USA > Texas > Williamson County > Taylor > Early history of Texas. Early history of Williamson County. The Webster massacre. Williamson County Court House sketches. Sketches of early days in Taylor > Part 2
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At the November term, 1863, M. E. Steele was appointed commis- sioner to sell the old wooden court house to the highest bidder in Confederate Treasury Notes. John J. Dimmett was appointed county attorney in January, 1867, and at the same meeting the northeast corner room in the court house was rented to Wm. H. Foster, pub- lisher of the Georgetown Watchman. However, the first paper pub- lished in Georgetown was the Williamson County Intelligencer and its editor, W. T. Marshock.
The northeast corner room was subsequently rented to Makemson and Foster and later H. F. Rosewood the last tenant had a shoe shop there, in 1868.
TALK OF A NEW COURT HOUSE
The Commissioners in session, April 17, 1877, brought up for con- sideration the subject of a new court house but no action was taken and at a meeting held the following month the matter was deferred indefinitely. £ In August the matter was again brought up and a motion carried on August 14, 1877, to build a new court house. The plans of Preston and Ruffin were adopted September 12, 1877, and sealed bids for the erection of the building were called for. The bid of John Didelot, $27,400, was accepted October 27, 1877, and the contract awarded. The building was rushed to completion and was turned over to the county September 2, 1878. On the following day allotment was made of offices to the county officers.
The commissioners court at this time was composed of D. S. Chessher, county judge; H. B. Sheppard, J. P. Smith, I. T. Lawler and J. P. Magill, commissioners.
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WILLIAMSON COUNTY COURT HOUSE SKETCHES
At this time the jail was located in the court house square, and the question of its removal to some other location was discussed at a meeting of the Commissioners Court held March 26, 1890 with Judge Chessher presiding, commissioners present, J. T. Wales, W. A. Smith,, D. McCunningham, and J. M. Allen.
The jail was ordered torn down and a fire proof vault for the pro- tection of the county records and an upper story for the commission- ers court and county judge's office was built on to the northeast corner of the court house. In passing on from the subject of the old court house, erected in 1877 mention should be made of the faithful old janitor, "Uncle Jimmy Taylor." He served the county for many years and if he had actually owned the property it would not have received better attention than was given it at the hands of "Uncle Jimmy."
THE PRESENT COURT HOUSE
The court house erected in 1877-1878 was showing signs of disin- tegration along about 1903. It was inspected from time to time by the commissioners, grand juries, architects and others and pronounc. ed unsafe. The building was not only considered unsafe but inade quate to present day requirements.
The commissioners court in session September 9,. 1909, with T. J. Lawhon, county judge, W. R. McElroy, W. A. Custard, M .M. Gardner, and S. G. Yakey, commissioners present, passed a resolution con- demning 'the old court house on account of defective foundation and walls and considered that same should be torn down and a new building erected. After arranging the necessary preliminaries the plans and specifications of C. H. Page and Brother were adopted February 19, 1910, and a short time thereafter the contract for con- s'truction of the building was awarded to W. C. Whitney of Beau- mont. The contract exclusive of furniture was practically $115,000.00. Richard Critz was the county judge at the time of completion of the court house.
It will be seen from the sketch 'that the county organization has occupied five court houses. Two of the court houses were located on the block across the street east of the square and the last three in the center of the square in Georgetown.
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Sketches of Early Days in Taylor
An accurate and detailed account of the growth of Taylor, taken from the Taylor Daily Press of January 12, 1923.
It has been my purpose for some time to contribute some remi- niscences of the early days of Taylor which I have been collecting for several years.
I have selected such of the da'ta as may be of local interest. In the sketches which will follow I have endeavored where practicable to verify facts furnished me in the interviews with the early settlers.
In the reminiscences I have not undertaken to cover a range of facts sufficiently complete to be called a history of Taylor. It is indeed an enormous task to cover in detail all of the important facts connected with the growth of any city. I was fortunate in securing interviews with some of the well known men of Williamson County who lived here before Taylor was laid off in 1876.
Among those to whom I am especially indebted for information may be mentioned the following: J. W. Darlington, C. P. Vance, J. E. Stiles, C. B. Wilson, H. T. Stearns, J. S. Rogers, A. Anderson, Hargis Brothers and others.
A glimpse of the pioneer settlements established in this portion of Williamson County is given as a historical background to the location of Taylor.
