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■ 10 the BAYTOWN SUN Thursday- January jUgBavland Orphanage a Baytown landmarkJ .... the fields until dark. clearly pointed out by one par-Smith knew his cousin s reputation as an educator and talked him into coming here toBy BRYAN NETHERYOn the south side of town, along Highway 146 where it crosses Goose Creek Stream, is a city park tucked away amid some tall pine trees.If you were driving by and not looking for it, you’d probably miss it.On the shoulder of the southbound lane, you will find a state historical marker entitled “Bayland Orphanage.” The marker commemorates the site of Bayland, a home for Confederate war orphans established in 1866.The land at the mouth of Goose Creek originally belonged to a pioneer dentist by the name of Dr. John L. Bryan. He came to Texas in the year of its independence from Mexico, 1836.Bryan settled on the hilly peninsula overlooking the creek and built a large red-brick house, sometime after arriving in Texas. He was a learned man, invaluable to the settlers. He made his own dental equipment and made his calls on horseback.The Bryan home was sold to the Rev. C.C. Preston. Rev. Preston came from the East Coast shortly after the Civil War, hoping to establish an elite private school. His venture was ill-prepared and poorly financed, and failed soon after it began.Around this same time leaders in the Houston-Galveston area were recognizing the need for a home for the children of Confederate war dead.In 1866 Rev. Preston petitioned the Texas Legislature on behalf of a group of these men for a charter to incorporate a home at Bayland. The charter was granted on Sept. 24 of the same year, and the organizers bought the home and farm fromPreston.On Jan. 15,1867, a group comprised of Dr. AShbei Smith, Henry F. Gillette, Dr. John L.Bryan and Col. J.T. Brady met for the first time to plan operation of the home, farm and school. These men, plus Judge W.P. Ballinger, Preston and Col. F.H. Merriman made up the first board of trustees.Dr. Bryan died shortly after the orphanage was organized.1 His wife and family, however, remained active in their support of the home. The Bryan family contributed a small church, which became the school, and their second house, which was used as the girls’ dormitory.Ashbel Smith served the home in another capacity — as its physician.Preston was the first superintendent, for a short period, followed by J.H. Ker. Both served before the home began operation. They were followed by Gillette, who held the position for the next 14 years.Gillette came to Texas from Connecticut in 1831, at the age of 16. He had been prepared for the Episcopal ministry, but wound up teaching school when he found the placid, even sedentary, lifestyle of the clergy to have an ill effect on his health.He taught school at Houstonand Washington-on-the-Brazos.While in Houston, Gillette became friends with two presidents of the Republic, Sam Houston and Anson Jones. Despite the opportunities, he declined all their offers for political appointments.In 1844 Gillette moved to Independence, where two years later, as Baylor University was being organized, he took fullresponsibility for its preparatory school.Gillette eventually resigned his post at Baylor and sold his home. He was looking for a means of adequately supporting his family when his cousin Ashbel Smith, contacted him, This was in late 1866 or early 1867.teach.Ironically, Gillette came expecting it to be a temporary arrangement. to last only a few months. Like so many who are truly dedicated to their profession, he wound up putting more into it than he had originally planned.Gillette brought his family here in 1867. They settled on some land near Ashbel Smith's plantation, Evergreen. There they built a fine two-story home which they called Bell Prairie.As superintendent Gillette had many duties. Basically, he was responsible for the general operation of the home, farm, andschool.He was principal and teacher for the school, which lasted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a half-hour recess at noon. At 3 p.m. the children were dismissed and ale lunch.The superintendent called on his training as preacher to teach a weekly Sunday school, although it was probably not held on Sundays.Each Saturday Gillette rpde from the home at Bayland to his home at Belt Prairie. He spent Saturday nights and Sundays with his family. And he did it all on a salary of Si,800 per year.At the height of its activity Bayland was home to some 250 children. The census of 1870, four years after the home was chartered, lists 83 residents, ages l to 18.That figure peaked at 250 during the 1870s, and by 1880 census records show 47 residents lived at Bayland.In 1880 Henry Gillette resignedhis post at the home. He hadserved for 14 years, and at age 65 was no longer able to keep up with the strenuous routine.Gillette was fond of the children and dedicated to histicular event.The superintendent bought some worthless properly near the orphanage, out of his own funds, in order to keep a brick factory from being built on the land.This may not seem like much until it is noted that throughout his tenure, the orphanage was almost always in debt to him for at least part of his salary.At one point, the home owed Gillette more than $10,000 in unpaid salary. It was unable to pay in cash and asked him to accept land as reimbursement. This he graciously agreed to do, to the tune of 10,000 acres.Gillette retired to his home at Bell Prairie, where he lived until his death in 1896.The dealings with Gillette are but one example of the many real estate transactions the orphanage made.The home received a charter from the state, but little, if any, monetary aid. It had to rely onJmer wkinV^hfheb™yS?n role a. the school. This tact Is (See BAYLAND, Page 22,
Newspaper Details
Baytown Sun
Baytown, Texas, US
Thu, Jan 24, 1985
Page 47
Full Page
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USA 26 Apr 2019
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