Galilee
Galilee is a small, unincorporated rural community in central Walker
County, Texas, located on State Highway 30 approximately five miles
west of Huntsville, the county seat. The area, situated near the intersection of SH 30 and Williams Road,
developed in the early 20th century as an African American settlement
focused on agriculture and education, with roots tied to
post-Reconstruction efforts in Walker County. It was named after the biblical region and served as a hub for Black
residents in the region, with no recorded population estimates
historically, reflecting its modest, dispersed scale.
The community's history is inextricably linked to education,
particularly the establishment of the Galilee Community School in
1906-1907 by Samuel Walker Houston (c. 1864–1945), a pioneering African
American educator and son of Joshua Houston, a former enslaved person
owned by General Sam Houston.
Initially housed in a dilapidated 12-by-14-foot hut that had been a
private residence, the school served grades 1-6 for local Black
children.
Houston, who had studied at Atlanta University and Howard University
before returning to Texas, rented the nearby Galilee Methodist Church
for classes, paying $4 monthly from his $35 salary.
With community support, he formed a board of trustees (including
figures like John Randall, Milton Jones, and Eastern Dickie) that
secured a one-acre land donation from Melinda Williams on December 1,
1906, to build a new four-room school with a vocational shop.
Fundraising through events like concerts, bake sales, and baseball
games enabled expansion, and by 1914, the first campus building was
constructed.
The school evolved into the Sam Houston Industrial and Training School
(also known as Houstonian Normal and Industrial Institute or Samuel W.
Houston Industrial and Training Institute), a private Rosenwald school
offering vocational training in cooking, sewing, woodworking,
carpentry, agriculture, music, humanities, and sciences for grades 1-11
(later 1-12).
Additional land (4.5 acres) was acquired for dormitories and workshops,
funded partly by the Rosenwald Fund, Slater Fund, and Quaker Fund.
By 1922, enrollment reached 400 students with a dozen teachers, making
it one of the leading rural Black schools in East Texas and the first
county training school for African Americans in the state.
Houston married fellow teacher Hope G. Harville in 1915, and they resided near the school grounds.
In 1930, at Houston's request, the school consolidated with the
Huntsville Independent School District, becoming part of the public
system and merging into what became Sam Houston High School, where
Houston served as principal until his death in 1945.
A key remnant of the community is the Galilee Cemetery, located on
Booker Spur north of SH 30, just west of Booker Road (coordinates:
30.699351, -95.636049).
It contains over 150 burials, primarily from African American families,
with the earliest dated graves from the late 19th century, though many
are from the 20th century.
Notable interments include members of prominent local families such as
Butcher, Hightower, Holloman, Houston, Johnson, Jones, Owens, Pace, and
Spivey, with several military veterans (e.g., Pvt Henry Butcher, Sgt
Cortland W. Davis, CPL Jesse Jones).
Burials reflect multi-generational ties, including Annie Samuels
Houston (1884–1969), possibly related to the educator's family, and
others like Brazilia Walker Butcher (1896–1993) and Ella Walker
Hightower (1872–1963).
The cemetery underscores the community's African American heritage and connections to early settlers.
Today, Galilee remains a quiet rural area with limited development,
integrated into the broader Walker County landscape known for its ties
to Sam Houston and African American history.
The school's legacy is commemorated by a Texas Historical Commission
marker (No. 13238, erected 2005) at the original site, the Samuel
Walker Houston Memorial Museum & Cultural Center in Huntsville, and
"The Dreamers" monument (1995) on the grounds of the former Samuel W.
Houston Elementary School.
The community does not appear on lists of ghost towns, indicating it persists as a named locality.
