THE FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY AND THE ORIGIN OF SOMERSET, TEXAS
Bernard Pyron
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First Town Site Company and the Creation of Somerset,
Fig One above, the 1909 Plat Map For the Town of Somerset, Made For Carl Kurz, President of the First Townsite Company In 1909
The First Town Site Company and the Origin of Somerset, Texas
Bernard Pyron
Bernard Pyron
This article could have bveen posted several years ago along with some other articles I wrote on the town of Somerset, Texas.
Somerset,
Texas, in southwest Bexar county, is a small and poor relative of San
Antonio, Helotes, Cibolo, etc, and according to wikipedia had 1740
citizens in 2010.
In a 2011 E Mail the Texas General Land Office in Austin told me that most of the town of Somerset was from a Republic of Texas land grant to John Christopher for his services to the Texas Army and that the southwest corner of the Francisco Rolen Spanish land grant came down as far as the eastern part of what is now Somerset.
According to Jose Barragan of the Texas General Land Office in Austin in an E Mail of August 16, 2011, " Now, the short answer to your question regarding Somerset is yes; the
southwest corner of the Francisco Rolen grant includes the very eastern
portions of Somerset. According to our maps, however, most of Somerset
lies within the boundaries of a title issued to John Christopher, you
may find more about him under Bexar County, Abstract Number 154. If
you’d like to see this on a map, visit our home page
http://www.glo.texas.gov/ ”
The Francisco Rolen Spanish Land Grant was a strip of land that ran south from the south bank of the Medina River. Jose Barragan of the Texas General Land Office says the narrow strip came south as far as Somerset, which is about five miles from the Medina. The Rolen Spanish Land Grant came south as far as the George W. Mudd tract which A.M. Pyron bought in 1882. At sometime in the 19th century Carl Kurz acquired over a hundred acres of the Rolen grant at its south end. The Kurz land was across what became Payne Road from the A.M. Pyron land/
An online deed record shows that Billie E. Kurz McCord and her two sisters deeded land to Somerset that apparently belonged to their father and mother - the Gus Kurz place - adjoining the south-eastern edge of the original A.M. Pyron land, inherited by Blake B. Pyron in 1935. The Gus Kurz place was across Payne Road just to the east of the Blake Pyron 63 acres. The deed on October 27, 1994 from the daughters of Gus Kurz to Somerset says a 77.17 acre tact is "...out of the Francisco Rolen Survey no 48...being part of the abandoned railroad right of way." Blake B. Pyron (1889-1964) was my father.
http://www.glo.texas.gov/cf/land-grant-search/index.cfm
This documents from the General Land Office in Austin shows the original certificate in which the Republic of Texas issued to John Christopher an entitlement to lands in Texas, and is signed by the Secretary of War of the Republic. Another document in the file describes the land that was given to John Christopher in South Bexar county. Another document is about the grantee John Christopher deeding the land to : Thomas H. Moore patentee. Abstract number 154
Patent date Feb 10, 1860. Sold to Thomas H. Moore on 7/18/1860 1280 acres by John Christopher
Bounty Warrant Certificate From Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas, Number 3035, April 25, 1838.
John Christopher is said to have served in the Texas Army from December 1836 to April 1838.
Apparently Thomas H. Moore paid John Christopher $300 for the 1280 acres in 1860.
“Survey for Thomas H. Moore of 1280 acres of land situated about 19.5 miles SW of San Antonio, being the quantity of land to which he is entitled by virtue of said warrant Number 3035…to John Christopher and by him transfererred to the said Moore. Said survey is number 55 in Section number 2."
Part of the description of the 1280 acres of land in South Bexar county, Texas deeded from the Republic of Texas land grant of John Christopher to Thomas H. Moore in 1860 says "Beginning at a stake set for the SE corner of Survey number 53 and the NE corner of this survey from which a mesquite six inches in diameter bears N 11 W 10 varas and a mesquite eight inches in diameter bears N 42 E 12 varas. Thence south 5088 varas to stake set for the SE corner of the survey on the west line of survey number 48, from which a black oak ten inches in diameter bears S 4 3/4 W 6 4/5 varas, and a black jack twelve inches in diameter bears N 8 W 8 varas." This survey was done on August 25, 1838, which was during the years of the Republic of Texas.
I did not find on https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx , which is the online Bexar County Clerk office site for land transactions, a deed from Thomas H. Moore to S.R. Jordon, but in 1878 the wife of S.R. Jordon sold a tract from the John Christopher Republic of Texas tract of 1280 acres to J.T. Williams.
