Scope and Contents 

John J. Grauwyler, a farmer of Dallas county, Texas, was born Johann Jacob Graviller in Switzerland on November 28, 1837, and reared in the city of Basel.  In 1854, he immigrated to Rochester, New York.  In April 1861, in Rochester, he enlisted in Company E, Twenty-eighth New York Infantry for three months and was in the American Civil War Battle of Bull Run.  He came to Dallas County, Texas, in 1883 and operated a farm of 365 acres until his death in 1909.  [Adapted from A Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas, 1892, p. 421.]

Collection documents the acquisition and development of Grauwyler Park and contains documentation and personal papers of the park's namesake, John Grauwyler.  Grauwyler Memorial Park, located at the 7500 Block of Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas, was bequeathed to the City of Dallas in 1924 by Emma H. Grauwyler in memory of her husband John Grauwyler.  The initial bequest totaled 25 acres and was augmented over time.

Collection contains correspondence and memoranda, land transfer documents, legal documents, and printed materials pertaining to the estate of John Grauwyler and Emma Grauwyler and the establishment and maintenance of Grauwyler Park, Dallas, Texas.  John Grauwyler personal materials of note include his discharge form from the United State Army in 1863, an Army pension for John Grauwyler awarded to Emma Grauwyler, a business ledger belonging to John Grauwyler (entries from 1827, 1863-1880s), and the Grauwyler family bible.

Organization

The collection is arranged in two series, manuscript material and printed material.  Correspondence and memoranda in chronological order.

Access​

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives.  All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Citation

Grauwyler Park and John and Emma Grauwyler, 1827-1963 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives

Related Material

None

​Index Terms

Dallas -- Texas -- History
Dallas (Tex.). Park and Recreation Department
Grauwyler, Emma H 1841-1923
Grauwyler, Johann Jacob 1833-1908
Parks -- Texas -- Dallas

Container List