Hill House, San Felipe, Texas
historical marker
The Hill House in San Felipe, Austin County, marks a site with early Texas history. The first known person to occupy this land was Judge Robert M. Williamson. He was widely known as "Three Legged Willie" due to a childhood illness that left his right leg drawn back at the knee, requiring him to wear a wooden leg. During Williamson's ownership, the community of San Felipe de Austin faced a critical event during the Texas Revolution. On March 30, 1836, the town was burned to the ground. This order came from Moseley Baker, a garrison leader under General Sam Houston's command. The burning was intended to prevent the town from falling into the hands of the advancing Mexican army. By May 1836, families began to return to San Felipe and started rebuilding the community. It is believed that Williamson or a subsequent landowner constructed the original Hill House structure around this time. The historical marker for the Hill House was erected in 1962 by the Texas Historical Commission. This site reflects a significant period in Texas's struggle for independence and the subsequent rebuilding of its communities.