Rich, sandy soil attracted farmers to this area before the beginning of the Civil War. The settlement that developed here was called Union after the pioneer Union Church that served as the focal point of the rural agricultural community. Over the years, the site has boasted a school, church, post office, and store. The Union Church was founded about 1850 and was made up of members from various denominations. In 1885 the name Union Baptist Church was adopted. A circuit preacher held services once a month. The Union Church met in the school building until the early 1900s. Then a three-room, three-teacher schoolhouse was constructed. In 1946, the community school was absorbed into the Sulphur Springs School District. The general store, which also housed the post office from 1901 to 1906, was operated in its early years by Charles Hamrick and W. A. McKeever. These two men also served as the only recorded postmasters for Yesner, as the postal station officially was called. Many of the first settlers in the area are buried in the cemetery at this site. The graveyard was in use at least by 1861 when James Thrasher was buried in an unmarked grave. The earliest marked burial site is that of T. J. Gamblin, who died in 1875.
This page last updated: 7/15/2008 |
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Related Themes: Texas Baptist Churches, Texas C.S.A., Texas Confederate States of America, Confederacy
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