Texas Boundary Marker of 1840

"Know Your Heritage"

By Leila B. LaGrone

Note: Article found in the files of Ona Lee Hill Martin

A unique historical marker on the boundary between Texas and Louisiana is one-of-its-kind. This is a granite shaft set on April 23, 1841, to settle once and for all a boundary dispute of almost two hundred years. No other American boundary has gone through contests between France, Spain, the United States and Republic of Texas.

Both France and Spain claimed the area which came to be known as "Neutral Ground" or "No Man's Land," because of early explorations of the territory. French explorers claimed all the land drained by the Mississippi River and its tributaries as Louisiana Territory. Spain claimed southern lands beginning with the first watershed west of the Mississippi. The dispute arose over whether this first water-shed were the Sabine or the Atchafalaya. The land between the two streams was claimed by both France and Spain.

When the United States bought Louisiana in 1803 and inherited France's claims, a truce was made with Spain that the disputed strip would be neutral territory until an agreement could be reached between the two countries.

This "Neutral Ground" became a place of safety for outlaws and army deserters. There were no ruling laws and desperadoes and robbers established the "law of the gun" that was not really overcome until the end of the "Regulator-Moderator War".

In the meantime, the United States bought Florida from Spain in 1819; and a tentative agreement was made for this boundary to be the Sabine to the thirty-second parallel; then, the line would bear north to Red River. Texas was still Spanish Territory, until Mexico gained Independence about that time; and Texas became a part of Mexico.

Though the Sabine was generally agreed upon as the boundary between Mexico and the United States, no final settlement was made. When Texas gained independence in 1836, one early necessity was to mark the actual boundary between the new Republic of Texas and United States.

A joint Commission (Texas and U.S.) was established in 1838, and the long task to survey and map the land along the boundary began. W.J. STONE, an ambitious young engineer, was charged by the president of the United States at Washington to "complete the task with all speed and accuracy." This was a difficult and dangerous assignment and though it was scheduled for completion by 1840, it was not finished until 1841.

The western bank of the Sabine was mapped and marked as the boundary from its mouth to the thirty-second parallel which came just north of Logan's Ferry (Logansport). Near the river was set the first of two granite shafts, about fourteen feet long (MR. SHARP says ten feet long) and nine inches square. Three miles north a second shaft was set. Each mile was marked by an earthen mound containing certain bottled information and a wooden pole giving mileage; but only the two granite markers were ever set about six to eight feet deep, into the forest floor. With the passing of time and flood waters, the river bank eventually crumbled and the first shaft was lost in the Sabine.

The one remaining granite marker was damaged about 50 years ago by woodmen felling trees; but it was repaired to near its original state.   It is located about 50 yards offFM Road 31, north of the road, between Deadwood and Logansport. The stone is marked so one can't miss identifying it. On the south side is "Merid Boundary, established 1840," the east side has "U.S." and the west side has "R.T." for Republic of Texas.

What a story this simple granite shaft could tell if it could speak. It traveled many weeks with the joint commission on a flooded river, through malaria infested swamps and  "snakey" cane brakes. Even in recent years some illegal trophy collector attempted to dig up the marker and apparently gave up the task because of the massive concrete foundation. A tragic realization for the historian is that many people want to "possess" objects of historical significance rather than to preserve them for posterity.

The Panola Watchman, Carthage, Texas, June 8, 1975