| MITCHELL COUNTY: A HISTORY OF |
| BY MARTHA ERNEST (1966) Mitchell County was named for Eli and Asa Mitchell of Austin's Colony. It was created on August 21, 1876; along with 53 others carved out of the last remaining slice of Bexar Territory. Prior to its organization in January 1881, it had been attached to Shackelford County, for judicial purposes. At this election, held in the lobby of the Grand Central Hotel, which was described by A.J. Payne as 'central' though by no means 'grand,' 120 votes were cast and Colorado was made the county seat. J.R. Dobbins was elected County Judge; Branch Isabell, County Clerk; A.W. Dunn, County Treasurer; L.A. Henley, County Attorney; W.W. Marshall, County Surveyor; Ira Butler, Inspector for Brands and Hides and R.C. (Dick) Ware, Sheriff, who later was named U.S. Marshall for the western district. He lived his entire life as a peace officer for the West Texas Frontier. A. W. Dunn was appointed the first postmaster. Mr. Dobbins did not serve as County Judge because he moved away. J. F. Boseman was appointed to that office on February 9, 1881. Prior to this organization, order was maintained by a company of Texas Rangers. It was comprised of 30 men under the command of Capt. Sam McMurray and encamped on Lone Wolf Creek, east of the business section. The Texas and Pacific Railroad reached here in 1881. A number of Chinamen were employed in building the right of way. They found the work quite strenuous and quit, then started hand laundries in towns along the way. Long before the railroad reached here, Brown and Kelley had a cow camp at the mouth of Cottonwood Creek, south of town. Choctaw Kelley had a dug-out on Lone Wolf on the site of Colorado. Near by was a frontier store of R.S. McClintock, which was built of willow poles covered with buffalo hides, having the hair on the outside. This store operated principally for buffalo hunters. The first hotel was the Grand Central, the second was called the Pacific House and was on Oak Street, following was the Renderbrook which was on Walnut Street, then the Hamilton House. The St. James Hotel was on Walnut and 2nd Streets. It was built under the leadership of Winfield Scott, who organized the corporation to build this modern hotel. It served the community until it was destroyed by fire. However, hotels were never a problem in the early day, as most people carried their 'hot-rolls' (bed rolls) with them and ate canned goods and crackers. They went to bed when they pleased. Back through the years, Colorado has had a number of euphonious titles such as: 'Dodge City of West Texas', also referred to as the 'Queen of the West', the 'Mother City of West Texas' and another being 'Colorado City' for a great many years. The Reverend O.F. Rogers preached the first religious sermon, which was in a saloon. He had arrived in a covered wagon on February 19, 1881. The first Sunday school and Presbyterian Church were started in April of 1881, with eleven charter members. The Methodist Church began in 1882, and the Baptist Church started in October 1882. A group of eight people met at Mrs. Horner's home on the southwest corner of Elm and 3rd Streets to organize the Episcopal Church in 1883. The cornerstone for it's building at Locust and 3rd Streets was laid in March 1885. The first Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) started in 1888 on Chestnut Street, about where the Legion Hut is located now. Later they moved to the southwest corner of 2nd and Chestnut Streets and are now (1965) located at the corner of Elm and 4th Streets. A Woman's Prayer Meeting, which was organized in 1885, met each Tuesday afternoon for at least 40 years. Mmes. Riordan, Sherwin, Carlisle and Van Tuyl to name just a few of these women. The first school was started in September of 1881, it's construction being part dug-out and tent. It was located southeast of the business section on the bank of the river. This school was attended by children from the following families: Nix, Mills, Rogers, Miller, Riordan and DeLaney, along with others. The next school building was constructed of brick, had two stories and was located at 5th and Locust Streets. After a storm, the top floor was ripped off, but the building was used for many years. Later it was used as a music studio and home of Thomas J. Dawes, who came from England. He married Eleanor Van Tuyl, the daughter of Ben Van Tuyl. For many years, some of the descendants of Judge W.B. Crockett's family have made their home at this site. The next school was located between Cedar and Hickory Streets on 3rd. It was known as the Coleman School, to honor Dr. P.C. Coleman. Several schools were built at later dates. In 1880, A.W. Dunn had lumber hauled in from Coleman for a store and