Real Estate for Taste: My Nannies Land

"Nannies Land"

The home on the farm that my paternal great-great grandfather purchased in 1909 is recognized as a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark. My paternal great-grandmother, Fannie Mae Stallard (my Nannie), lived in it until her death at the age of 96. Although the home is no longer a part of my family the surrounding land still is. My father owns the remaining 81 acres of land and now a newly acquired parcel of 71 acres which is contiguous to it. It was acquired in May of 2015. This parcel of land and home and its historical background makes it the most fascinating and interesting piece of real estate from my perspective.

The land was gifted to the Horace Yeaman family from the Stephen F. Austin colony for his service in the Texas army during the Texas Revolution. He received Bounty Warrant #1862 for 1/3 leagues of land for his many years of service. He picked a piece of land in which the southeast border of the property runs through Cash’s creek in Matagorda County. My paternal grandmother told me that that they actually started to build the home on this parcel of land prior to the Texas Revolution. The shipwright or carpenter who was building the home requested that they take him to Indianola to catch a ship to go back up north to fight in the war. He promised if he made it out okay he would return to finish the house after the war, which he did.

It is a country style home with a shot gut layout downstairs meaning the rooms flow directly into one another. The upstairs boasts three large bedrooms and a balcony porch. It started as a small single story family home but was renovated a few years after its completion. A second story was added along with and a hand laid red brick chimney that pronounced the front of the home and the main living room. It is built out of cypress and square nails. It still stands north west of the town of Palacios, TX near the intersection of HWY 35 and FM Rd 521.

Pear Tree

What makes this land itself so interesting is that it has two flowing artesian wells, meaning that they did not need to put pumps on them to pump the water from the well. The water comes to the top of the well on its own. It made supplying water to the home, easy and simple.  Also on the property is the Yeamans Cemetery where four children are buried. The fence around it still stands today and is an integral part of this properties history.

In 1909, my great-great-grandfather, William Henry Stallard moved from Alabama to Palacios, TX and purchased the house and the surrounding 150 acres.

The land was eventually split in half during the mid 1900’s to put a road through and the north portion was sold off but the south section (84 acres) stayed with the family.  In 1999, our family sold the home along with three acres, keeping the 81 acres in the family. It has pear trees, which produce an abundance of fruit each year that we love to pick.   

Please open the attached link to see pictures of the home and the historical landmark on it. Also, there is a detailed history of the land and the home included. All information used above has been provided by my Grandmother (Meemaw) who lived in the home until she was married.  

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/rthl_pa_yeamans-stallard.htm