USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 41
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In 1861, however, he put aside all business and personal considera- tions and offered his services to the government, for the Civil war had been inaugurated. Going into camp he was there examined and it was found that his eyesight was deficient, so that he received an honorable discharge, and, returning home, he later joined a ranger company with which he continued for a time, patrolling the western country.
Following the close of hostilities Mr. Rose again returned home and once more resumed his cattle interests, which he continued until 1876, in which year he disposed of his cattle and invested his money in
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horses, thus being engaged until 1881, when he once more invested in cattle. In 1884, having purchased his present livery which he left in charge of his boys, the family remaining in Del Rio, where the children might enjoy good educational advantages, Mr. Rose took his cattle and went to Mexico, where he was engaged in ranching during the succeed- ing decade. He then returned to his home and family and engaged in the livery business. He has since continued in the latter business, and is accorded a large and growing patronage, for he keeps his horses and vehicles in excellent condition and is able at all times to meet the de- mands of the public.
Mr. Rose owns a fine property in the city, his residence and lawn covering an entire block. His home is surrounded by many fine shade trees and the place is kept in a neat and attractive appearance, consti- tuting one of the valuable properties of this city. He gives his political support to the Democratic party, and while making his home in Karnes county served as county commissioner. He has never aspired to public office or notoriety, however, preferring to do his duty as a private citi- zen. He is a consistent member of the Methodist church, while since 1867 he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity, and is now a Royal Arch Mason. He is a friend to the poor and needy, a good neighbor, and a highly esteemed citizen and business man.
Mr. Rose was united in marriage to Miss Julia Martin, who was born in 1841, a daughter of Dr. J. F. Martin, who was born in Eng- land and prepared for his profession in Baltimore, Maryland, after which he came to the Republic of Texas, where he was married to Miss Julia Eberly, who came to Texas in 1832, while her marriage occurred in 1836. Her father, Colonel Eberly, served in the Mexican war in 1846-7, and was a very prominent man in his section of the country. Dr. Martin was likewise a highly esteemed citizen and at one time served as sheriff and tax collector in Matagorda, Texas. For a long period he was engaged in practice in Gonzales county, Texas, and later in Karnes county, while upon retiring from active practice he lived with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Rutledge. His death and that of his wife, occurred in Karnes county. Their family numbered two daughters and three sons : Julia, now Mrs. Rose; Foster, who was killed at Atlanta, Georgia, in the Confed- erate army ; James, who served throughout the war ; Mrs. Kate Rutledge, and J. Abb, a resident of Karnes county, Texas.
To Mr. Rose and wife have been born twelve children: Mrs. Emma Sanby ; Foster, who was married and was a lawyer by profession but Sandy; Foster, who was married and was a lawyer by profession but is now deceased; James H., who was a stockman and at his death left a widow and two children; Patrick H., also deceased; Absalom M., a stock rancher ; Landon, also engaged in the stock business; Edgar, who practices dentistry in Kentucky; Kate, the wife of John M. Gray, of Del Rio; Fred, a dentist of this city ; E. Burt, who is a stock rancher ; Alma, deceased ; and Clara, who died in infancy.
WILLIAM SNEDDON, a practical mechanic, now acting as foreman at the round house for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company at Del Rio, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, November 9, 1848, but was practically reared in the United States, for he was but a year old when brought to
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the new world by his parents, William and Jessie (Mure) Sneddon, both natives of Scotland. The father early became engaged in coal mining, following that pursuit in his native country for many years. In 1849, in the hope of better providing for the support of himself and family in the new world, he crossed the Atlantic to America, settling in the anthracite regions of Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in coal min- ing for a time, after which he became a mining contractor, continuing in that capacity until 1876. He was a man of excellent business ability, well fitted for superintending the labors of others. In the latter year he retired from the mining business and engaged in a general mercantile enterprise, in which he continued successfully until 1880, in which year his death occurred, when he had reached the age of sixty-five years. He was a strong Republican, and served as justice of the peace for a number of years. He was broad minded and public-spirited, took an active and helpful interest in the general welfare, while he was of a charitable nature, ever ready to assist those who called upon him for aid. He was highly respected in the communities where he resided, was loyal to his adopted country and was identified with the Presbyterian church. He was very successful in his business affairs, acquiring a competence, which at his death left his family in very comfortable circumstances. His widow still survives and now makes her home at Freeland, Pennsylvania, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. In their family were the following named: Margaret, the wife of Thomas Birkback; Richard, a mechanic who makes his home in Illinois; William, whose name introduces this sketch; James and Charles, twins, the latter dying at the age of four years, while the former was engaged in railroading and was killed by his train at the age of nineteen years; Julia, who passed away when a young lady of twenty years; Lottie and Mary, twins, the former now the wife of Mr. Hiller, while the latter became the wife of a physician and survived her marriage for only a brief period; and John, who con- ducted the mercantile enterprise after his father's death, after which he closed out the business and is now engaged in clerking.
