USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 35
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On the 15th of August, 1877, in Delta county, Mr. Milam was mar- ried to Miss Mary E. Patterson, who was born in Tennessee in 1854, and is a lady of intelligence and culture, who has been a worthy help- mate to her husband. She is a daughter of George W. and Jane Pat- terson, both of whom were natives of Tennessee, where they were mar- ried, coming to Texas prior to the Civil war. In Lamar county Mr. Patterson bought a farm, which he continued to cultivate until he joined the Confederate army. He was elected captain of his company and served until the close of hostilities with the Trans-Mississippi depart- ment, taking part in the border warfare and aiding in suppressing the Indian uprisings in this part of the country. When the war ended he returned to Lamar county and afterward sold his property and removed to Delta county, where he resided until his death. He was a popular and influential citizen there and filled the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. He also served for two terms in the Texas legis- lature and filled many minor positions. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Methodist church. In his family were eight
James alles
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children : James H., who is living upon the Delta county farm; Mrs. Hattie Woodard; William, a farmer of Delta county; John C., a farmer of the same locality; Mrs. Mary E. Milam; Mrs. Salina Waller ; Mrs. Sophronia Vaughn; and S. D., a farmer.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Milam has been blessed with six chil- dren : Arnolia, who for six years has been a popular teacher in the pub- lic schools ; James A., who is conducting the ranch; Joanna, the wife of B. E. Smith; Mozell, a teacher; Lulu, at home; and Hattie, in school. The parents and all of their children are members of the Church of Christ, in the work of which they take an active and helpful part. Mr. Milam is one of the leading members of the church in Uvalde and for a number of years has served as elder. In politics he is independent, pre- ferring to devote his time and attention to his business affairs, which have been capably conducted. He has been watchful of opportunity ; noting every indication pointing to success and as the years have gone by he has labored diligently and persistently, his work resulting in the attainment of a position in the business world that is gratifying and that yields him a very desirable income.
JAMES A. WEIR, one of the leading members of the bar of Uvalde county, Texas, with a large and distinctively representative clientage, is yet a young man, but his merit and ability are such that he has mas- tered intricate problems of jurisprudence and won many notable suc- cesses at the bar. He is a native son of Texas, having been born in San Antonio on the 24th of June, 1877. His parents were Henry and Sally (Evans) Weir, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of San Antonio, while both are descendants of well known and honored pioneer families of that city. Henry Weir was a son of James Weir, a. native of Ireland, who came to America at an early day and located in Ken- tucky, where he married. Sometime in the '40s he removed to San Antonio, Texas. His labors resulted in making the country accessible for permanent settlement and civilization and no man is more worthy of honored mention in the history of Southwestern Texas than James Weir. On settling in Bexar county he took up his abode on a ranch near San Antonio and became a very prominent and successful rancher and cattleman, accumulating a large estate. He was a broad-minded, intelligent business man and good financier and the extent of his opera- tions and the methods which he employed made him well known and highly respected. He continued to reside upon the old homestead up to the time of his death and there reared his family. He had seven chil- dren, the eldest son of whom was Henry Weir. The others were: Mrs. Fannie Simpson ; Mrs. Lee De Howard; Mrs. Lavinia Dobbin ; Mrs. Mary Herndon ; and Thomas and James, both of whom follow farming.
