Texas First Anglo Baby LbNA #75951
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Add Location| Owner: | Baby Bear  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Mar 4, 2022 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Alto |
| County: | Cherokee |
| State: | Texas |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Not yet found! |
|---|---|
| Last found: | N/A |
| Last edited: | Mar 8, 2022 |
Difficulty: Easy
Distance to Letterbox: 10 yards
Located at historical marker for gravesite of the mother of the first Anglo child born in Texas. Here is the story: (By Joan Petty Bounds)
Maria Helena Dill was born September 8, 1804, at Nacogdoches, Coahuila de Tejas. She was the daughter of James Dill and Helena Kimble. The Dill family was living in Nacogdoches in 1804 where in 1802 James had applied for a grant of four leagues of land west of the Angelina River and north of El Camino Real. In 1821 he was elected municipal magistrate, or "alcalde," for the Nacogdoches territory, the first Anglo American to be so honored. There is now a Texas Historical Commission marker on the site of the original Dill homestead in Nacogdoches. It reads, "[Captain James Dill,] born in Pennsylvania in 1770. Pioneer Indian trader. Recognized by the King of Spain as a public-spirited citizen. First alcalde of Nacogdoches under the Mexican government in 1821." On November 21, 1825 James died after falling from his horse. In July 1828 his widow, Helena obtained title to the land he had applied for. After the death of Captain Dill, Mrs. Dill resumed her maiden name, Helena Kimble, which was according to Spanish custom. On July 26, 1828 the Mexican government put Helena Kimble in formal possession of the four leagues of land for which her husband had petitioned in 1802. She pulled herbs, threw stones to solemnize the event according to Spanish custom, drove down stakes as landmarks, and paid the treasurer $30 for each of the four leagues granted to her. Soon after gaining title to the land, Helena married William Nelson. She died in 1848 and is buried about 2 1/4 miles east of Alto on the north side of the Old San Antonio Road, out in the open field under a drooping cedar tree, which stands alone. In the years that followed, weeds covered this ground, the tombstone was cracked, and the fence surrounding the grave toppled. She rests in a tiny spot in the vast estate of 18,000 acres granted to her by the Mexican government in 1828. James and Helena Dill's daughter, Helena Dill, met Captain Henry Newton Berryman when she was attending school in Louisiana. She married Captain Berryman on April 23, 1823. He started his military career when he was assigned to West Point by President James Monroe, a cousin to his mother. After their marriage, they were stationed in New York. From there they moved to his home in Virginia and by 1835 they were living back in Louisiana where their children were born. In 1847 he resigned his commission due to health problems and the couple came back to live at the Dill homestead in Texas, settling on a league of land Helena had inherited from her mother located in what is now Cherokee County. Berryman used enslaved labor to clear the land and build a two-story log residence. They named their place, located near Alto, Forest Hill Plantation. The couple planned to build a large stone house, similar to the one where they had lived in Virginia. Helena was busy making this house into a home. It was fun doing things with her family and her sister's family. In the evenings they would sit on the porch and sing the old songs.
Directions:
From Alto, go east on Hwy 21 for 2 1/4 miles to historical marker on right side of road. Turn right into small drive up to marker.
To the Letterbox:
Walk to the marker and headstone and read. Now see the large tree to right of the marker, with hollow on the back side. Box is inside that hollow in the middle under bark.
Hike length: 0.1 miles
Distance to Letterbox: 10 yards
Located at historical marker for gravesite of the mother of the first Anglo child born in Texas. Here is the story: (By Joan Petty Bounds)
Maria Helena Dill was born September 8, 1804, at Nacogdoches, Coahuila de Tejas. She was the daughter of James Dill and Helena Kimble. The Dill family was living in Nacogdoches in 1804 where in 1802 James had applied for a grant of four leagues of land west of the Angelina River and north of El Camino Real. In 1821 he was elected municipal magistrate, or "alcalde," for the Nacogdoches territory, the first Anglo American to be so honored. There is now a Texas Historical Commission marker on the site of the original Dill homestead in Nacogdoches. It reads, "[Captain James Dill,] born in Pennsylvania in 1770. Pioneer Indian trader. Recognized by the King of Spain as a public-spirited citizen. First alcalde of Nacogdoches under the Mexican government in 1821." On November 21, 1825 James died after falling from his horse. In July 1828 his widow, Helena obtained title to the land he had applied for. After the death of Captain Dill, Mrs. Dill resumed her maiden name, Helena Kimble, which was according to Spanish custom. On July 26, 1828 the Mexican government put Helena Kimble in formal possession of the four leagues of land for which her husband had petitioned in 1802. She pulled herbs, threw stones to solemnize the event according to Spanish custom, drove down stakes as landmarks, and paid the treasurer $30 for each of the four leagues granted to her. Soon after gaining title to the land, Helena married William Nelson. She died in 1848 and is buried about 2 1/4 miles east of Alto on the north side of the Old San Antonio Road, out in the open field under a drooping cedar tree, which stands alone. In the years that followed, weeds covered this ground, the tombstone was cracked, and the fence surrounding the grave toppled. She rests in a tiny spot in the vast estate of 18,000 acres granted to her by the Mexican government in 1828. James and Helena Dill's daughter, Helena Dill, met Captain Henry Newton Berryman when she was attending school in Louisiana. She married Captain Berryman on April 23, 1823. He started his military career when he was assigned to West Point by President James Monroe, a cousin to his mother. After their marriage, they were stationed in New York. From there they moved to his home in Virginia and by 1835 they were living back in Louisiana where their children were born. In 1847 he resigned his commission due to health problems and the couple came back to live at the Dill homestead in Texas, settling on a league of land Helena had inherited from her mother located in what is now Cherokee County. Berryman used enslaved labor to clear the land and build a two-story log residence. They named their place, located near Alto, Forest Hill Plantation. The couple planned to build a large stone house, similar to the one where they had lived in Virginia. Helena was busy making this house into a home. It was fun doing things with her family and her sister's family. In the evenings they would sit on the porch and sing the old songs.
Directions:
From Alto, go east on Hwy 21 for 2 1/4 miles to historical marker on right side of road. Turn right into small drive up to marker.
To the Letterbox:
Walk to the marker and headstone and read. Now see the large tree to right of the marker, with hollow on the back side. Box is inside that hollow in the middle under bark.
Hike length: 0.1 miles