Nash
Compiled by Jean Caddel
Onion and Little Onion, about eight miles southeast of Waxahachie, is
a rich and beautiful valley. At the crossroads of FM Road 55 and
Nash-Howard Road, in the center of a two by eight mile valley, is the community
of Nash. In the early days, it was thought to be unsurpassed in fertility
and productiveness by any section in the state, and the excellent soil and
crops caused it to receive the name of Garden Valley. The town was
named for County Attorney, N. J. Nash. A store was opened in the fall
of 1882 by Benjamin Reid. A post office operated from 1883 to 1903.
Postmasters were Benjamin Reed, July 12, 1883; Lewis Cole, Jan. 12,
1887; James R. Satterfield, Dec. 21, 1887; Tyra O. Cheatham, Jan. 16, 1895;
John W. Miles, April 1, 1898; George W. Wakeland, May 2, 1901; Thomas R.
Moore, Dec. 1, 1901; E. Smith, Feb. 24, 1903; discontinued June 30, 1903
and mail sent to Waxahachie.
At one time there were several business houses, a gin, a good school,
and churches. About one mile southwest of Nash are two fine wells or
springs of water which furnished water for Nash for years. The country
around the town is prairie, and there is a considerable quantity of timber
along the creeks with shade trees of natural growth. Many years it
is green throughout the winter months with the wild rye and winter grasses
that grow so abundantly all around the county. About one half mile
west of Nash on Forreston Road, you will find Glenwood Cemetery where many
of the early pioneers of Nash are buried
Physicians who practiced at Nash and vicinity were: Drs. Bob Satterfield,
Stokes, van Clieve, L. S. Nelson and Tate Miller.
The Nash
school was established around 1875. Pioneer settler Thomas Alexander
Williams brought his family to the Garden Valley area in 1873. He wanted
an education for his children so he donated land in 1875 for a school building.
The first building burned in 1913, and the current building was erected.
There were only three teachers, but the school holds fond memories
for Nash residents of yesterday. In 1938, the school doors closed and
students were transferred to nearby school districts.
Ladies of the community held quiltings. The Wakeland home was right
across the road from the school. Maurine Wakeland, wife of "Jew" Wakeland,
told of the Nash ladies holding an all-day quilting for them just before
they married. "I came down from Fort Worth for the day and they
insisted that I work on one of 'our quilts.' It didn't take long for one
of the ladies to suggest that I help set the tables for lunch. How
was I to know that the stitches were supposed to be small and close together
- I had never even seen a quilting frame! I thought all bed covers
came from a department store!"
America
was at war in 1942 and fathers were called into service. President Roosevelt
asked communities to plan entertainment at home since gasoline rationing
had rendered the country almost immobile as far as travel was concerned.
Walter Love, known as General Love, was County Agent. He suggested
that a family club be organized and named the Nash Victory Club. The ladies
served a bounteous meal to those charter members, and a vow was made to keep
the club going, no matter how hard times were. For 44 years, people
gathered each third Tuesday night of the month, except for the two hottest
months - July and August. Cold winter nights did not deter the members,
since a large pot-bellied stove and two space heaters kept the old building
cozy and warm.
In 1986 the officers were: Allene Herrington, president; Roland Spence,
vice president; Hazel Feaster, secretary/treasurer; W. A. and Mary Alyce
Jenkins, building rental committee and Maurine Wakeland, reporter. The
club continued to attract new families as they moved out from the cities
to the peace and quiet of the lovely countryside. Each Christmas, Santa
Claus landed his reindeer on the roof and found his way into the high-ceilinged
center room, graced by a large, gaily decorated Christmas tree. He called
the children by name and distributed the gifts. Everyone was always welcome
at this historical, nostalgic old building.
On Nov. 18, 1980, A Texas State Historical Marker was dedicated for the
Nash Public School. Tom Curlin was introduced by Club President Gordon
Matteson and there were two people present who had been students of the school
over seven decades ago - Mrs. L. L. Curlin and W. J. "Bud" Lanier. Both
were 92 years old at the time.
Many descendants still live in the area or nearby communities including
the Edmundsons, who are descended from the Wakeland family. Another
well known person (living in California) who has ties to this community,
is Tippi Pyle, wife of Denver Pyle.
