A history of Texas and Texans, Part 141

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 906

USA > Texas > A history of Texas and Texans > Part 141

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Thomas Peyton Luker was born December 3, 1855, in Henderson county, Texas, and grew to manhood at his birthplace. His education came from the brief terms of the country school, consisting of several months dur- ing the winter season, and farm work was the vocation which he adopted as his life work and to which he assiduously applied himself. He was married early and started his own career on a small farm which had been

presented to him by his mother and he clung to it and added other acres occasionally until 1901. When he sold it he deeded 180 acres, a farm built largely by his own hands. He then came to Murchison, where he owns 380 acres within a mile or two of the town, and this he has raised to a state of efficiency which challenges the record of any other upland farm of its size in this part of the state.

While the ordinary labor of cultivation has proceeded from year to year, Mr. Luker has demonstrated by spe- cial care the average farmer of this section takes less from his land than fertility can be made to produce. His methods of farming have always kept him from buying a bushel of corn for his own use since he has been doing his own agricultural work. His 250 acres under cultivation are as friable and as lively in pro- duction as the other fertile soils of Texas, and under a test of two acres he proved that 1,560 pounds of lint cotton can be grown with the use of 300 pounds of fer- tilizer. He has also demonstrated that one acre of land will produce 235 bushels of sweet potatoes right after a crop of 120 bushels of Irish potatoes have been dug, both of these being the crop of the same season.

In his relations to his community and locality in a general way, Mr. Luker is vice-president of the First State Bank of Murchison, and is one of the stockholders of the Citizens State Bank of Chandler, Texas. His business ability has been proven no less than has his skill as an agriculturist and among his associates he is known as a man to whom to look for counsel and leader- ship. His contribution to the progress and development of his section has been the erection of a number of fine and substantial buildings on his several properties. A clean, energetic and abstemious life has left him a sturdy, stalwart and fresh-looking man, appearing fully ten years younger than he admits.

On February 28, 1876, Mr. Luker was married in Henderson county, Texas, to Miss Frances Mayfield, a daughter of Austin Mayfield, one of the early men and permanent settlers of Henderson, and a native of Alabama. Mrs. Luker was a native of the Lone Star State and died August 3, 1901. Nine children were born to this union: Ella, the eldest, born 1876, died 1899; J. B., the second child, born 1878, died March, 1901; John W., the third, born November 12, 1881, died August 4, 1882; Mary, the fourth, born in 1883, died 1897; and one, the fifth born, died in infancy ; Fred, who married Miss Essie Martin, has a son, Leon, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits in the vicinity of Murchison; Clem, who died single; Porter, who married Cora Burgemy, and is the owner of a farm located not far from Murchison; and Callie, who became the wife of Alexander Harden and who died Novem- ber 13, 1913. On January 11, 1903, Mr. Luker was married to Miss Bessie Martin, a daughter of Capt. R. J. Martin, who lived south of Chandler, Texas, an old Confederate soldier, who came to Texas after the elose of the Civil war. His wife bore the maiden name of Elona Taylor, and they were the parents of ten children, six living. Mr. and Mrs. Lnker have had two children: Horace and Morris.

Mr. and Mrs. Luker are associated with the Baptist church, and have been liberal in their support of its movements. In politics a Democrat, Mr. Inker has been stanch in his adherence to its principles, and as manager of elections in his district wields a wide influence in party affairs. He has not cared to affiliate with fraternal bodies.

EMORY FOUNTAIN HUDDLE, M. D. The annals of the medical profession of Henderson county would be de- cidedly incomplete without extended mention being made of Dr. Emory Fountain Huddle, the only remaining pio- neer of Murchison, and a physician whose devotion to his noble calling has made him widely known and success- ful therein and whose high conception of the duties of

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citizenship entitle him to the universal regard and esteem in which he is held by his fellow-townsmen. Doctor Huddle is a son of William B. Huddle, a pioneer to Van Zandt county, Texas, of the year 1850, when he ended a long and arduous journey from Wythe county, Virginia, by two-horse wagon. William B. Huddle was born in Wythe county, in 1833, his father being David Huddle, who married a Miss Brown, both of the latter dying in that county. The sons in the family were: William B .; Rufus and John, who died as soldiers dur- ing the Civil War, the former leaving three children and the latter one; Josiah Emory, who died recently in Van Zandt county, Texas, leaving a family, and Ben- jamin, James and Frank, who remained in Virginia. There were three daughters in the family of David Huddle, but none ever came to Texas.

