Browse Exhibits (6 total)

Enclaves of African American families were developed in the area.  Although, to date, no existing homes or structures of this period have been identified as having been farms and/or ranches, it is known that over 70 cattle and/or livestock brands were registered between 1852 and 1930.  This would appear to indicate that African Americans were farming as they had sufficient livestock to brand.   In addition, a number of African American cemeteries have been located throughout the county.  It is assumed that these cemeteries were in the proximity of the African American settlements.

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This site was home to two important area families, as well as a stagecoach stop in the 1800s. Development here began in 1858 when Joseph Huebner and his family, who arrived from Austria five years earlier, bought acreage surrounding what is now Huebner Creek and Huebner Road. A successful San Antonio businessman, he soon erected three limestone buildings here and began to acquire herds of horses, mules and cattle. He also opened a stagecoach stop at the family's homestead ranch on the San Antonio to Bandera stage line route. The stop included blacksmith services, change of stock and overnight accommodations if travelers were unable to pass over the flooded creek. Joseph Huebner died in 1882 and was buried on the homestead property.

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Joseph Henry Polley and his wife Mary Bailey Polley, the builders of this house, are Old 300’s, the first settlers under Stephen F. Austin’s colony in Texas during the 1820’s. Joseph H. Polley was born in Whitehall, New York, in 1795. After serving as a teamster in the War of 1812 he left home and headed west, with accordingly to family history, “a horse, a rifle, and 50 cents in his pocket.” Along the way west, he befriended Moses Austin and traveled with him to Texas in 1820. After Moses Austin died, Polley came to Texas with Stephen F. Austin as one of the first twenty-two immigrants to come to Austin's Colony in 1821. After living for a short time at San Felipe de Austin, Polley settled at Bell's Landing on the Brazos. In 1823 he married Mary Bailey, daughter of the celebrated James Britton “Brit” Bailey, another “Old 300.” It is worthy of note that the marriage ceremony was performed three times, first, by the local Alcalde, and second, by a visiting priest, in conformity with Mexican law. Thirty couples were married at the same time in the second ceremony. Just to make the knot secure a third ceremony was performed by a Protestant minister.

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