​Site of Friendship School

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Marker Text: ​In 1866, John Marsden Graham of South Carolina settled in this area. After he died of typhoid fever, his brother, Edward Wesley Graham, came in 1856 to take over his estate. By that time, Edward Hampton Ross had also settled here, he came from Mississippi in 1852 with his family, including his father, the Rev. David Ross, and his siblings. E.H. Ross's land adjoined the Graham property.
      The families built a wooden schoolhouse on the southern border of the Ross property. The children began attending classes, and the Rev. Ross held Sunday church services that that October. The families called the school "Friendship", based on the close ties they had formed. The Friendship Methodist Church developed from these early church services, and the school became Granger Common School District No.1.
     In 1874, the W.T. and Margaret (Madison) Walker family arrived in the area and soon sought a school for the youngest of their nine children, who could not make the trip to the Friendship School. In a riverbank shack, Margaret's sister  Fanny Madison taught children at what became the Lilac Common School No.2, also known as Aplins Chapel or the Clay Creek School. Common School No.3 began in a Church of Christ tabernacle on the Davilla to Cameron Road; it was referred to as "Who'd-a-thought-it," reportedly because it was in an unlikely place for a school.
 In 1914, Friendship School district opened a larger structure to accommodate the growing population. The building also served as a community center. In the 1930s, the Friendship School merged into the Rockdale district in 1964. the building continued to serve the community for many years. (2002)

Marker No: 14715

Aluminum 27 x 42 Subject Marker

Geographic: 

Location: From Davilla, FM 437 towards Rogers; turn right
on FM 1915, 4.0 miles to School