put up a building 25 feet x 60 feet - thus was the first merchant here. Mr. Dunn was also named Postmaster when the Department in Washington recognized the new town. He also built a home, said to be the first house above the ground, on the northeast corner of the intersection of Chestnut and East 4th Streets. This site is now the home of Mrs. Douglas Burns. Mr. Dunn had cattle in Fisher County, but made his home here. Coming here in 1876, he took the lead in many things and may well be said to have been 'The Father of Colorado.' To Dunn may also go credit for the first 'bill-board' advertising in West Texas. As was reported by an early day traveler who was en route here with a team almost worn out. They despaired of ever reaching their objective, when they came to a fork in the road. They found an enormous bleached buffalo skull, on which had been inscribed '14 miles to Dunn's Store, by Heck'. Fewer than a dozen inhabitants were in the county before the coming of the railroad in 1881. Business lots on Oak Street sold by the front door, which led from the railroad station, located at the time on Oak Street, and running north past the courthouse. This courthouse was built on the wrong lot, by mistake, so in two years it was torn down and the second one built where the third and present one now stands without clocks. In 1884, the Opera House was on the third floor of the opera block, at the corner of 2nd and Elm Streets. A storm, years later, damaged the roof, etc. so that floor was torn away. In 1884, the occupation tax showed the town had 7 billiard parlors, 75 mercantile establishments, 2 photographers, 3 land agents, 4 theaters, 12 lawyers, 1 broker, 7 peddlers, 2 lightning-rod mercantile establishments, 17 doctors and 1 dentist. HISTORICAL MARKERS MITCHELL COUNTY TEXAS BUILDING MEDALLIONS Mitchell County Courthouse First United Methodist Church First State Bank, Loraine First Baptist Church, Loraine First Baptist Church, Colorado City F. M. Burns Home, 304 East 4th St. D. N. Arnett Home, 605 Chestnut Street All Saints Episcopal Church Scott-Majors Home, 425 Chestnut Street Martin Dies Birthplace, 305 Hickory Street Dorn Chapel SUBJECT MARKERS Mitchell County Organization, Courthouse Founding of Colorado City, Courthouse T & P Railroad, First and Elm Streets Ruddick Park Presbyterian Church Colorado Opera House Dr. Preston C. Coleman, Museum Valley View School W. A. Crowder, Railroad Depots Plainview Baptist Church SITE MARKERS Buffalo Trails Marker, Museum Comanche Indian Village, Ruddick Park Cuthbert, Texas First Westbrook School and Church Conaway School Permian Basin Discovery Well Seven Wells Marker, South Highway 208 P. C. Coleman Ranch Wulfjen Ranch Spade Ranch Lone Wolf Mountain Colorado City Standpipe Renderbrook-Spade Ranch Gate GRAVE MARKERS R. C. Ware, (Dick) Colorado City Cemetery W. M. Green, Colorado City Cemetery Y. D. McMurry, Colorado City Cemetery Hankley (Teeville) Cemetery '80' John Wallace, South of Loraine TEXAS RANGERS R. C. 'Dick' Ware November 11, 1851 - June 25, 1902 Ware was born in Georgia, migrated to Texas in the 1870's and joined the TEXAS RANGERS in 1878. He was noted for his part in the gun battle with outlaw Sam Bass at Round Rock, where Bass had planned to rob the bank. It was Ware's bullet that gave Bass the wound from which he died. He was elected first Sheriff of Mitchell County in 1881. He retired as sheriff in 1892. Ware was appointed U. S. Marshall for the Western District of Texas in 1893. He served for four years. Ware's grave is located in Colorado City Cemetery, just west of the flagpole. Y. D. McMurry February 9, 1858 - April 12, 1923 McMurry was born in Tennessee. He was raised in Fort Worth. In 1882, he joined Co. B Frontier Battalion TEXAS RANGERS, under a brother, Capt. Sam McMurry, who was enforcing the law in the Colorado City area. Y.D. McMurry, Mitchell County Sheriff 1892 - 1898, was one of the captors of the notorious murderer and train robber Bill Cooke. McMurry was a merchant and cotton broker, and for many years he was a deacon in the Presbyterian Church. McMurry's grave is located in the Colorado City Cemetery by the east wall, near a tall bush. William Marion Green January 12, 1854 - Decmber 23, 1930 An orphan at age 7, Green learned self-reliance early. At 19, he joined the TEXAS RANGERS. At 20, he enlisted in Co. A of the Frontier Battalion. In 1874, his company helped capture members of John Wesley Hardin's gang who were raiding Comanche County. Green helped escort seven of the outlaws to jail. He promoted the founding of the Texas Ex-Rangers Association in 1920, serving as Major of the group until his death. Entering the south side of the cemetery, his grave is located on the third road from the east wall. |