Fairy, Texas, Hamilton County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Fairy was originally known as Martin's Gap. James Martin was a settler who took an oxcart through the mountain gap which (evidently) was a feat worthy of naming the place in his honor.

Fairy Fort - the town's namesake

It is somehow appropriate that there is little information available on Fairy Fort. Born the fifth child after four brothers - she was the daughter of Battle Fort - Mississippi native, lawyer, Confederate officer and Mississippi Governor.

Little Fairy was one of the smallest Texans ever, although she enjoyed a relatively normal life. Her size didn't stop her from being married - and divorced. Twice. Her first husband was William Allen and husband number two was identified only as T. Phelps.

Details of Fairy Fort's life are hard to locate, but her height was given by some to be 2' 7" and she weighed something like 28 pounds. We call on our readers to please correct these figures if possible.

Photos or Daguerreotypes of Fairy certainly existed - but our research has yet to find any. Although Fairy's unusually small size might've made her famous in another time and place - to the folks in Hamilton County - Fairy's size was Fairy's business.

Fairy didn't have children - but she lived into her 70s. She is buried in the Fairy cemetery.

(For more on Fairy Fort, see forum below)

Fairy Fort
Courtesy Ginger Andrews

Fairy the town

Fairy had a post office established in 1884 and a cotton gin dating from 1900. It had the normal assortment of schools, churches, and businesses typical of regional farming communities. In 1947 Fairy had a population of 150.

The post office closed in 1957, and the Fairy school consolidated with Hamilton schools in 1967. In both 1980 and 1990 the census was given as thirty-one.

Fairy, Texas Street Scene
Old photo courtesy Ginger Andrews

Fairy School
Photo Courtesy Betty Picek, December 2021

Photographer's Note:
"I did find the old Fairy School. It looks like the old school had an annex built in front of it before it closed down." - Betty Picek, December 15, 2021

Fairy school building
Photo Courtesy Betty Picek, December 2021

Fairy school building with clothes line
Photo Courtesy Betty Picek, December 2021
See Texas Schoolhouses

FAIRY, TEXAS

A town renamed
now it's called Fairy

so small a place
out on the prairie

so few its souls
most dead and buried

still if you are asked
yes sir, there's Fairy!

©

d.knape
"Once Upon A Line" - Light verse and poetry by d.knape �

Fairy, Texas Forum

• Subject: Fairy, Texas
  I would love to see more pics of Fairy, TX if you have any....I live in Idaho and my name is Fairy Essex... I was named after Fairy Chisum, a Nazarene missionary to Africa...It would be cool to see pics of Fairy Fort, also, if at all possible. Thank you, Fairy Arta Essex, July 16, 2011

• Subject: Fairy, Texas
  Thanks for making your information available to interested folks. The web is too often my only connection with Mother Texas, and I appreciate it.
  The James side of my family (my mother's side) had a connection with Fairy, Texas. Many of the younger children were born near Evant on the family farm, and attended elementary school there. When it came time for them to go to high school, they had a choice of Hamilton or Fairy. My mother, Ruth (James) Clemmer, chose Hamilton, for that's where my dad (Charley Wayne Clemmer) was born and lived. She graduated from Hamilton High School. My uncle A. E. James Jr. and my aunt Cleda James chose Fairy, and both graduated from Fairy High School. Mother was born in 1922, between A. E. and Cleda, so this must have been in the mid- to late 'thirties.
  I visit Texas too infrequently, as most of the family is now deceased, but I was in Kerrville (my birthplace) just last month. That prompted me to gather information for the monthly newsletter of a traditional music organization to which I belong, and it was during a little research for an article that I found Texas Escapes. I'll work Fairy into a piece one of these times, and perhaps I will visit next time I come. - Ken Clemmer, Phoenix, Arizona, February 14, 2007

• Subject: My grandparents founded the
  Church of Christ in Fairy, Texas
  I stumbled upon your site quite by accident and found it fascinating. My grandparents, Johnny and Valeria Jackson, lived on a farm just outside of Fairy and along with a few others founded the Church of Christ (shown in the picture as the now Community Center). I spent many summers on the farm in Fairy and have beautiful memories of that church house and rocky hill. The vast majority of my relatives are buried in the cemetery there and I expect that I will be too. My mother, Louise Jackson Vance, and her sisters, Mary and Gwen, and brother Vernon (all still living) still visit Fairy as often as they are able. Now 44 years old myself I think about Fairy Texas often. Thank you for keeping history and memories alive. - Jon Vance, Dallas, Tx, December 24, 2006

• Subject: Fairy Fort was my Great Aunt
  I am Charles Allumbaugh. I currently live in Midlothian Texas. Fairy Fort was my Great Aunt. She was my mothers aunt. Fairy lived with my mother when she was a young girl. She still has a dress that her Aunt Fairy used to wear. She currently lives in Grand Prairie Texas and is 91 years old. She talks about her Aunt Fairy with great fondeness and can tell many stories about growing up with her. I also have a picture of Fairy in a scrapbook that I am putting together about the Fort family. - Charles Allumbaugh, May 16, 2006

• Subject: Fairy Fort was my Great Aunt
  My name is Donnie Fort and Fairy would be my Great Aunt. My Dad and his brother are children of Hugh Fran Fort who was Fairy's brother. They still live in Sweetwater, Texas. W.W. Fort is listed there and my Dad lives at the Holiday Retirement Center. My Aunt Fay lives in the Dallas area. She is the sister of my Dad. - Donnie Fort, January 24, 2004

• Subject: FAIRY HIGH SCHOOL text book
  Hello, I am sorting through book donations for an upcoming charity. I came across this book published in 1897 called "Under Six Flags, the story of Texas" that is stamped with the Fairy High School stamp.
  I was curious about where Fairy and hoped to find an old photo of the school... so I googled it and that is how I got to know about this little town and its namesake and history. But, alas no photos.
  [Here are ] photos of the book. - Mae Stoll, April 24, 2018

Fairy High School stamp
Photo Courtesy Mae Stoll, April 25, 2018

Copyright 1897
Photo Courtesy Mae Stoll, April 25, 2018

Fairy High School textbook "Under Six Flags, the story of Texas"
Photo Courtesy Mae Stoll, April 25, 2018

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.