A history of Texas and Texans, Part 59

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 59

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John Wesley Thomas received bis education in the pub- lie and high schools at Sulphur Springs, and after his

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graduation from the latter institution, at the age of eighteen years, embarked upon his business career. In that year he came to Wichita Falls, and for one year following was engaged in office work. In 1910 he be- vame assistant secretary of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce, and on January 1, 1913, was made acting secretary of that organization, a position he has con- tinued to hold to the present time. He is also secre- tary of the Retail Merchants Association, and State secretary of the Retail Merchants Secretaries Associa- tion. In his official capacities he has formed a wide acquaintance, and through a pleasing personality has gained a large number of friends.

Mr. Thomas is unmarried. He is a Democrat in his political views, but has not sought publie preferment. For some years he has been connected with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in which he now holds the rauk of Esteemed Loyal Knight.

ROBERT L. LIGON. Practically all of Robert L. Ligon's business career has been one of devotion to the lumber interests, the only exception thereto being a period of five years when he gave his attention to the land business in Oklahoma. He located in Byers in 1902 and here established his present business and as head of the Ligon Lumber Company, he conducts a thriving business in lumber and building materials. Other local interests have claimed his notice, and he is now serving as vice- president of the First National Bank of Byers and as president of the Byers Oil & Gas Company, the latter being one of the newer enterprises of the community, and one of its most promising. A citizen of influence and power in the community, he has well merited the position he has gained through his activities.

Born in Clay county, Missouri, on October 15, 1866, Robert L. Ligon is the son of John A. and Margaret (Drennan) Ligon, both native Missourians. The father after his removal from his home state in 1878, lived in Kansas, later in Oklahoma, and still later in Texas, where he now resides in Byers. He served all through the Civil war as a soldier of the Confederacy, and par- ticipated in many of the more severe conflicts of the struggle. He is a member of the Christian church, and an active Democrat. His wife, who was a devoted woman in her family was a woman of the most excellent Christian character, long a member of the Christian church, and she died in 1906 at the age of sixty-six years. The family was then resident in Oklahoma and she is buried there in the Timberlake cemetery. They were the parents of four children, Robert L. of this review being the second born and the eldest son of h's parents. As pioneers in three different states, the fam- ily has contributed its fnll quota to the settlement and development of the country, and are eminently worthy of some mention, however brief, in a history of the char- acter and purpose of this publication.

Robert L. Ligon was ten years of age when the family quitted their native state and moved to Kansas, where they continued to reside for twelve years. Coming to Texas then, they settled in this county, remaining for about nine years, during which time the subject was connected with the lumber business. Five years en- suing were spent in Oklahoma, during which time he devoted himself to the land business there, after which he returned to Texas, and settling in Byers, against iden- tified himself with the lumber enterprise. He established the Ligon Lumber Company at that time, the same having prospered in the passing years, and it is now among the busiest and most successful concerns in the city. A full line of Inmber, building materials of all kinds, sash, doors, etc., is carried.

Mr. Ligon is a Democrat and concerns himself in state and national politics, as well as in local affairs, in which he has been especially active as a resident here. He has served here as a member of the school board. He is

secretary of the Byers Commercial Club, and in the years of his Oklahoma residence, he served at one time as mayor of Frederick.

Mr. Ligon was married at Commerce, Texas, on April 7, 1896, to Miss Alice Waggoner, a daughter of D. N. Waggoner, and wife, of Commerce. Two children have been born to them: Ernest M. and Annie Ligon.

The family have membership in the Christian church of the city, and Mr. Ligon is a member of the Masonic order, with Blue Lodge and Commandery affiliations, and is also a member of the Order of Hoo-Hoos. Mr. and Mrs. Ligon stand high in social and other circles of the community, and have many genuine frieuds in aud about the connty.

