Phillip James Shaver

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, some folks arrive in Texas and just kind of settle in. And then there are folks like Phillip James Shaver, who arrive and then proceed to build the whole place from scratch.

Shaver was born in North Carolina in 1814, and by around 1840 he had made his way to Rutersville, a community in Fayette County. He wasn't there long before the Republic of Texas came calling. Two years after he arrived, Shaver joined the Texas Army, defending area settlers from Indians and Mexican soldiers.

For that service, the Republic granted him 320 acres. Not a bad start. But Shaver was just getting warmed up.

In 1847, he married Mary Ann Holloway, born a Bass, and not long after that he purchased 525 acres right here at this very site. Now, here's where the story gets interesting. This man didn't just buy land and put up a fence.

He surveyed it. He platted it. He laid out a whole town, named it after a former home of his, and then sat down and named the streets.

And if that wasn't enough, he donated lots for a school, a community church, a masonic lodge, and a city cemetery. The man was essentially handing the future its furniture. Shaver kept supporting Fayetteville right up until his death in 1875, and many of his descendants are in the area to this day.

Some people leave a mark. Phillip James Shaver left a whole town.

What the marker says

North Carolina native Phillip J. Shaver (1814-1875) settled in the Fayette County community of Rutersville c. 1840. Two years later, he joined the Texas Army to defend area settlers from Indians and Mexican soldiers and also received from the Republic 320 acres. After marrying Mary Ann (Bass) Holloway in 1847, Shaver purchased 525 acres at this site and he surveyed and platted a town that he named after a former home. He named the streets and donated lots for a school and community church, a masonic lodge and a city cemetery. Shaver continued to support Fayetteville until his death, and many of his descendants remain in the area today.