A history of Texas and Texans, Part 90

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 90

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His support has always been given to the dominant political party in Texas, and he is one of the stanch admirers of the present administration of President Wilson. Fraternally he has taken thirty-two degrees of Scottish Rite Masonry, is affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is very popular in both fraternal and all other circles of west Texas citizenship.

Mr. Johnson was married in March 1894 to Miss Mattie Durrett of Weatherford, a daughter of Ander- son and Malinda Durrett. Her father was one of the early settlers of Parker county, having moved from Illinois in 1871, and had been a Confederate soldier, seeing service from the start to the end of the war. Both her parents are now deceased. The captain and wife have two children, a son and a daughter, namely : Miss Dott, aged twelve, and Roy, aged nine, both in school.

JUDGE WILLIAM MCCARTY PECK. The personnel of the Texas judiciary has always been notable for the high qualities and the thorough legal ability of its members, and the present judge of the Fifteenth Judicial District has not only measured up to the high attainments of the Texas bench, but has added much from his individual character. Judge Peck has for forty years been identified with his profession in Grayson county, and he represents the best quality of the judiciary and well upholds the dignity of the bench and the bar of the state.

William McCarty Peek was born May 22, 1848, near Indianapolis, Indiana, being the second among four chil- dren born to Daniel and Sarah (McCarty) Peck. His early education was acquired in the schools near In- dianapolis, and at the age of seventeen he went to North- ern Alabama, where he was employed as a bookkeeper for a time. Returning to his native state, he took up the study of law with the firm of Williamson and Daggy at Greencastle, the senior member of which firm was subsequently attorney general of the state of Indiana. Judge Peck completed his law studies in Northern Ala- bama and was admitted to the bar there in 1872. In the following year he moved to North Texas, locating at Denison, and has been engaged in the practice of law in Grayson county ever since.

Judge Peck belongs to the old Jeffersonian school of the Democratic party and has many times rendered signal

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service to his community. From 1879 to 1881 he served one term as mayor of Denison. For most of the time for quarter of a century he was a member and during the greater part of the time was chairman of the school board of Denison. In the twenty-third and twenty-fourth sessions of the legislature he represented Grayson county in the lower house, and in both sessions was a member of the judiciary committee No. 1. In January, 1912, Judge Peck was appointed to fill out an uuexpired term as judge of the Fifteenth Judicial District, and in the fall of the same year was elected for the regular term in that office, a position to which he lends dignity and inspires both the bar and the general public with an appreciation of his fairness and thorough qualifications for the judicial office. Judge Peck affiliates with the Masonic order, being a Knights Templar Mason. For a number of years he was connected with the Board of Trade at Denison, and has always been ready to take his part in community affairs.

On April 1, 1873, in Alabama, Judge Peck married Miss Augusta Charlton. They have but one child, Charl- ton Peck, aged thirty and an invalid. Judge Peck is of English and Irish descent and has no immediate rela- tives in the state of Texas. In the forty years of his residence here he has seen many changes and the in- creases in population and wealth, and is an euthusiast on the subject of North Texas resources and opportunities. He has a wide 'acquaintance, and during the past forty years has personally known every Texas governor except two.

JOSEPH F. CONNER. The present sheriff of Dawson county is a pioneer settler and old stockman of this sec- tion, having located at Lamesa about twenty years ago, when all the country was one uninterrupted stock range, and before permanent civilization had taken a foothold in a country up to that time occupied only by the wan- dering cattlemen, the buffaloes, and the other wild denizens of the western plains. Mr. Conner is well known among all the cattlemen of Dawson and surround- ing counties, and as sheriff has made a splendid record in service of the people.

Joseph F. Conner was born in Lampasas county, Jan- uary 12, 1862. He was the ninth in a family of four- teen children born to John F. and Mary T. (Turtelot) Conner. His father, a native of Arkansas, was married in Washington county of that state, and from there moved into Texas in 1848, only about three years after Texas entered the union. He located in Bastrop county, and for a number of years was engaged principally in the stock business. From that county he moved to William- son county, and from there to Lampasas county. He was an active stockman in those different localities until 1886, and then lived retired until his death on February 1, 1909. His wife was born in New York state, and came to Arkansas with her parents when she was a child, and she died in November, 1894.