J. FLEETWOOD REED, M. D. It has been only prac- tically in recent years that the self-sacrificing services of the physician have been given their full due, although through his labors in medicine the plagues and epidemic diseases of the world have been well nigh abolished from civilization, the contagions and infectious maladies largely shorn of their fatahty; the virulence of all dis- ease modified; the horrors of war lessened. Aside from his professional services, however, the physician of standing is almost invariably found occupying positions of prominence, of trust and of responsibility, in business and financial life, in the public arena and in social cir- cles. An excellent example of the successful practitioner who has not confined his activities to his vocation, is found in the person of Dr. J. Fleetwood Reed, of Wichita Falls, who in addition to having various business inter- ests of an extensive nature and being vice-president of the First State Bank, is serving his community very cap- ably as alderman from the Fitth Ward. Dr. J. F. Reed was born at Winchester, Franklin county, Tennessee, September 13, 1855, and is a son of Shipman and Lettie White (Campbell ) Reed.

Shipman Reed was born in the State of Alabama, and at the age of twenty-six years migrated to Tennessee where he met and married Mrs. Lettie ( White) Camp- bell, a native of Franklin connty, that State. He con- tinued to reside in Tennessee throughout the remainder of his life, and died in 1899, when seventy-nine years of age. During the entire Civil War he served as a member of a Tennessee regiment of volunteers in the Confederate army, and rose to the rank of captain, serving under Generals Bragg and Johnson, and partici- pating in a number of the greatest battles of the war. His wife passed away in 1889, at the age of sixty-five years, and was the mother of three sous and four daughters, J. Fleetwood being the second child in order of birth.

After receiving his preliminary educational training in the public schools of Franklin county, J. Fleetwood Reed pursued a literary course of study at the Win- chester Normal school, and then took up his medical studies in Vanderbilt University, where he was gradu- ated with his degree in 1887. Later he supplemented this preparation by post-graduate courses in Vander- bilt University and the University of Nashville. For . four years Doctor Reed was located at Kelso, Tennessee, and at the end of that time came to Texas, locating first at lowa Park, and thirteen years later coming to Wichita Falls. He opened offices in this city in Janu- ary, 1894, and since that time has been successful in building up a large and representative practice. At the time of his advent here he also bought an interest in a drug business and this he has continued to hold to this time. Doctor Reed is a deep thinker and close student, and has ever devoted himself to research and study. His sympathetic nature and kind and gentle personality have assisted him greatly in his work and have made him one of the most beloved of his profession. His interest in the work of the various medical organiza- tions is keen, intelligent and active and at this time he is a member of the State, county and national societies.

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His fraternal connections include the Odd Fellows and the Masons, in the latter of which he has attained to the Knight Templar degree. In political matters, Doc- tor Reed is an earnest Democrat, and is now giving his fellow-citizens excellent service as the representative from the Fifth Ward in the city council. In addition to being vice-president of the First State Bank, he is a director in the Wichita Falls Floral Company, the Wichita Falls Brick Company and the Wichita Falls Furniture Company.

Doctor Reed was married in 1888, at Bell Buckle, Bed- ford county, Tennessee, to Miss Josie Edmiston, daugh- ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Edmiston of that place. Doctor and Mrs. Reed have had no children.

JAMES D. STEPHENSON. For many years James Dover Stephenson has been a resident of the city of San Antonio, Texas, and of this section of the country. He has seen the state of Texas advance in wealth and population, and with the growth of the country has come the growth of his own fortunes. One of the best stockmen in the country, his registered Jersey cows and Berkshire hogs are well known throughout the coun- try. He now conducts a wholesale dairy business just outside of San Antonio, in which he has been exceed- ingly successful.

James Dover Stephenson was born in Alston county, Cumberland, England, in 1849. His father was John Stephenson and his mother was Ann (Dover) Stephen- son, both of whom were natives of the north of Eng- land and both are now deceased. It was in this part of the mother country that James D. Stephenson grew to manhood, being reared to follow farming and stock raising for a livelihood. It was in 1872 that he came with his parents to Texas, locating in Robertson county. Within a few months of his arrival, however, Mr. Stephenson determined to move to Boerne in Ken- dall county, and here he took a contract for the build- ing of a rock fence for Dr. Kingsbury, a well known pioneer of southwestern Texas. After this he went into the freighting business, for this was in the days when the railroads had not penetrated to this section of Texas. He was engaged in freighting from San Antonio to Kerr- ville, Fort Coneho and other western points, and after going out of this business took up well drilling. He was engaged in drilling wells and in erecting wind mills throughout the southwestern part of Texas, and after a time had enough money saved to enable him to go into the farming and stock raising business.

