When the Maddux and Brock families came to this area in the 1870's there was no community here and the area was farm land. In 1880 when James and Sarah Maddux donated their land for the building of a church and school it was realized that the school would need a name. "Grandpa"¹ Estel a Baptist preacher suggested that the school be called Olive Branch.² The school was known as "Olive Branch" for the next few years.

The "Olive Branch"school that would eventually become Brock was built in 1880 by local community members. It was a small structure located in the area where the elementary pavillion is today. The original playground was just inside the rock wall south of the building. It opened in 1880 and was taught by a single teacher John Westmoreland Jones. John and his wife Sophronia lived in Lazy Bend and he also taught several years at the "Old Consolation" school located about three miles west of here.

In 1888 an application for a post office was submitted to the US postal service. The application was for the "Brock" post office. The reason the name of Brock instead of Olive Branch was used is a bit of a mystery but the post office was approved on April 23, 1888³. By 1890 the community was known as Brock on official government maps and Brock, Texas showed a population of 10 people for census purposes⁴.

Since it seems clear that the naming of the post office is what changed the name of our community to Brock and since the name was recognized officially on April 23, 1888 I suggest that day as a community celebration day honoring the birth of Brock.

1. Grandpa Estel may have been Theophilus Estel. An 1890 map of Parker County shows a Theophilus Estel living just west of the Brazos River about 4 miles from Brock.
2. A pictorial history of Parker County - Brock's Beginnings pg. 23
3. Jim Wheat's POSTMASTERS & POST OFFICES OF TEXAS, 1846 - 1930
4. 1890 Maps and Atlases of the United States located in Weatherford Public Library