USA > Texas > A history of Texas and Texans > Part 58
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Mr. Hinnant was married in Nueces county to Miss Fannie Beckham, and they have been the parents of one daughter and six sons, as follows: May, who is now the wife of Charles B. Du Bose; and Claud W., Raymond L., Thomas J., Bertie, Archie and King. The members of the Hinnant family are widely known and have many warm friends throughout this section.
VALLIE NORRIS, M. D. Vice president of the R. H. Norris Hardware Company at Childress, Mr. Norris is one of the capable group of business men who have built up the largest enterprise of its kind in north Texas. By profession Mr. Norris is a physician, and practiced medicine in this state for a number of years until he became identified with his present business at Childress. He started ont in the world at the age of eighteen, and earned his way through medical school.
Vallie Norris was born in Franklin Parish, Louisi- ana, February 14, 1868, a son of Tolbert Wallace and Thekla (Pattin) Norris. His father, a native of Mis- sissippi, moved to Texas in 1885, and in 1888 returned to Louisiana, where he died. He was a successful planter, was active in politics in Louisiana, and served as a member of the Louisiana legislature in 1873. Dur- ing the war he was an enrolling officer for the Con- federate army, and for one year was colonel of a Lonisi- ana regiment. The mother, born in Louisiana in Lake Providence, now has her home at Childress. She was the mother of fifteen children, of whom four are living. and Vallie was the fifth in order of birth.
He attained his education at Louisiana, and at Round Rock, Texas, and after a variety of early experiences entered the Tulane Medical College at New Orleans, where he was graduated M. D. in 1892. From the time of his graduation until 1900, he was actively engaged in practice at Childress, and in the latter year became con- nected with the hardware business with his older brother,
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R. H. Norris, now deceased, and the founder of the hardware business, known as the R. H. Norris Hardware Company. This company is now incorporated with a cap- ital of fifty-thousand dollars and occupies very exten- sive quarters and employs nine clerks in addition to the officers of the company. S. P. Britt is president of the company, Vallie Norris is vice president, and Guy W. Norris is secretary. Mr. Norris is also a director in the City National Bank.
In polities he is a Democrat, is affiliated with the Masonie Order and the Knights of Pythias, and belongs to the First Presbyterian church. At the present time he is serving as assistant chief of the Childress Fire Department, in which he has taken much interest. He is also an active member of the Childress Commercial Club.
In 1906, at Childress, he married Miss Nannie Mitchell, who was born in Kentucky.
JOSEPH J. MICKLE. A little more than a quarter cen- tury ago, Joseph J. Mickle was a clerk in Fort Smith, Arkansas, drawing a meagre salary and with only the prospects of time and destiny ahead of him. In Mem- phis, Texas, he is today known as one of the leading and most influential business men, and his interests com- prise land, town real estate, stocks in banks, investments in cattle and ranching, and other enterprises.
Joseph J. Mickle was born in Sebastian county, Arkan- sas, April 18, 1863. His father, Archibald Mickle was born in Arkansas and died in that state in 1865, when his son Joseph was three years old. His death oc- curred at Newtonia, Missouri, while on his way home from the Civil war. He had enlisted and served in the Second Regiment of Arkansas Cavalry in the Union Army, and was commissary sergeant in his regiment. By occupation before the war he was a farmer and stock- raiser, and enjoyed comfortable prosperity. He was in polities a Republican, and a member of the Methodist church. The maiden name of his wife was Zilpha Bell, who was born in Tennessee, a daughter of Henry Bell, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Sebastian county, Arkansas, where his daughter was married to Mr. Mickle. She is now living in her eighty-first year, with her son, Joseph, at Memphis.
