“When the town of Anna was laid out into town lots and given its name in 1883, it had two stores and a population of twenty. It was named for the daughter of George A. Quinlan, superintendent of the H&TC Railroad. The two persons most closely related to the establishment of the town were brothers who had come to Collin County from Alabama soon after the Civil War.” Capt J. L. (James Lafayette) Greer and his younger brother J. F. Greer. [Anna was created by the railroad. Some sources say the town was named for a daughter of J. F. Greer. Other sources say the child was named after the town.]

ANNA
Historical marker application for Anna Schools, Attachment C.

The little town of Anna was founded in 1883 and named in honor of Miss Ann Quinlin. The first store was put up by Mr. Greer and run by Greer and Barnett.

The next store was put up by Ginn and Davis. Shortly after they put up their store Strother Bro. put up one.

The first residence was put up by Mr. Greer now occupied by G. R. Alexander. The next house was put up by Mr. Milligan, where the Baptist parsonage is now. The next was put up by Mrs. Sherley, where the Christian Church stands now.

The first child born in Anna, was Miss Anna Greer.

Late in the year 1883 the Post Office was built. The Postmasters were W. Y Barnett, J. F. Greer, G. W. Horner, G. E. Strother, Joe Robinson, who is postmaster at this present time.

In 1883, a school was taught where Uncle Jimmie Strother now lives. Then there was a small school house built in 1884.

School was taught in there awhile, then there were two more rooms built to the old part.

School was taught in this until the new concrete was built in 1910. All the principals of the school from the beginning of the school in 1884 are: Moore, Newman, Robinson, Wilson, Lyncer, Jones, Creswell, Tucker, Echols, Smith, Wolford, Roper. Assistant teachers: Miss Monie Slaughter, Miss May Greer, Miss Allie Wysong, Miss Annie Lur Sherley, Miss May Gleen?, Mrs. Etta Buck, Miss Blanch Hays, Miss Cassie Clark, Miss Bettie Evans, Mrs. Dollie King, Miss May Brown, Miss Grace Burke, Miss Annie Blassingame, Mrs. Smith, Mr. W. J. Cundiff, Mr. Massie, Miss Lotie Pierce, Miss Maud Webb, Miss Ethel Copeland, Miss Allen.

After the store was put up by Strother Bros. it wasn’t long until J. M. Guthrie build one. Next one was built by Copeland and Powell.

Andrew & Fred Sherley put up the first brick house in -95 which is still occupied by them.

The next brick was put up by Hornsby and Guthrie which is run by Mr. Collins now.

There are a great many who run stores which are not here now.

Mr. Morgan, Mr. Dunlap & Salewhite, Mr. Cromer & Sterling, Strother & Cox, Robinson store house, G. P. Collins grocery store, a drug store run by J. C. Barger.

The next buildings were the Bank, and four business houses on the north part of town built by Sherley Bros. This was in 1904.

The first banker was Mr. Murphey, then Mr. Marconi, who is banker at the present time.

The Baptist church was the first church built in Anna. It was moved here from Old Highland in 1892. Pastors: Dunn, Key, Loveless, Bentley, Fuller, Sams, Evans.

The next church built was the Christian. This was built in 1898. Pastors: Douglas, Stapp, Carnes, Clinkinbeard, Holmes, Cole, Wilson, Haywood, Eubanks, Martain, Smith.

The Presbyterian Church was built in 1898. Pastors: Woods, Sall, Ewing.

The Methodist church was built in 1900. Pastors: Fequay, Graves, Roberts, Hudgins, Bounds, Dintis, Clifton, Day, Cole, Hanson, Overstreet, Francis.

The doctors that have practiced in Anna are: Dr. Lair, Dr. Strange, Dr. Bates, Dr. Evans, Dr. McKinney, Dr. Wysong, Dr. Smith.

The flour mill was moved here from Old Highland in 1886 and was run by Mr. Moore. There was a gin put up by Dysart Bros. in 1887.

Second gin was put up by Uncle Charlie Wysong in 1892.

The third was put up by Mr. Pair in 1907.

The elevator was put up by Greer and Moore in 1900.

In 1885 a depot was built. Depot agents: A. Sherley, Mr. Alden, Mr. Gitler, Mr. Jones, Mr. Schenewerk, Mr. Hamm, Mr. Starr.

A lumber yard was run by O. F. Lion then he sold out to A. Shirley and Bro. who run it now.

A livery stable was put up by J. E. Adams. He sold out to Estep. Estep then sold to Smith and Mashburn and it is now run by Estep.

