A history of Texas and Texans, Part 67

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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In 1906 Captain Vann was transferred from Galveston and made chief deputy United States marshal of the western district of Texas, under Eugene Nolte, with headquarters at San Antonio. A short time later, how- ever, in July, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt. ele- vated him from a marshalship to the position of collector of customs of the Brazos de Santiago district, with head- quarters at Brownsville. That district extends along the Rio Grande River from its mouth to a short distance below Laredo. During Captain Vann's term there was practically no military protection along the Mexican border, and it was his duty, assisted by a number of

men employed under him, to patrol and protect the border against smugglers and other offenders against law and order. This service brought him into almost daily contact with desperate characters, subjecting him and his men to dangers, and many narrow escapes from death. After a service as collector of customs for about three and a half years, a special appointment from Presi- dent Roosevelt made him special agent for the depart- ment of justice, and he has the distinction of having been the first to be appointed to a position of that kind. In this connection he became identified with one of the best remembered events of the Roosevelt administration. That was the famous "Brownsville Raid," as a result of which President Roosevelt ordered the discharge of the negro troops stationed at Brownsville. It was on Cap- tain Vann's report of that affair that Mr. Roosevelt's action was based, and in the voluminous published ree- ord of the Brownsville affair the first and most important document is Captain Vann's report. As special agent for the department of justice Captain Vann's duties in- eluded supervision along the Rio Grande as far west as El Paso. He was on the border during the first revolu- tion against the Diaz regime in Mexico, as a result of which Francisco Madero became President of that re- publie. In following up the violators of the nentrality laws between the two countries Captain Vann met with many adventurous escapades and was almost constantly within the zone of danger. He was on duty in Juarez, opposite El Paso, when that city was first taken by the revolutionists, and among his most valued mementos are the autographs of a number of the soldiers of for- tune who were responsible for the fall of Juarez. About this time Captain Vann was detailed by the United States attorney general to investigate the noted Coppy farm peonage case in Burleson county, Texas, where it was charged that Ward M. Fuller, a young white man of Kansas City, Missouri, and many others had been Eeld in bondage. The result of this prosecution practically wiped out peonage in Texas.

Captain Vann's work in the government official serv- ice was of such high order that it attracted the atten- tion of the corporations, and in July, 1911, he was of- fered and accepted the position of special agent for the legal department of the Southern Pacific Railroad, with headquarters at Houston. Early in 1913 came his ap- pointment to his present position, as chief special agent for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, with juris- diction extending over Texas and a portion of Okla- .homa. Captain Vann is the kind of officer who has al- ways been depended upon to take hold of an especially knotty piece of business with determination, resource- fulness and bravery, and those who have placed their trust in him have never been disappointed.

Captain Vann has four children: Walter W., who is widely known as a civil engineer in the Brownsville country, having built the Harlingen Canal and a number of other large public works; Charles C., Stewart, and Amy, who is the wife of Judge Lee Wallace, of Kerr county. Captain Vann's wife was formerly Mrs. Maude (Parkins) Sloan, who was born near London, England, but, coming to Texas with her parents, was reared near San Antonio. Captain Vann is a Knights Templar Mason and a Shriner, holding membership in various lodges in San Antonio and in the Ben Hur Temple at Austin.

H. JOE ISAACS. One of the large and prosperons mercantile enterprises of Amarillo is the Famous Cloth- ing & Fur Company, which is the result of the energetic business enterprise of a young man who located in the city seventeen years ago and who has applied all his energy and talent to making one of the best stores in the Pan Handle.

H. Joe Isaacs was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 19, 1875, a son of S. W. and Martha (Myers) Isaacs. His father was born in London, England; came to America when a young man, and located in Cincinnati, Ohio; was

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for a number of years connected with the P. F. Collier Publishing Company of New York, and his death oc- curred at Trinidad, Colorado, in 1892, at the age of fifty-seven. The mother, who was also born in London, where she was educated and married, died at Trinidad. Colorado, June 13, 1912, when seventy-nine years of age. There were nine children in the family, and H. Joe was the seventh in order of birth.

