by Marks Hinton
» JESSE JONES: Tombstone in Forest Park Lawndale cemetery
JOLLY ROGER: See sidebar Pirates of the Caribbean, page 280.
JONES: Charles – (See Porter.)
JONES: Henry – One of Stephan F. Austin’s Old 300, he was born in Virginia in 1798 and came to Texas in 1822. Jones settled on a league of land in what would become Fort Bend County. He was a farmer and rancher. He died in 1861 and is buried in the Jones Family Cemetery on the historic George Ranch. (See Booth and A. P. George Ranch.)42
» JESSE JONES: Builder of Old Texas Company Building
JONES: Jesse H. – Very few Houstonians did so much for our great city as Jesse Holman Jones. Yet until the completion of the Jesse Jones Memorial Bridge on Beltway 8 over the Houston Ship Channel there was no road, street or alley named for this modest giant. It is impossible to list his accomplishments in a paragraph (read Jesse H. Jones: The Man and the Statesman by Bascom N. Timmons). He was an entrepreneur, visionary, real estate developer, banker, businessman and politician. He helped us get the Ship Channel, built the Texas Company building, was chairman of the National Bank of Commerce, owned the Houston Chronicle and was an early stockholder in Humble Oil & Refining (now Exxon Mobil). He and his wife, Mary, started Houston Endowment. During the Great Depression he was chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and Federal Loan Agency. He served as Secretary of Commerce during President Roosevelt’s third term. Jones died in 1956 and is buried in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.31
JONES: L. D. – (See Porter.)
JONES: William J. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.
JONES: Y. U. – This street is named for a man who settled in Thompsons about 1910.43
JUAREZ: Benito – This Zapotec Indian from Oaxaca became Mexico’s greatest president. He was born in 1806. An excellent student, Juarez eventually attained a law degree. He served as a councilman in Oaxaca, a civil judge, federal deputy, governor of Oaxaca, minister of the interior and Supreme Court justice. In 1861 he was elected President of Mexico. From 1863 until 1867 he fought the puppet regime of Maximilian who had been installed by the French. When Maximilian was deposed in 1867, Juarez reassumed control of the government. He is remembered as the leader who returned his country to the Mexican people.44
JUBAL EARLY: See sidebar the Antebellum Streets of River Plantation, page 122.
JUERGEN: Edward F. – This German immigrant settled in the Cypress Creek area in the late 1800s. He built Juergen’s General Store in 1898. Five years later he constructed a second location in the town of Cypress. That village has long been the “dance capital” of the area due to the dance-loving pioneers who lived there. Juergen built a dance hall on Hempstead Road in 1911 that operated until the Great Depression. (See Siedel Cemetery.) 33, 45
JULIET: Named for one of the star-crossed lovers in William Shakespeare’s 1597 play Romeo and Juliet, it is only appropriate that it intersects Romeo in this Pasadena neighborhood.
JULIFF-MANVEL: Once part of the antebellum Arcola Plantation, the town was named by John J. Juliff, an early pioneer, in the 1850s. It was a quiet little place until a dance hall and saloon opened in 1933. Before long Juliff was known for its gambling, drinking and prostitution. A local pundit gave it a nickname via a short poem – “Ditty Wa Ditty, ain’t no town, ain’t no city.” By the 1960s police has closed most of the joints and Juliff faded into obscurity. (See Manvel.) 46
JUNIOR COLLEGE: This street fronts on Wharton County Junior College. This state supported institution opened in 1946. 47
JUNKER: Julius – This Rosenberg resident was a founder of KFRD, the first radio station in Fort Bend County, in 1948. This 1,000 watt station reached 22 surrounding counties. Visiting movie star Jack Palance once stopped by the station after hearing it play some Eastern European polka music. He was of Ukrainian origin. (See Radio.)48
ALL THINGS ENGLISH
Larry Nierth was a real estate developer in Houston in the 1940s and 1950s. He had a passion for all things English and named many streets in his projects for people and places associated with the British Isles. Prior to opening Afton Village, he developed Afton Oaks in what is now the Galleria area. Streets there with an English flare include: Devon and Suffolk, counties in England; Banbury and Newcastle, English towns; Shetland, islands off Scotland; Staunton, a British Shakespearian scholar and Ivanhoe, the hero of an 1819 Sir Walter Scott novel. He often added the suffix “shire” to names he liked (Aftonshire and Oakshire). Shire is a term once used to describe an administrative district in the United Kingdom.
