Issue 1 Volume 3 Grimes County Historical Commission January 2017

Meetings of the Grimes County Historical Commission are held on the Second Monday of the Month at 7:00 pm in the Courthouse Annex in Anderson, Texas

Contact Information Joe King Fultz [email protected]

Visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Grim esCountyHistoricalCommission

Grimes County Historical Commission Executive Board Photo of the Month Chairman Joe King Fultz

Vice Chairman Vacant

Secretary Vanessa Burzynski

Treasurer Joe King Fultz

COMMITTEES

Historical Markers Denise Upchurch

Historic Preservation Sarah Nash Navasota City Hall Newsletter & Publicity Navasota, Texas Vanessa Burzynski

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the Camp properties on the south. He built a log Navasota, Texas cabin under a big oak tree, which still stands in the yard of the Crittenden Hardy’s home. Here the Negro women who worked the crop left their babies Navasota was founded in 1831 as the stagecoach on pallets and at intervals one or another would stop of Nolansville. Its name was changed in 1858 to return to the cabin to see about them. Aunt Maria Navasota, a name perhaps derived from the Native Nolan went in one morning and found her baby American word nabatoto (“muddy water”). dead, a wildcat had gotten in and eaten the baby’s face entirely away. The earliest settlers to come to Navasota were James Nolan, Sr., James Nolan, Jr., I. M. Freeman and wife, James Nolan built a large hotel on the Washington D. Fisher and wife, Mrs. P. A. Smith, J. J. Creagor, W. T. Avenue corner where J. W. Brosig later built a fine, Smitheal and wife, W. J. Peterson, Mrs. W. E. Bigger, large hardware store, and which is still owned by the Mr. and Mrs. Giesel, Charles Ahrenbeck, Chris Brosigs. Many families have moved to Navasota by Froehligh and A. Rainbow. To Judge James Nolan this time and the Nolan hotel was filled to capacity goes the distinction of being Navasota’s earliest most of the time. Every day after the noonday meal citizen. According to his granddaughter, Dorothy at the Nolan hotel, a floorshow was put on for the Clark Bednar, he came to Navasota from Mississippi guests or anybody else who cared to come. It was right after Texas became a state, probably as early as free and Navasota’s first floor shows though it was 1846. He had no grant or certificate of any kind, but not then known as such. picked out a likely place to live and squatted. The place he chose for his first home happened to be The big brown bear was brought out and fed a bowl land later owned by Mr. Bob Blackshear. James of honey. That was his pay-off and he wouldn’t Nolan brought with him in his oxen drawn wagon his budge until he had eaten it. Then he’d go through father and mother, a daughter and at least one slave. the gamut of his tricks. He waltzed, boxed and Aunt Maria Nolan, who lived to be almost a hundred played dead. His partners were the Negroes who years old and never deviated in her affection for “Ole worked about the hotel. They loved it because the Master’s folks.” Besides his family, he brought with guests tossed them coins. him a brown pet bear. His equipment consisted of several tents, a few crude pieces of furniture, a few In August 1859 Mr. Nolan deeded to the H & TC pots and pans, bedding, farming tools, and seed. Railroad 80 acres of land to be used as a right of way Besides vegetable seed he brought cotton and corn and subdivision. He gave land to the Jewish citizens seed. He lived in tents until about 1855 at which time and the Negroes for burial purposes and to the he began to buy up land. He bought 133 acres from Christian peoples he gave the south end of Oakland M. L. Duke for 77 cents an acre. He bought other land Cemetery. Atchinson gave the rest. Judge Nolan was as cheap as 50 cents per acre. He built his first real never actually a Judge but on one occasion he home at the back of the property, which is now the presided at a case when the populace wanted to old Brosig home place and where Mrs. Watts Brown lynch a criminal. Since then he was called Judge and Miss Nettie Brosig live. It was a double log Nolan. house. Judge Nolan sunk a 60-foot water well on the corner of the place. He struck such a strong current of water that people came from all around and After September 1859, when the Houston and Texas hauled the water away in barrels. Travelers too Central Railway built into the town, Navasota stopped to water their thirsty horses and to quench became important as a shipping and marketing their own thirst. Judge Nolan planted 15 acres in center for the surrounding area. Whereas nearby cotton. This land embraced the region extending Washington on the Brazos protested the coming of from his log house covering the entire area about the rails, the old historic town forfeited its our churches except a plot of 4 acres that had been geographic advantage, and it began to decline as deeded by Dickson Greer and Jackson M. Duke to the many of its businesses and residences began a sure school trustees for school purposes. It extended to migration to the new railhead across the Brazos River at Navasota.