He attended the public schools of Cincinnati, and from that city moved to St. Louis, where he began his practical career in merchandising as stockkeeper for the I. Harris Wholesale Clothing Manufacturers. After five years of that experience he came to Texas, and in 1896 located in Amarillo and opened a small stock of goods under the name of the Famous Clothing & Fur Com- pany. His brother, S. L. Isaacs, joined him on Jan- uary 1, 1910, and the brothers have enjoyed special suc- cess in their line of enterprise. They have a large trade outside of Amarillo and carry $40,000.00 worth of stock, chiefly in men's furnishing goods. They employ four clerks, and their goods go to supply the clothing of men and boys in every section of the Pan Handle.

Mr. Isaacs is a Democrat, but not active in party pol- ities. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Amarillo.

WILLIAM A. PRICE, M. D. A physician and surgeon who stands high in his profession at Hereford, Dr. Price won the privilege of practicing medicine through his own efforts, working his way and paying his tuition both through literary and professional schools. He was graduated M. D. in the class of 1893 from the Louis- ville Medical College, at Louisville, Kentucky, and was engaged in practice at Tracy, in Milam county, Texas, from the time of his graduation until 1906. In the lat- ter year he moved to Hereford, where he has built up a large practice, his attendance being called to the most influential families in this region. Dr. Price is examiner for a number of the old-line insurance companes and does a general practice in medicine and surgery. He has membership in the Deaf Smith, Castro and Randall Counties Medical Societies, and also in the State and American Medical Associations.

Dr. William A. Price was born September 11, 1867, in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, and is of Irish descent on his father's side and Dutch on the maternal line. His father was Rev. Joseph L. Price, a native of Missis- sippi, who devoted the greater part of his active career to the ministry of the Methodist church South. In Cor- yell county, Texas, he is still remembered for his effect- ive work as one of the early preachers, and he located in this state in 1876, and died at Rockdale in 1892 at the age of fifty-two. During the Civil war he enlisted as a private and fought with General Hood's Brigade, participating in the battle of Corinth and Shiloh and other campaigns, and was never wounded or taken pris- oner. He was a Democrat, though never active in polit- ical affairs. The maiden name of his wife was Martha Ann Huff, who was born in Mississippi, where she was married on December 22, 1866. She came to Texas with her husabnd, they making the journey in a wagon drawn by an ox team. She now lives, at the age of sixty-eight years, in Coryell county, having been born in 1845. There were ten children in her family and all are still living.

Dr. Price, the oldest of the children, was educated in the country schools and at Lampasas College. After leav- ing the latter institution he earned the means which enabled him to enter Louisville Medical College, at Louisville, Kentucky, where he was graduated as already mentioned. The doctor is a Democrat, though his po- litical activity is confined to casting his ballot. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order through the Royal Arch Chapter and the council of select masters. His church is the Methodist south.

In 1889 Dr. Price was married at Bee House, in Cor-

yell county, to Miss Annie Gardner, a native of Texas, born in Williamson county and a daughter of John P. Gardner, who was also born in this state. Mrs. Price died February 11, 1893, at Louisville, Kentucky, when twenty-two years of age. She was laid to rest at her old home in Coryell county. The two children born of the union were Otho, born at Bee House, Texas, May, 1891, and Annie, born February 4, 1893, only a few days be- fore her mother's death. In 1894, in Milam county, Dr. Price married Miss Nettie Adams, who was born in Missouri, a daughter of Rev. J. M. Adams, who is a .minister of the Missionary Baptist church and now re- sides in Tyler, Texas. By this marriage are two chil- dren: Bernadine, born in 1897 at Tracy, Texas, and Gwendoline, born in Hereford, October 10, 1907.

J. ALLEN KYLE, M. D. On the roster of Harris county's able physicians and surgeons is found the name of J. Allen Kyle, M. D., who has gained distinctive preferment in the science of medicine and surgery. The reason is not far to seek. Advancement in the learned professions depends entirely upon merit.

Doctor Kyle was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, February 25, 1871, and is a son of John W. and Penelope (Biggs) Kyle. His father, a planter in Virginia, served with a Virginia regiment in the Confederate army dur- ing the war between the States. He came to Texas in 1877, settling among the first settlers of Victoria county prior to the advent of the railroads, and there passed the remainder of his active career in farming and stock raising.

