USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 60
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
William R. Hayes was born in Hickory county, Missouri, December 30, 1835, and here he was reared, devoting his early years to work on his father's stock ranch. Although his opportunities for an education were limited, he applied himself and obtained a good elementary training, which was supplemented by careful study and investigation in after years. In 1846 he went with his father to Arkansas, where he remained until 1854,
448
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
when he was smitten with the gold fever, and started west with a party who were bound for the gold fields. They arrived in Salt Lake too late in the year to attempt to finish their journey, so they went into winter quarters at that point and remained until spring, when they resumed their journey, following the old Fremont route, and arrived in California in the summer (1855). Mr. Hayes after remaining in California for a time decided to go north, and started for British Columbia ; upon arriving in that province he went to work in the Fraser river mining district, where he continued until 1858, when he started for home, via Tehuantepec and New Orleans, and arrived in San Antonio in January, 1859. Shortly after this he joined his father and other members of the family in Atascosa county, where he remained for a time, and then purchased some land in Bee county, upon which he settled, bringing his father with him. Here the latter died in 1874.
On his place in Bee county, Judge Hayes engaged in farming and stock-raising, in a small way, until the Civil war, when (in 1862) he en- listed in the Confederate army in Hobby's regiment of infantry, and was appointed sergeant of his company. After three years' service he was transferred to Pyron's Cavalry, of Green's Brigade, at Galveston, which was on coast defense duty. He was at the bombardment of Corpus Christi, and engaged in a number of skirmishes, but was never wounded or taken prisoner.
At the close of the war Judge Hayes returned home and resumed work on his ranch, which he continued for some time, and in fact he still retains the old homestead. In 1872 he purchased a large tract of land in Bee county, adjoining the site of the present town of Skidmore, where a branch road of the Aransas Pass Railway leaves the main line to Fal- furrias. Of that tract he still owns 1,000 acres, which he farms, and lying so close to Skidmore, which is a rapidly growing community, it is a very desirable place of residence. In 1870 Mr. Hayes was made treasurer of this county, and was continued in that office until 1876, when he was elected county judge, and filled that office continuously until 1892, during which time, as judge, he was identified with many of the substantial im- provements that were made in his section of the state. Subsequent to his leaving the bench, he was elected one of the county commissioners and served in that capacity for six years. For many years Judge Hayes has been ex-officio superintendent of public schools in Bee county and has made an enviable record in matters of administration. Both in educational matters and matters of literary excellence, Judge Hayes is vitally inter- ested and has been a correspondent for a number of papers and mag- azines, and has contributed much of substantial value to various period- icals.
Judge Hayes, with J. W. Flouroy, was appointed to negotiate with the Aransas Pass Railway to build that line to Beeville, and they were very successful, closing the contract for the road, which was subsequently built. To this venture he made liberal donations of money, in addition to giving his personal services. In all matters of charitable and benevolent work Judge Hayes is a substantial giver, and is widely known for his liberality and kindliness.
In 1861 he married Miss Amanda Fuller, who was born in eastern
449
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
Texas in 1840, and is a daughter of B. F. and Mary Fuller, pioneer settlers in Texas. Mrs. Hayes was the youngest of six children.
To Judge Hayes and his wife have been born the following chil- dren : Fanny, the wife of Sam Labenski; Mary, wife of G. W. Black, a prominent ginner of Skidmore; Horace, deceased; Lucy, Mrs. J. M. Price ; Homer, a well-known stockman; Anna; Travis, a merchant of Skidmore, and Vivian, the wife of D. G. Madrid, a merchant of Skid- more. Judge Hayes is a member of the Christian church, while his wife and children are Missionary Baptists.
Rockport.
JUDGE WILLIAM H. BALDWIN, of Rockport, is honored as an upright judge and able attorney, and esteemed in the highest degree for all those qualities which make the strong citizen of the southwest. Enterprising, brave and broad-minded, he is descended from sturdy, faithful southern blood, and is, especially indebted to a noble and somewhat remarkable father for some of the salient traits of his character.
