Giddings, Texas - USA - People-Named Places on Waymarking.com

Giddings, the county seat of Lee County, dates from 1871 when it was established as a stopping point on the railroad. It has a population of approximately 5,00 and located near major population centers including Houston, San Antonio and Austin. A recent oil boom has brought wealth to the area.

As for where the town's name came from, the Texas Historical marker on the lawn of the Municipal Building has the following:

"Named for Jabez D. Giddings (1814-78), of Washington County, one of four brothers from Pennsylvania who were Texas transportation pioneers and business leaders. The town was established as a shipping point when Houston & Texas Central Railroad (in which J. D. Giddings was a stockholder) reached here in 1871."

The City website makes this claim:

"...the City of Giddings is named after the brave San Jacinto Battle veteran Giles Giddings, who gave his life to help Texas achieve its independence from Mexico. "

Wikipedia , at first seems to support that Giddings was named for Jabez. Then it adds a third brother, Dewitt C. Giddings who was a Texas politician to the mix. "It probably took its name from local magnate Jabez Deming Giddings, who was instrumental in bringing the railway to the area. He had come to the area from Pennsylvania in 1838 to claim the land bounty of his brother Giles A. Giddings, killed at the Battle of San Jacinto. Another theory is that the city was named after Jabez's brother Dewitt Clinton Giddings."

So was it " the brave San Jacinto Battle veteran Giles Giddings, who gave his life to help Texas achieve its independence from Mexico", "Jabez D. Giddings (1814-78), of Washington County, one of four brothers from Pennsylvania who were Texas transportation pioneers and business leaders" or Dewitt Clinton Giddings, the politican? Just another of those mysteries that make small town USA so interesting.

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