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Slaves were a large part of the local economy, as they During these days, Navasota was considered a wild were imported, traded and used to work in the many and wooly place, where it was not considered safe local cotton plantations. Guns were made in nearby for women and children to go downtown in broad Anderson, and cotton, gunpowder, and shoes were daylight. The downtown buildings were teaming with made, processed and stored there for the Southern lawless ruffians, gamblers, prostitutes and drunks. Confederacy during the American Civil War. By 1865 Lawmen had to hide and watch, and often were the population was about 2,700. All during the Civil afraid of the streets at night. There were many War, all the marketable goods produced in the saloons and gaming halls, and every Sunday morning region were brought to Navasota, then the furthest the undertaker hitched up the buggy and went inland railhead in Texas, to be shipped south to downtown to collect the bodies that were Galveston, where it could be transported by anticipated to be there, from another wild Saturday steamboat from the Texas coast and up the night. Mississippi River to the war effort, or exported to Mexico or overseas to Europe. By Spring of 1861 Navasota had grown by leaps and bounds. It resembled a young metropolis. Then Navasota suffered a series of disasters in the mid- came the war. Everything stopped dead off. 1860s that severely depleted its population. In 1865 Business was at a stalemate. No new industries a warehouse filled with cotton and gunpowder came in. Few buildings were built and trade had exploded after it was torched by vagrant stopped. Most of the young men had gone off to war, Confederate veterans; the blast killed a number of leaving behind the women and children., the very old people and started a fire that destroyed much of the and the disabled. By the time four years had original downtown, and damaged many buildings, elapsed, the time it took to lose the war, Navasota including the post office. Not long afterward the was in a sad state. Slaves had been freed, many of town was struck by a deadly cholera epidemic, which its choicest young men had been killed in battle; was followed in 1867 by an even more dangerous others chose to settle elsewhere. Everywhere was epidemic of yellow fever. As many Navasota citizens, chaos, confusion, dilapidation and want. including the mayor, fled to escape the disease, the town population dropped by about 50 percent. Soldiers who had returned were naked, barefoot and penniless. They were disgruntled at losing the war; Mid 1860s skirmish between Navasota disgruntled they were disgusted at not being able to get any pay freedmen and Confederate veterans broke out in the so they felt justified in seizing anything that Brazos Bottoms near Millican, after a race riot there belonged to the government in lieu of the debt, threw the whole region into a panic. An informal which they considered the government owed them. militia rallied in Bryan, gathered arms, and caught A few military stores consisting of kegs of the train southward towards the angry mob of gunpowder, cotton, bayonets, salt and swords were armed freedmen who were marching on Bryan, a city stored in Parker Smith’s warehouse. The soldiers to the north of Navasota. Many men were left dead burst into the warehouse, broke open the powder and many were wounded after this little-known kegs and scattered the powder all over the place battle, perhaps the greatest race battle ever fought onto the adjacent sidewalks. One soldier filled a in Texas. This led to the formation of numerous shell with powder, struck a match to it and rolled it private militias, and ultimately during the late 1860s toward the warehouse. There followed a terrific the KKK in Navasota, and on one occasion a tense explosion followed by roaring flames. Some of the confrontation between federal soldiers and a crowd adjacent buildings were blown to bits, and the of local white citizens occurred there. Later the flames consumed the others. The conflagration was White Man’s Union was formed, which sought so terrific that the bucket brigade was helpless. A political solutions when possible to the power few buildings by some freak of circumstances were struggles in Navasota. not burned. The platform about the depot and Clough’s warehouse in back of the depot was burned. The Nolan Hotel was burned to ashes.

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The depot and Mrs. Loftin’s hotel were not burned. over, there being but three deaths that month. The Bales of cotton were hurled 300 feet into the air and panic that the epidemic created was terrific. Out of were found in remote parts of town. All the a population of 3,000 only 400 remained in town. The warehouses about the depot were destroyed and all people fled precipitously on foot, in carriages, in the stores in what used to be known as the wagons and carts, buggies and drays, just any way at Templeman block were destroyed. A Mr. Henepin all, just so long as they got out of the pestilent was known to have been blown to bits and two stricken city. Some died before they reached their unidentified skeletons were found in the ashes of the destination. Others had no destination, just a Glass and Brigance warehouse. Across the railroad thought to get away. The mayor W. E. Jones fled in the Ackerman store and post office were destroyed great haste, leaving the government in a state of and Mr. Ackerman had to pay the government $140 great confusion. The panic that the epidemic created for stamps that were burned. Navasota was plunged was worse and did far more damage than four years in deepest gloom after the fire but not for long. of war. Pioneers wishing to make their town work, threw off their depression and began building better and Every crisis develops its heroes and this was no stronger than before. People came from other exception. R. H. Giesel, a brave and forthright young places to fill in the gaps, homes and store buildings man, only 24 years old assumed the duties of mayor were built, new enterprises were bringing with them and tried heroically to calm the terrified populace. new money. Cotton was selling for 25 and 35 cents a He nursed the sick, encouraged the well, and helped pound. Gold and silver money were in abundance. bury the dead. He went far out into the country to Once more Navasota was on the up and up. help if he heard of a new case of fever. He died at Navasota received its first charter in 1866. In 1873, it the age of 39. applied for and received a re-incorporation charter. A Mayor and a board of aldermen governed the city. Most of the doctors stayed on the job. The ones who There was a justice of peace, city marshal, tax remained worked until they were exhausted. Dr. assessor and collector and superintendent of Joseph H. Baylor was stricken with the fever. He streets. went to his sister-in-law’s (Mrs. Ellen Matthews) home and directed her to fix him a cup of castor oil. There has been no visitation of famine at Navasota He swallowed this down and wrapped himself in a so far as written records reveal. However, other heavy blanket. Then he lay down to either died or devastating experiences have come this way. sweat the fever out. In 24 hours, he was clear of Tradition has it that two major floods have wrought fever, the shortest case of yellow fever on record. havoc in and around Navasota. The one occurred in The Matthews home was in sight of the cemetery. 1889 and the other in 1913, according to evidence Dr. Baylor said that he lay all night with a burning reported. fever and could not sleep. He said he watched the eerie lights bobbing up and down in the cemetery For a few years following the great fire, all went well. and heard the thud of clods as they were shoveled Navasota was emerging from her swaddling clothes into the graves. It was a ghastly experience for the and was making rapid strides in growth. In 1866, stricken man, but burying the dead had to go on cholera broke out. Before it could be controlled, 30 night and day. persons had died, mostly colored. Just a year later, when the people had ceased to fear, a far worse F. W. Brosig, father of Mrs. Eleanor Brosig Brown, epidemic broke out. People became ill with very high Wallace Brosig, Nettie Brosig, Joseph Brosig, fever accompanied by a jaundiced condition. It was grandfather of Edith Salyar Canada of Missouri, and pronounced yellow fever. By the middle of August Helen Salyer Anderson and Walter Salyer and there had been 15 deaths, all white people but wo. Isadore Bock, affectionately known as “Uncle Bock” In October, there were 119 deaths, all white but 14. were untiring in nursing the sick and burying the In all cases where colored people died, they were dead. Mr. Brooks had a lumberyard. He and Mr. mulattos. No black person was known to have died. Joseph Backloupe, father of Will Backloupe and In November, with the cooler weather, the worst was Beulah B. Blackshear made coffins night and day.