A barber shop was built and run by Mr. Chatman, Jim Bradshaw, Brack Adams, Mr. Campbell, Lee Howell, Mr. Hurst.

A hotel was built about 1889 or 18990 and run by: Mr. Kemp, Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Copeland, Mr. Walford, Mr. Ornold, Mr. Smith, Mr. McDowell, Mr. Taylor.

A paper was published in 1904. The name of this paper is the Anna Leader.

A Black Smith shop was built by Judd Bro. They sold out to Sam Wright and it is now occupied by Mr. Smith.

A saloon was established in 1884-1885 and was voted out in 1890. It was located where the beef market is now.

A tin shop was put up by Mr. Hornsby in 1900, now run by R. T. Shelton.

A restaurant was built and run by Fostimo.

The Interurban was built through Anna in 1908.

H. & T. C. was here before the town was built.

The first white settlement in what is now Collin County was established in January 1842 along Throckmorton Creek about three or four miles south of present day Anna.

The little group of settlers came to that area from Fort English (later to become Bonham), the capital of Fannin County, of which Collin County was then a part.

After Texas became a state in 1845, more pioneers began to settle in the area. Those were people named Coffman, Hendricks, Milam, Rattan, Smith and Strother.

After the Civil War, many people began to come to Collin County from other southern states. Their movement and resettling were enhanced greatly by the western expansion of the railroads.

The Houston and Texas Central line was constructed between Dallas and Denison in 1873. For several years, the location of Anna was a stop, but there were no houses there.

In 1883 some 20 people moved to the area near the railroad stop, and the new town was given the name of Anna in honor of Miss Anna Quinland, the daughter of an H&TC official.

Of the several dwellings built in 1883, the first was built by Capt. John F. Greer, one of the first merchants. In 1885 he became the town’s second postmaster.

In 1883 the first child born in the new town was born to the Greers and was named for the town. Anna Greer later was well known as a missionary to Korea.

The Greer house later belonged to George R. Alexander, who operated the Anna Mercantile Company, a general store located on the east end of the group of adjoining buildings built on the south side of Main Street in 1907. The house was one block due south of the store and faced south.

The second house built in 1883 belonged to Mr. Guinn, another merchant, who with a partner, Mr. Davis, built the second business establishment in Anna.

The third house built in Anna in 1883 belonged to Mr. Milligan. Mrs. Jewell Rattan-Bralley told me several years ago that the builder of the house was her father, James Dow Rattan, who married Minerva Jane Milligan.

James Dow Rattan was the grandson of one of the earliest settlers in the area, Thomas Rattan, who came from Illinois and staked his headright about three miles southwest of the present town of Anna.

The Milligan house was sold to the Baptist Church to be used as a parsonage. This occurred some time after the church, previously established at Highland, was moved to Anna in 1892. Ross Sams, son of the founder of L. L. Sams and Sons, a church furniture manufacturer in Waco, remembers living in the house as a small boy, when his father was pastor of the church. Rev. L. L. Sams was pastor of the church in the first decade of this century.

In June 1914, the Baptist Church sold the house to Young Henry Edward Powell, who died in the house at the age of 98 in 1960.

In 1966, after the death of Decer Powell, the surviving children of Y. H. E. Powell sold the house to Johnny McBride, who has lived in the house since that time.

The fourth house in Anna was built in 1883 for Mrs. Arthur Sherley, just one block north of the Milligan house. Its location is now the site of the Christian Church.

Andrew and Fred Sherley built a store north of the Sherley house on land where the city park is now located. They later moved their store a block north to the first brick building in Anna, which they built in 1894. Andrew Sherley, one of the first graduates of Texas A&M College in 1885, became the first depot agent when the H&TC built a depot that year.

Of these structures built in Anna, only the Milligan (McBride) house and the Sherley store remain.

Other commercial establishments began to come to Anna soon after the depot was built. The grist mill was moved from Highland in 1886. A gin was built in 1887. A second gin was built in 1892 and a third in 1900.

A lumber yard was built about that time (1900) and later sold to Andrew Sherley. A grain elevator was also built in 1900. A livery stable was built and sold to Mr. Bill Estep. A barber shop was built and operated for many years by a number of barbers, including I. W. Hurst, who was still operating it in the 1930s.
A saloon was established in 1884 or 1885, but was voted out in 1900.

A hotel was built about 1889 or 1900 and was located where the Anna water tower now stands. There were also a tin shop, a blacksmith shop , a restaurant, a drug store, and a meat market.

The earlier stores and shops were located on streets running parallel to the railroad, mostly west of it. On the west side of the tracks were four separate wooden store buildings, built so close together that a person could barely walk between them.