J. H. GRIFFITHI.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS
Settlements were made earlier than 1860 on Brushy and San Gabriel, also at Wilson Springs and on Turkey Creek.
Among the early settlers on Brushy were Calvin and E. B. Barker, Willis Avery, Bartlett Sims, Charles Saul, Doctor Knight, Daniel Kimbro and James O. Rice, the latter had the first postoffice and a tavern at Rice's Crossing.
On the San Gabriel were the families of Hamblen, Gordon, Rubarth. McFaden, Stearns, Eubank, Sloan, Easley and other.
East of Taylor on Turkey Creek, Nicholas and James Branch settled and at Wilson Springs, R. W. Wilson resided.
LATER SETTLEMENTS
On the hillside southwest of Taylor at the A. Symes place was a cowman's camp, and at the mouth of Flag Springs branch southeast
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SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS IN TAYLOR
was a house and perhaps one near Flag Springs. These nearby set- tlements appear to have been only temporary habitations. With the exception of the three named locations there were no other permanent settlements nearer the town site of Taylor in 1876 'than the one at Wilson Springs which was originally settled in 1849 by John Gooch, and later passed into the hands of R. W. Wilson, father of Charles B. Wilson.
EARLY STORES AND MERCHANTS
The nearest stores were at Circleville and Rice's Crossing. The one at Circleville was owned about 1871 by Seneca D. Brown, who later moved to New York where he became a prominent financier.
C. Tompkins, brother-in-law of Hargis Brothers, had a store at Rice's Crossing in 1877. Stores have continued without interruption at both places.
LOCATION OF TAYLOR, JUNE, 1876.
Taylor was first named Taylorsville for an official of the Interna. tional and Great Northern Railroad.
The Texas Land Company with headquarters at Palestine, Texas, 111 the spring of 1876 bought the Taylor town site off of the John Winsett and James C. Eaves surveys. The company advertised a sale of town lots to take place in June, 1876, presuming the I. and G. N. would be completed into Taylor by that time. The railroad. was not completed by that time but the sale of lots took place about June 10, 1876. Among the first lots sold was one bought by C. P. Vance who was then merchandising at Circleville associated with James A. Simons. He bought lot 14 in block 9 and later bought lot 15 in the same block. Wiley and Porter who were then engaged in business at Davilla bought lots 16 and 17 in the same block. Soon thereafter both firms opened for business on these locations.
In March, 1878, Womack and Sturgis bought lots 1, 2 and 3 in block 4. This is the present Speegle Brothers location and includes the old T. J. Kamp hotel property. The firm was engaged in business at this location until the fire which occurred in the late winter of 1878. This fire originated in the Kamp hotel and swept all of the wooden buildings on West Main Street from First Street to the Wiley and Porter building, and also consumed the buildings on the opposite side of Main Street to 'the Melasky location on lot 12, block 10.
After the fire Womack and Sturgis bought lots 3 and 4 in block 9, which are the third and fourth lots on the north side of Second Street and west of Main Street. The firm erected a substantial two- story brick on this location. The lower part was used for the mer- cantile business and the upper part was a well arranged assembly hall, provided with a stage.
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SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS IN TAYLOR
Other merchants following were J. Melasky, L. H. Goldstein, Talley and Meade, J. E. Tucker and others.
EARLY RESIDENTS
H. Dickson, the first agent for the I. and G. N. R. R., bought residence property lying west of Main Street and north of Seventh Street. His residence was located on the corner. The Dickson Addition extended north and west of the residence. Across Main Street immediately east of the Dickson residence was the old C. P. Vance homestead and on the same block east of the C. P. Vance was the James A. Simons home. Col. Fowzer built in the hackberry grove on the location of the High School building. R. S. Porter buil't on the southeast corner of block 21 at the intersection of Main and Fourth Streets. Others also located at this time.
FIRST HOTELS AND BOARDING HOUSES.
The T. J. Kamp hotel, located on the corner of West Main and First Streets, was the best of the early hotels. Other places kept as boarding houses or hotels before the Taylor Hotel was built by Burkitt and Murphy may be mentioned: Napier Hotel, on the present location of the Taylor Hardware Co .; The Minor Hotel, on the site of T. W. Marse Co. Julius A. Kroschewsky had a bakery and restau- rant on the corner of East Main and First Streets.