The youngest of seven children, Joseph J. Mickle was educated in the public schools of his native county, and in Buckner College of Sebastian county. Considerable intervals separated his attendance at school for from the age of thirteen he had become self-supporting, and earned his first money as a clerk in a store in Arkansas. He continued as a clerk for six years, and his first in- dependent venture was in 1886 at Fort Smith, where he had an interest in a general store. He continued to be known chiefly as a merchant until about five years ago. He had both a native and acquired ability to understand the wants of his patrons, and on this knowledge he built up a large and successful establishment wherever he located. Mr. Mickle became a resident of Texas on the first day of January, 1892, his first location being at Honey Grove in northeast Texas. He moved to Memphis in 1904, where he has been known as a merchant, as a real estate man, and also a farmer and rancher. During six years' residence in Fort Worth he was in the wholesale hardware business, under the firm name of Mickle-Burgen Hardware Company. Later he was secretary and treasurer of the James Mickle- Schow Company of Fort Worth, a firm engaged both in manufacturing and in wholesaling. At the present time Mr. Mickle has stock and invested interests in com- mereial enterprises, banks, owns a good deal of land and cattle. He is the owner of sixty-four hundred acres of land in Roberts county, and five thousand acres in Randall county, stocked with high grade cattle. In Memphis he has built and owns a number of business and residential structures, including his very beautiful home.
A Republican in politics, he has never sought any official position. He has taken thirty-two degrees of Scot- tish Rite Masonry, and is well known in Masonic circles. He is a member of the commercial club is a steward in the Methodist church and for seven years was super- intendent of the Sunday schools, and for a similar term was chairman of the Board of Stewards.
In National City, California, on Christmas Day of 1888, Mr. Mickle married Miss Georgia Horton, a native of Arkansas and a daughter of George R. Horton, who was born in Michigan, but was one of the early settlers of Arkansas, having been a jeweler and merchant as Fort Smith. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mickle are named as follows: Omar Ogden; Ethel, de- ceased; Joseph J., Jr .; Georgie Ella; and Zilpha Mar- garet.
Mr. Mickle's present position in life is due entirely to his own industry and efforts. When the war closed his mother was left with seven helpless children, and when the estate was sold she accepted Confederate money, which of course became almost at once value- less. Thus the son, Joseph, had to begin work as soon as he was able, and at the age of twelve had almost the entire responsibility of supporting the family. His ancestry on the paternal side is of Scotch descent, his grandfather having come from that country, but of Scotch Irish stock. Grandfather William Mickle settled in Virginia, having been accompanied by two brothers, Peter and Harmon. The maternal ancestors were early Tennesseeans, and of mingled English and Scotch stock. They were old settlers of Sebastian county, Arkansas, and members of the Bell family were doctors and merchants.
JOHN C. THOMAS. The Childress Post, of which John C. Thomas has been editor and publisher since 1907, is one of the weekly journals of northwest Texas with a definite influence as a moulder of public opinion and with a reputation as a news gatherer and publicity or- gan. The editor of this paper, who belongs to a family which has been identified with Texas from the beginning of its statehood started out in life a poor boy, won his education as a result of hard work, was a successful teacher for a number of years, and has proved himself exceptionally capable in the field of journalism.
John C. Thomas was born July 4, 1869, near Lexing- ton, in what was then Burleson county, now Lee county, Texas. His grandfather, Jeremiah. Watts Thomas, came to Texas in 1845, was a farmer by occupation, and owned a large number of slaves. He had a very influen- tial part in early-day politics, and was a member of one of the early state legislatures, possibly the second. The father of John C. was Jesse Thomas, a native of Mississippi, who located in Burleson county, and during the Civil war served four years as corporal in the Eleventh Texas regiment. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and after the surrender of Vicksburg was paroled. He is still living in Williamson county, and a successful farmer and stock raiser of that locality. The maiden name of his wife was Nancy J. Parks, who was born in Alabama, a daughter of J. C. Parks, who located in Burleson, Texas, about 1845, was a farmer, owned a number of slaves, and was proprietor of a gin and interested in other enterprises in that locality. The mother died in December, 1912, in Austin, Texas. There were nine children, four of whom are now living, John C., being the second in order of birth. His twin brother, Jeremiah Watts Thomas, died at the age of twenty- four years.
