A history of Texas and Texans, Part 62

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

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The late John C. Watts was born in Lowndes county, Alabama, July 22, 1846. He came to Arkansas as a boy with his father who located in Nevada county where he was reared and where he lived until he came to Texarkana on the Texas side, in 1884. He was a very young boy at the beginning of the Civil war and yet he enlisted and gave loyal service as a Confederate soldier, during a part of the long period of hostilities. From the time of his arrival in Texarkana until his death he took a very prominent part in the varied affairs of the city. For several years he was a member of the school board, being president for some time. He was an alderman and at one time city treasurer and a member of the board of equalization. A short time previous to his death he had interested himself as the leading spirit in the organization of the Watts Gin Company, a local enterprise which is the largest plant of its kind in North- east Texas. Mr. Watts had purchased the equipment

John & Hallo

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and machinery for the gin and was very much inter- ested in its installation. Since his death the gin has been put in operation on West Nineteenth street.

Mr. Watts' residence was the old Eli Moores residence, adjoining the city on the northwest, and for many years he was engaged in farming operations on that estate. The J. C. Watts Addition and the Westmoreland Addition were original parts of the Moores estate. On the 13th of February, 1884, Mr. Watts was united in marriage with Miss Nannie H. Moores, who was born on the old Moores place, which has been her lifelong home, and she with their eight children survive her lamented hus- band. The names of the children are as follows: Eli M .; Lizzie E .; John C .; Thomas J .; David M .; Minerva J .; Monroe and Nannie M.

REDUS R. MCANELLY. The name of MeAnelly is one than which there is none better known in the history of Texas, and the family has furnished to the Lone Star state men who have been prominent in military and civil life, in public affairs, in business and in agri- culture. Lacking five years, a full century has passed since the founder of the family located here, and dur- ing this time those bearing the name have been men of substantiality, progressiveness, courage and public spirit, who have done much to contribute to the advancement of their various communities. A worthy representative of this old Texas family is found in the person of Redus R. McAnelly, of Waco, an energetic and enterprising young business man, who is dealing extensively in real estate and builders' supplies.

Mr. McAnelly was born at Medina, Bandera county, Texas, September 29, 1883, and is a son of Pleasant E. and Mary J. (Redus) McAnelly. His grandfather, Pleas- ant E. McAnelly, was a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States in 1820, and located at once in Texas, where he became famous during the days of the Mexican revolution and was also widely known as an Indian fighter. He subsequently turned his attention to ranching, accumulated a handsome property, and at the time of his death, in 1892, when eighty-seven years of age, was one of the substantial men of his community. Pleasant E. MeAnelly, son of the founder of the family, was born at Port Lavaca, Calhoun county, Texas, in 1945, and for years was associated with his father in ranching. At the time of the grandfather's death he seenred the home ranch, known as the P. M. Ranch, a traet of 4,500 acres located in Medina county, on which he has continued to raise stock, his prodnet now being 1,000 head of cattle, 800 goats and 250 hogs annually. His first home here was a little log cabin, 11x14 feet, lined with deer skins, but about the year 1878 this was replaced by a residence costing $8,000. This is one of the finest homes in Medina county, but Mr. MeAnellv still keeps the logs of which his first little home was constructed, as a matter of sentiment and a memento of the old Texas days now gone. Mr. Me Anelly was one of the organizers of the commission gathered to stop wire-cutting, and was foreman of the Grand Jury which sent the first crowd of wire-cutters. fourteen in number, to the penitentiary. As a result his life was in constant danger for a number of years thereafter. He is one of the progressive, solid men of his county, ever ready to assist in any movement which promises the advance- ment of his section, and has won a firm place in the re- gard and confidence of his fellow citizens. He married Mary J. Redus, who was born in 1859, in Medina county, on the ranch adjoining that on which her husband was born, and she passed away in 1907, having been the mother of eight children, namely: Ernest E., Redus R., Wayman W., Eldo A., Homer C., Gladden C., Paul D. and Stanley M., of whom H. C. is deceased.

