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Shankleville roots |
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Stephen McBride |
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Stephen Alexander McBride |
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Date of Birth: March 26, 1834 - Navasota, Texas Married: Mary M. Graham (Shankle) - Dec 25, 1879 Date of Death: Jan 20, 1920 - Shankleville, Texas Buried: Shankleville Cemetery - Shankleville, Texas
Eighty years after his death, Stephen is still held in high regards by members of the Newton County and Shankleville communities. His contributions were numerous. He was the first man to buy land in what would become known as Shankleville. That purchase was made on November 4, 1869. He purchased 100 acres for $250.00, for the purpose of a burial ground. |
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In his adult life, Stephen acquired thousands of acres of land. A man who cared about and wanted to provide a place for his people. The word soon spread that any ex-slaves who wanted to settle down in the newly forming community were welcome. Stephen provided land to build the community, land for a church, a school and a cemetery.
Stephen was a businessman. He provided the majority of employment for his community. Having grown up on plantations in Texas and Georgia, he knew what it took to have a prosperous community, to be self-reliant and exercise self-determination. Stephen built and owned: a sawmill, cotton gin, syrup mill, gristmill, blacksmith shop, store and McBride College. He also built a store. He would travel by ox cart to Orange, Texas to buy supplies for the Shankleville community.
Cousin Emerson said “when Grandpa Stephen went to buy shoes for his children, he also bought shoes for all of the other children. He provided for all of the people in the community as though they were his own”.
Perhaps the most notable contribution that Stephen made to the community was McBride College. This was a two-story structure which also served as a community center. During the summer teachers came from near and far to attend McBride normal (a facility which trained teachers to teach). When school was not in session, McBride College was used to host revivals, featuring traveling preachers. It was used as a town hall for community meetings to discuss issues of concern.
Dr. A. E. Bowie, a physician who practiced medicine in Houston, Texas, was a former student of McBride College. Out of respect to his memories of Stephen A. McBride, Dr. Bowie provided medical care to the family of Charlie and Florida McBride, without charge, throughout all of his years of practice.
On one of my trips to the Newton Historical Center, I met Mr. L. C. Platt. During our conversation, he told me that his parents purchased McBride College, tore it down and used the lumber to build their home. Mr. Platt said that he was just a little boy then, but he was big enough to help pull the square nail out of the lumber. Regrettably, his parent’s home was destroyed by fire.
The most fascinating fact regarding Stephen’s accomplishments is that he could not read or write. These are skills which had been illegal for slaves. Yet, he was known to be a man of the Bible and knew it word for word. This knowledge was often demonstrated when Stephen would have his children read the Bible to him. If they made a mistake, he brought it to their attention and they would have to read the passage again, until they got it right.
Sitting on the front porch with Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Byerly and my father, Cecil McBride, in the early 1980’s, they spoke of grandpa Stephen riding his white horse with his dogs at his side. We sat, looking over the vacant land that was once filled with the activity of a hard working, growing, black community, McBride College. It was a community that was as self sufficient as a community could be, with small farms producing the bulk of what they needed. The people bartered with each other and they shared. In addition, grandpa Stephen raised cattle, hogs, and chickens with the help of his son, Charlie.
Even today, it is hard to believe that Stephen was born a slave, in Texas, owned by a former plantation owner from Georgia. Yet, it is true. He is one of many slaves across this country who overcame the obstacles of slavery and embraced his freedom with courage, diligence and concern for his fellow man. |