History
Bolton Cemetery
Ebenezer (Ebb) and Martha Bolton settled in this area in the 1850s. They established an extensive plantation and owned a number of slaves before the Civil War. Following Ebb Bolton's death in 1877, his widow made arrangements to provide land to their former slaves.
History
Camp County
Formed from Upshur County. Created April 6, 1874; organized June 20, 1874. Named in honor of John Lafayette Camp (1828-1891), soldier, lawyer, statesman, member of the Constitutional Convention, 1866; state senator in 1874. Pittsburg, the county seat.
Architecture
Camp County Courthouse
The Texas Legislature created Camp County from the northern part of Upshur County in 1874, and voters chose Pittsburg as their county seat. The county built its first courthouse in 1881. As Pittsburg grew, the two-story brick edifice became too small for the county's needs, and in 1928 commissioners hired the Paris, Texas architectural firm of Smith and Praeger to design a new house of justice.
History
Carroll Hall Shelby
Camp County native Carroll Shelby became world-renowned as a sports car driver and designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was born in Leesburg to (Warren) Hall and Etoise (Lawrence) Shelby. Neighbors recalled his early racing exploits, riding in a wagon tied to the back of his father's car.
History
Center Point Community
In 1865 black Freedmen began this community. The Center Point Baptist Church was organized in 1873. The Industrial Union was chartered in 1889 to aid settlers in buying farms and building homes. A cooperative managed a brick kiln, sawmill and cotton gin. Under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Cash, the first principals, Center Point School became an important vocational facility.
History
Center Point School
Center Point began as a Freedmen's community about 1865-70. The Willie Johnson family were the first settlers and were soon joined by other families. In 1899 G.W. Goulsby opened a one-room school, the first in the settlement; Pete Griffin was the first teacher. In 1916 a new five-room school was built.
History
Cherokee Trace
This Indian trading route to Arkansas and Oklahoma was laid out by Cherokees. A tribesman with a keen sense of direction pulled buffalo hides behind his horse to press down the tall grass. Groups of Indians followed blazing the trail, removing logs and underbrush, and marking fords. Others located springs and good camping places.
History
Colonel John L. Camp
(1828-1891) Came to Texas from Alabama in 1849. Practiced law and taught school in Gilmer. In Civil War, organized and was elected captain of Co. E, 14th Texas Cavalry (dismounted), unit in famed Gen. M. D. Ector's brigade. In thick of fight, in Tennessee and Georgia, was wounded twice, captured twice, was in prison camp at the war's end.
Transport
Cotton Belt Depot
The narrow gauge Texas & St. Louis (Cotton Belt) Railroad arrived in Pittsburg in 1880. William Harrison Pitts, founder of Pittsburg, had donated land for a railroad depot in 1875. This depot, the second built on this site, was completed in 1901 and served the railroad until 1968, although passenger service ended in 1946.
History
Ebenezer Cemetery
Ebenezer Cemetery was officially established when Israel B. Rape deeded property for the cemetery in 1857. However, Rape and his wife Sarah are buried in Pittsburg's Rosehill Cemetery. Ebenezer community was founded by the Rapes and several other pioneering families who arrived in the area from Georgia during the 1850s.
History
Ferndale Club
It was the vision of Leesburg physician and banker J.B. Florence that led to creation of the Ferndale Club, once called Fern, Fin and Feathers. In 1908, Florence and friends planned a hunting and fishing club. Drawing members from Pittsburg, the men bought land along Lilly Creek and built a dam at Flat Ford, creating Ferndale Lake.
History
John L. Sheppard Home
Home of the Sheppard family from 1884, when the house was built, until 1891. During that time John L. Sheppard (1852-1902) served as district attorney and then judge for Fifth Judicial District. In 1899 he was elected to U. s. Congress and died in office. His son, Morris Sheppard (1875-1941), succeeded him in congress, then served with distinction in U. S. Senate from 1913-1951.
