Jones County Texas Archives - History of Anson - 1928 *********************************************************** Submitted by: Dorman Holub Date: 19 January 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/jones/jonestoc.htm *********************************************************** The Stamford American Thursday, April 12, 1928 Name of County Seat Never Changed Officially From Jones City to Anson Operating under a name that has never been legally changed is Anson, county site of Jones county. Almost half a century ago, the Anson of today was the ÒJones CityÓ of yesterday, and was a mere village of three houses and several stores. ÒJones CityÓ was conceived when W.M. McD. Bowyer, acknowledged ÒDaddy of Anson,Ó built a store on the present town site to serve the interest of the big ranching country outlying the point. In order to make the spot more attractive, a man was dispatched regularly to Fort Phantom Hill, then a thriving center, to secure mail. The mail was then distributed from the Jones City store to ranchers. In those days, Abilene was the nearest town to ÒJones City,Ó and it represented a real journey to travel there. Official town plat of ÒJones CityÓ was laid off in January, 1880, by Martin Duvall. The next year the town was successful contestant for the county seat, being given the decision after three elections. Places completing for designation as the county site were: Jones City (now Anson), Brazos City, located on the Clear Fork. Phantom Hill, remains of which are standing today, and Paint City. The first elections were thrown out, it being rumored that a certain citizen of the Jones City of yesterday, and of the Anson of today, offered to give a town site lot to everyone who voted for the place as the county seat. Petition for organization of Jones county was signed by 147 people, and it was organized in July, 1881, 23 years after it had been created from Bexar and Bosque counties. Its first county officials were: E.M. Johnson - County Judge W.H. Smith - District and County Clerk J.P. Cole - Sheriff and tax collector F.T. Knox - Treasurer A.J. Carr - Tax Assessor Martin Duvall - County Surveyor County Commissioners - J.J. Elliott, T.J. Scott, C.J. Chapman, A. Calham. B.F. Buie - County Attorney appointed in October 1881. There was no lawyer in the county when election of officers were held. In August, 1887, Anson was connected with Abilene by telephone, and for some time, the line did not run farther north. By 1893, 24 business houses were thriving in Anson. In April of that year, however, a disastrous fire destroyed 16 of these concerns. Again in 1904 or 1907, part of the business section burned, and after that, the town was rebuilt with brick. Perhaps the biggest building boom experienced in Anson took place about five years ago, when the lake and city paving projects were completed. Since that time more than 100 residences have been completed, among them being two $10,000 brick homes and an attractive stucco house. It is estimated that brick and stone building to the extent of 655 feet have been constructed within that period, also. At the present time a $30,000 building program is underway.