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Taken from an article "The Flo News" in The
Buffalo Express dated August 13, 2003 and written by Norma Moore
(Aug. 13, 2003)
The Normangee Leon
County Settlement was established in 1834 and was founded by immigrant
Robert Rogers. He was the first White Settler that was granted a title
to 4428.4 acres of this Leon County land under the Mexican Colonization Act.
This Law enforcement of 1826 allowed a settler to move onto land. The
requirements to own it were to build a home, farm and/or ranch for one year,
and to survey the land, having established monuments at each of the corners
of the property.
In 1835 Robert was given the title to
his land by appearing before the Mexican Commissioner in Nacogdoches with
witnesses and affidavits in certifying that he had complied with all the
necessary requirements. This land known as Roger Prairie, which was
located upon The Old San Antonio Road became one of the first communities of
our Leon County. Robert Rogers was the forefather of the foundation of
the territorial township of Normangee. The township was The Trade
Center for the surrounding area soon became populated with other white
immigrants who met the Mexican Law. Rogers Prairie was developed into
a booming town of many farmers, ranchers, and businesses, which included
several stores, a church, a post office, a doctor, a school, stage stop,
blacksmith, and a Masonic Lodge. This all accommodated the travelers
between Rogers Prairie (Normangee) and San Antonio.
Some of these early settlers were the
Dotson's, J. J. Bells, Greer's, Donaldson's, Copeland's, Baxter King, and
William Childress families. Many of their descendants still reside on
this land and other communities of Leon County today. This land
considered as a prairie was soon changed into fertile crop and grazing land.
The Hollis Branch provided welcome
water for the settlers, traveling visitors, and water for livestock.
The bison, buffalo, other wildlife, dotted shade trees, some black walnuts,
native pecans, wild plums, and berries were added to to food supply.
The Roger Prairie Settlement
introduced a flourishing lifestyle for the new county (Leon) that was in the
making. Rogers Prairie was in existence from 1835 until 1907, with the
Railroads making their entrance into the new frontier westward. The
Trinity and Brazos Valley and the Houston and Texas Central were introduced
to this area. Their pathway was built between Houston and Dallas,
which passed through Rogers Prairie. This brought a new beginning to
their community.
In 1907, S. B. Phillips filed record
of a plat of the new town, which became Normangee. It is located in
the southwest corner of Rogers Prairie. The railroads are now the
center point of the Township mainstay. The residents of Rogers
Prairie, with their true spirit, made the decision that since the Railroad
activity didn't come to them, they would pick up and move to the new founded
Normangee. Starting a new land, homes, farms, ranches, and business
opportunity.
The Rogers Prairie church, which was
their school. It was also the place on homemade loge rollers.
With horses and mule teams they moved to Normangee. The Rogers Prairie
Post office was closed and a new post office was opened in Normangee on the
same day.
(Aug 27,2003)
Normangee settlement
legal records, is officially a first settlement of Leon County. It
began when a U. S. Citizen, Robert Rogers, as the first settler of the
territory surrounding our present day Normangee. The land was
purchased under the Mexican Colonization Act. At the beginning was
Rogers Prairie, of which it was a flourishing township. Being the
trade center of the area, this was in existence from 1835 until 1907, due to
railroads pusing westward. The Trinity, Brazos, Houston and Central
Railroads systems were built between Houston and Dallas. They passed
through Robert Rogers land, about 2 miles west of Rogers Prairie.
Normangee was born as the new town
when S. B. Phillips filed to record a plat of the new settlement. This
was in the southwest corner of Rogers Prairie. The settlers of Rogers
Prairie actually picked up their belongings and move to Normangee.
Normangee soon became a thriving
township with a rapid growth of businesses, homes, a post office, living
quarters for the out of town workers and the church, which was also the
school. It was moved from Rogers Prairie by the settlers on log
rollers pulled by a horse and mule team.
There were subdivisions on the
outskirts of Normangee. They were the J. A. Heath, J. C. Ford and
Holloman additions.
Normangee was founded into an
incorporated township. However, in 1917, the citizens wanting
Normangee to be abolished as a corporate city, held an election. The
majority of the people voted for an abolishment and declared it an
unincorporated city. Then in 1919, with a vast growth in population,
the majority of people wanted to have Normangee to be an incorporated city
again. It included portions of Leon and Madison Counties. It
also included the Rogers land, the Holloman, Batson, Heath and Ford plats of
the west.
The majority of the land around
Normangee was agriculture. It is still used for farming and ranching
today. Some of the land remains as it was in the 1800's.
Marvin Williams is one of the
settlers of the Normangee area. His parents had a home in the country
outside Normangee. He attended school in Normangee and has fond
memories of Normangee. At first he rode a horse to the home where he
boarded with a family throughout the school semester. His father later
bought a Model-T and drove him to school. He remembers the rides to
school were quite an experience with the sand and mud and at times an
impassable situation. He would end up pushing the car or walking most
of the way.
Marvin Williams graduated from school
and went on to college. He was employed as a professional engineer of
Houston and San Antonio for 43 years. He and his wife retired and
moved back to Normangee. They are workers of the community.
Marvin is proud of his heritage and the valuable upbringing he received.
John and Runie (Hill) Hearth were
settlers of Rogers Prairie and Normangee communities. They were
owners/operators of large mercantile stores in both settlements. They
helped establish business success and John served as president of the
Normangee School Board. He also helped organize the First State Bank
and served as the bank president. He and Runie helped with the
establishment of the Methodist church. John donated land to build it
on and he served as the superintendent of the Sunday School. Runie
taught a ladies class.
Their 6 sons all graduated from
Normangee school. All are fine outstanding adults and have provided
prosperity for Normangee and other communities.
The Wright Holloman family was
relatives of the Robert Rogers family, as first homesteaders of Rogers
Prairie and Normangee. They have been in the community from generation
to generation and lovingly tell you Normangee is the place to call home.
The Albert West Lathrop family who
were first time settlers of Flo in 1853, were influential in the
establishment of Flo. He sold his home and store in Flo and bought 150
acres of land on the old San Antonio Road, six miles west of Normangee.
He, his wife Zela and daughters Ethie
and Lela, turned the land into fertile farm land. They were supporters
of education and helped to promote advanced programs of academic skills.
Ethie and Lela both obained teaching degrees and taught school.
Later the Lathrop family moved to the
city of Normangee and Albert operated the Sunshine Hatchery in Normangee for
many years. They attended the Plainview Baptist Church for a while.
Albert and his neighbor organized the Hopewell Freewill Baptist Church.
Albert and Zela lived the rest of
their lives in Normangee and are buried at the Hopewell Cemetery.
Their daughter Ethie married Ira Lee
Gustavious. They lived in Normangee and were actively involved in all
community affairs. Ethie, a precious lady, lived to be in her 90's.
She called Flo and Normangee her home. Ira and Ethie are buried at
Hopewell Cemetery.
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