The Eagle Ford Community developed just east of an important early crossing on the west fork of the Trinity River. Among the early settlers of the area was the family of Enoch Horton (1777 - 1851). Arriving in November 1844, they established several large farms. James Horton (1818 - 1876) built the Eagle Ford Grist Mill and donated land in 1857 for the nearby Horton Cemetery. He also gave land for the Texas and Pacific Railroad right-of-way and depot. The village saw immediate growth from the 1870s until the rail line was completed westward to Fort Worth, when the Eagle Ford Community began to decline. In 1907 William Foster Cowham and Associates came to the area from Michigan and began buying property, including some of James Horton's original holdings. They established the Southwestern States Portland Cement Company and built two villages to house their employees. Immigrants from Mexico found employment with the company, and their descendants have contributed to the diverse cultural heritage of the community. Eladio R. Martinez (1921 - 1945) was a distinguished soldier in World War II, earning the Combat Infantry Badge and a Purple Heart in action in the Phillipines. 1989