Dodge
Dodge is an unincorporated community in eastern Walker County, Texas,
situated on Farm Road 405, approximately one mile north of U.S. Highway
190 and ten miles east of Huntsville (the county seat), along the
northern edge of the Sam Houston National Forest.
It has an elevation of 400 feet and lies in a region with a humid
subtropical climate, featuring hot, humid summers and mild to cool
winters. The ZIP code is 77334, and the broader ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)
had a population of 184 at the 2000 census, though estimates for the
community itself have hovered around 150 since the mid-20th century.
Founding and Early History:
Settlers first arrived in the Dodge area as
early as the 1820s, during the period when Walker County was part of
Mexican Texas, with pioneers including W. H. Baker, John Roark, Ed
Farris, Haden Watts, and Ishom Green Webb. The community was formally founded in 1872 when William H. Parmer (son
of Martin Parmer, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence)
granted land for a right-of-way to the Houston and Great Northern
(H&GN) Railroad. W. J. Johnson also donated land with the condition that a station be
built, leading to the platting of the town along the tracks with
streets named for early pioneers.
The settlement was initially called Dodge Station, named after the
Phelps-Dodge Company (a copper mining firm) that constructed the
railroad; local legend suggests the name reflected how the company
"dodged" routing tracks through nearby Huntsville. In 1853, prior to formal founding, several families relocated to the
area from Cincinnati, Texas, to escape a yellow fever epidemic,
including James Gillaspie and Rev. William D. Shockley, who established
Shockley's Chapel, a Methodist church.
Development and Peak:
The arrival of the railroad spurred growth, transforming Dodge into a
shipping and trade hub. By the 1870s, the community included a Masonic
lodge, hotel, school, two general stores, and a vacant store. A post
office was established in 1881, officially changing the name to Dodge,
with Russell Roark as the first postmaster. The population reached
about 150 by the mid-1890s and grew to 500 by
1914, supported by amenities like two churches, a bank, cotton gins,
additional general stores, and two drugstores. From 1901 onward, Dodge
served as a key railroad junction for the
Trinity Valley Southern and International-Great Northern (IGN)
railroads, facilitating lumber transport from an Oakhurst sawmill to
the main line. At its height in 1936, the town featured three
businesses, two churches, two schools, and scattered farm dwellings.
Economy:
The local economy was initially based on farming, with early settlers
cultivating crops in the fertile area. The railroad's arrival shifted
focus to transportation and shipping,
particularly lumber from nearby sawmills and cotton via gins. Retail
and services, including stores, a bank, and drugstores, supported the
growing population.
Notable Events and Decline:
Dodge was damaged by major fires in 1924 and 1925, which destroyed
buildings that were not rebuilt. The Great Depression exacerbated
decline by phasing out the lumber
industry and sawmills, leading to the end of railroad operations as a
junction by 1936. By 1943, the population had fallen to 150 with three
businesses.
Current Status and Remnants:
Today, Dodge remains a small rural community
with an estimated population of 150, including two businesses, a
church, and a post office as of 2000. A Texas Historical Commission
marker at the intersection of Farris
Street and FM 405 commemorates its founding and railroad history. The
area is quiet and unincorporated, with ties to its historical roots in
rail and lumber.
Dodge, Texas Overview:
Dodge is an unincorporated community in
eastern Walker County, Texas, located about 10 miles northeast of
Huntsville along U.S. Highway 190. It originated as a railroad stop in
1872 when the Houston and Great Northern Railroad (later part of the
International-Great Northern Railroad) reached the area, named after
Phelps Dodge, a railroad stockholder. The first settler was William H.
Parmer (Palmer), with farming beginning as early as 1825. The post
office was established in 1881, and the town served as a lumber and
shipping hub. It experienced growth with settlers arriving in the
1850s, but declined after fires in the 1920s and the loss of rail
importance. By the 1980s, the population was around 170, with remnants
including churches and cemeteries.
William H. Parmer (Palmer)William Hardwick Parmer (also spelled Palmer,
18061871) was the first Anglo settler in the Dodge area, arriving
around 1825 and farming the land. He was the son of Martin Parmer and
is credited with founding Dodge in 1872 through his role in bringing
the railroad. Along with Thomas Akin, W. J. Johnson, and others, he
donated land for the Houston and Great Northern Railroad right-of-way,
which spurred the community's development. He married Lucinda Palmer
(18111871), and both are buried in a private cemetery in Dodge. His
settlement predated the railroad by decades, making him a key pioneer
in Walker County.
Martin Parmer (17781850), father of William H. Parmer, was a prominent
figure in early Texas history. Born in Charlotte County, Virginia, he
moved west, becoming involved in Missouri politics (serving in the
territorial legislature and as a judge) before settling in Texas around
1825. Known for his eccentric personality and nicknames like "The
Ringtailed Panther," he participated in the Fredonian Rebellion
(18261827) against Mexican rule. He signed the Texas Declaration of
Independence in 1836, chaired the committee drafting the Republic of
Texas Constitution, and served as chief justice of Jasper County and a
senator in the Republic's Congress. He had multiple wives and at least
16 children, with some descendants restoring the "Palmer" spelling.
Parmer died in Jasper County and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery.
His land holdings included areas near Dodge.
W. H. Baker (sometimes listed as W. H. Barker, possibly a transcription
error) was an early pioneer in the Dodge area, settling before the
1850s. He is mentioned alongside other settlers like John Roark, Ed
Farris, Haden Watts, and Ishom Green Webb as part of the community's
foundational families. No detailed biographical records, such as
birth/death dates or family lineage, were found specific to his role in
Dodge beyond his pioneer status.
