Linwood, Texas
Posted by: 
KoosKoos
N 31° 40.145 W 094° 57.635
15R E 314134 N 3505426
Yet another community that thrived until the railroad ran through a nearby town instead.
Waymark Code: WM5FFP
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2008
Views: 22
From the Handbook of Texas Online:
"Linwood is at the junction of State Highway 21 and Farm Road 241, twelve miles southeast of Rusk in southeastern Cherokee County. The area was first settled around 1832 by Joseph Durstqv and his wife, Delilah (Dill).
A settlement known as Lockranzie grew up nearby, but in 1851 the Lockranzie post office was moved a half mile east and renamed Linwood. James H. Durst and Ann Harrison Terrell platted the new town and promoted it as a port on the Angelina River. River traffic failed to materialize, but Linwood quickly developed into a commercial center. Nacogdoches merchants Charles Chevallier and Charles and Henry Raguetqv established stores there in the 1850s.
Other early residents included R. W. Mitchell, George Whitfield Terrell,qv and his son George B. Terrell.qv
In the early 1880s the Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad bypassed the community, and most of its stores and residents moved to nearby Alto on the railroad. Its post office was closed in 1903, but as late as 1936 Linwood still had two businesses, a church, a school, and a reported population of ten. Its remaining businesses eventually closed."
Here is the text from the 1936 state historical marker:
On land inherited by Delilah Dill Durst from Helena Kimble Dill, whose daughter born in 1804 was thought to be first white child native to Texas.
Built about 1830 by Delilah's husband, Joseph Durst, who settled in Texas in early 1800s and rose by 1826 to office of Alcalde in Nacogdoches. During troubles of 1832, the battle of Nacogdoches ended here with the surrender of Colonel Piedras' army to 17 Texans.
Later was home of Geo. Whitfield Terrell (1802-1846), who served Republic of Texas as attorney-general and as Minister to England, France and Spain. Birthplace of Geo. B. Terrell (1862-1947), State Representative, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Congressman-at-Large.
Reason for Abandonment: Economic
Date Abandoned: 12/31/1936
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