USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 31
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In 1897 Mr. Heard was married to Mrs. Rosalie Barnard, the widow of C. W. Barnard, who at his death left a wife and one child, Jane Barnard, who was born in 1892. Mrs. Heard bore the maiden name of Rosalie Kennedy and was born in Uvalde county in 1866, her parents being Ross and Jane (Rankin) Kennedy, both of whom were natives of county Monaghan, Ireland, the former born in 1826 and the latter in 1833. The history of Ross Kennedy, one of the most noted pioneers and Indian
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fighters of Western Texas, is given complete on previous pages. Mr. and Mrs. Ross Kennedy had a family of nine children: Margery, the wife of Thomas Adams, a stock farmer and rancher; Jane, the wife of Louis M. Peters, a pioneer merchant of Sabinal; Clara, the wife of A. J. Durham; Rosalie, now Mrs. Heard; Mary, the wife of C. W. Giffin, a stock rancher of Reeves county, Texas; Vine, the widow of D. Malone, a stock man, who left one child, George, a stock raiser of Uvalde county ; Ross, who is engaged in raising stock; and Maud, at home. The mother and all of the children are members of the Christian church.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Heard has not been blessed with any children, but her daughter by her former marriage is living with them. They own a nice home on a sixty acre tract of land in the corporate limits of the town of Sabinal also a frame business house well located for busi- ness. In politics he is independent and has held no office. Belonging to the Christian church, he takes a very active and helpful part in its work, has served as superintendent of the Sunday school for a number of years and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Woodmen of the World. He has led a life of activity crowned by success and from his boyhood days has made his home in Texas. Since the above was prepared, Mr. Heard purchased on January 10, 1907, the interest of L. M. Peters in the business of L. F. Heard & Co., and he is now conducting the business as the sole proprietor.
JOHN H. ZACHRY. The southwest with its limitless possibilities, its natural resources and business advantages, has attracted a large number of young men who have improved their advantages and have been pro- moters of the districts in which they lived, their labors resulting in uni- form and rapid progress and substantial upbuilding. To this class of men belongs John H. Zachry, who is at the head of the Zachry Mercan- tile firm at Uvalde, in which connection he is meeting with large and well merited success. He was born in Dallas, Texas, March 5, 1873, and in early life was taken to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he acquired a public-school education. His parents were H. D. and Anne (Hannagan) Zachry, the father a native of Georgia and the mother of Dublin, Ireland, in which country she was educated. The Hannagan family was very prominent in Dublin and for many years her father was a leading mer- chant of that city, where his death occurred, his widow afterward bring- ing her family to the new world. She was a worthy member of the Catholic church. Among her children were John Hannagan, a promi- nent and successful merchant of Denver, Colorado; Annie, who became Mrs. Zachry; and others, now deceased, whose names are not remem- bered.
H. D. Zachry, father of John H., was born and reared in Georgia and traces his lineage to one of the old and honored southern families. His father was among the most extensive planters and slave owners of the Empire state of the south, having over three hundred slaves and sev- eral large plantations. He was not only an extremely wealthy, but also a very influential man and did much to mold public thought and opinion. He lived through the period of the rebellion to see his life's labor and savings swept away, while the large estate which he had created for his children vanished because of the ravages of war. He continued to reside
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IN. Zachy
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in Georgia up to the time of his demise. He had nine sons, one of whom enlisted for service in the Mexican war, and as he never returned it is. supposed that he was killed in the service. Eight of the number served in the Confederate army in the Civil war and two are yet living, namely : Lyman, of New Mexico, and H. D. Zachry. The latter, entered the Con- federate army in Georgia and served until the close of hostilities, being connected with several different commands and participating in many hotly contested battles. He was twice wounded and was twice taken prisoner. He was very faithful and loyal to the cause which he espoused and saw hard service, undergoing many privations together with the exposure meted out to the soldier. When it was known that the cause was lost he returned home to find his father's estate in ruins, while all that was left for him to do was to enter actively upon a business career and make the most of his opportunities, depending solely upon his own labor.