John Roark was a pioneer settler in Dodge, listed among early arrivals
before the 1850s. He may be connected to Colonel Russell Roark
(18151899), a notable resident who died in Dodge and is buried in
Shockley Chapel Cemetery. Russell was born in Alabama, served in the
military, and was part of a large family with roots in Virginia (e.g.,
John Back Roark II, 17731848). The Roark family remained in the area
into the 20th century, with descendants like Julie Roark (wife of John
Roark, son of Russell) and Irby Roark, documented in 1930s photos. No
exact birth/death for the specific John Roark tied to Dodge pioneers,
but the family was involved in local farming and community life.
Ed Farris was an early pioneer in Dodge, arriving before the 1850s and
contributing to the community's agricultural base. He is grouped with
other settlers like W. H. Baker and John Roark. No additional
biographical details, such as dates or family, were found specifically
linking him to Dodge beyond pioneer mentions.
Haden Watts was a pioneer settler in Dodge, part of the pre-1850s wave
of arrivals. Listed with contemporaries like Ed Farris, he helped
establish the area's farming economy. Limited records exist; no
birth/death dates or family details specific to him were located.
Green Webb (April 7, 1865June 8, 1939) was a settler and resident of
Dodge, born in Walker County, Texas, to William Webb and Martha Ann
Daniel. He married Mary Etta Freeman (18681950) on December 24, 1889,
and they had several children, including Herbert Alford Webb
(18961918, died of Spanish Flu in WWI), Clayton Horace Webb
(19051996), and a baby girl (19081909). Webb was a farmer and lived
his life in Dodge, dying there at age 74. He is buried in Dodge
Cemetery (also called Shockley Chapel Cemetery). He is noted as a
pioneer in the area's history.
James Gillaspie (January 5, 1805October 3, 1867) was a military
veteran and settler who arrived in Dodge in 1853 from nearby areas
affected by yellow fever. Born in Alabama to William and Elizabeth
Gillaspie, he moved to Texas in 1835, serving as captain of the Sixth
Company at the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. He
also fought in the Mexican War and Civil War, and served as
superintendent of the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville. Gillaspie
established a home in Dodge, where his family continued; descendants
include John Wesley Gillaspie (18731952) and modern relatives like
James "Alex" Gillaspie (born 1934). He is honored with a 1936 Texas
Centennial monument in Montgomery County.
Rev. William D. Shockley was a Methodist minister who settled in Dodge
in 1853, arriving with families fleeing yellow fever epidemics. He
established Shockley's Chapel, a Methodist church that became a
community cornerstone, with the associated Shockley Chapel Cemetery
(also known as Dodge Cemetery) named in his honor. The cemetery
contains burials from the mid-1800s, including veterans and pioneers.
No specific birth/death dates or further biographical details were
found, but his legacy endures through the church and cemetery, which
host historical markers and remain active for memorials.
W. J. Johnson was an early settler in Dodge who, along with William H.
Parmer and Thomas Akin, donated land for the Houston and Great Northern
Railroad right-of-way in 1872, facilitating the town's establishment.
He is noted as part of the pioneer group that shaped the community's
infrastructure. No additional details on his life, family, or dates
were identified.
Dodge suffered two devastating fires: one in 1924 and a second in 1925.
These blazes destroyed significant portions of the town, including key
buildings that were never rebuilt. The fires contributed to the
community's economic decline, as lumber was a major industry, and the
losses exacerbated the shift away from rail-dependent commerce. By the
1930s, Dodge had transitioned to a smaller rural hub, with the fires
marking the end of its peak prosperity. No specific details on causes,
exact dates, or casualties were documented in historical records.
Dodge, on Farm Road 405 a mile north of U.S. Highway 190 and ten
miles east of Huntsville in eastern Walker County, was founded in 1872
on land granted to the Houston and Great Northern Railroad by William H.
Parmer (Palmer); settlers had begun farming the land as early as 1825. Martin Parmer, William's father, signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Other area pioneers included W. H. Baker, John Roark, Ed Farris, Haden
Watts, and Ishom Green Webb. In 1853 several additional families moved
to the area from Cincinnati to escape a yellow fever epidemic. Among the
new arrivals were James Gillaspie and Rev. William D. Shockley, who established a Methodist church known as Shockley's Chapel.
After the Civil War
the H&GN Railroad, constructed by the Phelps-Dodge Company, arrived
in Walker County. A depot named Dodge Station was established and a
town laid out in 1872. The town took its name from the construction
company, although local legend has it that the name Dodge was chosen to
indicate that the company "dodged" laying its tracks through Huntsville.
In the 1870s the community had a Masonic lodge, a hotel, a vacant
store, a school, and two general stores. When the post office was
established in 1881 Dodge Station became Dodge, and the first postmaster
was Russell Roark. By the mid-1890s the population was 150; by 1914 it
was 500. The community prospered, adding two churches, a bank, cotton
gins, two additional general stores, and two drugstores. The town was
seriously damaged by a fire in 1924 and a second one the following year.
From 1901 until 1936 Dodge served as a junction for the Trinity Valley Southern and IGN railroads, which served the lumber industry in the region. Dodge had three businesses, two churches, two schools, and numerous scattered dwellings in 1936. However, the Great Depression
years witnessed the phasing out of the lumber industry throughout the
area, and the community began to falter. Several fires destroyed
buildings over the next few years, and they were not rebuilt. In 1943
the town had a population of 150 and three businesses. In 1990 Dodge had
two businesses, a church, a post office, and an estimated population of
150. The population remained the same in 2000. TSHA
Texas State Historical Association
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/dodge-tx-walker-county
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge,_Texas
Texas Escapes
http://texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/Dodge-Texas.htm
Texas Almanac
https://www.texasalmanac.com/places/dodge
LDS Genealogy
https://ldsgenealogy.com/TX/Dodge.htm