Mr. Thomas was reared to manhood at Liberty Hill, in Williamson county, and before reaching his majority started out on his own account, finding work which eventually enabled him to get a better education than be had been privileged to enjoy while growing up. His early career was spent on a farm and ranch, and be afterwards entered the National Normal University at
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Lebanon, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1889, and thus equipped for his practical career. After leaving college, he took up teaching in Bell county, where he remained six years. He continued teaching altogether for fifteen years, and his last school was at Memphis, in Hall county. Then on June 1, 1907, he took charge of the Childress Post as editor and proprietor, and has since given all his time to making a first-class paper. The Post was originally established in 1901, and has had a continuous and fairly prosperous existence for twelve years. Mr. Thomas has developed a very modern plant, and has been quite successful, being owner of the entire printing establishment, has a nice home, and other city property in Memphis. The Post has a eir- culation of one thousand paid subscribers, is issued weekly, and its politics is Democratic.
Mr. Thomas affiliates with Masonry, being a Royal Arch Mason, and also with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the Childress Commercial Club. He has never sought any public office, but exer- cises mneh influence personally and through his paper on local political affairs.
On April 28, 1901, at Wichita Falls, Texas, Mr. Thomas married Miss Maude Howell, a native of Hill county, Texas, and a daughter of J. H. and Mary C. (Lewellyn) Howell. They have one daughter, Maynet, born at Round Rock, Texas, in January, 1902.
COL. D. C. GIDDINGS. Only men of unusual character and ability can perform the work and acquire the distinctions which made the life of the late Colonel Giddings notable among the eminent Texans of his time. A brilliant lawyer and public leader, he used the official honors paid him in order to render inesti- mable public service to his state, and his talents for large business enterprise were also employed in countless ways to build up the resources and commercial pros- perity about Brenham, which for sixty years or more has been the family seat of this name in Texas. Col- onel Giddings died in 1903 at the age of seventy-six, but his name is still borne by his son, D. C. Giddings, Jr., who is active head of the firm of Giddings & Giddings, bankers at Brenham, one of the oldest financial houses of the state, and is prominent in other business under- takings and in the public life of Washington county and of the state.
Colonel Dewitt Clinton Giddings was born in Snsque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1827, and rep- resented an old American family of Scotch origin, his first ancestor being George Giddings, who came to America in 1635. Members of the Giddings relationship served as soldiers in the war of the Revolution. James Giddings, father of the colonel, was born in Connecticut, followed the sea as captain of a vessel for some years, but later farmed in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, until his death in 1863. His wife, Lucy Demming, was of French descent, and her family also furnished patriots to the war of the Revolution. She was a woman of exceptional force of character, and her sons inherited from her as well as from their father the native endow- ments which made them all prominent and useful citizens.
The youngest of the family, Colonel Giddings, was well born and reared in a home of excellent influences. His brothers, one by one, as they reached early man- hood, had gone into the Southwest, and in order to re- strain his youngest son from following their example, the father refused to give Dewitt an education that would fit him for a profession, hoping by that course to keep him at home. The temper and ambition of the boy were not to be thwarted by such measures, and from the proceeds of teaching a country school he acquired what was then called a liberal education, qualified as a civil engineer, and in 1850 took up the study of law in Pennsylvania. In 1852 he followed his five brothers to Texas, the first of whom, Giles A.,
had sacrificed himself on the altar of liberty at the battle of San Jacinto. On reaching Texas Colonel Giddings became associated with his brother J. D. Gid- dings in the practice of law at Brenham. Though opposed to secession, he went with his state into the Confederacy, and in 1861 was chosen captain of a company of cavalry which became a part of the Twenty- first Texas Cavalry, and he served that command as lieutenant-colonel, but was virtually in command of the regiment throughout its service. The regiment was on duty in the Trans-Mississippi department. At one time near Helena, Arkansas, he was captured, but was released after six weeks and took part in Marma- duke's raid into Missouri, and in most of the fighting of the Louisiana campaign. He was a capable soldier and a highly esteemed officer.
