BLOCK 11

TO 1854 MAP

Block 11 is located south of the Courthouse square and is bordered by Third St. on the north, Fourth St. on the south, Texana St. on the east and La Grange St. on the west. The block is comprised of eight lots each lot being 80 varas X 80 varas. What is a Vara? Click Here to find out.

Activity on Block 11 in earlier years can be found HERE.

B.H. Foster (part) and William Smothers (part) (Block 11 Lot 1)

1854 January 1: John W. Kelly to Josiah Dowling Lots 1 & 2 in Block 11, Lots 6 & 8 in Block 10, Lots 3, 5, 7 & 8 in Block 8, Lot 2 in Block 4 also all my title to the lower half of the town tract that lies east of the Mitchell Branch

Reference:
*Lavaca County Deed C/22

1854 September 16: Josiah Dowling to William Smothers Lot 1 in Block 11 ½ of my interest in 20 feet of Lot 1 fronting on Main St. and Third St. of ½ of the above 20 ft front and 40 varas back.

Reference:
*Lavaca County Deed C/228
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Robert Sanford and William Smothers, both active in supplying offices for county officials and records in 1852, had storehouses in town…. Smothers had property on the NW ¼ of Block 3 front 20 varas on the N margin of Third St.  He also had the S 22 feet of the corner lot at the intersection of LaGrange and Third Streets, (Lot 11 Block 1) the SE corner of the square, where he operated a store house.

Reference:
*The Free State of Lavaca p. 164

1854 September 27: Josiah Dowling to B. H. Foster Lot 1 in Block 11 35 ½ ft front and 40 varas back

Reference:
*Lavaca County Deed C/258

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Josiah Dowling (Block 11 Lot 2) 

1854 January 1: John W. Kelly to Josiah Dowling Lots 1 & 2 in Block 11, Lots 6 & 8 in Block 10, Lots 3, 5, 7 & 8 in Block 8, Lot 2 in Block 4 also all my title to the lower half of the town tract that lies east of the Mitchell Branch  

Reference: 

*Lavaca County Deed C/22

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William Tate (Block 11 Lot 3&4) 

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Wiley T. Rogers and Bluford B. Walker (Block 11 Lot 5 – 8) 

1854 January 30: Josiah Dowling and John W. Kelly to Wiley T. Rogers and Bluford B. Walker Lots 5, 6, 7 & 8 in Block 11.  These lots are where the office of Rogers & Walker now stands.  

Reference: 

*Lavaca County Deed B/511

TO 1856 MAP

Samuel Frion (Block 11 Lot 1) 

1856 January 22: Clark L. Owens, John A. Rogers & Isaac B. Brugh of Jackson Co. under the name of Clark L. Owen & Co. for promissory note for $300.00 executed by Samuel Frion & John W. Harrell as security have sold to Frion an undivided ½ interest in house and lot.  

1856 February 11: John R. Brooks to Samuel Frion south part of Lot 1 in Block 11.

1856 August 7: William & Cyntha Smothers to Samuel Frion lot and storehouse occupied by Frion which is to be only ½ of above lot.

Note: At some point prior to January 22, 1856, Samuel Frion and John W. Harrell had formed a partnership known as Samuel Frion & Co. The partnership dissolved on March 2, 1857.

Reference:

*Lavaca County Deed D/61

*Lavaca County Deed D/86

*Lavaca County Deed D253

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Josiah Dowling (Block 11 Lot 2)

William Tate (Block 11 Lot 3 & 4)

Note: In 1856 the ownership of Lot 2 & 4 in Block 11 become unclear. The problem of outright ownership begins on February 16, 1856 when John W. & Elizabeth Harrell and C.W. Garrett enter a deed of trust for a $2,200 promissory note issued by Garrett to Harrell. As collateral for the note, Harrell deeds to Garrett Lot 2, 4 and the E ½ of Lot 6 & 8 in Block 7 (which Harrell actuals owns) and Lot 2 & 4 in Block 11. 

However, there is no recorded documentation that Harrell owns the two lots in Block 11 when this deed of trust is written and recorded. In February 1856, the owner of Lot 2 is Josiah Dowling, and the owner of Lot 4 is William Tate.

*The promissory note is paid in full on March 19, 1857 and the deed of trust is declared null and void.

On July 17, 1856, Harrell again enters a deed that involves Lot 2 & 4 in Block 11. This time, Harrell deeds Lot 3 & 5 in Block 25 and Lot 2 & 4 in Block 11 to Hudson A. Greenwood. Please note that this deed is not recorded until May 26, 1857. Is this because Harrell has previously used the same two lots in Block 11 in the deed of trust to Garrett and the lots cannot be transferred to Hudson until the deed to Garrett is declared null and void in March of 1857?  

It is not until March 10, 1857 that John W. Harrell becomes the documented owner of Lot 2 when Josiah Dowling deeds Lot 2 in Block 11 to John W. Harrell.  

On October 31, 1857, John W. Harrell again deeds Lots 2 & 4 in Block 11 (Lot 2 which he now actual owns) to Wm. Skaggs of Victoria, Texas, the same two lots he deeded to Hudson Greenwood in 1856.  

While Harrell does eventually become the owner of Lot 2 in 1857, there is no record that documents how the ownership of Lot 4 was transferred from William Tate to John W. Harrell. 

Reference:

*Lavaca County Deed D/46

*Lavaca County Deed E/142

*Lavaca County Deed E/151

*Lavaca County Deed E/192

*Lavaca County Deed E/351

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Wiley T. Rogers & Bluford B. Walker (Block 11 Lot 5, 6, 7 & 8)

To 1859 MAP

Block 11 is located east of the Courthouse square and is bordered by Second St. on the north, Third St. on the south, Texana St. on the east and LaGrange St. on the west. The block is comprised of eight lots each lot being 80 varas by 80 varas. What is a Vara? Click here to find out.

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John Harrell (Block 11 N ½ Lot 1)

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R.M. Tevis (Block 11 S ½ Lot 1)

1859 April 4: Block 11 S ½ Lot 1

John E. Harrell to R.M. Tevis

Reference:

*Lavaca County Deed F/30

L.W. Skaggs (Block 11 Lot 2)

William Tate (Block 11 Lot 3)

L.W. Skaggs (Block 11 Lot 4). William Tate (Block 11 Lot 4: one stall in SE corner of stable)

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J.J. Ballard & Wm. Pierce (Block 11 Lot 5, 6,7, & 8)

1859 February 1: Block 11 Lot 5, 6, 7 & 8 

Sheriff Sale

Civil Case in favor of W.G.L. Foley vs. B.B. Walker, W.T. Rogers, John Harrell, Josiah Dowling, M.B. Bennett, John M. Bennett & J.F. Bennett

Owner: B.B. Walker & others Seller: A.G. Nolen  Purchaser: J.J. Ballard & Wm. Pierce 

Reference:

*Lavaca County Deed E/733

Note: Civil Case #545 involved all the above-mentioned parties including Wm. B. Davis. Davis was not included in the deed because the court declared him insolvent he was dismissed from the judgment.