KOSSE PICTURES

     KOSSE, TEXAS. Kosse is on State highways 14 and 7 near the Falls county line in southwestern Limestone County. Settlers made homes by nearby Duck Creek in the mid-1840s and ran a stage stop for the Franklin-Springfield and Waco-Marlin stage routes. In 1869 Kosse became the end of the Houston and Texas Central Railway and was named for Theodore Kosse, a chief engineer for the railroad and the man who surveyed the road for the town. Businesses moved to Kosse from Eutaw, two miles west, and the Eutaw post office was moved to Kosse in 1870. Development of a town government began in 1871. The community reached a population of 500 by 1880. Union, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches were organized. The New Era, the first newspaper, was published before 1880. The Cyclone was begun in 1885 by James O. Jones. That year the town had several cotton gins, two sawmills, and three gristmills. John Dimelow, an Englishman, opened a ceramics lab in 1870. Kosse also had the first brickyard in the county. On October 1, 1884, an acre of land was granted for a public school. Around 1892-93 Kosse became an independent school district with J. Thomas Hall as superintendent. In 1893 one school in Kosse had 225 students and six teachers, and another school had eighty black students. In 1914 Kosse had three businesses, two banks, and a population of 700. In 1921 the chamber of commerce was organized. By 1928 the population was 1,500, and by 1931 Kosse had fifty-eight businesses. After that the population and number of businesses slowly began to decline. The Kosse schools were consolidated with the Groesbeck Independent School District in 1968. In 1989 Kosse had eleven businesses and a population of 519. In 1990 the population was 505.

     BIBLIOGRAPHY: A Family History of Limestone County (Dallas: Taylor, 1984). Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone, and Leon Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893). Doris Hollis Pemberton, Juneteenth at Comanche Crossing (Austin: Eakin Press, 1983). Ray A. Walter, A History of Limestone County (Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1959).  Info from the Handbook of Texas Online.


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Humphreys - Jones Giant Gusher
August 18, 1922

Humphreys - Jones Giant Gusher
Kosse, Texas
August 18, 1922


There is a letter written on the back from Victoria Kay Brown to Bob Kay (Robert E. Kay) of Caney (Leesville) Vernon Parish, Louisiana, aunt and uncle of my husband's ggrandmother, telling about the Oil Wells and how high they gushed.

Picture taken by Meader, Mexia, Texas.

Bob was Victoria's brother Robert E. Kay who is living with them Reuben Alexander Brown (son of Waller Brown) in the 1900 Falls Co., Tx census, Prec. 2, T623, Roll 1632, Page 79 & 80, house #170-170 and Eli L. Kay and family are in house 178-178 on page 80.

Cheryl Governale

Eli Lynn Kay and Family


In the 1900 Falls Co., Tx. Census, Prec 2, T623, Roll 1632, Page 80, Eli L. Kay and family are in house 178-178

It is believed at this time this picture was taken at a KAY Family Reunion.

Cheryl Governale

Reuben Alexander & Victoria (Kay) Brown and Family

Reuben Alexander & Victoria (Kay) Brown and Family


Reuben Alexander Brown (son of Waller Brown) in the 1900 Falls Co., Tx. Census, Prec 2, T623, Roll 1632, Page 79 & 80, house #170-170

Picture taken by Mullins & Co., Kosse & Calvert, Texas.

Sitting back row: Queen Victoria and Reuben A. Brown
In Victoria's lap: Mariah or Eva
On Reuben's lap: Eva or Dovie
Sitting on rug on left: Austin G. and Dovie or Annie

Cheryl Governale

Reuben Alexander & Victoria (Kay) Brown and Family

Reuben Alexander & Victoria (Kay) Brown and Family


It is not certain this is Reuben Alexander & Victoria (Kay) Brown.

Cheryl Governale

Volentine T. and Mary Elizabeth (Allen) Kay and Family

Volentine T. and Mary Elizabeth (Allen) Kay and Family
ca 1902


Standing Back row: Zenathan, Ima Bell, and Delma L.
Sitting middle: James V., Mary E., V. T. and Lavell
Sitting between parents: Eunice Iola

Picture taken by Miller, Marlin, Texas

Cheryl Governale

Children of William and Ann Kay
ca 1926

Children of William and Ann Kay
ca 1926


Standing back row: possibly Reuben A Brown, Victoria Kay Brown holding possibly baby Robert L. Kay, Lydia Langton Kay, Robert E. Kay, Rosa Arrie Kay Burr, Kezella Kay Farris, Dave Farris and Henry Burr. Lady in middle wearing hat and looking down holding infant is possibly Clemmie Scoggins Craft (dgt of Eunice Bell Kay Scoggins) Kids are probably Craft kids and someones grandkids. Boy standing in front of Henry Burr is Homer Burr.

Cheryl Governale