Coffeeville, located in the eastern part of Upshur County, claims the honor of being the third or fourth settlement made in East Texas. Tradition says that during the Civil War, or before that time, it was almost impossible to buy coffee anywhere. The settlers used parched corn, okra, and almost everything else as a substitute for coffee. At this time there was quite a little town at Coffeeville and one of the merchants went to Jefferson or Shreveport and brought back a quantity of green coffee! When the settlers learned about it, everybody rushed in to get a supply of coffee. As that was the only place they could buy coffee, they nicknamed it “Coffeeville,” and it has kept the name ever since. Coffeeville has an interesting early history and served as an important distributing point for East-Texas. Dr. Cunliff was one of the early settlers and practiced medicine here all his active life. Hal Cunliff was post master a long time. This was one of the first post offices established in Upshur County. Mail was brought from Pittsburg by La Fayette and on to Coffeeville, three times a week. Joe Spratt ran a store here at an early date. He brought his goods from Jefferson. J. P. Morgan and Henry Collins ran stores following Joe Spratt. George Murrell ran a store in the present store building, which was at one time used as a saloon. C. W. Williamson settled where he still lives. A public well was dug here back in the early days, and is still in use. Gerald Hogg, father of the Hogg boys of Gilmer, settled here and raised a large and influential family. Mose Bell ran a gin and grist mill in the early days. Charlie Melton lived here where C. R. Ambrose now lives. A Mr. Wright also ran a store at Coffeeville in the early days. Frank Chapman used to run a blacksmith shop here. Schools Coffeeville has maintained a public school during all the years. Lately, two or three districts have consolidated with a nice school building located on the old Hogg homestead. They operate one school bus in carrying the children to and from school. Churches At one time there was what was known as the First Baptist Church, The Methodist Church, The Presbyterian Church, and the Northern Missionary Baptist Church. They, at one time, had separate buildings, but they use one common building at present. Ore City Ore City is located in the eastern part of Upshur County among the picturesque little hills, rich with iron ore deposits. Ore City was originally a part of the old Murry League, and had a part in the Murry Institute. Its early history is involved in the history of this needed institution.