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 B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T V W Y Z

By Norman Lowell McCarver, Sr. & Norman Lowell McCarver, Jr.
Century Press Of Texas, San Antonio, Texas
© 1958 by Norman Lowell McCarver
Lone Star Printing Company, San Antonio, Texas

Used with permission of Norman Lowell McCarver, Jr.  These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format by other organizations or individuals. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of McCarver family relatives or contact William Kent Brunette, Robertson County TXGenWeb coordinator. 

A limited number of copies of this hard-to-find, out-of-print book are available for purchase at $40 each.  To make arrangements (including credit card sales):

The International & Great Northern Railroad 

During the time that the Houston & Texas Central Railroad Company was involved in land suits, in 1870 another railroad company began negotiations for land grants to enter the Hearne territory.

At this time, Colonel Charles Lewis, acting for himself and other land owners, deeded a tract of land of about 700 acres to the International & Great Northern Railroad Company under conditions that the company would have trains operating over the deeded land by January 1, 1872.  The acceptance of this land grant involved the new railroad company in many title complexities of the H. & T. C. Railroad, so the two railroad companies combined their legal forces for the enormous job ahead.  The two railroad companies were successful in bringing about what is known as the Railroad Compromise.  There was one other obstacle that presented itself.  The son-in-law of Francisco Ruiz came to life and filed suit on all parties involved in any of the Francisco Ruiz transactions and this of course involved the I. & G. N. Railroad Company.  The record of this suit seems to be a general quit claim deed from Blas Herrera and wife to all parties for the sum of $500.00 cash.  After this round in the courts, the two railroads then formed a New York & Texas Land Company exchanging deeds for their grants.

Since the I & G. N. Railroad crossed the H. & T. C. Railroad about one mile north of the first town site and depot on the H. & T. C. Railroad, it was a matter of a short time until the new business district was at the intersection of the two railroads.

The time element was working against the agreement of the I. & G. N. Railroad Company citizens that had made the land grants, so with the use of the friendly services of the H. & T. C. Railroad Company, supplies were brought into Hearne and building on the I. & G. N. Railroad was pushed both ways from Hearne with Hearne serving as a division point between Palestine and San Antonio.

By February 1, 1872 the I. & G. N. Railroad was completed through Hearne and was opened as far as Keechi, 65 miles east of Hearne.  Daily connections were made with the trains of the H. & T. C. Railroad at Hearne for Englewood Station, Lake Marquez, Jewett, and Keechi with Johnsons and Mitchells Stage for Palestine and all points in northeast Texas. 

The I. & G. N. Railroad today is a section of the great Missouri Pacific Lines.