Humble, Texas
History[edit | edit source]
Humble is an incorporated city in northeast Harris County, Texas within the Houston metropolitan area. It has a population of about 15,000 people (2012) and covers an area of about 10 square miles.
The area's earliest settlers were Native American Indian tribes. Prior to 1756, the Spanish established a military trail called "the Atascocita Trail" in this area. By 1820, the "Atascocita Road" had become one of the most traveled roads in Texas connecting San Antonio, San Felipe and Atascocita. In 1824, the Mexican government issued land grants along the San Jacinto River, the first in northeast Harris County went to David Harris for one league of land. An 1826 Census of Atascocita lists the Joseph Dunman family who settled in the area interesected by Wilson and Atascocita Roads, then known as Dunman Prairie.
By the 1850 US Census, several families were living in the Humble Area. Either just prior to or just after the Civil War, Pleasant Smith ("Plez") Humble and his family settled along the banks of the San Jacinto River, operating a ferry for a time. Pleasant Humble became the community's first postmaster, and the town was named after him. The name of the city is pronounced "UM ble" with a silent H.
From the 1870's to the early 1900's the primary industries in the area were farming, ranching, logging and lumber production at local sawmills. In 1877, a railroad going from Houston to Shepherd was built, going directly through Humble. These railroads, including a bridge to cross the San Jacinto River, facilitated transportation and gave the community its first economic boost.
The colorful story of oil in Humble began in the 1890's. Jim H. Slaughter was largely responsible for the discovery of the Humble oil field. The first well was drilled in 1902. C. E. Barrett discovered the first oil in Humble in May 1904 and on January 8, 1905, D. R. Beatty completed the first gusher. Oil production continued to be the lifeline of the community with production levels dwindling and then increasing again as new techniques were developed. Humble experienced its second oil boom in 1914 and a third in 1929.
Today, the City of Humble is part of the greater Houston metropolitan area.
(History taken from pamphlet distributed by the Humble Museum)
Neighboring Communities[edit | edit source]
North of The City of Humble is the San Jacinto River. Across the river is an unincorporated area of Harris County known as Forest Cove and a planned community annexed by the City of Houston known as Kingwood. To the east of the City of Humble are unincorporated areas of Harris County known as Atascocita and Eagle Springs. To the south of the City of Humble are the communities of Audubon Park and Fall Creek. To the west of the City of Humble, across US 59, is the George Bush Intercontinental airport.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
Biographies of local residents include:
Simon, Marilyn Lane and William Arnold Simon. "The ancestry and known descendants of Solomon Lee, 1758/60-1818 of New Hanover County, North Carolina" Hattisburg, MS: 1988
Smith, Nina and Dorothy Anderson. "A biographical sketch of the life of Justus Hurd Tull and his descendants, 1836-1972" Humble, Texas: Printed by Thornton Print Company, 1973
Sterling, Ross S. and Edward W Killman; Don E Carlton; Univsersity of Texas at Austin; Center for American History. "Ross Sterling, Texan: a memoir by the founder of Humble Oil and Refining Company" Austin: University of Texas Press, 2007.
Woodyard, Estelle. "Pioneers and sundry times" Houston, Texas: House of Fine Printing, 1980.
Cemeteries and Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
"Calvary Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery" Located at: 21723 Aldine-Westfield Road, Humble, TX 77338, Phone: 281-443-3340. Formerly known as Eternity Park (organized 1956), then as Forest Lawn North. Name changed when the Wright family purchased it. See findagrave.com and billiongraves.com
"Humble Cemetery" maintained by the City of Humble, Located at 341-405 S Houston Avenue, the NE corner of South Houston Avenue and Isaacks Road. See findagrave.com and billiongraves.com. Also, "Humble Cemetery, Humble Negro Cemetery, Humble, Harris Co., TX / surveyed May 2003" by Angela M. May. Available at Clayton Genealogical Library.