They probably housed the earliest stores built in Anna, which were, in order of their establishment, Greer and Barnett, Guinn and Davis, Strother Brothers, Jim Guthrie, and Copeland and Powell (William Powell was an older half brother of Y. H. E. and M. C. Powell).

The second brick store building was built just south of these wooden buildings by Hornsby and Guthrie. The store was being operated by Gratz P. Collins in 1910. This was a two story building, and the Masonic Lodge met upstairs.

The first group of connected buildings was constructed in 1904 by the Sherley brothers on the north side of present Main Street. The building on the east end, razed a few years ago, was two story and housed Anna’s first bank. The post office later moved there.

In 1907 a group of connected buildings was built on the south side of Main Street by Milt Hornsby. The back part of the building on the west end became the interurban station when the electric railway began operating through Anna in 1907. A drug store was located in the front part of this building.

The building on the extreme east end of this group of connected buildings housed the store operated by George Alexander, and after his death, by his children
By 1913 Anna had two drug stores, three blacksmith shops and two meat markets, in addition to most of the other stores and other commercial establishments previously mentioned; however, a number of stores had gone out of business.

Some of the latter had been operated by Mr. Morgan, Dunlap and Salewhite, Cromer and Sterling, Strother and Cox, Robinson, and G. P. Collins. Jim Guthrie had returned to Alabama.

Anna has had a post office since the first residents and merchants moved there in 1883. The early postmasters were also merchants and probably operated the post office from their stores.

William Y. Barnett was appointed May 19, 1883, John F. Greer, January 13, 1885, George W. Harner, June 10, 1889, George E. Strother, July 10, 1893, Joseph M. Robinson, July 21, 1897. These were followed by Hawk Brown, Lebrun H. Goforth, James T. (Tilford) Shaw and Sam Hagin.

The first school opened in Anna in 1883 in a private home. A small frame school building was built in 1884, and rooms were added to it on two occasions.

The brick building was built in 1910 but razed about two years ago. It originally had three stories, but the third floor, which contained an auditorium, was removed several years ago. Two other brick structures have been built since the 1910 building and now contain the school.

ANNA - Early settlers who came to this area around 1845 probably had little idea that 35 years later the route of a railroad track would have such a strong impact upon their destiny.  At least, this is the opinion of Mrs. Wayne (Janet) Sherley, who married into one of these pioneer families about 90 years later in 1937.  Among the first settlers to arrive in the area was Collin McKinney, for whom both the county and present county seat were named.  Although Collin knew, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to a nephew in 1845, that the railroad was headed this way, no surveys had been made for the exact route.  Janet says, "Collin settled north of present day Anna. The house that is now in Finch Park in McKinney sat originally near Anna until it was moved during the Texas Centennial in 1936.  "Soon after Collin came here, he organized the first Christian Church in Texas right in his home."  According to one historical report, there was a town called Mantua, first laid out in 1853 by Scott McKinney, northwest of what is now known as Anna.  It was to have an important effect on future towns of the area, yet was to experience a relatively brief life itself.  Janet adds, "Mantua residents apparently did not want the railroad to come through their town, so engineers later surveyed the line to the east.  "Because of the route, Van Alstyne became a town on the railroad. For several years after the railroad was completed in 1873, Van Alstyne was a stop, as was Anna, but there were no houses located around either stop.  She adds, "People weren't going to leave their farms and rush to town to build houses. In 1880, the depots were built here and in Van Alstyne, which signaled the beginning of future growth for both towns.  "Both houses and businesses began to be constructed near the Anna depot. Andrew Sherley, brother of Wayne's father, became the first depot agent in 1881."  Recalling family information passed from one generation to another, Janet says, "In addition to the McKinneys, Wayne's great grandfather John Coffman arrived in Texas around 1844.  "Other pioneer families arrived here about the same time, including the Throckmortons, Rattans, Slaughters, Wysongs, Hendircks, and Greers.

"As Anna began to grow in later years more settlers began to come, including M. C. Powell, Sr."  According to Janet, "A. Sherley and Bros. Store began operation about 1882-83 in a small frame building on the west side of the railroad.  "Later they had a larger frame building, where the Anna Park is now located."  She concluded, "In 1894, the Sherleys built the first brick building in town.  "The store remains in operation today in essentially the same building erected 85 years ago."  Today, this building and its contents, any of which are not for sale at any price, stand as a tribute to the early settlers of Anna.  Janet, whose husband Wayne died over a decade ago, still keeps the store open.

