Garland, Texas - Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas ..

Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas ..

Among the most prominent towns in the county outside the city of Dallas, is Garland. It is situated on Duck creek, about seventeen miles in a northeasterly direction from the city of Dallas, at the junction of the Missouri, Kansas & Te.xas and the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe railroads, and near the Bite of the old town of Duck Creek.

In 1886 the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe railroad was located, and its line run about one mile east of the town of* Duck Creek, and a town was at once laid out on the railroad and called Embree. after Dr. K. II. Embree, one of the leading physicians of Duck Creek, which latter adopted the name of the new town and ere long began moving near the railroad, and within a year's time all the business houses of old Duck Creek were doing business in a live little railroad town called Embree.

But the quiet of the new town was soon disturbed by the advent of another railroad. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas located a line from Dallas to Greenville, running through the county near Embree, and another town was begun under the name of the old town that was over on thp creek, and then sprung up a rivalry between the two new towns. Duck Creek and Embree. At first Embree had the advantage, as that was the name of the post office, but Duck Creek was fighting for it, while Embree was fighting to retain it. Many interesting scenes and circumstances attended this scramble for a name, including midnight rides to Dallas and back with an officer to restrain one or the other of tlie towns from incorporating and thus more firmly fixing its name, and giving it precedence over the other. After a brief period of time, though the efforts of Hon. Thomas F. Nash and several other prominent citizens of Duck Creek, the name of the post office was changed from Embree to Garland (after the then postmaster general), and at once Duck Creek adopted the name of the new post office, and " on the home-run Garland gained on her adversary and passed under the wires a full length ahead." Then commenced the decline of the Embree end of the new town, and ere many months those same houses which had been moved from old Duck Creek to Embree were moved down to Garland, and Embree is now numbered among the things of the past.

In 1891 Garland incorporated, and now does business in a city-like manner, with M. Davis Williams as mayor (1892). The following is the charter:

" WiiKiiKAs, An election was held in accordance with law, on the 18th day of April, 1891, to determine whether within the territory embraced within the hereinafter described limits should be incorporated under the name of the 'Town of Garland;' and

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"Whereas, At said election seventy-one qualified voters residing in said territory voted ' corporation,' and one qualified voter voted 'no corporation;' and whereas a majority of the votes were cast in favor of incorporation of said territory, to wit: Situated in the county of Dallas, State of Texas, and beginning at southwest corner of W. A. Tinsley's farm; thence north with his line to the southwest corner of J. II. Moss' lot; thence east with said lot to the southeast corner of same; thence north to the east line of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe right of way; thence northeast with said right of way to the north line of the right of way of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway; thence west with the north line of said right of way to a point due north of the northwest corner of 0. L. Brunton's lot; thence south to the north line of tlie old town of Embree, as shown on the town plat; thence west to a point due north of northwest corner of the Garland College block; thence south to the northwest corner of A. J. Beaver's block; thence west to the northwest corner of Dr. K. H. Embree's lot; thence south to the north side of the road running between K. H. Embree and 11. Noetzli; thence west with the north side of said road to the southwest corner of G. W. James' pasture; thence north, G. W. James' west line to the Dallas and Greenville dirt road; thence north with east line of said road to a point east of J. D. Kobinson's northeast corner; thence west eighty-five (85) yards; thence south to the east bank of Duck creek; thence south with the east bank of Duck creek to the northwest corner of James Capp's land; thence in an easterly direction with the meanderings of James Capp's line to the northeast corner of James Ca{)p's farm ; thence north with Mrs. H. E. Pace's west line to her northwest corner; thence east with said Mrs. Pace's north line to the place of begirming; -

" Now, therefore I, E. G. Bower, county judge of Dallas county, Texas, do hereby declare the inhabitants of the above described territory to be incorporated within the boundaries thereof, under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Texas, and under Title 17, Chapter 11, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas; and by virtue of the authority in me vested by law, I hereby order an election to be held by the qualified voters residing within said territory, on Monday, the 4th day of May, 1891, for one mayor, one marshal, and five aldermen. The polls shall be opened at some suitable place within said territory, and Sim Bethol is appointed presiding officer of said election (he being the regular presiding officer of said precinct, appointed by the commissioners' court of Dallas county at its February term, 181)1).

The first officers of the incorporated town as above set out, according to the returns of the election ordered in said articles of incorporation, were: M. Davis Williams, mayor; Tobe Ethridge, marshal; S. E Scott, J. N. Floyd, J. R. Brown, S. A. Allen and J. D. Curfman, aldermen.

The feelings of animosity that once existed between the two towns has disappeared, and Garland's citizens are all proud of her and are working together for the common good of the town, - an evidence of which is a four thousand dollar college building, completed two years ago; and Garland is already be- coming somewhat noted for her educational facilities. All the religious deiiomiuations are represented, though there are only two church buildings in the town proper, - the Christian and the Baptist, - the other denominations using the college hall in which to hold their services. The Baptist and Methodist deuoniinations each had established churches here long before the town of Garland was thought of, not in the town, nor where the town now is, but near it, on Duck creek; and a little farther down the creek was the " Christian," or, as it is sometimes called the " Campbellite, " Church. Since the building of the town, the Baptists and Christians have each built a church in town, and the Methodists have purchased a lot preparatory to building, as have also the Cumberland Presbyterians. The pastors of the different denominations for this year (1892) are: Baptist, Rev. J. A. Moore; Methodist, Rev. J. M. McKee; Cumberland Presbyterian, Rev. L. A. Dunlap; Christian, Rev. C. L. Cole.

societies. The Masons and Odd Fellows have each a hall, and the lodges are known as Duck Creek Lodge, No. 441, A. F. & A. M., and Duck Creek Lodge, No. 304, L O. O. F. The Knights of Honor also have a lodge, - Duck Creek Lodge, No. 2,729. All of these have a good membership.

The principal business houses are: J. D. Curfman, general merchandise; Crossman Brothers, f^rocers; Brown & Hoygood, general merchandise; Mark Elliston & Company, iaras, general merchandise; William Brothers, undertakers and furniture dealers; Clark & Sebastian, hardware; C. C. Bradley, hardware and farming implements; Sam C. Uall, druggist; Pacific Drug Store, Dr. R. E. Summers, proprietor; W. T. Jackson, liquors and cigars; eJ. T. Newshaw, blacksmith and carriage shops; Weaver & W^ells, livery and feed stables; Tinsley & Parker, meat market; City Barber Shop, H. L. Erwin, proprietor; Bird Cage Barber Shop, John C. Green, proprietor. Aside from tliose mentioned are several others which the writer does not now recall. Among the professional men of the town are: T. F. Nash, attorney at law; R. E. Sumners, K. H. Embree, J. V. Kyon, T. S. Walker, J. D. JacksonandE.il. Ayres, physicians. The Garland News, the only newspaper published in Garland, is issued weekly by John H. Cullom, its founder, who began publishing it there about five years ago.

All in all. Garland is one of the most thriving and energetic country towns in the county, and is surrounded by one of the richest sections of country in the State.