DUANE
Duane's take
The official marker's got the story — let me tell it to you the way Duane does. Now, if you're going to found a town, you might as well start with big dreams. And they don't come much bigger than the California Gold Rush.
Sometime in the 1850s, three men — E.S. and Ithane Singletary, who were brothers, and a fellow named John Hughes — came out to what is now Montague County with gold on their minds. They were hoping to find some right here. Whether the ground ever yielded any, the marker doesn't say.
But what it does say is that those three men planted something that lasted a good deal longer than a gold fever. The community they started got called Head of Elm — named for its location at the headwaters of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. And Head of Elm had ambitions.
In 1858, the town ran for county seat. Ran, and lost. That's the kind of detail that sticks with a place.
But the town kept going. In 1859, a post office opened right here at this very site, with a pioneer named John Womble serving as postmaster. An early store and saloon were owned by a man called Dominick Burns.
The bones of a real community were taking shape. Then came the cattle. Around 1868, the Chisholm Cattle Trail was located through here, and that was the next jolt of life for the settlement.
By 1871, the village had a post office, a blacksmith shop, and five stores. Things were moving. Now, here's where the story gets a little flavor to it.
In 1872, a man named I.H. Boggess — owner of the famous Stonewall Saloon, if that tells you anything about him — and a man named Joe Howell went in together, bought six hundred and forty acres, and laid out a proper townsite. Boggess did the naming, and he named it Joe.
For Howell. Simple enough. Except then he went and added the word Saint in front of it.
Why? Well, there are two versions, and the marker gives you both without picking a winner. One story says Boggess added Saint because Joe Howell was a staunch non-drinker — which, coming from the owner of the Stonewall Saloon, carries a certain wry charm.
The other version says he just wanted the name to be longer. You can take your pick. The name that came out the other end was Saint Jo, and Saint Jo it has been ever since.
In 1874, citizens built an all-faiths church. In 1876, a newspaper was established. Saint Jo was organized as a town in 1880, and incorporated in 1886.
The population has held at around a thousand since that time, and the economy is still rooted in farming and ranching. Founded in the heat of a gold rush, beaten for the county seat, baptized with a name that may be a joke or may be a tribute — depending on who's telling it — Saint Jo, Texas just kept right on keeping on. Sometimes the towns that weren't supposed to last are exactly the ones that do.
What the marker says
One of oldest towns in Montague County. Founded in 1850s, during great California Gold Rush, by E.S. and Ithane Singletary (Brothers) and John Hughes, who hoped to find gold here. The community they started became known as "Head of Elm" for its location at headwaters of Elm Fork of Trinity River. In 1858 Head of Elm ran--and lost--race for county seat. A post office opened here (at site of marker) in 1859, with John Womble, another pioneer, as postmaster. An early store and saloon were owned by Dominick Burns. Next spurt of growth for town came with locating of Chisholm Cattle Trail through here about 1868. In 1871 village had a post office, blacksmith shop, and five stores. In 1872 I.H. Boggess (owner of the famous Stonewall Saloon) and Joe Howell bought 640 acres of land and laid out townsite, which Boggess named "Joe", for Howell. One story says he decided to add "Saint" because Joe was a staunch non-drinker; another version claims he added it to make the name longer. In 1874 citizens built an all-faiths church and in 1876 a newspaper was established. Saint Jo was organized as a town in 1880; incorporated in 1886. Population has remained about 1,000 since that time and economy is still based on farming and ranching. (1972)