J. Allen Kyle was six years of age when he accompa- nied his parents to Victoria county, and he was prac- tically reared and educated by his great-uncle, William H. Kyle. The latter, a bachelor, had come to Southern Texas about 1850, and during the Civil war had served as a member of Shannon's Scouts, a company which formed a part of the famous Terry's Texas Rangers. After obtaining his preliminary educational training in the public schools of Victoria county. J. Allen Kyle evi- denced an inclination for a medical career, but his fa- ther was in moderate circumstances, and it was almost impossible for the youth to secure the pecuniary assist- ance necessary for a collegiate training. His great- unele had recognized and admired the young man's ambition, however, and offered him the help needed, and accordingly he enrolled as a student at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, from which institution he was graduated in 1890 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in agriculture. He then went to New York City and entered upon his medical course in Columbia University, where he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1894, and, following his graduation, was appointed interne at St. Vincent's Hospital, New York City. He there served on the surgical staff in various capacities, first as ambulance surgeon, then junior sur- geon, then senior surgeon, and finally house surgeon, and all this within a period of two years. In 1896 he came to Houston, where he began a general practice of medi- cine and surgery, and here he has continued to the pres- ent time, having offices at No. 402 Carter Building. His professional career has since been such as to distinguish him as one of the representative physicians and sur- geons of Houston. Dr. Kyle has taken an active interest in the work of the various medical organizations, and is a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas State Medical Association, the South Texas Med- ical Association and the Harris County Medical Society. and is a director of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and medical director of the Southern Benevolent League.

In 1901 Doctor Kyle was married to Miss Mary Stella Carr, a daughter of John O. and Mary Stella (Gallagher) Carr of Houston. One son, William Allen, was born to this union, in 1902. John O. Carr, father of Mrs. Kyle. was born at Charlottesville, Virginia, and received excel-

P. S. M. D.

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lent educational advantages, being a graduate of the University of Virginia. During the Civil war he served as captain of a battery of artillery of Virginia troops in the Confederate army, while his wife's father was a major in the Union army, under Gen. Phil Sheridan, his regiment being commanded by Col. Phil Gallagher, one of his brothers.

Dr. and Mrs. Kyle reside in a handsome home at No. 2002 Crawford street. He is widely known in social and fraternal circles of the city, belonging to the Oleander Country Club, the Houston Turn Verein, the Houstou Light Guards, the Houston Country Club, the Thalian Club and the Z Z Club, of Houston, and to the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

BENJAMIN SCHWEGLER. Until he was thirty-five years of age, Ben Schwegler maintained his home in his birth state, Missouri, coming to Texas in 1903, where he has since continued. From farming, an enterprise that claimed his attention here for five years, he developed an interest in real estate activities, and when Burkbur- nett was placed on the map of Wichita county, Texas, he was the first to settle here and establish himself in busi- ness. He has had an undeniably generous share in the work of promoting and developing the town, and the interest he has felt in the place well qualified him for the office of mayor, to which he was elected recently when the city was incorporated, he being the first to occupy the executive chair of the new city.

Mr. Schwegler was born in Gasconade county, Mis- souri, on March 27, 1868, and is the son of Joseph and Anna Schwegler, who passed their lives in that state,. both dying about twelve years ago. Following the com- mon school education that Mr. Schwegler gained in the schools of Gasconade county, he enjoyed a college course at Warrentown, Missouri, and a commercial course in the Sedalia Business College, in Sedalia, Missouri. He continued on his father's farm until he had reached his legal majority, when he struck out for himself, and going to Kansas City, Missouri, was there identified with mercantile activities for ten years. Four years of that time was spent in the wholesale grocery business, four in Kansas City, and during two years of the time he was in business for himself. In 1903 he sold out and made his way to Texas. He settled in this county immedi- ately upon arriving here, and for five years devoted him- self to agricultural activities, coming to Burkburnett in 1907, when the town had its inception, and here engaging in real estate operations. Success has attended his efforts, and he does a general real estate and insurance business here that reaches out into the more remote sections of the county. He also does a considerable business in oil leases and lands, and, though he still owns and operates his farm, he manages it indirectly, through a tenant. The farm, one of the fine ones of these parts, is located five miles from town and is a productive and creditable place.