His practice had been lost and much of his material accumulations dissipated during the war, after which he returned to Brenham and soon regained a distinguished place in the Texas bar and for years his abilities were sought for the public service. In 1866 he was elected a member of the state constitutional convention and was one of the most aggressive and influential Texans during the era of reconstruction. In 1870 he accepted the Democratic nomination for Congress, and entered the primary campaign which was well nigh hopeless in view of the still existing dominance of the Republican party and its black cohorts. Notwithstanding the dan- gers to which he was exposed of assassination at the hands of the "Davis police" he went all over the dis- trict, comprising nearly a quarter of the state, in a buggy, and was often preceded by a negro company of these police, who daily threatened to arrest him and put him in irons. In forty days he delivered sixty speeches, and at the election was chosen by a good majority over his carpetbagger opponent, Gen. William T. Clark. Governor Davis refused to accept the un- doubted evidences of his popular election, and gave a certificate of election to General Clark. A spirited contest followed for the seat in the House of Repre- sentatives, and in spite of the prejudices which pre- vailed in that body the evidence in favor of Colonel Giddings was so overwhelming that he was given his seat by a unanimous vote. That was the first of the few instances in which a Southern Democrat won his case in such a contest. Colonel Giddings was re-elected to Congress against A. J. Evans, and in 1876 against Col. George W. Jones, an independent Democrat. Of his services in Congress it has been said: "Colonel Giddings was one of a conspicuous group of southern men whose sturdy bravery and tactful resistance against the overwhelming reconstruction forces defended the South from yet greater evils than those which did befall. The seat of government at Washington at that time was the source of the greatest evils which the defeated South would yet experience, and in staying the ruthless and arrogant power of a northern Congress Colonel Giddings and his associates earned a meed of lasting renown. ''
One other incident of his larger public service should be noted. During the war Texas had sent United States bonds to the amount of three hundred thou- sand dollars to Europe to be sold, the proceeds to be used in buying arms and supplies for the use of the Confederacy. Part of the bonds had been sold and the proceeds used before the final surrender of the South- ern army. The unnsed money and bonds had been deposited with bankers. The United States government having refused the interest on the bonds that had been sold, the holders of such bonds attached the unsold bonds and enjoined the bankers against paying the money on deposit to the state of Texas. After several lawyers had represented Texas in the negotiations, J. D. & D. C. Giddings were appointed as state agents. They took the case, and after much work, Colonel Giddings
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returned from Europe and turned over to the state treasury three hundred and thirty-nine thousand dollars.
Colonel Giddings retired from the active practice of law in 1875, and thereafter devoted himself to the management of the bank of Giddings & Giddings, which had been established in 1866. He gained prestige as one of Texas' ablest financiers, but throughout his career his publie spirit in behalf of his home county and state, and his high sense of personal responsibil- ity to his fellowmen, were as noteworthy as his busi- ness achievements.
In 1860 Colonel Giddings married Miss Malinda C. Lusk. Her father, Samuel Lusk, a native of Alabama, moved from that state to Tennessee, and came to Texas in 1834, two years before the winning of independence. His home was in Washington county near the old town of Washington on the Brazos, and he was one of the early planters in that vicinity. He left his plantation early in 1836, joined the patriot forces under Houston, and at the time of the battle of San Jacinto was on detail duty in protecting the women and children. In the same year he was a member of the constitutional convention which met at Washington on the Brazos and passed the declaration of independence and framed the first organic law of the Republic. For many years he was honored with the office of county clerk of Wash- ington county, and was a member of the congress of the Republic which ratified the annexation of Texas to the Union. His daughter Malinda C. was born in the year of independence, 1836, near the old town of Independence in Washington county, after the suc- cessful campaign of San Jacinto, and after the families of the soldiers had returned to their homes following the retreat of Santa Anna and his army. A son of Samuel Lusk, Patrick H. Lusk, who in December, 1842, joined the historic Mier expedition across the Rio Grande, went with that ill-starred command into Mexi- can territory, was captured, and was one of those who in the famous "lottery of death" drew the white bean and was thus spared immediate death, and after untold hardships and sufferings finally returned to Texas.
Colonel Giddings and wife had five children, but the only survivor is Dewitt Clinton Giddings.
Dewitt Clinton Giddings, Jr., son of Colonel Giddings and Malinda C. (Lusk) Giddings was born at Bren- ham January 27, 1863. He was educated in the Bren- ham public schools, the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Bryan, the Southwestern University of George- town, finishing in the University of Virginia. In 1881, at the age of eighteen, he entered the bank of Gid- dings & Giddings, and has been continuously identified with that institution for more than thirty years. His early services with the bank merited promotion, and in 1884 he was given an interest in the business, and since his father's death in 1903 has been active head of the private banking house which was established by his father and uncle at Brenham in 1866.