FIRST PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Soon after the town started in 1876 Prof. John McMurray had a school on the site of the J. W. Darlington residence on Sixth Street, immediately east of the Baptist Church. Here was also held the first Sunday School. Perhaps a little later Mrs. Kitty Hutchins had a school on the location of the present Catholic rectory. Prof. Green in 1882-1883 had a school in the old Odd Fellows' building, located north of the city square at the corner of Main and Fifth Streets. The "Lone Star Institute" about 1884-1885 was located in the northwestern part of the city, on Victoria Street. The teachers were Prof. J. V. Brown and wife. Prof. McMurray abandoned his first location for larger quarters and acquired the lots in block 28 immediately in front of the Presbyterian Church.
The McMurray school house was a one-s'tory building about twenty- four by sixty feet. It was a boxed, stripped and painted building. The entrance was from the west, on Talbot Street. There was a belfry and bell over the entrance. The playground was immediately south of the school building.
CITY OF TAYLOR ACQUIRES FIRST SCHOOL LOCATION
In August, 1883, the City of Taylor bought of H. Dickson all of
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SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS IN TAYLOR
block 4 in Dickson Addition as a location for the city schools, and the following year a school building was erected on this site. This building was framed and weather boarded and in size about 24 by 110 feet. A porch on the south extended about two-thirds the length of the building, and the building was divided into three rooms connected from east to west. The east room was for the high school, "he center room was for the grammar school and the west room for the primary department. The first teachers here were A. E. Hill, super- intendent, teacher of high school; J. S. Jones, teacher of grammar school, and Miss Emma Puckett, teacher of primary.
The school soon required additional room in consequence of the rapid growth of the city and a room was built about ten feet east of the main building. These buildings were removed and in 1890 what was known as the old high school building was erected.
The first graduates of the Taylor Public Schools were Mrs. Robt. L. Shoaf (nee Miss Lillian Noyes) and Fergusson Doak, the only members of the class of 1887.
The school trustees at the time the old brick high school building was erected but torn down in recent years were: : Dr. A. V. Doak, C. Mendel, C. H. Welch, J. P. Sturgis, James Griffith, and Hugh Burns. The City Council in the same year was composed of Mayor J. O. Frink; Aldermen T. J. Kamp, C. M. Still, J. F. Black, John Threadgill and J. F. Bowers.
EARLY CITY AND PRECINCT OFFICERS
Squires John Napier and J. B. Wright were the first Justices of Peace. W. A. Scruggs was probably the first constable. In 1884 the City Council was composed of the following: Mayor Daniel Moody; Aldermen J. W. Womack, H. Dickson, S. Riley, James A. Simons and M. R. Hoxie.
PROFESSIONS REPRESENTED
Among the first physicians were Doctors A. V. Doak, J. S. Brown, S. B. Williams, F. T. Cook and John Threadgill, although the latter named physician did not attempt to practice to any extent after coming to Taylor.
The legal profession appears to have been represented about this time by John W. Parker, now of Houston.
The first newspaper editors were Minor H. Brown, who published the Taylorsville Times, and Geo. R. Scott and associates, publishers of the Taylor Phonograph.
THE MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD REACHES TAYLOR
In the spring of 1882 the Missouri Pacific Ry., now (the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Ry.) was built into Taylor and remained the term- inus for several years.
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SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS IN TAYLOR
This railroad and the I. & G. N. maintained a joint office with the same agent for several years.
TAYLOR WATER SYSTEM
In 1882-1883 Geo. W. Burkitt and Dan Murphy Sr. put in a water works system to supply the city. The first supply of water came from springs in the Murphy and Mendel pastures. This source of supply was soon found to be inadequate and a pipe line was installed from the reservoir in the city to the San Gabriel. On account of the occasional summer drouths it was found that this source of water supply could not be depended on, however, the question of water supply was permanently solved by the present owners of the Taylor Water Co. in drilling the deep artesian well which furnishes an abundance of water.
FIRST BANKS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
The first bank in Taylor was a private bank owned by Miller Brothers and Robertson. It was discontinued about 1883.
In 1883 the First National Bank opened for business followed in 1888 by the Taylor National Bank, in 1900 by the City National Bank, in 1913 by 'the First State Bank and Trust Co.
The Taylor Savings and Loan Association started business in 1885.
FIRST COTTON GIN
I't has been said that the first cotton gin built in Taylor was located on the site of the Taylor Bedding Co.'s mattress factory, and built in 1877.
FIRST CHURCHES
The Texas Land Company, owner of the Taylor townsite, encourag- ed the building of churches and named only a nominal consideration in the deeds to the property deeded by the company to the first churches of Taylor.
