Decatur in Wise County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Sam Woody's Cabin

Photographed by James R. Murray

1. Sam Woody's Cabin Marker

Inscription.
Tennessee pioneer Sam Woody (1826-1920) migrated to Texas in the 1840s. He brought his family to Wise County in 1854. This cabin, located near Deep Creek, was the first dwelling in the area. After Woody cut the logs, friends and relatives helped him erect the cabin in one day. Indians came here to trade buffalo robes and moccasins for corn. The house was frequently crowded with guests, for frontier travelers were never turned away. Woody guarded pioneer settlements as part of a Ranger unit and served in the Confederate army during the Civil War (1861-1865). Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970

Erected 1970 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 4509.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1854.

Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 33° 13.406′ N, 97° 35.192′ W. Marker was in Decatur, Texas, in Wise County. It could be reached from South Deep Creek Road (County Road 4227) 2.2 miles south of County Road 4360, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Decatur TX 76234, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in the Prairies & Lakes Region

and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.

Globally, it was in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Decatur Baptist College (within shouting distance of this marker); Episcopal Mission of the Ascension (approx. 0.3 miles away); Texas Tourist Camp Complex (approx. 0.6 miles away); The S. W. Tilghman House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Old Stone Prison (approx. 0.7 miles away); Wise County Messenger (approx. 0.7 miles away); Depression-Era Projects in Wise County (approx. 0.7 miles away); Decatur First United Methodist Church (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Decatur.

Also see . . . Wise County Historical Society & Historical Commission. (Submitted on September 16, 2024.)

Additional commentary.
1. Sam Woody
Sam Woody is my great-great grandfather. My sister and I took our mother, Juanday Woody Jarrell, to the museum in 2021 just before she passed away and we were so glad she got to see the cabin of her great grandfather. The head of the museum showed us many pictures of our early family. We deeply regret that the museum has burned down - Gregory Marshall Jarrell

— Submitted April 13, 2023, by Gregory Marshall Jarrell of Cleveland, Texas.

Photographed by James R. Murray, September 19, 2017

2. Sam Woody's Cabin Marker

The cabin is on the grounds of the Wise County Historical Museum

Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2017, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,798 times since then and 94 times this year. Last updated on September 13, 2024, by Matthew G French of Fort Worth, Texas. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 20, 2017, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.