DUANE
Duane's take
Now, I'm gonna tell you what the official marker for Burleson County has to say — and friend, there's a lot worth sayin'. You're riding through some of the richest country in Texas right now. The Brazos River basin has been pulling people in since at least 1825, when the first settlers put down roots here.
Rich soil does that to folks. It calls to them. But before any of that, this ground already had a story.
Back in 1830, Mexico planted one of three forts it built in Texas right here — a place called Tenoxtitlan. It sat up above where El Camino Real, the old King's Highway, crossed the Brazos River. Think about that for a second.
This wasn't the edge of nowhere. This was a crossroads. North of the road, Sterling Robertson's Colony.
South of it, Stephen F. Austin's colony. Two of the biggest names in Texas settlement, meeting at a river crossing, with a Mexican fort watching from above.
Now, hold onto the name George B. Erath, born 1813, because this man is about to do a lot of work in this story. He was a civil engineer, and in 1840 he came out along the Old Road and platted a town.
He named it Caldwell — after Mathew Caldwell, a man they called Old Paint, noted Indian fighter. That town is still here. Still the county seat.
Then, just a few years later in 1846, Erath shows up again — this time in the First Legislature of the State of Texas, introducing the bill that carved Burleson County out of land that had been in Milam and Washington counties. One man platted the town and then created the county around it. Not bad for a civil engineer.
And who was the county named for? General Edward Burleson, born 1793, died 1851 — a man under whom many local men had fought in the Texas War for Independence and in the Indian Wars. And that wasn't all Burleson was.
He served as congressman, senator, and vice president of the Republic of Texas. Then when Texas joined the Union, he turned right around and stepped into the first State Senate. The county wears his name well.
For a good while, the plantation system prevailed here — right up until the Civil War, which ran from 1861 to 1865. After the war, the county kept on, though it did lose some of its area in 1874 when Lee County was created out of it. Then came the iron rails.
In 1880, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built into the county, and not long after that, the Houston and Texas Central added even more rail mileage. When the railroad comes, the whole equation changes. The courthouse you might pass through today — that's the fourth one the county has had.
Four courthouses tells you something about a county. It tells you it kept growing, kept changing, kept building. The economy here rests on farming, oil, and miscellaneous products — the marker's words, not mine, and I kind of love that "miscellaneous." Some places just do a little of everything, and they do it just fine.
From that 1830 fort above the river crossing, to a civil engineer drawing a town in 1840, to the county itself taking shape in 1846 — Burleson County didn't just happen. It was drawn, legislated, fought for, and built. And it's still here.
What the marker says
In rich Brazos River basin; had settlers early as 1825. Site in 1830 of Tenoxtitlan, one of 3 forts built by Mexico in Texas, situated above El Camino Real (The King's Highway) crossing on Brazos River. North of the road was Sterling Robertson's Colony; south, the colony of Stephen F. Austin. In 1840 on the Old Road, Civil Engineer George B. Erath (1813-1891) platted town of Caldwell, named for noted Indian fighter Mathew ("Old Paint") Caldwell. In 1846, Erath introduced in First Legislature of State of Texas a bill creating Burleson County out of land then in Milam and Washington counties. It was named for Gen. Edward Burleson (1793-1851), under whom many local men had fought in the Texas War for Independence and in Indian Wars. Gen. Burleson was a congressman, senator and vice president of the Republic of Texas; also was in first State Senate. Plantation system prevailed until Civil War (1861-1865). Burleson lost some area when Lee County was created in 1874. In 1880 the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway built into county; soon afterward, Houston & Texas Central added more rail mileage. This is fourth courthouse for county. Economy is based on farming, oil, and miscellaneous products. (1970)