Samuel Walker Houston (February 12, 1864–November 19, 1945) was a
pioneering African American educator, school founder, and administrator
in Texas. Born enslaved in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas, he was the
son of Joshua Houston Sr. (a former enslaved person owned by General
Sam Houston) and Sylvester Baker (or Lee). After emancipation, he
attended public schools in Huntsville and graduated from Hampton
Institute in Virginia (1890) and Howard University (1893). He began
teaching in rural Texas communities, including Dodge and Galilee, where
he established the Galilee Community School in 1907—the first academy
for Black students in grades 1–12 in Walker County. Initially a
one-room school, it expanded under his leadership to include vocational
training, with Houston serving as principal. He formed a Board of
Trustees in 1908, including local figures like John Randall, Milton
Jones, and Eastern Dickie. Houston remarried on April 28, 1915, to Hope
G. Harville, a Tuskegee Institute graduate who taught homemaking at the
school; they had three children: Samuel W. Houston Jr. (1916), Helen
Hope (1917), and Hyder Hope (1919). Active in community organizations,
he was a YMCA director, Texas Centennial Exposition board member, and
advocate for Black education. The school evolved into the Houstonian
Normal and Industrial Institute by 1923 and later merged with
Huntsville ISD in 1931. Houston died in 1945 and is buried in Oakwood
Cemetery, Huntsville. His legacy is preserved at the Samuel Walker
Houston Memorial Museum & Cultural Center in Huntsville.
John Randall was a key community figure in Galilee, Texas, serving on
the Board of Trustees for Samuel Walker Houston's Galilee Community
School, established in 1908, alongside Milton Jones and Eastern Dickie.
This board supported the school's growth as an educational hub for
Black students. A possible match is John Henry Randall (1914–2005),
whose funeral was held at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in
Huntsville, suggesting ties to the local African American community. No
further details on his personal life or direct military service were
found, but his role indicates involvement in early 20th-century
education and community development in Walker County.
Milton Jones was another member of the 1908 Board of Trustees for the
Galilee Community School, collaborating with John Randall and Eastern
Dickie under Samuel Walker Houston. A likely match is Rev. Milton Jones
(January 14, 1924–December 10, 2008), a pastor whose services were held
at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Houston. He was born in Texas
and active in the church community. Other Milton Jones records include
a 1941-born individual from New Boston, Texas, but no direct Galilee
link. His trusteeship highlights his role in advancing Black education
in early 20th-century Texas.
Eastern Dickie (possibly Dickey) served on the Galilee Community
School's Board of Trustees in 1908 with John Randall and Milton Jones,
aiding Samuel Walker Houston in establishing and expanding the
institution. Limited personal details are available, but his
involvement points to leadership in the African American community of
Galilee, Texas, during a time of educational advancement
post-emancipation. No birth/death dates or family ties were confirmed
in records.
Hope G. Harville (c. 1890s–unknown) was an educator and wife of Samuel
Walker Houston, marrying him on April 28, 1915. A graduate of Tuskegee
Institute, she taught homemaking at the Galilee Community School,
contributing to its vocational programs. They had three children:
Samuel Jr., Helen Hope, and Hyder Hope. Her role supported the school's
mission for Black education in Walker County. Descendants include
granddaughter Hyder Hope Houston, who continued the family legacy.
The Hightower family has deep roots in Walker County, Texas, with ties
to Galilee. Key members include Mary Hightower (1886–1961), daughter of
Benjamin Hightower Sr. and Jane Nackwhite; Pvt. John W. Hightower
(1909–1975), a WWII veteran buried in Galilee Cemetery, married to
Robbie Lee Harge; Essie B. Hightower (1923–2024), born in Walker
County; Ettree Ross Hightower (1926–1949); and Wilburn T. Hightower (d.
2024). Connections include intermarriages with Holloman (e.g., David
Henry Holloman, son of Earl Hightower and Clara Holloman) and Spivey
families. They were involved in farming, ministry, and community life
in the African American settlements.
The Holloman family is prominent in Huntsville and Galilee areas.
Notable members: Emma Jean Glaze Holloman (1913–2013); Lee Roy Holloman
(d. 2014), married to Shirley Tyson-Holloman; Henrietta Holloman Mack
(1951–2023), daughter of Henry and Emma Jean; David Henry Holloman
(1966–unknown), son of Earl Hightower and Clara Holloman; and Gloria
Ruth Holloman (1941–2023) from Naples, Texas. They have ties to
churches like Galilee Missionary Baptist and community service, with
intermarriages linking to Hightower and others.