She does, however, admit that a large number of her daily visitors are more interesrted in a look at the past than in making a purchase of nuts, bolts, or a variety of other household items she has for sale.  In future segments of this continuing series on early Anna, many more facts and humorous tales will be revealed regarding this colorful landmark.  Realizing the importance of Mantua to the future life of most of Collin County, Janet relates information which she has read or been told about this town and its citizens.  She says, "According to some statistics, Mantua had at one time about 1300 inhabitants.  "Because of the small geographical size of Mantua, there could not possible have been that many people living there.  "However, because they had no set city limits, they probably went out in all directions claiming everyone in sight as a Mantua resident."  Janet adds, "Mantua organized a Masonic Lodge, established a seminary, and had businesses, including a tanning mill, grist mill, several retail businesses, and an official post office.  "Of special significance, there were never any saloons located there. The original land owners made certain this type of business never entered their town."  One historical report indicates the deeds made to the lots in Mantua by J. W. Throckmorton, H. O. McKinney, and Tom Rattan in those early days contained specific clauses regarding sale of liquor.   Each deed pointed out that if anyone sold intoxicating liquor on any lot, the title would be forfeited.  Apparently, a saloon was later established outside the area covered by the deeds which probably indicated the unofficial city boundaries.  During a prayer meeting one night, there was a legislative representative in town who had come to Mantua seeking some information on a friend.  As the story goes, the legislator and several others passed by the meeting and over heard several people praying loudly.  The legislator overheard one lady asking God to give them some way to remove the saloon and its damaging influence.  It appears that the legislator returned to his office, impressed with the prayers he had overheard.  With the help of others, the legislator was able to have the local option law submitted and approved in 1876, allowing area citizens to regulate alcoholic sales in their own area or county.  Mantua Seminary opened its doors in 1859. The institution offered a variety of subjects, with tuition pries ranging from $10 for one class to $20 for four classes.  The board of directors, or seminary leaders, included James L. Leslie, David C. Wilson, J. M. Douthet, J. S.. Kelley, William Creager, William D. Lair, James S. Pattie, E. B. Rollins, and William C. McKinney.  According to one historian, when leaders were planning the Mantua Seminary, the group hired an architect. They also secured the services of an interior decorator, a man who had "drifted in from New York."  The report says, "He had all the characteristics of a New York millionaire, with the millions in his imagination, especially in his 'happy' moments.

"He could pose as a gentleman and then drop to the levels of a saloon bum; he could dance a jig as well as preach a sermon.  "However, the drinking habit laid this versatile genius low, which accounts for the brethren of our Lodge being able to secure the services of so much talent."  According to Janet's historical file, the Mantua Masonic Lodge Number 209, A. F. & a M., was organized Feb. 7, 1857, in the second story of H. N. Walcott's store building.  "Land for the townsite had been donated earlier by Uncle Billie McKinney. The town was laid out in the form of a hollow square and, from a geometrical standpoint, forefathers must have had in mind the making of a metropolis of North Texas.  However, the railroad, established in the 1870's, missed the town by one and one-half miles.  "The new town of Van Alstyne, and latter Anna, arose, and Mantua fell into decay."  The notes also reveal that the Mantua Lodge was moved to Van Alstyne in 1880.  If historical reports are accurate, during the years of the Civil War, 1862-65, the Mantua Lodge is said to have never missed a scheduled meeting.

ANNA - "People from all over the world come to Anna to visit our store and museum," say Mrs. Wayne (Janet) Sherley of Anna.  Janet, a prominent figure and public servant, who works without pay as city secretary for Anna, also owns and operates the family business which has created both interest and traffic through the years.  She adds, "Folks have visited A. Sherley and Bros. From Sweden, France, England, South Africa, San Salvador, Guam, Japan, and China.  "Most people from these countries have been visiting friends in Fort Worth and Dallas and are accompanied by their Texas hosts."

