Jopling-Melear Log Cabin
Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
George Washington Jopling (1833-1903) erected this log cabin in 1863 in the Johnson Station Community for his wife Catherine (Thomas) (1837-1882) and their large family. A farmer, cattleman, and cotton gin owner, Jopling also served as a community leader, helping organizing the Johnson Station Masonic Lodge. After Catherine died he remarried and deeded the cabin, which had been enlarged, to his daughter Jane Catherine (1854-1940) and her husband Z.T. Melear 1850-1931). Melear, a farmer and blacksmith, owned a livery stable and cotton gin. In 1970 the cabin was moved to this site. (1980)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
George Washington Jopling raised this log cabin in 1863 in the Johnson Station community for his wife Catherine and their large family. A farmer, cattleman, and cotton gin owner, Jopling helped organize the local Masonic lodge before deeding the enlarged cabin to his daughter Jane and her husband, blacksmith Z. T. Melear. Moved to its present site in 1970, it preserves the world of North Texas pioneer families.
Why it matters
The cabin embodies the self-reliant farming-and-gin economy that early settlers built across North Texas in the mid-19th century.
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Related people
- · George Washington Jopling
- · Z. T. Melear
Themes & tags
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