Accordingly H. D. Zachry came to Texas, settling first at Jefferson, where he engaged in business as a cotton speculator. Later he was mar- ried there, after which he removed to Dallas, which was then a small and inconsequential town. In that place he turned his attention to manu- facturing interests, in which he met with good success, and in 1876 he removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where with his brother-in-law he engaged in the manufacture and sale of soda fountains and fixtures. He also prospered in that undertaking, which he continued for several years, when he returned to the Lone Star state. He then located in Fort. Worth, where he engaged in general merchandising, remaining in that city for a few years. He afterward lived at different places and eventually settled at Lampasas, Texas, where he continued in merchandising. While living there his wife died and the family afterward became scattered. Mr. Zachry went to Colorado, where he engaged in mining and after visiting various camps he went to Arizona, where he engaged in copper mining, yet continuing in business there, his headquarters being at Douglas. He has had an eventful life since the war, fraught with varied experiences that have connected him with many parts of the country. Wherever he has lived he has been known as a broad minded and intel- ligent business man, enterprising in his private affairs and public spirited in all that relates to citizenship. He is a stanch Democrat and has filled a number of offices, acting as alderman while in Lampasas. He has been recognized as an influential and earnest party worker, and is also a worthy and devoted member of the Methodist church. His children were reared in that faith and, like him, have become adherents of that denomination. His wife was reared in the Catholic faith and never departed therefrom. In their family were two sons and a daughter: John H .; Emmett, a real estate and loan agent in the Indian Territory, and Annie, who is attending school in San Antonio.
John H. Zachry was about nine years of age at the time of his mother's death. The family became broken up then and he was thrown upon his own resources. He is entirely a self-made man and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. He was first employed at Lampasas as cash boy in a large department store, where his fidelity, industry and business enterprise were recognized, winning him the confi-
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dence of his employers so that he was promoted from time to time until he eventually became a leading employe in that establishment and was made manager of the large business and purchasing agent for the store, in which capacity he often made trips to New York. He remained with that firm as one of its most trusted and honored representatives for four- teen years, when on account of failing health he was compelled to resign. Later he made his way to the city of Mexico, where he secured employ- ment with the Wells Fargo Express Company, with which he continued for two years. On the expiration of that period he located in Texas and followed merchandising at Goliad, where he continued until 1898. He next removed to Angleton and opened a general store with good pros- pects. He was there, however, at the time of the memorable storm and flood and was a heavy loser owing to the disaster which nature wrought.
In 1889 Mr. Zachry was married and in the following year he re- moved his stock of goods to Uvalde, where he opened up a stock and has since continued in business, managing his mercantile affairs along modern lines of progress. After a time he admitted a partner and subsequently the business was incorporated under the firm style of Zachry & Company, wholesale and retail dealers in dry goods and general merchandise. They do a general trading business and buy and ship all products of the coun- try, handling on an extensive scale mohair, pecans, wool and hides and other things produced in this section of the state. To accommodate their large and rapidly increasing business they have erected a commodious double store, in which they have ample warehouse and also handle large stocks of goods. As evidence of his confidence in the future of Uvalde Mr. Zachry has invested in several other business properties on the square and also has residence property in the city. He has also made purchases of lands in the. county and has a five thousand acre ranch, on which he is running horses and goats. This is another profitable indus- try of the county and his business enterprise is of a character that has contributed to general progress and upbuilding as well as to individual success.
Mr. Zachry was married to Miss Emma Bartell, who was born in California and was educated in Kansas University, from which she was graduated. Later she pursued post-graduate work in Austin, Texas, and is a lady whose superior intelligence and culture combined with a genial social nature have rendered her a favorite in society circles in Uvalde. She is also an able and helpful member of the Presbyterian church. Her father, A. H. Bartell, now of Houston, Texas, is a native of Berlin, Germany, and came to America in early manhood. He was married in this country and has led a busy and useful life. Living at different times in various localities, he at last went to Houston, where he now owns large realty holdings and has for a number of years been an active dealer in real estate, making judicious investments and profitable sales and also negotiating many important realty transfers for others. He is a man of sound judgment and enterprise in business affairs and figures prominently in commercial and financial circles there. Politically he is a Republican, but without desire for office. His wife departed this life in Houston. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Bartell were eight children: George, an extensive and prosperous merchant of Seattle, Washington; Alice, at
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home; Laura, deceased; Herbert, a real estate dealer of Houston ; Mrs. Emma Zachry; Mrs. Cora Rue; Mrs. Ellen Westgate, and Edith. To Mr. and Mrs. Zachry have been born two sons; Jack, who died when four years of age, and Henry, born in August, 1902.
