Eli T. Merriman Home
San Marcos, Hays County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built about 1846 by Dr. Eli T. Merriman (1815-1867), Yale graduate, 1838 Texas settler. One of 3 San Marcos townsite owners. First physician in area. Later lived in Brownsville, Banquete, Corpus Christi. During Civil War joined Confederate army with 2 sons; one son was in Federal army. Son, Eli T., Jr., founded the Corpus Christi "Caller." Second home in San Marcos. Originally near Town Square. Built of hand-hewn timber. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Dr. Eli T. Merriman, a Yale graduate who came to Texas in 1838, built this hand-hewn timber house about 1846 as one of the three original owners of the San Marcos townsite and the area's first physician. He later lived along the coast at Brownsville, Banquete, and Corpus Christi, where his son founded the Corpus Christi "Caller." During the Civil War the family was famously divided, with Merriman and two sons serving the Confederacy while another son fought for the Union.
Why it matters
Merriman's home links the founding of San Marcos to the wider story of Texas settlement and the divided loyalties that the Civil War forced on frontier families.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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