Redus R. McAnelly received his early education in the public and high schools of his native locality, and this was supplemented by a course at the University of Chi- cago, from which institution he was graduated at the

age of twenty-three years. At that time he adopted the profession of educator, and for seven years taught in the public schools in various parts of Texas, at the end of which period he laid aside the cap and gown to enter the business arena, as a dealer in builders' sup- plies and real estate. He has been located in Waco since 1913, and now maintains offices at No. 514 Amicable Building. Mr. McAnelly was a successful teacher, and he has been no less a successful business man. He has a thorough knowledge of realty values, is shrewd and farseeing in his transactions, and wins the confidence of those with whom he has transactions through his thor- oughly honorable methods. He has large holdings in realty, which include a residence at No. 1709 Columbus street, a residence and building block at Devine, Texas, four vacant lots at San Antonio, five vacant lots at Houston and one lot at Corpus Christi. His hobby may be said to be trading. Mir. McAnelly is fond of all out- door sports, like most virile Texans, and is an enthusiastic motorist, frequently taking long trips with his family. He is a member of the Young Men's Business League, and misses no opportunity of advancing the commercial and industrial interests of his adopted city. In politics he is a Democrat, but public life has held out no attrac- tions to him. With his family, be attends the Methodist church, and has been liberal in his support of its move- ments. During his residence in Waco he has formed a wide acquaintance, and his friendships are numerous both in business and social circles.

On August 17, 1911, at Waco, Mr. McAnelly was united in marriage with Miss Ada Coleman, daughter of Mrs. A. P. Coleman, and one son has come to this union : Redus Roland. Mr. McAnelly's unele, Capt. Charles MeAnelly, is well remembered as a captain of Rangers, and became very prominent during the early days of the activities of that famous organization.

DANIEL C. BELLOWS, postmaster of Seymour, Texas, has held this important position for a number of years, and during his period of service he has given the utmost satisfaction to both the public and the government. Mr. Bellows was born in Texas and has spent practically all of his life in the state, in consequence of which he has that love for his state which native Texans always seem to possess, and is always active in every movement that has the improvement and advancement of his state as its end.

Mr. Bellows was born in Lavaca county, Texas, on the 22nd of November, 1854, the son of Daniel C. Bellows, senior. The latter was born and reared in Ohio after- wards moving to Louisiana where he lived for a time. He later moved to Texas where he lived for many years. For over thirty-five years he taught school in this state, being a very highly educated man, of varied training, some of the subjects in which he was especially learned being, law medicine and phrenology. He was highly respected and universally liked and his devotion to his family and friends was often commented upon. He died in 1880 at the age of sixty five and is buried in Crockett county. He married after he came to Texas to live, his wife being Miss Henrietta Berry, a native of Texas. She and her husband were both active members of the Christian church. Eight children were born to Daniel C. Bellows, Sr. and his wife of whom Daniel C. Bellows, Jr., was the next to the eldest child and the eldest son.

Daniel C. Bellows received his elementary education in the public schools of Texas and Louisiana, his parents moving to Louisiana when he was a small boy. They only lived two years in the latter state and he completed his education in his native state. He was fifteen years of age when he had to leave school and go to work. He began life on the farm and for thirty years followed farming. He later went into the stock raising business and followed this for a few years. It was in 1906 that he was appointed postmaster of Seymour and he has since been re-appointed, now serving in his second term.

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Mr. Bellows is a member of the Republican party and takes a keen interest in politics, chiefly concerning him- self, however, with national affairs.

In religious matters Mr. Bellows is a member of the Baptist church and in the fraternal world he is a mem- ber of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is fond of out door life and his special joy is to listen to a good public speaker, and the speaker must be good indeed to satisfy Mr. Bellows.

On the 14th of January, 1875, Mr. Bellows was mar- ried at West, McLennan county, Texas, to Miss Juda Clara Bennett, a daughter of Walter and Mary Bennett, of MeLennan county. Seven children, five sons and two daughters, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bellows. The eldest, Oscar, is a traveling man. Daniel Short, who is married, resides in Fort Worth, where he is in the commission business. Lem is married and resides in Seymour. Roy Robertson lives in Fort Worth and is also engaged in the commission business. Mary Hen- rietta, Martha and Dwight are all living at home.