The group continues to meet each month in the old school house and anyone
who has an interest in the Nash Community is welcome.
References:
A Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis
County, Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1892
"Nash School Has Rich Heritage", Waxahachie Daily Light - June 6,
1986
"Preserving the Nash School," by Maurine Wakeland, Waxahachie Daily Light - date unknown.
The Handbook of Texas Online
Hawkins, et al, History Workshop, History of Ellis County,Texas, Texian Press, Waco, Tex. 1972.
Glenwood Cemetery Inventory
[In addition to Jean Caddel's history of this community, the following
information has been contributed by Collier Nash Smith]
"History of Nash Community Goes Back
to Last of 19th Century"
[Taken from a typed transcription of an article published in the Waxahachie
Daily Light ca 1987 - photocopy obtained from the Ellis County Museum in
Waxahachie]
The history of the Nash Community goes back to the last quarter of the
19th century. In 1875, pioneer settler Thomas Alexander Williams brought
his family to the area and decided, immediately, that a school was needed
for the children of the little community that was then known as Garden
Valley.
Williams donated the land, and soon a spacious two-story school building
stood ready for the children. The staff of teachers provided excellent
instruction. The school was so outstanding that it is said families
from surrounding areas brought their children to be boarding students for
the length of the school term. Some "old-timers" recall that even law
and medicine were taught.
In 1883, the community got a post office. There was another Garden Valley
in the state, so the name was changed to Nash, the name of the first postmaster.
[The Nash cited as "postmaster" cannot be confirmed; other sources don't
list him and post office records do not show any postmaster named Nash in
Ellis County nor is there any postmaster named N. J. Nash or Newton Nash
or John Nash anywhere in Texas.
<https://sites.rootsweb.com/~txpost/ellis.html>]
The present Nash School Building is not the original building, but the
impact of the community's spirit and its people is just as strong today as
it was over 100 years ago!
The Nash Victory Club [is] in its 45th year. The history of the
club goes back to 1942 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked the
American people to plan "stay-at-home" recreational activities that would
develop strong community spirit. The need was great. Morale was
at a low ebb all over America, a nation at war! Gasoline was rationed,
making an almost "immobile society."
General Walter Love, Ellis County Extension agent, met with some of the
leaders of the Nash Community in early November, 1942. It was decided
that a monthly basket supper would be held in the Nash School Building.
The club was named the Nash Victory Club.
Enthusiasm ran high and that Christmas, the December committee brought
in a large Christmas tree that was set up in the center of the stage.
Strings of popcorn and homemade ornaments danced among the twinkling
lights. The ladies of Nash loaded the serving tables with food. Odds
and ends of dishes from various homes have been donated to the club.
A jolly Santa Claus arrived soon after the meal was finished, and eager
little children crowded around him to receive their gifts. Later, the children
helped to pass out gifts which had been numbered to the adults.
Christmas carols were sung, prayers were offered for the men away at war
and the evening ended with the singing of "Silent Night." [end of article]
Notes: The Nash community appears on the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce
map (c) 1996, about 9 mi. south of the courthouse in Waxahachie on FM 55
at the Holder Rd/Nash-Howard Rd intersections. When I drove there in
Sept. 1997, it consisted of a Masonic Hall in disrepair and abandoned in
appearance, a half-dozen occupied homes, and an old school building being
restored as a community center and museum (according to the gentleman living
across the road from it, whose name, sadly, I didn't get during the conversation
in his front yard). Nash sits among extensive cotton fields on all sides.
The 69-year-old gentleman I spoke with said he had lived there all his life,
and Nash had 13 saloons, plus several stores and other establishments, when
he was a youth. He pointed out the location (a brushy-looking area about
100-200 yards away) where the main street had been, but there is now no trace
of street or buildings that I could see from the highway. It is private land,
of course, and I didn't have the time to explore further.
Newton John Nash (b. 31 May 1850, Chickasaw Co. Miss.; d. 21 Oct. 1881),
the county attorney from 1879 to 1881 when he died at age 31 of a stroke,
was my great-grandfather, hence my interest in the area and the community
which was probably named for him. He was, despite his youth, the mayor of
Waxahachie prior to this (1874-79) but I have found no record nor any family
lore naming him as a postmaster.
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