Robert Terrell is a true icon in Kaufman County History. He was one of the first white men to ever see that portion of Nacogdoches Territory that became Kaufman County, as he was an early surveyor who walked over most of the land contained in it's boundaries. He was born to James A. Terrell & Penelope Lynch Adams on 22 Feb 1820 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co TN. His father moved the family from TN to Boone Co KY when Robert was 10 years old, then on to Boonesville MO in 1833, where Robert's father died in 1834. Robert's mother took him to Iberville Parish LA, where he received schooling to become a land surveyor. He was appointed Surveyor-General of Louisiana, but by 1838 was following his adventuresome brothers, Christifer (Kit) & George Whitfield to the Republic of Texas. Robert served as a secret agent to the Republic of Texas, fought in the Mexican-American War, was in the Santa Fe Expedition, & fought in the Civil War with the Confederacy in the 12th Texas Cavalry under William H. Parsons. He married Emily Love (1826-1867) daughter of Judge John G. Love & Rebecca Axum, in San Augustine County, TX on 26 Mar 1846. (**See her page-this site) They immediately made their home in what was then the newly-formed Henderson County in Texas. After Emily's death Robert married Nancy Amelia Love (1829-1894) (**See her page-this site) daughter of William & Nacy Kirk Love. She was the young widow of Jonathan W. Terrell, a distant cousin of Robert's. The town of Terrell Texas was named for Robert in 1873. He lived there the remainder of his life, dying of consumption on 08 Mar 1881. The house he built in Terrell is still standing. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Terrell, which located on land he owned.  Texas State Historical Marker Honoring
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