McMillan, Texas
by Dr. V.M. HollandThe History of Panola County TX, the Panola County Historical Commission, 1979
McMillan community is located on FM 2517 between Deadwood and Logan. McMillan was one of the early communities of Panola County in the southeast sector of the County. It is encompassed all or parts of the present communities of Reeves, Galloway and Logan. The first settlers arrived here when both Panola and Harrison counties were a part of Shelby County.
Andrew McFadden was possibly the earliest permanent settler in what is now Panola County. His land grant of 4,605 acres centered about the present community of Galloway and extended into what is now Shelby County. This grant is of a size to be a Mexican grant of "a league and a labor".
The McFaddens came to Texas from Kentucky. From the ages and the birth places of the children given in the 1850 Census, it would appear that they had been in Texas since 1822, but whether they were in what is now Panola County is not known.
In the 1829 Census of the Republic of Mexico, Andrew McFadden, age 50 years; Samuel McFadden, age 37 years; and William McFadden, age 29 years, are listed in the Teneha District.
In the 1840 Census of the Republic of Texas, only Andrew McFadden and Bailey McFadden are listed. (Ages were not shown on this census.)
In the 1850 Census of Panola County, Andrew McFadden is not listed, but Samuel McFadden is listed as 53 years of age.
The 1829 Census of the Republic of Mexico was started in 1829, but not completed for a number of years. From the ages given for Samuel on this 1829 Census and on the 1850 Census, it seems likely that the Republic of Mexico census actually enumerated Samuel in 1833. So, Samuel McFadden can be placed in Panola County by 1833 with reasonable certainty and may have been in the area a few years prior to this time.
The McFaddens were involved in the Regulator-Moderator War. Two of the McFadden brothers are reputed to have been hung by a Regulator mob in Shelbyville during this "war".
William McMillan, born in South Carolina, with his wife Elizabeth, came to the Panola County area about 1843, possibly earlier, from Alabama. In the 1850 Census of Panola County, his children Matthew and Marshall are listed. William McMillan was appointed the first postmaster on January 13, 1848 and was intermittently postmaster until the post office was discontinued in 1862. This post office was near where the Reeves Chapel Church now stands. Mann McMillan, a great-grandson of William McMillan, still lives in Panola County with many more distant descendants.
John B. Reeves, for whom the church and cemetery were named, moved into the area in 1839 from Tennessee. His children Sarah, Barnett B., William F., Mary Ann and John H. are listed in the 1850 Census.
By 1850 numerous other families had moved into the area. By the time of the Civil War, the centers of community activity had shifted to Logan, Galloway and Midyett, with the name of McMillan as a community in Panola County being almost forgotten.