William B. Huddle received his education in the country schools of Wythe county, Virginia, and there was married to Barbara E. Cormany, also a native of Old Dominion. Not long after their union they bid farewell to their family and friends and turned their faces toward the Southwest, intent on finding a new locality in which to make their home. On arriving in Van Zandt county, Texas, they settled on Horsley Creek, four miles northeast of Ben Wheeler, and were there residing at the time of the outbreak of the war between the South and the North, when Mr. Huddle cast his for- tunes with the Confederacy and enlisted in one of the first companies to leave for the front in defense of the Stars and Bars. His brothers, Rufus and John, were also soldiers in the same cause, and, like William B., took part in the Mansfield campaign, in which both lost their lives. On the close of his military service, William B. Huddle returned to the duties of peace, and soon thereafter changed his location to the com- munity five miles northwest of Chandler, where he pur- chased land, developed a farm, made a comfortable home and reared his family. There he finished his work as an active factor in human affairs, and died in Van Zandt county, November 23, 1910, being buried in the old cemetery in the community in which he had lived after the Civil War. His life, although one of privacy, was also one of usefulness to his community, and every- where he was known as a man of the strictest integrity and high ideals of citizenship. He was not a politician, caring little for the struggles of the public arena, but was a consistent supporter of Democratic principles and candidates, and ever took a keen interest in matters as they affected the welfare of his community. He wor- shipped as a Presbyterian, and reared his family in that faith. Mrs. Huddle passed away in 1894, having been the mother of the following children: George R., who died when sixteen years of age; James B. died at the age of eighteen years; Emory Fountain, of this review ; Rob- ert C., who died near Cooper, Texas, his wife and chil- dren now being residents of Coleman county, this state; Mrs. V. V. Wilson, who is a resident of Van Zandt county; Laura C., who is the wife of Thomas Wyatt, of Clark's, Louisiana; Mrs. America A. Holloman, of Henderson county, Texas; Mattie K., who is now Mrs. John Ferguson, of Clark's, Louisiana, and Arch W., a resident of Denver, Colorado.

Emory Fountain Huddle was born at the Horsley Creek home of his parents, in the "Free State" of Van Zandt, June 2, 1859. When but a few years old he was permitted by his parents to live in the childless home of his mother's sister, Mrs. Hiram Neff, in Hen- derson county, and there he grew to manhood. His edu- cation came to him in the main as a pupil of MeBride & Cross' Mount Sylvan Academy and at Professor Orr's school at Omen, where many men who subsequently became prominent in the history of Texas were trained. In 1887 Mr. Huddle gave up his studies and for one year was engaged in conducting the old homestead farm, but in 1888 began reading medicine with Doctor Beleher, at Chandler. Under the preceptorship of this able phy-

sician and surgeon, Doctor Huddle was prepared for col- lege, and in 1889 entered Louisville (Kentucky) Med- .ical College, from which he was graduated with his degree in 1891.

Doctor Huddle at once located in Murchison for prac- tice, this hamlet at that time containing the families ot J. L. Townley and John B. Murphy, the latter of whom soon moved to Athens, Texas, to accept an official position in Henderson county. Doctor Huddle was at that time single, and he at first boarded in the Murphy home. He practiced out of his medicine case until the establishment of a drug store and the introduction of the prescription about 1904, although this, being a de- eided departure from the old custom, was successfully resisted by the people for a time. Various characters of fevers were prevalent and common that are now rare, and drugs were fed to the afflicted in allopathie doses. Doctor Huddle brought about the establihsment of the Murchison Drug Company in 1900, and has been inter- ested in that concern since the time it was organized. As a physician he has attained an enviable reputation and among bis professional brethren is known as a rigid observer of the unwritten ethics of his calling. He did not cease to be a student when he graduated from college, for he has continued to apply himself to his medical books and to periodicals of his profession which keep him well abreast of the wonderful advancements and discoveries which are constantly being made. Doctor Huddle has found time to engage in lines of activity out- side of his profession, being a partner in the Murchison Mercantile Company, and the building in which it is located, a stockholder in the First State Bank of Mur- chison, and a farmer by proxy, owning several valu- able tracts of land in the vicinity of Murchison. He was among the first to plant Elberta orchards here, but has lately decided that there is little profit in peaches and is letting his orchard pass away. The tall, well- proportioned figure of Doctor Huddle is a familiar sight on the streets of Murchison, where he is constantly being greeted by his numerous friends. He is a Demo- erat, but not a politician. In religion he is a Presby- terian, but does not belong to any church as there is none of that denomination here. Fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Fra- ternal Union of America.