Henry Weir was born in Kentucky and went to San Antonio with his parents when young. He was reared to manhood in Bexar county, where he acquired a liberal education, displaying ability and enterprise in that work. He was reared on the old home place, assisting his father, so that he early became familiar with the ranch and stock business. When he started out in life for himself he chose the same occupation, engaging in ranching and stock raising, in which he met with well mer- ited and gratifying success. He continued in that line for many years,
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his family residing in the city, and from that point he superintended his business affairs. His political support was given the Democracy and the party recognized him as one of its stalwart and influential advocates in his locality. He was loyal to the south and to the Confederacy and at the time of the Civil war raised a company and entered the Confed- erate service. He served throughout the war as captain of his company and was a good soldier, always on duty and never faltering in the per- formance of any military task which was assigned him. In days of peace he filled the office of county commissioner of Bexar county and was closely associated with public interests, doing all in his power to promote political progress and business enterprise. He was widely known and highly respected for his integrity as well as for what he ac- complished and while conducting his business affairs he created a goodly estate. He was a worthy member of the Presbyterian church and died in that faith in March, 1877. His widow survived him and afterward became the wife of William Aubrey, a prominent attorney of San An- tonio, who yet resides in that city. There was one child of that mar- riage, John F. Aubrey. The mother was a daughter of Onecimus Evans, who was of Welsh descent, and became one of the early settlers and pioneer merchants of San Antonio, where he remained successfully for many years, conducting a business of large and profitable proportions. His labors were an element in the commercial development of the city. He was a prominent and worthy member of the Masonic fraternity. The members of the Evans family were as follows: Mrs. Laura Richer ; Mrs. Fannie Dinwiddie; Mrs. Sally Weir; Mrs. Lillie Callaway ; Alfred, deceased, who was an assistant clerk in the state house at Austin ; Riley, deceased, an attorney at law ; and John, who is living retired.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Weir had a family of six children : Mrs. Bes- sie Devine; Mrs. Nanny Smith, who died leaving two children ; Mrs. Emma Culberson ; Mrs. Lillie Sims; Hal, who died at the age of twenty- eight years, leaving a wife and one son; and James A. The mother of these children departed this life in 1891.
James A. Weir spent his boyhood days in his native city, where he attended school, while later he became a student in the Agricultural College at Bryan, Texas. Determining upon the practice of law as a life work, he began reading in 1885 with Devine & Smith as his pre- ceptors, prominent attorneys of San Antonio. Mr. Weir continued reading under that direction until 1889, when he was admitted to prac- tice at the San Antonio bar, being then but nineteen years of age. Hav- ing the age disability removed, he continued at San Antonio for one year and afterward went to Houston, Texas, where he remained until 1898. He then removed to Uvalde, where he built up a large practice. connect- ing him with litigation in all of the courts from that of the justice court to the supreme court of the state. He is now attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad. having been connected with the corporation for several years, and he gives entire attention to his professional duties in the prac- tice of civil and criminal law. In both departments he has been suc- cessful and he is rated as one of the prominent attorneys of the state. He prepares his cases with great precision, thoroughness and care, pre-
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sents his cause with force, his deductions being logical, his arguments clear and his reasoning sound.
James A. Weir was married in 1899 to Miss Bertha Partridge, who was born at Mobile, Alabama, and is a daughter of Charles S. and Elise (Herpine) Partridge, who were also natives of Mobile, the former of English and the latter of French descent. They were married in their native city, where for many years Mr. Partridge was a prominent and successful hardware, merchant, enjoying a large and lucrative trade which gained him a wide acquaintance and made him a factor in the commercial development of the city. Both he and his wife spent their last days there. In their family were six children, of whom Mrs. Weir is the youngest. The others are: Mary H .; Elise L .; D. W. and T. J., who are hardware merchants of Mobile, Alabama; and John H., who died in that city.
Mr. and Mrs. Weir have a daughter, Elise, who was born in August, 1902. Mrs. Weir is a consistent and devoted member of the Catholic church. Politically Mr. Weir is an earnest Democrat, but has no desire for office for himself, although he is interested in the success of his friends and his party. Pleased with Uvalde and its prospects, he is la- boring for its development and interests and is a young man of enter- prise and determination, keeping in touch with modern progress and bringing to bear a spirit of successful accomplishment upon all that he undertakes whether in professional or business life or for the welfare of his community.
B. M. HINES, M. D., successfully engaged in the practice of medi- cine and surgery in Uvalde, was born in Mississippi, December 7, 1869, a son of John H. and Amanda (Toler) Hines, both of whom were na- tives of Mississippi, in which state they were reared and married. The paternal grandfather, William B. Hines, was also born there and for many years was a well known Methodist minister of Mississippi, where he died at an advanced age in 1904. His children were: John H .; Wil- liam B .; Mary, the wife of T. D. Reed; and Lucy, the wife of O. H. Smith.
