Auburn Auburn was located sixteen miles southwest of Waxahachie in western Ellis County. About 1852, a caravan of 105 wagons came from Arkansas and  chose that location because of the plentiful water supply from the nearby North Fork of Chambers Creek , the flat and tillable land suitable for crops and livestock and the good climate.  Henry Files opened a general store. In 1863 Reaiz (or Rezi) Jarvis Banks deeded land to the trustees of the Methodist Church to be used as the site for a church, school and cemetery.  The community's name first appears on that deed.  Martin P. Nation bought Eureka, a retired world champion short horse, to Auburn for breeding and  at one time a racetrack was located half a mile from the general store. By 1890 the community had a population of 290.  Ten years later,  businesses included two cotton gins, a corn mill, blacksmith shop and two grocery stores.  Four church congregations met regularly  - Methodist , Baptist , Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ.  A two-story building, McCarver Chapel, housed a grade school on the first floor and a Masonic lodge on the second.  A post office opened Aug. 27, 1877 with Columbus G. Alford postmaster.  Others who served in that capacity were: Henry C. Carnes Nov. 3, 1879; James W. Wylie Sept. 8, 1884; Henry J. Townsend Jan. 14, 1885; Isaac N. Morris Sept. 21, 1886; Quincy A. Hearne Jan. 28, 1889; Henry C. Carnes July 1889; Harvey J. Townsend July 13, 1890; John B. Ingle Feb. 12, 1896; Samuel C. Harrell, April 30, 1901; James Rollen Nov. 28, 1903; and Thomas M. Maureka Dec. 15, 1904.   When the office closed Oct. 5, 1906, the mail was sent to Maypearl. By the 1940s, Auburn had only one business, a school, church and a few widely scattered dwellings.  The 1968 population was reported  to be only twelve.  At present, the only landmarks are an old store building on the highway west of Maypearl at the turnoff to the cemetery and the cemetery.  On April 11, 1978, a state historical marker for the cemetery was dedicated as a result of research and documentation done by Cloyd F. Stiles, a great-grandson of Rezin Banks. Sources: Ellis County, Texas Cemetery Records, Vol. I  ECGS,; 1981; Edna Davis Hawkins et al, History Workshop, History of Ellis County, Texas, Waco, Texian Press, 1972 Marker Files, Texas Historical Commission, Austin, Texas "AUBURN, TX." The Handbook of Texas Online.   Copyright © 2002-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:16:48 MDT