Wharton County Abstract Company
Wharton, Wharton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Attorney William S. "Billie" Brooks founded this abstract firm in 1890. He was assisted by Daisy Speed, who made the original hand-written entries in the tract books. Brooks was joined in 1899 by his law partner Henry A. Cline. Other prominent associates of the firm include several member of the Cline family and L. Z. Moreland, who worked here from 1923 to 1974. A secretary, Ruth Brazzil, later served as a special justice of the Texas Supreme Court in a celebrated case involving the Woodmen of The World.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Attorney William S. "Billie" Brooks founded this abstract firm in 1890, with Daisy Speed penning the original tract-book entries by hand. Over the decades the company drew a roster of notable associates, including members of the Cline family and L. Z. Moreland, who worked here for a half-century. Its secretary Ruth Brazzil went on to serve as a special justice of the Texas Supreme Court in a celebrated Woodmen of the World case.
Why it matters
The firm quietly recorded the county's land history for generations, and its women—from Daisy Speed's ledgers to Ruth Brazzil's seat on the state's high court—trace the widening role of women in Texas law.
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Related people
- · William S. Brooks
- · Daisy Speed
- · Ruth Brazzil
- · L. Z. Moreland
- · Henry A. Cline
Themes & tags
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