Kittrell
Kittrell was twenty miles north of Huntsville in Walker County. It was named for Pleasant W. Kittrell,
a pioneer physician who arrived in 1850 and settled north of the
Trinity River in the region designated Kittrell's Cut-Off because it was
separated from the remainder of the county by the Trinity River.
Kittrell died in the yellow fever epidemic of 1867. The community that
bore his name had a post office from 1898 to 1920; J. H. Dunlap was
postmaster in 1914. In 1911 a six-grade school operated at Kittrell. In
1914 the Texas Gazetteer reported a general store and cotton
gin there. In 1933 the population was fifty. In 1945 the community had
twenty-five residents and one business. In 1991 county highway maps
listed a general region designated as Kittrell (Trinity) oilfield. TSHA
Kittrell is a historical ghost town and unincorporated community in
northern Walker County, Texas, located approximately 20 miles north of
Huntsville (the county seat) and 10 miles west of Trinity. Its coordinates are roughly 30°57'56"N, 95°29'47"W, with an elevation
of about 161 feet, situated near the Trinity River in a region
historically known as Kittrell's Cut-Off due to its isolation caused by
the river's meanders. The area features rural, wooded terrain and is part of a broader
landscape that includes nearby localities like Weldon and Sorghumville,
as well as landmarks such as Dunlap Cemetery and New Hope Church.
Historical Overview:
The community was named after Pleasant Williams
Kittrell, a prominent physician, planter, and politician who settled in
the area in 1850 after moving from Alabama. Kittrell was a friend of Sam Houston, served in his presidential
cabinet, and is notably credited with authoring the 1858 bill that
established the University of Texas (though its implementation was
delayed by the Civil War). He died during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867.
The settlement developed in the mid-19th century as part of early
Anglo-American expansion in Walker County, initially focused on
agriculture and isolated by the Trinity River.
Key developments include:
Post Office: Operated from 1898 to 1920, with J. H. Dunlap as postmaster in 1914.
Education:
A six-grade school was in operation by 1911.
Economy:
In 1914, the community had a general store and cotton gin, reflecting its agrarian roots.
Population trends show a small, declining community: estimated at 50
residents in 1933 and 25 in 1945, with one business reported at the
latter date.
Kittrell is one of several ghost towns in Walker County, many of which
were river-based settlements that faded due to factors like epidemics,
shifting transportation (e.g., railroads bypassing the area), and
economic changes.
Current Status:
Today, Kittrell remains a remote, sparsely populated area
with no formal incorporation or significant modern development. By the
1990s, county maps identified the region primarily for the
Kittrell (Trinity) oilfield, indicating some ongoing resource
extraction activity. It is not a major tourist site but is noted in
historical records and
ghost town lists for its ties to early Texas education and politics.
Recent social media mentions are minimal and unrelated to current
events, focusing instead on historical or trivial references.
Pleasant Williams Kittrell (1805–1867) was a prominent physician,
legislator, and landowner in early Texas history. Born on April 13,
1805, in Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, he was the son of
Bryant Kittrell (d. 1837) and Mary Norman Kittrell (1776–1870). He
graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1822 at age 17 and
studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, though he did not
complete a formal degree. Kittrell began his career as a physician and
farmer, serving as a state legislator in North Carolina (1832–1833) and
later in Alabama (three terms after relocating there in 1837). He was
also a trustee of the University of North Carolina and received an
honorary Master of Arts from the University of Alabama. In 1850, he
moved to Texas with his family and enslaved persons, initially settling
in Madison County (which he helped organize in 1853) before relocating
to Huntsville in Walker County.
Kittrell served two terms in the Texas Legislature, where he chaired
the Education Committee and authored the bill to establish the
University of Texas, signed into law on February 11, 1858 (though the
university did not open until 1883 due to delays from the Civil War and
Reconstruction). He was appointed chairman of the university's board of
administrators in 1866. In Huntsville, he managed extensive land
holdings, practiced medicine, and was a personal physician and close
friend to General Sam Houston. In 1866, after Houston's death, Kittrell
purchased Houston's former residence, known as the Steamboat House,
where he lived until his death.
