C.R. Morehead
C.R. Morehead

C.R. Morehead

CHARLES R. MOREHEAD (born 1836 at Richmond, Missouri) Of El Paso pioneers who were in at the beginning of the real era of civic and commercial progress, at the coming of the railroads, few now survive. Of those who were on the ground in advance of the railroad, including such notable characters as Judge Magoffin and a group of other well-known citizens, few still remain. Among those coming in 1881, the first railroad year, the venerable banker, Charles R. Morehead, now in his seventy-eighth year, by reason of his splendid services and attainments is regarded as foremost citizen of El Paso. Mr. Morehead, (native of Missouri) came to El Paso to take up his permanent residence in the early part of 1881, before the first railroad train came into the city, and at once took steps to give El Paso its first banking institution -- the State National Bank. One of his first tasks after getting his bank well established was to build up a public school system and he is given credit for having laid a substantial basis for the present public school system. He consented to serve one term in the office of mayor, not for the political honor, but in order to have the facilities for carrying out some much needed public improvement of which he was an advocate. His most conspicuous achievement while in the office was to prevent the proposed taking of water for public purposes from the river instead of from the purer source of the Mesa, and he thus insured practically for all times an undefiled supply of fine water for this city. Charles R. Morehead, the El Paso citizen, was married to Lemira Morris and they had 3 children. (Source: from A History of Texas and Texans, by Frank W. Johnson. The American Historical Society. Chicago, 1914. Vol. III, pp. 1286-1288)

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: El Paso County Historical Society

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Charles R. Morehead and wife had difficulty finding place to live when they first came to El Paso,TX. He and his wife lived for an extended time at the Magoffin Home. He was an officer in the State National Bank on 23 March 1881. Joseph Magoffin served as vice president of that bank for decades.

Morehead School in El Paso ISD bears his name.

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

Little Caples Building

Little Caples Building in downtown El Paso, Texas. Located at ...

City Hall circa 1915, El Paso, Texas

Intersection of Myrtle & San Antonio Streets between 1910-1920. ...

Street Scene-Automobile Row

This section of North Kansas Street was known as "Automobile ...

Abdou Building

Henry Trost designed this seven-story reinforced concrete ...

Church and County Courthouse in 1890s

This picture, dating back to the 1890s, shows the County ...

Bird's Eye View of El Paso from Mesa Garden

The picture captures El Paso between 1890 and 1900. It was taken ...

The Popular Dry Good Company

The Popular department store chain, founded by Adolph Schwartz, ...

Lawmen On Horseback

Lawmen on horseback in downtown El Paso, Texas.

Street Car Downtown

A street car travels between the Grand Hotel and the El Paso ...

Local Bar In El Paso, Texas

A local bar in El Paso, Texas between 1910 - 1920.

Otis A. Aultman

Otis A. Aultman playing cards with friends, he is to the far ...

Downtown El Paso

Image of downtown El Paso between 1910-1920. City Hall to the ...

El Paso Preachers

This group of Protestant ministers includes Dr. Poe of the ...

Chamber of Commerce Anniversary Luncheon

These are the past and present directors of the El Paso Chamber ...

Southwest University Park

Southwest University Park is a stadium in El Paso, Texas. It is ...

White House Department Store

The popularity of the White House exceeded the size of its ...

Southwest University Park

Southwest University Park is a stadium in El Paso, Texas. It is ...

East San Antonio Avenue

This sign marks the corner of East San Antonio Avenue and South ...

Architecture

A once beautiful building in downtown El Paso, TX.

Lamppost

Downtown El Paso is dotted with revival styles from the turn of ...

N. Mesa Street Downtown El Paso, Texas

Image of N. Mesa Street with sign and lamp post in downtown El ...

Kress Sign

This sign marks the location of Kress & Co. Department store at ...

Betty Moor MacGuire Hall - El Paso Texas

Photograph of the Betty Moor MacGuire Hall. The picture features ...

home.search_collection