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They did not leave the shop and they took turns in getting a little sleep. Mr. Backloupe had been in Frank Hamer apprentice cabinet maker in Richmond, Virginia for seven years. He was born in Genoa, Italy and came with his parents to Tennessee. He came to Navasota in 1866. He served with the 38th Tennessee Infantry in the Confederate Army. While on furlough, he was detailed to nurse the sounded and even did amputations. For these, he used a little saw. This he preserved together with his gun, saber and bullet mold as mementos of the war. The coffins that he and Mr. Brooks made were merely boxes put together of rough lumber. The victims were wrapped in a sheet or blanket and buried as early as possible. There is a story that Mr. Backloupe tied a piece of raw meat outside the shop door. The air was so contaminated that in a short time the meat had turned completely green. Will Curtis, for almost fifty years a sexton at Oakland Cemetery, told me that people were buried so hurriedly that no record was kept of who was buried where. He said that he dug up one skeleton of a woman that had turned over on her face. This might be a tall tale but it could have happened. By 1868 the epidemic was over and Navasota had to rebuild almost from scratch.

In 1908, Navasota was a lawless boom town, wracked by violence: "shootouts on the main street were so frequent that in two years at least a hundred men Francis Augustus Hamer (March 17, 1884 – July 10, died. "Twenty-four-year-old Frank Hamer resigned 1955) was a Texas Ranger, known in popular culture from the Texas Rangers to become the City Marshal for his involvement in tracking down and killing the and moved in and created law and order. Hamer criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in faced down, chased down, and beat down the 1934. In a career that spanned the last days of the Navasota toughs until the streets were quiet, and Wild West well into the automobile age, Hamer children could once again go downtown. He acquired legendary status in the Southwest as the relentlessly fought the various power factions, and archetypal Texas Ranger. He is an inductee to the one day fought one perceived local warlord in the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. Frank Hamer was born in mud on main street, throwing him in jail and defying Fairview, Wilson County, Texas, where his father all comers, as the rest of the troublemakers began to operated a blacksmith shop. He was one of five search for cover. He served as marshal until 1911. brothers, four of whom became Texas Rangers. His Hamer became more widely known in 1934 as one of family moved to the Welch ranch in San Saba County, the men who shot Bonnie and Clyde. In 2012, the where he grew up. Hamer later spent time in Oxford, Navasota city council voted to commission a local Llano County (now a ghost town), which formed the sculptor to erect a statue of Frank Hamer in front of basis of his joke about being the only "Oxford- the new city hall building. educated Ranger." In his youth, Hamer worked in his father's shop, and as an older teenager worked as a Portions of this story was taken from the “Navasota wrangler on a local ranch. He began his career in law Bluebonnet” book originally published in 1954. This enforcement in 1905 while working on the Carr book was reprinted in 2001 by the Grimes County Ranch in West Texas when he captured a horse thief. Historical Commission.

