STEWARDS MILL STORE
(Built in 1867)

  For almost 100 years the Stewards Mill Store has 
been operated by descendants of its founder serving 
this small Central Texas community.  The store of 
yesterday sold horse collars, quinine, and whiskey 
while the store of today sells gasoline, asprin and 
Cokes.

  The first establishment was a grist mill owned 
and operated by Washington Steward.  At that time it 
was the only such mmill between the coastal area of 
Houston and the Dallas-Sherman area.  People came 
from great distance and camped out awaiting their 
turn to have their wheat or corn ground.  The mill
prospered and progressed from water to steam power 
but was burned by the "Yankees" during the Civil 
War.

  Rebuilding was begun in 1867 by Washington 
Steward with his son, Jerry T. Steward, and Dr. James 
I. Bonner as partners.  Lumber for this historic store
building was brought up the Trinity Tiber to Troy 
then carried overland. Record of the cost of this 
building is:
   Lumber....................$193.20
   Shingles....................70.00
   Building Shingles...........15.00
   Building House.............200.00
   Painting....................60.00
                              -------
                              $538.20
   1875 addition:
    Building Rooms..............90.00
    Shingles....................40.75
    Lumber......................57.25
                              -------
    Total Cost................$726.20
    
  Merchandise was hauled by wagon from Galveston 
on the return trip of "cotton hauls" and by water up
the Trinity River.
  Postal service was added Nov. 26, 1872, with the 
creation of Stewards Mill Post Office. It contin-
ued in operation until Feb. 14, 1914.
  The first telephone exchange in this county was
installed in the Stewards Mill Store by A. T. Watson.
First service was north to Corsicana and later south-
west to Wortham and Mexia.
  No known records are available for the brick kilns
but the store chimney is built of some of the locally
handmade brick.
  The saw mill operated for many years but records
were not preservved. Entry in Day Book for May, 1870,
shows "like quit the mill today."
   Electricity and butane have changed the store 
somewhat yet the present day store still uses the
original counters, bins, and cabinets as of yore. One
of the old mill stones serves as a door step into the 
store. Merchandise still hands from the ceiling and 
much of the old time atmosphere of the old country
store is still maintained by the present owners. Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Bragg.  Mrs. Bragg (nee Dorothy 
Watson) is a direct descendant of one of the original 
owners.
  The Stewards Mill Store is still the social gathering
point in the community. Items of news and thoughts
about local and foreign affairs are "swapped" on 
the south porch in the summer or around the store
in the winter. Customers are often delayed for a 
"little visiting" or for a game of 42 or dominoes.