Thomas Jefferson Walling (1811-1902) was born in White County, Tennessee, to John Walling, Sr and Ann Chisum. In 1832, he married his first wife, Nancy Ann Price; they had nine children. TJ and Nancy migrated through Mississippi and Arkansas before settling in Nacogdoches, Texas, near his brothers, John and Jesse, in 1836. There, T J took the Oath of Allegiance to the Texas Republic and took part in the Texas Revolution with Captain Peck's regiment.
In 1841 TJ claimed land near Henderson, Texas, in Rusk County, and he and Nancy built a one-room log cabin measuring 20 by 19 feet, about 10 miles Northeast of Henderson, Texas. The cabin was built from hand-hewn pine timber joined at the corners by square notches, typical of many pioneer farm homes in the area. It is the only structure known to survive from the era of the Republic of Texas in Rusk County.
When Nancy passed away in 1854, TJ married Eleanor Stone Hardy in 1855. They continued to live in the little cabin until 1859, when they moved to Hill County, Texas, to the Walling Bend Community near his brother, Colonel Jesse Walling, who had fought with General Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto.
TJ and Eleanor had four children, including my great-grandmother, Nancy Ella, who was born in Prairie Valley. The family migrated across Texas. Eleanor died in 1899 at Edna Hill in Erath County, and Thomas Jefferson died in Merkel, Northwest of Abilene, in 1902.
The house and the 307 acres surrounding it were sold in 1859 to John Henderson. A contract made by Harrison's widow in 1867 states that the house is the home built by TJ Walling, and the entire contents of the house are listed in an inventory.
In
1982, the little cabin was discovered in the woods near Henderson,
and thankfully it was rescued. The Rusk County Historical had it
dismantled and reconstructed at the Depot Museum in Henderson,
Texas. Today, the cabin stands furnished as it was during the
life of Thomas Jefferson Walling and his family. The
dedication ceremony and erection of a historical marker were
attended by many of the descendants of T J Walling.
"In 1841 Thomas Jefferson Walling I811-1902) and his wife Nancy (Price) erected this one-room log cabin. Typical of many pioneer farm homes in this area, it was built of hand-hewn timbers joined at the corners by square notches.
Walling was a veteran of the Cordova Rebellion and Indian Wars, 1838-1839, and lived here with his family until 1859. The Walling log cabin was moved from its original site (10 Mi. N E) to this location in 1982."
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983
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