The family of Andres de Acosta, who settled in Nacogdoches in 1779, owned this property as early as 1809. Acosta sold the property, which included a house to Joseph Durst (1789-1843) in 1827. Durst, who was alcalde of Nacogdoches when he bought the property, sold it in 1836 to David Hoffman, then alcalde. It included a house. The architecture of this dwelling is representative of a traditional house form of Anglo settlers in East Texas. It features gable end chimneys, slightly tapered square columns and balustrade, and paneled shutters. It is possible that this restored structure dates prior to 1827, but it is more probable, because of its Anglo characteristics, to have been constructed during Durst's tenure. Subsequent owners of the house include: Issac W. Burton, veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto; Bennett Blake, delegate to the 1875 Constitutional Convention; Thomas J. Rusk, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and one of Texas' first two United States Senators; and William Ochiltree, member of the Provisional Congress of the Confederacy. Lawrence S. Taylor (1842-1925), Civil War veteran and Nacogdoches County clerk, acquired the property in 1870. The property remained in the Taylor family until 1989.

Front side:
Large salt lake located 26 miles northeast was principal source of salt in South Texas during the Civil War. Put under state guard and agent 1862. Salt sold to families, Texas Military Board, Army of Confederacy and wagons returning north on cotton road-vital trade route for South thru Mexico. Due to military and domestic importance, Union forces periodically wrecked the salt works from November 1863 until War's end. It was also a Texas Confederate base for the 1864 recapture of Brownsville.

Back side:
Salting or smoking were only way to preserve meat at time of Civil War. When South levied a meat tithe, salt was necessary to cure bacon and beef for military. Salt was a must for horses and mules used by cavalry, artillery and supply wagons. Hides were preserved with it to make leather for shoes and harness. Other wartime salt works were operated along coast and in 7 counties in central, east and west Texas. El Sal del Rey, Spanish for "Salt for the King" also played a significant role in the history of Texas mineral law. A legal controversy raged for years over its ownership. Under Spain, mineral rights belonged to crown. Mexico retained the principle of the state ownership of minerals. Texas, as Republic and State, kept minerals in the public domain. Private possession of the lake began with the 1866 Texas Constitutional Convention which relinquished all minerals to landowners. The principle of private ownership was readopted in the Constitutions of 1869 and 1876.

Created December 20, 1849 from Navarro County. Organized August 5, 1850. Named in honor of Richard Ellis, 1781-1846 a Virginian by birth and education jurist and statesman in Alabama, 1813-1825. Moved to Texas in 1825. President of the Constitutional Convention, March 1836. Member of Congress of the Republic of Texas. Waxahachie, the county seat.

Texas pioneer Emory Rains served as an Alcalde under Mexican rule and as a counselor in the East Texas Regulator-Moderator War of the 1840s. As a Senator in the Republic of Texas Congress, he helped pass the Homestead Act. Rains also served in the 1845 Constitutional Convention and in the State Legislature, where he worked for the formation of this county, which was named in his honor. The Rains County Seat, Emory, was also named for him.

Born Va., July 17, 1790. As U.S. Army officer in War of 1812, was in Battle of New Orleans, married Anne Eliza Hill, of N.C. Had 7 children. Came to Texas in 1834. Served Republic of Texas on staff of Gen. Sam Houston, 1836; adjutant-general, 1842; member of Congress, 1843-1844; member of Constitutional Convention 1845. Gave site, 1848, for Laurel Hill Baptist Church (now First Baptist Church of Coldspring). D. Feb. 10, 1859.

Born Tennessee. Legislator. Went to Missouri 1853. Indian agent Kansas. Territory Kansas representative U.S. Congress 1854-57. Moved Texas before Civil War. Organized Lavaca County Company for C.S.A. 1861, led 4th Battalion Texas Cavalry Pea Ridge, Ark. wounded battle Iuka, Miss. Leading Legion. Made Brigadier General 1863. Left command due to ill health, fall 1863. Lavaca County delegate to Texas constitutional conventions, 1866, 1875.

Originated with Cavalry Company organized by Capt. J.W. Whitfield in Lavaca County 1861. Joined C.S.A. troops in Missouri to put Missouri, Kansas in Confederacy. Became part 4th Battalion Texas Cavalry participating Battle Pea Ridge, Ark. Mar. 1862. Organized as 27th Texas Cavalry Regt., commonly called "Whitfield's Legion", Apr. 1862. Soon dismounted, sent to reinforce Gen. Beauregard at Corinth, Miss. Rendered valorous service at Battle Iuka, Sept. 1862 with 106 killed and wounded in successful charge against artillery battery. Protected retreating C.S.A. battery. Protected retreating C.S.A. Army at Hatchie River. Fought Battle Spring Hill, Miss. March 1863. Remounted and made part 2nd Cavalry Brigade commanded by Gen. Whitfield. Defeated Federals in attack at Messinger's Ferry, Miss. July 1863. Upon Gen. Whitfield's retirement Gen. "Sul" Ross assumed command and brigade gained renown as Ross Texas Brigade.

Born in Nashville Tennessee, January 8, 1804. Died in Galveston Texas October 6, 1841. Before coming to Texas in December 1835, he assisted in raising funds and securing volunteers for the army of Texas; delegate from the municipality of Milam to the Constitutional Convention held here from March 1 to 17, 1836, chairman of Committee of Five which drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence; appointed by President Burnet March 19, 1836; agent of Texas at Washington to secure the recognition of the sovereignty and independence of Texas by the United States.

The Rev. Early Greathouse (1810-1885) was ordained to the ministry in Georgia in 1846. He moved to Alabama in 1852, where he served in the state legislature and the Constitutional Conventions of 1865 and 1867. In 1870 Greathouse and his family arrived in Texas and bought land south of the present site of Temple. He built the first cotton gin in the area, and soon organized both the Knob Creek and Mt. Vernon Baptist Churches. He also set aside a tract of land to be used for a cemetery, probably in 1871. Though originally used as a family burial ground, other people of the community were later interred here. The oldest marked grave is that of Mattie Lee Clopton (1863-1875), granddaughter of Early Greathouse. Also buried here are several former slaves who came to Texas with the Greathouse family, and veterans of the Civil War and both World Wars, as well as one survivor of the Battle of San Jacinto. The Rev. Early Greathouse and his wife, the former Susan Talley, were the parents of ten children. In 1884 the Rev. and Mrs. Greathouse deeded a large tract of land to a daughter, who in turn sold one acre to the trustees of the Greathouse Cemetery Association of Bell County in 1908.

Formed form Young and Bexar territories. Created, August 21, 1876. Organized, July 5, 1886. Named in honor of John Hemphill, 1809-1862. First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Texas. Adjutant General of the Somervell Expedition. Member of the First State Constitutional Convention. Member of the United States Congress. Canadian, the county seat.

Soldier-statesman of the Republic of Texas. A hero of San Jacinto. Commander in chief of the army 1836. Chief justice of the Supreme Court 1839. President of the Constitutional Convention, 1845. United States Senator, 1846. He called Nacogdoches his home from 1835 to 1857.