Judge Baldwin was born in Ohio, July 23, 1849, reared to farm pur- suits and received his higher education at Lebanon, a popular old school of Virginia. He is a son of William M. and Jeston (Young) Baldwin, the father being a native of North Carolina and the mother of Virginia. William M. Baldwin, so long a leading figure in the Missionary Baptist church, was the son of Enoch Baldwin, of Virginia, and later of North Carolina, where for many years he was a prominent farmer. Later he removed to Kingsport, Tennessee, engaging there in the hotel business. He was thus engaged during the Civil war, and afterward died at the re- markable age of one hundred years. In his capacity of landlord and good citizen he became widely known and highly respected, and died a consistent and worthy member of the Missionary Baptist church, in which two of his sons were to obtain so high a standing. The children of Enoch Baldwin and his wife were as follows: Rev. Noah C., a noted Baptist minister, who died in Virginia in 1895; Rev. William M., who once lost by only one vote the chaplaincy of the United States Senate ; and Wiley G., a popular and competent accountant and bookkeeper.
Rev. William M., the father of William H. Baldwin, was born and reared in North Carolina, assisting his father on the farm and by persist- ent industry obtaining a liberal education, being especially proficient in the dead languages. He remained on the family homestead until his mar- riage, then settled on a farm in Virginia and later entered the ministry. In the performance of his work connected with the different charges to which he was assigned in the Missionary Baptist church he traveled over many sections of Virginia and Kentucky, ministering to his congrega- tions with great zeal and success. Later he removed to Ironton, Ohio, where he continued his pulpit work with earnestness and effective ability, and subsequently settled on a farm near Ashland, Kentucky, combining with his ministerial duties not only farming operations but something in the way of business. The year before the war his worldly prospects were quite bright. Although by no means a political leader, he was known as a strong advocate of Democratic principles, and at the presidential cam- paign of 1860 he was one of two of his town who cast his ballot for Breck-
Vol. II. 29
450
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
enridge. The community in which he then resided was decidedly aboli- tionist in sentiment, and after the election and the casting of the Brecken- ridge ballot the people took great pains to make it unpleasant for him and his family.
At the outbreak of the Civil war, believing that it would be of short duration, he decided to temporarily abandon the neighborhood. With his good horses he therefore left the locality, and finally worked his way to Virginia, by which time the war had increased in determination and horror. At this point Mr. Baldwin decided to assist the Confederacy. He became chaplain of Col. Humphrey Marshall's regiment, his son, R. M., being elected first lieutenant of Company A, and his other son, C. F., en- listing as a private. Later Mr. Baldwin resigned his chaplaincy and raised two full companies of cavalry, of which he was the acting major. His command was never attached to any regiment, but acted as a scouting force, subject to the orders of superior officers, and was engaged in many hotly contested battles. Upon one occasion it was called to Tennessee to assist General Longstreet, and after accomplishing good service returned to Southwest Virginia. For about two years Major Baldwin continued on active duty, resigning and returning to his family in the latter part of 1863. The two companies were afterward attached to the Eighth Virginia Cavalry, and thus continued until the close of the war, his son, R. M., being captain of Company A of said regiment and his sons, C. F. and N. L. being privates.
In the meantime the family was suffering greatly from the persecu- tions of the abolitionists. Their position finally became unbearable, and, with the assistance of three horses, loaned by an old Confederate friend of the husband, the wife and eight children managed to get away and start on their long journey to Virginia. On the lonely journey of three hun- dred miles they met with many hospitable old southerners who, with the spirit of their kind, offered her welcome assistance. This journey was one of great peril and extreme hardship. Every precaution was used to avoid Union soldiers and bushwhackers alike, for fear of arrest and de- tention. Mrs. Baldwin was one of the most timid, modest and refined of God's noble women, but in the dark shadow of war she proved herself a heroine. On that awful trip she met and overcame difficulties which under ordinary circumstances would have been insuperable. It was purely by accident that at the end of their journey the overjoyed family met Major Baldwin at Estleville, Scott county, Virginia, just about to start on his long campaign with his troops, desiring first to return to Kentucky for his family. After getting them comfortably located he started for what he thought was a short period of service, but which, as has been stated, lengthened into two years of continuous warfare.
