Near Mayflower in Newton County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Survey Community
Photographed By Tom Bosse, July 4, 2017
1. The Survey Community Marker
Inscription.
The Survey Community. . William Williams, an early 1800s Sabine Valley pioneer, obtained a large land grant in 1834 from the Republic of Mexico. His surveyed land attracted settlers, who called the location “The Survey”. In 1847 Wade H. Mattox (1800 – 1863) built the first frame house in the settlement, using lumber hauled from Alexandria, LA., by a neighbor, Ezekiel Cobb (1825-1864). By the 1850s, The Survey had settlers named Booker, Bush, Dade, Clark, Collins, Conner, Droddy, Garlington, Hardy, Joiner, Jones, McGee, Michell, Smith, Trotti, and Weeks. The economy was based of farming and (later) lumbering. At least 16 Survey community residents fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War (1861-65)., In 1889, the Methodists built a church on land given by Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Mattox. The building was also used for school purposes. Surveyville Post Office, opened in 1903, was soon renamed “Mayflower”., Population shifts starting in the 1940s caused the school to consolidate with Burkeville (1949), the post office to close (1951) and the church to disband (1961). Public facilities, including the church building, Mattox Cemetery, and several other burial grounds, are now maintained by the Survey Cemetery Association.
William Williams, an early 1800s Sabine Valley pioneer, obtained a large land grant in 1834 from the Republic of Mexico. His surveyed land attracted settlers, who called the location “The Survey”. In 1847 Wade H. Mattox (1800 – 1863) built the first frame house in the settlement, using lumber hauled from Alexandria, LA., by a neighbor, Ezekiel Cobb (1825-1864). By the 1850s, The Survey had settlers named Booker, Bush, Dade, Clark, Collins, Conner, Droddy, Garlington, Hardy, Joiner, Jones, McGee, Michell, Smith, Trotti, and Weeks. The economy was based of farming and (later) lumbering. At least 16 Survey community residents fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War (1861-65).
In 1889, the Methodists built a church on land given by Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Mattox. The building was also used for school purposes. Surveyville Post Office, opened in 1903, was soon renamed “Mayflower”.
Population shifts starting in the 1940s caused the school to consolidate with Burkeville (1949), the post office to close (1951) and the church to disband (1961). Public facilities, including the church building, Mattox Cemetery, and several other burial grounds, are now maintained by the Survey Cemetery Association.
Erected 1975 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker
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Number 11147.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1834.
Location. 31° 5.13′ N, 93° 43.148′ W. Marker is near Mayflower, Texas, in Newton County. Marker is on State Highway 87, 0.3 miles south of County Highway 2149, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wiergate TX 75977, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 21, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 439 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 18, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
