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History in a Pecan
Shell
James J. Gathings was a Mississippian who arrived in Texas
in 1852 and bought thousands of acres of land in the region. Using slaves, Gathings
ran successful farm and ranching operations, setting aside 100 acres for what
would become the town of Covington. He platted the town and offered free lots
to temperate families as long as they agreed to build a home and a school. The
town was named after his wife's maiden name. |
In 1855
Gathings became postmaster of Covington and together with his brother Philip,
they founded Gathings College in the early 1860s. By 1870 Gathings's population
was nearing 500 and the school continued in operation until 1885.
The
town was in economic peril when it was bypassed by the Katy Railroad in 1904 but
saved when the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad built through. Covington prospered
for the next 30 years and the town's prosperity was only ended by the onset of
the Great Depression. The Trinity and Brazos Valley discontinued the stop at Covington
and war time growth of Waco and Fort
Worth drained off population as highways improved. From a population of 450
in 1945 it fell to less than 300 by the late 1980s.
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