Marker Title: John C. Duval
City: Freer
County: Duval
Year Marker Erected: 1965
Marker Location: Missing
Marker Text: (1816 - 1897) First Texas man of letters. Wrote history
not as a visitor, but a participant, and wrote to entertain and inspire.
His "Early times in Texas" tells of days when, by bringing
news of the outside world to the lonely settlers, a man could travel
from the Sabine to the Rio Grande and spend not a cent for board.
It also gives a personal account of Palm Sunday 1836 at Goliad, when
Santa Anna's men shot down disarmed Texas prisoners of War -- a massacre
from which Duval himself escaped, though an older brother was killed.
His books, including "Early Times," "Bigfoot Wallace"
and "Young Explorers," were not widely distributed at the
time of publication, but made history live. As a young Austin citizen,
the renowned O. Henry was influenced by Duval's work; so was J. Frank
Dobie, dean of 20th century Texas writers. Duval was born in Kentucky;
son of a territorial governor of Florida. Graduate of the University
of Virginia. Civil engineer. First came to Texas in 1835. Fought in
the Texas Revolution. Was a Texas Ranger and made a career of surveying
frontier lands. Fought in the Mexican War and in the Civil War. This
county was named for him and for two of his distinguished brothers.
(1965)
Marker Title: Duval County
City: San Diego
County: Duval
Year Marker Erected: 1996
Marker Location: 404 East Gravis, San Diego
Marker Text: Created by the Texas Legislature in 1858 and organized
in 1879, Duval County played an important role in the economic and
political development of South Texas. Early settlers came to this
area in the mid-19th century from Mexico, and Anglo pioneers began
arriving in the 1860s. The early economy was based on ranching and
agriculture. In the late 1870s the railroad brought increased employment
and population to the county. The discovery of oil, gas, and uranium
in the early 1900s boosted the economy and caused increased settlement
in the region. (1996)