On April 10, 1895, Doctor Huddle was united in mar- riage in Murchison, to Miss Kate L. Denton, danghter of Doctor Denton, a dentist, who died in Mississippi. His family then came to Texas and his widow is now a resident of Murchison and the mother of these chil- dren: Mrs. B. D. Ware, who is the postmistress of Murchison; J. O., a railroad man, who died at this place in 1913, and left a family; John W., a resident of Tyler, Texas ; Mrs. Florence Wood, a resident of Athens; Mrs. Huddle, Frank, who is engaged in farming in Henderson and Anderson counties, Texas, and Walter G., residing in Murchison. Doctor and Mrs. Huddle have one daughter, Grace Pauline, who was born March 1, 1896, took a three-year course at the Alexander College Institute at Jacksonville, Texas, and is now attending Trinity University, Waxahachie, Texas. Doc- tor Huddle is also a member of the Henderson County Medical Association and the State Medical Association.

MATTHEW E. EDGAR. On May 26, 1910, Mr. Edgar organized the First State Bank of Eustaec with a capital of ten thousand dollars. Since that time he has served as its president, and has made the bank one of the best managed financial institutions of Henderson county. The vice president is G. J. Cook, and the cashier S. E. Brad- ley. Mr. Edgar is also a director in the Guarantee State Bank of Athens, and for a number of years bas been one of the leading business men and upbuilders of the town of Eustace. He has watched and encouraged its prospects and welfare until the hamlet has given way to the village and it seems that a long road of prosperous development is still before this community.

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M. E. Edgar was born at Starville, in Smith county, Texas, December 30, 1866. His boyhood was spent in Smith and Upshur counties. His grandfather was from Pennsylvania, an early settler in Alabama, where he was married and reared a family of four sons and one daughter. Two of these sons were killed while serving in the Confederate army; another, Mack, died near Grand Saline, Texas; John M., the father of the Eustace banker, died at Big Sandy; the daughter mar- ried a Mr. Williamson and moved to San Saba county, Texas.

John M. Edgar, who was born about 1831, was thrown upon the world in childhood, and his educational equip- ment was very limited. He came to Texas when a lad of fourteen years. All his lifetime was devoted to farm- ing, and in Smith county he married Miss Mary Jones, who died in 1871, leaving children: Matthew E., and Amanda, who married Jack Mosser, and lives in Texas. The second wife of John M. Edgar was Sallie Kilpat- rick, and their eight sons and three daughters have resi- dence in different sections of Texas.

Matthew E. Edgar remained on the farm with his father until he was a month and fourteen days past his majority. While growing up he had little oppor- tunity to attend school, and did not give very close at- tention to his studies while he was in the school room so that when he reached his majority his educational equipment would have classed him as an elementary pupil. He got into the saloon business as a bar-keeper, and subsequently opened a stock of wet goods on his own account. He began the business in Big Sandy, and when the place voted "dry" he moved to Tyler, and opened another place. There he continued until the Prohibition sentiment overturned things and closed up all the saloons. His next move was to Athens, and the same performance was repeated there. Then he sought an opening at Eustace, where he was permitted to conduct business until December 30, 1909, when he closed his place as a result of a dry vote, and quit the business after having followed it for twenty-two years, always pursued by the hostile public opinion which for years has been menacing the liquor business throughout Texas. Having been "voted out" of busi- ness four times, Mr. Edgar sought a new field, and thus turned his attention to banking, with what results has already been stated. As one of the vigorous promoters of Eustace welfare, Mr. Edgar stands out as the father of the wet side portion of the town, where his row of five business houses stand.

Mr. Edgar has never been in politics except in local affairs, and is a Democrat, his father having followed the same political cleavage, and having fought as a soldier of the south. On Christmas Day of 1902 at Overton, Texas, Mr. Edgar married Miss Annie Oliver, a daughter of Wiley Oliver, a Tennesseean, who came to Texas many years ago, was a soldier of the Confed- eracy and followed a career as a farmer. Wiley Oliver married a Miss Green. Mrs. Edgar was one of two daughters and four sons. The children of Mr. Edgar and wife are Wilbur and Dotthie Lee.