William Sneddon, as stated, was only a year old when brought to this country by his parents. He was reared and educated in Pennsyl- vania, and at the age of seven years became engaged in mining pursuits with his father. In the early days before machinery for separating the slate from the coal was invented, boys were employed to do the work by hand and it was in this connection that Mr. Sneddon first became con- nected with mining pursuits. He was so employed until about thirteen years of age, when he became apprenticed to learn the machinist's trade with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, where he became a master mechanic, and was then employed to run an engine over the old wooden tracks, being thus employed for six months. In 1872 he removed to Kansas, where he was employed with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, being located at Nickerson and having charge of air brake work. He remained at that place for two years, subsequent to which time he was transferred to Topeka, where he was employed for six years as air brake instructor. He was then employed by the St. Louis, Fort Scott & Wichita Railroad Company as assistant master me- chanic, being located a part of the time at Edwards and a portion of the
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time at Fort Scott. After eight years' connection with that road he removed to Mexico, where he accepted a position with the Monterey & Gulf Railroad Company as foreman, being located in the city of Mon- terey. After a brief residence at that place he then took up his abode in Texas, in 1889, and accepted a position with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, being located at Houston. In 1893 he was trans- ferred by the company to Del Rio, where he has remained to the present time, having charge of a large force of men. He is a competent and faithful employe, and is ever watchful of the best interests of the com- pany.
In 1871 Mr. Sneddon was united in marriage to Miss Emily M. Boyd, who was born in Pennsylvania, May 21, 1850, a daughter of Colonel R. Boyd, a native of Kentucky and a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln. He located in the Keystone state at an early day. He was a molder by trade and established a foundry at Millhollow, Pennsylvania, conducting this enterprise for forty-five years, or until his death. He was a stanch Republican but never aspired to public office. He was a worthy member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was widely and favorably known. His family numbered the following named: William T., a molder by trade; Mary, the wife of W. C. Meyer; James M., an engineer ; Emily M., now Mrs. Sneddon; Maria; and Ella, who became the wife of W. Reese, but both are now deceased, and at their death left a family of five children.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sneddon have been born three children, but the eldest, Boyd H., who was employed at railroading, died in El Paso, at the age of thirty-one years. Those living are: Guy H., who is a railway clerk in the employ of the Southern Pacific Company at Houston, and Afton I., an undertaker and embalmer of Del Rio. Mr. Sneddon is a Royal Arch Mason and is popular with the brethren of the fraternity. He and his family are highly esteemed in the community where they reside, while Mr. Sneddon is also widely known in railroad circles.
D. G. FRANKS, the popular proprietor of Hotel Franks at Del Rio, was born in Caldwell county, Texas, December 1, 1848. He was reared upon a ranch and his early educational privileges were limited, but as the years have passed he has acquired a good practical education and has worked his way upward financially. He is a son of Benjamin F. and Martha P. (Spears) Franks, both of whom were natives of Alabama but were married in Walker county, Texas. The mother was a daughter of Mrs. Lucinda Spears and she and her husband were natives of Penn- sylvania, where they were married. Mrs. Spears was a daughter of Mr. Williams, who married into a Pennsylvania Indian tribe. After the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Spears they made their way southward and settled in Alabama, where Martha Spears was reared. The father died there and Mrs. Spears afterward married a Mr. Knight, who removed with the family to Texas at an early day, settling in Walker county, where his death occurred. The members of the Spears family were John B .; Martha P., who became Mrs. Franks; Lemuel; Mrs. Anna Young : Bethenia, and Elizabeth. The last two married men of the name of King and resided in Walker county.