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The local sheriff was so impressed that he particularly notable incident in March of 1921, recommended that Hamer join the Rangers. Hamer was involved in a gun battle with smugglers that resulted in the death of Prohibition Agent Ernest Like the cowboys of earlier generations, Hamer was W. Walker.[7] Returning to state service in 1921, at home on the open Texas prairie and understood Hamer transferred to Austin, where he served as the signs and patterns of nature. He interpreted men Senior Ranger Captain. in terms of animal characteristics: "The criminal is a coyote, always taking a look over his shoulder; a In the 1920s, Hamer became known for bringing cornered political schemer is a 'crawfish about three order to oil boom towns such as Mexia and Borger. days from water'; a [man moving carefully] reminds Records from that time indicate that there were him of a sandhill crane walking up a river-bed." He complaints about some of Hamer's methods, but the savored the challenges of investigating and solving same sources said the area was so lawless extreme crimes. Describing his method in tracking Clyde measures may have been needed. In I'm Frank Barrow and Bonnie Parker, Hamer said that he Hamer, Hamer was quoted candidly discussing the learned their statistics, but "this was not enough. An restrictions that upstanding citizens would seek to officer must know the habits of the outlaw, how he put on a lawman, not understanding that they were thinks and how he will act in different situations. in effect asking him to fight with one hand tied When I began to understand Clyde Barrow's mind, I behind his back. felt that I was making progress." Beginning in 1922 Hamer, as senior captain of the Hamer was a Ranger off and on throughout his life, Texas Rangers, led the fight in Texas against the Ku resigning often to take other jobs. He first joined Klux Klan. During his long career, he saved fifteen Captain John H. Rogers's Company C in Alpine, Texas African Americans from lynch mobs. The story of his on April 21, 1906, and began patrolling the border battles to protect blacks in Texas was unknown until with Mexico. In 1908 he resigned from the Rangers to the 2016 publication of John Boessenecker's become the City Marshal of Navasota, Texas. biography of Hamer. In 1930 Hamer and a handful of Navasota was a lawless boom town, wracked by Rangers protected a black rape suspect from a mob violence: "shootouts on the main street were so of 6,000 in Sherman, Texas. He personally shot and frequent that in two years at least a hundred men wounded two of the mob's leaders and forced the died." Though he was only 24, Hamer moved in and lynchers to flee the courthouse. However, the mob created law and order. He served as marshal until set fire to the courthouse and the prisoner died in 1911, when he started working as a special the raging inferno. Hamer thus became the first and investigator in Houston, then as an officer for Harris only Texas Ranger to lose a prisoner to a lynch mob. County. In 1928 Hamer put a halt to a murder for hire ring, Hamer rejoined the Rangers in 1915 and again was and his extraordinary means of accomplishing this assigned to patrol the South Texas border around made him nationally famous. The Texas Bankers' Brownsville. Because of the constant unrest in Association had begun offering rewards of $5,000 Mexico, the Rangers dealt most seriously with arms "for dead bank robbers — not one cent for live ones." smugglers, but also more ordinary bootleggers and Hamer determined that men were setting up bandits who plagued the border. On October 1, 1917 deadbeats and two-bit outlaws to be killed by Hamer was wounded in Sweetwater by Gus McMean, complicit police officers; the officers would collect who was shot and killed. During this period, Hamer the rewards and pay the men their finder's fees. But left the Rangers again to accept a position as a his investigation hit a stone wall: the police refused federal agent in the Prohibition Unit, where he him support and the Bankers' Association's position served for about one year. Though Hamer's service was that "any man that could be induced to as a prohibition agent was brief, it was nevertheless participate in a bank robbery ought to be killed." eventful. Stationed in El Paso, the scene of countless Spurred by urgency to thwart the next set of killings gunfights during the Prohibition-era, Hamer as well as personally infuriated, Hamer wrote and participated in numerous raid and shootouts. In one signed a detailed exposé of the racket, which he

GRIMES COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2017 PAGE 7 termed "the bankers' murder machine," then went voters. This is clearly stated in "Texas Ranger" by to the press room of the State Capitol and handed John Boessenecker. out copies. A firestorm of public outrage led to indictments. Frank Hamer retired in 1949 and lived in Austin until his death. In 1953 he suffered a heat stroke and Hamer retired in 1932 after almost 27 years with the though he lived two more years, never regained his Rangers. He left one week before Miriam "Ma" health. He was buried near his son in Memorial Park Ferguson "and her husband" recaptured the Cemetery in Austin. In his life he was wounded 17 governor's office. At least forty Rangers resigned times and left for dead four times. He is credited with rather than serve again under Ma, who in her first having killed between 53 and almost 70 people. term as governor of Texas had proven herself brazenly corrupt; indeed, one of the triumphant Ma's first acts of her second term was to fire all the remaining Rangers and replace them with her own appointees. A year later Hamer flatly summarized his reason: "When they elected a woman governor, I quit." The commander of the Texas Rangers allowed him to retain a Special Ranger commission even after his official retirement as an active Senior Ranger Captain. The special commission is listed in the state archives in Austin.

During the 1930s Hamer applied his skills in keeping the civil peace on behalf of various oil companies and shippers, generally as a strike breaker. At the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939, he and 49 other retired Texas Rangers offered their services to King George VI, to help protect the United Kingdom in case of Nazi invasion. A son, Billy, joined the U.S. Marine Corps and died during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

In 1948 he was called again to Ranger duty to play a small role in a notorious episode in an election acknowledged to have been one of the most corrupt in Texas history. Hamer was hired by Governor Coke Stevenson, whose name by now was synonymous with old-school Texan conservative integrity, to accompany him to the Texas State Bank in Alice, the county seat of Jim Wells County in South Texas. Stevenson wanted to examine the tally sheets for ballot box 13, which held ballots for his opponent, then-Representative Lyndon Johnson, he knew were fraudulent, and not in a way that favored him. Outside the bank stood two glowering groups of armed men. Hamer got out of the car. He approached the first group and said, "Git." They did. To the second group blocking the doors of the bank he said, "Fall back." They did. In the end, Johnson won the election, even though the Johnson campaign stuffed the ballot box with over 300 nonexistent

