Barwise is a “place name” in Wichita County Texas. There are streets, historical markers, roads, and schools which have borne or bear the name.
These places are named in honor of Joseph Hudson Barwise. Judge Barwise was often known by his initials; J H lived a remarkable life. Born in 1829, his life spanned almost a century. In contrast to his long life, his formal education spanned only eight months in Indiana, largely at the hand of a tutor, Will Taft, the father of William Howard Taft, who became President of the United States. Despite his brief education, he passed the bar and was a noted county Judge. He was a Unionist in the Civil War and served as a Captain. In the 1870s, he moved to Texas seeking a dryer climate for his health. In December 1879, "after prospecting in various parts of the state," he and his family became the first permanent settlers at the site of Wichita Falls. For this, and other reasons, he’s often called the father of Wichita County and Wichita Falls.
The Texas State Historical Society’s Handbook of Texas tells more about the Judge and town bearing his name. Barwise Texas is in Floyd County. The “reason” for naming the town is dubious but it does link the judge to the railroad he helped establish, and to his travels to land holdings in the Texas panhandle.
Over the course of his life he made and lost impressive amounts of money. It was said that in the recession of the mid 1890’s he “was compelled to sacrifice nearly all he had, but it remains to his lasting credit that his own losses never caused the loss of a cent to any of his associates.” Although identified with Wichita County, J H Barwise acquired significant land holdings across Texas, from the Panhandle near Dalhart, to Seymour, in Baylor county. He called his own ranch(es) the Barwise, a name we are happy to perpetuate in the 21st century, nearly 100 years after his death.
The Judge in front of
his home in 1904 |
The marker is located in front of the Wichita County courthouse. |