On June 12, 1878 the wife of S. R. Jordon for $550 deeded a tract of land to J.T. Williams, out of the survey number 53 , granted to Thomas H.Moore, asignee of John Christopher, Bounty Warrent for 1280 acres, as shown by Patent 109, Volume 12, containing one hundred and sixty acres. https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx
On https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx I found a land transaction on 7/28/1881 in which J.T. Williams sold a tract of land of 80 acres to Eugene S. Norris out of Survey Number 53 granted to Thomas H. Moore assignee of John Christopher. This probably was the 80 acres sold to J.T. Williams by S.R. Jordon in 1848.
.The southwestern end of the John Christopher grant was owned by Eugene S. Norris, who sold 160 acres in 1909 to Karl Kurz, who, in turn, sold a strip of land of about 109 acres in 1909 to the First Town Site Company for the creation of the town of Somerset.
Carl Kurz on April 13, 1909 bought two tracts of 80 acres each from Eugene S. Norris, which were out of the south-west end of the John Christopher tract for six thousand dollars. .
On https://govapps1.propertyinfo.com/wam3/SearchResults.asp
On May 1, 1909 Carl and Auguste Kurz for ten thousand dollars deeded 109 acres out of the John Christopher survey number 53, patented to Thomas H. Moore to the First Town Site Company. The sale by Carl Kurz of 109 acres of the Eugene S. Norris 160 acres to the First Town Site Company was on May 1, 1909 according to the Document Index Detail. See Bexar county Book 310, page 93.
Carl Kurz, or he and others involved in the First Town Site Company, left a strip of land of 50 acres just west of the 1909 Somerset tract of about 109 acres. I do not know why they did not include this strip in the original Somerset tract. On page two of a November 9, 1912 deed of J.N. Dixon to L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood the 109 acres of the original Somerset tract is described and also that left over strip bordering it on the west. Remember that Carl Kurz bought two 80 acres tracts side by side from Eugene S. Norris in April of 1909, totaling 160 acres. The November 9, 1912 deed of J.N. Dixon describes this left over fifty acres as being 1251 varas south to north and 229 varas east to west. Since the 1909 Somerset tract is said to be 1251 varas along the west line of the Pedro Ruiz line, south to north, the left over 50 acres runs exactly beside the Somerset 1909 tract. Its about 230 yards wide and maybe two thirds of a mile long. ThisNovember 9, 1912 deed says after J. N. Dixon sold his one fifth interest to L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood that A.M. Pyron, T.B. Touchstone, George W. Caruthers, Carl Kurz and jointly L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood, all owned a one fifth interest in this left over strip of land. I am not sure when or how this strip was transferred to others. The Kenney Addition, which is west of the original Somerset tract came out of the Samuel Wheeler tract, survey Number 130, which was the next strip of land west of the John Christopher grant.
The reference to the Pedro Ruiz line above refers to the Pedro Ruiz tract of land which was in the southeast corner of the John Christopher grant. Somerset was extended to the northeast into land that had been owned by the Ruiz family. Somerset Road runs though the original 1909 town area at an angle heading northeast, and it exits the original Somerset at Third Street and Blocks 18 and 22, and then the Ruiz land was on the east side of the road. P.G. Caruthers, August F. Ernst and others had once owned tracts out of the Ruiz land.
The Bexar county, Texas Clerk's office provides an online record of a great many land transactions, including those related to the founding of the town of Somerset.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset,_Texas
"The present site was named Somerset when the First Townsite Company was formed on the Artesian Belt Railroad right-of-way on May 25, 1909, by A. M. Pyron, Carl Kurz, and Jonas A. Kerr."
On a February 25, 1913 online Bexar county Clerk's land transactions, involving release of oil leases, the President of the Somerset Oil and Gas Co is Jno A. Kerr. But on a September 20, 1917 document the President of the Somerset Oil and Gas Co is listed as John A. Kerr. This 1917 document is also about releasing land owners from oil leases. . Unless Jno A. Kerr might have been a different Kerr than John A. Kerr, Jno A. Kerr and John A. Kerr appear to be one and the same man, born in 1874 in Bexar county, Texas, according to www.familysearch.org .
On March 11, 1921 Jno A. Kerr is listed as the Secretary of the First Townsite Company on a deed involving Dr. R.B. Touchstone .
