MORE HISTORY LOST FOR SANGER Batis home demolished for widening of FM 455
The home of Noah C. Batis was demolished, recently, on FM 455 near Keaton Road in Sanger. Mr. Batis was a family man, a Denton County commissioner, a Chisholm Trail herder, a livestock breeder of mules and horses, and he was a veterinarian to local farmers. Although he never had a degree to back it up, he had the knowledge and skills, and the local and area men trusted him to treat their livestock.
Noah was born October 4, 1860 in Jacksonville, Illinois and died in March 1950. He and Amanda E. Rhine Batis married and had 4 children; Bertha, Edward, Carl and Bessie. After wife, Amanda, died February 11, 1891 (and buried in the Krum cemetery), he married Laura L. Batis who gave birth to 5 more children; Walter, Guy, Beulah, Bonnie, and Noah. Laura died November 2, 1950 and is buried in Sanger Cemetery along with husband Noah who had passed away in March 1950.
Noah arrived in Sanger in the spring of 1889. He purchased 95 acres of fine land just on the edge of town, and built one of the largest and best accommodating barns in the country. Some of his finest animals were Keota Bob, McGregor, William Whitten and Morgan horses along with John and Hubbard Jacks. Fine colts resulted from these prize animals and were scattered over Denton, Collin, Wise and Cooke counties. When Noah arrived in Sanger, stock breeding was at a low ebb, but with his knowledge and expertise with stock, he changed that.
Batis drove herds of cattle up the Chisholm Trail in 1881 for Judge S.A Venters. His last trip was in 1882 when he traveled the trail with a herd of 1,200 head of cattle that belonged to Bill Loflin. Noah was interviewed by Jasimine Fry and Pat Hillert of Denton Record-Chronicle in April 1948, and he talked about riding the trail and the Indian encounters.
Jack Armstrong once told this writer that his father, Hazen Armstrong, remembered Noah receiving the two-story home loaded on railcars. He asked Hazen and several other men to bring their wagons and they loaded up the Sears’ craft home “kit” and transported to Batis’ farm just west of what is now I-35 on FM455. It consisted of loads and loads of the necessary goods to complete this 2-story home. The property is located across FM455 from the Chisholm Trail Elementary School. Noah built the home although it is not known how long it took to complete. It had two stories, a wraparound porch on the south and east sides of the home. The property also held the original small home that Noah and his wife occupied located at the back of the new home to be built, along with quarters for his help, a cook kitchen, and a huge livestock barn.
A Texas State Historical Commission marker dedication was held July 28, 1987 at the home in memory of Noah C. Batis presented by Joe Batis, grandson of Noah, and attended by Jack Marshall, current owner of the home at that time and still owned to this date, along with Mayor Nel Armstrong of Sanger. The marker reads:
Noah C. Batis
A native of Illinois, Noah C. Batis (1860-1950) came to Texas at an early age in 1881. He worked as a cowboy driving cattle up the Chisholm Trail to Kansas. He came to Sanger in 1889 and ten
years later, at this site established the Sanger Stock Farm which became known for its fine horses, mules and other livestock. Although he lacked the formal training, Batis provided veterinary care for his animals and for those of nearby farms. A County Commissioner from 1919 to 1923, he lived here with his wife Laura (b. 1864). They died in 1950.
This Texas State Historical Commission marker has disappeared from the home. It was mounted on the front of the home and had been advised it was placed inside the home. After several attempts to locate, it has never been found.
And now we are at this point in the history of Sanger: April 29, 2020; the day the house was torn down to make room to widen FM 455. Sanger has now lost another piece of their long history dating back to 1886 when the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad came through and the railway company named the town Sanger.