His Anglican passion carried over to the streets of Afton Village. While Afton has no meaning, I believe Nierth thought it sounded English. Alderney is the northernmost of the larger Channel Islands. It is located in the English Channel between Britain and France and it has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Romans settled there. The Germans captured Alderney during World War II but the population had been evacuated to England before the invasion. Blandford is a tiny borough in Dorsetshire, England. It is mainly remembered for a fire in 1731 that destroyed all but six of the town’s homes. The predominant use of thatch and wood as constructions materials in that era often resulted in severe incendiary damage. Coldstream is a small burgh in Scotland. It was here in 1659 that General George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle, raised the famous Coldstream Guards. These soldiers are the personal bodyguards of the English monarch. They are easily recognized by their bright scarlet and blue uniforms topped with those impressive bearskin caps. Hartland may recall Hartland Point, a promontory near the entrance to Bristol Channel on the north coast of Devonshire, England. Islands off the point became hiding places for French privateers in the 17th century. Northampton, a country town in central England, has seen more than its share of British history. Battles occurred here during King John’s fight against his barons, the War of the Roses and the Civil Wars of the 17th century. It was at nearby Fotheringhay Castle that Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded on February 8, 1587.
Finally, just north of Afton Village is Afton Woods. It seems Mr. Nierth carried his Anglican theme into this development as well. Muirfield Place recalls the great Scottish golf course. Jack Nicklaus was a British Open winner here. He was so impressed with the course he decided to name his own course in Ohio ‘Muirfield Village’. Turnbury Oak is named after another great United Kingdom course. The British Open has been played there three times. In 1977 Mark Hayes shot the lowest round in tournament history, a 63, at Turnbury. 30
JUTLAND: Off this North European peninsula the only major World War I naval battle between the British and Germans took place on May 31, 1916. While the English navy was the victor, the cost was high in tonnage and lives. 49
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
Mount Vernon (named for George and Martha Washington’s Virginia plantation home) is a quiet little neighborhood in Pasadena built in the 1960s. The theme is patriotic from the old-fashioned white metal arched gateway scripted with Mount Vernon under which homeowners pass to enter their subdivision to the street names. On a visit here one will discover:
Dandridge, Martha – Martha Washington, wife of President George Washington, maiden name was Dandridge.
Hancock, John – His large and stylish signature on the Declaration of Independence made his name a synonym for “signature.”
Jefferson, Thomas – He was the third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence.
Lafayette, Marie-Joseph – Hero of the Revolutionary War, this French military officer served under George Washington.
Potomac – Legend says General George Washington tossed a silver dollar across this Washington D. C. river. If that is true the Washington Nationals could sure use him in center field.
Revere, Paul – “Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.”
Shenandoah – “Oh Shenandoah,
I long to hear you.
Away you rolli
ng river.
Oh Shenandoah,
I long to hear you.
Away, I’m bound away
‘Cross the wide Missouri.
Williamsburg – This colonial town was ground zero for events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution.
Valley Forge – This Pennsylvania village was the site of the Continental Army’s encampment over the winter of 1777-8 during the Revolutionary War. 31
K
KAISER: See sidebar Fairbanks Could Have Its Own Concours d’ Elegance and Road Rally, page 140.
