In 1840 Joseph Dennis (1810-1894) and his wife Isa Seitze migrated from Arkansas to Milam County, Texas. When Bell County was organized in 1850, Dennis served as chairman of the committee that selected Nolan Springs, present Belton, as the county seat. He was the first Bell County Treasurer. Dennis owned several tracts of land in the county and operated a grist mill and lumber yard. He purchased a large tract of land which included this acreage from John Marshall in 1876. This site, known as Elmore Ranch, has been owned continuously by his descendants. (1978)