Holt’s extensive acreage sold for $11.11

Samuel Hoit, early colonist, was born in Chester, New Hampshire, on February 10, 1781, the son of Zabez and Abigail (Hasseltine) Hoit.   Before moving to Texas in 1830, he was a justice of the peace and postmaster in Port Gibson, Mississippi.

Freed slave Ino Hudgins founded settlement named for him

Hudgins (Hudgins Settlement) is near the site of the Robert H. Williams plantation in a section of the rich Caney Creek bottomlands once known as plantation row, a mile north of Farm Road 457 and eight miles east of Bay City in east central Matagorda County.

Sexton a widely dispersed rural community in in early 1900s

Sexton Community was a widely dispersed rural school community just east of the Colorado River and seven miles southwest of Bay City in central Matagorda County.

"Markham-Fisher Hotel always part of Markham history" by: Mike Reddell

It was built in the center of the new townsite in 1903 to lodge the town's important business visitors.

Merry Christmas 1937 from West side of the square

After Thanksgiving in 1937, thoughts of Matagorda County residents turned toward Christmas. Stores around the square were decorating their display windows to entice shoppers to buy in Bay City.

Merry Christmas 1937 from East side of the square

Shoppers on the east side of the square on December 11, 1937 were probably greeted with signs which said “Only 14 Days Until Christmas!”   They were grateful that the temperature which was in the 40s, was warming up a bit.

Merry Christmas 1937 from south side of the square

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Williams among Bay Prairie men who died at Goliad

Napoleon Bonaparte Williams, soldier in the Texas Revolution, was born in 1809 to George F. and Lavinia (Hobbs) Williams.   The family moved to Texas from Connecticut.   George Williams, as a member of the Old Three Hundred, received a grant of a sitio of land on Tres Palacios Creek.

Henry Thorp became prominent Matagorda legislator and attorney

Henry Thorp, lawyer and state representative, was born in Greensville County, Virginia, in 1830.   Thorp came to Texas with his older brothers about 1848 and settled in Matagorda County.   Here, he studied law and went into practice with an older brother.

Robert Williams interests went from politics to farming

Robert Harris Williams, alcalde of the District of Mina and one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred colonists, son of Marmaduke “Duke” and Ede (Harris) Williams, was born in Caswell County, North Carolina, on October 10, 1796.   His siblings included Charles F. Augustus and John Williams.