It was in 1900 that he established his home in San Antonio, principally for the purpose of giving his chil- dren the educational opportunities which the city afforded. His own work continued to be located outside of the city for some time. When he first moved to San Antonio his home was located on Buena Vista street, but later he removed to his present home, which is beautifully located on Lake View avenue, to the west of the city and just outside of the city limits. Here he owns a handsome residence with twenty acres of land. The land is prin- · cipally planted to feed stuffs, and this is where he car- ries on his dairy business. He raises very fine cattle, and his splendid herd of Jersey cows is well known. The wholesale milk business in which he is engaged has grown from year to year until now it is a very prosperous enter- prise. About a mile to the southwest, on West Com- merce street, is Mr. Stephenson's hog ranch. Here he raises a splendid breed of registered Berkshire hogs, which are considered among the finest in southwestern Texas, and when he markets them they command the high- est prices.

Mr. Stephenson married in Boerne, Texas, Miss Julia Perrin, who was born in Illinois but was reared in Iowa. Mrs. Stephenson has always been an active aid to her husband in his business, understanding stoekraising thor- oughly. The children, of whom there are seven, have all been reared with the idea of self support. All of them

have received good educations in the San Antonio schools, and their success in life has been due in no small meas- ure to the careful training which they have had at the hands of their parents. Miss Daisy Stephenson, the eldest, has been very successful in raising chickens. Miss Floy Stephenson, the next, has earned several thou- sand dollars in the dairy business, independent of her father. There are twin sons, Walter and Wilfred, the former also engaged in the dairy business, independent of his father and to whom he has been of splendid as- sistance for many years, and the latter a successful con- tractor in San Antonio. Miss Annie Stephenson, an- other daughter, is a teacher in the schools of San An- tonio. The two younger children are daughters, Mabel, taking a course in Baylor Hospital, and Marion, at- tending school.

THOMAS B. NOBLE. Occupying a place of prominence in business circles of Wichita Falls as the active direct- ing head of the Noble-Frank Hardware Company, and holding as high a position in the confidence and esteem of the public on account of his long and faithful offi- cial service, Thomas B. Noble is eminently worthy of more than passing mention among the representative men of this progressive Texas city. He is a native of the Lone Star State, having been born in Sabine county, February 15, 1869, and is a son of I. O. and Frances (Schurlock) Noble.

Both the Noble and Schurlock families have been prominent in military life, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Noble having been captain of a volunteer regiment in the American army during the Mexican War, while his father served valiantly as a private in a Texas regi- ment in Hood's brigade during the struggle between the South and the North and was wounded both at Chick- amauga and Gettysburg. I. O. Noble was a native of Mississippi, and was brought to Texas in childhood, the family settling in Shelby county, where he grew to manhood. He was for some years engaged in a mercan- tile business at Orange, but at the close of the Civil War removed to Sabine county, and there continued to reside until 1907, in which year he came to Wichita Falls, where his death occurred in February, 1907, when he was sixty-nine years of age. His wife, who was born, reared, educated and married in Sabine county, Texas, died there in 1896, when fifty-six years of age. She was the mother of six sons and one daughter, and of these Thomas B. was the fourth in order of birth.

The primary stage of Thomas B. Noble's educational training was passed in the public schools of Sabine county, and this was supplemented by a business course at Texarkana. His introduction to business life was secured in the capacity of clerk in a mercantile estab- lishment at that place, but after three years came to Wichita Falls and embarked in the confectionery and stationery business, in which he was successfully en- gaged for upwards of fourteen years. Selling out at an advantage, he became general manager of the Wichita Falls Broom Factory, and while thus engaged, in 1904, was elected mayor of Wichita Falls. In this capacity his long business training stood him in good stead, and under his administration the city entered upon a period of prosperity that greatly advanced its growth and development. The people of the city were not slow to recognize and appreciate his signal services, and for the three following terms he succeeded himself as chief executive of the municipality, resigning his office in 1912 when he felt he had done his full duty by his fellow-citizens. He also served for two years, from 1902 to 1904, as a member of the city council, where his earnest and conscientions services first brought him prom- inently before the public. On the completion of his publie services, Mr. Noble, on May 10, 1912, reorganized the hardware business that had been founded by his brother in 1909, and the Noble-Frank Hardware Com- pany has developed from a humble enterprise into one

J. D. Haiphonson Julia Stephenson

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of extensive proportions, being known as one of the important factors in the business life of Wichita Falls. The success which has rewarded Mr. Noble's efforts may be accredited solely to his own energy and perseverance; he has fought his own way to the front, and what he has gained has been gained fairly. His integrity is firmly established and to him his associates look for lead- ership and counsel.

