Texana A. Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Texana A. Castle
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| Born | 1865 Texas
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| Died | 1930 (aged 66–67) Texas
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | T. A. Castles, Texana Childress |
| Occupation | social worker, missionary |
| Years active | 1906-1921 |
| Known for | founding the Bryan Colored Rescue Home |
Texana A. Castle (1863-1930) was an African-American woman who lived in Bryan, Texas. She was a Baptist and worked on missionary projects. Texana Castle is best known for starting the Bryan Colored Rescue Home. This home was in Boonville, Texas, a community mostly made up of African-Americans.
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Texana Castle's Early Life
Texana A. Childress was born in March 1863 in Texas. We don't know much about her early years. She had a brother named J. L. Sample. He also lived near Bryan, Texas. Texana could read and write, even though she did not go to school.
On May 2, 1885, Texana married Jefferson D. Castle in Bryan. Jefferson was born in 1855 and passed away in 1940. He had been a slave in Louisiana before moving to Brazos County, Texas. He became a well-known landowner there. Texana and Jefferson had 12 children together. By 1910, six of their children were still living.
Starting the Bryan Colored Rescue Home
In 1905, people in the African-American community in Bryan wanted to build a school. They also wanted a home for orphans. In early 1906, Texana Castle helped create the "Fathers and Mothers Protection Society." This group got a special permission, called a charter, from the state.
Within a month, the society bought eleven acres of land. This land was on Harvey Street, near the old Boonville town. By September, they started building. They built a nine-room, two-story house. The main stone for the building was placed by the next summer. Texana Castle was in charge of the home. However, she did not live there. She and her husband were farmers and had their own home.
How the Home Helped Young People
The Bryan Colored Rescue Home was a special place. It worked like a training institute. It taught farming skills and good morals to black youths. The young people living there grew crops for themselves. They also grew cotton on rented fields to sell.
Managers lived at the home and taught the students. Texana's daughter, Mary Palmer, was one of the early teachers. Texana traveled a lot to raise money for the home. She spoke at many meetings and churches across Texas. In 1913, people reported that six thousand dollars had been raised. In the early 1920s, after living in Bryan for 37 years, Texana and her husband moved to Big Springs, Texas.
Texana Castle's Legacy
Texana Castle passed away in 1930. The home she started kept helping children for about ten years after she left Bryan. It finally closed in 1933. The children who lived there were then moved to other places. Texana Castle's work helped many young people learn important skills and have a safe place to live.
