O. H. Methvin
Longview, Gregg County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(March 10, 1815 - February 9, 1882) Georgia native O. H. Methvin came to Texas about 1848 with his wife Margaret and his father, Richard R. Methvin. They settled on land in Upshur County which would later become a part of Gregg County. In 1870 Methvin gave 100 acres of land to the Southern Pacific Railroad to found the city of Longview. The town became the county seat when Gregg County was organized in 1873. O. H. and Margaret Methvin were the parents of three sons.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Georgia-born O. H. Methvin came to Texas around 1848 with his wife Margaret and his father, settling on land in what was then Upshur County. In 1870 he gave 100 acres to the Southern Pacific Railroad, an act that founded the city of Longview; three years later it became the seat of the newly organized Gregg County. Methvin's land gift turned a railroad stop into a county town.
Why it matters
His story illustrates how the postwar railroad boom created new Texas towns almost overnight, as landowners traded acreage for the depot that would anchor a permanent community.
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Related people
- ¡ O. H. Methvin
- ¡ Margaret Methvin
Related events
- ¡ Founding of Longview
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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