Magnolia
Montgomery, Montgomery County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1854 for Peter J. Willis and wife, Caroline Womack; named for their daughter, first child born here (later Mrs. Geo. Sealy, Galveston; Magnolia Petroleum Company was also named for her). Ilai and Melissa Davis bought house furnished in 1868. Occupied continuously by their descendants who have preserved much of the original furniture brought here by boat and wagon from New York. Anna D. Weisinger, present owner, was only other child born here. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1854 for Peter J. Willis and his wife Caroline, this home was named "Magnolia" for their daughter — the first child born in the house and later the namesake of the Magnolia Petroleum Company. Bought furnished by Ilai and Melissa Davis in 1868, it stayed in their family for generations, who preserved much of the original furniture hauled here by boat and wagon from New York.
Why it matters
A single antebellum Texas home connects family memory to the rise of Magnolia Petroleum, one of the ancestors of the modern American oil industry.
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Related people
- · Peter J. Willis
- · Caroline Womack Willis
- · Ilai Davis
- · Melissa Davis
Themes & tags
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