EPPRIGHTS - TWO SONS - TOO SOON

George Jacob and Nannie Harris Eppright had a total of 14 children; 9 of them were boys. This photo from around 1904-05 show all 9 of them. Tragically, two of them would die before their time. 

The first of the children to die was George David Eppright. Born on June 21, 1896 he was just one month past his fourteenth birthday when he died July 23, 1910 from a severe case of typhoid fever. 

The Austin Statesman July 26, 1910

He was buried in the Eppright family plot in the Manor City Cemetery.

Eighteen days later, his father would also die at the age of 56 and be buried near him. 

Next to die would be the oldest of the 9 boys; Frederic Gillespie Eppright, born in 1881. He married Mabel Collier in San Antonio, Tx on October 17, 1906. 

Sometime between April, 1910 and January, 1913 they moved to the Rio Grande Valley to the city of Donna in Hidalgo County, where Fred established a farming operation. 

On occasion they would return to Manor to visit the family members who still lived there, as evidenced by this mention in the San Antonio Express newspaper dated January 5, 1913.

On August 26, 1922 Frederic, along with his wife Mabel and their two young sons, Fred, age 4 and David, age 2 were traveling by automobile from their home in Donna to Manor to visit with relatives. According to a story in the August 28th Austin Statesman newspaper, the family had stopped in Floresville, TX for a picnic lunch. Because the brakes on the car were not in good condition, the car was left in gear to keep it from rolling. While Mabel packed up the remains of the picnic lunch, Frederic, using a motor pump,  began to pump up a tire on the car in preparation for their continuing the journey to Manor.

 A motor pump is a small air compressor attached to and powered by the car's engine. Forgetting that the car was still in gear, Frederic started the engine to use the compressor and the car immediately began to roll towards the ditch beside the road. While he was attempting to stop the car, it overturned in the ditch, crushing Mr. Eppright beneath it. By the time Mabel was able to get help, Frederic was already dead. 

Austin Statesman August 28, 1922

Frederic Gillespie Eppright was 40 years and 9 months old at the time of his death. (death certificate shows middle name as George)

He was buried in the Eppright family plot in the Manor City Cemetery. 

An advertisement in the December 17th issue of The Houston Post newspaper stated that Mabel Eppright was paid $1000 by the National Casualty Insurance Company due to her husband's death in the automobile accident. 

THE EPPRIGHTS - GEORGE JACOB AND NANNIE HARRIS

George Jacob was the fifth child of David and Mary Ann Eppright. He was born March 2, 1854; eight years after they had moved to Texas. Usually known as G. J. or "Jake", he  would have as much, arguably more, influence on the development of Manor as all of the other Epprights. 

George and Ann Reid "Nannie" Harris were married November 18, 1880 in Travis County. She was born in Louisa County, Virginia. 

TRAVIS COUNTY MARRIAGE RECORD BOOK 5, PAGE 319

Between the years of 1881 and 1905, fourteen children would be born to them. 

Frederic Gillespie (1881-1922    

Athlyn E. (1882-1962)
Cecil Dennis (1884-1957)
Charles Chaplin (1885-1974)
Jane Mary (1887-1981)
John Thomas (1888-1981
Clodius Harris (1890-1969)
Lucy (1892-1971)
Katherine Elizabeth (1894-1945)
George David (1896-1910)

Edward Everett (1898-1989)
Ben Russell (1900-1989)
George J. (1903-1998)
Nannie Belle (1905-1986)

G. J. is shown in school records as a Freshman at Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia in 1875. Newspaper accounts relate that in June, 1877 George was awarded medals for his outstanding abilities in the area of mathematics. 

ROANOKE DISPATCH - JUNE 16, 1877

Subsequent records list him as an alumni, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1878. He is also described as a "breeder and importer of livestock from Manor, Texas."

ROANOKE COLLEGE BULLETIN

On November 30, 1876 David and Mary Ann Eppright signed deeds giving portions of their land to their five surviving adult children. Each one received acreage valued at $4000. 

At this time, 22 year old Jake received 465 acres of land, mostly in the Gilleland Creek area, a short distance west of Manor. The deed for land given to each individual stated "...for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which we cherish for..."

The deed for Jake's land stated, "This land is conveyed to the said George J Eppright as an advancement to him out of our community estate and which we estimate as being now worth $4000."