KANE: This near downtown street may be named for R. T. Kane who owned a stagecoach line that operated between Houston and Washington-on-the-Brazos in the 1840s. 1
KARANKAWAS: This tribe of Indians lived along the Texas coast. Some linguists say the name translates to “dog lovers.” They were nomadic and reported by the Spanish to be cannibalistic. The French explorer La Salle was most likely the first Caucasian to encounter these people in the mid-1600s. Battlefield casualties in encounters with the pirate Jean Lafitte and Stephen F. Austin’s colonists lead to their demise. A few members were rumored to have escaped into Mexico in the 1840s. 2
KAREN SWITCH: Postmaster John H. Bauer named this sawmill town after his youngest daughter, Karen in 1909. Like other communities in Montgomery County that arose because of the lumber boom in east Texas it also disappeared when the bonanza ran out. 3
KARNES: See sidebar Texas Heroes’ Names for Houston Streets Urged in 72 Proposed Changes, page 96.
KASSARINE PASS: This region of western Tunisia was the site of a battle in the North African campaign of World War II. The Axis forces captured the railway station at Kasserine on February 17, 1943. The Allies took it back 10 days later. (Once again a developer misspelled a Houston street name. In this case it is the fourth in the same neighborhood. (See Remegan, Guadalcannal and Mount Batten) 4
KATEX: Located west of Houston this street is the combination of two words: Katy and Texas.
KATY MILLS: About 25 miles west of downtown Houston this street leads to a 1.3 million square foot retail and entertainment complex named Katy Mills. It is basically an outlet mall on steroids with huge stores like Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World where you can buy anything for the outdoorsman. 5
KATY-FULSHEAR: Churchill Fulshear Jr. was one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old 300 and a scout for the Texas Army during the fight for independence. He arrived in the area before 1824 and lived on the family plantation on the Brazos River near where the town of Fulshear is today. From 1850 until 1870 he operated a horse race track named Churchill Downs on the plantation. He died in 1892. (Do yourself a favor some weekend and drive to this quiet country village and enjoy some truly great brisket and sausage at Dozier’s Barbeque & Market.) 6
KATY: This freeway (I-10) as well as the Old Katy Road lead to the town of that name that lies directly west of Houston. Originally called Cane Island there are two stories about how it came to be called Katy. First is that since it was a station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, nicknamed “the Katy,” the name was chosen for the railroad. Second and more colorful is the name honors the beautiful wife of a local saloon owner. You choose. 7
KEATS: John – He was a 19th century romantic English poet. He is best known for four odes he wrote in 1819 – Ode on a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ode on Melancholy and Ode on Indolence. 8
KEEGAN: This western Harris County road and bayou are named for James Kegans, Jr., an early settler of the area. Why the spelling is different is not known. The bayou itself is rather short, running only 11 miles from its headwaters near Clodine to its mouth at Braes Bayou close to Brae Burn Country Club. 9
KEENAN: Established in 1906 as a shipping point for timber on the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad, Keenan’s economy was dependent upon the logging industry. It was named for W. S. Keenan, a railroad agent for the G, C & SF RR. After the sawmill closed in the early 1930s Keenan faded into history. 10
KELLEY: A. K. – He was born a slave on a plantation in Brazoria County in 1846. Following Emancipation he went to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He invested in real estate and at one time owned between 21 and 42 rent houses. In addition he was the owner of a laundry and Evergreen Negro Cemetery, where he is buried. Kelley was also a founder of Mr. Zion Baptist Church, one of the oldest places of worship in Houston. Not only does a street remember him but also Kelly Courts, a housing project for over 300 families, was named in his honor in 1942, 14 years after his death. Why that facility is misspelled is not known. (See Kelly Courts.) 11
KELLNER: John G. – He plated Brookshire in 1893. It was the first town in the area. Kellner donated land for a train station on the Missouri, Kansas & Santa Fe Railroad. He owned a farm that produced rice, cattle, peanuts and pecans. 12
KELLY COURTS: This near eastside street leads to a public housing project named Kelly Courts. In 1942 it was named for A. K. Kelley although the powers that be at that time misspelled his name. (See Kelley.) 13
KELTON: See sidebar Texas Heroes’ Names for Houston Streets Urged in 72 Proposed Changes, page 96.
