Fisher-Sargent-Gottschalk House
Matagorda, Matagorda County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Samuel Rhoads Fisher (1794-1839), early Texas colonist, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and secretary of the Republic of Texas navy, had this house built for his family in 1832. His widow, Ann, continued to reside here until 1860. Later owners of the house included planter Elsey Harrison; Samuel W. Fisher, son of the original owner; John T. Sargent, who built a schoolroom onto the house for his children; and rancher Gus L. Gottschalk, whose family retained ownership until 1977. A noted local landmark, the house features two-story open porches and a side gabled roof. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Samuel Rhoads Fisher was a founding figure of the Texas Republic—an early colonist, a signer of the 1836 Declaration of Independence, and secretary of the fledgling Republic's navy—who had this coastal house built for his family in 1832. His widow, Ann, lived here until 1860, and the home passed through a succession of planters, ranchers, and a schoolmaster who added a classroom for his children, the Gottschalk family holding it until 1977. With its two-story open porches and side-gabled roof, it remains a Matagorda landmark.
Why it matters
Surviving from the very birth of the Texas Republic, the house links a signer of Texas's founding document to the everyday coastal settlement he helped establish. Few structures reach back to Texas's revolutionary generation.
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Related people
- · Samuel Rhoads Fisher
- · Ann Fisher
- · John T. Sargent
- · Gus L. Gottschalk
Related events
- · Texas Declaration of Independence (1836)
Themes & tags
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