Flox (See Macedonia)

Flox is a historical name associated with the rural community of Mustang Prairie (also known as Macedonia) in northwestern Walker County, Texas, near the Grimes County line, approximately 18 miles west of Huntsville along State Route 30. The area traces its roots to the Sterling C. Robertson Colony land grant of 1834, though it remained sparsely settled until after the Civil War, when families established farms in the prairie landscape. It appears on a 1911 map of Walker County as a distinct location among other small settlements like Barado, Boswell, Cecil, Dido, Dodge, Elmina, Falba, Gladstone, Hawthorne, Huntsville, Hutcheson, and others.
The community developed around agricultural activities, with a post office initially established as Macedonia on May 23, 1891, serving the scattered farms in the region. Postmasters for Macedonia included Julia V. Brooks (1891), Wiley H. Garrett (1892), Geo. B. Orviss (1893), Wm. McGowan (1897), Thos. J. Brooks (1901), and Robt. N. Powledge (1903).
On August 20, 1904, the post office name changed to Flox, with Robt. N. Powledge continuing as postmaster until John Young took over on January 15, 1909. The Flox post office operated until its discontinuation on January 15, 1914, after which mail was rerouted (destination not specified in records).
A key historical remnant is the Mustang Prairie Cemetery (also known as Macedonia or Mustang Cemetery), located at the junction of County Roads 227 and 228, partially spanning the Walker-Grimes county line. The cemetery's earliest marked burial is that of Samuel R. Wilson (1772–1862), noted as the first grave, though other sources cite the 1869 burial of seven-year-old Laura M. Jones as the first dated one. It contains approximately 260 graves, including many from pioneer families like the Wilsons, Thorntons, Youngs, and Powledges, with numerous infant and child burials reflecting 19th-century hardships. Notable interments include Scottish immigrant Colin Young (1826–1915), James Wilson (1802–1892), and Cathrine "Kahy" Wilson (1811–1896), highlighting multi-generational settler ties. The site is maintained by the Mustang Cemetery Association, with contacts for descendants and locals.
No population estimates or major infrastructure like schools or churches are documented specifically for Flox, indicating it was a small, agrarian postal stop rather than a developed town. The community does not have a Texas Historical Commission marker, and it no longer exists as a populated place, blending into the surrounding rural landscape of Walker County.
Today, the area remains sparsely developed, with the cemetery serving as the primary link to its pioneer history.

Sterling Clack Robertson (1785–1842) was a prominent Texas empresario, soldier, and statesman. Born on October 2, 1785, in Nashville, Tennessee (then part of North Carolina), he was the son of Elijah Robertson and Sarah Maclin Robertson. His uncle, James Robertson, was a founder of Nashville. Robertson received an education from scholar John McNairy and became involved in land ventures early on. In 1825, he joined the Nashville Company (Texas Association) to secure a Mexican land grant for colonization in Texas, originally intending to settle 800 families in the Brazos River basin. After disputes, including a lawsuit with Stephen F. Austin over overlapping claims, Robertson became the sole empresario of what became known as Robertson's Colony in 1834. This vast grant covered parts of 30 modern Texas counties, including areas that would form Robertson County (named after him), Grimes County, and others. He recruited settlers, many from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas, and focused on establishing communities for protection against Native American raids.Robertson played a key role in Texas independence. He represented Milam at the 1836 Constitutional Convention, signed the Texas Declaration of Independence as one of the "Fearless Fifty-Nine," and served as a senator in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas (1836–1837). He also fought in the War of 1812 under William Carroll at the Battle of New Orleans. In his later years, he devoted time to his colony's development until his death on March 4, 1842, in Robertson County, Texas. He is buried in the Texas State Cemetery. Robertson married Rachael Smith around 1833, and they had one son, Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson (1820–1879), who continued his father's work as a land agent and lawyer. Descendants include notable figures like his great-great-granddaughter who documented his legacy. Robertson's Colony attracted diverse settlers, including Irish immigrants and families like the Wilsons, contributing to the region's early history.

Samuel R. Wilson (1772–1862) was an early Texas settler and War of 1812 veteran. Born on June 7, 1772, in Wilkes or DeKalb County, Georgia, he was the son of Joshua Wilson and Barbara Sanford Roper (or possibly Samuel R. Wilson Sr.). He served as a private in the War of 1812. Wilson married Catherine Hill on May 28, 1817, and they had children, including James Wilson. He migrated to Texas, settling in Walker County (adjacent to Grimes and Robertson Counties), where he died on November 15, 1862. He is buried in Mustang Cemetery, Grimes County, Texas, noted as the "First Grave In Mustang." His settlement aligns with the era of Robertson's Colony, though no direct business connection is documented. He likely contributed to early community building in the region.