In 1909 Carl Kurz was President of the First Townsite Company, and in 1911 and in 1912 A.M. Pyron was President, while I found that Jas G. Boles was President from June 1913 through March 1924, So, Jno A. Kerr was involved with both the Somerset Oil and Gas Company, with Carl Kurz and A.M. Pyron, at least in earlier years. Carl Kurz sold the land that became Somerset to the First Townsite Company in 1909, and was also President in 1909. A.M. Pyron was the second President of the company.
The manuscript "Old Somerset and the Caruthers Family," by Beth Walker and Judy Barker" says that "Knowing the coming of the railroad would create prosperity, the First Townsite Company was organized by A.M. Pyron, Carl Kurz, Dr. R. B. Touchstone, Jim Dixon and George Caruthers. They bought the E.S. Norris farm in order to get land for the depot and laid out the Townsite of New Somerset."
Carl Kurz (1855-1940) came to the U. S. from Germany. A.M. Pyron (1846-1932) was born in North Mississippi, lived in Louisiana and Arkansas and came to Texas in 1867.
The deeds I found from the First Town Site Company are on https://govapps1.propertyinfo.com/wam3/SearchResults.asp
The First Townsite Company was a private corporation. See excerpts below of the actual deed from the First Townsite Company to W. Kenney, who is Will Kenney.
Here is a deed from the First Town Site Company in 1920 to Ernest Eastwood.
"August 27, 1920
First Town Site Company Warranty Deed Ernest Eastwood
...the First Town Site Company, a private corporation...for and in consideration of three hundred and fifty ($350) dollars...has granted...unto said Ernest Eastwood of Bexar county, Texas...that certain tract ...in Bexar county, Texas, and is a part of the John Christopher Survey number 55 patented to Thomas H. Moore...and being lots number eight (8) and nine (9) in block number thirty-four (34) in the town of Somerset, Bexar county, Texas.
First Town Site Company
By Jas, G. Boles, President
If someone is interested, many of the online Bexar county Clerk's office deeds from the First Town Site Company to various people can be found by signing up at https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/
Provide a user name and a password. Then type that user name and password in where it says ALREADY REGISTERED, Log In - Search. You can search by name, document, book/page, etc, but for this search you want to click on NAME. When the page comes up type in First Town Site Company and Five pages of deed records will come up.
Here are just a few of the online deeds from the First Town Site Company:
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 11/19/1910 DEED RECORDS 344
480 DEED DIXON JOE L
Dixon Road which formed the southern edge of the unincorporated town of Somerset was named for the Dixons. The north-south street names are shown in the original 1909 Somerset play map above. It would have to be copied and enlarged to clearly read the street names and block numbers.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 3/14/1921 DEED RECORDS 636
61 DEED TOUCHSTONE R B
Dr. R.B. Touchstone was once one of Somerset's doctors.
Will Kenney was long the owner of the Kenney Red and White grocery store ,a fairly large brick building in Somerset. Blake and George Pyron acquired the store in 1948. My aunt Jessie Pyron Kenney was the wife of Will.
The original Pyron Store in Somerset became part of a small chain of grocery and other stores under Pyrons Inc, run by George Pyron (1918-1998).
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(1) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 5/13/1919 DEED RECORDS 566
6 DEED PYRON VIRGINIA
For $350 First Townsite Company deeded lots number 13 and 14 in Somerset Block Number 25 to Virginia Pyron, wife of A.M. Pyron, and my grandmother. Lots 13 and 14 are on the southwest corner of lot 25 which is the Corner of Fifth Street and Dixon Street, west of and very near Somerset Road. These lots may have been t where the St Mary Catholic Church was built, which was just north of the railroad crossing of Somerset Road and on the west side of Somerset Road. She may have donated the lots to the Church. The A.M. Pyron homestead tract, where the A.M. Pyron home and four homes of his children were, adjoined Somerset to the north across Dixon Road, and was not part of the land originally owned by the First Town Site Company.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 1/18/1924 DEED RECORDS 748
608 DEED HERRERA J M
J.M. Herrera could be a descendant of Blase Herrera of the Texas Army whose descendants lived at the the Somerset Road-Medina River crossing area.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTE 5/1/1909 DEED RECORDS 310
93 DEED KURZ A
This might be Arthur Kurz, a son of Carl Kurz (1855-1940)
(3) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 3/18/1921 DEED RECORDS 636
58 DEED HILTON D E
D.E. Hilton was a doctor in Somerset and first husband of my Aunt Ida.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 5/1/1922 DEED RECORDS 674
453 DEED SOMERSET INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
In a 2011 E Mail the Texas General Land Office in Austin told me that most of the town of Somerset was from a Republic of Texas land grant to John Christopher for his services to the Texas Army and that the southwest corner of the Francisco Rolen Spanish land grant came down as far as the eastern part of what is now Somerset.
