USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 69
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In 1890 Benjamin M. Sheldon was married to Miss Elizabeth Ken- nedy, born at Long View, Texas, and a daughter of Professor John T. and Sally (Smith) Kennedy. She is a lady of grace and intelligence,
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well fitted to adorn the position of social prominence occupied by the family. Mrs. Sheldon's mother was a daughter of Joseph F. Smith, a cousin of Henry Smith, one of the early governors of Texas. Mr. Smith was one of the early pioneers of Texas, and passed through many harrow- ing adventures. At one time he was taken prisoner by the Mexicans, and his life was spared through the fortunate circumstance that he was one of those who drew the white, instead of the black bean. He was a civil engineer by profession and did much of the early surveying in Texas, being also among its pioneer educators and at one time professor of mathematics at the Mckenzie Institute, Clarksville, Texas. Professor Kennedy bravely endured the hardships incident to pioneer life, fought a good fight against savages and wild beasts, and materially assisted in laying the groundwork of a great and intelligent commonwealth by start- ing many eminent Texans on the high road to useful service, through his work as a faithful and efficient educator. His character was both of strong and broad proportions, and is worthy of liberal space in the early history of the state. The last years of his life were passed at Palestine, Anderson county, Texas, where he died in 1872. The deceased was long a pillar of the Methodist church, and a Mason of high standing.
Mrs. John T. Kennedy preceded her husband by several years, her death occurring at Long View, Gregg county, this state. As stated, he was a typical Texas pioneer. In these day he would have been called a "promoter" of settlements and towns, and accomplished much to induce immigration to Texas. He platted and founded the town of St. Mary, Refugio county, and was widely known and highly respected. By his last will he conveyed all his property to his two granddaughters, Mrs. Sheldon and Mrs. Bell. During the late years of his life, on account of declining health, he went to Mexico, where he died. The children of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Kennedy were Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin M. Sheldon, and Jane, now Mrs. C. R. Bell, whose husband is a prominent merchant and farmer at Naches, near Palestine, Texas.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Sheldon has been blessed by two sons : Joseph S., born May 31, 1891, and Arnold K., born Novem- ber 6, 1892.
Laredo.
CHARLES F. YAEGER is one of Laredo's active and representative business men and has had a very eventful career in various lines, being active in times of both war and peace, and finally locating in Texas, where he has become thoroughly identified with the best interests of his state, county and city. He was born in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, in November, 1848, being of German ancestry. His father was Frederick Yaeger, a native of Stuttgart, Germany, while his mother, Frederika Heuer, was born in Karlsrhue, Wurtemberg, Germany, their marriage taking place in St. Louis.
Frederick Yaeger spent his youth and young manhood in France, where he received a most liberal education, being a student for a number of years in the University of Paris and becoming a linguist of distinc- tion. He was also a scholar in botanical and horticultural sciences, and on these subjects he wrote a number of books and pamphlets, some of
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these being particularly enlightening upon the wine-making industry. A brother of his had come to America shortly before the beginning of the Mexican war, and at St. Louis had raised a company of soldiers at his own expense, joining Gen. Zachary Taylor in his expedition to Mexico. About the close of the Mexican war, Frederick Yaeger joined this brother in St. Louis, remaining in the city about a year. He then went into Louisiana, locating in the Parish of Plaquemines, where he formed a partnership with Sidney Robinson (a brother-in-law of Gen. Zachary Taylor) in the ownership and operation of a sugar plantation on the Mississippi river. He remained here until about 1855, when he decided to locate in the north, and started for Chicago. On his way hither, how- ever, on the advice of a friend, he stopped off at Evansville, Ind. At this point there was being promoted the Wabash & Erie Canal, also a railroad, and having studied the profession of civil engineering, he thought possi- bly there might be something for him in this line, and decided to locate there with his family. He eventually engaged in the meat-packing busi- ness there and was well on his way toward success when his death oc- curred in 1858.
