DUANE
Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's the story of John R. Nasworthy — and brother, this one's worth the telling. Now, they called him Sarge.
And once you hear what this man packed into a single life, you'll understand why a nickname like that sticks. He was born in Georgia, and by 1864 he was already wearing Confederate gray, serving through 1865 in the Civil War. That'll put some iron in a young man, one way or another.
When it was over, he came to Texas — first landed at Bonham, which is about as far east as Texas gets before it starts arguing with Louisiana. But Sarge had his eyes pointed west. He moved out toward the Menard area and got himself into the beef cattle business, buying stock for the United States Army mess halls over at Fort Concho.
That's a man who knew how to find the hungry and feed them. Then the 1880s came rolling in, and Sarge rolled right along with them. He took on the job of deputy county clerk of Tom Green County.
Then deputy sheriff. Then — and here's where it gets interesting — he became the first treasurer of the city of San Angelo. The very first.
Somebody had to keep track of the money in a place still finding its feet, and they handed that job to Sarge Nasworthy. But wait. He also owned the first local brick kiln.
A wagon yard. A livery stable. And — now this is the detail that tells you everything about frontier practicality — the only hearse in town in the early days.
Birth to death, Sarge had West Texas covered. He was the second man to fence land in Tom Green County. Second man to grow cotton there.
In a place where being second still meant you were practically a pioneer, Sarge was right there at the edge of the new. From 1910 to 1916 he served as a county commissioner, and he pushed for the building of the old Chadbourne viaduct. A man who once moved cattle across open range was now getting bridges built.
That's what westward civilization looks like from the inside. And it wasn't all business and government. Sarge was a leader in church and philanthropic endeavors, a promoter of the Baptist encampment at Christoval — which was, at the time, one of the largest religious gatherings in the entire South.
The man could fill a tent as well as he could fill a county ledger. He married Dena Von Fisher, and together they raised six children. The family kept homes on Beauregard Street, on Knickerbocker Road, on Ben Ficklin Road, and out at the Nasworthy Lake site.
That last one matters. Because that ranch land Sarge once owned — it became Lake Nasworthy, the first conservation lake in this area. His name is on the water now.
Sarge died, but the marker notes his six children carry on the family tradition of community leadership. Some legacies you build in brick. Some you build in blood.
John R. Nasworthy managed both.
What the marker says
Colorful pioneer and Texas ranger who helped to create civilization and institutions of West Texas. Owned ranch land on which today is situated Lake Nasworthy -- first conservation lake in this area. Born in Georgia. Served 1864-1865 in Confederate army, during Civil War. Later came to Texas, living first at Bonham. After he moved west, he operated in Menard area as a buyer of beef cattle for United States army mess halls at Fort Concho. In 1880s he was deputy county clerk and deputy sheriff of Tom Green County and the first treasurer of the city of San Angelo. He owned the first local brick kiln, a wagon yard, a livery stable, and the only hearse in town in the early days. He was second man to fence land, second man to grow cotton in the county. A county commissioner, 1910-1916, he promoted building of the old Chadbourne viaduct. A leader in church and philanthropic endeavors, he was a promoter of the Baptist encampment at Christoval (then one of the largest religious gatherings in the south). He married Dena Von Fisher. The family had homes on Beauregard Street, Knickerbocker Road, Ben Ficklin Road and at Nasworthy Lake site. His six children carry on family tradition of community leadership.