Daily Courier Gazette August 8, 1925
An interesting
sidelight on how the village of Graybill, located about a mile Northeast of
Westminster received its name was told by J. A. Eubanks, one of its oldest
settlers to a representative of this paper. Dr. Holmes, who began the
practice of medicine in that community in Civil War days owned a buggy horse
named "Bill!" The horse was gray and was such a familiar animal to every
resident of the community that the community was nicknamed "Graybill," by
common consent of its citizens and the name clings to it still. Dr. Holmes
drove the old horse for many years as he ministered to the sick and
afflicted of the community. The animal lived to an advanced age for the
equine species and his death removed a truly community fixture. Dr. Holmes
himself died about three years ago at Trenton, where he removed several
years ago.
Graybill branch
which quietly threads its way through the community, a spring which has
supplied water to the community for seventy-five years, is still running.
Many years ago a well was dug to form a basin for the water and walled up
and water is drawn from it and carried to farm houses of the community. A
vein of water as large as a man's arm furnished the supply. Mr. Eubanks said
that Andy Allen, one of the earliest settlers of the Graybill section,
recalled that a cottonwood tree, standing a few feet from the well is about
eighty years old. The large tree was just a small bush seventy-five years
ago. it is now about three feet in diameter.
A blacksmith
ship, store and gin were formerly operated at Graybill, many years, ago, but
now nothing but the memory of these enterprises remains.
Communities Index
- Recommended
citation:
"Graybill- 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 ].