MICHAEL ROTUNNO. Among the prosperous enter- prises of El Paso which supplies a trade throughout west Texas and the adjoining states of New Mexico and Arizona is the marble and general stone-cutting estab- lishment of Michael Rotunno, who maintains a large plant for the cutting and finishing of monuments and general ornamental stoneware of all kinds and wbo ships his products throughout this state and the two new states of the west, and into old Mexico and even as far as California. Mr. Rotunno is one of the most skillful men in his trade in the State of Texas and has his ap- prenticeship back in the nation of art, where he learned marble cutting business in the atmosphere of old Italy.

Michael Rotunno was born in Italy in 1856. His fa-

ther was Joseph and his mother Catherine Rotunno, both of whom were Italians by birth, and they came to America about 1876. In this country the father be- came a farmer and cattle raiser. Educated in the schools of Italy, Michael Rotunno at the early age of twelve years served an apprenticeship at the marble cutter's trade, and served under skillful masters and with the most perfect models of his art at the city of Padule. About 1878 he came to America and during the following six years had a varied experience as a journeyman and workman in the different cities and states of the coun- try, his various locations during this time being as fol- lows: From New York, where he remained a short time, he removed into Canada, locating first at St. Catherines; was in Chicago for a time; then in St. Louis; then in Memphis, Tennessee, and also in Chattanooga of the same state; came into the southwest and located first at Dallas, then in Austin, then in San Antonio, and also in Fort Worth; was at Las Vegas, New Mexico, and in Santa Fe and also Albuquerque, and from Albuquerque moved to El Paso in 1884, where he established his pres- ent business on a small scale and in thirty years has built it up to be the most extensive and best equipped in workmanship and general service in this city.

In politics Mr. Rotunno has been an independent voter, giving less attention to the party than to the man and the principles involved. Fraternally be is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World. He was reared in the Catholic faith, having been taken into the church early in life. About twenty-two years ago he married in El Paso Miss Anne Dellbuno, a daughter of Frank and Rose Dellbuno, both of whom were natives of Italy, and came to America a number of years ago. As a resident of El Paso since the early stage of its commercial de- velopment, Mr. Rotunno has been a witness of practically every phase of its history and is one of the loyal and en- thusiastic citizens of this section of the state and enjoys the high esteem of all his fellow citizens, most of whom he has known since the beginning of their residence.

LOBEL A. CARLTON. Senior member of the law firm of Carlton, Townes & Townes, with offices in the Stew- art Building at Houston, and also maintaining offices in Beaumont, Mr. Carlton has been identified with the Texas bar for a quarter of a century and has practiced with unusual success and enjoyed large and influential connections with business and social affairs.

Lobel A. Carlton was born in the state of Alabama, a son of Dr. Snider M. and Nancy (Satterwhite) Carl- ton. His parents in 1872 moved to Texas, settling first in Panola county, and later moved to Henderson in Rusk county. The father was a physician, and spent many years of practice in Rusk county.

Educated in the schools at Henderson, Mr. Carlton subsequently entered the University of Texas, and pur- sued the general academic courses at that institution until his graduation as Bachelor of Literature in 1887. In the meantime he had studied law, and immediately on graduating, without any further preparation, applied to the Supreme Court and was admitted to the bar. Thus he began his active career in the law in 1887, and first had an office at Hillsboro. During the great indus- trial and commercial development at Beaumont be es- tablished practice there and became one of the best known lawyers of the city. In 1906 he associated with himself Mr. Edgar E. Townes. Then in 1911 he came to Houston and opened an office here under the firm name of Carl- ton, Townes & Townes, Ernest W. Townes at that time becoming another member of the firm. The Beaumont office is still in charge of Mr. Edgar E. Townes, while Mr. Carlton and Ernest W. Townes attend to the affairs of the Houston office. During his residence in Beaumont, Mr. Carlton became closely identified as an officer and director with many of the local corporations, and is also prominent in civic and social affairs of that city.

MICHAEL ROTUNNO

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He is a member of the various clubs of Beaumont and Houston.