In January, 1897, Mr. Noble was married to Miss Zuda Heath, of Wichita Falls, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Heath, the latter now deceased, while the former, an old pioneer settler of Texas, still survives. Two chil- dren have been born to this union: T. B., born in October, 1897, at Wichita Falls; and Margaret, born in May, 1899, now attending high school in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Noble are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, where he is serving as chair- man of the board of stewards. His politics are those of the Democratic party, while his fraternal connections include membership in the Masons and Royal Arch Chapter, the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Wood- men of America, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is trustee of the B. P. O. E. of Wichita Falls. His wide circle of friends testifies to his universal popularity.

FRANK H. GOHLKE, of the firm of Bean & Gohlke, real estate dealers, Wichita Falls, Texas, was born at Louisville, Kentucky, December 14, 1875, and has in his make-up a mixture of German and Swiss blood. His father, John G. Gohlke, was born in Germany in 1831 and in 1846, a boy in his teens, came to America and settled at Victoria, Texas. About the close of the Civil war, he was married at Cincinnati, Ohio, to Anna B. Holdrigher, and shortly afterward they took up their residence at Louisville, Kentucky, where they remained until his death, and where his widow is still living. She was born in Switzerland in 1839 and has been a resi- dent of this country since her twelfth year, the first few years of her life here having been spent in New Or- leans, Louisiana. Of the children born to John G. and Anna B. Gohlke, five are living, three being residents of Texas.

Frank H. Gohlke grew up in his native city and re- ceived his education there. After completing his work in the public schools he took a course in a commercial col- lege, and his first position in the business world was that of clerk in a railroad office. Afterward he was succes- sively in express' service, commercial club work, news- paper work, and real estate business. From 1904 to 1908 he was assistant secretary of the Spokane Cham- ber of Commerce, secretary of the Washington State Live Stock Association, secretary of the Spokane Mining Ex- change, and secretary of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce, becoming the first secretary of that com- mercial club under its reorganization in 1908, and which was probably the first organization in the South to raise and expend a fund of $10,000 for publicity work in a city of 6,500 population. Mr. Gohlke is secretary- treasurer of the Developers Oil & Gas Company of Wichita Falls, Clay County, Texas, and is identified with the real estate business here under the firm style of Bean & Gohlke.

Politically, Mr. Gohlke was formerly a Republican but now affiliates with the Progressive party.

July 16, 1904, at Louisville, Kentucky, Frank H. Gohlke and Callie Lee Brashear were united in marriage, and to them have been given two children: Bernice B .. born February 3, 1906, at Spokane, Washington, and Robert Lee, born January 27, 1911, at Wichita Falls. Texas. Mrs. Gohlke is a native of Louisville and a daughter of Samuel Brashear of that place, the date of her birth being February 27, 1884. Both her par- ents and grandparents were slave-owning planters of Kentuckv.

As indicated in the mention of Mr. Gohlke's various Vol. IV-13

business connections, he spent some time in the North- west. And he has traveled over a major portion of the United States. This experience has given him stand- ards for comparison, and it is his opinion that Texas offers some of the greatest opportunities for develop- ment and advancement that an earnest worker can find anywhere.

JUDGE JOHN B. LITTLER. The leading attorney in point of ability and extent of practice in Howard county, Judge Littler has been identified with the bar and with public life in this section of Texas for more than twenty years. His distinctive place in the affairs of Howard county is illustrated by the fact that he held the office of county judge for ten consecutive years and during his last campaign for that-office received a larger and more gratifying majority than ever before in his political career. He came out to Texas a young lawyer from Ohio, and has gained success and become a val- uable factor in the public service of his county.