Joseph F. Conner had a common school education, but most of his training was through practical exchange, and was acquired more as a result of driving horses on the range and handling stock and in farm work than through books and attendance at school. When he left home in 1881 at the age of nineteen, he went into the Panhandle, locating in Lipscomb county, where he was identified with the stock business about six years. From there he moved his headquarters to Fort MeKavett, and continued in the same business for one year. From Fort MeKavett he transferred his headquarters to Coke county, where he remained until 1894, in which year he moved into Dawson county, locating at Lamesa. At that time Lamesa was an unimproved townsite, sur- rounded by great open ranges, with cattle, coyotes and jackrabbits in abundance. He was steadily in the stock business in that locality and at one time owned four sections of land, a part of which has since been broken

up and enclosed as the town of Lamesa. He has sold all his land except a little town property.

Mr. Conner first entered local politics when he became a candidate for tax assessor in 1908. He failed to se- cure the honor at that time, but in the year 1910 was elected to the office of sheriff and tax collector, and by re-election in 1912 is still handling the affairs of the office. Since then he has retired entirely from the stock business.

At Fort MeKavett on April 12, 1888, Mr. Conner married Miss Mary F. Poe, daughter of W. M. and Cyn- thia Poe. They were a family of pioneer Texans, and both were born in Texas. Mr. Conner and wife have eleven children, as follows: Eula, Frank, Pearl, Hoyle, Willie, Robert, Jack, Dollie, Silas, Reta and Thelma. Eula, Frank and Pearl are married.

Mr. Conner affiliates with the Masonic order, being Past Master of his lodge, and is Captain of the Royal Arch Chapter, and is Noble Grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is a Democrat.

HON. JOHN EDWARD KINNEY, county judge of Roberts county, Texas, has been identified with the bar and the bench at Miami since he entered upon the practice of his profession in 1900. His record parallels that of the self-made man, and therefore forms an interesting part of American biography.

Judge Kinney dates his birth at Brooklyn, New York, January 8, 1873, and is the younger of the two sons born to John Edward and Clara M. (Dunn) Kinney, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of New York, but both now deceased. John Edward Kinney, Sr., was the son of G. O. Kinney, a New York broker, who was born in New Jersey and who died in New York. The latter was the son of James Kinney, who was born in New Jersey and died at Erie, Michigan, he having in middle life pioneered to the latter state. John Edward, the father, was a merchant in New York during the greater part of his life, and was moderately successful, but Florida and fruit raising had an attraction for him, and for thirteen years he made his home in that south- ern state, eight years of that time serving as post- master of Winsted in addition to looking after his fruit interests. The Dunn family is of Irish descent, and the Irishman who was the progenitor of that family in this county came here in 1798 from county Kilkenny and settled in New York. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war and was killed in battle. The older of the two sons horn to John Edward and Clara M. Kinney, Charles B. Kinney, is secretary and manager of the Blinn Coal Company of Brooklyn, New York.

In the Brooklyn schools and the schools near the Kin- ney Florida home John E. Kinney, Jr., received his early training, being in attendance up to the time he was nineteen. At the age of twenty-seven he was engaged in a brokerage commission business for himself and others in New York city. In the meantime he took up the study of law and fitted himself for its practice. He completed his studies in the Nashville College of Law in 1900, and from that institution received the degree of LL. B. In June of that year he came to Texas and took up his residence at Miami in Roberts county, where he at once opened an office for the practice of law and in various ways identified himself with the interests of this locality. He has taken an active part in Democratic politics, local, state and national. During his early prac- tice he served as deputy tax collector. He has twice been elected county judge, and is now serving his sec- ond term. He maintains fraternal identity with vari- ous organizations, including the W. O. W., K. of P., and the A. F. & A. M., his Masonic work covering the de- grees of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council. His creed is that of the Presbyterian church, of which he is an elder.

