Lumpkin House

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Lumpkin House in Hill County. Now settle in, because this one's got layers. You've got a railroad, a craftsman, a Confederate veteran who loved horses, and a house that's been standing watch over Hillsboro long enough to see the whole town grow up around it.

The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad came rolling into Hill County in 1881, and Hillsboro started moving fast after that. The kind of fast where ambitious men show up with plans and money and the willingness to build something meant to last. One of those men was R.

S. Lumpkin, born in 1837. He was the city's first maker of saddles and harness.

First. Not one of the early ones, not among the pioneers of the trade. The first.

That's a distinction worth remembering. He was also a Confederate veteran, a horse fancier, and a volunteer fireman, which tells you something about a man right there. He cared about horses enough to work with them, fight alongside them, and then spend his professional life outfitting them properly.

In 1883, contractor John Self Robinson built this residence for Lumpkin and his wife Mary, whose maiden name was Kelly. And the house didn't just say 'we live here.' It said, in the particular architectural language of its era, 'we have done well.' The style of the place reflects the success Lumpkin had earned. After Lumpkin, the house kept on going, the way good houses do.

The Brin family, who were merchants, owned it from 1952 to 1970. Then Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Loveless took it from 1970 onward.

R. S. Lumpkin died in 1921, but the house he had built for himself and Mary was still standing, still being cared for, still telling the story of Hillsboro's first saddlemaker.

Some things you build outlast everything else about you, and in Hill County, this house is proof.

What the marker says

In era of Hillsboro's growth after Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad entered (1881) county, contractor John Self Robinson built (1883) this residence for R. S. Lumpkin (1837-1921) and wife Mary (Kelly). House style reflects success of Lumpkin, city's first maker of saddles and harness. He was a Confederate veteran, a horse fancier, and a volunteer fireman. House was owned 1952-70 by the Brin family, merchants; since 1970, by Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Loveless. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973