Tarkington Prairie, Texas

Tarkington Prairie is a primarily rural unincorporated community spread out over approximately 238 square miles (620 km2) in northeastern Liberty County, Texas, United States.

The area that now constitutes Tarkington was settled in 1826 when the first settlers purchased land from the Mexican government and became ranchers.

He is generally credited with being the first white man to settle west of the Trinity River in Liberty County.

History seems to indicate that Daniel Donahoe donated the land for the Oak Shade Baptist Church and Cemetery.

A copy of the original grant shows that he was recommended for it by William Hardin, who was the judge for the jurisdiction of Liberty.

Spencer Kirkham was born in North Carolina and married Susanna Neyland in Adams County, Mississippi.

The first pastor of Oak Shade Baptist Church was the Reverend Austin Ellis, whose family settled in Liberty County in 1836.

In the church records, Foreman is mentioned as having rescued the Indians of East Texas from dying of starvation and fever.

They settled on the Trinity River and remained there until they moved back to East Texas on a reservation furnished by the government."

The Reconstruction period that followed the Civil War put a tremendous hardship on early settlers.