DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say — so let the record show where the facts come from. Now settle in, because this one starts on Christmas Day. December 25, 1871.
Most folks are opening gifts or sitting down to a big holiday spread, but four men had something else on their minds entirely. They sat down and formed the Cuero Land and Immigration Company — the C. L.
I. C., as they'd come to call it — with their eyes on 4,128 acres of land from the J. A.
Valdez y Gonzales League, a tract granted back in 1833 by Mexico. The company charter came through on February 7, 1872, and just like that, those four men were in business. Now, who were these four?
Well, they weren't exactly nobody. Gustav Schleicher — born 1827, died 1879 — was a civil engineer and lawyer who had surveyed the route of the Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway and the city of Cuero itself. He'd go on to serve as a U.S.
Congressman from 1875 to 1879, and the man was honored in the naming of both a county and a bridge. Then there was Fletcher S. Stockdale — 1824 to 1890 — a lawyer and statesman who served as Governor of Texas in the summer of 1865, sat on the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875, and by all accounts was a civic leader through and through.
Charles M. Terrell, 1832 to 1904, brought his background as a U.S. Army paymaster to the table.
And John C. French — 1825 to 1889 — rounding out the group as a civic leader and developer. Now here's where the story picks up speed.
In January of 1873, the C. L. I.
C. donated 100 acres — a section known as Morgantown — to the Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway, specifically to bring its line right to this site. That's not a small thing. That's a gamble with land instead of chips.
And the bet paid off. The first train rolled in on March 4, 1873, and lot sales boomed. The city prospered as the western terminus of that railroad, and people came.
The company didn't stop there — they donated sites for churches, schools, and public uses, including the very block this marker stands on, which was designated the market square. By 1888, Cuero had grown to 2,000 people, and the Cuero Land and Immigration Company quietly ceased operating. Its work, in a manner of speaking, was done.
But here's the thing about a story like this — it doesn't end just because the company does. The city kept right on growing and prospering. And if you walk the streets of Cuero today, you'll find names that carry the memory of those four founders forward.
The C. L. I.
C. is gone, but it left its mark in the layout of a city, in the names on the street signs, and in the ground beneath your feet.
What the marker says
On December 25, 1871, Cuero Land and Immigration Company was formed to develop 4,128 acres of land from J. A. Valdez y Gonzales League (granted 1833 by Mexico). Company charter was issued Feb. 7, 1872. There were four founders and stockholders of C. L. I. C.: Gustav Schleicher (1827-1879), civil engineer and lawyer, surveyor of route of Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway and city of Cuero, U.S. Congressman (1875-79), honored in naming of a county and a bridge. Fletcher S. Stockdale (1824-1890), lawyer, statesman, Governor of Texas (summer of 1865), member of Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875, civic leader. Charles M. Terrell (1832-1904), U.S. Army paymaster. John C. French (1825-1889), a civic leader, developer. In Jan. 1873, C. L. I. C. donated 100 acres (Morgantown) to Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific to include railway to build its line to this site. First train arrived March 4, 1873, and lot sales boomed. City prospered as western terminus of the railroad. The company donated sites for churches, schools, and public uses (including this block, designated market square). In 1888, when Cuero had 2,000 people, C. L. I. C. ceased operating, but the city continued to grow and prosper. Many street names honor the memory of C. L. I. C. stockholders.