Born in Highland, Ohio, September 15, 1865, John B. Littler was the son of James H. and Ann (Dove) Lit- tler, both of whom were natives of Ohio and are now deceased. His father was a farmer by occupation, and one of the prominent citizens of Highland county. He was active as a Democrat in a county which was a Re- publican stronghold, aud his individual popularity is evidence of the fact that despite this political condition, he served his county for twenty years in the office of Trustee. His death occurred in February, 1904, when sixty-nine years of age, and his wife followed him six months later in October, 1904, when sixty-three years of age. They reared a family of three sons and three daughters, and Judge Littler has one brother in Texas, Dr. W. D. Littler. Dr. Littler also came to this state in 1891, and began the practice of his profession in Mid- land. In order to have a larger field for his ability, he subsequently moved to Fort Worth, where he is now one of the leaders of his profession.

John B. Littler, as a boy attended the public schools of Hillsboro, Ohio, and took up the study of law in the office of Newby & Morrow at Hillsboro. He studied law and had much practical experience in the duties of a law office and by constant observance of the court files and other legal proceedings, and was well equipped for his profession when he was admitted by examination be- fore the supreme court of Ohio in 1890. He was in practice at Hillsboro until the end of 1891, and then came to Texas. His first location was at Stanton in Martin county. Being one of the early lawyers in that locality and a man whose popularity gave him much prestige, after a brief residence he was elected to the office of county judge of Martin county, in 1892. He re- signed this office in 1894 in order to locate in Big Springs, where he opened his office and has since en- joyed a liberal share of the legal business of the county. Judge Littler is now head of the well known firm of Littler & Penix. In 1896 he was elected to the office of county judge, and was reelected four consecutive times, so that he gave ten years of service in this im- portant administrative office. Since the close of his last term in 1906 he has devoted all his attention to private practice and now enjoys the best clientage of any lawyer in Howard county. Judge Littler is local at- torney for the Texas and Pacific Railway, an office which he has held for some years, and is also attorney for the First National Bank of Big Springs.

Fraternally the judge is affiliated with Masonry and has attained the Knight Templar degrees in the York Rite, and has also passed all the chairs in the lodge of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Littler has long taken an active part in the Rebekah degree of Odd Fellowship and was president of the Rebekah Assembly at Texas in 1907. Judge Littler was married in 1901 to Miss Ervilla Holmes, a native of Ohio and daughter of Dr. J. W.

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and Mamie Santee Holmes. The only child of their mar- riage is now deceased.

Judge Littler owns about one thousand acres of ranch land in Howard county, and considerable city real estate including the beautiful home in Big Springs. He and his wife are prominent members of the social circles of the city. As to the economic and industrial future of west Texas, particularly in Howard county, Judge Lit- tler is a firm believer and has shown his faith in practi- cal fashion by investing most of his money in Howard county lands, and hopes to increase bis holdings within a few years,

WADE H. WALKER, M. D. In the medical circles of Wichita Falls probably no member has done more for the preservation of the public health and has enjoyed a more satisfactory practice than Dr. Wade H. Walker. His services some ten years ago, during the smallpox epidemic in this city will long be remembered grate- fully by his fellow citizens.

Dr. Wade H. Walker was born near Richmond, Ken- tucky, December 1, 1875, the second in a family of children born to Daniel B. and Tabitha (Burnside) Walker. Both the father and mother were natives of the same state, and the father was a farmer and stock raiser in Kentucky, and later in Texas. During the Civil war, though very young, he served as a home guard in the protection of the women and children from molestation by the guerrillas and outlaws that infested that section of the country during the war times. He assisted in the support of his widowed mother, and after moving to. Texas in 1891, he continued his active career for some years, and finally moved to Wichita Falls, where his son Dr. Walker provided a home for him and his wife, who are still living at the age of seventy-six years, and the mother at the age of seventy. The mother was reared and received her early education at George- town, Kentucky. The other four sons and two daugh- ters of the family are: Mrs. R. P. Fox, of Fort Worth; Dave V. Walker of Wichita Falls; Bates D. Walker, of Claude, Texas; Mrs. Susan B. Sheppard of Wichita Falls; Mark D. Walker of Wichita Falls; and James D. Walker of Wichita Falls.

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 59

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