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| The
lone building that still stands at the main intersection in the abandoned
town of Eliasville. - Photo courtesy Noel
Kerns, September 2007 |
History in
a Pecan shell
Settled in the 1870s, ranchers William Leander and Thomas Franklin
Donnell established ranches here in 1876, and later built the flour
mill as well as a stone dam and a pedestrian suspension bridge. The
mill burned in 1927.
The town was named after the first storekeeper, Elias DeLong.
With the oil boom of 1921 Eliasville was incorporated, and the town
grew rapidly to a population high of 1,500.
At its zenith, Eliasville had two movie theaters, various stores,
several churches, a school, hotel and three gas stations.
The population dropped to only 400 in 1940, and by 1980 it was down
to around 100. |
| The
clear fork of the Brazos River flows gently by the remains of the
old Donnell Mill, built in 1895 in Eliasville. - Photo courtesy Noel
Kerns, September 2007 |
An early
picture of the mill
Vintage photo courtesy of Gerry Grantham Hill with special thanks
to Georgia Pratt Cunningham and Margaret Donnell Lambkin |
The
burned flour mill
2001 photo courtesy of Eric Whetstone |
Eliasville
name-sake Elias De Long with his wife Malissa Sue.
Photo courtesy James D. Allen |
Eliasville
School, 1924, Grade 3
Photo courtesy Mary Cash of the Dr. J. H. Nelson family |
De Long
Ward School in Eliasville, May 28, 1929
Photo courtesy James D. Allen
Click on photo for larger image |
Eliasville is listed in T. Lindsey Baker's "More Ghost Towns
of Texas", and is consider by Baker to be one of the most
picturesque ghost towns in the state.
Graham
Hotels
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© John Troesser |
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| For
Sale “2 bedroom, 1 bath with kitchen, quiet neighborhood, Eliasville,
Texas.” - Photo courtesy Noel
Kerns, September 2007 |
Eliasville
Texas Forum
Eliasville
Families of 1883 and what is a battling block?"
Subject: Gordon Family, Eliasville, Tx
I am reading a diary of an ancestor of the Gordon Family that lived
in Eliasville, Tx in the year 1883. The family of George Washington
Gordon. The story is written by Laura Gordon Coker. The property
was located on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Gage Creek ran
diagonally across the farm. She said they went to Gage Creek School
and Mr Ludwick was the teacher. Laura said the desks were just benches
which had legs that stood out like legs on a battling block. "What
is a battling block?" She said the names of the school children
she went to school with were, Wiley Jones family, the Bill Donalds,
Tom Donalds, the Daws, the Stewarts the Ed Davis famly and the Delongs
and Longs. Are there any of these family's still there? I would
gladly share this diary of hers for more information and would love
to visit Eliasville to get a feel of the town and any areas that
might have been. Thank you, Cheryl Spradlin, October 18, 2006
Subject:
Eliasville Pictures
Attached please find two photos from Eliasville. My family history
is sketchy at best; however, I am the great, great grandson of Elias
De Long. One of the pictures attached is supposedly Elias with his
wife Malissa Sue. (I originally did not have Elias’s wife’s name,
but recently learned it was Malissa Sue. Any confirmation would
be appreciated.) Also attached is a picture of the De Long Ward
school from 1929. My father was born in Eliasville, and I believe
he is in the picture somewhere. Thanks, James D. Allen, Son of
Milton O’Neal Allen, who was the son of Fred and Vernie Allen. Fred
was son of Tabitha De Long and Andrew J. Allen. Tabitha was daughter
of Elias and Malissa Sue, July 01, 2006
Subject:
Eliasville, Texas
I am a great-grandson of T.F. Donnell and was born in Eliasville.
Moved away for several years and have been back in Eliasville for
about twelve years, happily in the house, I was born in. It is the
homestead of W.W. Cunningham, my maternal great-grandparents. It
is a lovely community to live in and I have many fond memories of
growing up in Eliasville. It was a perfect place for a young boy
to roam, run, swim, hunt, and play in. - Louis F. Donnell, Jr.
June 13, 2006
Just a note
to let you know that "F. T." Donnell should be "T. F." - as in Thomas
Franklin. His brother "W. L." Donnell was William Leander.
I am a great grand-daughter of Thomas Franklin Donnell, and I grew
up in Eliasville. While there may not be many people left in the
quaint little town, there are no ghosts, other than what someone
might imagine. I am attaching an early picture of the mill. - Margaret
Donnell Lambkin, July 28, 2004
To share history or photos of Eliasville, Texas, please contact
us.
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