On the 6th of April, 1902, at Miami, Texas, was sol- emnized the marriage of John Edward Kinney and Miss

Solen bevon

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Bena H. Carter, and to them have been given two daughters and a son: Clara May, born August 10, 1903; Elvira, horn August 27, 1904; and Leon MeCord, born September 24, 1911. Mrs. Kinney is a native of Texas and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Carter, for thirty years residents of Roberts county, now living at Amarillo, Texas. During his residence in Roberts county S. G. Carter was one of its leading citizens. He filled the offices of county sheriff and treasurer, and for several years was county judge.

Although a busy man professionally, Judge Kinney finds time to look after the supervision of his agricul- tural interests, owning and operating a farm half a section in extent in Gray county. That he has succeeded in making a place and a name for himself is due to liis own efforts, for neither in his business venture nor in the work of fitting himself for a professional life did he receive any financial aid.

CHARLES T. HALTOM. County attorney of Pecos coun- ty, since 1908, Mr. Haltom is one of the able young mem- bers of the Texas bar. In the law he has exceptional ability, has shown it in all the business which has been entrusted to his care, and along with this ability he also maintains some of the best ideals of the legal profes- sion. His honor and personal integrity have never been impeached during his professional career, and his public spirit and friendly helpfulness are among the other fae- tors which make him one of the most popular citizens of Fort Stockton.

Mr. Haltom was horn in Brackettville, Texas, January 7, 1883, and has spent all his life in the state. He at- tended the public schools of San Antonio, and gradu- ated from the high school of that city and later attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was gradu- ated in the law department in 1906. At the intervals of schooling he worked to acquire means to further his education and he really paid his way through university. Graduating in the law, he spent several months in mining in Arizona, after which he returned to San Antonio, and set himself up in the practice of law. A year later he moved out to Fort Stockton, and has since had his practice in this county. In June, 1908, he was appointed county attorney, and in November, 1908, was elected to his first term, now serving ont the third elective term of office.

Mr. Haltom was married in Fort Stockton, January 18, 1911, to Miss Minnie Thornbury, daughter of .J. W. Thornbury of Pecos county. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Christian church, and fraternally he is affili- ated with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World, also with the Loyal American. He is now Worshipful Master of the Masonie Lodge, and patron of the Eastern Star, has held office in the Knights of Pythias, and is one of the managers of the Wood- men of the World. As a member of the Fort Stockton Commercial Club he exerts much influence to advance the business interests of the town. He is an independent Democrat, and is an influential factor in local affairs. While filling the office of proseenting attorney he served as principal of Mexican School from 1909 to 1912, inclu- sive. For his diversions he is fond of hunting, fishing and the quieter amusements of home and society. Con- cerning his native state, he believes that Texas has some of the best laws to be found on the statute books of any state and has a splendid commercial future. He also be- lieves that it is in the beginning of a fast growing period in population, resources and wealth, and especially does he believe this true of West Texas.

J. B. PRICE. Now president of the Texas Abstract Association, Mr. Price has long been identified with the Abstract business, and is an old resident of Weath- erford. His home has been in this state since child- hood, for more than forty years, and he has had an active and varied business career.

J. B. Price was born January 2, 1859, at Brandon, Mississippi, the fifth in a family of seven sons and one daughter, five of whom are still living, born to William and Frances C. (Fly) Price. His parents came to Texas in 1869, locating at Lancaster. His father was active in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church South for half a century. During his earlier years in Mississippi at the beginning of the war, he raised a company at Jackson for service in the Confederate army. On account of poor health he re- ceived an honorable discharge, before the close of the war. In 1879, the family moved from Alvarado in Johnson county to Weatherford, and there Rev. Price died in September 1889, at the age of seventy-three. His widow is still living in Weatherford, aged seventy- nine and quite active for her years, attending church almost every Sunday.

Mr. J. B. Price gained most of his education in the Marvin College at Waxahachie, and the Masonic school conducted in Alvarado, in Johnson county, by Profes- sor I. A. Patton. His first business experience was as clerk in a grocery store at Weatherford. During four years as deputy county clerk of Parker county, he became acquainted with and interested in the line of which has since been his chief vocation and as an abstract man and also handling loans, he does the best business in Parker county. In July 1910, Mr. Price was elected third vice president of the Texas Abstract Association, and was honored by election as president at the annual meeting of the association in June 1913, at Dallas.

