Dial Home

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of the Dial Home in Fannin County. Now, this is a Queen Anne house, and it was built in 1890, seventeen years after the town of Honey Grove was chartered. The man who had it constructed was William H.

Gross, a prominent area lawyer, and his wife Martha, born O'Kelley. Gross wasn't just any attorney passing through, either. He served as the first city attorney for Honey Grove.

The first. So when you look at that house, you're looking at something built for the man who helped set the legal foundation of that town. Then the years turned, as they do.

In 1905, a local merchant named Samuel M. Dial and his wife Ruby, born Rutherford, purchased the property. Now here's the detail that makes you stop and think.

Samuel Dial was a native of a nearby community called Lane's Academy. That community was later renamed Dial, in honor of his family. So the man buying this house already had a town carrying his name.

The house passed to the Dials' son Harry in 1932, and from there it stayed exactly where it was, in the family, for over sixty years. Some houses change hands like playing cards. This one held on.

What the marker says

This Queen Anne house was built in 1890, seventeen years after the town of Honey Grove was chartered. It was constructed for William H. and Martha (O'Kelley) gross. A prominent area lawyer, Gross served as the first city attorney for Honey Grove. In 1905 the property was purchased by local merchant Samuel M. Dial and his wife Ruby (Rutherford). Dial was a native of the nearby community of Lane's Academy, later renamed Dial in honor of his family. Deeded to the Dials' son Harry in 1932, the residence remained in the family for over sixty years.