Benjamin F. Franks (father) was born in Alabama and when about
D. G. Franks
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four years of age was left an orphan. He had no one to care for him and went to live with strangers but became dissatisfied with the people by whom he was reared and the treatment they gave him, so that he ran away and joined some emigrants coming to Texas. He was then but a small boy. He grew to manhood upon the frontier amid the exciting experiences incident to the settlement of Texas. Deprived of all parental training, he made good use of his opportunities in many ways, becoming a broad-minded, intelligent man of strong determination and progressive spirit. He became one of the highly respected and prominent residents of his part of the state. He owned a number of slaves and was a success- ful stockman and farmer. In Walker county he married and began rais- ing stock and after the birth of three of his children he removed with his family to Atascosa county in 1852. The range was free and grass good and he carried on business successfully there until 1861, when he established a ranch on the Leona river in Frio county, which is yet known as the Franks ranch. He was active in all matters pertaining to the county and state and was a friend of Sam Houston, and with Houston and others strenuously opposed secession. When the final vote was taken he was one of only two voters in Atascosa county who stood for the Union, his companion being Calvin Musgraves. When the state did secede he removed to Frio county, where he established his ranch and was quietly pursuing his private business interests when in 1864 a "vigi- lance committee of regulators" arrested him on a false pretext and started for San Antonio, supposedly to place him in prison. Instead of doing this they brutally and cowardly hanged him. He died a martyr for his principles. When told of the fate that awaited him he replied that he was in their power but that he had nothing to retract and that all he had said and done he owed to the Union. He predicted, too, the failure of secession. He was a man of firm purpose, unfaltering in a course that he believed to be right and his honorable manhood was widely acknowl- edged. Six feet tall and of athletic build, he was very powerful and fear- less, especially in defense of what he believed to be right. He died June 6. 1864. Calvin Musgraves, his friend, who voted with him to support the Union, fearing that their lives were endangered, had gone to Mr. Franks and tried to persuade him to go to Mexico but the latter refused, saying that it was his duty to remain with his family. Mr. Musgraves, however, went to Mexico and when the war was over returned to Texas, where he remained until his death twenty years later.
Mrs. Franks survived her husband until January 31. 1865. when she passed away. Her brother, John B. Spears, who had lived with the family many years, continuing with them after his marriage, took charge of the children who were thus orphaned and with his aid and advice the sons did all they could to save the stock and property but much of the stock got away. During the war the Mexicans. abetted by the white thieves, were stealing all of the best stock throughout the country and running them into Mexico. Dan G. Franks, then but a boy, vet a born leader, devised a plan and with his brother and nine companions made many runs after the thieves and brought many of them to justice, over thirty Mexicans being killed. This put an end to cattle thieving in that locality. At times the party went for two and a half days without food
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or water and all were about exhausted, but they persevered in their undertaking and at length succeeded in ridding the county of the bad men who infested its borders. In 1865, John B. Spears, the uncle, removed with his family to San Marcos in order to give his children educational privileges, after which he returned to the ranch and took care of the family property. He remained in the same county until his death in 1887. He was a worthy member of the Baptist church and a grand, good man.
The children of Benjamin F. Franks were seven in number, five sons and two daughters: John B., who died in 1869; Lemuel A., a stock- man of Atascosa county ; Daniel G .; William M., a stockman who died . at Eagle Pass in 1882, leaving a wife and five children; James M., a stockman of Maverick county, who died leaving four children; Mrs. Lucinda Williams, of Atascosa county, who died leaving one son, Ben- jamin ; Nancy A., the wife of R. Turner, a resident of Atascosa county.