Dr. John H. Hines ( father) was reared in Mississippi, took up the study of medicine and when a young man entered upon the active work of the profession. He always remained a resident of the locality in which he was born and became a distinguished physician of that region, having an extensive practice. He served throughout the Civil war as a member of the commissary department. Of the Methodist church he was a devoted and loyal member and his name was on the membership rolls of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities. He passed away in 1894 and is yet survived by his wife, who resides in Gloster, Mississippi, at the age of sixty-four years. She is a worthy member of the Baptist church. Their children were B. M .; John, a real estate dealer ; R. E., a manufacturer of sauces ; Annabell, the wife of Dr. A. J. Monagan : and Mary, at home.
Dr. Hines was reared to farming and began his education in the common schools, later attending the Normal Institute at Iuka, Missis- sippi, from which institution he was graduated. In the meantime he took up the study of medicine, which he read for five years and in 1891
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regularly devoted his time to the mastery of the principles of the medical science under the direction of his father, Dr. Hines, with whom he also made professional visits. In 1892 he attended lectures at the Vanderbilt University and was graduated in 1894 on the completion of a thorough course in medicine and surgery. He practiced two years in Mississippi, when on account of failing health he came to Southwestern Texas, set- tling at Alpine, in 1897. In 1900 he came to Uvalde and owing to the excellent climatic influences here his health has been fully restored. On his arrival he purchased a drug store, which he conducted in connection with the practice of his profession. His health improving and his prac- tice increasing, he sold the drug store in order to devote his entire time and attention to his profession. He has made a specialty of the diseases of the nose, throat and lungs, and in 1904 he attended lectures in Chi- cago to perfect himself in his specialty and is now well prepared to treat all pulmonary diseases with intelligence and skill. He has both a large office and visiting practice and has fully merited the confidence of the community. His offices comprise four rooms, contain a large library and all modern instruments and equipments to facilitate his work; three operating rooms are well fitted with all modern appliances.
Dr. Hines is taking much interest in the development of the city and county along its material and business lines and rejoices in what is being accomplished for its industrial, commerical and agricultural growth. With a partner he has invested in an apiary and is engaged in the raising of bees and the production of honey. They own three of the largest apiaries in Uvalde county, which is famous for its fine honey and also for the large amounts produced here. With restored health and a prosperous outlook for his professional success and business inter- ests Dr. Hines feels that he is permanently located here and is in thor- ough sympathy with the county and its efforts for advancement.
In 1894, in Mississippi, Dr. Hines was married to Miss Anna Dean, who was born in Tennessee, but was reared in Mississippi. Her father. Professor H. A. Dean, was president and owner of the Iuka Normal Institute, a popular educational institution of Mississippi, in which state he has for many years been a well known educator. He is now retired, however, from active teaching and resides upon a farm in Tennessee. He was a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil war and his experiences were such as are usually meted out to the man who becomes connected with military service. Both he and his wife are consistent Methodists. His life work has been of the greatest benefit to his fellow men in the promotion of intellectual and moral growth and he justly deserves the high honor in which he is uniformly held. His children are : Anna, now Mrs. Hines; Guy D., of Scranton, Mississippi, who is superintendent and teacher of the Scranton and Pascagoula schools. Dr. and Mrs. Hines have one son, John, who was born August 23, 1898. Mrs. Hines belongs to the Methodist church. The Doctor holds mem- bership relations with the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities and with the Woodmen of the World, while in the line of his profession he is connected with the Uvalde County and Texas State medical socie- ties and the American Medical Association.