Laura M. Jones:  Limited historical records match this name in the queried context. One possible match is Laura M. Jones (1869–1874), born January 14, 1869, in Coffey County, Kansas, to John Thornton Jones and Louisa Amburn. She died young and has no direct Texas link in records. Another is Laura M. Jones (1890–1966), born in Maryland to James Milton Jones and Amelia Fowler. In a Texas/Grimes County context, a modern Laura Jones (born circa 1970s) is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Texas's 8th District (which includes Grimes County), a lifelong Texan, Army mom, and business owner. No clear historical tie to the other names, but her father's name (John Thornton Jones) suggests a potential Thornton family link. If this refers to a buried or local figure, no Mustang Cemetery record exists.

Colin Young (1826–1915) was a Texas settler buried in Mustang Cemetery, Grimes County. Born March 10, 1826 (possibly in Scotland or elsewhere), he died April 16, 1915. He had descendants including son John Young (1862–1938), who married Mettie Mintie Roberts (1878–1959), and grandchildren like John Allen Young (1902–1978), Levi Donald Young (1898–1976), and Homer Bruce Young (1896–1929). Later descendants include David Reed Young (1927–2004) and JC Young (1925–1990). No direct ties to Robertson or Wilson in records, but his burial in Mustang Cemetery suggests local settlement in the post-Robertson's Colony era. Other Colin Youngs (e.g., a 1935–2019 British race walker or a 1927–2021 film educator) are unrelated.

James Wilson (1802–1892) was a Texas settler and son of Samuel R. Wilson. Born January 21, 1802, he died February 3, 1892, and is buried in Mustang Cemetery, Grimes County. He married Cathrine "Kahy" Hill Wilson, and they had children including Samuel Crawford Wilson (1835–1905) and Silas P.H. Wilson (1848–1877). Another James Wilson served as a pastor for 40 years at Ireland Church in Benchley, Robertson County, ministering to Irish settlers—possibly the same or related, given the proximity. No direct Robertson link, but family settled in Robertson's Colony area.

Cathrine "Kahy" Wilson (1811–1896), likely a nickname for Catherine or Kathy (maiden name Hill), was born June 4, 1811, and died March 3, 1896. She was the daughter of Green Hill and wife of James Wilson. Buried in Mustang Cemetery, Grimes County, she was mother to Samuel Crawford Wilson and Silas P.H. Wilson. Her marriage to James ties her to the Wilson family settlers in Texas. Various modern obituaries for similar names (e.g., Kathryn "Kathy" Wilson) are unrelated.

The Thornton family were early Texas settlers with roots in Grimes County. Key members buried in Mustang Cemetery include John Thornton (1820–1887, half Alabama Indian, son of William Thornton and Mary Elizabeth Stuart), his wife Mary Rebecca Carpenter Thornton (1815–1880), and children: Mary Thornton (1845–1862), William Holly Thornton (1853–1882), Garrett Thornton, and Bettie Elizabeth Thornton Thomas (1848–1937). Other records show John William Thornton (1820–1887) married Araminta Lucritia Blount, with descendants like Walter Theodore Thornton (1880–1963, born in Grimes County) and Bettie Orzella Thornton (1898–1924). Francis Eugene Thornton (1885–1943) married in Grimes County. The family migrated from Alabama, engaging in farming. Possible link to Laura M. Jones via John Thornton Jones (a name combining Thornton and Jones), suggesting intermarriage.

The Powledge surname originates from England, possibly a place name or topographical feature, with Viking roots (Old English "thorn bush enclosure"). In Texas, the family settled in Grimes County by the mid-1800s, with migrations from Arkansas. Key members buried in Mustang Cemetery include Clarence Gideon "Gid" Powledge (1890–1982, son of Robert N. Powledge), his wife Ebbie Vera Thomas Powledge (1891–1980), and descendants: Charles Gordon Powledge (1925–1977, WWII Navy veteran), Vera Lou Gibson Powledge (1931–2003), Vernon Eugene Powledge (1927–1993), Robert Mack "Tony" Powledge (1922–1970), Ricky Stace Powledge (1952–1970), Ronald Rex Powledge Sr. (1950–2006), Willie Brent Powledge (1909–1989), and Ocy Leottis Cook Powledge (1913–1996). Other records include Samuel Clarence "Step" Powledge (1911–1975, born in Grimes County), Leonard Francis Powledge (1921–1993), and Ernest Powledge Hoke (1901–1952). A 2005 tragedy involved Adam Powledge and his four children dying in a crash. The family engaged in farming and local business; a genealogy book by Randy Powledge Jr. documents 68 allied lines, including possible ties to McMurtry. No direct Wilson or Robertson link, but shared Grimes County settlement suggests community overlap.

Connections Among the Names and FamiliesThese individuals and families are linked through settlement in Grimes and Robertson Counties, Texas, during or after the era of Sterling C. Robertson's Colony (1820s–1840s). The Wilsons, Young, Thornton, and Powledge families have burials in Mustang Cemetery (established around 1862 with Samuel R. Wilson's grave), indicating shared community ties in farming and frontier life. Robertson's colonization efforts brought Anglo settlers like the Wilsons to the area. Potential intermarriages (e.g., Thornton-Jones link) and geographic proximity suggest broader genealogical connections, though not explicitly documented. Modern Powledge migrations and tragedies highlight ongoing family presence in Texas.


https://www.texasalmanac.com/places/flox