Dan G. Franks spent two terms in school at San Marcos and re- turned to the ranch in 1867. He made himself useful in many ways, going and returning to the ranch at intervals, and with a brother he spent much time in the brush. In 1868 he married and commenced farming with his wife's mother, who had five children. He reared them all and did a good part by them. Following his marriage he purchased land certificates, securing in this way ten thousand acres, after which he established a ranch ten miles north of Cotulla, where he engaged in the stock business successfully until 1877. He then sold out and returned to Atascosa county, where he built a fine home, remaining there until 1881. During this time the family remained at home and Mr. Franks went to LaSalle county, purchasing and driving large herds of cattle, to Kansas for market, but prices were low and he lost all that he had invested but the homestead to which he returned. In 1881 he engaged with a Mr. Camp in sheep industry, purchasing and driving the sheep to Menard county, where he herded. The number of sheep increased until 1883, when he sold out at a loss. He and Mr. Camp then returned to the old homestead in Atascosa county on which he had left a bunch of growing cattle, and he then bought thirty-five hundred cattle and drove them to Pecos county, where he established a ranch and continued until 1885. He then sold out to the Pecos Land & Cattle Company for one hundred thousand dollars, after which he worked for a salary for the Pecos Land & Cattle Company. In the meantime his cattle at home had been doing well and he removed his family and stock to Pecos county. A fine herd was coming up, but during the drought of 1892-3 many of them died. He then sold the remainder for twenty-one hundred dollars, giving the money to his children. He removed from Pecos to Cedar Springs, where in 1885 his wife passed away. The same year he removed with the children and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Elkins, to Wilson county, where they remained until 1888, when Mrs. Elkins died.
In 1887 Mr. Franks was married again and after the death of Mrs. Elkins he took his children to Pecos county, where he lived until 1893, engaged in the stock business. He then accepted a position with the Cattle Raisers' Association of Texas, covering the territory from San Antonio to El Paso to protect cattle raisers. He continued in that posi-
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tion until 1905, or for twelve years, when he resigned. When he took charge of this work, there was much thieving and smuggling at that time and Mr. Franks did much detective work, in which connection he rid the country of many criminals. So effective was his service in this direction that for four years previous to his resignation there was not a single case of thieving to report.
In 1897 his wife came to Del Rio and opened a hotel, while Mr. Franks remained in the employ of the cattle association until 1905, when he returned home and has since given his attention to the management of the hotel. He has built up a large business, which has so increased that he has been compelled to erect two additions, and the Hotel Franks is the pride of Del Rio. In this, as in all other things which he has undertaken, Mr. Franks has displayed a spirit of strong purpose and successful accomplishment that has made him a lec ler among men.
Mr. Franks was first married to Miss Zezrilda J. Elkins, who was born in Guadalupe county, Texas, and was a daughter of Preston and Jolly Elkins. "Her father was a farmer by occupation and died in 1864. His children were: Mary, the wife of J. W. McMains; Zezrilda, who became Mrs. Franks; James W., a stockman; Margaret, who married J. Elkins and died two years later; Miles, who died in childhood ; Queen, the wife of James Franks; and Breckenridge. It was these children that Mr. Franks reared, doing a father's part by them. His own marriage was blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters : Alonzo V., who is now conductor on the Mexican Central Railroad in . Mexico; Artie and Arrie, twins, the former the wife of H. A. Neal, of San Antonio, and the latter of John M. Doak, a prominent rancher ; Lela, the wife of L. F. Hurd, a stockman of Midland, Texas; Oscar, who is paymaster for the International & Mexican Railroad with head- quarters at Diaz, Mexico ; and Dannie, now Mrs. T. Shields, of Monterey, Mexico.
Mr. Franks' second marriage, in 1887, was to Mrs. Alva Brite, the widow of Charles Brite. By her first marriage she had four children : John W., a section foreman ; Mattie, who married Mr. Friesen, by whom she had a son, Carl, and for her second husband married Mr. Crew, by whom she has one child, Gedney; Bennie and Dan H., both married.
Mrs. Franks was born in Bexar county, Texas, in 1856, a daughter of Rev. H. L. Thompson, a worthy minister of the Methodist church for over forty years. He was one of the pioneer preachers in Texas and was also a stock farmer. He spent the last seven years of his life in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Franks, where he was surrounded with' loving care and attention. His children were Mrs. Rosa Henshaw ; Mrs. Roana McMains; Mrs. Julia Neal; Mrs. Kate Kurrey; Alva A., now Mrs. Franks; John H., and Florence, who after the death of her first husband, Mr. Clark, married Dr. Barnwell, of Bell county, Texas. Rev. Thompson was twice married and had two children by the second union. Charles and Hiram, both residents of Bell county, Texas. To Mr. and Mrs. Franks have been born three interesting children: Alva, Bob Inger- soll and Penny.