"Humble Negro Cemetery" Located about 200 yards north of the FM 1960 by-pass which runs along the north side of Humble, Texas and east of the railroad tracks and U.S. Highway 59. (GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 30.006264, Longitude: -95.261829). See findagrave.com and wikipedia. Also, "Humble Cemetery, Humble Negro Cemetery, Humble, Harris Co., TX / surveyed May 2003" by Angela M. May. Available at Clayton Genealogical Library.
"Rosewood Funeral Home and Cemetery" Also known as Rosewood Park Cemetery. Located at: 2602 South Houston Avenue, Humble, TX 77396, 281-441-2171. See findagrave.com and billiongraves.com
City Records[edit | edit source]
The City Government is known as a "Council-Manager" form of government. The City Council is the community's legislative body and is composed of the mayor, five elected Council Members and the City Manager.
"City of Humble, City Hall" Located at 114 W. Higgins, Humble, TX 77338. Phone: 281-446-3061. City records include council meeting minutes, building permits, etc. Contact the City Secretary for more information.
"Humble Municipal Court", Located in the Humble Criminal Justice Building, 315 Bender Avenue, Humble, TX 77338.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
"Church of Christ" Location: 621 Herman Street, Humble TX 77338. Phone: (281) 446-256. " In February 1926, members met in the upper room over the Sandlin Drug Store, which at a later date was Humble’s post office on Main Street. They also met briefly in the community church building at Moonshine Hill. They purchased land on Herman Street and erected a frame building in 1928/29. Due to growth in membership, additional classrooms were built in 1962." (Humble Museum)
"Evangel Church" established 1920. Location: 117 S Houston Ave, Humble TX 77338. Phone:(281) 446-6643. "The Church was established in Humble during the Summer of 1920. In the Fall of 1921 a rustic building was erected and used until a church was built on Avenue D between Sixth and Seventh Streets in 1926. In 1943, a new building was built at the Church’s present site, 117 South Houston Avenue. While the building was being erected, the congregation worshipped at the vacant Union Church at Moonshine Hill." (Humble Museum)
"First Assembly of God" Location: 1915 FM 1960 Bypass East, Humbl TX 77338. Phone: (281) 446-7215. "The Church organized in Humble in 1919. Soon thereafter, three lots were purchased at Granberry and Avenue D and a building was begun in 1923 on this site. In 1955/56, Sunday School rooms were added at the back of the Church. In the early 1960’s the Church was enlarged at the front, the building bricked and modernized. In 1971, five acres were purchased on South Houston Ave and a new building was built in 1976. Due to tremendous growth land was purchased on FM 1960 bypass and a new building erected in 1995." (Humble Museum)
"First Baptist Church" Location: 19901 Townsen Blvd E., Humble Texas, 77338. Phone:(281) 446-8168. "The church was organized in early 1906 with 11 charter members. They built their first church, a frame building on the corner of Main St. and Avenue C sometime after 1912. It was used until 1956 when it was replaced by a brick sanctuary and educational building. On Aug 4, 1974 they moved to a new multi- purpose building and a new site on south Houston Avenue. Due to growth, they purchased property on FM 1960 and moved again in 2003." (Humble Museum)
"First United Methodist Church" Location: 800 E Main St, Humble, TX 77338. Phone: 281-446-2332. "In 1907, the Methodist group began meeting in an old building in Humble which was formerly a bottle factory. In February, 1908, the Church was organized with 37 members. The first Church building was erected in 1909 at 800 Main St. and was destroyed by fire in 1930. A brick veneer Church was build through a labor of love with members and people from the community completing the Church in 1932." (Humble Museum)
"St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church" Location: 527 South Houston Ave. Humble, TX 77338. Phone: (281) 446-8211. "The congregation first made its appearance in Humble in 1912 as a Mission church. In 1915 this original St. Mary’s Chruch was constructed on the corner of Avenue F and Higgins Street. The building was later moved to the church campus on South Houston Avenue and enlarged. The Humble area was beginning to see a rapid population growth and it was decided that a new church and school of religion should be built as soon as possible. On February 23, 1969, the new church was dedicated and the new school building was blessed. During the 1970’s the new parish hall was completed." (Humble Museum)