According to Jose Barragan of the Texas General Land Office in Austin in an E Mail of August 16, 2011, " Now, the short answer to your question regarding Somerset is yes; the
southwest corner of the Francisco Rolen grant includes the very eastern
portions of Somerset. According to our maps, however, most of Somerset
lies within the boundaries of a title issued to John Christopher, you
may find more about him under Bexar County, Abstract Number 154. If
you’d like to see this on a map, visit our home page
http://www.glo.texas.gov/ ”
The Francisco Rolen Spanish Land Grant was a strip of land that ran south from the south bank of the Medina River. Jose Barragan of the Texas General Land Office says the narrow strip came south as far as Somerset, which is about five miles from the Medina. The Rolen Spanish Land Grant came south as far as the George W. Mudd tract which A.M. Pyron bought in 1882. At sometime in the 19th century Carl Kurz acquired over a hundred acres of the Rolen grant at its south end. The Kurz land was across what became Payne Road from the A.M. Pyron land/
An online deed record shows that Billie E. Kurz McCord and her two sisters deeded land to Somerset that apparently belonged to their father and mother - the Gus Kurz place - adjoining the south-eastern edge of the original A.M. Pyron land, inherited by Blake B. Pyron in 1935. The Gus Kurz place was across Payne Road just to the east of the Blake Pyron 63 acres. The deed on October 27, 1994 from the daughters of Gus Kurz to Somerset says a 77.17 acre tact is "...out of the Francisco Rolen Survey no 48...being part of the abandoned railroad right of way." Blake B. Pyron (1889-1964) was my father.
http://www.glo.texas.gov/cf/land-grant-search/index.cfm
This documents from the General Land Office in Austin shows the original certificate in which the Republic of Texas issued to John Christopher an entitlement to lands in Texas, and is signed by the Secretary of War of the Republic. Another document in the file describes the land that was given to John Christopher in South Bexar county. Another document is about the grantee John Christopher deeding the land to : Thomas H. Moore patentee. Abstract number 154
Patent date Feb 10, 1860. Sold to Thomas H. Moore on 7/18/1860 1280 acres by John Christopher
Bounty Warrant Certificate From Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas, Number 3035, April 25, 1838.
John Christopher is said to have served in the Texas Army from December 1836 to April 1838.
Apparently Thomas H. Moore paid John Christopher $300 for the 1280 acres in 1860.
“Survey for Thomas H. Moore of 1280 acres of land situated about 19.5 miles SW of San Antonio, being the quantity of land to which he is entitled by virtue of said warrant Number 3035…to John Christopher and by him transfererred to the said Moore. Said survey is number 55 in Section number 2."
Part of the description of the 1280 acres of land in South Bexar county, Texas deeded from the Republic of Texas land grant of John Christopher to Thomas H. Moore in 1860 says "Beginning at a stake set for the SE corner of Survey number 53 and the NE corner of this survey from which a mesquite six inches in diameter bears N 11 W 10 varas and a mesquite eight inches in diameter bears N 42 E 12 varas. Thence south 5088 varas to stake set for the SE corner of the survey on the west line of survey number 48, from which a black oak ten inches in diameter bears S 4 3/4 W 6 4/5 varas, and a black jack twelve inches in diameter bears N 8 W 8 varas." This survey was done on August 25, 1838, which was during the years of the Republic of Texas.
I did not find on https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx , which is the online Bexar County Clerk office site for land transactions, a deed from Thomas H. Moore to S.R. Jordon, but in 1878 the wife of S.R. Jordon sold a tract from the John Christopher Republic of Texas tract of 1280 acres to J.T. Williams.
On June 12, 1878 the wife of S. R. Jordon for $550 deeded a tract of land to J.T. Williams, out of the survey number 53 , granted to Thomas H.Moore, asignee of John Christopher, Bounty Warrent for 1280 acres, as shown by Patent 109, Volume 12, containing one hundred and sixty acres. https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx
On https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/default.aspx I found a land transaction on 7/28/1881 in which J.T. Williams sold a tract of land of 80 acres to Eugene S. Norris out of Survey Number 53 granted to Thomas H. Moore assignee of John Christopher. This probably was the 80 acres sold to J.T. Williams by S.R. Jordon in 1848.
