Leroy Nelson DeWitt, Pioneer Citizen
Mount Joy, Delta County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(b. Mar. 20, 1840 - d. May 23. 1918) Prosperous merchant and farmer. Native of Virginia; moved here with parents, 1854. Married Miss Mary Collier, 1861; they had 9 children. In 1862, joined Confederacy to serve on frontier until end of war. Became recognized leader in civic and church affairs, area development.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Virginia in 1840, Leroy Nelson DeWitt came to this corner of North Texas with his parents in 1854 and put down deep roots as a merchant and farmer. He married Mary Collier in 1861 and, the next year, joined the Confederacy to serve on the frontier through the end of the Civil War. Afterward he became a recognized leader in the area's civic, church, and business affairs until his death in 1918.
Why it matters
His life traces the arc of a Texas pioneer generation — frontier settlement, Confederate service, and the postwar work of building lasting communities.
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Related people
- · Leroy Nelson DeWitt
- · Mary Collier
Themes & tags
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