1964
L. P. HODGE HOME
FM1603, CHATFIELD, NAVARRO COUNTY, TEXAS
Louis Guion Chapter, Corsicana, TX
The home, “Hodge Oaks”, was built by slave labor in 1860 by Captain Robert Hodge, grandfather of L. P. Hodge. It was named “Hodge Oaks” for the magnificent oaks in the yard, the house was surrounded by a 1280 acre plantation. The lumber used in building the house was hauled by ox cart from Jefferson, and the hardware and nails came by ox cart from Galveston. Slave cabins (one of which survives today), barns and outbuildings were located north of the main house. An old oak tree under which Captain Hodge emancipated his one hundred slaves in 1865 is still standing. Originally, a widow’s walk crowned the roof, from which the Captain and family surveyed the countryside for marauding bands of Yankees during Reconstruction.
Famed for his hospitality to travelers, Capt. Hodge entertained many distinguished guests here including Sen. John H. Reagan, who became Postmaster General of the Confederacy and Gen. Jo Shelby, C.S.A., who visited in June, 1865 on his way to join the Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. Lovingly restored by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Haynes, the house is presently home to four generations.
In 1964 the Louis Guion Chapter of Corsicana placed a marker on the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Hodge in Chatfield, Texas. Mrs. Will M. Miller, Chapter Regent, and Mrs. Chaillos Cross, State Chairman of the Historic Landmarks and Memorials Committee, planned the ceremonies.
Famed for his hospitality to travelers, Capt. Hodge entertained many distinguished guests here including Sen. John H. Reagan, who became Postmaster General of the Confederacy and Gen. Jo Shelby, C.S.A., who visited in June, 1865 on his way to join the Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. Lovingly restored by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Haynes, the house is presently home to four generations.
In 1964 the Louis Guion Chapter of Corsicana placed a marker on the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Hodge in Chatfield, Texas. Mrs. Will M. Miller, Chapter Regent, and Mrs. Chaillos Cross, State Chairman of the Historic Landmarks and Memorials Committee, planned the ceremonies.