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.
Rosenas Post Office Rosenas Post Office was established 4 Jun 1900. The postmasters and their appointment dates are as follows: Lee Davidson, 4 Jun 1900, and Charles Robison, 31 May 1901. It was discontinued 31 Oct 1905, and moved to Eustace.
According to the postal application the proposed post office of Rosenas would be 400 yards north of the mail route between Mance and Goshen of Henderson County. Mance was five miles south, Goshen was five and one-half miles west and Walton was five miles east of Rosenas. The application was signed 8 Apr 1900, by Mrs. Lee Davidson, the proposed postmaster, and Roscoe S. Wheeler, postmaster at Mance, Henderson County.
On a current map the site of the Rosenas post office would be located close to the intersection of Fm. Rd. 1861, and VZC Rd. 2910, two miles east of Fm. Rd. 316.
According to some early maps there were several buildings at this intersection. A church, the Big Rock Missionary Baptist Church was in the area and the buildings could possibly have been a store or even a blacksmith shop. There was a syrup mill in the area that the people carried their cane to, a grist mill to get their corn and wheat ground, and the Cross Roads School for the children to go to.
Charles W. Robison, born 1847, in Alabama, married Ellen Eanas on 28 Dec 1869. Quite possibly the first postmaster, Mrs. Lee Davidson could have been Charles Robison's daughter for on 13 Oct 1895, a Miss Lela Robison married Oscar L. Davidson.
The following was taken from a ledger that was used by the postmaster at Rosenas: "Form No. 1558-1/2-OFFICIAL-Postmasters' Account and Record Book, 4th CLASS - For Post Office at Rosenas State of texas. This book is intended to last three years and a new one must not be started until this is filled up. This book must be preserved as part of the permanent records of the office, and must be delivered by a retiring postmaster to his successor."
Some of the totals shown in the ledger are: for the first quarter of 1902, Mr. Robison collected $25.49 from the sale of stamps, of this amount $12.22 was paid to the postmaster, a deposit made at Dallas for the Post Office Department for the quarter ending 31 Mar 1904, in the amount of $28.59, and an inventory of the post office showing the amount of postage stamps, postage-due stamps, special-delivery stamps, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, and postal cards on hand at the close of the quarter as $58.39, and the amount of these items received from the postal department for that quarter as $30.00. This made a total to be accounted for $88.39. Deducting the amount on hand at that time $59.80, it shows the post office sold $28.59 worth of the items listed for that particular quarter.
Also in the ledger were some interesting rules concerning Box Rents. "A postmaster has no right to assign any person a box free of rent. He must not renew a box for a longer period than three months. All box rents must be paid in advance and accounted for in the quarter they are collected. If a change occurs during the quarter, each postmaster must report and show the Box Rents he collects. The retiring postmaster must deposit all postal funds due the United States and transfer any such money to new postmaster."
The following item from the Wills Point Chronicle on 23 Apr 1903, tells of some of the people that lived in the community of Rosenas; "Farmers are done planting corn and will plant some cotton this week...D.C. Durham got through picking cotton on april 7th...R.H. White gathered up his road hands and worked the road Friday and Saturday. It being pretty weather to farm a few of the hands did not work...Bud Melton of Mabank is visiting his father, John Melton...Joe White of Phalba is visiting his brother, R.H. White...Mrs. M.Q. Durham is visiting Rev. T.W. White of Phalba. She will also visit W.P. Garrett of Mabank."
For more history of this community and some of the people that lived there, refer to the section on Big Rock in Chapter II, Rosenas was established where the Big Rock post office was from 5 Jan 1856, until 9 Sep 1868.
The children of the Rosenas area attended school at the Cross Roads School. In 1887, this school was apportioned $56.65. In 1889, the session beginning in January was taught by N.A. Mathews and the session beginning September 1889, was taught by L.D. Flagg. In 1899, Cross Roads was apportioned $360.00 and had 72 children enrolled. For the year 1905-1906, the school was apportioned $720.50.
There is nothing left of Rosenas now at the intersection but rolling countryside.Back to Post Offices Index Page Back to the Genealogical Research Group's Home Page You are the person to visit this page since June 7, 2006
This page last updated 26 August 2006Van Zandt County Genealogical Research Group Website
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Sibyl Creasey
