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| An
endorsement from the Ellinger Texas Brass Band for the C.G. Conn musical
instrument company. Photo Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum
& Archives |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Joseph Ehlinger, was born in Alsace, France and actually served in
Napoleon's army before its defeat. He at least got to see Moscow.
He also was present at San Jacinto and received a grant of land for
his service. He had just built a fine house in Fayette County and
had gone to Europe to bring his family to their new home. While crossing
Buffalo Bayou near Houston, his horse became entangled in wild grapevines
and he drowned. The family entered the house he had built for them
without Joseph being there to see it. |
| Charles
Ehlinger was Joseph's son and he became a surveyor.
He laid out the plat of the original town which was then known
as Live Oak Hill and was just north of present day Ellinger - near
the old cemetery. He was also the town's
first postmaster. His son, Charles W. Ehlinger grew to become a merchant,
farmer and a Board Member on the First State Bank of Ellinger.
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| The Southern
Pacific Railroad came through the area in 1873 and missed Live Oak
Hill by two miles. In 1880, land was donated and a man named Andrea
Ondry, suggested they name it after Joseph Ehlinger. |
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| The
long vacant Bank of Ellinger. Never robbed, but the doors once had
their handles shot off. TE photo, 2001 |
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| When the Ellinger
post office was opened, it was in Colorado County. Sometime between
1877 and 1889 it became part of Fayette County. The location has changed
over the years - at one time it was in the former bank. |
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The
old Ellinger Depot
Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives |
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"W.
J. Lemp's Beer & Ice House"
Courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives |
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| The town entertained
the idea of becoming the tomato capital of Texas in the 1930s before
a late April freeze ended that dream. |
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St.
Mary's Catholic Church about 1.7 miles NE of Ellinger
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006 |
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Today the blinding lights of modern gas stations distract the Houston-Austin
traveler from noticing that there is a community on the north side
of the highway. |
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St.
Mary's Catholic Church and cemetery
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006 |
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St.
John Lutheran Church north of Ellinger
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006 |
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The
Old C.W. Ehlinger Store - (showing the original spelling)
before it collapsed
TE photo, 2001 |
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Ellinger
Texas Forum
Subject:
Ellinger, Texas
Dear TE: The
name changed from Ehlinger to Ellinger when the railroad came through
the area. In fact the town was originally up the hill (Live Oak
Hill) near the church where the graveyard is, and was moved to its
current location to induce the railroad to stop there - as my grandfather
told me. It was easier for the people to phonetically spell it.
The silent "H" is a royal pain, believe me when I tell you as I
have to constantly spell it for people.
My grandfather was Dr. Rancier B. Ehlinger, his father was Dr. Otto
Ehlinger - both MD's born in Ellinger, TX, and both were graduates
of and the college doctors at Texas A&M (Tulane University MD graduates),
and both were descendants of Joseph Ehlinger. The hospital at Bryan
was owned at one time by my grandfather in partnership with another
Dr., and given to the nuns that now own it when he retired in ca.
1948. - Ladd P. Ehlinger, AIA, August 09, 2005
Anyone wishing to share history or photos of Ellinger, Texas, please
contact
us.
More photos by Barclay
Gibson
© John Troesser
More stories & photos: Texas
: Towns A-Z / Central
Texas South
Ellinger Area Hotels - Book Here & Save:
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Hotels | La
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