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photography. It took almost another year for the Navasota City Hall second City Hall Building to be built. It was ready for occupation in December, 1957. Formal dedication The corner of Farquhar and McAlpine streets in ceremonies were held April 18, 1958. The buff Navasota has been the center of city government in colored brick building had marble flashings and Navasota for 78 years and counting. Two structures granite slabs on the inside. Besides containing the have stood on the corner. The first City Hall Building various government offices, the building also had was built in 1903, the second was built in 1957, after room for a fire station and living quarters for the the old one was torn down. There’s not much truck driver and a patio located in the center. The recorded on the construction of the original City Hall contractor was Martin B. Semands, and Wyatt C. building but a copy of a March 1957 issue of the Hedrick was the architect/engineer. H. N. Sandall Navasota Examiner-Review reveals local citizens was the mayor of Navasota at the time. uncovered the contents of the old cornerstone. Inside was a copy of the Sept. 24, 1903 issue of The In 2011 this building was torn down and a new City Navasota Tablet. The Tablet states: “A large crowd Hall Building costing $6.7 million dollars was built attended the ceremonies and Lt. Gov. Neal of almost identical to the first one built in 1903. The Navasota officiated. There was also a parade led by entire project, which includes downtown the Navasota Band, which marched up Railroad landscaping, antique lampposts and sidewalk Street up Washington Avenue to Fanthorp Street and improvements costs $10.8 million dollars. The city then on to City Hall.” The Tablet also noted the will be using tax dollars and utility monies to pay for ceremonies were delayed one and half hours due to the bond they're using to fund the project. the late arrival of a train from Madisonville bearing Masons from there and Bedias. Also inside the cornerstone was the original contract between the City Commission and J. R. Hargrave, general contractor, a $10 Confederate bill, and copies of the Galveston Weekly Times (June 23, 1887), The Daily Examiner (Sept. 22, 1903), and the Weekly Review (Sept. 17, 1903). Other contents included a letter listing the members of the Navasota ISD school board. There were 11 grades in the white school and five grades in the black school for a total of 750 students. There was also a letter listing the Navasota Board of Trade. They included Ward Templeman, president; Denton Randolph, first vice-president; John M. King, second vice-president and George T. Garvin, secretary. The single outstanding feature of the two-story structure was its tower, which contained the town clock and 1,000 lb. bell, installed by Joe Bednar in 1903. Before the Old City Hall Building was torn down, local residents conducted a fund-raising campaign to finance moving the town bell and clock to the Masonic Building. The move was Navasota City Hall, razed in 1958 completed by January 1, 1958. When the wrecker Photo courtesy Navasota Examiner crews finally toppled the structure in March of 1957, Bob Whitten, publisher and editor of the Examiner was on hand to snap a picture of the falling tower. The photo was published world-wide through the Associated Press and Whitten received the Headliner’s Club Award for outstanding news

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Anderson in this county. His mother died in that News from the Past place. And there it was that he learned practical Brenham Daily Banner-Press February 6, 1923 lessons in real life and gathered the rudiments of schooling that enabled him later to enter and Navasota City Hall Clock Stopped by Freeze graduate with high literary honors from the Southwestern University of Georgetown. He came to For the first time this year, and one of the very few Navasota in 1890. His ambitions far exceeded limits times in recent years, the clock in the city hall tower set by a meager purse and here his indomitable was stopped by the freeze yesterday. As there is no energy and natural business ability stood him in protection on the hands of the big clock the good stead. He engaged in a small jewelry jobbing accumulation of ice makes it impossible for the business about the country, thereby soon hands to pass on the dial. It was explained today that accumulating means sufficient to take him through it would be useless to clear off the ice and start the the State Medical college; in this course his close, clock again until the freezing weather is over, but studious disposition and natural turn of mind gave when the temperature rises again it will be started. him great advantage. He grasped the opportunities, – Navasota Daily Examiner and when he was authorized to go forth and heal the sick, about the year 1895, he was really an able physician. As such he was recognized and almost immediately was accorded a profitable practice here. He still continued a student and received several diplomas in post graduate courses from The Daily Examiner (Navasota, Tex.) November 24, leading institutions of the north. He was united in 1900 marriage with Miss Anna Waller at the Methodist Death of Dr. E. A. Thompson parsonage on the evening of May 25, 1896; and leaves her to bitterly mourn his untimely demise. He “In the midst of life, we are in death” is a quotation also leaves a sister in Arkansas, and a brother, Kemp old and true. Death must visit every habitation Thompson in Navasota. In his death, this county someday. Nor is immunity vouchsafed to any of loses an upright, honorable man, an able and careful God’s earthly creations. Yes, even the world shall business man and an eminent physician and some time pass away. This morning the wires surgeon. His family suffers an irreparable loss and brought to Mr. McDonald Meachum the sad have the sympathy of all the people. Before intelligence that at 7:30 o’clock yesterday evening dissolution he made a confession of faith. the spirit of Dr. Ernest A. Thompson had softly fled; and gave instructions for interment upon the arrival of the noon Central train which bore the body from Galveston. Later this was changed and the funeral occurred from his late home at the residence of Mrs. G. W. Sanders at 2:30 this afternoon. The funeral being under the auspices of the Masons and Woodmen of the World, of which orders Dr. Thompson was a honored member. Rev. C. A. This angel sits upon Hooper officiated as minister. The body was laid to the grave of Dr. rest in the city cemetery by the side of his little Thompson’s little girl daughter, who died last spring, and the ceremony Elizabeth Cleo was attended by a very large number of people. Thompson born October 9, 1897 and Deceased was a son of the late J. P. S. Thompson and died January 11, 1900 born about 30 years ago (Feb. 10, 1870) in buried in the Greensburg, La. The family removed to Galveston, Navasota City thence to Seguin, and in 1878 they settled in Cemetery.

