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| image_caption = Leesville school house<ref name="Church/Cemetery" />
| image_caption = Leesville school house<ref name="Church/Cemetery" />
| founder = Newburn H. Guinn, Developer
| founder = Newburn H. Guinn, Developer
| named_for = Lee Guin, daughter of founder
| named_for = Lee Guinn, daughter of founder
| unit_pref = US<!-- or UK -->
| unit_pref = US<!-- or UK -->
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Revision as of 08:14, 22 August 2018

Not to be confused with Leesville, Louisiana.
Leesville
Unincorporated City
Leesville school house
Leesville school house[1]
Founded byNewburn H. Guinn, Developer
Named forLee Guinn, daughter of founder
Population
 (2000)
 • Total150

Leesville is an unincorporated city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States.

According to the Handbook of Texas, Leesville had an estimated population 150 in 2000.[2] Leesville, as named, is said to have existed since 1935, with a receding population from an estimated high of 2,000 people; although de facto settlement of the area is said to exist since the early 1800s. Commerce is said to have been once established with a number of grocery stores, barbershops; cotton production and a pharmacy; now said to be non-existent due to flooding and displacement from the local creek.[3][4]

Leesville is located at 29°24′25″N 97°44′42″W / 29.40694°N 97.74500°W / 29.40694; -97.74500 (29.4069038, -97.7449990). It is situated along State Highway 80 in southwestern Gonzales County, approximately 26 miles west of Gonzales and 19 miles south of Luling.[5] The historical city center of Leesville is located alongside the street of FM 1682, where the city’s original church and cemetery reside; currently acting as a location for local events.[3][1]

Services

In 2000, Leesville had 7 businesses.[6]

Civic

Leesville has a post office with the zip code of 78122.[7] The U.S. Postal Service offered to close the Leesville Post Office in 2011.[8]

Public education in the community of Leesville is provided by the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District.[9]

Leesville relays issues of improper garbage disposal to state and county authorities.[10]

Cemeteries

Churches

History

Name

The general area was originally named Capote, named after its hills. In the late 1800s, local land developer Newburn H. Guinn attempted to name the town Leesburg after his daughter Lee. The local post office at the time refused to recognize the name, as another Texas town had already claimed the name Leesburg. It was then compromised that the city would be named Leesville.[18]

Industry

Original businesses and organizations since the city’s founding used to include, in greater capacity:[19][20]

  • Sylvester A. Hubbard‘s ox-driven corn grinder and lumber saw (1860)
  • Sandies Home Guard C.S.A., Captain Michael Erskine (June 22, 1861)
  • Daniel Brown‘s general merchandise store (1868)
  • A brick kiln (1868)
  • A saddletree and stirrup factory (1868)
  • Leesburg Male and Female Institute, known as “Leesville school house” (January 21, 1873)
  • Leesville School System, elementary and high schools (closed in 1951)
  • Lumber production
  • Grain production
  • Beef production
  • Cotton production
  • Peanut farming
  • Melon farming
  • Various churches

Folklore

In folklore, locals claim to see a ghost of a little girl in a blue dress, playing in Leesville Cemetery; seen only at a significant distance.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Leesville lets loose this weekend...at the Methodist Church grounds, is a fundraiser for the Leesville Cemetery". Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Leesville, Texas". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  3. ^ a b c d "Leesville celebrates 80th homecoming". Retrieved 21 August 2018. Used to be, a couple of thousand people lived in the area. There were two barbershops, two grocery stores, a cotton gin and a drug store...the flood of 1936 caused hardships that changed the dynamics of Leesville's development in forcing people to move elsewhere.
  4. ^ ...Leesville was originally located on the east bank of Castleman's Creek. The stream later became known as O'Neill Creek in honor of the Henry O'Neill family (another source has the spelling as O'Neal). Those folks arrived in the area sometime in the 1830s...
  5. ^ "Leesville, Texas". Texas Escapes Online Magazine. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  6. ^ "Leesville, Texas". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ United States Postal Service...9606 N STATE HIGHWAY 80 LEESVILLE, TX 78122-9998
  8. ^ A review of business activities of the Post Office at this location revealed that the office workload has declined. This reduced workload suggests the maintenance of an independent Post Office here may no longer be warranted.
  9. ^ ...the Nixon-Smiley CISD school board election...The poll places include...Leesville Methodist Church, FM 1682, Leesville (Precincts: 5, 13)...
  10. ^ ...”We need to get something done about a certain property in the Leesville community”...Commissioner Donnie Brzozowski proposed that per state law, the constable for the precinct in question should be responsible for enforcing the laws that require people to keep their property cleaned up...
  11. ^ ...Highway 80...Leesville...battle was near the Antioch Cemetery...
  12. ^ Antioch Cemetery Photos
  13. ^ Caraway Cemetery Photos
  14. ^ Gravel bike race success in...Leesville Cemetery
  15. ^ Lillie Lea Lay...Contributions may be made to the Leesville Baptist Church
  16. ^ Genelda Talley Pruett...contributions may be made to...Leesville Baptist Church
  17. ^ Leesville Country Fair takes place Saturday...Leesville Methodist Church grounds
  18. ^ ...Sometime between 1868 and 1887, Mr. Newburn H. Guinn divided land on the west bank of the creek into town lots and sold them to various businesses. In about 1870, Guinn decided to name the town Leesburg, after his daughter, Lee. When the town applied for a post office however, they had to do so under the original name of Capote -- there was already a Leesburg in Texas at the time. The post office opened in 1873. Finally, in 1874, the town became known as Leesville...
  19. ^ ...One of the first businesses began there in the 1860s when Sylvester A. Hubbard built an ox-powered treadmill to grind corn and saw lumber. In 1868, Daniel Brown and his brother opened the first general merchandise store to be located at old Capote. About the same time, a brick kiln along with a saddletree and stirrup factory began operations...the Leesburg (Leesville) Male and Female Institute on January 21, 1873...At one time the school system had an accredited high school. It was later consolidated with the Nixon Independent School District. The last high school class graduated in 1947, but four elementary grades were taught at Leesville until 1951...The economy of Leesville depended mostly on cutting and selling oak as well as, other hardwood for use as building material. The residents also raised grain and cattle. Cotton became the big money crop after the Civil War, with three cotton gins operating at the same time. In later years, ranching along with peanut and melon farming contributed to the local economy...
  20. ^ ...One of the volunteer companies that organized in Gonzales County was the Sandies Home Guard. The Sandies Home Guard was organized June 22, 1861...under Captain Michael Erskine...The guard’s name probably came from Sandies Creek or Sandies Hill in Leesville, TX.
  21. ^ The Leesville Cemetery Ghost...Many people have reported seeing a little girl in the Leesville cemetery, and they always see her from a distance. They also say the same thing – that she wears a blue dress and is playing in the graveyard like a living child would do in a schoolyard. But the second someone starts to walk toward her, she disappears...


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