In politics Mr. Zachry is a strong and influential Democrat, taking an active and helpful part in the work of advancing the interests of the candidates who represent the organization. He is chairman of the county executive committee and a member of the executive committee of the Business Men's Club. He is also captain in the commissary department of the Texas National Guard. Although he has never sought or desired political preferment he was chosen by his fellow townsmen to the position of county commissioner, in which office he is yet serving. He is a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Royal Arch degree, and is an officer in both the lodge and chapter. He is like- wise connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World. In his business career he has risen from the position of cash boy to that of a prominent and prosperous merchant and his course has awakened the respect and admiration of his contemporaries and all who know aught of his career. As a business man he has been enter- prising, energetic and always abreast of the times and has been rewarded by an ample success. He has attained to a position of prominence through his own exertions and may justly be proud of what he has wrought. He is a man of generous impulses and gives liberally of his time and money to all worthy causes and in everything that he does he tries to make the world brighter and better.
EDWARD L. WITT & SONS are prominent ranchers of Uvalde county, engaged extensively in the raising of goats and other live stock. The senior member is descended from a well known pioneer family. His birth occurred in Dallas county, Texas, March 26, 1849, and in his youth he attended the public schools, while during the periods of vacation he became familiar with agricultural pursuits, both in the line of stock raising and tilling the soil. His parents were Preston and Harriet (Huffman) Witt, who were born in Illinois and were married there. The paternal grandfather, John Witt, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Kentucky and afterward to Illinois, settling there at an early day. He became one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of his community and late in life he removed from the Prairie state to Texas, taking up his abode in Dallas county, where he spent his remaining days. Public office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to devote his energies to his business affairs. His children were: Harrison and Bartlett, who re- mained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest; Jack, Eli; Pleasant ; Preston ; Wade H. and Mrs. Polly Ellis.
Preston Witt was married in Illinois and about 1845 emigrated to Texas with a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon. He also had a saddle pony, but his possessions were very limited. He first located in Lamar county, where he raised two crops, and afterward removed to Dallas county, where he purchased land and developed a farm. There he carried on farming on an extensive scale, operating his land with the aid of slave labor. Prospering in his undertakings, he accumulated considerable prop- erty and built the first mill in his part of the county. It was one of the
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old style tread mills and both horse and oxen were used as motive power. Mr. Witt took toll from each grist which was brought to mill and his enterprise became quite an important and extensive one for a new coun- try. He was very successful in his business interests and later he and his brother, W. H. Witt, built a steam mill with large capacity on the Elm fork of the Trinity river, about fourteen miles northwest of Dallas. This was called the Trinity mills and the brothers carried on an extensive business in both toll and merchant milling. Their trade extended for many miles around, the settlers coming as far as seventy-five or one hundred miles to get their grist ground. The brothers also took govern- ment contracts and furnished flour and meal to Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper. The mill and its owners became widely known and the old milling plant is yet well remembered by many a man who as a boy took the grain to that place to be converted into meal or flour. The enter- prise proved of marked value to the county in pioneer times. At a later date. Preston Witt sold his mill and engaged in the stock business. At that time all of the range was free and from time to time he would move his stock to a better feeding district. Eventually he located in Palo Pinto county, where he remained for a year and a half and had become well established in business when the hostile Indians caused him to turn back to Parker county. There he made permanent settlement and bought large tracts of land. He opened an extensive farm and was a successful agriculturist and stockman, remaining upon that place until 1862, when on account of illness he sold out and took up his abode in Jackson county near the coast. After a number of years he returned to Dallas, where he lived retired until his death. One of his sons also died in Dallas, after which Mrs. Preston Witt returned to Jackson county and subse- quently went to Kansas, where she passed away. Mr. Witt was a strong secessionist and used his influence to further the cause, but was too old for active service in the army. Having implicit confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Confederate arms he sold all of his property and took Confederate money in exchange, so that he lived to see all the earnings of a lifetime swept away through the depreciation of that currency, so that there was naught or little left for the family. He manifested a valorous and loyal spirit in support of the Federal government during the Mexican war and raised a company, of which he became captain, serving as its commander throughout the period of hostilities with Mexico. He was in active duty under General Scott and while in the Mexican war he became acquainted with Beauregard and with Robert E. Lee, who at that time was General Scott's engineer.