TRAVIS COUNTY DEED RECORD 36, PAGE 462

Later, on July 1, 1886 Jake purchased an additional 441 3/4  acres from David for a payment of $4000. On January 1, 1891 Jake paid David $630 for 18 3/4 more acres, giving him a total of 926 acres. 

Although he had many acres to choose from, in a few years Jake would build his house on what was said to be the highest elevation on his land, known locally as Eppright Hill.

Travis County deed records show G. J. Eppright as one of three trustees for Manor Baptist Church in 1890.

TRAVIS COUNTY DEED RECORD 99, PAGE 101

In 1894 Jake purchased an well drilling rig and began to drill for water atop Eppright Hill. 

AUSTIN DAILY STATESMAN, FEBRUARY 5, 1894

When he succeeded in this endeavor, in 1895 the town of Manor formed an artesian well company, raised funds and then hired him to drill the first well in Manor. 

AUSTIN WEEKLY STATESMAN, JANUARY 30, 1896

In  1897 Jake was advertising as an "Artesian Well Contractor" in newspapers.

HOUSTON DAILY POST, JUNE 1, 1897

 That same year Jake began construction on a two-story house on the top of Eppright Hill.

AUSTIN WEEKLY STATESMAN, APRIL 8, 1897

HOUSE ON EPPRIGHT HILL (photo provided by Jim Leigh)

The Eppright house with Ben Eppright in the front yard (photo provided by Ann Milam)

Records of the American Shorthorn Breeders Association  list his many accomplishments in the breeding of cattle in the 1890's and early 1900's. 

AMREICAN SHORTHORN BREEDERS ASSOCIATION - 1896

He is also shown to be a breeder of hogs in records of The American Berkshire Association.

AMERICAN BERKSHIRE ASSOCIATION 1906

   The American Kennel Club also records him as a dog breeder. 

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB - 1913

Travis County Deed Record F, page 370 records the sale of "5 1/4 acres more or less" by Jake Eppright  to Travis County for $510 on March 5, 1898. This acreage was a continuous strip 40 feet wide running from the northwest corner to the southwest corner of the 640 acre James Manor headright survey. This strip of land was to be used for a road going south from Manor. It would become known as Blue Bluff Road. 

1940 AERIAL PHOTO SHOWING BLUE BLUFF RD 

On July 13, 1906 the Travis County Commissioners Court considered a petition that read as follows;

“G J EPPRIGHT - Petition to lay water pipe

And now on this day came on to be heard the petition of G.J. Eppright asking permission to lay water pipes or mains in the public road from the town of Manor to his place about one mile S.W. of Manor, and the same having been considered by the Court, it is ordered that said petition be and is hereby granted, provided that said pipe be laid sufficiently underground and in such manner as not to obstruct or damage or in any manner injure the said public road, the Court reserving the right to have the same removed for cause to be considered and judged by the entire Court, and that thirty days notice be given said Eppright of the Court’s order to have the same removed.”

Whether or not this pipe was ever laid is still undetermined at this time

TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT MINUTES J, PAGE 592

George Jacob (Jake) Eppright died August 10, 1910 at the age of 56. The Austin American Statesman said, "In his death Manor has been deprived of a good and useful citizen, whose work in the school, the church, and all things pertaining to the good of the town will be greatly missed."

Nannie Harris Eppright died May 14, 1939 at the age of 78. Her death certificate lists coronary thrombosis (probably a heart attack) and hypertension (high blood pressure) as the cause. 

Both Jake and Nannie are buried in the Eppright section of the city of Manor  Cemetery. 

THE EPPRIGHTS - DAVID AND MARY ANN

David Eppright was born in Maryland, July 17, 1817. As he was growing up, his family is said to have moved to Tennesse, then to Indiana, ending up in Missouri. At the age of 24 he married Mary Ann Smelser, also from Missouri. Information shows him working as a wheelwright which he continued to do after they moved to Texas in 1846.

David and Mary Ann had eight children born to them:

Katherine “Katie” Elizabeth (1846-1894)
Mary Jane “Jennie” (1848-1936)
Martha Ann (1850-1909)
John Thompson (1852-1854)
George Jacob (1854-1910)
Exer Clementine (1856-1865)
Alice Lourinda (1858-1934)
Eugeneie Susanna (1860-1862)

1880 census figures show David as the owner of 2,030 acres of land in Travis County. His land and buildings were valued at $5000 and farming machinery listed for $2500. He also owned livestock valued at $350. 

