Kaufman Herald - 17 Dec 1936
~ Texas Centennial Edition ~
"For years C.C. Nash was probably Kaufman County's most outstanding citizen…"

   He was fondly called "Neelie" as a child, but in adult life went by his initials, "C.C.".  He was born 13 Mar 1833 in Davidson Co TN, son of William Nash and Louisa Temple.  He was brought to Texas when only a toddler and grew up in the wilds of east Texas.  He had very little schooling but was wise in ways of the world beyond his years.  He was an industrious & adventurous adolescent and became one of Kaufman County's most admired citizens during the span of his short life.

   His qualities as an intelligent, responsible, level-headed person were evident when he was still an adolescent.  When he was 17 years old, his father sent Neelie from their home in San Augustine Co on a journey of nearly 200 miles to Kaufman County with a herd of cattle, a wagonload of tools and supplies, a male slave and a Mexican drover.  His job was to get the cattle to land his father had purchased west of the town of Kaufman and to build a log house for the three of them to live in until the family arrived at the new land the following year.  His father did not choose his two older sons for the job, showing the faith he had in Neelie, and the young man did exactly what he was supposed to do.  He completed the task so the rest of the family could join, and they were there by 1852.

   On June 16, 1858 C.C. Nash married Albertine Sara Patience "Allie" Gardner, whose brother Augustus Talma Gardner had married C.C.'s sister, Lucy Nash.  Allie Nash was born 22 May 1840 and she and C.C. Nash had 4 children before she died 12 Mar 1864.

Here is how CC Nash & family appear on the 1860 Kaufman Co TX Census - he is listed as a Merchant.

Below is a Tax Receipt received by C C Nash when he paid his taxes on 17 Jan 1862, only a few weeks before he enlisted in the Confederate States Army.  

C. C. Nash's Confederate Tax Receipt

C. C. Nash served in the 6th TX Cavalry in the Confederate States Army from March 1862 until spring of 1864.  He returned home when his wife died.  He was not at home when his son John died nor when his son William was born.

On May 10, 1865, C.C. married Josephine Henrietta Michuax.  She was born 12 Aug 1840 and died 5 Dec 1915.

CC Nash & Josephine had the following children

See a photo of Woodson Nash's home HERE.

Below is how CC Nash and family appear on the 1870 Kaufman Co TX Census - HH #  88 / 96

   It is said that C. C. Nash was a man of vision.  He foresaw the future of the railroad coming to Kaufman County.  He and his business partner, John G. "Hard" Moore, decided to purchase a large portion of the J. W. Crude survey where the city of Terrell is located.  To make the deal CC Nash withdrew the money needed to make the deal from his safe.  Hard Moore wrapped the money around his leg, covered it with his sock and boot, climbed on his horse and rode to San Antonio to finalize the deal on the land, which they bought for $5.00 per acre.  They donated 100 acres of the land to the railroad, platted out the town and sold the lots for a profit.  Moore Avenue and Virginia Street are named for Moore and his wife, and Nash Avenue and Josephine Street are named for C. C. Nash and his wife.  This ingenuity made CC Nash a wealthy man.

   C. C. Nash was elected Kaufman County Treasurer on 29 May 1874 and served in that office until 3 Jul 1877.

   He died 13 Jan 1878 and is buried in Kaufman City Cemetery near both his wives and all 9 of his children.

The Photo below was made in 1875.  It shows a very pregnant Josephine Nash and her three daughters behind the C. C. Nash home in Kaufman.

After C. C. Nash died Joda Nash had a huge responsibility raising all of her husband's 7 children.  The 1880 Kaufman Census shows her with all of CC Nash's children in her household.

**Compiled by K K Hunt, from information obtained from the Marie Reasonover Collection in the Kaufman County Library, from info submitted by Chandra Martin, Linda Harwell, Justin Sanders & Charles Richardson.