When he came to Texas Mr. Witt settled in the Peters colony and got a grant of land. During the early years of his residence in Dallas county he had much trouble with the Indians and with other settlers took part in many raids after them in order to recover the stock. He once had a hand to hand conflict with a brave and narrowly escaped with his life. The news came to the neighborhood that a large band of Indians had been south and were coming north with an extensive herd of horses. The settlers prepared for the fray, but the main body of Indians, with their horses did not come over this route. Four of the Indians, how- ever, left the main body, made their way to the neighborhood and secured
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a bunch of horses. The settlers then took up the trail, which they fol- lowed for three days to Wise county, where they overtook the red men and a hard fight ensued. Mr. Witt took the lead and was in the heat of battle. One Indian was about to get away and Mr. Witt, seeing this. started his horse on the run and overtook the red man who, seeing that he could not escape through flight, halted and began to fire. Mr. Witt discharged his gun, which was his last load and he had no time to reload. The Indian had his quiver full of arrows and Mr. Witt found his only chance therefore was to get hold of the red man and keep him from using the arrows, so he closed in on him and they had a hard struggle, but Mr. Witt used his knife and killed his opponent. One of the Indian's arrows was well aimed, but Mr. Witt dodged it and though it cut across his breast the wound was not deep enough to occasion much alarm. All of this band of Indians were killed and the white men returned home with their stock. Mr. Witt was a strong, muscular man. fearless and brave. and saw much frontier service. He was broad minded and intelligent and was widely known and highly respected. He voted with the Democ- racy and could have commanded almost any office within the gift of the people and was often solicited to become a candidate for the legisla- ture, but always declined to do so.
His wife was a daughter of John Huffman. a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Illinois. where he became prominently known as a leading farmer, continuing his residence in that state until his death. In the Huffman family were two daughters: Harriet. who became Mrs. Witt ; and Mrs. Sally Perry, who removed to Texas and died in this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Preston Witt were born five children : Margaret E., the wife of W. D. Ayers; Tohn F., who died in childhood ; Edward L., of this review : Lewis C., who died when twenty-four years of age. and Douglas, who died in Jackson county, Texas.
Edward L. Witt accompanied his parents on their various removals during the period of his childhood and when he attained his maioritv he was married and settled in Jackson county, where he engaged in farm- ing and in raising cattle and hogs. Success attended his efforts in this direction and he continued in business there until 1882. when he came to Uvalde county. Here he made a start in stock raising. but after one year he returned to Jackson county. where he lived for some time longer. He then again resided for a time in Uvalde county and in 1889 went to Kan- sas, where he remained for two years. While in Uvalde county he had taken un the sheep industry and upon his return from Kansas he continued in the business until the tariff measure of Cleveland's administration caused the business to prove unprofitable. He suffered heavy losses thereby, never receiving the full value of his sheep. some of which he sold and some of which he traded for goats. This led to his embarkation in
Goat Raising in Uvalde.
