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Coryell County, established in 1854, became home to settlers mostly from the Old South. Shortly after the end of the Civil War, local freedmen formed a community four miles west of Gatesville called Lincolnville in honor of president Abraham Lincoln, located near the Moccasin Bend area along the Leon River. James Maberry, former overseer for Chief Justice John Walker Maberry, provided leadership for the founding families of the colony, including Cook, Easley, Mayberry, Snow and Weatherly among others. Acquiring land and establishing new homes on the edge of the Texas frontier was not an easy task, but all of the freedmen were experienced farmers, ranchers, and caretakers. The Leon River Valley provided an abundant supply of catfish and small game and the settlers quickly learned to live off the land to supplement their meager wages as freed slaves. A church and school were immediate priorities of the community which had not previously been allowed to openly practice religion or attend school. Bethlehem Baptist Church was established on April 10, 1872, by the reverend G.C. Alexander. The church later moved to Gatesville in 1882. The first African American school in Coryell County opened in Gatesville in 1868, but the building burned shortly afterwards. In its place, Lincolnville School no. 62 became a public school by 1883 and existed until 1943 when most small, rural schools were consolidated. The survival of Lincolnville, despite racial strife and the harsh conditions of the frontier, is a testament to the efforts of the citizens of the Lincolnville Community. A few descendants of the founding families remain in the area today. (2015) |