"St. Paul Baptist Church" "Organized in 1869 on the north side of Humble at a place called “The Old Pipe Yard” and named Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. A few years later the edifice was moved to another location and the name changed to St. Paul Baptist Church. Later on account of the exodus of the people, the church was moved about three or four hundred yards west of Hwy 59 on Westfield Rd on the north side. In 1937 the church began a movement to move the church from that location near Hwy 59 to its present location in Bordersville. After raising $150 they began to move it on skids. It took 21 days through the woods to bring the church to its present location. It was June 27, 1937, when they landed the house here. In 1947 they began building the concrete block walls and continued making other improvements through the years." (Humble Museum)
"Union Church" "The Church was erected on Texas Company property at the corner of Moonshine Hill Road and Moonshine Hill Loop during the oil boom in the early 1900’s. It was used by various denominations on a rotating basis and was a hub of activity for many years. Conversations with old timers reveal many wonderful memories centered around the Church and its activities." (Humble Museum)
Directories[edit | edit source]
Humble Museum has Humble City Directories for 1957 and 1958.
Histories[edit | edit source]
Smith, Nina and Daughters of the American Revolutions James Tull Chapter (Humble, Texas) "A history of the Humble, Texas area" Available at Clayton Genealogical Library.
Moore, Jerry. "A History of the Greatest City on the Planet!, Humble, Texas" Baltimore : Independence Books, c2010. Available at Lone Star College, Kingwood Campus.
Goodwin, Charles R. "Main Street and the Back Sides of Main Street, a glimpse of the way it used to be--Humble." booklet, Humble Museum.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
"Oil City News" published from 1912 to 1942. Dyson Lunn, publisher.1912 Supplement to newspaper gives history of local businesses and prominent settlers. Copy available at Humble Museum.
"Echo" published from 19 June 1942 to about 1993 Emery and Sophia Beaumont publishers. Weekly column about City of Humble remembrances and history by Charles R. Goodwin titled "Back Tracks" from 1988 to 1993. Copies available at Humble Museum. Weekly column about City of Humble past local events and residents by Peggy Huffman titled "Be it ever so Humble" from 8 Jun 1988 to 29 Nov 1989.
"Humble Observer" Weekly column about City of Humble history by Jerry Moore from 3 Oct 2007 to 14 May 2008. Copies available at Humble Museum.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Humble Museum has the following school records:
Humble High School Yearbooks, 1919-2002 (some years missing)
1919-2005 Humble Wildcats Basketball
80 Years of Humble Football
James Tull Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, "Humble Texas, School Records" 1992. Book contains school newsletter (Gusher), Scholarship records, and school records, circa 1921.
Societies, Museums, and Libraries[edit | edit source]
"Atascocita Kingwood Genealogical Society"
"The Humble Area Genealogical Society" Maintains a genealogy research room and library at the Humble Museum.
"Humble Museum" 219 Main Street, Humble, Texas 77338. Phone: 281-446-2130.Open: Tuesday through Friday 10AM to 4PM, Saturday 10AM to 2P. The Humble Museum is an excellent place to start your research into local residents and history. Among the museum's collections are scrapbooks from local papers, photo collections, a wall map on linen of the 1918 Humble Oil Field, and other resources.
"Kingwood Texas Family History Center" 4021 Deerbrook, Kingwood, TX 77339. Phone: 281-360-1352
"Octavia Fields Branch Library" part of the Harris County Public Library System. 1503 South Houston, Humble, TX 77338. Phone: 281-446-3377
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Websites[edit | edit source]
"Humble, Texas" at wikipedia.com
"The History of the City of Humble" at the City of Humble website
"Humble, Texas" Texas State Historical Association website