After his resignation in 1863, Rev. William M. Baldwin rejoined his family, then in Tennessee, and soon after resumed the work of the ministry. As the war was still progressing and the great armies of the conflict shifting here and there, he was obliged to make many moves in order to keep within the Confederate lines, and his experiences were dis- tressing in the extreme. At the conclusion of the war he removed to his native county in North Carolina, arriving there poverty stricken in all but true manhood. Purchasing a farm on credit, he commenced to cultivate
45 E
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
it with industry and determination, continuing also his ministerial labors, which gave him little more than spiritual strength to bear his misfortunes. But his supreme courage brought him friends. From his farm he realized something, his family rendered him what assistance they could, and slowly his fortunes commenced to build up, with the result that he eventually became independent in a material sense. For his character and moral worth there was never anything but the most unbounded admiration, and his ability as a minister and his bravery as a soldier were beyond question. He was also a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity.
Rev. William M. Baldwin died on the family homestead in North Carolina in the year 1893, his wife having preceded him in 1884. She was the daughter of a prominent and broad-minded business man of Virginia, of German descent, her family being highly respected, wealthy and influ- ential. There were seven children in her family (Young), of whom Wil- liam, Ezekiel, Fielding and Jesse were farmers and died in Grayson county, Virginia; the fifth, a son, whose name is not available; Betsy, Mrs. John Baker, and Jeston, mother of William H.
Rev. and Mrs. William M. Baldwin became parents of the following : Creed, Reese and Noah, all of whom served for the Confederacy, the first two throughout the Civil war and the last named during three years of the conflict ; William H., who was too young to enter the service ; Jennie, now Mrs. Baker, of North Carolina ; Adoniram J. and Erasmus J., the former a resident of the state of Washington, the latter dying in Texas in 1893 ; Lucy J. M., now Mrs. Dickey, of Temple, Texas; Victoria, Mrs. Cald- well, of San Angelo, Texas, and Clara, Mrs. Pucket, of South Carolina.
William H. Baldwin was with the family in the many moves necessi- tated by the progress of the Civil war, and finally remained on the North Carolina homestead assisting his father in his agricultural and family duties, while securing his elementary schooling, afterwards finishing with a two years' course at Lebanon. In 1873, then a young man of twenty- four, he came to Texas, and for five years was a teacher in the public schools. This period was an especially busy one for him, as, in addition to his class teaching, he gave special and private instruction to older pupils, and pursued the study of the law, in preparation for the professional work of a lifetime. At the conclusion of these five years of ceaseless work and study he was admitted to practice at Mount Vernon, Texas, in 1878.
Since his admission to the bar nearly thirty years ago Judge Baldwin has enjoyed a large and lucrative practice in all the courts, and his popu- larity, ability and broad-minded impartiality have been repeatedly recog- nized in the public honors bestowed upon him in the line of his profession. He remained at Mount Vernon for five years, during four of which he was county attorney. Removing then to Mount Pleasant, Titus county, he practiced there for four years, holding the office of district attorney for three years of the period. In 1891 he located at Rockport. where he imme- diately entered into the general practice, and in the following year was elected county judge. In this responsible judicial office he served four terms, retaining the confidence of attorneys and litigants by his prompt but 'courteous decisions, his ability and impartiality and the executive force with which he disposed of all business placed upon the dockets. He has a complete library and an office equipped with modern conveniences,
452
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
requisites which greatly facilitate the progress of his legal, judicial and business interests.
Besides his legal and judicial duties, Judge Baldwin bears the respon- sibility of the management of the Texas Land and Title Company, whose operations cover the counties of Aransas, Refugio and San Patricio. The business embraces the making of abstracts, examination and perfection of land titles and transactions in real estate. The judge is personally inter- ested in Rockport property, as well as in everything connected with its progress. This is but natural, as he expects to make the town his per- manent home, and all his material and family interests are wrapped up in it.
