The Preacher Who Left

J. J. Hamilton signed an affidavit in 1855 saying he had settled this land. He was one of the men who petitioned to create Parker County at all.

In 1856 he bought two town lots on the corner of East Church and South Walnut. That same year he and his wife Susanna helped found the Christian Church here, and before long Hamilton was its minister.

By 1858 he had built this cabin. Two rooms, a fireplace in each, and a dogtrot between them to catch whatever breeze July was willing to give.

He preached here until 1863. That year his two sons were killed at Patrick’s Creek. The family did not recover from it. In their grief they left Parker County, and the man who helped bring the county into existence did not stay to see what it became.

The cabin stayed. That is usually how it goes. The buildings outlast the reasons people built them.