Mr. Schwegler is one of the leading spirits in Burk- burnett, and when the town was recently incorporated his fellow citizens showed their appreciation of his activ- ities by electing him as first mayor of the city. As pres- ident of the school board he is rendering a valuable service to the community also, and the fine new building erected under his administration is a distinct credit to the place and might well be regarded with pride by a much larger and older city. A member of the Commer- cial Club of Burkburnett, he has an active part in the work of promoting the best interests of the town and in carrying out the plans of the club for the growth and progress of business enterprise in the community.

Mr. Schwegler was married in Alma, Missouri, in 1892, to Miss Pauline Giselmann, the daughter of Herman Giselmann, a well-known resident of Alma. Two children have been adopted by them: Ervin and Edna, twins, whose birth occurred on July 23, 1904. The family are

members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Schwegler is a Democrat in his political adherence, his active interest being confined to local rather than state politics.

HON. JAMES G. MCDONALD. A native son of the Lone Star state, who has been prominently known both at the bar and on the bench, Judge James G. McDonald is now devoting the greater part of his time to the cultivation of his handsome farm of 855 acres, which is located at the county seat of Anderson, in Grimes county. He is a son of the pioneer, Judge James G. McDonald, who came to Texas in 1851 as a young married man from Carthage, Tennessee, a grandson of Henry Brown McDonald, and a great-grandson of Hugh McDonald, who came from Scotland, settled in North Carolina, and was a conspicu- ous Revolutionary soldier of General Marion's legion. Henry Brown McDonald, who died at Carthage, Ten- nessee, married Miss Mary Crowder, and they became the parents of the following children: Melvina, who married E. C. Rawson, of Waxahachie, Texas; Gen. James G .; Mrs. Page, who spent her life in Smith county, Tennessee; Mrs. McKinley, who also spent her life in that state, where she first married William Danley ; Mrs. Young B. Jones, who died in the same state; Dr. Henry Clay, who practiced medicine at Carthage, Tennessee, and died there; Orville, who went to California in 1848, re- turned home after the war, hut went out again in I867 with a company seeking gold, and was lost to view for- ever; Brown, who was the first man killed in Colonel Parson's Texas Regiment in 1862; William H., who was shot in the head at Chickamauga, but survived until 1890 and died in Hillsboro, Texas. Henry Brown McDonald, the grandfather of Judge McDonald, was married (sec- ond) to Mrs. Julia Powell, and they had these children: Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Waters, of Nashville, Tennes- see; Alice, who died single; David M., a graduate of West Point Academy, who fought against the Ute In- dians as a lieutenant and resigned from the army, dying at Carthage, Tennessee.

Gen. James G. MeDonald was born in Smith county, Tennessee, September 20, 1824, and, inheriting his fath- er's predilection for the law, studied for that profession. He was a student of Lebanon, Tennessee, where he gradu- ated in law, and there began to practice. He came to Texas by water to Galveston and by stage to Anderson and settled among strangers here, making the law his business from the first in Texas and following it all his life. He was district attorney when his district em- braced all the territory to Galveston, Beaumont and the southeast corner of the state, and served both before and after the war. Among his compeers were Peter W. Gray, who was district judge while General McDonald was district attorney; Maj. Hannibal H. Boone; Capt. J. C. Hutchison, now of Houston; A. T. Mckinney, of Huntsville; Ben Goodrich, Judge Maxey and Judge Baker.

In politics General McDonald was always a Democrat, and was chosen to represent his locality in the legisla- ture before the war, and when the Civil war was in progress he was brigadier general of the Texas state troops. Following the close of hostilities, he served as district attorney again and as a member of the Senate. He took an active part in state politics, was frequently with Gen. Sam Houston, with whom he was intimately acquainted and whom he greatly admired, and was also an admirer of Andrew Jackson. He favored the war and was a Secessionist, but his impaired physique made it impossible for him to take the field in active service. In his spiritual relations General McDonald was a Metho- dist. He was a moral man and was one of those courte- ous Southern gentlemen of the old school. He read much in law, politics, biography and current literature, and always favored public education, and his fraternal work extended to a membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