the raising of goats. In the fall of 1894 he got started in this work and found a good sale for the mohair at a profitable price. He has since con- tinued in the business with gratifying success and has been joined by his sons under the firm name of E. L. Witt & Sons. This is the strongest firm in the county in the goat industry, with which Mr. Witt has been
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connected for twelve years. He has found it a profitable business and now has fifty-five hundred head of goats. The firm leases thirteen thou- sand acres of land from the New York Land Company and has the herd divided into two ranches. They have eight hundred registered goats and in 1905 they imported a fine buck from South Africa at a cost of over fifteen hundred dollars. This is the finest animal of the kind in America. They also raise some registered sheep and are raising and trading in cattle. To some extent they likewise engage in farming, producing feed for their stock, and in addition to their other industries they are devoting considerable time to the raising of bees and the production of honey, hav- ing three hundred stands of bees. In fact, they are interested in all of the standard business enterprises of Uvalde county and are making a suc- cess. After the sheep failure in 1893 Mr. Witt began with two hundred and eighty goats and is now at the head of the largest goat firm in Uvalde county. They are extensive dealers in all kinds of stock and their success is attributable entirely to their own labors and has been achieved since 1893.
Edward L. Witt was married in Jackson county, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Rosa Rogers, who was born in Jackson county and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Evans) Rogers, both of whom were natives of `Alabama. They were married in Texas, after which Mr. Rogers settled down to stock farming. He arrived in this state in 1830, was one of the soldiers under General Sam Houston in an early day and assisted in achieving Texan independence. He was not at the decisive battle of San Jacinto, however, for he had been detailed at that time to look after fami- lies of soldiers and settlers in the famous Run Away Scrape. He took part in some of the earlier and smaller fights and did much hard and long service. When he came to Texas the Mexican government gave him a league and labor of land amounting to nearly 5,000 acres and upon that tract he first settled in Jackson county, continuing to make it his home until his death. He was a pioneer minister of the Methodist Episcopal church and organized many congregations of that denomination in this district. He was among the prime movers in promoting the moral as well as the material development of the state and was a very faithful and earnest worker in his Master's vineyard. During the time that Mexico owned this country and also before the war Mr. Rogers filled the office of alcalde, which is equivalent to that of justice of the peace. His chil- dren were: Rosa, now Mrs. Witt ; Frances ; Clark ; Lizzie ; Samuel Mack ; Emma ; and Minnie.
To Mr. and Mrs. Witt have been born seven children: Samuel P., Lewis E., Mack L. and Perry C., all of whom are partners with their father in business; Ray M., Thomas L. and Arthur P., all at home.
Mr. Witt votes with the Democracy. He has no aspirations for office but has done much to advance public progress. He is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church, also of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. When disaster overtook him in his business career Mr. Witt did not yield to discouragement but resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and has become the pioneer in the promotion of a new industry
Joel C. Fenley
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in this section of the state. He is now meeting with success and is well known as a representative stock dealer of Southwestern Texas.
JOEL C. FENLEY. The name of Fenley has been associated with the history of Uvalde county since its organization, and representatives of the name have been active factors in the events which have led to its present day progress and prosperity. Mr. Fenley is carrying on the work of im- provement instituted by his father and as the years have passed has made for himself a creditable position in business circles as a farmer and stock- man, meeting with very gratifying and well merited success. He was born in Jasper county, Georgia, November 2, 1839, and was reared to farm life in the home of his parents, John M. and Almeda (Holland) Fenley, the former a native of South Carolina and the latter of Richmond, Vir- ginia. The marriage, however, was celebrated in Georgia. The paternal grandparents were Charles and Elizabeth (McCamy) Fenley, both of whom were natives of Georgia, where they were married. The great-grand- father, John Fenley, a native of Virginia, was the orphaned son of a Revolutionary soldier who was killed in battle while fighting for the in- dependence of the colonies. The Fenley family was founded in America by two brothers, who came from Scotland during the early colonial epoch in the history of Virginia. One of these brothers reared a son, who mar- ried and had a son born to him. He soon afterward entered the army to fight for the cause of American liberty and left his wife and little son, who was John Fenley, the great-grandfather of our subject, and the pro- genitor of the branch of the family to which Joel C. Fenley belongs. Later the widow married a Mr. Powell, who removed with his wife and stepson to South Carolina, where John Fenley grew to manhood. The second brother who came from Scotland disappeared and there is no record of his whereabouts or of his descendants.
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