Charles F. Yaeger was a schoolboy in Evansville, when the excite- ment over the Civil war began, and he was but fourteen years old when he went down the river to Cairo, in 1852, and, with the consent of his mother, enlisted in the naval service, in the fleet commanded by Commo- dore Foote. He was assigned to duty as messenger on the staff of the officers of the fleet, carrying messages from officers on the boat, as well as between the officers of the different boats of the fleet. He passed a rather rigid examination to get into this service, and then, his object gained, he entered into it with keenest zest. He went with Commodore Foote to the battle of Fort McHenry; from there to Fort Donelson, and then, returning to the Mississippi river, the fleet went down the stream and received the surrender of the Confederate troops at Columbus, Ky. From there they went to Island No. 10, which was blockaded, and then to Fort Pillow, where the vessel our subject was on, the Cincinnati, Com- modore Foote's flagship, was sunk. From there they went to Memphis and up the White river into Arkansas, where they captured the forces under Colonel Frye, who is remembered as subsequently commanding a filibustering expedition to Cuba in the ship Virginia, and who was shot at Santiago de Cuba. From the White river the Commodore's fleet moved to Vicksburg, in the operations that were being started at that time to close up the river, and at Vicksburg the fleet was joined with that of Admiral Farragut. In the engagement before Vicksburg, in the ef- fort to run the blockade, young Yaeger was seriously wounded in the arm, that member being nearly torn off. He was taken to the Marine Hospital at Mound City, Ill., where he remained until the following December, 1863. On coming out of the hospital he was still seriously disabled and did not re-enter the service. During his service in the navy he had served under the commands of five admirals, Foote, Davis, French, Porter and Farragut.
After these somewhat remarkable experiences as a boy, he entered college at Evansville and spent some years in study, devoting considerable time to both law and medicine, but finally deciding not to enter upon a
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professional career. In 1871 he made a trip to New Orleans, remaining there about four months. This was the period of the Kellogg troubles of the reconstruction period and he wrote up the troublesome scenes as cor- respondent of the Evansville Courier. He then went to Louisville, Ky., and engaged in telegraphy, first as an operator for the Pacific Telegraph Company, and later with the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Company. From this position he entered the service of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad and later was with the Louisville, Paducah & Southwestern; with the latter company going into the auditing department, and later becoming assistant general auditor and assistant to President Dupont, of that company. While in this position he was taken sick and resigned and later he went with the Adams Express Company, as cashier of the Cin- cinnati office, but continued sickness, resulting from his war life, led him to resign after about three months. Returning to Louisville, he became secretary and treasurer of the Divey Coal Mining Company for eighteen months. From there he went to Memphis, in 1876, about the time of the great yellow fever epidemic of that year, where he took charge of the business of the Washington Compresses. In the spring of 1879 he re- turned to Evansville and took the management of the Melrose Milling Company, which position he filled for three months, after which he was office manager of the Evansville Brewing Company for three years. At about this time he became interested in politics, and in the fall of 1882 was elected county auditor of Vanderburg county, serving in that capac- ity until the spring of 1887. During these later years in Evansville he became a prominent and influential figure in the Democratic party, being a member of the state central committee, chairman of the district com- mittee, and was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Pres- ident Cleveland the first time. He had become prominent in the Grand Army of the Republic, and as a Democrat in the same was considered of strong influence. In this and other directions he was of service to his party in a state that was so close and hotly contested as to hold the center of national interest for several years.
In September, 1888, he came to Texas, making brief stays at El Paso and San Antonio, before coming to Laredo, where he has since remained. Here he took charge of the real estate department of the Laredo Improve- ment Company, which, financed by northern and eastern capitalists, in- vested heavily in extensive additions to Laredo, as well as in various local enterprises. Later he was appointed secretary and treasurer of the company, and in January, 1891, it having become involved in the financial depression, he was appointed receiver of the company, to settle up its affairs. He sold its properties in April, 1892, and remained as re- ceiver until the following August. He then became secretary and mana- ger of the Laredo Electric & Railway Company, remaining such until November, 1904. Under his management the street railways were com- pleted and put on a paying basis, and in 1893-4 he built the present elec- tric light plant for the company, becoming also one of the stockholders. He has since then gone extensively into the brick manufacturing business, the principal industry of Laredo and vicinity, and is a member of the firm of Johnson & Yaeger, manufacturers of fire brick, milled fire clay, dry pressed building brick, etc. The plant and yards of this firm are
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at Minera, Webb county, on the Rio Grande, and the industry is a large one, employing many men.