Role in the 1867 Yellow Fever Epidemic:
In 1867, a devastating yellow
fever epidemic swept through Huntsville and much of Texas, killing
approximately 130 people in the town alone (out of a population of
about 1,000). Kittrell, as one of the area's leading physicians,
tirelessly treated victims of the disease, including many in the
African American community, until he himself contracted it. He
succumbed to yellow fever on September 29, 1867, at age 62, dying in
the Steamboat House. His efforts during the epidemic are noted for
their selflessness, contributing to his legacy as a dedicated healer.
The epidemic also claimed the lives of other notable figures, such as
Margaret Lea Houston (Sam Houston's widow), and led to widespread
quarantines and bans on travel across the state.
Kittrell married twice:
First Marriage: To Ann Hicks Pegues on March 23,
1826, in Alabama. She died on July 9, 1846. Their children
included:Mary Evans Pegues Kittrell (c. 1828–1900).
Ellen H. Kittrell (adopted, c. 1833–unknown).
Pleasant H. Kittrell (c. 1828–unknown).
John R. Kittrell (c. 1829–unknown).
Second Marriage:
Mary Frances Goree (c. 1827–1907) on October 12,
1847 (or October 9), in Greensboro, Alabama. She was the daughter of
Langston James Goree and Susan Kenner. Their children included:Norman
Goree Kittrell (1849–1927): Texas district judge, legislator, orator,
and author; married Louisa Keyes; had children including Norman Jr.,
Alice, Nelly, Mary, Pleasant Williams, and Wade.William Henry Kittrell
(1851–1934): Minister in the Church of Christ, orator, and writer;
graduated Austin College at 16; married Laura Barkeley in 1893;
children included W.H. Jr., Frank, Laura (b. 1898), and Lucy (b. 1901).
Lilla Ann Kittrell (1855–1936): Married Rev. John Durst; had five
children; died in Junction, Texas.
Lucy Bettie Kittrell (c. 1855–1897): Married Austin McGary (Church of
Christ minister); had seven children. Fannie Kittrell (1859–1859): Died
in infancy. Sallie (or Sara) Langston Kittrell (1857–unknown): Married
John Sterret; lived in Conroe, Texas; had three children.
His mother, Mary Norman, lived with the family in Texas as recorded in
the 1850 and 1860 censuses. A sister, Sarah Goree, resided nearby in
1850.
The community of Kittrell, Texas, located 20 miles north of Huntsville
in Walker County, was named in his honor. Kittrell settled there in
1850 in an area known as Kittrell's Cut-Off, isolated north of the
Trinity River. The town had a post office from 1898 to 1920, a school
by 1911, and businesses like a general store and cotton gin by 1914.
Its population peaked at 50 in 1933 but declined to 25 by 1945, with
the area later associated with the Kittrell (Trinity) oilfield.
Family Property at Raven Hill, San Jacinto County:
Raven Hill was
originally a plantation home built by Sam Houston in 1844 on land in
what was then Walker County (now San Jacinto County, near Oakhurst).
Houston, whose Cherokee name "Kolonneh" meant "The Raven," named the
property accordingly. In early 1858, Houston sold Raven Hill to Mary
Frances Goree Kittrell (Pleasant's wife), with Pleasant likely
instrumental in the transaction. The Kittrell family owned and resided
at the plantation, which included enslaved labor and was part of their
extensive land holdings.The property, once known as Cedar Valley, is
located about three miles north of Oakhurst, two miles off FM 946, on a
dirt road called Kittrell Road. Raven Hill Cemetery (also known as
Kittrell Cemetery or Kittrell Place Cemetery) is on the site, serving
as a burial ground for family members and others. The cemetery was
established on the former plantation land and reflects the area's
history as a rural, agricultural enclave. A historical marker at Raven
Hill commemorates its connection to Sam Houston and the Kittrells. The
site is a local historic landmark, though the original house is no
longer standing; it remains tied to early Texas settlement and is
featured in events like Pioneer Days in nearby Coldspring.
Kittrell is remembered for his contributions to Texas education,
medicine, and politics. A Texas Historical Commission marker (erected
1998) at his gravesite in Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville, summarizes his
life. He is buried near Sam Houston and historian Henderson Yoakum.
Descendants, including judges, ministers, and legislators, continued
his legacy in Texas.
Texas State Historical Association
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/kittrell-tx
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittrell,_Texas
TX Almanac
https://www.texasalmanac.com/places/kittrell
Find a Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2207758/chalk-cemetery