Breeding Pair Donkeys

Established in 1856, the city was originally known as Head of Elm, named for its location at the headwaters of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. There are two conflicting stories as to how Head of Elm became Saint Jo, both of which involve Joe Howell, who originally laid out the town. One revolves around a Tennessean named Irby Holt Boggess giving leadership in partnership with Howell in or around 1872. This was displayed in the Stonewall Saloon Museum on the town square of Saint Jo in 1986 and is incorporated in a story about Boggess. The other involves Howell's personal beliefs.