Francis-Ainsworth House

Duane's take

The way I tell it, I'm drawing straight from the official marker on this one, so let me take you through what it says about the Francis-Ainsworth House in Luling, Caldwell County. Now, some stories start with a man and a bag. Doctor Sidney Joseph Francis earned his medical degree from Tulane University, and in 1889 he settled in Luling.

That's a man with a plan, arriving in a railroad town with his credentials and his ambitions both freshly pressed. Six years after he arrived, in October of 1895, Dr. Francis purchased this site, four town lots on a corner.

One month later, he married Annie Davis Gregg. And here's a name worth pausing on: Annie was the granddaughter of Bishop Alexander Gregg, the first Episcopal bishop in Texas. One month after buying the land, he gained a family legacy that stretched all the way back to the founding of Episcopal Texas.

Make of that timing what you will. By 1896, a modest frame house stood on that corner, built for Dr. and Mrs. Francis.

Modest. For a while. Then 1916 rolled around, and contractor J.

W. Bishop, and yes, that is a fine name for a man expanding a house connected to a bishop's family, enlarged it into a full two-story dwelling. The house gained a full-length two-story porch, a porte cochere, and a central projecting bay with an offset entry.

The marker calls it a vernacular house, typical of those in railroad towns. But typical only gets you so far when the details start stacking up. Dr.

Francis went on to become a World War I veteran, a prominent local businessman, and a banker. A doctor, a veteran, a banker. The man had range.

But prior to his death in 1935, something quietly significant happened: his youngest daughter and her husband, H. Miller Ainsworth, moved into the house. The baton was passed without fanfare, right there inside those walls.

Now H. Miller Ainsworth, he was something else entirely. He served in World War I and World War II, both of them, and rose to the rank of General in the National Guard.

He was active in the oil, gas, and banking industries in Luling. The house that started with a doctor and a dream had graduated to a general and an oil man. Ainsworth died in 1969.

After that, his widow and son lived in the house until her death in 1986. Then, three years later, in 1989, the house was deeded to the city of Luling. Two families, one corner, nearly a century of Luling history passing through those rooms.

The Cornelius Smith Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas has served as custodian since 1993, keeping watch over a house that two remarkable families, and one railroad town, built together.

What the marker says

Doctor Sidney Joseph Francis (1867-1935) settled in Luling in 1889 after earning a medical degree from Tulane University. He purchased this site which included four town lots in October 1895. One month later he married Annie Davis Gregg, granddaughter of Bishop alexander Gregg, the first Episcopal bishop in Texas. A modest frame house was constructed for Dr. and Mrs. Francis on this corner by 1896; it was enlarged in 1916 by contractor J. W. Bishop into a two-story dwelling. The home features a full-length two-story porch, a porte cochere, and a central projecting bay with an offset entry. The vernacular house was typical of those in railroad towns. Dr. Francis was a World War I veteran, a prominent local businessman and a banker. Prior to Francis' death in 1935, his youngest daughter and her husband, H. Miller Ainsworth, moved into the house. ainsworth served in World Wars I and II, and rose to the rank of General in the National Guard. He was active in the oil, gas and banking industries in Luling. After his death in 1969, his widow and son lived in the house until her death in 1986. The house remained in the Ainsworth family until 1989 when it was deeded to the city of Luling. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1996 Incise on base: Given by Cornelius Smith Chapter, DRT, Custodian since 1993