.The southwestern end of the John Christopher grant was owned by Eugene S. Norris, who sold 160 acres in 1909 to Karl Kurz, who, in turn, sold a strip of land of about 109 acres in 1909 to the First Town Site Company for the creation of the town of Somerset.
Carl Kurz on April 13, 1909 bought two tracts of 80 acres each from Eugene S. Norris, which were out of the south-west end of the John Christopher tract for six thousand dollars. .
On https://govapps1.propertyinfo.com/wam3/SearchResults.asp
On May 1, 1909 Carl and Auguste Kurz for ten thousand dollars deeded 109 acres out of the John Christopher survey number 53, patented to Thomas H. Moore to the First Town Site Company. The sale by Carl Kurz of 109 acres of the Eugene S. Norris 160 acres to the First Town Site Company was on May 1, 1909 according to the Document Index Detail. See Bexar county Book 310, page 93.
Carl Kurz, or he and others involved in the First Town Site Company, left a strip of land of 50 acres just west of the 1909 Somerset tract of about 109 acres. I do not know why they did not include this strip in the original Somerset tract. On page two of a November 9, 1912 deed of J.N. Dixon to L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood the 109 acres of the original Somerset tract is described and also that left over strip bordering it on the west. Remember that Carl Kurz bought two 80 acres tracts side by side from Eugene S. Norris in April of 1909, totaling 160 acres. The November 9, 1912 deed of J.N. Dixon describes this left over fifty acres as being 1251 varas south to north and 229 varas east to west. Since the 1909 Somerset tract is said to be 1251 varas along the west line of the Pedro Ruiz line, south to north, the left over 50 acres runs exactly beside the Somerset 1909 tract. Its about 230 yards wide and maybe two thirds of a mile long. ThisNovember 9, 1912 deed says after J. N. Dixon sold his one fifth interest to L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood that A.M. Pyron, T.B. Touchstone, George W. Caruthers, Carl Kurz and jointly L.S. Morrison and John Eastwood, all owned a one fifth interest in this left over strip of land. I am not sure when or how this strip was transferred to others. The Kenney Addition, which is west of the original Somerset tract came out of the Samuel Wheeler tract, survey Number 130, which was the next strip of land west of the John Christopher grant.
The reference to the Pedro Ruiz line above refers to the Pedro Ruiz tract of land which was in the southeast corner of the John Christopher grant. Somerset was extended to the northeast into land that had been owned by the Ruiz family. Somerset Road runs though the original 1909 town area at an angle heading northeast, and it exits the original Somerset at Third Street and Blocks 18 and 22, and then the Ruiz land was on the east side of the road. P.G. Caruthers, August F. Ernst and others had once owned tracts out of the Ruiz land.
The Bexar county, Texas Clerk's office provides an online record of a great many land transactions, including those related to the founding of the town of Somerset.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset,_Texas
"The present site was named Somerset when the First Townsite Company was formed on the Artesian Belt Railroad right-of-way on May 25, 1909, by A. M. Pyron, Carl Kurz, and Jonas A. Kerr."
On a February 25, 1913 online Bexar county Clerk's land transactions, involving release of oil leases, the President of the Somerset Oil and Gas Co is Jno A. Kerr. But on a September 20, 1917 document the President of the Somerset Oil and Gas Co is listed as John A. Kerr. This 1917 document is also about releasing land owners from oil leases. . Unless Jno A. Kerr might have been a different Kerr than John A. Kerr, Jno A. Kerr and John A. Kerr appear to be one and the same man, born in 1874 in Bexar county, Texas, according to www.familysearch.org .
On March 11, 1921 Jno A. Kerr is listed as the Secretary of the First Townsite Company on a deed involving Dr. R.B. Touchstone .
In 1909 Carl Kurz was President of the First Townsite Company, and in 1911 and in 1912 A.M. Pyron was President, while I found that Jas G. Boles was President from June 1913 through March 1924, So, Jno A. Kerr was involved with both the Somerset Oil and Gas Company, with Carl Kurz and A.M. Pyron, at least in earlier years. Carl Kurz sold the land that became Somerset to the First Townsite Company in 1909, and was also President in 1909. A.M. Pyron was the second President of the company.
The manuscript "Old Somerset and the Caruthers Family," by Beth Walker and Judy Barker" says that "Knowing the coming of the railroad would create prosperity, the First Townsite Company was organized by A.M. Pyron, Carl Kurz, Dr. R. B. Touchstone, Jim Dixon and George Caruthers. They bought the E.S. Norris farm in order to get land for the depot and laid out the Townsite of New Somerset."
