Cedar Hill, Texas - Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas ... Containi

Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas ... Containi

This place took its name from the cedar breaks on Mountain creek, which runs a short distance from the town. It is the second oldest town in the county, coining next to Dallas in age. It is situated on a high prairie hill, nineteen miles southwest of the city of Dallas, ami in 1850 experienced the sad fate of being blown away by a storm, leaving only two houses ami killing eleven persons! The soil of the country surrounding Cedar Hill is of that mixture of white lime and black soil as to make it superior tor small grain particularly, as wheat and oats. This soil is also well adapted to cotton. Cedar Hill is a tine shipping point. The Gulf, Colorado & Sante Fe railroad has a depot there on the line reaching from Dallas to Cleburne, and the citizens are thereby afforded ample means of shipping all their produce.

There is one hotel here, called the Lowe house; I. W. Lowe, proprietor, and two fine first-class cotton gins, one owned and operated by Jackson Pros, and the other by J. P. Ramsey.

It boasts of one of the best academies in the county, and very justly so. This institution is owned by Professors E. W. Dallas and W. V. Teagardcn. The building is handsome and commodious, and 120 students is about the average attendance. During the public free-school term, the students, taking advantage of the free-school money, are taught with the private students, so at this time the public free-school is combined with the private.

There are three religious denominations who worship regularly at this place, namely: The Methodists, Rev. Mr. Thomaston, pastor; the Paptist, Pev. Mr. Key, pastor; and the Christian, Elder W. F. Parcus, pastor.

Only one of the secret fraternities, the Masonic, is represented here. It has a membership of about thirty-six, and an elegantly appointed hall.

Cedar Hill is situated upon such a lofty, rolling hill, that the scenes in different directions over the wide expanse of the surrounding prairies afforded by creeks and ravines on which are jn-owincr timbers, are truly grand. Such magnificent sceneries cannot, doubtless, be witnessed from any other point in the county.

Some of the most enterprising citizens of the county live in this little town, aud some of them have enjoyed honors in the county. Joe II. Stewart, the present clerk of the two district courts, lived here for eighteen years.

He is a native of North Carolina, an affable, congenial and talented gentleman. He has been connected officially in the county for several years, and his career has ever been clean and acceptable to every one. lie is regarded as being one of the most popular gentlemen in the county. So great is his popularity that during the present campaign now before the people, every office of the county is contested by a different candidate except his for district clerk. He is a candidate again for this office, and np to this date, July S, 1S92, he has no opponent. Well may the little town of Cedar Hill esteem her most excellent and superior citizen, Hon. Joseph H. Stewart!