Charles Holmes Saxon

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, some lives just seem to stretch further than most, and the life of Charles Holmes Saxon is one of those. Born about 1820, a native of Mississippi, this man saw more of the American story than most folks ever bargained for.

He came to Texas in 1842, settling in Jasper County, and right there you might think the story was just getting started. You'd be right. Following his service in the Mexican War, Saxon moved to the area around what would become Orange County, and he got to work.

Farmer. Shingle maker. Active Mason.

Not one thing, not two things, three things. The kind of man who fills up a day. Then in 1852, when Orange County was organized, Saxon was right there on the first commissioners court.

The county was barely breathing its first breath as a county, and he was already helping shape it. And if that wasn't enough, he later became sheriff. The man went from sitting on the court to running law and order in the same county.

Now, when the Civil War came, Saxon enlisted again. He had already answered one call to service in the Mexican War, and here he was answering another. He participated in action in Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana.

That is a lot of ground to cover, and a lot of history to carry. Charles Holmes Saxon lived until January 26, 1919. Born about 1820, gone in 1919.

The marker doesn't ask you to do the math. It just asks you to sit with what this man saw, what he built, and how long he kept showing up. Some lives, friend, just earn their marker.

What the marker says

(About 1820-Jan. 26, 1919) A native of Mississippi, Charles Holmes Saxon migrated to Texas in 1842, settling in Jasper County. Following his service in the Mexican War, he moved to this area, where he was a farmer, a shingle maker and an active Mason. When Orange County was organized in 1852, he served on the first commissioners court and later became sheriff. Saxon enlisted for service in the Civil War and participated in action in Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana. Recorded - 1982