Old Cornerstone Removed

Old Cornerstone Removed

Henderson County Court House Being Torn Down to Make Way for New Building

Special to The News

Athens, Tex., June 26. - As was recently stated in The News, Wright & Co. of Dallas was awarded the contract to build the new Henderson County court house for $113,500, which is to be built at once and on the site of the old court house. This same firm also bought the old building. The demolition of the old building was begun Wednesday. The first work done was the tearing out of the old cornerstone. The following persons, who were present at the laying of the old cornerstone in September, 1885 - nearly twenty-eight years ago - were present when the old stone was removed: W. T. Eustace, J. J. Faulk, Paul Jones, K. Richardson, Wm. Matthews, J. J. Matthews, Percy Larkin, J. J. Bradshaw, W. E. Collins, J. K. Richardson Jr., G. W. Allison, Allen Meredith, J. W. Hopson, R. C. Fualk.

The following articles were taken from the repository in the stone:

Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Texas
Methodist discipline.
Envelope containing names of officials.
One dime coined in 1876.
One nickel coined in 1872.
One cope of Dallas Herald.
One copy of Texas Christian Advocate, addressed to U. B. Phillips.
Roll and membership of Royal Arch Masons, dated September 17, 1885.
Roll of membership of Athens Lodge, No. 165.
One piece of pottery worked by Robert Holloway.
Dispensation from Deputy Grand Master to lay the cornerstone.
One card: Robert Holloway, manufacturer of jars. etc.
One paper, Central Presbyterian of Richmond, Va., dated September 1885.

All of these items were immediately deposited in one of the safes belonging to the county.

The following were the officers of the lodge who officiated at the cornerstone laying: J. H. Jarrell, W. M. (now deceased); W. T. Eustace, S. W.; J. Paul Jones, J. W.; W. R. Dickerson, treasurer (then County Judge, now deceased); Thomas M. Matthews, Sr., P. G. M., secretary (now deceased); T. F. Murchison, S. D. (now deceased); George M. Woffard, J. D.; G. V. Adams, tiler (now deceased).

Dallas Morning News
Friday, June 27, 1913
Page 10
source: GenealogyBank.com