James Coryell - Gatesville, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 31° 26.068 W 097° 45.004
14R E 618786 N 3478428
Full size statue of James Coryell. It is on display in the rotunda of the Coryell county courthouse.
Waymark Code: WMTV9H
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/09/2017
Views: 3
History of James Coryell
Coryell County bears the name of an early-day Texas Ranger, although he never
had the opportunity to settle in the county.
James Coryell first saw the county in 1836
as a member of the Texas Rangers under
the command of Captain George B. Erath.
The Rangers were charged with surveying
the land and helping identify a possible
military route westward.
The company of Rangers based their operations at Stampede Creek, near present day Oglesby, making Fort Stampede the
first white settlement in the area.
Eventually, Coryell was granted several
thousand acres of land along the meandering, rock-bottom Coryell Creek. Tree-lined
cliffs on both sides protected what became
known as Coryell Valley.
Unfortunately, Coryell met an untimely death in an Indian raid near Groesbeck
before he was able to occupy the rich ranch
and farm land.
Statue
The statue entitled “The Spirit of James
Coryell,” by local artist Jon Brown, can be
found in the Coryell County Courthouse.
The statue was dedicated during the
100th anniversary celebration of the Coryell
County Courthouse in 1998.
In the statue James Coryell appears to be in an Indian battle. He is standing with a pistol in his right hand. An arrow protrudes from the ground at his feet. He is wearing a cowboy hat with the brim folded back. He has on pants held up by suspenders. He appears to have only underwear covering his chest. There is a gunbelt strapped around his waist.