Yarboro, Texas, AKA Yarborough, Texas. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

James Quincy Yarborough established the community in the late 1870s. Yarborough had built a steam-powered gristmill and cotton gin which resulted in a community forming here.

In the mid 1880s, the railroad had arrived and Yarborough became a shipping point for area farmers. A post office was granted around that time. The population at that time was a mere thirty people.

The early 1890s brought German Lutheran immigrants to bolster the 75 people who were living there at that time. By 1893 they had erected a building that served as school, meetinghouse and church. When the community peaked, there were three stores, two schools and a depot with a telegraph office.

The town declined over the years until the 1950 census could count just twenty people. The businesses had all closed although the post office remained open until 1953.

The town has since been dropped from maps.

A note on the name and the various spellings from John Germann:
"As for Yarboro(ugh): In the mid-1890s the postal authorities decided that the naming system needed standardization. They decided "Center" was acceptable but "Centre" was not; similarly apostrophes should be dropped, the "h" should be dropped from names like Edinburg, and in the case of "boroughs" like Yarborough, the "ugh" should be banished. Thus Yarboro. Some postmasters complied right away, some waited until they ordered new cancelling devices, some resisted, some made the change then reverted, etc."

1882 map showing Yarborough in SE Grimes County
From Texas state map #2134
Texas General Land Office

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