Henry Briden (1825-1908) came to Texas from his native Germany in 1845 and served for two years as a Texas Ranger. In 1849, he and his wife, Lucinda Sevier (1831-75), became the first permanent white settlers in what is now Johnson County when they built a one-room log cabin on the east bank of Nolan's River, 2.5 miles northwest. The structure was later used as a barn after Briden erected a larger home nearby. In 1974, it was restored and moved to this site.