The Johnson family has connections to Galilee Missionary Baptist Church
and community leadership. Key figures: Pastor Vincent Johnson
(installed 2024 at Galilee MBC, Houston); Emile Johnson (1939–2015),
services at Greater Galilee MBC; Minnie Ola Johnson (1925–2025),
honored church member; and Scott Edwin Johnson (1894–unknown), teacher
and councilman in Huntsville. Broader ties include historical
migrations and church involvement in East Texas African American
communities.
The Owens family settled in Grimes and Walker Counties. Members include
Ruby Owens (1902–1957); Iris Owens Kennedy (1918–unknown), born in
Bedias, Texas; Tony Owens (1936–2024) from San Angelo; and Lee Andrew
Owens (1928–2018) from Bryan. They were farmers and community
participants, with ties to local churches and historical African
American settlements.
Pace family records in Texas include Bolia Pace (1902–1952) from Polk
County; Flossie Ethel Spivey (née Pace, 1902–1984), buried in Texas;
and Sylvester Pace (1934–unknown) from Longview. Some ties to churches
like Galilee Baptist. Broader family history involves farming in East
Texas, with possible intermarriages (e.g., to Spivey).
The Spivey family has Walker County connections. Key individuals: Pvt.
Robert L. Spivey (1896–1952), WWI veteran buried in Texas; Ira Lee
Spivey (1918–1976), daughter of John and Mary Hightower Spivey; Flossie
Ethel Spivey (1902–1984, née Pace); Rev. Washington T. Spivey; and
Curtis Lorraine Spivey (1918–1986). They intermarried with Hightower
and Pace families, involved in farming and military service in East
Texas African American communities.
Military Veterans: Pvt. Henry Butcher, Sgt. Cortland W. Davis, and CPL
Jesse Jones of Galilee, TexasLimited specific records exist for these
veterans tied directly to Galilee, but contextual matches suggest
community connections:Pvt. Henry Butcher: Possible WWII veteran
referenced in broader Texas military histories or scrapbooks, but no
explicit Galilee link. May relate to local African American enlistees.
Sgt. Cortland W. Davis: No direct records found; potential ties to
Vietnam or other wars via veteran lists, but unconfirmed for Galilee.
CPL Jesse Jones: Likely matches include CPL Jesse Jones in WWII rosters
(e.g., 84th Infantry Division) or Pastor Emeritus Jesse Gene Jones (d.
2025), a veteran from Houston with possible Galilee roots. Another is
Jesse D. Jones, a US Navy veteran and job developer in Houston. A
103-year-old East Texas WWII veteran named Jesse Jones reflects on
service, possibly related.
These may represent African American veterans from Walker County,
contributing to a rich East Texas military heritage, including families
with multi-generational service.
Connections Among the Names, Families, and Veterans: These
individuals and families are interconnected through the African
American community in Galilee, Texas (Walker County), a
post-emancipation settlement focused on education and self-sufficiency.
Samuel Walker Houston's school was central, with trustees like Randall,
Jones, and Dickie providing leadership. Hope G. Harville was integral
as his wife and educator. Families like Hightower, Holloman, Johnson,
Owens, Pace, and Spivey share intermarriages, church affiliations
(e.g., Galilee Missionary Baptist), and burials in Galilee Cemetery.
Veterans like Butcher, Davis, and Jones reflect the area's military
contributions, often from farming backgrounds. The legacy includes
resilience against segregation, with ongoing church and educational
ties in East Texas.
Galilee was on State Highway 30 five miles west of Huntsville in central
Walker County. It was the first home of the Houstonian Institute for
Negroes, which was founded by Samuel Walker Houston
and became known throughout the South for its industrial department.
The school was eventually consolidated with a black high school in
Huntsville. Galilee was a dispersed community in 1990. TSHA
Texas State Historical Association
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/galilee-tx-walker-county
TX Almanac
https://www.texasalmanac.com/places/galilee-0
Find a Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2293822/galilee-cemetery