DR. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR. A man who has the real liking and respect of the citizens of Goree, Texas, and the surrounding country, not only on account of his pro- fessional ability but also because of his personal char- acteristics, is Dr. William M. Taylor, a physician and surgeon of the above mentioned place. Dr. Taylor is one of the most successful medical practitioners in this section of the state but unlike so many of his busy pro- fession, he finds time to interest himself in matters of interest to the people about him. He is a public spirited and broad minded man and is one of the active workers toward the improvement and upbuilding of this part of Texas.

Dr. Taylor was born in Rock Mills, Alabama, on the 28th of July, 1877, but he was reared under the influ- ences of a city, for when he was only four years of age his parents moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he grew to manhood. He attended the public schools of At- lanta, and after leaving school followed various occu- pations until he was twenty-one years of age. He then entered the Georgia College of Eclectic Medicine and Surgery at Atlanta. He was graduated from this in- stitution in 1902 and began practice immediately in Newton county, Georgia. After practicing in this county for four years the doctor came to Goree and established a practice here. He now has a large prac- tice and is one of the prominent men of his profession in this part of the state.

Very often physicians of good practical ability lack the mental power necessary to grasp the theoretical side of their work, and vice versa, and in both cases the man so hampered has little chance of success. Dr. Taylor is not only a physician of the common sense school but he is also a brilliant scholar as was shown during his college days when as a student he held the chair of materia medica at his alma mater for a year.

Dr. Taylor is a member of the Baptist church, and in polities he belongs to the Democratic party, but he takes little active part in political affairs. He is a mem- her of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, belong- ing to the Blue Lodge, the Chapter and the Council, and he is at present Master of the Blue Lodge in Goree. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. He has always been an active member of the Commercial Club, having been one of the board of directors at one time. He is also deeply interested in the advancement of education in this section and is one of the valuable members of the school board of Goree.

Dr. Taylor was married in Staveville, Georgia, to Miss Gladney Thompson. She died on the 4th of May, 1908. Dr. Taylor married again after the death of his wife, the marriage taking place in Goree, Texas, on the 29th of June, 1909, and the bride being Miss Chloe Malaney, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Malaney of Goree.

Dr. Taylor says that in his opinion Texas is a great

state and the best place of which he knows for a young man to come and settle. He thinks that the future shows nothing but sunshine and brightness and that the man who can live in Texas is one of the fortunate ones of this earth.

RALPH S. SHUFFLER. As editor and publisher of the Olney Enterprise, Ralph S. Shuffler is one who knows full well the value of printers' ink, and does what he can to impress that knowledge upon the minds of tenta- tive advertisers. His own advertising is typical of his deep understanding of the subject, and he has done much through the columns of his paper to educate the mind of the public in these matters. He has been identified with newspaper work practically all his life, or since he first undertook the responsibility for his livelihood, and he was variously located in the printing business until 1910 when he came to Olney and estab- lished the Enterprise, later consolidating it with the Oracle, another local paper. The Enterprise, since that consolidation. has claimed the best equipped plant in these parts, and is beyond all question one of the most up-to-date establishments of its kind in the county.

Born in Garland, Texas, on October 3, 1888, Ralph S. Shuffler is the son of the Rev. Columbus M. Shuffler, who was born in North Carolina, and was in his earlier days a farmer. Later he became a Methodist minister. He died in 1910 aged fifty-nine years and is buried at Olney. He married Huldah Henderson, a native daughter of Texas, their marriage taking place in this state, and she now makes her home with Mr. Shuffler, of this review. He is one of the two children born to his parents, and is the only one surviving.