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He began his career as a specialist before the Civil War, traveling extensively through the Southern states, treating cancers and chronic diseases of women and children. His special studies have been Hal J. Palmer, M. D. chronic diseases and diseases of females, especially those of the genital organs. After the death of Dr. This energetic gentleman, who, at the age of seventy- Sneed, Dr. Palmer returned to the South and to eight years, with the vigorous step and active mind Texas, in 1860, and located in Burleson county, of a man of sixty, still attends to the details of his where he was located at the time of the outbreak of large professional interests, and keeps himself the Civil war. He at once enlisted as an assistant abreast in knowledge and sympathy of the new physician and surgeon with Hood 's Brigade, serving generation amongst whom he survives, first came to under Chief Surgeon Cantrell in and about Texas in 1857 and has been identified with the Galveston, where he was present at the capture of medical fraternity of this state in the main since that that city by the Federal troops. Following the close of time. Now, in "a hale old age, he is enjoying the fruits hostilities, he began a tour of medical practice which of a busy and well-ordered life and sharing the took him to Little Rock, Arkansas, thence to Fort wonderful progress which has been made in this Smith and out into the Choctaw Nation, and phenomenal commonwealth, almost under his own practiced among the Indians at Muskogee. He went eyes. then to New Orleans, and subsequently practiced at different points in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Dr. Palmer was born September 20, 1836, and comes Arkansas until 1870, when he returned to Texas. At of a Southern family and of secession sympathy, and that time, he established himself at Tanglewood, his father, John Palmer, who still survives at the age Burleson county, and he has since practiced at of one hundred and one years, is "fighting the Civil Houston and Galveston, at different points in Harris war yet.” The latter was born in the city of Richmond, county, and in Johnson county, and has spent many Virginia in 1813 and is a college graduate and a years at points in Grimes county. During a portion of member of the Eclectic school of medicine. He went his long career he has been interested in infirmary to Kentucky from his native state when a boy, and work at Brenham with Dr. H. C. Weeks, and in a after spending some years at Danville went to private sanitarium at Plantersville. He is now Bowling Green, where he married Miss Hannah established in another at Navasota, and has been Curry, the daughter of a big planter of that county. eminently successful in his work. He has had no time Later he moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and then to for politics. His step is still lively, and his energy Montgomery, in that state, and has since made that youthful, his ambition still active and his love for his his home. His only child is Dr. Palmer of this review. profession as consuming as in the early years of his practice. He has firmly established himself in the Hal J. Palmer took up medicine first in New York City, confidence and esteem of the people of his as a student under the preceptorship of Dr. John community, and his professional standing is equally Sneed, right across the street from the Little Church high. Dr. Palmer married Minnie C. Meineke on July Around the Corner, Plymouth, and there began the 27, 1899 in Lee County, Texas and they had one son, practice under his preceptor when he was a lad of Whitmore H. Palmer born in 1904. Dr. Palmer passed but sixteen years. His first medical education was in away on March 6, 1920 at the age of 87 and is buried the regular school and he practiced Allopathy for in the Oakland Cemetery in Navasota, Texas. twenty years, then taking Homeopathy at the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, and graduated there in 1869. Subsequently he attended a course of lectures in the medical department of the University of Missouri, in 1872, and annually for years took post graduate work at different institutions both of the North and South.

GRIMES COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2017 PAGE 11 First Baptist Church of Navasota First United Methodist Church of Navasota Historical Marker 8574 Navasota, Texas Historical Marker 1984 Erected 1977 Navasota, Texas SE corner of Church St. and Holland St.; Navasota. Erected 1984

SW corner of Wood St. and Holland St.; Navasota. In the spring of 1860, six men formed this church, one of the first of any faith in the railroad town of The first worship services of the Methodist church in Navasota. By fall there were 52 members, and Navasota were held in 1853 in the community growth continued. Services were held in the town's schoolhouse. The Rev. T. W. Blake served as part- schoolhouse, and then in a Methodist church, until time pastor for most of the antebellum and Civil War the Baptists received a site as a gift from the Houston years. In 1866 the Houston & Texas Central Railroad & Texas Central Railway, and built a small frame deeded land at this site for use by the Methodist sanctuary about 1872. A permanent edifice of native congregation. In that year, a frame building with stone was started after Mrs. A. E. Baten, wife of the shuttered windows was constructed for the pastor, drew plans in 1889. Funds came from fellowship. It was named Robert Alexander Chapel in members and non-members, sometimes as honor of an early Methodist circuit rider in Texas. donations of cattle, and a 46' x 67' x 37' x 67' stone The chapel was also used by Navasota's Presbyterian building with a steeple was completed in 1890. By congregation. In 1891 a rock building replaced the 1925 more room was needed; a 2-story annex was frame structure and was used until 1912, when a constructed. Although a new, larger sanctuary was brick sanctuary was built. The current sanctuary was erected in 1955, the 1890 building is still used. In completed in 1959. Although the size of the 1969, it was converted into a fellowship hall, and congregation is relatively small when compared with after a disastrous fire the next year was restored in that of other churches in the area, the First United 1971. The congregation-- now numbering more than Methodist Church of Navasota has served as host to 900 members-- founded and financed one local the Texas Annual Conference of Methodist Churches. mission that became self-supporting, and now Throughout its history, this congregation has underwrites another. During the church's first 116 provided significant service and leadership to the years, it has been served by 35 pastors. community and has continued to uphold the ideals

and traditions of its pioneer founders.

First Presbyterian Church of Navasota

Historical Marker 8577 Navasota, Texas Erected 1970 Corner of Nolan and Holland Streets; Navasota.

Organized in 1866, drawing members from old church at Washington, Texas. First building, erected in 1876, was replaced in 1894 by this Victorian edifice finely crafted in the taste of its English builders. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1970

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Holland Lodge No. 36, met in Houston and Masons in Grimes County established the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. Anson Jones who was the fourth and final "Texas Masonic History" President of the Republic of Texas was elected as the first Grand Master of Masons in Texas.