Mr. Franks is an enterprising and public-spirited man and has done much good in the world, being charitable to the needy, while to many
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children he has taken the part of a father as well as friend. He is a worthy member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Elks. He has lived through the period when lawlessness and strife were very common in the state, when the Indians and thieving white men took the stock and often the lives of the settlers, and has borne his part in ridding the country of such characters. He was a strong supporter of the Democracy until President Cleveland's second administration, when he decided that the nation was too great a thing for the Democartic party to handle and he has since given his support to the Republican party. He is highly esteemed for his many good traits of character and has a genial, jovial, hearty manner which makes him popular with many friends.
JOHN F. ROBINSON, JR., sheriff and tax collector of Valverde county, Texas, has been closely associated with the history of this part of the state from early days, when the Indians were still numerous and com- mitted many depredations in the southwest. He has seen these conditions changed, however, and has been an active factor in subduing the wild country and carrying on the work of development and progress, which has placed this state in the front ranks of this great Union.
The Robinson family was established in Uvalde county by the grand- father, Henry Robinson, who located there in 1852, previous to which time only two white settlements had been made in this wild region, these being the Pattersons, who came in 1851 and located on Sabinal river, south of where the town of Sabinal now stands, and the Ware family who settled about the same time where the town of Utopia now stands. All were engaged in the stock business, the prairies affording excellent range for their cattle in those early days. The county of Uvalde was not organized until 1856, when an election was held for locating the county seat, at which time there were less than fifty votes polled. Henry Robinson was a very brave and courageous man, and was engaged in many fights with the Indians, who were constantly on the war path, destroying stock and property and committing many murders among the white settlers. They lived in fear of Mr. Robinson, whose scalp they were particularly anxious to secure. They watched every opportunity to accomplish this end and finally succeeded one day when Mr. Robinson and a neighbor were some distance from their homes and the red men surrounded, killed and scalped both the men. The Indians then went to the home of Mr. Robinson, hoping to massacre the remainder of the family but they fortunately escaped, although their house was robbed of everything, leaving the widow and her children with nothing. His family numbered the following: John F., James A., George W., Henry, Jr., William H., Elizabeth, Jane, M. Alma, and Ann.
The father, Judge John F. Robinson, whose life is sketched on other pages, was but a boy when taken by his parents to Uvalde county, and he there became familiar with the invasions of the Indians, and in his early youth he accompanied his father and other white settlers on their frequent trips in search of stock which had been stolen by the savages. He experienced many exciting and dangerous incidents dur- ing those early days, and can relate in most interesting manner many tales concerning life in this wild district. Mr. Robinson was married in
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P.M. Lee Goods.
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this state to Miss Mary P. Griner, who represented an honored pioneer family of the southwest. Their children were the following named : John F., Jr., Harry H., Robert Lee, Edward A., Mrs. Mary E. Isbell, and Frankie V.
ยท John F. Robinson, Jr., was reared and educated in Uvalde county, completing the high school course at Brackett, while later he pursued a course of study in Huntsville Normal, after which he engaged in teaching for three years. He early became interested in political ques- tions, and is an advocate of Jacksonian Democracy. He was elected to the office of deputy clerk of Uvalde county, doing an abstract busi- ness, after which he was employed as bookkeeper and salesman in the wholesale and retail store of Norsworthy Brothers of Uvalde, continuing with that firm for two years. He was then employed as shipping clerk for the Litho Carbon Company near Cline, while in 1896 he was again selected for political honors, filling the office of city marshal of Uvalde for one year. Resigning that position he then served as deputy in the sheriff's office at Brackett, Kinney county, where he remained for one year. He next engaged in the sheep business, but after eighteen months disposed of his stock interests and in 1900 came to Del Rio, where he accepted a clerkship in a general mercantile establishment, being pro- moted after three months' service to the position of assistant book- keeper. After several months' connection with the firm in the latter capacity he resigned his position to once more enter the political field, serving as deputy under Sheriff J. B. Wernette, of Del Rio, where he remained until the expiration of his term, when he became a candidate for the office of sheriff and tax collector of Valverde county. He was elected to the office in November, 1902, and by re-election in 1904 has continued in that capacity to the present time, while he is a candidate for re-election in 1906, and no doubt will be continued in the office, for his services have given entire satisfaction to the general public. He has ever discharged his duties in a most prompt and capable manner, bringing to bear the same executive force and business management as he has displayed in his private business affairs.
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