Seven Oaks (Mallard-Alexander House)

Duane's take

Well, here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about a place called Seven Oaks, out in Anderson County. Now, if you're passing through Palestine, Texas, you ought to know that some houses carry more history than others. Seven Oaks, also known as the Mallard-Alexander House, is one of those places.

The story starts in 1848, when the house was built as the home of Judge John B. Mallard. And not just any judge, mind you.

John B. Mallard was the first lawyer in Palestine. The first.

Which means at some point, there was a whole town forming up around him, and he was the only man in it who knew his way around a courtroom. The house stood, as houses do when they're built right, and by 1857 it had become the home of Judge William Alexander. Now here's where the story deepens a little.

William Alexander wasn't just passing through. He served as Chief Justice of Anderson County from 1860 to 1865, a stretch of years that, if you know your Texas history, carried more weight and turbulence than most. And on top of his duties on the bench, he was also a trustee of the first school in Palestine.

The first school. So this man had a hand in shaping both the law and the learning of that community. Two judges, one house, and a town finding its footing around them both.

Seven Oaks has been standing since 1848, and it's still got stories in its walls.

What the marker says

Built in 1848 as the home of Judge John B. Mallard, first lawyer in Palestine. Became the home of Judge William Alexander of 1857. Alexander was Chief Justice of Anderson County 1860-1865, and a trustee of the first school in Palestine. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966