William Preston and Rebecca Kate Conner House
Ratcliff, Houston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built on land purchased in 1852, the W. P. "Press" and Rebecca Kate Conner house was constructed by W. C. McKelvey in 1891 with logs harvested on site. The home was a vernacular L-plan residence with an enclosed center passage. A second story was added in 1910 and Conner descendants have made many other additions and improvements. Press Conner was a farmer and rancher; Kate was the area midwife. The family continues to own and care for the property. (1998) Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1997
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On land bought in 1852, W. P. "Press" and Rebecca Kate Conner built their home in 1891 from logs harvested on the property, a vernacular L-plan house later expanded with a second story and generations of additions. Press worked as a farmer and rancher while Kate served the surrounding community as its midwife. More than a century on, Conner descendants still own and care for the homestead.
Why it matters
The Conner house reflects the self-reliant rhythms of rural East Texas life, where a frontier family farmed the land and a midwife's skill sustained the health of a whole community.
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Related people
- · W. P. Conner
- · Rebecca Kate Conner
Themes & tags
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