Much of the land owned by David was located in the Blue Bluff Road / Gilleland Creek area but he also owned more land east of there. His homestead was  a short distance west of Blue Bluff Road. 

EPPRIGHT LAND ON BLUE BLUFF ROAD AND GILLELAND CREEK ROAD

Politically, he was a Prohibitionist; socially, he was a member of the Masonic order. Religiously, both David and Mary Ann were charter members of the newly-formed Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1857 and they continued as members as it developed into Manor Baptist Church. By 1899, David and Mary Ann were the only remaining charter members of the church. 

AUSTIN WEEKLY STATESMAN FEBRUARY 15, 1877

AUSTIN DAILY STATESMAN JULY 23, 1899

In a book titled PIONEERING IN THE SOUTHWEST by A.J. Holt (1923) the author tells of his experience with Deacon David Eppright at the Bethlehem Church in Manor. 

On his 80th birthday in 1897, The Austin Weekly Statesman described him as one of the most philanthropic citizens of the community for many years. 

David Eppright died July 20, 1900 at the age of 83. Newspaper obituaries described him as "a highly respected and true Christian gentleman..." and "one of our most prominent and influential citizens".

Austin Daily Statesman July 21, 1900

THE HOUSTON DAILY POST JULY 22, 1900

An inscription on David's headstone says, 

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die"

Mary Ann died February 2, 1908. Although it is extremely worn and difficult to read, the engraving on her headstone appears to be;

"Aged 84 Y s, 9 M s, 14 D s". 

"She died in sure and certain hope of eternal life through the atonement of a crucified Saviour"

David and Mary Ann are buried in the city of Manor Cemetery.

THE EPPRIGHTS - ISAAC AND MARTHA

Various members of the Eppright families are associated with the history and development of Manor. Among the first to arrive in the area were brothers Isaac and David Eppright, sons of Jacob (1783-1851) and Catherine Eppright (1786-1866). Jacob and Catherine lived first in Maryland, then in Tennessee and finally in Missouri. 

ISAAC AND MARTHA EPPRIGHT

Isaac (1822-1909) born in Tennessee played a lesser role but was involved for a short time in the growth of Manor. He married Martha J. Chamberlain in 1843. They moved to Texas about 1850 where, for $100, he purchased 100 acres of land from Peter Kerr on July 1, 1850, out of the Oliver Buckman league, a few miles southeast of present day Manor. 

Travis County Deed Record D, page 279

Children of Isaac and Martha Eppright were;

Mary Katherine (1846-1930)

R. J. Eppright  (1846-?)

Margaret Ann (1850-1938)

Emma J. (1853-1956)

Nancy J. (1855-1856)

Reuben Thompson (1857-1928)

N. F. "Fannie" (1861-1892)

Adelia S. (1863-?)

Isaac W. (1866-1950)

In 1854 the State Legislature passed an act requiring all counties to establish school districts. Travis County was divided into 19 Common School Districts - Isaac Eppright's land was included in District Number 6. The Travis County Commissioner's Court would regularly appoint residents of each district as Patrollers (a local militia/police/law enforcement, etc. group) for each school district. On August 22, 1854 Isaac Eppright was one of the Patrollers appointed for a period of three months in District 6, with Sylvester Lockwood as Captain of the group. 

TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT MINUTES B, PAGE 79

In 1857, Isaac became a deacon in the newly-formed, log cabin, Bethlehem Baptist Church at what would later become Manor. He was one of the founding members of the church.

The 1860 U.S. Census shows him living as a farmer in the area (listed as Webberville because there is no Manor yet), along with his wife and 5 children. His land is valued at $1000 and he has a personal estate valued at $2870.

1860 United States Census

On March 2, 1866 he sold his 100 acres in the Oliver Buckman league to George Armstead for the price of $800.  

Travis County Deed Record Q, page 394

The 1870 Census shows him living in Burnet County, and by 1900 he has moved again to Williamson County. 

 

After Martha died on October 8, 1905 at the age of 79, Isaac moved to Ft. Worth, Tx where he lived with his daughter at a hotel of which she was the proprietor. He died February 12, 1909 at the age of 86 in Ft. Worth. Both Isaac and Martha are buried at Hopewell Cemetery, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas.

An inscription on his grave marker reads, "A fond father and friend to all"