The Thurman Place
Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One of oldest homes in city. Begun about 1857 while site was owned by "Major" P. M. Graham, land dealer, surveyor, and merchant, who was original clerk of Cass County (then encompassing town of Jefferson), 1846; postmaster, 1849. The place was bought 1859 by merchant Theo Nichols, who in 1882 gave it to his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Thurman. The Thurmans had a deer park on west side of the block, lived here until 1906, and gave property its lasting name. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Among the oldest homes in Jefferson, this house was begun around 1857 on land owned by "Major" P. M. Graham, a land dealer, surveyor, and the original clerk of Cass County. Merchant Theo Nichols bought it in 1859 and later gave it to his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Thurman, whose family kept a deer park nearby and lived here until 1906, lending the place its lasting name. Its long chain of owners traces the rise of Jefferson as an important antebellum riverport town.
Why it matters
Jefferson was one of Texas's busiest inland ports before the railroads, and surviving homes like this one preserve the fabric of that boomtown era.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related people
- · P. M. Graham
- · Theo Nichols
- · Samuel Thurman
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
J. H. Rowell Home
Jefferson, TX
Built around 1858, this house became the longtime home of the J. H. Rowell family beginning in 1879, in the riverport town of Jefferson. Rowell was a fixture of local government, serving Jefferson through several terms as both mayor and alderman. The dwelling was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1966.
Old Home of Geo. Keese
Jefferson, TX
This Jefferson residence was raised about 1858 by Dan M. Alley, the developer who laid out the city's "Alley addition," and became home to early citizen George Keese. Dating to the boom years when Jefferson was a thriving East Texas river port, the house survives as a modest witness to the town's antebellum growth. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1966.
Dan N. Alley Home
Jefferson, TX
This house was built by Dan N. Alley, one of the founders of Jefferson, and given as a wedding gift to his son during the era when the town was a bustling riverport and gateway into Texas. It has stayed in the family's line, later home to a descendant.
Rowell Family Home
Jefferson, TX
This ornately trimmed clapboard cottage in the old riverport town of Jefferson began life as a tavern before Dr. R. E. Rowell's family made it a home in 1856. Jefferson was then one of Texas's busiest inland ports, its boarding houses and taverns crowded with steamboat traffic on the Big Cypress Bayou. The house has stayed with the family and is remembered locally as the DeWare home.