Mr. Yaeger is a man of wide experience in business affairs, on which he brings to bear keen insight and ability. He masters every proposition he assumes, as, for instance, when with the electric company he became an acknowledged authority on electric matters. Mr. Yaeger is a city alder- man, is ex-commander of Joe Hooker Post, G. A. R., and is grand knight of the local Knights of Columbus.
Mr. Yaeger was married at Evansville in 1860 to Miss Cora Zulieda Haney, daughter of John A. and Lucinda (Lincoln) Haney, Mrs. Haney being a first cousin to the late Abraham Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. Yaeger have five children : Frieda Cornelia, wife of Arthur E. Derby; Miss Florence Gertrude Yeager, Edward C. Yeager, Anita Maria Yaeger and Margarita Yaeger.
ASHER RICHARDSON. One of the most successful and prominent men of Carrizo. Springs, Dimmit county, Texas, is Asher Richardson, who has won his prosperity through the development of the natural resources of the country and through most capable and discriminating management of his business interests. He is a man of sound judgment and of unfal- tering diligence, who forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution. He was born in Worcester county, Maryland, in 1856, his parents being Littleton James and Harriet Elizabeth (Scarborough) Richardson. In both the paternal and maternal lines he is descended from old and prominent families of Maryland, dating back to the early English settlement of the colony, and Asher Richardson was born on land that was granted to his ancestors by the king of England and is still held by members of the Richardson family in Worcester county. It was upon this place that Littleton J. Richardson was also born, the ancestors having occupied this place soon after their arrival from England in 1680. In the maternal line Asher Richardson is descended from the Scarborough fam- ily, members of the English nobility, who became residents of the new world in 1625. The Scarboroughs were instrumental in quelling the first mutiny in the English colony of Virginia. Mr. Richardson's mother was the daughter of Richard Scarborough.
Dimmit County.
In the county of his nativity Asher Richardson was reared and ac- quired the greater part of his education. In 1876, when twenty years of age, he made his way to Southwestern Texas and located in Dimmit county, which was then a frontier district, having no communication with the outside world. Mr. Richardson recalls many of the distressing and trying hardships of pioneer life such as are unknown in these days, includ- ing the lack of good water, for there were no wells then and water was obtained from tanks built of earth to catch the rain. Frequently there were periods of drought. There was also a lack of nutritious food, as little was raised beside meat. Mr. Richardson turned his attention to the live stock business, which has claimed his time and energies ever since. In later years, however, he has given most of his attention to the develop- ment of the country for the benefit of small farmers. In the earlier years of his residence in Dimmit county the country was all an open range, and
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it is recalled that Mr. Richardson built the first wire pasture fence in that part of Texas. He was also for many years extensively engaged in the raising of horses and cattle and was from 1876 until about 1904 exten- sively engaged in the sheep business. At one time he had sheep number- ing twenty-six thousand. In this enterprise he was a partner of his father-in-law, William Votaw, who died in 1889, and who for many years had been a noted character in the stock industry of Texas-one of the earliest and most prominent cattlemen. The Votaws also figured con- spicuously in connection with the early history of Texas, William Vo- taw's father having been a soldier in the battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836.
Mr. Richardson deserves the greatest credit for the work he has done in developing the agricultural interests of Dimmit county and through his energy and liberality in making valuable experiments with the growing of various kinds of crops and through making it possible for the small farmer to come in and win success in the cultivation of land that a few years ago was not considered worth ten cents per acre. To Mr. Richard- son is due the artesian well system of Southwestern Texas, for he it was who drilled the first wells of this character near Carrizo Springs, demon- strating the presence of a bounteous supply of water for irrigation pur- poses within a large belt of Southwestern Texas. The discovery of this has given a great impetus to the growth and development of the country, for the soil is naturally rich and productive, all that it needed being water. He has demonstrated the possibilities for development and his efforts have been of most material benefit to the state and its settlers.
