402 West Live Oak Street, Coleman, Texas

It is believed the Frank Anthony Dibrell, son of William C. and Margaret (Jenkins) Dibrell, built this house a block north of his parent's house by 1888.

Letter from W. C. Dibrell to his son, Frank in 1862 from Camp Nelson.

Frank Dibrell, taken in Galveston, Texas

Marriage License of Frank Dibrell and Mary Miller,
Galveston, Texas, 1884

Mary (Miller) Dibrell, taken in later life

Frank and Mary had a family of six children … William Charles Dibrell (1884-1943), Lotta Dibrell Woolridge (1886-1973), George Dibrell (1888-1938), Harry Dibrell (1893-1961), Aileen (Dibrell) Edwards (1898-1971) and Frank Anthony Dibrell, Jr. (1901- 1905).

Frank Anthony Dibrell died in 1914. Mrs. Frank Dibrell (Mary P. (Miller) Dibrell), age 66, owner and apartment house manager, was living at 402 West Live Oak Street when the 1930 census was taken. The census shows, living with her was John P. Miller, a ranch man who owned a ranch, his wife, Mary J. Miller (both age 29) and their children, Billie Marie, age 7, and J. P., Jr., age 5. Renting there were Harry, age 47, was an oil well driller, and wife Minnie Wilson, age 33. (Note from Ralph Terry: I have found no kinship between Mary P. (Miller) Dibrell and the J. A. B. Miller families at this time.) Mary (Miller) Dibrell lived here until her death in 1938.

south side - 1888 map

south side - 1893 map

south side - 1898 map

south side - 1904 map

south side - 1909 map

south side - 1916 map

south side - 1923 map

Mary Dibrell (in front) with her daughters, Lotta (left) and Aileen (right),
taken on the southwest corner of the original house at 402 West Live Oak Street.

Between 1923 and 1929, the old frame house was rebuilt or added to, and a second story was added, and the old house was made into an apartment house.

"In 1929, Mary Dibrell, widow of F. A. Dibrell, was residing at 402 West Live Oak Street. She was the owner of this dwelling. Also living at this address were Jackson C. Grubb, owner of Coleman Furniture Company, and his wife Faye; and J. Tom Saunders, assistant cashier at Coleman National Bank, and his wife, Ruth. Rooming at this address were Joseph L. Kirk, a clerk at Coulson Drug Stores, and his wife Estelle P.; and Mrs. Cora B. Orr." (Coleman City Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.)

The Dibrell Apartment House, replacing the original home of Frank and Mary Dibrell.
south and east sides - picture taken in about 1928

Lotta and Harry Wooldridge shown at the southwest corner of the apartment house at 402 West Live Oak Street.

(Picture taken in the late 1920s
or early 1930s.)

south side - 1930 map

south side - 1948 map

H. H. Wooldridge and Lotta Wooldridge are shown as the owners, living at 402 West Live Oak Street when the 1940 census was taken, having moved there from next door at 408 West Live Oak Street, where they were living when the 1930 census was taken.

"In 1962, Mrs. Lotta Wooldridge, widow of Harry Woolridge, was residing at 402 West Live Oak Street. She was the owner of this apartment house. Her telephone number was 625-4445." (Polk's - Coleman City Directory, 1962.)

"Lotta Dibrell, daughter of Frank Anthony Dibrell, Sr. and Mary P. (Miller) Dibrell, was born August 30, 1886 in Coleman and died January 1973 and was buried at the Coleman Cemetery. She married Harry H. Woolridge on April 29, 1908 and had no children." ("William Carter and Margaret Caroline (Jenkins) Dibrell Family," compiled by Mary Louise McMahon and Mrs. J. S. Weatherred, from A History of Coleman County and Its People, edited by

Ralph Terry, Judia Gaines Terry, and Vena Bob Gates, 1985, page 570.)

west and south sides - April 2003 image c2003 Ralph Terry

south side - January 2003 image c2003 Ralph Terry

Charlotte Strawn, granddaughter of Frank Anthony and Mary (Miller) Dibrell, purchased the house from the estate of Lotta Wooldridge, her aunt, in the 1970s, moving there at that time.

"In 1972, Charlotte Strawn was residing at 402 West Live Oak Street. Her telephone number was 625-4897." (General Telephone Company of the Southwest Directory - Coleman, Texas, June 1972.)

The house was passed to Charlotte's son, Anthony in 2021, following her death. He sold the house to Lana Kading, owner of Stevens Funeral Home in 2022.