In this region, around the year 1874, talk began to circulate about planning a railroad from Jefferson to McKinney, running through this area. Rivalry among three towns - Winnsboro, Webster and Cornersville was very strong.
If the road came through Winnsboro and continued on in a westerly direction, it would pass through Cornersville as well. However, Webster was trying to have the road located on a different route so that it would pass through Webster, which at that time was the largest of the three villages.
Webster is reported to have been on of the oldest settlements in Wood County. It was located west of Hwy 37, about three miles southwest of Winnsboro and 12 miles northeast of Quitman.
The town had its beginnings in 1854 when Gilbert Smith Matthews acquired the site and named it after the statesman, Daniel Webster.
By 1855, the community was known as Prospect Hill when its received its first post office. By January 1856, the name of the post office had been changed to Webster. In 1850, Webster was said to have a larger population than Dallas had at the time.
Webster had several business houses and two of these were run by Jewish families, the Goldmans and the Fergusons. These men hauled their goods by ox wagons and mule teams from Jefferson, and stored the goods in two large buildings. They shipped these goods to the west, to Sulphur Springs, Greenville and Dallas.
A rail company was formed named the East Line Red River Railway Company. In 1878, Mrs. Ophelia Cook made a deal with the company whereby she conveyed to them a half-interest in the south 100 acres of her 100-acre tract. She also conveyed to them a 200-foot right-of-way through her remaining 100 acres. The railroad company was in turn to survey this land into lots, blocks and streets for the purpose of building the town of Winnsboro. It was also to build a depot, which they did. It was at the site of the current depot.
One Mr. Haygood was employed by the railway company to survey the tract and plat the above-mentioned 100 acres. His plat and map were to show the site of the depot and the location of the streets, blocks and lots. This may is the earliest map in existence of Winnsboro. The Haygood map is recorded in the deed records of Wood County.
Mrs. Cook's willingness to sell some of her land to the railroad company won the location of the depot for Winnsboro. With this development, many of the people living in Cornersville and Webster began to move into Winnsboro and the town began to grow rapidly.
After the decision was made for the line to go through Winnsboro, the Goldman and Ferguson families moved their businesses from Webster to Winnsboro. They continued to conduct their business there for several years.
Although both families were successful in business, this did not exempt them from having family problems.
Will Goldman, a son, ran away at age 16 or 17 to Galveston. The Seisheimers and Munzenheimers of Galveston were relatives of the Goldmans and Will decided to stay with them for awhile.
After Will had been in Galveston for some time, he wrote to his father asking for money to pay for a trip home. It is reported that Goldman did not show the letter to his wife, but wrote Will a short note on the bottom of the letter which said, "Billy, stay where you damn is." Goldman then signed the letter and mailed it.
Several weeks later, Will came home and did not run away again..
About 1890, the Goldmans and the Fergusons sold their interests in Winnsboro and moved to Dallas.
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