The History of Johnson County and Surrounding Area Copyright 1970 by Viola Block, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 73-149378, Printed by Texas Press in Waco, Texas, Bound by Library Binding Co., Waco, Texas.

This book, composed mostly of articles published in the Cleburne, Texas, Times-Review, makes no claim of being a complete history of any area. Rather, it is a history – from the harts of its people – told to Viola Block, who has recorded these remembrances, adding to them from old records.

Having always had a desire to make history more interesting for young people, Viola Block began writing articles about different interesting places which she visited, and in 1967 started concentrating on Johnson County, interviewing elderly people who remembered stories their parents had told them, and interesting things which happened when they were young. Everyone seemed delighted to see Mrs. Block and she made many personal friends, to whom she could return time after time for further information. One of the most outstanding of these is 102 year old Mrs. Salema Laramore, who has lived in Johnson County since she was eight years of age.

There are five sections in the book. Section One covers the earliest settlers and county seats, Wardville, Buchanan and Cleburne.

Section two covers other towns in present Johnson County: Alvarado, Burleson, Cresson, Godley, Grandview, Joshua (which includes Caddo Grove), Lillian (which includes Pleasant Point), Rio Vista and Venus.

Section three covers other communities around the county, some of which were at one time sizeable towns. This is the largest section in the book.

Section four covers the history of the county banks, from 1854 until 1970.

Section five covers Hood County, including Acton, Grandbury, George's Creek, and many other areas; a small section of Bosque County, with articles on Kent and Kimball; and Somerville County, with articles on Glen Rose and the county in general.

The book is sponsered by the Johnson County Historical Society.