Granville E. Waters
Moran, Shackelford County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Born in Ashtabula County, Ohio in April 1852, Granville Eades Waters came to Texas in 1871. He settled in the north central part of the state before moving to Shackelford County in 1876. The next year, he wed Rennie Harris, daughter of a Waco mayor. The couple settled in a log cabin near Deep Creek, a few miles north of Hulltown (present Moran). With their five sons, they faced the hardships of frontier life; the closest post office was in Fort Griffin, and the nearest railroad connected Dallas to Fort Worth. For many years, on behalf of Ohio friend Cyrus B. Snyder, Waters operated the Ashtabula Stock Ranch west of Moran. Known by the honorary title of Colonel, he found success as a breeder and dealer of Hereford cattle, first bringing them to the ranch in 1885. He later served as president of the American Hereford Cattle Breeder's Association. The Waters Ranch became a social center for the area. The site of picnics, ballgames and other events, it provided a meeting place for many years until the house burned and the family moved into Moran, where their property became the Waters Addition to the town. Waters served as county commissioner (1884-1892) and vice-president of Moran National Bank. In the early 1900s, Waters worked in real estate, insurance, gas and oil leasing, and as a scout for the Texas Company (Texaco). He was also active in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Freemasons and Knights Templar. Waters died at a Fort Worth hospital in 1927. He is remembered today for his contributions to the local community and for his influence on the area economy through the introduction of Hereford stock and the early exploration for oil and gas in Shackelford County. (2005)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Ohio-born Granville Eades Waters came to Texas in 1871 and settled in Shackelford County, where he and his wife raised five sons amid the hardships of frontier life—the nearest post office days away at Fort Griffin. Known by the courtesy title of "Colonel," he made his name introducing Hereford cattle to the region in 1885 and rose to lead the American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association. In his later years he turned to oil and gas leasing, scouting for the Texas Company and helping open the county to petroleum exploration.
Why it matters
Waters embodies the transformation of the Texas frontier from open-range ranching to the modern oil economy that would reshape the state in the twentieth century.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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