EMPIRE
(west of Nevada, south of Copeville)
EMPIRE
The old Collin
County community of Empire was located in the southeastern part of the county
about 1 1/2 miles southeast of present-day Copeville and 2 miles northwest of
Nevada along the south bank of George Creek. It had a school, churches, a gin
and Masonic, Eastern Star, and Knights of Honor lodges. Sam Grimes ran a general
store and built a lean-to on the side of the store for Dr. Jim Williams' office
and drugs. The post office at Empire was opened January 28, 1885, with John T.
Grimes as postmaster. It was located about one mile west of the Bear Creek
Cemetery in the home of Ben Bounds, who was a Methodist preacher. J. E. Jones
built a teacherage, a small store, doctor's office and a music room, west of the
school house. The post office closed in 1888.
The first school at
Empire was taught by J. E. (Tarheel) Jones. He came to Texas from North Carolina
in 1867. One acre of land was deeded for a new school building for the Bear
Creek Academy at Empire in 1869. In 1883 Jones called a meeting of the local
land holders to build a public subscription school. The Empire Academy school
house was 26 by 50 and 18 feet high. The lower floor was used for a first class
school. The upper floor was used by the Masonic and Knights of Honor lodges. It
was located at the corner of the Josephine-Copeville Road, and the road to
Empire. The building was completed in 1884 and school started the same year. A
dormitory was later built to house both males and females. This was one of the
best schools in the county; Latin, mathematics and all the higher subjects were
taught. Mr. Hill was superintendent and Z. A. C. Harris taught classes and band
music. With the railroads bypassing Empire in 1886 and 1888, the community
declined. The Bear Creek Academy school land was deeded back to the original
owner in 1890 because it was no longer being used for school purposes. The
school became a country school. In 1902 the Empire Masonic Lodge No. 586
relinquished its claim to the Empire School house and gave it to the Bear Creek
School. The Academy building burned down in 1914. The Bear Creek school district
continued for many years until it was consolidated with the Community School
district.
Bear Creek Methodist
Church was two miles northwest of Nevada on the south bank of George Creek at
Empire. The Bear Creek Cemetery was south of the church. From 1881 to 1891 the
Bear Creek Church was on the Forney Circuit of North Texas Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. The members of the Bear Creek Church built the
Methodist church in Nevada in 1890, but a few members continued to attend
services at Bear Creek Methodist until the church was disbanded in 1902. The
Bear Creek Cemetery is the only remnant of the Empire community.
On December 14,
1884, twenty-five Master Masons petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas to form a
Masonic lodge at Empire. Five of the charter members were also subscribers to
the Empire School. The first officers for Empire Lodge No. 586 were M. W. (W.
M.) McBride, Worshipful Master; E. B. Simmons, Senior Warden; W. M. Blakeman,
Junior Warden; J. E. (Tarheel) Jones, Secretary; and J. L. Stallings, Treasurer.
The meetings were held on the Saturday before the full moon at 2 PM.
In 1886-87 the Gulf
Colorado Santa Fe Railroad came through Collin County, going from Wylie to
Copeville to Farmersville and bypassing Empire to the northwest. In 1887-88 the
St. Louis Southwestern-Cotton Belt-Railroad came through the southern part of
the county, going from Wylie to Nevada and Josephine, bypassing Empire to the
south. John Stinebaugh donated land for the town of Nevada at that time and had
the town laid out between Greenville Road (FM 6) on the north and the railroad
tracks on the south.
The Masonic Lodge
moved from Empire to Nevada in 1888. It bought lots #1 and #2 of Block 2 in the
town for $82.00. It owned a two-story wooden building facing west on Warren
Street. This building must have resembled the school building at Nevada; an
entry in the minutes on November 11, 1899, calls for housing the belfry to keep
the birds out.
Bear Creek Cemetery
Communities Index
- Recommended
citation:
"Empire - 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 ].
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