Elijah Ray House
Charco, Goliad County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A native of Alabama, Elijah Ray (1825 - 1902) first came to Texas in 1847. He purchased this property during the Civil War (1861-65) and built this home for his family. Like many early Texas dwellings, the structure has a central hallway and a two-story porch with decorative brackets. Elijah Ray's son George later acquired the homestead. A well-known stockman like his father, George Ray was also a noted oilman and banker. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Alabama native Elijah Ray first came to Texas in 1847 and, during the Civil War, purchased this property and built a home for his family. Like many early Texas dwellings, it featured a central hallway and a two-story porch trimmed with decorative brackets. His son George later took over the homestead and, beyond ranching, became a noted oilman and banker — a family arc that tracks the region's shift from open-range stock raising to a diversified economy.
Why it matters
The Ray family home documents both the domestic architecture of frontier Texas and the generational move from cattle to oil and finance that transformed the state's economy.
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Related people
- · Elijah Ray
- · George Ray
Themes & tags
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