Captain Joseph A. Tivy
Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1837 Joseph A. Tivy (1818-92) and his two sisters came to Texas from Canada. After serving as a Texas Ranger, Tivy joined his sisters in the California Gold Rush of 1849. There they operated a hotel and he later served in the State Legislature. After returning to Texas in the late 1850s, Tivy fought in the Civil War, attaining the rank of captain. A surveyor, rancher, and Texas Legislator (1873), he served as the first Kerrville mayor in 1889. During his term of office he gave land for the city schools. He and his wife Ella (d. 1888) and his sister Susan (d. 1901) are buried on nearby Tivy Mountain. (1980)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Joseph A. Tivy came to Texas from Canada in 1837 and served as a Texas Ranger before joining the 1849 California Gold Rush, where he ran a hotel and sat in the state legislature. Returning to Texas, he fought in the Civil War, rose to captain, and became a surveyor, rancher, and legislator before serving as Kerrville's first mayor in 1889, donating land for the city schools. He and his family are buried on nearby Tivy Mountain.
Why it matters
Tivy's wide-ranging life — Ranger, gold-seeker, soldier, and founding mayor — traces the sweep of 19th-century westward adventure and the civic building of a young Texas town.
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Related people
- · Joseph A. Tivy
- · Ella Tivy
- · Susan Tivy
Related events
- · California Gold Rush
Themes & tags
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