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EARL, TEXAS
AKA Earle’s Chapel Texas or Earls Texas
Texas Ghost
Town
Cherokee County, East Texas
Highway 110
14 Miles NE of Rusk
West of Jacksonville
Population: Unknown
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Earle's
Chapel Methodist Church and Cemetery
Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
The
town was named after one M. L. Earle, who settled in the area in the
late 1850s or early 1860s. The second part of the name came from the
local church - the town's central building. |
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Earle’s
Chapel Methodist Church - photo taken off of Highway 79 between Jacksonville
and Ironton
Photo Courtesy Lori Martin, 2005 |
A
post office was granted under the name Earl but only remained open
for a few months in 1874. The community had 40 students enrolled in
the Earle’s Chapel School in the 1890s.
Without a railroad and in a rather isolated region, Earle’s Chapel
didn't pose much of a threat to the county seat. Still, throughout
the 1930s, Earle’s Chapel maintained their school and church and still
had enough people living in the area to keep it alive. After WWII,
the population was drawn off by the larger towns and the school has
since closed.
Today only the church and cemetery remain.
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Earl Texas
Forum
Subject: Earle's
Chapel
Thanks for the info on Earle’s Chapel, the church and community west
of Jacksonville. I couldn’t help
but notice the varied spellings used throughout your article concerning
Earle’s Chapel. The spelling should always be Earle’s instead of Earl’s.
The state of TX had the incorrect spelling on their highway signs
also, but the correct spelling is Earle. Sincerely, Margaret Ann Mims
Moody Liberty, TX, Great-great granddaughter of Elijah Earle, May
01, 2006
Anyone wishing to share stories or photos of Earle’s Chapel, please
contact
us.
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