|
C. W. Ehlinger
General Store, built 1898, on Main Street
Courtesy Fayette County Historical Commission, submitted by Carolyn
Heinsohn |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Joseph Ehlinger,
was born in Alsace, France and actually served in Napoleon's army
before its defeat. He at least got to see Moscow. He also was present
at San Jacinto
and received a grant of land for his service. He had just built a
fine house in Fayette
County and had gone to Europe to bring his family to their new
home. While crossing Buffalo Bayou near Houston,
his horse became entangled in wild grapevines and he drowned. The
family entered the house he had built for them without Joseph being
there to see it. |
| Charles
Ehlinger was Joseph's son and he became a surveyor.He laid out the
plat of the original town which was then known as Live
Oak Hill and was just north of present day Ellinger - near the
old cemetery. He was also the town's first postmaster. His son,
Charles W. Ehlinger grew to become a merchant, farmer and a Board
Member on the First State Bank of Ellinger. |
|
The Southern
Pacific Railroad came through the area in 1873 and missed Live
Oak Hill by two miles. In 1880, land was donated and a man named
Andreas Ondry, suggested they name it after Joseph Ehlinger.
When the Ellinger post office was opened, it was in Colorado
County. Sometime between 1877 and 1889 it became part of Fayette
County. The location has changed over the years - at one time
it was in the former bank. (See photos
below.)
The town entertained the idea of becoming the tomato capital of Texas
in the 1930s before a late April freeze ended that dream.
Today the blinding lights of modern gas stations distract the Houston-Austin
traveler from noticing that there is a community on the north side
of the highway.
Old Ellinger Cemetery › |
The
Old C.W. Ehlinger Store - (showing the original spelling)
before it collapsed
TE photo, 2001 |
"W. J. Lemp's
Beer & Ice House"
Photo
Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives |
The old Ellinger
Depot
Photo
Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives
More Texas
Depots |
An endorsement
from the Ellinger Brass Band
for the C.G. Conn musical instrument company.
Photo
Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives
See Texas Music & Musicians |
St. Mary's Catholic
Church about 1.7 miles NE of Ellinger
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, January 2006 |
The long vacant
Bank of Ellinger. Never robbed, but the doors once had their handles
shot off.
TE photo, 2001 |
Photographer's
Note:
The road in northern Colorado
County bears testimony to the actual birthplace of the community
(nothing there any more, except some corn as you can see). As you'll
note, it bears the correct spelling of the founding family. By the
way, the post office, founded in 1877, apparently moved from Colorado
County to Fayette
County circa 1883. It has always borne the misspelling. - John
J. Germann |
Kubala
Garage
TE photo, 2001 |
The
old Lee Walla Gin
TE Photo, January 2002 |
 |
Ellinger, Texas
Forum
Subject:
Name change of Ellinger
The name changed from Ehlinger to Ellinger when the railroad came
through the area. In fact the town was originally up the hill (Live
Oak Hill) near the church where the graveyard is, and was moved
to its current location to induce the railroad to stop there - as
my grandfather told me. It was easier for the people to phonetically
spell it. The silent "H" is a royal pain, believe me when I tell
you as I have to constantly spell it for people.
My grandfather was Dr. Rancier B. Ehlinger, his father was Dr. Otto
Ehlinger - both MD's born in Ellinger, TX, and both were graduates
of and the college doctors at Texas A&M (Tulane University MD graduates),
and both were descendants of Joseph Ehlinger. The hospital at Bryan
was owned at one time by my grandfather in partnership with another
Dr., and given to the nuns that now own it when he retired in ca.
1948. - Ladd P. Ehlinger, AIA, August 09, 2005
|
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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