Mr. Giddings is president of the Brenham Compress, Oil & Manufacturing Company, a consolidation of the Brenham Oil Mills, the Brenham Electric Light Com- pany and the Brenham Ice & Cold Storage Company. He is also president of the Brenham Compress Com- pany, and president of the South Texas Cotton Mills of Brenham, that being one of the oldest cotton mills in the state, having been established in 1901.
A successful young business man who recognizes his duty to the public, Mr. Giddings was for many years chairman of the Washington County Democratic Execu- tive Committee, and in 1895 was elected a representative to the Twenty-fourth state legislature, serving one term, and since 1905 has been city treasurer of Brenham. He is a charter member and was first Exalted Ruler of Brenham Lodge No. 979, B. P. O. Elks.
Mr. Giddings was married in 1884 to Miss Carrie Bas- sett, daughter of William H. Bassett of Evergreen, Louisiana, an extensive planter and merchant of that
state. To this marriage have been born three children : Linda, wbo married E. P. Anderson, Jr .; D. Clinton Giddings, Jr., now with his father in the bank of Gid- dings & Giddings; and Carolyn Giddings, who married John D. Rogers, of Allen Farm.
HON. CHARLES BLAIR FELDER, County Judge, Wichita Falls, Texas, has in his make-up a combination of Ger- man, French and Scotch-Irish blood, and is a Texan by birth and education, possessing to a marked degree the broad, generous views of the typical native of the Lone Star State.
Judge Felder was born in Washington county, May 12, 1873, son of Rufus King and Maggie ( Matthews) Felder, the former of South Carolina birth, descended from German and French ancestors; the latter a native of Mississippi, of Scotch-Irish descent. Rufus King Felder is a veteran of the Civil war, having served as a private in Company F, Fifth Infantry, Hood's Brig- ade, for a period of four years. He participated in many engagements, and surrendered with Gen. Lee at Appomattox. At the close of the war he returned to Texas and settled in Washington county, where he met with moderate success as a planter. He is still a resi- dent of Chapel Hill. Politically, he is a Democrat, and, religiously, a Methodist, having long been identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church South. His wife is deceased. She was a daughter of the Rev. Jacob Matthews, and in her girlhood came with her parents to Texas, their settlement being in Washington county. That was before the war, and it was here that she afterward met and married Mr. Felder.
Charles Blair Felder was the third born in his father's family. He was educated at Chapel Hill and in the Southwestern University, Georgetown. He received the degree of B. S., as a member of the class of 1893, and immediately after his graduation he took up the study of law. In 1895 he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession at Brenham, Washington county, where he remained thus engaged about four years. Then he came to Wichita Falls, where he has since been in continuous practice, and where also he has been interested in various enterprises. In November, 1910, he was elected to the office of County Judge. In November, 1912, be was re-elected to this office, and is now serving his second term.
January 9, 1906, at Terrell, Texas, Charles Blair Felder and Miss Maude Worbington were united in marriage, and to them has been given one child, Elton, born in October, 1906, at Wichita Falls. The Felders reside in their own home at 1109 Burnett street. Mrs. Felder is a native of Texas and a daughter of H. G. Worbington, one of the early settlers of this State.
Mr. Felder is a member of the County Bar Associa- tion and of the fraternal order of Knights of Pythias. His religious creed is the one in which he was reared. that of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
JOHN WESLEY THOMAS was born September 11, 1887, at Sulphur Springs, Hopkins county, Texas, and is a son of John Wesley and Mollie (Mac- kechney) Thomas. On the paternal side his grandpar- ents were William Thomas and Susan (Buford) Thomas, pioneers of San Augustine, Texas, and both living at Sulphur Springs, the grandfather being a retired mer- chant and ranchman. Of his maternal grandparents, the former is deceased, and the latter lives at Wichita Falls. The father of Mr. Thomas was born in 1863, was married at San Augustine, and for a number of years was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits at Sulphur Springs. He and his wife, who also sur- vives have been the parents of two children: Mrs. H. W. Green, who is now a resident of Wichita Falls, Texas; and John Wesley.
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