200 East Elm Street, Coleman, Texas

south side - 1898 map	south side - 1904 map
The building to the left (east) of the house at what is now 200 East Elm Street was probably a stable for this property.

Between 1904 and 1909, what was probably the stable of the dwelling at 200 East Elm Street was removed and another dwelling was built which would become 208 East Elm Street.

In 1909, the dwelling purchased by James G. Pillow, a carpenter, who added the single story addition at the rear of the dwelling, and raised the front porch to a second story level.

south side - 1909 map

from a 1911 panoramic view of Coleman

north side - 1911

(Editor's Note: It is difficult to tell if this dwelling is very wide or if there is a second two story house to the left or possibly southeast of the one at 200 East Elm Street. I have found records of only a one story house to the east.)

"In 1929, James G. Pillow, and his wife Nannie, were residing at 200 East Elm Street. They are shown as the owners of this dwelling. He was a cabinet maker, with his shop at 405 South Colorado Street. Also living at this address were Miss Geneva Pillow, a stenographer for Critz and Woodward; and Miss Nadine Pillow. Rooming at this address was C. F. Howard, a clerk at the Coleman Hotel; Troy Morris, a driver for West Texas Coaches; Miss Gladys Roach, a stenographer for Critz and Woodward; and Harvey Smith, a tooldresser." (Coleman City Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.) (Note: Also shown in the 1929 Coleman City Directory is an address of 405 South Colorado Street, which would have been the west side of 200 East Elm Street. The directory shows that James G. Pillow is living at this address, which means 200 East Elm Street and 405 South Colorado Street were the same location. This could have been an error in the 1929 city directory or this dwelling could have used both addresses.)

south side - 1948 map

C&D-V (Hugh Capps Studio)

west side - September 1969 newspaper image

Coleman Landmark Going Down

The old two-story house at the corner of Colorado and Elm, known as the "old Pillow Home" is being razed at this time. Records reveal that the original structure was erected in 1889 by M. J. Ross, who operated a grocery store on Commercial Avenue. Mr. Ross sold the house to Henry Lobstein in 1893, and the property was resold again in 1905 to P. B. Sewell. Mr. Sewell sold the house the next year, in 1906 to J. R. Wylie, and then in 1911 J. G. Pillow acquired the property. The Pillow family retained title until 1951, when purchased by Curtis Lindsey, and in 1963 Geo. D. Rhone Company purchased same. Mr. Pillow was a carpenter and he added to the house considerably, putting on the second story in the process and later adding the south wing. Rhone Company officials announce only that the lot is being cleared. (Editor's Note: It appears this article is incorrect in stating that J. G. Pillow added the second story. As shown by the above maps, the house was originally built as a two story house.)

(Coleman Chronicle and Democrat-Voice, September 1969.)

A Pillow Family Genealogical Note From Ralph Terry ...

James Gideon "Jim" Pillow (born in 1857 in Tennessee and died in 1936) and his wife Nannie (Freeman) Pillow (born about 1872 in Tennessee and died November 30, 1960 in Tyler, Texas. Both are buried at the Coleman Cemetery. Jim was the son of Granville Taylor Pillow and Amelia E. Parker. Nannie was the daughter of A. J. and Elizabeth Freeman. They married about 1892 in Tennessee, and moved to Coleman County between 1902, when their daughter, Natila was born in Weakley County, Tennessee and 1910 when they are shown on the 1910 Coleman County census. Their family consisted of Novella, born about 1893 in Tennessee, Geneva, born about 1897 in Tennessee; Natalie, born in 1901 in Tennessee; and Nadine, born about 1911 in Coleman County, Texas. Novella married Robert Williams. Geneva never married and worked as a secretary. Natalie married first a Sherman and second a Barton. She died in 1932 and is buried at Coleman Cemetery. Nadine married first Ray Stanbury and second, Edward Prince.

He is shown as a farmer on the 1900 census in Tennessee and again as a farmer in 1910 in Coleman. By age 62, in 1920 he was listed as a carpenter; and in 1930, at age 73 is he shown as a repairer with his own shop. He and his family appears to have lived at 200 East Elm Street from their arrival in Coleman until his death in 1936 and probably until the family sold it in 1951, which was about the time Nannie Pillow moved to Tyler, where all her daughters lived. Roy Freeman was the son of Nannie's brother, Charlie F. Freeman.

Funeral Is Held For J. G. Pillow Here Sunday

Funeral services for James Gideon Pillow, 79, retired carpenter, were held at the First Baptist church here Sunday afternoon at three o'clock with Rev. O. L. Savage, pastor and Rev. W. H. Vanderpool, pastor of the First Methodist church, officiating. He was a member of the Baptist Church.

James Gideon Pillow, resident of Coleman County for 30 years, had been in health for some time although not seriouslyill until just a few weeks before his death. He was born in Paris, Tennessee, May 23, 1857 and died at the family home, 200 East Elm, Saturday (October 3). Interment was made in the Coleman cemetery.

Survivors include his wifow, Mrs. J. G. Pillow, Coleman; and three daughters, Miss Geneva Pillow, Coleman, Mrs. Nadine Stanberry and Mrs. Novella Roberts, Tyler.

Pall bearers included Cecil Freeman, Roy Freeman, T. H. Barton, Roy Stanberry, R. A. Carroll, T. D. Strickland, E. M. Critz and Walter Woodward. Flowers were handled by Mrs. S. P. Gilliam, Miss Ada Colvin, Miss Gladys Townsen and Miss Frances Stevens. J. E. Stevens Company had charge of the funeral arrangements.

(Coleman Democrat-Voice, Coleman, Texas, October 8, 1936.)

Mrs. J. G. Pillow Dies in Tyler; Funeral Here

Mrs. J. G. Pillow, 88, long-time resident of Coleman, died Wednesday, November 30, at Tyler, where she had been living for ten years. She was a member of the local First Methodist Church. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 2, at Stevens Memorial Chapel with Rev. Marvin Bledsoe, pastor of First Methodist Church, officiating. Interment will be in Coleman Cemetery with Stevens Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Surviving Mrs. Pillow are three daughters, Mrs. Novella Roberts, Miss Geneva Pillow and Mrs. Nadine Prince, all of Tyler; one great-niece, whom she reared, Mrs. Betty Jo Green of Indianapolis, Indiana; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A nephew, Roy Freeman, lives in Coleman.

(Coleman County Chronicle, Coleman, Texas, December 1, 1960.)

Ralph Terry Digital Image

west side - March 2003

Only a vacant lot in
March 2003.

About February 2003, The Coleman First Baptist Church began clearing the west side of this block (Original Townsite, Block 19, lots 3 and 4) to build what began as a parking lot and expanded into a "Family Center." This part of the block has included 200 East Elm Street, 405 South Colorado Street, 407 South Colorado Street, and 201 East Walnut Street. See 200 East Elm Street for information about this structure.

4 July 2006 -- image by Billie Mercer

On the 4th of July building projects came to a halt and activity became very quiet. However, on July 5th things will be different as building again starts on Coleman's First Baptist Church Family Center. (Taken from the corner of South Colorado and East Elm Streets, looking southeast.)

26 July 2006 -- image by Billie Mercer

As of Wednesday morning the second part of the foundation concrete slab has been poured. When all is completed there will be close to 1500 sq. ft. of concrete poured. This last slab was poured at approximately 2:30 a.m. (Looking south from East Elm Street.)