"Ag Education Pioneer was Part of Milano Family" by Joy Graham

Ag Education Pioneer was Part of Milano Family

Milam History by Joy Graham

Rockdale Reporter - August 23, 2012

This column continues a series on Milano’s pioneering Westbrook family.

The Westbrook family history includes a lady who made history across the state.

Ervin Westbrook’s family left its legacy in Milam County. The couple built a log house

and spent years working their land into a productive farm with cattle. Ervin died Nov.

4, 1874, and was buried in the little cemetery on his land.

Civil War veterans Will and John Walker were also buried there.

Rachel continued to live on their land until May 24, 1924. When her health failed she

moved to Denton to be near her daughter Edna Trigg.

Rachel died there and was buried in Denton in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

After her death a portion of the family farm, including the cemetery was deeded to

their daughter, Edna Westbrook Trigg. Edna was born in December, 1868.

Raised in the area around Milano, she became interested in the educational field

becoming a teacher traveling around the county by horse and buggy, staying with family

and friends.

In 1892 she married Charles Trigg and a son and daughter were born into this union.

Trigg spent time as a teacher and principal of a rural school in the Liberty community

outside Milano.

In 1911, when the position for USDA demonstration agent in Milam County came open, she

accepted.

She was paid $100. per month with room and board.

In 1913 Milam County girls exhibited their projects at the Rockdale Fair and the State

Fair of Texas in Dallas and won over $100 in prize money.

In 1916, when Milam County’s funds ran out, she was hired as a home demonstration agent

for Denton County.

She gave up her position at the Liberty school to move to Denton. She died in November,

1946 and is buried there.

She is remembered by a Texas Historical Commission Marker on the grounds of the Milam

County Courthouse.

A hundred years have passed, but some of her same techniques are still practiced by

today’s homemakers.

The work of Edna Westbrook Trigg lives on today as we celebrate her lifetime

achievements that set the bar high for growth in the field of Texas Family and Consumer

Services fields.

Watch for more information on a celebration to be held in October 2012 honoring Mrs.

Trigg.

Research:

• “Comments from Cheryl Walker” Celebration of history for FCS in Milam County 2012.

• Rockdale Reporter “ Agrilife Extension Family and Consumer Sciences 2012.

• www Milam County HistoricalCommission.org

maryjoygraham@yahoo.com

Credit for this article goes to Joy Graham and the Rockdale Reporter
and any sources shown in the article.