Mr. Richardson's home place in Dimmit county, near the county seat, Carrizo Springs, is the noted Oak Grove ranch, which includes the smaller farms, La Palma and Eagle's Nest, and upon which he has made wonder- ful improvements. The Oak Grove ranch comprises fifty thousand acres, in the midst of which Mr. Richardson has a large and beautiful residence, equipped with every modern convenience. It is situated in the midst of a fine grove of sturdy old oak and hackberry trees and altogether is a most inviting country residence. Here Mr. Richardson has maintained an
Fruit Growing.
extensive experimental garden since 1887. Here can be seen growing nine varieties of European grapes, which have been in bearing for ten years and the vines are still vigorous, many of them being three and a half inches in diameter. He has recently planted several varieties of grapes that are new to this section, among them the Delaware, Scupperong, Eden and Herbemont. Here Mr. Richardson has also been growing peaches for fifteen years and his trees are of the very finest varieties. The trees have borne prolifically and the fruit is most delicious. He like- wise raises several varieties of Japanese plums, together with many kinds of pears and apples and the pomegranate. Figs are in abundance and there are several varieties, among them the Oriental of Commerce, the largest fig known. The dewberry and the blackberry produced here are unsurpassed in any section of the country, and he has strawberries and vegetables in abundance. In fact, this is one of the finest farms in the entire state and Mr. Richardson has demonstrated the possibilities of
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Dimmit county for fruit raising and thus largely enhanced the material wealth of the district. Eight miles east of Oak Grove on the same ranch is a three hundred and fifty acre farm known as La Palma. Here there is a large reservoir and two flowing wells that supply an abundance of water for irrigation. Upon this place he has another young orchard of peaches, pears, plums, figs, lemons and Satsuma oranges, but the principal crops grown are corn and cotton. This farm lies in the famous Moro valley and is extremely fertile. Northeast from La Palma on the same ranch is another irrigated farm of six hundred and forty acres known as the Eagle's Nest. This is the largest farm in the artesian belt as well as the most beautiful. Two immense artesian wells flowing into a circular reservoir of seven acres supply this large tract with twice as much water as is needed. The irrigation ditches upon this farm, as well as on La Palma, are laid out in the most perfect manner, enabling the tenants to get water upon any part of these farms with ease. This farm is not only in a high state of cultivation, but is unusually well improved. Upon it is a modern ginning plant and gristmill, large barn, corn crib forty by ninety feet, supply store and numerous handsome tenement houses as well as a schoolhouse and church combined. There is also a fine orchard and three hundred acres of this farm is being planted to cotton, twenty acres in ribbon cane, twenty acres or more in alfalfa, together with many kinds of vegetables and forage crops. Large numbers of hogs are raised here and every part of the business is carried on successfully, Mr. Rich- ardson supervising the whole.
Mr. Richardson was married in Bexar county to Miss Mary Isabella Votaw and they have six children: Lula Richardson; Mary Ethel, the wife of Walter McComb, Jr., of Nashville, Tennessee ; Littleton V. ; Har- riet Isabelle ; Ruby Scarborough ; and Forest Aline.
Mr. Richardson is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he is also identified with various other organizations, including the Texas State Cattle Raisers' Association. He is interested in public affairs and every- thing pertaining to the welfare, growth and benefit of the county, and was one of the board of county commissioners which in the early 'Sos built the courthouse in the then just organized Dimmit county. He is earnestly and sincerely interested in the upbuilding of the town and county by mak- ing it a place of homes for small farmers to take the place of the great ranches which have heretofore occupied all the land. In every way he is a most valuable and useful citizen, contributing liberally to the edu- cational facilities of the people as well as to religious development, and has done much toward the elevation of the Mexican laborers who are em- ployed in large numbers in this section of the country. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, of genuine sterling worth, and his labors in behalf of public progress have been far-reaching, effective and most commendable.
