From the archives of the Texas Historical Commission. Re-printed in the Robertson County Historical Foundation's Annual Pilgrimage of Homes, Churches, & Library, May 5 & 6, 2001: A Spring Celebration of the History of Robertson County.

On August 13, 1870, the petition for the incorporation of the town of Bremond, Texas was accepted, and the first election day was set for November of that same year.  The townspeople, who like the rest of those living in Texas, still came under Federal military control following the war between the state, were elated.  The listed interim officials were duly elected at that time with no changes, even though they were known as "radicals."

Times were tough with taxes being extremely high and harsh methods used to collect those taxes.

Nevertheless, the men of the town had organized their efforts and did their job well.  First, in July of 1969, a deed was filed and signed from William Keigwin to William Baker, et al: "For $2,100 sold in hand - following land; beginning at a stake of the east side of a survey belonging to B. Combs, it being the Western boundary of the Keigwin Survey of 2,914 acres. Thence from said stake NWE 1987 varas for corner; then SE 1.987 varas for corner, thence SW 1987 varas for corner, thence NW 1987 varas to the place of the beginning, containing 700 acres."

In keeping with their knowledge that the railroad, a highly touted event that they through would make their town an immediate success, was eminent, they laid out the plat of the town accordingly.  The mapping of the town was shaped by the central division of the railroad right-of-way.  A surveyor named Smith staked blocks, lots, and streets of the proposed town.  There were 284 blocks and 36 farm sections staked off.

The residential area was divided into 10 blocks and the business section into 18 lots per block, with the two main street, Main and Commerce, placed directly on either side of the railroad in a north-south route, as well as a spur going east-west in the northern section, known as the Waco spur.  The well thought out plan boasted 22 cross streets (east-west) and 10 street running parallel, five on the east side and five on the west side of the two main streets.  Before long, the town was filling up with merchants and workers, some building good homes and businesses, others throwing up make-shift hinged buildings which could be taken down and removed easily.

Within a very short time of the deed change and survey, a map was prepared.  An attorney was asked to prepare the proper papers to send in to the legislature.  An application for the incorporation of the town was forwarded to the Secretary of State on August the 12th, 1869.

It took almost a full year for the railroad tracks to actually reach the town site.  During that time, the officials on the county treated the people very harshly.  During the summer of 1870, the people of Bremond, in a high state of discontent, drew up a petition to create "Bremond County."  The petition was forwarded to the state legislature on June 28, 1870.  The state committee let the petition die, and instead, accepted the earlier petition for the incorporation of the town on August the 13th, 1870.

On their first election day in November of 1870, the interim officials, who had governed the town, were duly elected with no changes.  They were:  James Whitmore, mayor; Frank Scott, marshall; Jim Perkins, William Kearby, J. W. Sparks, and M. P. Knowls, commissioners or councilmen.

Also see Bremond.

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