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HANSEL W. HOUSE, well known in Uvalde as an enterprising busi- ness man, where he is engaged in dealing in carriages and buggies and is also a funeral director, was born in Washington county, Illinois, July 13, 1857. No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine ot farm life for him in his boyhood days, for he worked in the fields through the summer months and attended the public schools in the win- ter seasons. His youth was passed in the home of his parents, John L. and Anna Elizabeth (Moore) House, both of whom were natives of Illinois, where they were married. The paternal grandfather, Hansel W. House, was a native of Tennessee and became an early settler of Illinois, where he followed the occupation of farming. He served in the war of 1812 and was also in the war with Mexico, being thus a vet- eran of two of the important military contests of the country, in which he displayed unfaltering bravery and loyalty. He remained upon his farm in Illinois until 1858, when he went to California, where he soon afterward died. His family then remained in that state for a considera- ble period. Mr. House was a consistent member of the Methodist church. In his family were eight children: John L .; Robert, who died in Mis- souri ; Wesley, of Kansas; Mrs. Mary Thompson, who after losing her first husband married Mr. Seawell; Mrs. Alcey Seawell; Mrs. Hester Horn ; Ann, and William, deceased.
John L. House, father of Hansel W. House, spent the days of his youth in Illinois, where his time was largely given to the occupation of farming. After his marriage he took up his abode in that state and continued to follow farming until 1868, when he removed to Minnesota. In the fall of the same year he was stricken with smallpox and died. In politics he was a Republican, although he was the only member of the family affiliated with that party. In each community in which he lived he was respected because of his honesty of purpose and his upright life and he was a worthy member of the Christian church and of the Masonic lodge. In his last sickness he was cared for by his brethren of the Ma- sonic fraternity, who also conducted the funeral service. He left his family in rather limited financial circumstances. His wife survived him for a number of years and returned with her children to the old home county in Illinois, where she remained until 1870. She then came with the family to Texas, first locating at San Marcos, where she rented a farm and raised a crop. They afterward removed to Blanco county, where she raised a crop and subsequently settled in the town of Blanco, which was the county seat. There the son assisted in the support of the family, keeping the children together. In 1880 Mrs. House was again married, becoming the wife of Rev. C. S. Martin, and they afterward removed to Plugerville, while later they took up their abode upon a farm and subsequently returned to Blanco, where they yet remain. Mrs. Martin was a daughter of Robert E. Moore, a prominent farmer of Jefferson county, Illinois, who spent his life upon the old homestead place in that state .. She was one of five children, the others being Green, Byron, Robert and Susan. She was the third in order of birth and by her marriage to Mr. House became the mother of six children: Hanse! W .; Robert, who died at twenty-two years; Sarah, the wife of John Zimmerman ; Susan, the wife of C. P. Jenkins; Matilda, the wife of W.
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T. Barnes; and Mrs. Alcey Wells. Mrs. Martin is a member of the Christian church, taking an active and helpful part in its work. By her second marriage she has had no children.
H. W. House, who was born in Illinois, removed to Minnesota with his parents and when his mother and the other children returned to his native state he remained in Minnesota and found employment on a rail- road. There he continued for a year, when in the fall of 1870 he accom- panied his mother and the other members of the family to Texas, living for some time in Blanco county. In the town of Blanco he learned the trade of carriage making and painting and during that period he assisted his mother in the support of the younger members of the household, whom she reared in the most creditable manner, so that they have be- come citizens of genuine worth and respectability. After learning the trade Mr. House worked as a journeyman and remained in Blanco from 1871 to 1878. In the latter year he went to Hillsboro, Texas, where he opened a shop for himself. At a later date he abandoned carriage mak- ing and established a grocery store, which he conducted from 1881 until 1884, when his health became so badly impaired that he was forced to seek a change of climate. He therefore closed out his business at a sac- rifice and in 1884 came to Uvalde county. Being unable to engage in any very arduous labor, he turned his attention to the raising of bees and the production of honey. He leased land for his apiary and started with forty stands of bees, which number, however, he continually in- creased, carrying on the business successfully for eleven years. He made a good living in this way and never failed to raise a good harvest of honey save one year, this being in 1892. His health, too, improved from the time that he reached the county until it was completely restored. He decided to remain here and in 1892 was elected city marshal, in which capacity he served for five years. In 1898 he purchased an undertaking business and has developed an excellent trade. He has two hearses of modern style and a large assortment of caskets on hand. He also en- gages in general repair work on buggies and carriages and in 1900 he began selling all kinds of vehicles, now having a large repository and keeping on hand an extensive line of buggies, carriages and other ve- hicles of a popular make. His trade in this department is continually increasing. In 1893 he resumed operations as a bee culturist in connec- tion with a partner, J. W. Reed, and they have already made a good start and have flattering prospects. They now are using leased land but ex- pect soon to buy land and make the business permanent. They have at present at their apiary one hundred and sixty-seven stands of bees. Mr. House believes this to be an important industry and has been a leader in the line of bee culture. In his first venture in this direction he was among the pioneers to use the modern improvements which are of great assistance to the bees and also in preparing the output for the market.
