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History in
a Pecan Shell
South Carolinian
Gideon Christian brought family and slaves here in the 1850s. Christian
owned thirty-two slaves and after the Civil
War, it was these former slaves that comprised the community.
Although no business district was formed, the community congregated
around the Shiloh Baptist Church (est. 1871). Christian had deeded
parcels of his property to former slaves, and today descendants of
these slaves still reside here. Although there sre no population records
available, the community declined after WWII
and is today regarded as "dispersed." |
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Historical
Marker -
On FM 1845 4 miles NW of Longview
1 mile W on Shiloh Road
Site of Shiloh
School
The newly freed
African Americans of the Shiloh community established a school for
their children shortly after the Civil
War. The one-room building was demolished in the late 1800s and
classes were held at the Shiloh Baptist Church. With financial assistance
from the Julius Rosenwald fund, a new two-room school was erected
in 1920. It was replaced by a large brick building in the 1930s. The
high school was closed in 1949; the end of segregation closed the
rest of the Shiloh School in 1966. Shiloh graduates became contributing
citizens in Texas and the nation. Long vacant, the school building
was later used to store chemicals for a plastics company and burned
in 1993.
1998 |
Shiloh Baptist
Church Historical Marker
(3.5 miles N of White Oak on FM
3272 to Jamerson Rd.
.5 mile N to church)
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, June 2011 |
Shiloh Baptist
Church
According to local
tradition former slave Butcher Christian, and noted post-Civil War
church organizer the Rev. John Baptist established this church in
1871. Services began in a log sanctuary located on 3 acres donated
by Butcher Christian. A school for African Americans operated there
until about the 1890s. An adjacent cemetery, with marked graves dating
to 1882, is still active. revenues from oil discovered on church land
were used to build a new sanctuary here in 1936. Shiloh Baptist serves
the community with a variety of programs.
1993 |
Cemetery adjacent
to Shiloh Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, June 2011 |
The road to cemetery
entrance
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, June 2011 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and contemporary or vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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