HomeMy WebLinkAboutReliance, Texas
RELIANCE, TEXAS Compiled by Bill Page Sept. 5, 2008 From the New Handbook of Texas Online: RELIANCE, TEXAS. Reliance is on Farm Road 1179 three miles east of U.S. Highway 190 and nine
miles north of Bryan in northeastern Brazos County. The community was originally called Little Georgia, after the home of its first settlers, who arrived in the area in the 1850s. The
name was changed by David Lloyd of Mississippi when he founded the Reliance Baptist Church in 1873. That same year a general store was established by W. H. (Uncle Billy) Morgan. From
1899 to around 1907 a post office operated from Morgan's general store. In 1905-06 the Reliance school had two teachers and ninety-one students. The teachers also taught at nearby Independence.
Reliance also at one time had a cotton gin and a gristmill. Reliance Cemetery is located on Farm Road 1179, and its oldest headstone dates back to 1881. Reliance last was listed in the
Texas Almanacqv in 1910, when the community reported a population of ten and one business. The 1948 county highway map showed a school, a church, a cemetery, and widely scattered dwellings
at the site. The 1986 highway map indicated only a church and cemetery there. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Glenna Fourman Brundidge, Brazos County History: Rich Past-Bright Future (Bryan, Texas: Family
History Foundation, 1986). *Syptak, Virginia, "Reliance Named for Church There," Bryan Eagle, 4 Oct. 1957, p.3 *These mention Reliance Baptist Church – no idea how much in depth: Halbrook,
Alvin Floyd, A Sociological Study of the Struc tures and Functions of the Baptist Churches in Brazos County. Texas A&M University, masters thesis, 1959. Robinson, L. Frank, Better Rural
Churches Through Architectural Planning. Texas A&M University, masters thesis, 1956, p.36 *"Reliance...Mrs. John Hicks and Mrs. D.B. Lloyd are right sick at present...There is a considerable
amount of improvements in the way of building new houses and remodeling old ones...Among those...are John Hicks ...," Brazos Pilot, 30 Nov. 1905, p.10, col.1 LLOYD, David S. S. (1831
1920). Buried at Reliance *On grand jury, Galveston Daily News, 8 Mar. 1881, p.1 "Aunt Julia Lloyd Dead," (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 3 June 1909, p.1, col.4 *Obituary, Bryan Weekly Eagle,
6 Jan. 1921, p.4, col.3 "Former Resident Renews Old Days With Visit Here," Bryan Daily Eagle, 4 Aug. 1931, p.5, col.7. Boliver J., son of D.S. LLOYD "Health Worker Famous on Two Continents,
Native of Brazos, is Visiting Old Friends Here," Bryan Daily Eagle, 31 Mar. 1932, p.1, cols.1 2; p.6, cols.4 6. Dr. Boliver J. LLOYD "Funeral Service on Saturday for Man of Reliance,"
Bryan Weekly Eagle, 26 May 1937, p.1, col.1. David B. LLOYD, son of D.S. LLOYD "Dr. Lloyd, Native of Brazos County, Dies in Washington," Bryan Daily Eagle, 30 May 1955, p.5, cols.3 4"Lloyds
View Progress," Bryan Daily Eagle, 24 June 1962, CentennialSection, p.12 _____ "Reliance Store is Robbed, Officers Get Goods and Thieves," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 19 Dec. 1918, p.3, col.2.
Solon MORGAN *STEWART, Walter "Watt" Allen (22 Aug. 1831 11 May 1911). Civil War veteran; buried at Reliance.
"For Sheriff," Bryan Daily Eagle, 9 Sept. 1896; p.4, col.2 "Birthday Celebration," Brazos Pilot, 29 Aug. 1907, p.6, col.3 Article, Bryan (weekly) Eagle, 25 Aug. 1910; p.9, col.1 (special
reel). "Oldest Texan in Brazos County," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 29 Aug.1907; p.3, col.5 Obituary, Bryan (weekly) Eagle; 25 May 1911; p.6, col.3 _____ "John Utsey of Reliance Lost House by
Fire," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 10 Sept. 1925, p.2, col.2 *Bryan, Tex., May 4 – D.F. Holland, a prosperous and highly esteemed farmer of the Reliance community, 44 years old, was instantly
killed by lightning during a heavy rain storm late yesterday afternoon. Mr. Holland had just walked out in the back gallery, leaving his family inside, when the lightning struck near
the chimney, ran down a valley, rode through the gallery roof and struck Mr. Holland on the head blackening and burning his body. One child was knocked insensible in the house and the
stock literally torn from a shotgun. The roof was badly torn up and two blocks supporting the house split open. The rain was exceedingly heavy throughout the section and much damage
was done. The trains on the Houston and Texas Central were laid out by washouts between Bryan and Wellborn until today. Dallas Morning News, 5 May 1904, p.7. "Killed by Lightning," (weekly)
Bryan Eagle, 5 May 1904, p.2, col.3. Mr. D.F. Holland *Mr. J.C. Mathis of Reliance, and his niece, Miss Bessie Holland, were in the city yesterday and left for Austin where the young
lady will be put in the Pasteur Institute for treatment. She was bitten on last Thursday by a dog, and while it was not known positively to have been mad, yet its actions were such as
to arouse suspicions. This being the case her relatives were not willing to take the chances and to be on the safe side she was taken to the institute for treatment. Her many friends
indulge the hope that no serious consequences will develop and that she will soon return to them in perfect health and all cause for uneasiness removed. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 3 March
1910, p.2, col.1. **Jim Hicks and Bill Railey of Reliance were bitten one day this week by a mad mule, and H.L. Denman of Iola was bitten by a mad dog as were several children. The men
named are in Bryan taking the Pasteur treatment according to Dr. C.A. Searcy. Bryan Weekly Eagle, 22 November 1923, p.4, col.3. *Bryan, Texas – The first irrigation well drilled in the
Navasota River bottoms near here is bringing new life to an area long since converted to pasture. The last time it was farmed for crops, ox teams were used. The well, 240 feet deep and
able to yield 300 gallons of water a minute when a pump is used, will yield of its own pressure a steady 2-inch stream, enough to keep 20 acres well watered. W.E. Humphries, owner of
the farm in the Reliance community, is using the well to irrigate a field of sorghum that is expected to make 10 to 15 tons of feed to the acre, an increase of 50 per cent over similar
unirrigated crops. Humphries estimates that he will realize $10,000 worth of feed from the 80 acres in the irrigated field. Soil analysis by Texas A&M College indicates that the land
is even more fertile than some of the nearby Brazos River bottom land. Dallas Morning News, 19 August 1957, p.12 *Bryan, Tex., June 20 – D.S. Lloyd, a gentleman from the Reliance community,
who visited the city, reports that a Negro named Walsh Perkins was waylaid and shot with birdshot Sunday night between Reliance and Navasota River. It is not thought the Negro is very
seriously injured. Dallas Morning News, June 21, 1899, p.3