Click on the blue letters and watch a video of
Thorndale in 1937.

If anyone needs a lookup for Milam County I have publications of the Milam County Genealogical Society as follows:
Marriage records from 1876-1899; death record from 1903-1935; Divorce records 1874-1919. A book of Milam County obituaries (plus some for family members who died elsewhere) from 1906-1994-a very large volume that was a private collection. I also have Cemetery books for Milam County.

Pat Larsen

Just published: "Historic Bridges of Milam County" by David Galbreath, Carolyn Temple, Lucile Estell, and Joy Graham. David has done extensive research on county bridges; Temple and Estell are retired educators and preservationists. Joy is well known as a columnist on the history of the county (which dates back to 1836.) Lots of photos-lots of motivation to search the bridges out on field trips. My copy came from Amazon at $18 plus shipping. I understand the Rockdale Library has copies at $15. David Galbreath died unexpectedly the week this book came out-what a gift he has left us.

George Nielsen has written some history of the difficulties bringing water to the town of Thorndale. My father, James Graham Urban Swayze (1912-2004), has left notes on the earliest effort by John Lehman and Andrew Urban. John Lehman was Andrew Urban's brother-in-law. "As I remember it, John Lehman and Andrew J. Urban dammed up the lake or tank and established the water system. Lehman eventually took over full ownership followed by Daniel M. Jackson, Crazy Water Co. and Martin Jenke. The water tank and tower were moved to the crystal plant (Crazy Water Co.) located on Hwy 79 below Charles Moerbe's place. The barn was part of the water works, electric generating plant, and bottling works. Electricity was generated with a dynamo pulled by a big gasoline (one cylinder) engine. This building was also the first electric power generating plant in Thorndale. I remember that Otto E. Urban, son of A.J. Urban, was filling the tank that provided gasoline for the engine that turned the electric generator. Somehow the gasoline was ignited and Otto was covered with flames-he froze not knowing what to do. It just so happened that "Col." Ernst A. Miertschin was there and told Otto to go jump in a nearby pond-this probably saved his life."