DUANE
Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's what happened on this piece of Shelby County ground — and I'll do my best to do it justice. A Civil War veteran by the name of James Jackson Spivey founded this town, and the place wore his name proudly: Spivey. His brothers, Elisha P. and George W.
Spivey, lived nearby, so the family roots ran deep in this soil. In the early days, if you were waiting on a letter or a parcel, you were waiting on a wagon — because that's how the mail arrived, slow and dusty, out through the pines of East Texas. Now, a town like this needed more than family and correspondence.
It needed connection. And in 1886, the Houston East and West Texas Railroad came crossing right over the founder's own land, and they built Spivey Station right there. You want to talk about a thing changing a place — a railroad will do it.
By the late 1880s, Hicks Lumber Mill had gone up, and right alongside it, the workers' houses followed, whole rows of them, a little community taking shape in the timber country. Then in 1891, the United States Post Office was established, with Isaac W. Spivey serving as postmaster — the Spivey name still running the show.
The 1890s brought Friendship Baptist Church, organized right here, with James M. Spivey as pastor. One family, all through this story, tending the land and the mail and the souls of the congregation.
But after 1900, something quiet happened. The town didn't die all at once — it just gradually moved itself on over to Paxton Switch. Piece by piece, building by building, until what had been Spivey was mostly memory.
What marks the old site today is Friendship Cemetery, thirty-three graves resting in the stillness of these East Texas woods. Thirty-three. A whole town's worth of living, and in the end, it's the cemetery that keeps the address.
What the marker says
Founded by Civil War veteran James Jackson Spivey; brothers Elisha P. and George W. Spivey lived nearby. In early days mail arrived by wagon. Houston East & West Texas Railroad crossed the founder's land, building Spivey Station, 1886. During late 1880s Hicks Lumber Mill and workers' houses were erected. U. S. Post Office was established in 1891, with Isaac W. Spivey, postmaster. Friendship Baptist Church was organized in 1890s with James M. Spivey, pastor. After 1900, town gradually moved over to Paxton Switch. Friendship Cemetery, with 33 graves, marks the old site.