Published in The Garland Daily News in 1980 as part of a series by Betty Roberts
C. A. WEAVER
Weaver Elementary School on Pleasant Valley Road was named for an early Garland settler. The school is located on the farm where Columbus A. Weaver settled.
C. A. Weaver was born in Rogersville, Ala., in 1863 and came to Texas in 1884. He bought the farm the next year from Boze Whitfield whose family headrighted (granted with certain conditions) the property.
In 1886, Weaver was married to the former Jeanie Martin. They had eight children who were born and raised on the farm.
Weaver was one of Garland’s first businessmen. He and his brother Sam had a livery stable on the corner of Fifth and State Streets, facing east. He also served for a time as director of the old Citizen’s National Bank.
The Weavers build a large house on their farm in 1925. Mrs. Weaver died in 1943; Weaver died in 1948.
Funeral services for Weaver were held at the First Presbyterian Church, where the family had been charter members. The funeral was conducted by a pastor of the Presbyterian church, a Methodist minister and a Baptist minister.
The eight pallbearers were members of Garland’s pioneer families. Twenty-three honorary pallbearers represented the early settlers and the business community.
“No community, no family, no church can easily bear the loss of his type,” a newspaper editorial observed.
Of the Weaver’s eight children, one son and three daughters made their homes in Garland. One daughter, Mrs. Jim (Nannie) Jackson, was a teacher in Garland school system. She also taught in the Naaman School before it was consolidated with the Garland schools.
The Weaver house was a landmark many years. It was one of the most beautifully appointed houses of the area. Among the refinements were the four fireplaces built with decorative tile and ornamental mantels. Also the house had a winding staircase, a music room, six bedrooms with built-in storage and a large kitchen with built-ins.
For a brief periods, the house was used as an office for Bickle and Shaw while they were develoing the area. There is nothing left to show where the Weaver house and farm stood.
Except for the brief time he owned the livery stable, Weaver was a farmer. The 300 acre farm covered the approximate with the boundaries formed by Lavon Drive, Buckingham Road, Country Club Road and Pleasant Valley Road.
The property was sold in 1960 for the development of Star Crest Homes. This area includes the streets Twilight, Dawn, Sunset, Milky Way, Moonlight, Easter Star and Mercury.
A shopping center which was a selling point in the development was never built.