H.R. No. 553
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, On April 8, 1995, the Goliad County Historical
1-2 Commission will join with the residents of Goliad County in
1-3 celebrating the dedication of an official Texas historical marker,
1-4 which will be placed at the site of the former community of
1-5 Dobskyville, a small South Texas town that flourished during the
1-6 first part of this century; and
1-7 WHEREAS, Located 20 miles north of the city of Goliad, this
1-8 enchanting area was first settled by the family of Fredrick and
1-9 Auguste Wilhelmine Dobsky, a couple who left their native Prussia
1-10 in 1846 to pursue a more promising future in the Lone Star State;
1-11 the family purchased an 800-acre tract of land in Goliad County one
1-12 year after their arrival in Texas, and it was on this land that
1-13 they began to build a successful life for themselves and for others
1-14 like them who pursued the dreams of independence and prosperity;
1-15 and
1-16 WHEREAS, Following the deaths of Auguste Dobsky in 1869 and
1-17 Fredrick Dobsky in 1873, the property passed to their son and
1-18 daughter-in-law, Adolph and Rosalia Dobsky, who built a profitable
1-19 ranching and farming operation on the land that was later inherited
1-20 by their six children, Emilie, Louisa, Emil, Matilda, Henry, and
1-21 Karoline; and
1-22 WHEREAS, In 1905, the youngest son of the family, Henry,
1-23 opened a general store on his share of the land, a move that marked
1-24 the beginning of a boom period in the area; his wife Wilhelmina and
2-1 daughter Rosa both worked in the store, which also served as the
2-2 post office for a small but steadily growing community of farmers
2-3 and ranchers that surrounded their new business; and
2-4 WHEREAS, In addition to serving as the community's social
2-5 center and post office, the Dobsky general store also served as a
2-6 headquarters for communication, and until 1917 was the site of the
2-7 only telephone in the entire area; a number of other businesses
2-8 soon sprang up around the marketplace, including a corn mill, a
2-9 blacksmith shop, a saloon, a dance pavilion, and a gravity-based
2-10 gasoline pump that served the newfangled automobiles appearing on
2-11 roads throughout Goliad County; and
2-12 WHEREAS, This charming little community grew rapidly, adding
2-13 a one-room schoolhouse in 1906 that was later expanded to two rooms
2-14 to serve the increasing number of children in the area; many of the
2-15 educators who taught there resided with the Dobsky family, who were
2-16 greatly admired for the role they played in shaping the destiny of
2-17 a town that won widespread recognition as an ideal place in which
2-18 to live, work, and raise a family; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Henry Dobsky served as the mayor, marshal, city
2-20 attorney, and general merchant of the town, and under his able
2-21 guidance this fine community continued to flourish, offering
2-22 resident families the social and economic support they needed to
2-23 find success in their agricultural, commercial, and personal
2-24 endeavors; Dobskyville was a place in which families extended both
2-25 assistance and friendship to their neighbors, and all residents
2-26 cooperated in harvesting, canning, and barn-raising; and
2-27 WHEREAS, This spirit of generosity and cooperation continued
3-1 for many decades, and it was only with the Great Depression and a
3-2 devastating storm in 1942 that this captivating rural community
3-3 began to lose its children to the fast-paced, technology-driven big
3-4 cities; despite this decline in population, the community's
3-5 founder, Henry Dobsky, continued to lead the townspeople with honor
3-6 and distinction until his death in 1957; and
3-7 WHEREAS, Although Dobskyville has today faded into Texas
3-8 history, with only the original road and schoolhouse remaining, its
3-9 memory still lives on in the hearts and minds of many residents of
3-10 Goliad County, and its legacy lives on for the many citizens
3-11 throughout the State of Texas who can count their parents,
3-12 grandparents, and great-grandparents among those who helped to
3-13 create this uniquely vibrant community; and
3-14 WHEREAS, The Texas Historical Commission has chosen to mark
3-15 the site of Dobskyville with an official historical marker, and it
3-16 is indeed fitting at this time that the Texas House of
3-17 Representatives pay tribute to the rich heritage of this truly
3-18 remarkable place; now, therefore, be it
3-19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-20 Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the official Texas
3-21 historical marker in Dobskyville and extend warmest best wishes to
3-22 the citizens of Goliad County as they celebrate this important
3-23 event; and, be it further
3-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-25 prepared for prominent display at the Goliad County Historical
3-26 Commission as an expression of highest regard by the Texas House of
3-27 Representatives.