History
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James W. Lauderdale (1854-1914), a Burleson County pioneer, came from Mississippi to Texas by covered wagon caravan. In 1888 he married Florence Brooks, and they had four children: Cyrus, Davis, Charles and Erin. Lauderdale was a landowner, rock quarrier, and successful stockman who had the first Hereford cattle in the area. He was instrumental in bringing the Santa Fe tie plant to Somerville, where ties came from the East Texas pineywoods via the Beaumont branch, creosote came from Germany via Galveston, and water came from Lauderdale's big lake, now Big Creek Marina.
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Somerville, Texas · United States
