Founding of Terrell

Founding of Terrell. . , A number of early landowners in Kaufman County contributed to the progress of the railroad and the development of the City of Terrell. Two central figures are John G. Moore (1826-1880) and Charles C. Nash (1833-1878), both originally from Tennessee. When the Texas and Pacific Railway announced its intentions to build a line through northern Kaufman County in 1873, these two residents planned together to create a new town along the railway, providing a depot stop and economic opportunities for the county. Nash gave Moore a stash of money from his safe, and Moore purchased 320 acres of the J. W. Cude Survey. Two weeks later, Moore deeded half the purchase to Nash., Together, they laid out the new townsite. It was named for another Kaufman County landowner, Robert Adams Terrell (1820-1881). By August 1873, the train was fully running through Terrell and on to Dallas. The master plan for the city's gridwork was aided by A.R. Alcott, a civil engineer with the Texas and Pacific Railway, and George W. Carter, one of Terrell's first mayors. Settlers flocked to the new "depot town." Soon a post office opened, with Jasper Johnson as the first postmaster. The city was incorporated in 1875. By the mid-1880s, Terrell boasted a population of 3,000 and served as a shipping point for cattle, cotton, timber and wheat., The legacy of these early landowners can be seen in many of Terrell's street names. The city features both Moore and Nash avenues, as well as streets named for R.A. Terrell's daughters: Frances, Catherine and Adelaide. Terrell remains a testament to these enterprising settlers.