General McDonald married Miss Julia T. Davis, a

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daughter of Charles Davis. She died October 29, 1886, and was followed to the grave by the General March 11, 1903. Mrs. McDonald was a graduate of the National · Female College at Nashville, Tennessee, of which Dr. Elliott was president, and she demonstrated her ability in composition as a writer. She was the mother of ten children, eight of whom came to maturity, but only four of whom reared families: Mrs. Mary L. Meecham, wife of W. W. Meecham, of Anderson; Finney, who is a resi- dent of Montgomery, Texas; Mrs. Julia Goodlett, who died at San Bernardino, California; James G., of this review; William L., who is an attorney of New York City; Mrs. P. S. Halleck, a resident of Ann Arbor, Mich- igan; and Brown, whose home is at Duluth, Minnesota.

Judge James G. McDonald was born at Anderson, Texas, September 11, 1858, and has been a student dur- ing the greater part of his life. He was a youth of the rural wilds about Anderson, and laid aside his books with a common school education. He studied law with his father and was admitted to the bar in 1888, before Judge Norman G. Kittrell, and was examined by Colonel Meecham, Frank Brigance and Major H. H. Boone. He engaged in the practice in 1889 alone and has continued to be engaged therein ever since, his career in his pro- fession having been one of consecutive advancement and well merited success, his practice covering the general professional business and his standing among his pro- fessional brethren being high.

Judge MeDonald has been a Democrat all his life. In 1900 he was in the state convention at Waco, in 1902 was in the Galveston convention, and was one of the strongest supporters of Senator Bailey during the disagreement over that statesman. While a member of the Legisla- ture, Judge MeDonald supported Senator Bailey's in- terests in the legislative investigation that took place, and still regards him as the truest and bravest states- man of them all. He was county attorney from 1890 to 1892, and county judge from 1892 to 1896. In 1899 he aided in organizing the White Man's Union, when the negroes were dominating the policies of the county, and by this method disfranchised the blacks and put the county into the white column. From 1900 to 1904 he again served as county judge, and was then sent to the Thirtieth and Thirty-First Legislatures, where he was known as one of the working members of those dis- tinguished bodies. He served on judiciary committee No. 1 and the committees on education and appropria- tions, and in the latter session was chairman of the com- mittee on internal improvements. Among the things accomplished by him in the Legislature was the intro- duction of a bill to pay special veniremen a dollar a day for service, whether they were selected as jurymen or not, whereas, before, they received no pay unless put on the jury. He lined himself up with the interests of public education in the rural schools and worked in harmony with the state superintendent of education in that work. He advocated the law requiring the teach- ing of agriculture in the common schools. At present Judge McDonald's time and attention are chiefly de- voted to his farm. His plantation, which lies against the county seat, has 855 acres of land in cultivation and is given over to the raising of cotton, corn and hay. Judge McDonald is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council. He is past noble grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has been a delegate to the Grand Lodge of the state.

On January 20, 1895, Judge McDonald was married to Miss Eleanor Stone, a daughter of Maj. William M. Stone, of Anderson, and a granddaughter of Henry Fantharp. She died January 25, 1903, leaving one daughter, Mary Eleanor, who passed away June 15, 1903.

Henry Fantharp was the very first settler of Anderson and came here from England about 1830. He established a hotel in the little hamlet, and all the emigration through this section in pioneer days passed by his place. General Houston and other prominent Texans made his

hotel their stopping place, and he was just one of those frontier characters who would be well remembered. He was a shrewd business man, thrifty, industrious and capable, and accumulated a handsome property in vari- ous parts of the state. His family comprised a son and daughter, viz .: John, who left no issue, and Mary, who married Maj. William M. Stone, the father of Mrs. Judge McDonald. The Stone children were as follows: Annie, who married C. L. Kettler and died at Dallas, Texas, leaving no issue; Mrs. McDonald; Julia, who became Mrs. J. T. Yarborough, who now resides in Hong- Kong, China, as Mrs. Desaussure, and has two daughters, Julia and Alice; William M., of Marianna, Florida, and Henry, who died as a youth. Henry Fantharp died in October, 1868, and his wife followed him to the grave in the same week.

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 67

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