On this page: Slideshow of Local History,
Coleman County, Atoka Country, Atoka, Novice
Local Landmarks
Latest update: Monday, June 13, 2011
Slideshow
Click on any photo to start the slide show.
Coleman County, TEXAS
"COLEMAN COUNTY. Coleman County (J-12) is located in west central Texas.
Coleman, the county seat and largest town, is sixty miles southeast of Abilene. The
center point of the county is 31°45' north latitude and 99°25' west longitude. The
county is bordered on the south by the Colorado River, on the north by Taylor and
Callahan counties, on the west by Runnels County, and on the east by Brown County.
Coleman County encompasses 1,280 square miles...."
• Coleman News: Breaking News for Coleman County
• Book: A History of Coleman County and its People
• Coleman County, Texas Research Tools: Tools for your genealogical and local
history research
• [Genealogical] Resources for Coleman County, Texas
"Atoka Country"
Atoka Cemetery and the Atoka town site were later just known as “Atoka Country.”
ATOKA HISTORY presented by William SHIELDS at the May 2010 Homecoming.
Atoka, Coleman County, TEXAS
• "When a railroad built through the area in 1910, Novice residents moved the town a
mile north to the line and combined it with the small community of Atoka." Novice,
TEXAS, Handbook of TEXAS Online
• "... many families moved here from the southern United States after the Civil War.
The settlers established farms and ranches, and the Atoka community included a
general store [photo to left] operated by D.A. Parker [David Absalom PARKER] and
S.N. Edenborough, a combination church/school building [photo to left], and a cotton
gin [photo to left] built by D.A. Parker [David Absalom PARKER]... The cemetery,
which is maintained by an association of descendants of those buried here, is one of
the few physical reminders of the Atoka community and its pioneer settlers." Texas
Historical Commission: Historical Marker #232, 1996 [editorial comment]
• "As the land was sold and people started to come there was a store, school, church
and Masonic Lodge Hall built at Atoka. A cemetery had been started. Later a gin
was built by D.A. Parker [David Absalom PARKER], half brother to Solomon Parker.
The area, soon after the gin was built, had a lot of people come to the Atoka area."
"Atoka... Early Settlement: Charlie PARKER" article by Jack Shields*
Novice, Coleman County, TEXAS
• "Novice" by Maurine Burroughs, from “The History of Coleman County and Its
People,” 1985
An excellent historical narrative referencing many people who helped build
Coleman County and are now buried in the Atoka Cemetery.
• "NOVICE, TEXAS (Coleman County). Novice is on Farm Road 702 just off U.S.
Highway 84, twelve miles northwest of Coleman in northwestern Coleman County."
Novice, TEXAS, Handbook of TEXAS Online
• "Novice" by Maurine Burroughs, from “The History of Coleman County and Its
People,” 1985
Local Landmarks
• Atoka School (photo to left)
• "Atoka... Early Settlement: Atoka Schools" article by Jack SHIELDS
• "Atoka School" from A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 "In the
early 1870’s, a large building was built and a cemetery was started at Atoka. It is
probable that the land was donated by the early Parker settlers. The building served
as a school house and church house. It was located on a square plot of land near the
cemetery. Rev. R. T. Mitchell moved from Louisiana to the Atoka community in 1882
and was the pastor of the Baptist Church for many years. Others before him were not
known. The church was nondenominational and many other early day preachers
held services there.
"Atoka School District #7 covered a large area of land surrounding the school and
was the only school for miles around. Therefore, most of the children of the early
settlers of the community attended the Atoka School. Listed in a “Blue Back Speller,”
school year 1887, were names of children who attended — family names were
Parker, Weaver, Wright, Burford, Baldridge, and Porch. Professor Rickard taught
there in 1888. Most of the children who attended Atoka walked, distances being from
5 to 2 miles. When the railroad came through, some of the children began to go to
Novice, Midway and a new school at Oak Grove. Mrs. Tina Parker taught the last
school term at Atoka. The building remained in use for many years for funerals,
weddings, and community singings and socials. When the building became unfit for
use, it was torn down and some of the lumber was used to build a structure with just a
roof covering a table and benches. It is in one corner of the cemetery lot. "
• Deed between Charles E. BUSH and W. C. HARTEN et. al, (Trustees of School
Community)
• Atoka Gin (photo to left)
• "Later a gin was built by D.A. Parker [David Absalom PARKER], half
brother to Solomon Parker. The area, soon after the gin was built, had
a lot of people come to the Atoka area."
"Atoka... Early Settlement: Charlie PARKER" article by Jack Shields