This Date In Texas History - December 24

[joe817]

1829 - 28-year-old Gail Borden Jr. immigrated to Mexican Texas to become one of the "Old 300" in Stephen F. Austin's colony. Borden later became known as an surveyor, newspaper publisher, inventor, farmer, dairy company owner, missionary, anti-gambling crusader, tax collector and, eventually, philanthropist. He created the first topographical map of Texas. But he's best known as the inventor of condensed milk (in 1856) and founder of the dairy company that bore his name and made Elsie the Cow a 20th century national celebrity.

1852 - The first railroad locomotive in Texas arrived in Galveston. Following the completion of the railroad between Harrisburg (near Houston) and Stafford's point in September, the General Sherman began operation on the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway Company.

1905 - Future billionare Howard Robard Hughes was born in Houston.

1924 -The small town of Paradise in Wise County, was looted, when a gang of thieves robbed virtually every store in town, including the bank.

[seamusTX]

Gail Borden lived in my neighborhood, but obviously long before I got here.

- Jim