Lewis Community and school
In 1865, Robert Lewis bought land in the J.S. Smith survey in Cass County, Texas. His brother John also moved nearby and was shown on the 1870 Cass County census. The Lewis brothers had served in the Alabama unit of the Confederate army during the Civil War. They both -began to raise cotton and would take it to Jefferson to ship it out. Robert Lewis operated a cotton gin in the community in 1876. His home had been built by slaves prior to 1860.
By 1879, a school had been started on the Lewis homestead and Miss Bettie Lewis, daughter of John, was the teacher. Trustees were Robert Lewis, Thomas Miller, and John H. Lewis. There were 8 pupils in 1880. Miss Jo Lewis served as teacher in 1889. She was also a daughter of John. The school was known as Lewis Chapel.
In 1891, trustees were T.H. Peoples and Dave A. Smith. The school was apparently growing as it was moved to a larger building about 1905 nearer to present day Kildare Junction. The school was then known as Lewis. A.J. Oliver instructed in 1893-94.
Some of the families in the area were as follows: Gus McDonald, George Whatley, Ed Whatley, John T. Moore, S.W. Echols, Tom Belote, Jeff Stroud, Edgar Stroud, John Bewley, Jim Bewley, Perry Poe, Lo McDonald, Lee Fincher, Lex Whatley, Arthur Hall, Sil Whatley, Lewis Moore, Pelham Willis, Curtis Whatley, the Hutchins, Elmores, Morrises, Peoples, W.S. (Loan) Thomas and Rossers. G.W. Thrower was a trustee in 1924. By 1919 or 1920 a third Lewis school was built approximately 1/2 mile east of the second school site. It was a two-room school with cloak rooms and a library. Grades one through six met on one side and grades seven, eight and nine met on the other. A wall dividing the two rooms could be raised to allow for Christinas programs and church meetings or singing schools. The following served as teachers in the 1920’s: Mr. Campbell and his wife, Alsie Harper, Lorina Hammock, Edgar Hamilton, Verna Stone, Nell Rosser, Mary Berry and her sister Mrs. Allbright, Myrtis Graves, Howard Humphrey, Alvin Cates, Maurine Newman, and the last was Mabel Patman Bruce. Lewis would consolidate with Kildare in 1931. A bus driven by Mr. Carl Macinvale picked up students in the Lewis community and transported them to Kildare.
Most of these families were farmers or sawmill workers. George Whatley S, Pelham Willis owned and operated general stores in the area. Henry Rosser and Pelham Willis also had cotton gins. Basil Echols had a portable sawmill and commissary store in the late 1920’s. A railroad spur was even built nearby to carry out timber to the Myrtis, LA mill.
The community worshipped at Nelson Methodist Chapel and later at a newer Methodist church after Nelson burned. Most religious services were then held at brush arbors or in the school building. In 1937, a community church was built, and various denominations traded service dates. This church burned in 1950. By then many went to Kildare, Savannah, or McLeod to worship.
The oilfield boom would change the quiet community. Phillips Gasoline built a plant in Lewis and the area was then known as Oil Center or 66 city for a while. Many small businesses prospered including stores owned by Olen and Agnes Moore and Frank Rosser. B and Bessie Echols opened a store in 1936, Harvey Belote and Fred Rosser operated a meat market. Mrs. W.S. (Lila) Thomas ran a boarding house. Basil Echols had a cafe. Otis Peppers owned the barber shop. Today this area is generally known as Kildare Junction near the intersection of FM road 125 and State Highway 43.