The book Whistle In The Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Railway, by Robert S. Maxwell, contains some information about Paul Bremond, scattered information about the Houston & Texas Central and International & Great Northern Railroads (which traverse Robertson County), and absolutely no information about the town of Bremond, Robertson County, or its residents.  A copy of this book has been donated to the Carnegie Center of Brazos Valley History in Bryan.  All of the information below comes from this book.

Bremond was named after Paul Bremond who was an official with the Houston & Texas Central Railroad (H&TC) which passed through the town.  Bremond was the first president of the H&TC (1850 - 1858) and was heavily involved with the H&TC until about 1875.  It does not appear that any members of the Bremond family ever actually lived in Bremond or Robertson County.

Paul Bremond & His Family
(pages 5, 8-9)

Paul Bremond, 10.11.1810 - 5.8.1885, b New York City, NY, son of Dr. Paul Barlie & Catherine Green Bremond, father emigrated from France in 1805, mother was an American girl from Fishkill, NY, around 1830 Paul moved to Philadelphia, he moved to Galveston in 1839, he and his family lived in Houston most of his life, he died in Galveston while visiting his friend Colonel E. P. Lufkin (who lived in Galveston), his body was brought back to Houston for burial in Glenwood Cemetery (2525 Washington Avenue) alongside other family members.

Paul Bremond married his first wife about about 1831, Harriet Martha Sprouls of New York.  They had three children:  (1) Edward L. Bremond, (2) Margaret Bremond Rice (first wife of William Marsh Rice, founder of Rice University), & (3) Harriet Bremond Timpson Appleby (wife of Samuel Coulter Timpson); after Timpson died in 1882, Harriet married James Appleby.

After the death of his first wife, Harriet Martha Sprouls Bremond, in 1846, Paul Bremond married his second wife, Mary E. Van Alstyne.  She was the daughter of William A. Van Alstyne, a prominent businessman in Houston & one of Paul Bremond's business partners.  They had five daughters, of whom four grew to maturity:  (1) Pauline (Mrs. John A.) Dozier, (2) Kate (Mrs. J. C.) Zimmer, (3) Julia (Mrs. Lucas) Fernandez, & (4) Nettie (Mrs. Walter) Lufkin.

After the death of his second wife, Mary E. Van Alstyne Bremond, in 1884, Paul Bremond married his third wife, Viscountess de Valernes, known in family circles as Mary Louise.  They had no children.

Dispatch From Galveston, "Another Gone", Houston Post, 5.9.1885
(page 32)

"Colonel Paul Bremond, President of the Houston, East and West Texas narrow gauge Railway, died in this city tonight.  His death occurred at the residence of Captain E. P. Lufkin, corner Avenue H.and 25th Street at 7 PM and resulted from peritonitis.  The deceased arrived in the city last Wednesday on a brief visit to his life-long friend Captain Lufkin.  He had been in feeble health and hoped the change would prove beneficial.  His death was sudden and somewhat unexpected although he was in his 75th year.  His remains will be taken to Houston on the 9:30 train in the morning for interment."

Partial Houston Post Obituary 5.9.1885 For Paul Bremond
(pages 32-33)

"As will be seen by the special dispatch from Galveston, Mr. Bremond died this evening at 7 PM.  Mr. Bremond was one of the most remarkable men in the South.  He came to Texas while quite young and located at Houston, where for many years he carried on successful mercantile pursuits.  He conceived the project of building a railroad from the Gulf to the Red River which resulted in the organization and construction of that splendid line of railways piercing the heart of Texas known as the Houston and Texas Central Railway.  Toward the construction of the mainline of this system Mr. Bremond contributed largely from his own private means.  He became the first president of the road and maintained an active interest in it for many years."

. . .

"The deceased was known throughout Texas as "the father of Railroads."  His loss will be severely felt.  He leaves a widow and an interesting family of six grown children.  Deceased was married three times.  His fortune is variously estimated at between 2 and 3 millions [sic].  Mr. Bremond was a firm believer in the modern doctrine of spiritualism."

A Paragraph From Whistle In The Piney Woods About Paul Bremond's Passing
(page 35)

"In an editorial on his passing, the San Antonio Express called him a peculiar man with many idiosyncrasies but said that these were anything but vagaries when results were calculated.  The editor conceded that Bremond was not a popular man and had made many bitter enemies, but he contended that he had left two monuments, the H&TC and HE&WT railroads, which would not have been built had it not been for him.  For all his peculiarities, concluded the editor, he was an upbuilder and benefactor of mankind."

Back to homepage