William A. Waugh
Millett, La Salle County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(1832-1901) An Ohio native who found gold in California in 1849, William A. Waugh settled near the Cibolo Creek Crossing on the Laredo-San Antonio Road in 1856, before La Salle County was created. Waugh served briefly as a Texas Ranger during the border raids called the Cortina War. He was also a merchant, district court clerk, and justice of the peace. Father of three daughters and a son, Waugh contributed significantly to progress in this locality.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Ohio-born William A. Waugh joined the 1849 gold rush to California before settling near the Cibolo Creek Crossing on the Laredo–San Antonio Road in 1856, years before La Salle County existed. He briefly served as a Texas Ranger during the border troubles known as the Cortina War, then made his mark as a merchant, district court clerk, and justice of the peace. He and his family helped build up this stretch of South Texas frontier before his death in 1901.
Why it matters
Waugh's path from California gold fields to Texas ranching frontier and local office typifies the restless, self-made settlers who organized civic life on the edges of the expanding nation.
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Related people
- · William A. Waugh
Related events
- · California Gold Rush
- · Cortina War
Themes & tags
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