Phillip A. Dalby Homestead

Duane's take

Now, I'm givin' you the story as the marker tells it, right here on this Bowie County road. The Phillip A. Dalby Homestead.

Pull over if you need to, because this one's worth a moment of your time. The Republic of Texas itself gave Phillip A. Dalby this land.

Not the state, not a county commission. The Republic. That tells you something about how far back this story reaches.

The Dalby family has held it since 1841, and if that doesn't make you feel the deep roots running under this corner of East Texas, just wait. The original room, the northeast part of the house, is built of oak logs pegged together. Every log, every floorboard, shaped by hand.

No mill down the road, no easy lumber. Just a man, some tools, and the kind of patience that built a civilization one swing at a time. By 1856, Phillip Dalby had eight children living under that roof.

Eight. So the house grew. It had to.

And when it did, it became something more than a family shelter. It became a gathering place. Singings happened here.

Socials, quiltings, logrollings. Teachers boarded here. Freighters camped out in the yard.

That homestead was the beating heart of a community still finding its footing. Then the years moved, as years do. In 1872, the property passed to Phillip's son, A.

J. Dalby. In 1927, it passed again, to Clyde N.

Dalby, Phillip's grandson. The house was remodeled in 1948, but those original oak logs, hand-pegged and hand-hewn, are still in the northeast corner. Three generations.

One piece of land. And it all started with a grant from a republic that doesn't exist anymore. The land outlasted the government that gave it away.

What the marker says

In Dalby family since 1841. On land given Dalby by Republic of Texas. Original room (northeast part of house) is of oak logs pegged together. Logs and floor boards were hand-hewn. By 1856 Dalby had 8 children. House, then enlarged, was scene of singings, socials, quiltings, logrollings. Teachers boarded here. Freighters camped in yard. Passed to Phillip Dalby's son, A. J., 1872; his grandson, Clyde N., 1927. Remodeled in 1948. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966.