Charles Holmes Saxon
Orange, Orange County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(About 1820-Jan. 26, 1919) A native of Mississippi, Charles Holmes Saxon migrated to Texas in 1842, settling in Jasper County. Following his service in the Mexican War, he moved to this area, where he was a farmer, a shingle maker and an active Mason. When Orange County was organized in 1852, he served on the first commissioners court and later became sheriff. Saxon enlisted for service in the Civil War and participated in action in Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana. Recorded - 1982
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Mississippi around 1820, Charles Holmes Saxon came to Texas in 1842 and, after serving in the Mexican War, helped organize Orange County in 1852, sitting on its first commissioners court and later serving as sheriff. He farmed, made shingles, and rode into the Civil War, seeing action across Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana before dying in 1919 at nearly a century old.
Why it matters
Saxon's long life spanned the founding of a county and two of the era's defining wars, embodying the settler-soldiers who built East Texas.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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