According to the records the first church property acquired was lot 6, block 33, deeded March 11, 1878, to the Presbyterian Church.
The trustees named were J. D. Strayhorn, Schoonmaker, R. S. Porter, Jno. McLean, and Wm. T. Powell. Soon after the property was acquired a frame church building was erected. This building was used until a short time before the present brick building was erected in 1912. Among the first pastors were Reverend Jas. P. Lyle, although Prof. McMurray often conducted services here and perhaps others before Rev. Lyle.
The Christian Church bought lot 1, block 32, April 8, 1878, and erected thereon a frame church building. The 'trustees named in the deed were C. P. Vance, J. Allen Gano, C. Mendel, James Hamilton and George W. Hamilton.
Rev. Ferguson was among the first pastors, although Mr. Abney
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SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS IN TAYLOR
often conducted services here. The present brick church building was erected in 1891.
The Roman Catholic Church located on lots 6 and 7, block 24, acquired the location September 21, 1878. The property was deeded to C. M. Dubuis, Bishop of Galveston. A frame church building was soon thereafter erected on this location.
The present church building was erected in 1894. The first pastor was Father John Lauth.
The Baptist Church bought the church site October 21, 1882, and soon afterwards erected a temporary church building. Later a substantial octagon shaped frame building was built. This building was destroyed by fire, and a brick building was erected in 1899. The first pastors were Revs. Joseph Gronda and J. B. McFarland.
The church property of the Baptist Church was deeded to the following trustees: John Threadgill, O. W. Patty and E. Rhodes.
The first property acquired by the Methodist Church for a build- ing location was lot 6 in block 26, on Porter Street, deeded March 26, 1879. The lot was not built on by the church and was afterwards sold and the present location, lots 6 and 7, in block 21, was acquired by deed dated in 1885. The trustees named in the deed to the Talbot Street location were: J. M. McCartney, S. B. Williams, J. L. Pollock and M. Walters. A frame building was built in 1885 and used until a short time before the erection of the present brick building in 1900. Taylor was part of a Methodis't circuit until about the fall of 1885 when Rev. John M. Barcus was appointed to the Taylor station, and half of the time given to Temple. Before this time services were conducted at the Odd Fellows' building and perhaps at other places before the church building was erected in 1885.
The St. James' Episcopal Church bought the northwest corner of block 42, May 26, 1892. The present building was erected soon there- after. The church vestry at this time was composed of the following: P. M. Woodall, J .R. Boswell, D. K. Woodward ,A. V. Doak and D. R. Meade.
The first pastors were Reverends Duncan and Lloyd.
The Swedish Methodis't held service in their building on Howard Street which they had purchased from the Cumberland Presbyterians. This property was sold and in 1910 the present site was acquired, lots 6, 7 and 8, in block 2, Murphy Addition.
The first pastor in 1900 was Rev. E. Severin. The first pastor at the present location was Rev. T. J. Westerberg.
The Saint Paul Lutheran Church property on lot 1, block 42, was acquired by deed dated January 15, 1917. Rev. A. Hartmann was the first pastor at this location. The denomination had previously for several years conducted services in their frame building in the
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western part of the city.
The Bohemian Lutherans have a frame church building on the corner of Cecelia and Sloan Streets. Rev. Joseph Barton was among the first pastors.
It should be explained that some of the denominations mentioned above held services before their first church buildings were con- structed.
STREET CAR SYSTEM-1890
It is perhaps not generally known of late years that Taylor at one time had a street car line. It was owned by Dr. A. V. Doak. The line started on First Street at the intersection of Porter Street. It followed the street west to Main, north on Main to Seventh, west on Seventh to the Pavillion, located on the site of Dr. A. W. Gould's residence. Proceeding south on Sloan Street to Third Street, turning east to Doak Street and from there south to Second Street and thence east to the Main Street intersection of the line. The cars were small but adequate, each car was drawn by two Spanish mules. Two boards were placed on the inside of the track for the mules to walk on. The line was abandoned after a few years.
In concluding 'these sketches it should be said that the rich black lands surrounding Taylor, together with the favorable geographical location and the two trunk line railroads attracted a very fine type of early citizens. Many of them located nearby and engaged in ranching and farming.
It is hard to imagine the wonderful changes. With muddy streets and no side walks in 'the beginning, with scarcely any of the modern conveniences, we who remember these things of forty years ago can better appreciate the paved streets, sidewalks and other modern conveniences of today.
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