to Van Zandt County "Post Offices, Cities, Towns and People" by Kitty Wheeler of Grand Saline, TX Kitty Wheeler of Grand Saline spent several years researching the post offices, cities, towns and people of Van Zandt County. A portion of her work was published by the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society in "Histories and Biographies of Van Zandt County, Vol. II," which is still in print and available for purchase by sending a check or money order for $60 to the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1388, Canton, TX 75103. This volume contains a portion of her post office research plus over 500 biographies of Van Zandt County citizens. Kitty Wheeler has generously given us exclusive permission to use all or part of her 500 page original manuscript. We are beginning with only part of her entire amazing work but we will complete this site as quickly as possible.
Sava Post Office Sava Post Office was established 15 Jun 1899. The postmasters and their appointment dates are as follows: John T. Rushing, 15 Jun 1899; William N. Dorsey, 28 Jun 1900; and William F. Orsborn, 3 Jun 1901. It was discontinued 19 Sep 1903, and moved to Wills Point.
According to the postal application and the map submitted along with it, Sava was eight miles northeast of Wills Point and about three miles from the Sabine River. On a current map the location would be at the intersection of Fm. Rd. 47 and Fm. Rd. 1395. This is also known as the Bright Star Community.
On the application the name for the proposed post office first written in was Guy. This is crossed through and above is written Sava. The following is taken from the Texas Handbook: "Sava in northwestern Van Zandt County eight miles northeast of Wills Point, is said to have been named by Mexican laborers in R.H. Walker's gin and gristmill, when they could not 'sabe' his directions. D.S. Derr operated an early store. Population 20 in 1890. Two businesses and a population of 50 in 1940."
The Sava area was on a boom in the spring of 1900. A.J. Miller and son were busy building a new store.
William N. Dorsey, one of the postmasters, had purchased the general merchandising store from John T. Rushing. John would still be running the drug store and would remain postmaster until his term expired.Just a few miles north, over in Rains County, A.A. Wheeler was erecting a saw mill. All were looking forward to having a place close by to get their lumber. Over a year later in October 1901, a newspaper man visited the village of Sava and had this to say, "This place has two stores and a blacksmith shop. The post office is presided over by Will Osborn, who also carries a good stock of merchandise. Rushing & Son is the other firm, while T.J. McBride is the blacksmith. A.J. Miller, formerly in business there, now has charge of the new post office beyond the iron bridge, in Rains County. This office takes its name, Dement, from the old family of that name who lives near it. John Melton of Wills Point has a crew of men repairing the iron bridge. The Sava country is a good community and has a very bright future before it.
The school has opened there with Ashmore Cowles, late of Wood County, as teacher. Thirty-nine pupils were present Wednesday."
A tragedy occurred in this community in August 1904. Mrs. George Osborn was returning from church on a Thursday night in a wagon with her husband when the team became frightened and ran away. Mrs. Osborn was thrown over the front of the wagon, her clothing catching in the running gear of the wagon and dragging her one hundred yards or so. Her clothing was stripped from her body and she sustained injuries from which she died Friday evening at 7 o'clock.
The bravery and courage of a mother's love for her baby was displayed by Mrs. Osborn, for while she was being dragged to her ultimate death she shielded her baby that was in her arms, protecting it so well that the infant received no serious injuries.
In October 1905, the land owners around Sava were happy to see the price of land had enhanced rapidly. It was then changing hands at from eighteen to twenty dollars an acre. The general store owned by Tuttle and Wright were doing a good business that year and Claud Williams, the ginned, was about ready to begin baling the first bale of cotton for the year.
There were many good farmers in this vicinity. Five of them were Floyd Trumble, Sam Scott, Steve Huff, A.W. Sims, and a townsman, George Ellis also owned a large farm and pasture near the village.
In 1905, Sava had a prosperous lodge of Woodman of the World.
That fall Mr. J.P. Johnson was planning on putting in a pool some two hundred yards long and an average of ten feet deep for the purpose of raising game fish. He thought that due to the formation of the land, it wouldn't cost but a small amount of labor.
The Bright Star Baptist Church was one of the oldest churches in Van Zandt County. The Bright Star Baptist Church presented a petitionery letter for admission to the Saline Baptist Association at the Eleventh Annual Session at Shiloh Church, Henderson County, Texas, on Saturday, 16 Oct 1869. Being considered orthodox, the church was admitted. On 26 Sep 1874, the 16th Session of the Saline Baptist Association met at the Bright Star Church. Officers elected for that year were J.L. Matthews, moderator; F.M. Hobbs, clerk; J. Youngblood, treasurer. It was reported at this meeting that a Sunday School had been organized at Bright Star.
In the month of November 1887, the following conducted services at Bright Star. On the first Sunday, Bro. Ruth McBrion presided, on the second Sunday it was Bro. Balew, and on the fourth Sunday the congregation was led by Bro. Beckam.
The earliest records available for the school at Bright Star are on a school fund apportionment list for the year commencing 1 Sep 1887. It shows Bright Star as number 79 apportioned $252.35. During the session from December 1888 and April 1889, L.W. Johnson was the teacher. For the year beginning 1 Sep 1899, Bright Star, number 79, was apportioned $515 and had an enrollment of 103. For the year beginning 1 Sep 1905, Bright Star, then number 78, was apportioned $280.50.
All that remains of this once thriving village is the cemetery where lies some of the residents of Sava.
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