J. H. Jones and the Old Settlers Reunion Grounds
Quitman, Wood County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A native of Alabama, J. H. Jones (d. 1923) came to Texas in 1877. After teaching school for several years, he was elected clerk of Wood County in 1886. He later became a successful merchant in Quitman. In 1902 Jones donated property at this site to the Old Settlers of Wood County Association, organized three years earlier under the leadership of newspaper editor James L. Ray (d. 1929). Except for a short time during World War I, annual homecoming activities have been held here. The reunion grounds were deeded to the Governor Hogg Shrine State Park in 1952. (1981)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
An Alabama native who reached Texas in 1877, J.H. Jones taught school, won election as Wood County clerk, and prospered as a Quitman merchant. In 1902 he gave this land to the Old Settlers of Wood County Association, whose members gathered each year to honor the region's pioneers. Save for a pause during World War I, the homecoming reunions continued here, and in 1952 the grounds passed to the Governor Hogg Shrine State Park.
Why it matters
Old settlers' reunions were a beloved American ritual of remembrance, gathering the aging pioneers of a county to celebrate and preserve the story of its frontier beginnings.
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Related people
- · J.H. Jones
- · James L. Ray
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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