Ralph S. Shuffler has lived in Texas all his life thus far and gained his early education in the schools of Texas. He followed his high school course with an advanced course in a Polytechnic school in Fort Worth, and then turned his attention to the printing business, which has claimed him from then until now. He served his apprenticeship in newspaper work on the Comanche Chief, under Sydney J. Thomas, lately of Austin but now deceased. In 1904 Mr. Shuffler established the Plainview News and ran the paper for three years, when he sold out and went to Baird, and there organized a stock company to establish the Callahan County News, which he ran successfully for eighteen months. In April. 1910, he came to Olney, here establishing the Enterprise and in July of the following year he bought the Oracle. another local paper, and the consolidation of the two has resulted in producing one of the best country newspapers in the county. His plant is known to be equipped more excellently than any other in this part of the state, and his paper circulates widely in these parts. According to his sworn statement, his weekly circulation is 1,412 copies exclusive of free copies mailed to advertisers, ex- changes, etc. As he himself says in his advertising. it is customary to take a country publisher's statement of circulation "with a grain of salt," but occasionally one is found willing to offer a sworn statement,-a fact that should properly impress the buying and selling public, and usually does. In addition to his publica- · tion of the Enterprise. Mr. Shuffler runs a perfectly equipped job printing plant, and a general job printing business is carried on here.

Mr. Shuffler is a member of the Methodist church and is especially prominent in church circles. He is a Pythian Knight, fraternally speaking, and is Past Chan- cellor of the local lodge. A Democrat, he takes an active and highly influential part in the political affairs of the county, and though he has never held office, his work has always been of a high order and especially valuable to the party. He is enthusiastic on the subject of baseball, and is manager of the local ball team, while he confesses to a fondness for the game of tennis as well. His particular mission on earth, he claims in his jocular way, is that of advertising the resources and

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possibilities of West Texas, and he is doing a most worthy work along that line, as many will witness.

On December 24, 1907, Mr. Shuffler was married to Miss Carrie Duke Henderson, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. N. Henderson, of Greenwood, Virginia, and they have one child,-Ralph H. Shuffler.

In further mention of the parentage of the subject, it should not be omitted that Rev. Columbus M. Shuffler was a very prominent man in church circles. He was a member and secretary of the Board of Church Exten- sion of the Northwestern Texas Conference, at one time and at the time of his death he was in the service of the church as traveling missionary evangelist of that conference. In northwest Texas, where he did much of his work, he was especially well known and loved. He never took an active part in politics, but what he dd was in the interests of the Anti-Saloon League, and he campaigned for one year in that enterprise under the direction of Sterling P. Strong. His influence in the state was a most praiseworthy one. and while his son is acting along different lines in his work in the inter- ests of Texas, the results are no less pleasing and worthy of the men who are putting forth valiant efforts in the development and upbuilding of the state.

ELI HARRISON MOORES. Mrs. John C. Watts is a daughter of Texarkana's most eminent pioneer citizen, the first settler in this part of the state. A uative of Fairfield district in South Carolina, where he was born in April, 1815, he came with his father, Charles Moores, to Bowie county, Texas, in 1840. That is the year which marked principally the beginning of settlement aud development in all the Red River Valley, and not a family was more prominently or closely connected with the early pioneer life and the development in this sec- tion of the state than the Moores. Eli Moores family located on the south of the future city of Texarkana, though it was thirty-three years later before any town development began there. Eli Moores bought the land on which a part of the city now stands and the con- sideration passed in this transaction was a yoke of oxen and a wagon. When the town finally began to extend out over his land a number of years later, Mr. Moores took a very liberal stand in promoting development and especially the establishment of the religious institutions. He donated a large sized lot to every church society which desired to build in the new town. For many years before the war he and his brother were noted as the largest land owners in east Texas.

Eli H. Moores married Miss Minerva Janes, who also represented a pioneer family in this part of the coun- try, but their settlement was on the Arkansas side. She was born at Fisher Prairie, Arkansas, January 13, 1829, and died in 1867. Mr. Moores died at his home in Texarkana, March 4, 1884. Of the eight by himself and wife all have passed away except Mrs. John C. Watts. The names of the seven now deceased were: Charles H .; William M .; Eli H .; Thomas B .; Sallie B .; Minerva J. and Mary.

