James Henry Dishman, a native of Cherokee County in East Texas, was forced at age six to assume a man’s role after his father’s death in the Civil War in 1864. He later moved to Kaufman County and built a successful ranching operation, then sold his ranch in 1892 and went to the South Texas Gulf Coast seeking new opportunities. In 1893 he bought a remote, undeveloped section of school land in northern Cameron County, built a homestead, and by 1895 had established a working ranch. As he expanded his holdings, he gained a reputation for industriousness and uncommon generosity. In 1897 a cattle rustler gravely wounded him, but with help from Dr. Fred and Dr. Joe Combes of Brownsville he recovered within six months. In 1904 he donated land for a railroad right-of-way that led to the creation of the town of Combes. He later gave more than 5 acres to the Combes community in 1924 for a Baptist church and cemetery, and in 1928 donated money and this site for an elementary school that was completed in 1930 and named for him. Dishman was buried beside his mother at Harlingen City Cemetery.