In 1878 William H. Baldwin was married in Texas to Miss Lizzie O. Baker, who was born twenty-two years before in Hopkins county, Texas. She is the daughter of Captain Benjamin A. and Nancy (Morris) Baker, both of Georgia. They moved to Texas in the early fifties, and settled in Hopkins county, where the father was a prominent farmer and slave owner. When the Civil war opened he was one of the leading citizens of his section, and as captain of a company he entered the Confederate service and led his men through the fierce and wearing four years of bat- tles, hardships and exposures incident to the terrible conflict. When the southern cause was lost he as bravely returned to his home, revised his plans of life to meet the new conditions and resumed his farming oper- ations without the assistance of his old-time slaves. In spite of a greatly reduced estate and limited means, he again won success and built up a competency for his old age. For many years he remained on his planta- tion, but finally disposed of his property and found a comfortable home with his daughter and her husband, Judge Baldwin, where he died in 1895. Both he and his wife were long members of the Methodist church, he himself being identified with the Masonic fraternity. In view of the above record it is almost unnecessary to add that Captain Baker was widely known and universally honored for his moral worth and his bravery whether under fire of battle or stress of hardships and misfortune.
The children born to Captain and Mrs. Baker were: Charles, who was assassinated for no known cause; Toombs, who died while attending school at Poughkeepsie, New York ; Benjamin, who died in 1890-all of the above being matured men and unmarried ; Lizzie, wife of Judge Bald- win, and the only one of the family now living.
The family of Judge Baldwin and his wife consists of the following : Charles M., an engineer in the United States navy for four years and now an engineer in the Philippines ; Henry B., who is a partner with his father in the Texas Land and Title Co. of Rockport.
Nueces County.
L. G. COLLINS. In the list of names of the men who have contrib- uted to the moral and industrial development of Southwestern Texas. that of L. G. Collins, the popular real estate agent and cattle raiser of Alice and Ben Bolt, holds a high place. Mr. Collins was born in Mani- towoc, Wisconsin, April 2, 1859, and there received his early training and education.
He is a son of Gideon B. and Rachael (Platt) Collins, natives of
LG. olio,
453
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
New York, who were married in Wisconsin. The paternal grandfather, Dr. Stephen Collins, was a practitioner in New York for many years, later going west in search of profitable investment. He invested in Michigan lands, and some property in Chicago, and after concluding his work in Chicago took a lake steamer for his home. The boat on which he sailed was wrecked, and he with many others was drowned, with all his private papers and personal effects. His body was never recovered. He had three children : Gideon B .; Norman G., a dentist by profession ; and Mary (Mrs. H. W. Garrette).
Gideon B. Collins was reared in New York, but while still a young man left that state and came to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he started in business, and also traded considerably with the Indians. There he married, and continued for some time in business, until the death of one of his young sons, who was accidentally killed. This most unfortunate occurrence seemed to cast an influence over him from which he never recovered. He gave up his business, and allowed his property to go uncared for, and in 1862, after a long illness, he died. His wife, who was a daughter of Jesse Platt, a prosperous farmer of Lisbon county, New York, after her husband's death, sold the remaining estate, and moved to Chicago, where she shortly afterward died, leaving our sub- ject an orphan, at the age of eight years. She was the mother of two children : Stephen, who died at the age of four years ; and L. G.
L. G. Collins upon the death of his mother was taken to be reared by his maternal grandfather, Jesse Platt, with whom he lived until 1875, when he went to Texas with an uncle, Norman G. Collins, who started him on a sheep ranch, for the purpose of teaching him the details of ranch business, and giving him the opportunity of learning the Spanish language. Here he remained for one year, returning then to Chicago for a short time, and then came back to his uncle's home in San Diego. With his uncle's assistance he purchased a herd of cattle, and started in ranch- ing on one of N. G. Collins' ranches, near Corpus Christi, of which he had full charge. At this place he remained for three years and was very successful in a business way. He next moved to another ranch belong- ing to N. G. Collins, near Alice, assumed charge of it and has operated it for a number of years. This ranch comprised 12,500 acres, well im- proved, and by the will of his uncle has since become his own property.
In 1892 L. G. Collins moved to San Diego and engaged in the hard- ware and implement business, continuing until 1894, when he moved to Alice and erected a storehouse and a large residence, continuing in busi- ness here until 1896, when he sold out and moved back to the ranch, where he resided until 1904, when he sold the bulk of his stock and started a registered herd of Durham cattle. He is now engaged in the real estate business. In 1904 Mr. Collins platted the town of Ben Bolt, which lies seven miles south of the town of Alice. This town is a grow- ing one, surrounded by a fine agricultural country, and bids fair to be- come a prosperous business center.
