother Stefan Geiser, CPPS; George Laloumoudiere; G. Horst Daniel; Joseph Henke; and Tim Sullivan. The building was originally constructed as the Church of Visitation. After being heavily damaged by storms, it was remodeled in 1893 for use as the community schoolhouse. In 1899 the Sisters of Divine Providence from Our Lady of the Lake Covent in San Antonio began teaching in the school. Although the parochial program ended in 1935, the Sisters have continued to serve in the public school. Since 1884 Westphalia Little School has continued to offer area residents a quality educational program based on a cooperative effort between public and parochial instruction. WILLIAM F. WILLIAMS Marker # 5851 Location: From Kosse, take SJ 14 about 2 miles S (on east side of road) City: Kosse Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Text: Kentuckian W. F. Williams met Sam Houston in Tennessee and later joined his army to fight for Texas Independence at the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. Williams came to Falls County in 1857. A farmer and rancher, he was also a partner in Mosley and Williams General Store in nearby Kosse. He was a member of Eutaw Lodge No. 233, A.F. & A.M. He married Amanda Walling and had ten children. SITE OF WILSON SCHOOL Marker # 4915 Location: 4 miles W of Rosebud on SH 53, 1 mile S on FM 1963. 4 miles W on FM 1671 City: Rosebud Marker Erected: 1997 Marker Text: The Wilson School that once stood here traced its history to the 1890s, when entrepreneur William Anderson Barclay deeded one acre of land for a schoolhouse. Typical of many rural schools in Texas in the late nineteenth century, the Wilson School was functional in design. Built of clapboard construction and topped with a shingle roof, the building contained three rooms. Two rooms were classrooms; one for grades one through four, the second for grades five through eight. The third room was a communal room shared by both classes. Ray Hodges served as one of the earliest teachers here. During the depression of the 1930s payment to the two teachers was often delayed, and barter was sometimes used instead of money. The average graduating class was four or five students, many of whom served with distinction in World War II. In 1950 the Wilson School District was absorbed into the Rosebud Independent School District as part of the Gilmer-Aikin Minimum Standards Education Bill passed by the Texas Legislature. The school building was dismantled in 1955; only a few physical reminders remain to mark the site.