In polities his support has always been given to the democratie interests, fraternally he has filled the chairs in the Knights of Pythias Lodge, and has been repre- Sentative at the Grand Lodge in Fort Worth, and Houston, and is an active member of the Weatherford Commercial Club. His church affiliation is with the Methodist Church South, in the first church of Weath- erford. On January 17, 1883, in Alvarado, Mr. Price married Miss Bobbie Vinson, a daughter of R. A. and Sarah Vinson. Her father, who died several years ago, was a contractor, while her mother is living at the age of eighty-seven, and makes her home with Mrs. Price. Mr. Price for recreation enjoys nothing more than hunting, and his vacations are usually spent in that way. Among his trophies is a display of deer heads, about twenty in number, and indicating very well his prowess as a huntsman.

COL. GALIN CROW. For thirty-three years the late Col. Galen Crow was engaged in the mercantile business in Austin, and, while he was not one of the first settlers, sub- stantially the entire growth of the wonderful city was under his eye, was watched by him with the interest and pride of a proprietor, and was substantially aided by his wise counsels and firm hand. His career was one teeming with adventures and exciting experiences from the time of his service as a soldier of the Confederacy through the days when he drove cattle across the plains to the Western frontier, and throughout his life he maintained his repu- tation as a 'stalwart and public-spirited citizen, faithful in his friendships and conscientious in the discharge of every duty devolving upon him.

Colonel Crow was born in 1822 at Hartford, Ohio county, Kentucky, and was a son of John W. Crow. He was educated in private schools of his native place, and, coming of a family of merchants, it was but natural that he should enter into the activities of trade and commerce when he attained manhood. In 1857 he was united in marriage with Miss Cordelia A. Jones, of Oregon, Mis- souri, a daughter of William F. Jones, a prominent mer- chant of that place. He had moved to Missouri several years before, and, in addition to being successfully en- gaged in a mercantile business, was prominent in Holt county polities, having served six years as sheriff and as a member of the Missouri State Legislature. The out-

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break of hostilities between the South and the North found his sympathies with the Confederacy, and he ac- cordingly resigned his office in the legislature to enter the army of Gen. Sterling Price as colonel. He served from 1861 until 1863 with much gallantry, but in the latter year was captured by the federal troops and con- fined in the prison at Johnson's Island, off Sandusky. When, eleven months later, he secured his release, he was broken in health, with finances ruined because of his service and loyalty to the Lost Cause. Accordingly he decided upon a trip across the plains, and in the middle of June, 1864, left Nebraska City, reaching Salt Lake City in the following November. He drove cattle across the plains and disposed of them at a handsome profit in the Cache Valley in December, 1864. Colonel Crow became very favorably impressed with this country and determined to make it his future home. He returned to Missouri the 2d of December, 1864, by stage line run- ning from Salt Lake City to Nebraska City, known as the Frost and Holliday Line, a much more pleasant way to travel than the way he had gone, by ox-teams, travel- ing nine or ten miles a day, but his health was fully re- cuperated and he never had reason to regret taking the trip. When reaching home he sold his lovely home and other property and outfitted with goods and merchandise of different kinds, and May 21, 1865, started again across the plains, behind ox-teams, five yoke to a team, nine wagons, with 4,500 pounds to a wagon. Virginia City, Montana (territory), was reached August 22, 1865, with- out the loss of life to one in the party. However, the trip was not made without perils and hazards, as told hy Mrs. Crow, who survives her husband and is well known in Austin. We quote from her account:

"We were attacked by Indians of the most warlike tribe, the Ogalala Sioux, but after several hours of con- tinual fighting managed to drive the hostiles off, although one of our men was wounded by an arrow, an injury from which he recovered in a week or so. He always thought he was saved from death by a cross pin which I wore all the time and which he had noticed. My husband had made it in prison and had sent it to me as a Christmas present in 1863. Those were troublesome, tiring and irritating days for all concerned, but not a loud or dis- tasteful word was ever uttered by Colonel Crow nor any profane language was indulged in by any of the party, which often numbered as many as 100 people. The In- dians were very desperate and determined to drive off the cattle and kill the immigrants, and we were very much afraid of them. A. H. Crow, the oldest son of Colonel Crow, was then just fifteen years of age and very deli- cate, but the trip was exceedingly beneficial to his health, as it had formerly been to his father's.