History
Leesburg Cemetery
Dwight Hays Townsend (1834-1906) donated land for this cemetery about 1870. The graves of two children which were relocated here from the Leesburg schoolyard are thought to be the earliest burials on the site. The oldest marked grave is that of Tapley Wylie (1836-1870). This cemetery is the primary burial ground for the rural community of Leesburg.
History
Matinburg Cemetery
According to local tradition this cemetery began when migrant W. P. Jones buried his wife, Delila, here in 1871, hoping to later bury her in an established graveyard nearby. Her burial nevertheless remains the cemetery's earliest on record. O. S. and Jane Bradfield deeded the cemetery land to the Fairview Baptist Church in 1883.
History
New Mine Cemetery
George O. and Julia F. Hart deeded land to the New Mine Baptist Church on July 20, 1892, and ten years later sold additional land to the congregation. For many years, area residents used nearby cemeteries when loved ones passed away. These burial grounds included Reeves Chapel Cemetery, approximately one mile west; others were buried in Pittsburg cemeteries.
History
Pittsburg
Anglo settlement of this area began in the 1850s. The W. H. Pitts (1815-1898) family arrived from Georgia in 1854, and soon were joined by more settlers from the southern United States. Pitts donated land for a townsite, which was named in his honor. In 1874, when Camp County was created from Upshur County, Pittsburg became county seat.
History
Reeves Chapel
When a migrant worker died in 1879, there was no cemetery in this community. Counce Reeves, a Civil War veteran who had come from Hamilton County, Georgia, and his wife Selina gave two acres at this site for a church and burial ground. The Rev. D. Dane of Jefferson led in organizing the Reeves Chapel Methodist Church.
History
Riley Cemetery
The oldest documented grave in this cemetery, that of Louise Gillum, dates to 1859. The land was acquired by John Riley, Sr., in 1875, and became known as Riley Cemetery. Early settlers buried here include John and Elizabeth Keeling Riley and their five children; Confederate Capt. George W. Keeling, a former member of the Georgia State Legislature; the family of M. H.
History
Shootout at the Pittsburg Depot
A domestic dispute involving George "Dallas" Smart, wife Annie and U.S. Army Lt. John W. Heard resulted in a public confrontation here on Feb. 10, 1885 as Heard planned to leave town. In the ensuing struggle, fueled by a crowd, Heard shot and killed Dallas Smart. The next day, Heard appeared before County Judge M. N. Brooks, who determined it was self-defense and ordered him released.
History
Site of First Carnegie Library in Texas
At 1898 request of firm mining coal in Pittsburg, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gave $5,000.00 to match local pledges and build the first Carnegie Library (of 31) in Texas on this site. The masonry building was also the opera house and city hall. Library had 3,000 books. It became a social center, with meeting rooms for clubs and groups such as ladies sewing for World War I hospitals.
Architecture
Stafford-Paris House
This Victorian residence with ornate gingerbread woodwork was built in 1899 for the family of Eugene Fore. In 1913 it was sold to Camp County Sheriff J. D. Stafford, who lived here for 24 years. Dr. Ernest Paris, a prominent local chiropractor, and his wife Margret, bought the home in 1941. Other community leaders who resided here include Dr. R. Y. Lacy and Dr. R. C.
History
The Ezekiel Airship
Baptist minister and inventor Burrell Cannon (1848-1922) led some Pittsburg investors to establish the Ezekiel airship Company and build a craft described in the Biblical book of Ezekiel. The ship had large, fabric-covered wings powered by an engine that turned four sets of paddles.
Architecture
W. L. Garrett Building
Constructed in the 1890s, this building began as a one-story commercial structure. W. L. Garrett (1867-1931) bought the property in 1902 for his mercantile business and in 1923 added a second story. In addition to Garrett's store, the building also housed other retail businesses and medical offices over the years.
Elsewhere in Texas
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