At a celebration of the Festival of St. John the Baptist By the time the first meeting of the Grand Lodge of in 1844 at Portland, Maine, R.W. Brother Teulon, a the Republic of Texas was held in Houston on April member of the Grand Lodge of Texas, in reply to a 16, 1838 the list contained 25 lodges. The following is toast complimentary to the Masons of that Republic, a list of those lodges: observed "Texas is emphatically a Masonic country: all of our presidents and vice-presidents, and four- fifths of our state officers, were or are Masons; our Holland No. 1 Houston national emblem, the 'Lone Star,' was chosen from Milam No. 2 Nacogdoches among the emblems selected by Freemasonry, to McFarland No. 3 San Augustine illustrate the moral virtues -- it is a five-pointed star, Temple No. 4 Houston and alludes to the five points of fellowship." St. John's No. 5 Brazoria The first known Masonic meeting ever held in Texas Harmony No. 6 Galveston was in February 1828 when Stephen F. Austin, Ira Matagorda No. 7 Matagorda Ingram (who had his land in what would be Waller Phoenix No. 8 Washington County) and 5 other masons met in San Felipe. They DeKalb No. 9 DeKalb met to draw up a petition to get a dispensation to form a new masonic lodge in San Felipe Texas. The Perfect Union No. 10 * San Antonio petition was submitted to the grand lodge in Mexico Milam No. 11 Independence City. The petition was never acted on. Austin No. 12 Austin Constantine No. 13 Bonham The second effort was organized in Brazoria County Trinity No. 14 Livingston in March of 1835 for the purpose of establishing a lodge in Texas. After meeting under an oak tree near Santa Fe No. 15 * Santa Fe (N.M.) the town of Brazoria the six Masons attending Friendship No. 16 Clarksville decided to apply to the Grand Lodge of Louisiana for Orphan's Friend No. 17 Anderson a dispensation to create a new lodge in Texas. After Washington No. 18 Washington the dispensation was issued the first Texas lodge, called Holland Lodge No. 36, was formed and Forrest No. 19 Huntsville opened. It was named after John Henry Holland who Graham No. 20 Brenham was the Grand Master of Masons in Louisiana. Trinity No. 21. Crockett Marshall No. 22 Marshall John M. Allen delivered the charter for the new lodge Clinton No. 23 Henderson to Anson Jones, the first Worshipful Master of Holland Lodge No. 36, just before the battle begin at Red Land No. 24 San Augustine the San Jacinto battleground. Holland Lodge No. 36 Montgomery No. 25 Montgomery was later changed to Holland No. 1.

Two additional Texas lodges were formed, and each given a dispensation and charter by the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. They were: Milam Lodge No. 40 in Nacogdoches, and McFarland Lodge No. 41 in San Augustine. Both of these lodges were formed in 1837. Representatives from the two new lodges, and

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Navasota Lodge No. 299 Mallett. Mr. H. Fresnole donated the site for the new Ancient Free & Accepted lodge. The lodge suffered damage in 1900 from a Masons got off to a late storm and the following were placed on the repairs start because its committee; John Henry Sollock, Worshipful Master, members formerly D. L. Gurrant, Senior Warden John R. Davis, Junior belonged to Washington Warden and J. N. Mize, Treasurer. Singles were Lodge No. 18 at purchased for $3.50 per thousand with a 10% Washington, Texas. When deduction. D. L. Gurrant stored the lodge carper a charter was requested until repairs were made. In 1908 the lodge was in 1867 the reason given was that mud was two feet moved downtown. The lower floor was leased to the deep in the river bottom and Masons in Navasota Zion Methodist Church for $12 a month. The lodge could not attend. The new charter naming Navasota laid the corner stone of the Iola School in 1909. That Lodge No. 299 AF & AM was granted in 1867. The building was destroyed by fire in 1929. In 1912 Washington Lodge was demised in 1887. Navasota money was raised for the construction of a new Lodge No. 299 has had three homes, the first two lodge hall. This building was completed by March 8, were destroyed by fire and some of the records were 1913. The first to be initiated here were Jess Hicks, lost. The first lodge building was where the Post Edgar Sollock, and Carl Maxwell on May 12, 1913. In Office now stands and their building was also used 1916 the dues were raised from $1.50 per year to for the school. The second home was on the corner $3.00. Later in 1919 they were lowered to $2.00. Clue of 202 W. Washington and after a fire the present Rogers was paid $150 for painting the lodge in 1916 home was constructed at 304. E. Washington in 1929. and the Rev. T. A. Gray in 1930 for $115. The Two payments were made on this building before centennial of the lodge was held July 21, 1969 with the Stock Market crashed and no lending institution the Grand Worshipful Master of the State of Texas J. could carry the notes. A group of outstanding Guy Smith, present. He presented the lodge with a individuals carried the notes until they were paid certificate to commemorate the occasion as well as almost 40 years later. a gavel made from the Masonic Oak at Brazoria. A total of 325 attended the ceremonies. Other lodges in Grimes County are: The old building was judged unsafe in May of 1970 Orphan’s Friend Lodge No. 17 – Anderson and a new hall was built to the rear of the existing Zion Lodge No. 313 – Iola one at a cost of $12,500. The corner stone was laid Bedias Lodge No. 661 – Bedias March 23, 1973 by Clifford Ransdell, Grand Orator of Richards Lodge No. 1116 – Richards the Grand Lodge of Texas. Those first initiated in this new structure were John Allen Hensley, Delbert Finch The first meeting of Zion Masonic Lodge #313 was Ross and John R. Maxwell who was the Worshipful held October 10, 1868 at the Stonewall Jackson Master when the final payment was made on the Institute 21 miles northwest of Anderson. The building in 1979. A barbeque was held at the Iola charter members were F. W. Harmes, George W. School at which time the note was symbolically Redding, John Vernon, Reubin White Keith, G. W. burned by John R. Maxwell, Worshipful Master; John Hargroves, J. A. Duncan, W. W. Williams and W. H. Childs, Senior Warden and J. P. Brown, Junior McRee. F. W. Harmes was the first Worshipful Warden. Master. The yearly dues were set at 60 cents. The first to be initiated was Howell Mallett. The Lodge received its charter June 18, 1869. In 1880 the Lodge moved to Iola. Those appointed to secure a new lodge site were John Henry Sollock, L. M. Neeley and Arthur M. Darby which was purchased from L. P. McWhorter for $350. Not long after this the site was sold and a new committee appointed in the persons of Arthur M. Darby, John Henry Sollock and Howell