"After living in Virginia City for two years, we sold out and returned to the States, leaving June 18, 1869, by stage line for Fort Benton, on the upper Missouri River, where we took a boat, "The Fort Benton, "' coming down the Missouri River to Forest City, Missouri, and going thence to Oregon and on to Mound City to visit my mother. Mr. Crow went on to Kentucky for a visit to his old home at Hartford, Ohio county, and Allie Crow went to Carrolton, Kentucky, to attend college. In Sep- tember, 1867, we again started for Texas, leaving St. Joseph, Missouri, for New Orleans, Louisiana, on a large Missouri-Mississippi river packet, the "Telegraph No. 2,"' an excellent boat and a delightful way to travel. The captain was named Lorillard, belonging to the fam- ily of tobacco fame, and was a perfect manager of his boat. It seemed to us that our hardships and privations were about over, hut it was not to be so. When we reached New Orleans, on September 17th, we found that unfortunate city in the throes of one of its worst yellow fever epidemics, more people having died on the 15th and 16th of that month than at any other time during the season. Naturally, we were most anxious to leave the stricken city. Dr. Carter instructed us to go to the water, and there we found our same boat, Captain Lor-

illard extending a kind invitation to us to come aboard his vessel, on which we traveled back to the mouth of the Red River and up to the town of Alexandria. There, however, the people did not want us to land, as they had received news of the epidemic at New Orleans and feared that we would spread contagion. Colonel Crow said: 'I will land, hut do not ask you to let me go into your town,' but the countrymen still insisted that we should not come near them, and it was necessary for Colonel Crow to display his gun, a well-mounted weapon, which, however, I had never heard of being an especially good one, although my husband was very proud of it. Finally an old man by the name of Captain Feathers came and shook hands with us and said: 'My friends, I own a hotel, so just follow me and I will take you under shelter.' Colonel Crow thanked him and said: 'On one condition, and that is if you will buy me a pair of horses, a spring wagon and suitable things with which we can camp.' This done, we started Texasward with our three children, and reached Washington county, near Independence, October 5, 1867. In a few days we were all down with yellow fever, Colonel Crow being very ill for several days and one of the children being also very sick - but the Crows were not to die that way. After the sick members of the party had recovered we moved to Bastrop county, Texas, reaching that point in a cold norther, November 20th. From Bastrop we moved to Austin in 1870, and here I have made my home ever since. I really feel as though I were a Texan."

From his arrival in Austin in 1870, until his death, in March, 1903, Colonel Crow was successfully engaged in the mercantile business, being one of his city's sub- stantial men at the time of his demise. With a kind and generous heart, which delighted in deeds of benevolence, his influence was altogether beneficent, and his attitude at times heroic. The world is better for the lives of such men. Mrs. Crow is a lady of remarkable abilities, is widely known in Austin, aud has the friendship and affec- tion of many who know her. She has been the mother of the following children: Mary, who is now deceased; Kittie, who is the wife of W. B. Estill; Louise, the wife of W. A. Boswell, a real estate man of Austin; Acrata, who is the wife of C. A. King; A. H., who died in 1882; Galen, who is superintendent of the Water and Light Power Company at Guthrie, Oklahoma; McCreery, who is a prominent farmer of Hayes county, Texas, and Wil- liam Price, who is a prosperous dairyman of Travis county, Texas.

Colonel Crow was a Knights Templar Mason, as is his son Galen. McCreery and William are Blue Lodge Masons, and A. H. had attained to the Scottish Rite degree. The wife of A. H. Crow, who had been Miss Julia Eilers, of Bastrop, Texas, died in 1881 without issue.

WARD BANKHEAD. Representing a family which has lived in Parker county for more than thirty years, Ward Bankhead is a native of the county, a popular young citizen, who has been eutrusted by the people with the office of county clerk, in which he is giving excellent and efficient service.

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 90

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