W. T. HILL. Texas contains many brave and efficient officials, and to them is due a large share of the credit for the peaceful and orderly conditions now prevailing throughout the state, compared with the state of affairs less than a generation since. Among these officers none has proved more efficient or has a more popular following than Mr. W. T. Hill, sheriff of LaSalle county. That he has performed his official duties
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in a capable manner is evidenced by the fact that he is at present serving his fourth term and seventh year of continuous service in this position, a record of which he may justly feel proud.
Mr. Hill was born in Caldwell county, Texas, in 1871, his parents being George W. and Eliza J. (Crenshaw) Hill. George W. Hill was a native of Missouri, where he passed the early portion of his life, coming to Texas soon after the close of the Civil war and locating in Caldwell county. Here he became one of the prominent cattlemen of the day, extending his operations over a goodly portion of Southwestern Texas, where he long remained as one of its most widely known citizens. In 1877 he removed with his family to LaSalle county, when this section was still unorganized, and here he passed the remainder of his life, dying here in 1887. His wife was reared in this state, where she is also still living.
The son, W. T. Hill, was reared and educated for the most part in LaSalle county, and nearly his entire life thus far has been passed here. He "grew up," so to speak, in the cattle business and the experience thus gained has been a most valuable one to him. He began the business in this section when there were no fenced pastures and all was free and open range, a condition calling for a great deal more presence of mind and ingenuity than is now required in cattle business here. He continued in the cattle business and still retains a fine cattle ranch in LaSalle county, about eight miles from Cotulla.
In 1900 he was elected as the sheriff of LaSalle county, and such satisfaction did he give in the performance of his official duties that he was re-elected in 1902, 1904 and 1906. During all this time his record has been first class and he is noted for a promptness and efficiency which is gratifying to his constituents.
Mr. Hill was married to Miss Lallah Rookh Lacey, and they have two children, Inez and Lallah R.
Eagle Pass.
ALFRED L. WALLACE, county judge of Maverick county, and a vet- ยท eran of the Confederate States army, is now living at Eagle Pass, Texas. His name was interwoven with the early-day history of the development of Maverick county, as also now again in later years. He was born near Fayetteville, Washington county, Arkansas, April 25, 1844, and spent the earlier years of his life in and near Fayetteville, where he attended school. Soon after becoming seventeen years of age he enlisted as a private soldier in Company E, Bryant's Battalion of Cavalry, Cooper's Brigade, Trans- Mississippi department of the Confederate army. His parents both died during his earlier boyhood days, leaving him, with his only and younger brother, Willis R. Wallace, to the care and protection of their legal guar- dian, Mr. A. M. Wilson, a most worthy and honorable citizen of Fayette- ville.
Willis R. Wallace, brother to Alfred L., was born in Washington county, Arkansas, June 4, 1849. His early schooling was also received at Fayetteville. After the war, in 1869, he attended school at the Univer- sity of Virginia one year, and thence went to Lebanon, Tennessee, and took a full course in the Law University at Lebanon. He then returned to
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Texas and began practicing law, but returned to Tennessee in 1875, and was married to Miss Sallie Gosling, of Lebanon. He then returned with his bride to San Antonio, and soon after they made their home in Castro- ville, twenty-five miles west of that city. He was elected district attorney in 1878, and continued to be re-elected and to hold that office until his . death, November 12, 1884. To him and his wife were born two daugh- ters and one son. The mother and both daughters, Eugenia and Lucie. are now living in New York city, where the son, Alfred L. Wallace, Jr., died June 20, 1906, aged twenty-six years.
During the Civil war the brothers, Alfred and Willis, were unavoid- ably separated, one in the southern army. The other, being too young to serve as a soldier, remained in and near Fayetteville under the care and protection of two devoted and faithful old negroes (husband and wife) who had been their mother's loved and trusted house servants. After the war, in 1866, these brothers were reunited in San Antonio, Texas, but in order to do so Willis traveled the entire distance of over six hundred miles between Fayetteville and San Antonio with a friend, haul- ing apples in wagons to Texas. There were then no railroads whatever between the towns named.
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