WILSON COUNTY TEXAS COURTHOUSE ...... Alfred Giles (born 23 May 1853 in England) was an architect, graduate of King's College in London. He came to San Antonio, Texas in 1875 to benefit from the dry local climate and to cure the rheumatic fever which had bothered him for some time. The man was 22 then. 

 

Alfred constructed many buildings in Texas and New Mexico, including the Edward Steves' and Carl Groos' residences in San Antonio and the Gillespie County Courthouse. His creative work resulted in designing the old Bandera jail, Wilson County Courthouse in Floresville, and the Webb County Courthouse in Laredo. Besides that, in 1912, Giles reroofed the Alamo mission chapel. He also submitted a design for a monument (dedicated to the heroes of the Texas Revolution) which was to be built in the Alamo Plaza. The monument size was enormous - it was meant to be bigger and taller than Washington Monument - and maybe that was a reason why it was never created.

 

Giles was a rancher as well. Together with his brother-in-law, Judge John Henderson James, Alfred ran a ranch (13 000 acres situated near Comfort). They raised Hillington horses, mules, Aberdeen Angus cattle, and Angora goats.

 

Source: "The English Texans" by Thomas W. Cutrer