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Neville Waul's Brigades in the Trans-Mississippi Felix Winchester Magee, Sr. Department. However, before he had an opportunity to participate in any of the regiments' engagements, Felix Winchester Magee Sr. was the founder of the Felix was discharged from the service on July 17, Orphans Friend Lodge No. 17 in Anderson, Texas. 1862. Even though he had enlisted for a year, it is Felix Winchester Magee married Martha Cureton believed that, at 17 years old, he was too young to Dickson. serve in the Army and was discharged upon the realization of his age.

The next year, on his 18th birthday, April 9, 1863, Felix reenlisted. This time he joined his father's unit, Captain George W. Durant's Company, which later became known as Company B, Madison's Regiment, Texas Cavalry; the 3rd Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips' Regiment; and the 3rd Texas Cavalry Regiment, Arizona Brigade. The Arizona Brigades, numbers one through four, were originally formed to recapture the Confederate Territory of Arizona, which had been lost by General John Robert Baylor in 1862, but, instead, were used to defend East Texas' rich cotton lands from the encroachment of Union General Nathaniel P. Banks' Red River Campaign.

Felix, and the men of the 3rd Regiment, under the command of Colonel Joseph Phillips, participated in numerous battles, including those at Donaldsonville, June 28, 1863; Cox's plantation, July 12 - 13, 1863; Stirling's Plantation, September 29, 1863; Bayou Bourbeau, November 3, 1863; and those in the Red River Campaign, which included Wilson's Farm, April 7, 1864; Sabine Crossroads, or Mansfield, April 8, 1863; and Pleasant Hill, April 9, 1863. Since only a few pages of Felix's Compiled Military Service Records are available, it is difficult to discern Felix Winchester Magee, Jr. in which battles he participated. However, after (1845~1924) successfully preventing General Banks from invading Texas, the men of the Arizona Brigades returned to

Texas, where they were ultimately surrendered by Felix Winchester Magee, Jr., Confederate veteran, General E. Kirby Smith. Felix, who had worked his was born April 9, 1845, in Grimes County, Texas, to way through the ranks to a sergeant, was paroled on Felix Winchester and Martha C. Magee, both of July 11, 1865, in Millican, Brazos County, Texas. whom were from Mississippi. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Felix, who was only 16 years old, After returning from the War, Felix married Miss enlisted in Company D, 12th Regiment, Texas Amanda E. Smith on February 14, 1869. Amanda, who Infantry, on January 17, 1862. was born March 29, 1848, in Butler County, Alabama,

had come to Texas in 1855, most likely with her The 12th Regiment, which was also known as the 8th parents. Shortly after their marriage, according to Infantry and Young's Regiment, was organized and the 1870 Census, they had one child, Sarah, who was mustered into Confederate service in Waco and was born in 1869. However, she was not listed among assigned to Colonels Overton C. Young's and Thomas their five other children in the 1880 Census. The 1880

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Census also listed Felix and Amanda as living in Brazos County, Texas, where he was working as a farmer and she was keeping house. By this time, they had five children: Emma, who was born in 1870; William E., who was born in 1872; Mary A., who was born in 1874; Byron, who was born in 1876; and Ida M., who was 14 months old.

By 1884, it appears that Felix and Amanda had returned to Grimes County, as he was appointed Postmaster of the Darby community on April 23, 1884. However, this may not be Felix, Jr. Since he and his father shared the same name, it could quite possibly have been Felix, Sr. The 1900 Census, listed a Benjamin Franklin Polk and his children as living with Felix and Amanda. Polk, who was listed as a widower, had been married to Felix's daughter, Emma. They were married in Grimes County on November 5, 1890.

In 1905, at age 60, Felix successfully applied for a Confederate Pension from the State of Texas. Claiming that he was no longer able to work, he eventually, by 1920, moved in with his grandson, Ruble E. Polk, and his family. This information was taken from the 1920 Census, which also stated that he was a widower. This, however, appears to be incorrect, as Amanda was still living after Felix passed away in 1924.

Eventually, due to his advanced age, Felix went to Austin to live in the Texas Confederate Home. Amanda, who was also eligible to live in the Home, stayed in Singleton. After moving into the Home on September 24, 1923, Felix remained there until his death, on May 23, 1924. He was buried soon after in the Texas State Cemetery.

As stated earlier, Amanda continued to live in Grimes County, where she successfully applied to receive Felix's Confederate pension from the State of Texas. Amanda died on September 28, 1924 in Singleton and was buried in Lake Grove Cemetery in Iola, Texas.

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We have copies of the Navasota Bluebonnet on sale for only $30 each. This book was published in 1954 and has 100 years of Navasota History. This book was reprinted in 2001.

Grimes County Cemetery Books Volumes 1 thru 4 are $30 each or you can purchase the set for $100

Volume 1 - North (Bedias/Iola/Keith)

Volume 2 - Central (Anderson/Shiro/Roans Prairie/Singleton)

Volume 3 - South (Courtney/Plantersville)

Grimes County History Book Volume 4 – Navasota

The Grimes County Heritage and Progress History Book is a great addition to your family library. It contains the history of our county as well as family histories of Grimes County Residents. Each book is $75 each.