LifeOnTheBrazosRiver.com

Is about life in TEXAS along the Brazos River.  

This is a TEXAS river.  

It starts inTEXAS and

Drains water from only TEXAS.

By sea they came and then 100 miles up the Brazos River to settle at what was to become Richmond, Fort Bend County, Texas.

"Lively" Schooner and Immigrants at the mouth of the Brazos River in the year 1821.

This is a page of links. Each link tells a story or describes the early settlers lives in Texas. Early communities are listed by name.This is the history of Fort Bend County, Texas from the early Angelo American settlers arriving in early 1820, their troubles with nature, with Mexico and the fighting for the Republic of  Texas.  Emphasis is on the efforts of particular individuals. There are towns [communities] listed because they existed and some of those listed don't exist today.

Bookshelf for Books of History 

Fort Bend County Texas

Brazoria County Texas

The Republic of Texas

and other Texas History

These are 'free to read' online articles and books.

A history of floods on the Brazos River Including Brazos River

historical flood articles.

View a ride on the swollen Brazos River.

Hurricanes that hit Texas.

E-mail

The links below are shortcuts to pages of this web site.

 

Definitions of a League, Cito etc  These are terms used by the early settlers.                                                                                

Class Designations for Settlers  Land was awarded based on the performance of settlers.                                                           

Mexican Texas Contains information useful in understanding the political climate of early Texas.                                                     

Texas History Timeline Important events and their dates.                                                                                                         

EVOLUTION OF A  STATE      Noha Smithwick

Chapters 1-4 [PDF]   Chapters 5-10 PDF]  Chapters 11-15 [PDF]  Chapters 16-20 [PDF]Chapters 21-26 [PDF]

 

Run Away Scrape  by Delue Harris   Leaving Texas ahead of Santa Anna is told by a participant.                                                 

The Texans Win Independence  Battles won and lost, plus what defeated the Mexican Army.                                                      

Texas as A Nation 1836 to 1845                                                     
 

The shape of the Republic of Texas  The boundaries of the Republic of Texas by the comprise of 1850.
 

See the Republic of Texas on a modern map    
 
1915 Map of Fort Bend County
 
1936 Map of Fort Bend County
 
1955 Map of Fort Bend County
 

The Civil War and Fort Bend County
 

Railroads in Fort Bend County                                                                                                                                           

               Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railroad                                                                                                                               

               Texas Western Narrow Gauge Railroad                                                                                                  

               San Antonio And Aransas Pass Railroad                                                                                                                

               Sugar Land Railroad                                                                                                                                                 

               International and Great Northern Railroad, Houston Tap

or Columbia Tap Railroad    
 

               Cane Belt Railroad                                                                                                                                                  

               Damon Junction To Damon                                                                                                                                  

               Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad                                                                                                                       

Duke, Texas   Ghost town [marker] is the story of a ghost town in eastern Fort Bend County, Texas.                                      .

                1909 Map of`Duke
 

               David Fitzgerald and his decendents, the Fenn family  [marker]                                                     
 

               David Fitzgerald                                                                                                                              
 

               Sarah Catherine Fitzgerald Fenn Cox                                                                                                
 

               .John Rutherford Fenn                                                                                                               
 

               Rebecca Matilda Williams Fenn                                                                                                      
 

                Daniel Perry  [marker]
 

                John V. Morton
 

                Morton Family
 

                Nancy Morton
 

                Morton Family Saga
 

                Mary Morton Huff
 

                Mrs Hubbard
 

                Moses Shipman and his Decendents
 

                The Duke Cemetery
 

                Duke Residents that Served the Republic of Texas
 

                W. P. Hamblen, Judge
 

                Sugar Land Railroad, Destination Duke, Texas
 

                Twin Cisterns
 

UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE of Galveston about the July 1899 flood.

 

                Baptist Church Formed in 1870 by freed slaves this is the oldest Black church in the area.
 

                 Death of a grave  is the story of  the tombstone of Lola V. Harris. Starting with color photos taken in 2004, followed with research to discover her identity, the disrespect shown by a major subdivision home builder and communications between the Fort Bend County Historical Commission and the home builder trying to discredit her burial location.
 

                The start  of the Arcola Plantation
 

                The Arcola Community
 

                David Fitzgerald   Owner Until 1840
 

                John R Fenn  Owner during 1840-1841
 

                Johnathan D Waters  Owner during 1846-1872
 

                Waters Grave   4 miles west of Duke
 

                Thomas Pierce Owner during 1872-1872
 

                ThomasWilliam House  Owner during 1872-1905
 

                Arcola Plantation for sale in 1908    is a prospectus for the sale of the plantation. There are black  and white photos of the operating plantation.This is a 26 page presentation.