Carl Kurz (1855-1940) came to the U. S. from Germany. A.M. Pyron (1846-1932) was born in North Mississippi, lived in Louisiana and Arkansas and came to Texas in 1867.
The deeds I found from the First Town Site Company are on https://govapps1.propertyinfo.com/wam3/SearchResults.asp
The First Townsite Company was a private corporation. See excerpts below of the actual deed from the First Townsite Company to W. Kenney, who is Will Kenney.
Here is a deed from the First Town Site Company in 1920 to Ernest Eastwood.
"August 27, 1920
First Town Site Company Warranty Deed Ernest Eastwood
...the First Town Site Company, a private corporation...for and in consideration of three hundred and fifty ($350) dollars...has granted...unto said Ernest Eastwood of Bexar county, Texas...that certain tract ...in Bexar county, Texas, and is a part of the John Christopher Survey number 55 patented to Thomas H. Moore...and being lots number eight (8) and nine (9) in block number thirty-four (34) in the town of Somerset, Bexar county, Texas.
First Town Site Company
By Jas, G. Boles, President
If someone is interested, many of the online Bexar county Clerk's office deeds from the First Town Site Company to various people can be found by signing up at https://gov.propertyinfo.com/tx-bexar/
Provide a user name and a password. Then type that user name and password in where it says ALREADY REGISTERED, Log In - Search. You can search by name, document, book/page, etc, but for this search you want to click on NAME. When the page comes up type in First Town Site Company and Five pages of deed records will come up.
Here are just a few of the online deeds from the First Town Site Company:
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 11/19/1910 DEED RECORDS 344
480 DEED DIXON JOE L
Dixon Road which formed the southern edge of the unincorporated town of Somerset was named for the Dixons. The north-south street names are shown in the original 1909 Somerset play map above. It would have to be copied and enlarged to clearly read the street names and block numbers.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 3/14/1921 DEED RECORDS 636
61 DEED TOUCHSTONE R B
Dr. R.B. Touchstone was once one of Somerset's doctors.
Will Kenney was long the owner of the Kenney Red and White grocery store ,a fairly large brick building in Somerset. Blake and George Pyron acquired the store in 1948. My aunt Jessie Pyron Kenney was the wife of Will.
The original Pyron Store in Somerset became part of a small chain of grocery and other stores under Pyrons Inc, run by George Pyron (1918-1998).
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(1) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 5/13/1919 DEED RECORDS 566
6 DEED PYRON VIRGINIA
For $350 First Townsite Company deeded lots number 13 and 14 in Somerset Block Number 25 to Virginia Pyron, wife of A.M. Pyron, and my grandmother. Lots 13 and 14 are on the southwest corner of lot 25 which is the Corner of Fifth Street and Dixon Street, west of and very near Somerset Road. These lots may have been t where the St Mary Catholic Church was built, which was just north of the railroad crossing of Somerset Road and on the west side of Somerset Road. She may have donated the lots to the Church. The A.M. Pyron homestead tract, where the A.M. Pyron home and four homes of his children were, adjoined Somerset to the north across Dixon Road, and was not part of the land originally owned by the First Town Site Company.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 1/18/1924 DEED RECORDS 748
608 DEED HERRERA J M
J.M. Herrera could be a descendant of Blase Herrera of the Texas Army whose descendants lived at the the Somerset Road-Medina River crossing area.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTE 5/1/1909 DEED RECORDS 310
93 DEED KURZ A
This might be Arthur Kurz, a son of Carl Kurz (1855-1940)
(3) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 3/18/1921 DEED RECORDS 636
58 DEED HILTON D E
D.E. Hilton was a doctor in Somerset and first husband of my Aunt Ida.
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(2) FIRST TOWNSITE COMPANY GTR 5/1/1922 DEED RECORDS 674
453 DEED SOMERSET INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
On
October 1, 1909 First Townsite Company deeded lots 5, 6, and 7 in Block
Number 22 of Somerset to Joe L. Dixon. Block 22 is between Third and
Fourth Street on Somerset Road north of the old railroad crossing of
Somerset Road. This 1909 deed is signed by C. Kurz, President of the
First Townsite Company.
Then, for a November 2, 1912 deed from the First Townsite Company to W. Kenney the deed is signed by A.M. Pyron, President.
Then, for a November 2, 1912 deed from the First Townsite Company to W. Kenney the deed is signed by A.M. Pyron, President.
The original Pyron Store in Somerset became part of a small chain of grocery and other stores under Pyrons Inc, run by George Pyron (1918-1998).
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