LAWSON C. COUNTS. The term self-made, hackneyed though it is, is yet sufficiently expressive of certain things to permit its application to men who have accom- plished worthily in the face of heavy odds. It is there- fore no misapplication and means exactly what it im- plies in the case of Lawson C. Counts, who has reached his present position in life as a result of his own efforts, uuaided and unsupported by others. Today he takes his place among the more successful lawyers of the district, and since he came to Olney in 1909 he has enjoyed a particularly liberal clientele and gained the good will and regard of the entire community. Born in Madison county, Arkansas, on October 6, 1871, Law- son C. Counts is a son of George Washington and Clara (Jeffries) Counts.

Lawson Counts gained his education under somewhat

adverse circumstances, the public schools of Arkansas affording him his early training, and he was fortunate enough to continue with his high school course to com- pletion. His dream of a college training, however, was made possible only by his own activities, and he himself earned the money in teaching school that supplied his professional training. He was twenty-one years old when he first came to Texas, having been engaged in school teaching for three terms prior to that, and set- tling in Collin county, this state, he again applied him- self to pedagogie work, for which he possessed a sin- gular aptitude, and indeed, the only work for which he was fitted. He continued thus for six years, spending his annual summer vacation delving into the study of law in the various law schools of the state, and supple- menting his summer training with judicious reading during the school year. It was iu this manner that he laboriously gained his admission to practice in the state of Texas, and when after six years of alternate teach- ing and studying in Collin county, he moved to Ochil- tree, he engaged in the practice of law and there estab- lished for three years. During this time he further supplemented his law studies by attendance at the Lebanon Law School for a year. He then went to Shamrock, in Wheeler county, continuing in practice there for a year, and in 1909 came to Olney, where he established himself in a general practice that grows with each succeeding season. He has taken his proper place in the political activities of the place as a Demo- crat, and as the representative of that party he was in 1910 appointed to the office of city attorney, wherein he gave excellent service.

Mr. Counts was married in Collin county, Texas, on June 22, 1898, to May Millican, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Millican, one of the old pioneer families of Collin county, where they have a host of good friends and where they are widely and favorably known. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Counts, as fol- lows: Austin, Velman, Alton, Lona May and Lasena.

Mr. Counts is fraternally identified by his connection with the Knights of Pythias, in which he has held office at times, and he and his wife take a leading part in the best social activities of their town. In the matter of religion, both he and his wife are interested in Chris- . tian Science. Mr. Counts is especially enthusiastic in his regard for the state of his adoption and has ex- pressed himself as willing to give careful consideration to any inquiries that might be addressed to him on the subject of the resources of the state and the opportuni- ties for home seekers,-a question to which he has de- voted no little attention and thought, and upon which his opinion could he none other than valuable.

JAMES E. MURRIE. If James E. Murrie would tell the story of his struggles to succeed the tale would prove fully as interesting as any of the stories with which we attempt to arouse the ambitions of the younger generation. Now the president of one of the most prosperous banking houses of Seymour, Texas, Mr. Mur- rie was thrown on his own resources at the early age of thirteen, and was not only his own support but also the head of a family. Courage and strength of character carried him over many obstacles that would have downed a weaker man and his honesty and uprightness won friends for him on every side.

James E. Murrie was born in Quitman, Texas, on the 12th of February, 1856, and has spent all of his life in his native state. His father, Robert S. Murrie, was boru in North Carolina, but came to Texas before he was twenty. Here he followed farming and stock rais- ing, and also conducted a saddlery and harness making business. He was an expert saddle maker and had the Civil war not intervened his family would not have had to face hard times in all probability. He enlisted in the Confederate service, however, and after two years he died in the service, his death taking place on December

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31, 1862, when he was but thirty-one years of age. He married Miss Rebecca Martin, who was a native of Texas, and their marriage took place in this state. She died on the 25th of February, 1893, at the age of sixty. Mrs. Murrie was a member of the Methodist church and her husband was a member of the Presbyterian. They had five children and of these James E. Murrie was the eldest. His maternal grandfather was with General Houston in the battle of San Jacinto and his mother's uncle, whose name was Robbins, was also there and was one of the men who captured Santa Anna.

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 62

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