DUANE
Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's what I know about the Atascosa County Courthouse. Now, what you're lookin' at right now is a log cabin — but don't let the simplicity fool you. This is a replica of the very first courthouse built in Atascosa County, back in 1856.
The original stood about nine miles to the northwest, near a place called Amphion — also known as Navatasco — and it sat on land with a story all its own. That site was given by Jose Antonio Navarro, carved out of an 1828 grant from Coahuila and Texas. And that name, Jose Antonio Navarro, carries some real weight in Texas history.
He was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and he helped organize this very county. Think on that a moment. The ground the first courthouse stood on came from a man who put his name on Texas independence itself.
The first court term convened in 1857, and with it came a whole roster of men stepping into brand new offices in a brand new county. James H. French as Sheriff.
Marcellus French as Chief Justice. Edward Walker as District Clerk. Daniel Tobin as County Clerk.
Thomas R. Brite as Tax Assessor-Collector. Baylor Winn as County Treasurer.
James Paul as District Attorney. And E.F. Buckner as District Judge.
Eight men, eight titles, one log cabin courthouse in the Texas brush country. That's how a county gets on its feet.
What the marker says
This log cabin is a replica of first courthouse built 1856 near Amphion (Navatasco) 9 miles to the orthwest, on site given by Jose Antonio Navarro out of his 1828 grant from Coahuila and Texas. A signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, he helped organize this county. First court term, 1857. First officials: Sheriff, James H. French; Chief Justice, Marcellus French; District Clerk, Edward Walker; County Clerk, Daniel Tobin; Tax Assessor-Collector, Thomas R. Brite; County Treasurer, Baylor Winn; District Attorney, James Paul; District Judge, E.F. Buckner. (1964)