Dr. William Edward Throckmorton

The doctor's road to Collin County ran through four states. The Handbook of Texas says he was born in Virginia in 1795, took a medical degree in 1817, moved to Sparta, Tennessee, in 1821, then to Illinois, and in 1837 to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where his first wife, Susan Jane Rotan, died leaving five children. He married Melina Wilson in 1840 and settled near Melissa in 1841. He died on October 2, 1843. The Handbook says the county was named for him probably as a compliment to his son, the later governor. The marker stands on private land.

What the plaque says

Dr. William Edward Throckmorton For whom Throckmorton County, Texas was named. Born in Virginia 1795. Died October 2, 1843.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary — 11 mi
  A 289-acre sanctuary in McKinney that Bessie Heard founded at the age of 80, with five habitats, a 50-acre wetland and 6.5 miles of trails.
• Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site — 28 mi
  The two-story farmhouse west of Bonham that the longtime Speaker of the House built in 1916 and kept as his home, left as he lived in it and open as a museum since 1975.

More markers nearby

• Highland Cemetery — 1.1 mi
• Coffman Cemetery — 1.4 mi
• Melissa Cemetery — 1.8 mi
• Melissa School — 2.2 mi