Janet relates, "What most folks find interesting is that we not only have a museum, we also have an operating business.  "Almost every guest we have had visit in the past has been extremely nice. Of course, there have been a few rare exceptions."  Although Janet quickly admits she doesn't want to generate large flows of traffic into her store at one time, or more than she can personally handle, she also doesn't want to turn anyone away either.  She credits word of mouth and a wide variety of publicity received in recent years for the interest which has been generated.  Returning he thoughts to earlier days when the store was first opened, Janet says, "Andrew Sherley was always known as A. Sherley, from which came the store name A. Sherley and Bros.  The brother was Fred Sherley, Wayne's father. When Andrew became quite old, past 80, he sold his part of the business to Wayne, who had already been drawn into the company at the request of his father."  She adds, "When Fred Sherley died in 1941, Wayne became the sole owner following settlement of the estate."  Janet still has the old bound ledger book in which all accounts were kept in 1883, the year she believes the store was opened.  In describing the store's interior appearance, Janet, says, "All ornamental woodwork was hand-turned as needed at the site. These parts include railings, bannisters, and all ornamental posts.  "Porcelain knob drawers go from the floor to the balcony. The main structure has a beaded ceiling, and the flooring is six-inch lumber."  She continues, "The balcony, build near the 17-foot ceiling, has shelves for kitchenware on the north side and a wider space for larger items on the south side."  Janet adds, "I have had many elderly couples tell me they bought their household goods at A. Sherley and Bros. Where they married.  The generally had very meager requirements, a bed, table, and stove. If they could afford it, they sometimes bought a safe ro a cane bottom chair or two."  Janet never seems to tire of talking about her family business. She says, "although few changes have been made in the building, we have, of course, added electricity...but in its most rudimentary form.

"The wires are all exposed and safely supported by clay insulators. Lights are on drop cords."  "Before electricity," says Janet, "the store was lighted by eight kerosene lamps...only one of which remains today for atmosphere.  "The present condition of the structure is sound, and a new roof was added only recently.  Janet believes "the store has been the center for farm activities for many years. In the past, they sold plows, buggies, and wagons by the carload.  "People came here from all around to buy farm supplies."  "At the time I came here," she adds, "the Sherleys, Andrew and Fred, has a great deal of farmland worked by tenant farmers.  "Fred had 37 families living on his land. Each Saturday these families would come to town in their wagons, leave a list of needed groceries at the store, then go elsewhere and visit or conduct personal business."  She continues, "In the afternoon each would return and pick up his boxes of groceries.  "These families would usually get eight pounds of pintos, an equal amount of great northern beans, dried fruit, a sack of flour, a sack of meal, baking powder, and occasionally some canned tomatoes."  Janet adds, "Some men would buy a little tobacco for themselves and a little candy for the children.  "I have seen two or three boxes loaded with groceries go out the front door with a total value of about $3."

She concludes, "We furnished the tenants these groceries until their crops were made, then they paid us when they sold their crops, usually cotton or corn."  According to Janet, "Wayne became involved with the store after he had taken pre-med work at TCU."  She remarked, "He would have been a wonderful doctor, but his father was getting older and needed help badly here at the store.  "The era was the depression years, and Wayne had just completed his under-graduate work at TCU.  ""Wayne's father promised he would pay him a certain amount if he would return to Anna and help him at the store instead of going on to medical school."  Janet says, "Wayne's mother passed away in 1924. In 1931, hiss father remarried.  "Before that time, Wayne and I were going together on occasion."  Janet paused, laughed and added, "I think Wayne and his father must have had to toss a coin to see which one had a date, because there wasn't enough money for both to go."  Thinking of all the charge accounts maintained y the store, Janet says, "We had to post all of those items purchased in an old ledger which I still use today."  The ledger is a post-binder. Old sheets are removed when paid, and new account sheets are added at regular intervals.  The 1884 ledger book was bound and could not be reused. It was later replaced by the post-binder now in use.  A glance at the 1884 prices showed one gallon of molasses selling for 90 cents, 50 pounds of flour at $2, and a generous supply of gun powder and lead at 30 cents.  As times changed and tractors came into use, Wayne accepted the agency for International Harvester.

Janet says, "He had it for several years and sold lots of tractors. We still have repair parts for some of the older model tractors.  "When International Harvester wanted to standardize the outside of all buildings, and required a certain number of trained mechanics for retaining a dealership, Wayne chose to drop the dealership.  "He did not want to change the appearance of the store."  At this stage, Janet has no knowledge of her children's desires, after her death, concerning continued operation of the store.  If they do not chose to continue, she says, "I would like very much to leave this historic place to the city of Anna as a museum and tourist attraction.  "I also would hopefully be able to leave sufficient money for future maintenance, such as roof repair, etc."  "Wayne died in 1968," says Janet. "In his will he left me the store, the cattle, and the house, adding, I wouldn't have time for anything else."  Janet laughed, "I suppose he didn't realize I would immediately inherit hi "volunteer" job as city secretary. He had this non-paying job for 35-40 years before his death."  As a part of this civic job, Janet maintains all the city records and takes care of the city's numerous bank accounts, including the writing of all checks.

Communities Index

Recommended citation:

"Anna - Collin County Communities," Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc.,  <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl> [Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].