Mr. Collins married, in 1880, Catherine M. Adams, a native of Texas, and daughter of Robert Adams (for a sketch of whose family see that of William A. Adams, printed elsewhere in this volume) and Loretta (McWhorter) Adams. This union has been blessed by five chil-
454
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
dren, born on the following dates: Norman G., 1891; Bessie P., 1893; Bruce L., 1895 ; Mildred, 1897; and Catherine J., 1902. Both Mr. Collins and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and are actively engaged in furthering the interests of that body.
CAPTAIN HINES CLARK, a descendant of one of the pioneer families of Texas and a veteran of the Confederate army, was born in Louisiana September 15, 1838. He is a son of Archie E. and Ann (Foreman) Clark, natives, respectively, of Mississippi and Louisiana. Abijah Clark, the paternal grandfather, was a wheelwright by trade, following that line of work in Mississippi (which was his native state), and moving to Texas in 1842. He settled, first, in Harris county, where he engaged in stock- raising, and in 1849 moved to Goliad county, continuing the same line of work until 1854, when he sold out to his son, Archie E. Clark, and returned to Harris county to engage in the business of selling merchan- dise. This he followed until his death, which occurred in 1858. His children were four in number: George W., Millie, Archie E. (father), and Valentine.
Archie E. Clark spent his younger days in Mississippi, was married in Louisiana about 1835, and migrated to Texas in 1842, settling in Harris county. Later he moved to Victoria county with his family and slaves, and engaged in farming and stockraising. In politics he was a Democrat, but was not an office seeker. He was a respected member of the order of Masons, and was a man highly esteemed in his community. His death occurred at his homestead in Victoria county September 26, 1865. Archie E. Clark was married twice, his first wife (Ann Foreman Clark) dying June 28, 1851. She was the mother of seven children, of whom Captain Hines Clark is the only one now living. The following is the order of their birth: Mathilda (Mrs. J. I. Green), Hines, Abijah, Malisha, Theodor, Millie, Lafayette.
Captain Clark grew to manhood in Texas and devoted his earlier years to learning the stock business, at his father's ranch, where he re- mained until his marriage, when he went to De Witt county, where he engaged in stock-raising on his own account, following this until the opening of the war, when he enlisted (1861) in Company A, Waller's Battalion, in the Confederate service, which command was assigned to the Trans-Mississippi department, and served in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, participating in the battles of Galveston and many hotly con- tested engagements in Louisiana and Arkansas. Mr. Clark served as forage-master, in which capacity he was engaged until the close of the war, being at Fort Worth when the war ended. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner, but underwent the hardships that are part of army life in the field.
Peace having been declared, Captain Clark returned home and re- sumed his ranch work and continued operating two ranches until 1879, when he closed out his stock and sold his property. He has since engaged in trading in beef cattle. In 1888 he came to Alice and has since resided there.
455
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
Border Troubles.
After the close of the war southern Texas became infested with rob- bers and cattle thieves, who were supposed to be harbored by the Mexi- cans living in the region of the Rio Grande. They at length became such a menace to business that the citizens sent several petitions to the state authorities asking them to take some action in the matter, but no definite results came of these petitions. Finally the stockmen took the matter into their own hands and organized a band of seventy-five men, with Mr. Clark as leader, to rid the country of these pests. Later Captain Mc- Nally, a captain of state rangers, got after them. This band did such efficient work that in a short time the robberies stopped and the stock raisers were able to continue their work without the fear of losing their finest cattle.
Captain Clark is a staunch Democrat and is a well-known figure throughout his section of the state. He is also accounted a worthy mem- ber of the Royal Arch Masons. His marriage occurred to Miss Adolphe Sack, of German descent, whose children have been eleven in number: Archie O., an attorney, who died leaving a wife and two children; Ann, deceased ; Phillip, a live-stock commission man of New Orleans; Ada, wife of C. C. Wright; Forrest, a stockman; Clarence, a stock raiser; Alice, Mrs. Presnall, who died May 28, 1904; Matilda, deceased; Fanny, deceased ; Frank, a stockman, and Thomas H., cashier of the Alice Bank.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.