KEMAH: This southern boundary of the small beach town of the same name is an Indian word meaning “facing the winds” as the town fronts on Galveston Bay. From its founding in 1898 as a station on the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, Kemah was first known as Evergreen and later as Shell Siding because of the large amounts of oyster shells that were dredged from the bay and shipped around the area for paving materials. Once primarily a fishing village the city still celebrates its heritage with the Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet each summer. 14
KEMPNER: Isaac Herbert – Born in Cincinnati, his family moved to Galveston, where as a young man, he entered the cotton warehousing business. His connection with the cotton trade continued for more than 50 years. He invested in real estate and once served as mayor of Galveston. In 1906 he partnered with William Eldridge in establishing what eventually became the Imperial Sugar Company. He died a very wealthy man at the ripe old age of 94 and is buried in Galveston’s Hebrew Benevolent Cemetery. (See Eldridge and Imperial) 15
» KEMPNER: Grave marker in Galveston
KEN HALL: He played football for Sugar Land High School from 1950 to 1954 and became the state’s most prolific rusher of all time. He amassed a staggering 11,232 yards. Second best on the list is Midland Lee High School former star, Cedric Benson, with 8,423 yards. In 1953 Hall averaged 32.9 points and scored an average of 4.8 touchdowns per game during a 12 game season. During Hall’s senior year alone, the man dubbed the “Sugar Land Express” rushed for 4,045 yards. Now 65 - “I’ve joined the society of Medicare and Social Security,” he says - Hall has remade his name as part of another great Texas pastime: eating barbecue. Fifteen years ago he moved to the hill country town of Fredericksburg, where he opened Ken Hall’s Barbecue Place. His specialty: “If you can’t do brisket in Texas,” he says, “you should close the doors. And we do brisket well.” Until recently, he also announced local high school football games. 16
KENDALL: W. E. – This gentleman was a sizable landowner on the east side of Houston prior to the turn of the 20th century. 17
KENNEDY RANCH: Developers of Ranch Country in western Harris County used famous Texas ranches to name the neighborhood’s streets. However, in this case they misspelled it. The correct spelling is Kenedy Ranch. John G. Kenedy founded this huge south Texas spread. The closest town is Sarita that is named for his daughter. 18
KENNESAW MOUNTAIN: Around 900 A.D the inhabitants of this mountainous area northwest of Atlanta were known as the Mound Builders. Their descendents became the Creek Indians. On June 27, 1864, 100,000 Union troops under the command of Major General William T. Sherman faced off against 65,000 Confederates under General Joseph E. Johnson in what historians call the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Sherman suffered over 2,000 casualties compared to Johnson’s 270. Although Sherman failed to defeat Johnson, this skirmish did little to slow the Union army’s march to Atlanta. 19, 20
KENNY
: (See Bhandara.)
KENTUCKY DERBY: This is America’s premier horse race. Always run on the first Saturday in May, the Derby is often called the “most exciting two minutes in sport.” The race is modeled after the Derby at Epsom Downs in England that was the creation of the 12th Lord Derby. The 17th Lord Derby attended the 56th Run for the Roses in 1930 and saw Gallant Fox win the first leg of the Triple Crown that he went on to capture. (See other Derby winners throughout the text.) 21
KESSLER: George – Houston’s first clover leaf intersection opened at Memorial Drive at Waugh in the summer of 1955. It cost the city and Harris County $750,000 to construct. Kessler was a city councilman who was instrumental in getting this interchange built in his district. When the yellow ribbon was cut he drove the first car on it. 22
KESSLER: Henry – He arrived in Texas in 1836 and was operating a general store called Kessler’s Arcade a year later. Kessler was very active in civic affairs. He was treasurer of the Buffalo Bayou Company that sought to make that waterway navigable. Kessler served on the City Council and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He was also secretary of the Houston Post Oak Jockey Club. Originally called Susana Street and later Susan it was finally named Kessler in 1900. 23
KEY: J. E. – It is possible this Heights area street is named for this gentleman who was an officer of the Stude Holding Company, a real estate developer that owned considerable acreage in this area. (See Stude.) 24
KIBER: Faustino – (See Angleton.)