Mr. House was married at Blanco. Texas, in 1876, to Miss Mar- garet Carson, who was born in eastern Texas and was reared at Blanco. Her father, Thomas Carson, became an early resident of this state. He served through the Civil war as a member of the Confederate army, taking part in a number of hotly contested engagements. He married a Miss Allison and continued to reside in Texas up to the time of his
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death, which occurred in Blanco, while his wife, an estimable lady and a member of the Christian church, died at Coleman, Texas. In their family were three daughters and a son: Margaret, now Mrs. House; Emma, the wife of Ben Cage; Joel, of Blanco county; and Mattie, the wife of E. B. Sweeney.
Mrs. House is also a member of the Christian church. Mr. House is a charter member of the Woodmen of the World, belonging to Uvalde lodge. In politics he is an earnest Republican. Classed with the intelli- gent and enterprising business men and able financiers, it is not difficult to imagine that Mr. House is a self-made man, who has been the archi- tect and builder of his own fortunes. He certainly deserves credit for what he has accomplished, as he started out in life at an early age empty handed. He soon came to realize the value of industry and perseverance as factors in the achievement of success, and as the years have gone by he has made a most creditable business record and gained a gratifying measure of prosperity.
JUDGE JOHN F. ROBINSON is a veteran and ex-captain of the Con- federate army, and for a long period has been numbered among the distinguished and representative citizens of Uvalde county, having located here in pioneer times. A native son of Texas, he possesses the spirit of resolution and enterprise which have reclaimed this district from barbarism and converted it to civilization. His birth occurred in Sabine county when Texas was an independent republic, his natal day being October 3, 1837. His parents were Henry M. and Eva (Lagrone) Robinson, the former of Virginia and the latter of Georgia. Mr. Rob- inson was of Scotch lineage, while his wife was of German descent, and they were married in Alabama. Her parents were Jacob and Catherine Lagrone, natives of Germany, whence they emigrated to America and took up their abode in South Carolina. Afterward they went to Georgia and subsequently to Alabama, and together with the Robinson family they came to Texas in 1836, locating at first in Sabine county, where Mr. Lagrone engaged in farming, operating his fields with slave labor. He continued successfully in business there until 1841, when he sold out and removed to Harrison county, where he carried on farming until his death. He passed away at the venerable age of ninety-six years, while his wife died at the age of eighty-six years. His children were: Eva, who became Mrs. Robinson; Jacob, Washington, Eliza- beth, Frances, Martin, Jackson and Susan. The four sons were all members of General Houston's army and thus aided in the establish- ment of Texas Republic.
A Soldier for Independence.
Henry M. Robinson was also enrolled with General Houston's forces and was detailed to look after and assist families in the noted Run Away Scrape, being thus engaged at the time of the decisive battle of San Jacinto, which gave Texas her liberty. After the republic was established he received a headright of twelve hundred and eighty acres of land, which he located in Upshur county. He improved a good farm and remained on it until 1848, when he sold out and returned to Harrison county. In 1849 he disposed of that place and started west-
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ward. He lived in Kaufman county until 1851, when he settled in Bexar county, residing there until 1852. He next took up his abode in Sabinal canyon of Uvalde county, first locating one mile south of
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