Stephenville artist Leon McCoy designed the statue of John Tarleton which is located at the south entrance of the Administration building. The bronze was a gift to the University upon the opening of the building in 1986, given by the Classes of 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986.
Excerpt from John Tarleton's Biography in the Purple Book:
“In his will, Tarleton said he had about $85,000 which he would like to donate to a school. He first considered leaving the money for a school in Palo Pinto and then Weatherford, but George proposed Stephenville. Tarleton had had an unfortunate encounter with a tax collector in Stephenville and was not pleased with the idea of leaving his money there. George persuaded him, however, and the bequest was left to the struggling Stephenville college that was doomed unless financial aid arrived.
Tarleton contracted typhoid fever in the fall of 1895 and died on September 11, 1895. In addition to the funds for John Tarleton College, his property in Tennessee was willed to establish John Tarleton Institution.
John Tarleton College opened its doors on September 3, 1899 with W. H. Bruce as president. In 1917, the college became part of The Texas A&M University System and the name was changed to John Tarleton Agricultural College.”