In light of the upcoming unveiling of a 10-foot bronze statue of Tarleton State University founder John Tarleton, is serves to educate both new and current Texans on the origins of the man who bequeathed nearly $100,000 to the establishment of a college in Stephenville, Texas in 1899.

Tarleton was born in the early 1800’s, although the year is reported inconsistently as either 1807, 1808, 1811, 1814, 1823, 1824 or 1828. Tarleton was an orphan by the time he was 10 years old, and was sent to live with an aunt in Virginia for the remainder of his childhood. As a teenager, he grew disgruntled with his aunt’s unwillingness to allow him to pursue an education, and is believed to have left to work in North Carolina. Within two years he had moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he attended school to become a teacher.

Tarleton spent most of the next 40 years working for a dry goods store in Knoxville. During this time he accrued a considerable amount of property in the city, so that by 1870 his property was valued somewhere around $80,000. Tarleton displayed a knack for well-timed purchases that allowed him to accumulate the property despite living on a budget of $25 per month.

Continuing a pattern of land-collecting, Tarleton eventually came to acquire 10,240 acres of land in central Texas, between Palo Pinto and Erath County. According to Dr. Christopher Guthrie’s history of TSU, Tarleton “bought [the land] for cash from a ‘well-dressed man’ who had appeared at the Cowan and Dickinson store and told the clerk that he had land in Texas that he wanted to sell ‘dirt cheap’.”

Bad romance

Tarleton next made his way to Waco, Texas where he eventually married a wealthy widow named Mary Louise Johnson. The two married in 1876, but their nuptials ended in a bitter divorce less than three years later. The couple had agreed to keep their respective properties and accounts separate even after marriage, and Tarleton is believed to have held stiffly to this agreement, even allegedly charging his wife for half of the honeymoon costs. Tarleton is rumored to have been cold and distant toward his wife, treating their marriage as a business relationship more often than not. This, combined with Mary’s eccentric habits and elaborate lifestyle, led to discontent in the relationship. Tarleton had also apparently failed to disclose his ownership of thousands of acres of land to his new wife, and upon filing for divorce the two engaged in a dispute over land ownership. Eventually the matter was resolved and the couple parted ways amicably, each taking with them their own respective properties.

A murder most foul (almost)

During his time in Waco, Tarleton owned interest in a small county store. A certain employee who wished to discover where his employer (Tarleton) kept his money stashed decided the easiest way to discover its location would be to kill him and search the store from top to bottom. The man’s sister presented Tarleton with a bowl of poisoned berries and cream, which he ate without hesitation. Despite falling gravely ill, he pulled through the attempt on his life and fired the employee before departing Waco for good, keen to leave memories of divorce and near-death experiences in his wake.

Stephenville, America

After a failed attempt to make it in the cattle business, Tarleton began considering his legacy. He knew he wanted to leave his money to found a school, and eventually settled on Stephenville, Texas as the location he would will his funds to. Although it is ideal to imagine Tarleton’s decision was made out of the goodness of his heart, letters and well-documented sources suggest it is much more likely that he bequeathed his wealth to build a school to ensure that his ex-wife could not obtain it, as he had no other family or heirs to speak of. Others claim, however, that Tarleton simply had a passion for education and children. It is likely a combination of both factors that lead Tarleton to establish the college.

Death and myths

There are many rumors surrounding Tarleton State University’s mysterious founder. After his death and burial on the campus grounds, Tarleton’s body was relocated. However, a large portion of his casket still resides underneath Heritage Park, and it is likely that a portion of his own remains lie with it. Oscar P, on the other hand, is unlikely to have ever existed, and can instead be regarded as a beloved symbol of the spirit of Tarleton and the dedication of its staff, students and supporters.

A full biographical excerpt on John Tarleton can be found at Tarleton.edu/library.