                House, Texas   Ghost town
 

                Thomas Howe Scanlin Owner during 1908-1950
 

                Scanlan Foundation Owner during 1950-
 

                Sienna Plantation   Owner from 1950 to the  Present. Subdivided by the Johnson Corp.
 

                Cultural Resources Assesment of Sienna Plantation
 

                Map for Cultural Resources Assement of Sienna Plantation
 

                Arcola second Sugar Mill shown on an 1890 map and discovered in 2011
 

                1890 Sketch [Map] of the plantation area.
 

                Plantation Photos Today are color photos of what remains today.
 

Fresno, Texas         Was Riceton, Texas Was Malvern, Texas
 

Juliff, Texas  Ghost town

                       

Tigner Family History   Including the Hugh Pannell family
 

DeWalt, Texas Ghost town  [marker]

 

Dew Plantation Plantation home built about 1900.
 

HOBBY, TEXAS  Ghost town  same location as Blue Ridge, Texas
 

 Smada, Texas  Ghost town    Shown on the 1915 map  Located at Hwt 6 and old Mill Rd  in                                                 Sugarland, Texas
 

Stafford, Texas  [marker]   Was  Staffordsville   Was   Stafford's Point
 

Missouri City, Texas  [marker]

 

Hodge's Bend, Texas Ghost town
 

Sartartia, Texas  Ghost town
 

Sugar Land, Texas  [marker]

 
                         Benjamin Franklin Terry
 

Imperial, Texas  Ghost town
 

Clodine, Texas  [marker]
 

Harlem, Texas  Ghost town
 

Cabell, Texas  Ghost town
 

Hickey, Texas  Ghost town
 

Foster Community, Texas  Ghost town [marker]
 

                Foster-Stuart Family Tree
 

                Stuart Brothers
 

                John Foster Land Grant [Spanish]
 

                John Foster Field Notes
 

                Scout Randophf Foster
 

                Randolph Foster Field Notes  
 

                Randolph Foster Land Grant [Spanish]
 

                Randolph Foster's Life
 

Fulshear, Texas  [marker]
 

Flewellen, Texas  Ghost town
 

Simonton, Texas
 

Pittsville, Texas  Ghost town
 

Gaston, Texas Ghost town
 

Site of Thompson's Ferry  [marker]

 

Helinora, Texas Ghost town
 

Thompsons, Texas

 

Booth, Texas  Ghost town  [marker]
 

Big Creek, Texas Ghost town
 

Crabb, Texas  Ghost town
 

Richmond, Texas  [marker]
 
                     Randal Jones
 

Rosenberg, Texas  [marker]
 

Needville, Texas  [marker]
 
Fairchilds, Texas
 

Long Point, Texas  Ghost town
 

Marlow, Texas  Ghost town
 

Hanson, Texas  Ghost town
 

Guy, Texas
 

Damon, Texas
 

Cottonwood, Texas Ghost town
 

Beasley, Texas  [marker]

 

Powell Point, Texas Ghost town
 

Kendleton, Texas  [marker]
 

Tavener, Texas  Ghost town

 

Wenzell, Texas Ghost town
 

Randon, Texas  Ghost town
 

Orchard, Texas  [marker]
 

Cleveland, Texas  Ghost town
 

Germania, Texas   Ghost town 
 

Vossville, Texas   Ghost town
 

Slavery
 

Antebellum days
 

Treaties of Velasco
 

Texas Declaration of Independence
 

Floods on the Brazos River      uses Rosharon, Texas [FM 1462 crossing of the Brazos river] as a guaging point for historic water levels. This page has a history of some major floods in Texas.
 

See photos of the Brazos River in minor flood stage.         Page starts with an Airplane shot of the Brazos River at low water for comparison to the water level in minor flood stage. The trip tarts at Juliff and continues upstream to HWY 90A it Richmond.
 

1899 Tropical Storm Number One
 

UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE of Galveston on the early July 1899 flood.
 
 
 

Bass Bites Rattle Snake  A dangerous fish bait.
 

A 32 DAY TRIP    from Honey Hole Magazine - Aug/Sept/Oct 2002 issue.   A trip on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River from Abeline to Possom Kingdom Lake.
 

                     

 

 

 

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