DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker on Van Zandt Hill tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, some pieces of land carry more history than they have any right to hold, and this hundred acres in Harrison County is one of them. It starts with a man named Isaac Van Zandt — born in 1813, dead by 1847 — and in those few years he packed in enough living to fill a legend twice over.
Frontiersman. Debater. Lawyer.
Statesman. One of the very founders of Marshall itself. He served in the Fifth and Sixth Congresses of the Republic of Texas, then went on to represent that republic as Chargé d'Affaires to the United States, from 1842 to 1844.
The man was movin' fast and movin' up. And then came the governor's race. Isaac Van Zandt was in it — right there in the thick of the campaign — when yellow fever took him.
Just like that. He was buried in the family graveyard, right there on this land. His remains have since been moved to Greenwood Cemetery, but the ground remembers.
The homesite sat in his family's keeping until 1912, when the founders of the College of Marshall bought that hundred-acre Van Zandt tract from the heirs. They had a vision for this hill. First classes met in June of 1917 — and the college grew right along with the century.
By 1944, it had risen to senior rank and been renamed East Texas Baptist College. The senior class of 1967, on the fifty-fifth anniversary of the college, raised this marker — right here where a republic-builder lived, campaigned, and was laid to rest. Some ground just refuses to be ordinary.
What the marker says
Homesite of Isaac Van Zandt (1813-1847), one of founders of Marshall, a noted frontiersman, debater, lawyer, statesman; served in 5th and 6th congresses of Republic of Texas; was Charge d'Affaires to United States, 1842-1844. In governor's race when he died of yellow fever and was buried in family graveyard. Now in Greenwood Cemetery. This 100 acre Van Zandt tract was bought from heirs in 1912 by College of Marshall founders. First classes met in June, 1917. In 1944 the college was raised to senior rank and renamed East Texas Baptist College. Incise in base: Erected by senior class, 1967, on 55th anniversary of college.