HONORABLE WILLIAM J. RUSSELL. Prosperously en- gaged in the practice of a profession demanding a large measure of veritable talent in addition to a vast amount of hard work, Honorable William J. Russell, of Browns- ville, has won success through a wise application of his native and acquired ability and skill, and gained a position of note among the able and influential members of the Texas bar. He was born in Fayette county, Texas, in 1865, of pioneer descent. His paternal grand- father, also named William J. Russell, migrated from his native state, North Carolina, to Texas, in the twenties, and fought, under General Houston, in the battles of 1836, for Texas independence.

William H. and Miriam ( Williams) Russell, Mr. Rus- sell's parents, are neither of them living. The father, who was born in Brazoria county, Texas, came from there to Cameron county in 1870, and subsequently made his home in Brownsville.

But five years old when brought to Brownsville, Wil- liam J. Russell laid a substantial foundation for his fu- ture education in the public schools, and later turned his attention to the study of law, for which he was well adapted. Admitted to the bar at Brownsville in 1892, he at once engaged in the general practice of his chosen profession, and has met with eminent success as a lawyer.

Taking a genuine . interest in public matters, Mr. Russell has served ably and acceptably in many posi- tions of responsibility. During the second administration of President Cleveland he was Brownsville's postmaster, and for two terms he served as city attorney. In 1903 and 1904 he was county judge of Cameron county, and now, in January, 1913, is United States Commissioner and referee in bankruptcy for the United States Court. He has also rendered his district valuable service as a representative to the State Legislature, having been a member of the House of Representatives during the twenty-third, twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh and twenty- eighth sessions.

ELI A. JOHNSTON, M. D. In the minds of the ma- jority of the people of Amarillo the name of Dr. Eli A. Johnston at once suggests the proud position which the city has attained in medical centers of the Lone Star State. Although not one of the pioneers of this city, he has witnessed the wonderful growth of the community within the past decade, and has played no small part himself in bringing about the change and development that have been such a source of pride to the citizens of Amarillo. Dr. Johnston was born at Troy, Alabama, March 21, 1850, and is a son of Dr. A. C. and Rebecca C. (Simmons) Johnston, natives of North Carolina who early moved to Alabama. In 1859 the family located in Arkansas, and there Dr. A. C. Johnson was engaged in an extensive practice until 1863, when he brought his family to Texas and settled in Hopkins county. At the close of the struggle between the North and the South, in 1865, he returned to Arkansas, and there continued in practice up to the time of his death, which occurred in his eighty-fourth year. His widow still survives him, aged eighty-four years, and is a resident of Arkan- sas. They were the parents of three sons and four daughters, Eli A. being the oldest.

Eli A. Johnston received his early education in the public schools of Arkansas, subsequently entering the University of Arkansas, but left that institution before his graduation. During the years of 1876 and 1877 he attended the St. Louis Eclectic College, and graduated, and in the latter year returned to Arkansas and entered upon the practice of his profession, continuing there, um- til 1886. He then entered Memphis Hospital Medical College, for further study, and was graduated there- from in 1887, then again returning to Arkansas and

continuing there until 1889. At this time he came to Henrietta, Texas, where he continued in practice until 1901, and since that year has made the city of Amarillo his field of endeavor. He has continued his studies, taking post-graduate work at Chicago in 1905, at New Orleans in 1907 and at New York in 1909, and has kept fully abreast of the changes and scientific discoveries of his profession by subscription to the leading medical periodicals of the day and close attention to the work of the State and county medical societies, the American Medical Association and the American Congress of Sur- geons, in all of which he holds membership. Of strong character, he is possessed of uncommon energy and spirit. His abundant labors, his varied experiences and his ceaseless activity have not abated the vivacity of his disposition or the energy of his character, and he continues to take a keen interest in the material welfare of the city that he has seen grow from a community of 1200 souls. Indeed, the Doctor has implicit confidence in the future of Amarillo, which, aside from its ad- vantages as a health resort, he believes is the logical dis- tributing point between Denver, Fort Worth and El Paso. He is a Democrat in his political views, but has had no personal aspirations for public life. He has shown an interest in fraternal work, having attained to the Shriner and Scottish Rite degrees in Masonry, and is also a member of the Elks, the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World. With his family he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. His career, from the days when with youthful energy and ambition he worked his own way through school, has been one of constant endeavor and steady advancement, and he well deserves the material success that has come to him as well as the position he occu- pies as one of the foremost physicians of this section.

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 141

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 906

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 906