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Farmers Branch was settled in 1842 by Thomas Keenan and his wife Sarah. The area was called Mustang, as part of Peter's Colony but later changed to Farmers Branch due to the rich soil and flourishing crops. The settlement originally included all the land between White Rock Creek on the east, the Elm Fork of the Trinity on the West, the Dallas County Line on the north and Cedar Springs on the South. John Keenan was the first child born in Farmers Branch but died two months later. He is buried in the Keenan Cemetery located on Valley View Lane, part of the original Keenan land. Farmers Branch was widely advertised both in the East and in Europe. During the years 1845-1850 it was the best known of all of the Texas settlements. The settlers were for the most part fairly well educated. A blacksmith shop and gristmill started in 1845 by the Rev. William Bowles, a Baptist Minister. The same year Isaac Webb, donated land for Webb's Chapel Methodist Church which also served as the first school in the county. Mr. Webb also served as the first postmaster when the Farmers Branch Post Office was established in 1848. Other early settlers include Dr. Samuel Gilbert and his wife Julia. The couple lived with Isaac Webb until their home was completed in a grove of stately post oak trees. The Gilbert House consists of two-foot-thick limestone walls and chestnut plank floors. The Gilbert House, located in the Farmers Branch Historical Park is the oldest rock structure in Dallas County that is still on its original foundation. The first school was not well located and a new one was built about a mile northwest of the first on Rawhide Creek. Rawhide Creek was named from the first tanning yard in the County build by R.J. West. Due to the demand for leather, Mr. West did not allow the hides to cure in the vats long enough so that when they became dry they were extremely hard. In 1874, to assure that railroads would come to Farmers Branch, Dr. Gilbert and other local settlers sold right-of-way through their land. Around 1877, the Dallas and Wichita Railroad built a depot. This original depot has been restored and relocated to the Farmers Branch Historical Park. There are many interesting tales of happenings in Farmers Branch Settlement, Indian raids on pumpkin patches, bears in the Wilderness and the like. The last buffalo seen east of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River was killed in early 1846 "in a small glade about 2 miles southwest from the now town of Farmers Branch". (This is approximately present day Royal Lane and Luna Road) The City was incorporated in 1946 with an election on February 23th. The population was 800 that year and has grown to over 24,000 today. |