Shive
Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In area settled in 1870s. Some of the earliest settlers were Connels, McKinleys, Nettletons, and Roddys. First school, Union Hill, opened in 1883; A. S. Andrews, J. H. Clark, L. C. Sloneker, trustees. Post office, established Jan. 18, 1884, was in first store, owned by J. W. and R. L. Shive (with R. L. as postmaster). In 1885 came the first German settlers: Louis Bethke, August Kelm, Albert Kunkel, Paul Neese, Joe Schwartz. Others followed, giving town new traits of culture and economy. By 1908, Shive had 4 churches, a school, 4 stores, 2 blacksmiths, a hotel, a gin, a barber, and 2 doctors.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Settlers began arriving in this Hamilton County country in the 1870s, and the community took shape with its first school, Union Hill, in 1883 and a post office in 1884 inside the Shive brothers' store. A wave of German immigrants arrived in 1885, bringing new strands of culture and enterprise, and by 1908 Shive boasted four churches, a school, stores, blacksmiths, a hotel, a gin, and two doctors. The marker preserves the memory of a once-bustling crossroads town.
Why it matters
Shive's rise traces the classic pattern of Texas frontier settlement enriched by German immigration, whose churches and trades shaped the fabric of countless rural communities.
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Related people
- · J.W. Shive
- · R.L. Shive
Themes & tags
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