USA > Texas > A history of central and western Texas > Part 31
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Mr. Taylor is a stanch Democrat and served as deputy district and county clerk of Navarro county, Texas. He also served one term as treasurer of the county and one term as mayor of Corsicana. He has fulfilled every office of public trust to the approval of the people, and stands well with all who know him. He is a member of the Central Church of Christ of Weatherford, Texas. He is also a member of the Masonic Order, and has been for forty-five years. He is also an Odd Fellow and has taken all the degrees in this order.
On February 4, 1857, at Elkton, Kentucky, Mr. Taylor married Mary Holmes Edwards, daughter of William Watson and Judith (Lively) Edwards, the father engaged in the saddlery and tanning business in Elkton. She was educated in the Elkton high school. Mr. Taylor and his wife became the parents of nine children, namely: Anthon Baker, of Crockett, born December 27, 1857: Ada, of Corsicana, born September 19, 1859; America Elizabeth, of Corsicana, born August 2, 1861 ; Iva Judith, of Crockett, born February 18, 1864; Wright Dudley, of Crockett,
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born November 8, 1865: Lula, of Crockett, born June 8, 1867; Olive, of Corsicana, born July 8, 1869; Lena, of Corsicana, born March 22, 1871 ; and William Edwards, born August 13, 1877, at Corsicana.
JAMES C. HUTCHESON has been identified with agricultural pursuits throughout nearly his entire active business life, and he now owns a valuable homestead adjoining Springtown. He was born in Meigs county, eastern Tennessee, June 9, 1839, a son of Charles and Sarah (Worthington ) Hutcheson, both of whom were born in Bledsoe county, Tennessee, the father in 1807 and the mother on January 5, 1809. They were married in their native county of Bledsoe, and the six children born of their union are: Mrs. M. A. Schoolfield, living in Arkansas; William L., of Springtown; Samuel W. and Charles N., both of whom died in Tennessee ; James C. and Alfred L., both living in Springtown. After the father's death in 1842 the mother married Burton Hohman, and there were four children of that marriage: Murphy L. and Robert A., who died in Tennessee; Mrs. Coulter, living in that state; and Washing- ton N., also of Tennessee. The mother died on the 27th of September, 1895.
After some years of farming in Tennessee, James C. Hutcheson came to Texas, arriving in Tarrant county on the 6th of November, 1872, but after a year there he returned to Tennessee, although he came again to Texas in December of 1877, this time locating in Parker county, a mile and a half south of Springtown. After ten years he sold his farm there and moved to the farm he had purchased in the meantime, a valu- able tract of sixty acres adjoining the village, where he has ever since made his home, and he also owns one hundred and ninety acres about one mile from Springtown. From 1884 until 1888 he was engaged in the grocery business in that village, and then for two years he conducted a hardware and implement store at Weatherford, selling that business then to his son, M. B. Hutcheson, and returning to the farm, and with the exception of this short period of commercial life agriculture has been his life's occupation. In August of 1863, Mr. Hutcheson enlisted in Company G, Third Tennessee Cavalry, Federal army, and he continued as a Civil war soldier for nearly three years, or until mustered out of service. He has served six years as commander of Burnside Post, No. 56, G. A. R., of Springtown.
On the 23d of October, 1860, he was married to Harriet A. Runyan, who was born in Hamilton county, Tennessee, November 25, 1841, a daughter of William and Malinda (Murray) Runyan, both also born in that state. Of the ten children born of that marriage, two died in in- fancy, and those living are: Marcellus B., born August 11, 1861 ; Caswell E., born March 14, 1863: Elizabeth, born August 11, 1865, and now the wife of Dr. S. J. Hill: Charles W., born April 11, 1867; Franklin L., born November 18, 1868: Adolphus L., September 17, 1870; James L., born March 13, 1872; and Lura Belle, borne December 1I, 1876, and now the wife of Dr. Walter Wood, of Springtown. Mrs. Hutcheson died
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on the 20th of November, 1891, and on the 5th of January, 1896, Mr. Hutcheson married Mary J. (Crysup) Peterson, who was born in Cass county, Texas, July 26, 1854, a daughter of William and Jane (Haas) Crysup. The father was born in Kentucky, but came in an early day to Texas, and the mother was born in Tennessee. Their three children are : George W., of Jacksonville, Texas; Mrs. Hutcheson, and Henry J., who died in infancy. Mr. Crysup died in 1856, and his widow afterward married W. H. Carlton, and their five children are: Mrs. Margaret Mc- Connell, living in Wise county, Texas; W. H. Carlton, of Hobart, Okla- homa; Dr. E. Carlton, of Ringgold, this state; Mrs. Augusta Davis, of Oklahoma ; and Mrs. Amanda Croslin, of Bonner, Fannin county, Texas.
Mr. Hutcheson was made a Master Mason in Limestone Lodge at Georgetown, Tennessee, in 1869, and he is now a member of Eureka Lodge No. 371, A. F. & A. M., and of Springtown Lodge No. 75, R. A. M. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church at Springtown.
JAMES L. HUTCHESON was born in James county, Tennessee, March 13, 1872, a son of James C. and Harriet A. (Runyan) Hutcheson, but although born in Tennessee he was reared in Parker county, Texas, for he was only six years old when the family home was established here. In 1892 he left the farm and entered upon his successful mercantile career, clerking in a store in Springtown until 1903, and in partnership with J. B. Hill and J. F. Graham he opened a dry goods and gentlemen's furnishing store, and the firm of Hill, Hutcheson and Graham has ever since continued in business with uninterrupted success.
On the 18th of December, 1892, Mr. Hutcheson was married to Miss Rhoda King, born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, June 16, 1875, a daughter of William H. and Mary (Fox) King, the father born in Alton, Illinois, December 18, 1840, and the mother was born in Parker county, Texas, but both are now deceased, the father dying on the 2d of February, 1908. Two of their children are living, Mrs. Hutcheson and Mrs. Ina Mann, the latter living in Paradise, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Hutcheson have four children : Lloyd E., born November 27, 1893; Lois 1 .. born October 24, 1895; Ina Belle, born March 1I, 1898; and Blanch A., born September 30, 1900. Mr. Hutcheson is a member of Spring- town Lodge, No. 291, A. F. & A. M., and of the Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he votes with the Democratic party.
WILLIAM WILSON is regarded as one of the real builders of Spring- town, for he has been foremost in promoting its chief institutions, in- cluding its schools and churches, and he is active in all movements per- taining to its upbuilding and advancement. He was born in England on the 14th of March, 1844, a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Goddin) Wilson, both of whom were born in Lincolnshire of that country. In 1856 the family embarked on the then long and perilous voyage to America, but in the Mediterranean sea their vessel, a sailing craft, was shipwrecked
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HISTORY OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN TEXAS.
and the wife and mother was lost. The father, with his five sons and two daughters, finally arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, where his parents had located in 1850, and subsequently Benjamin Wilson moved with his family to Morgan county, Illinois. He bought a farm there, and he died at Murrayville of that state.
William Wilson worked on his father's farm in Illinois until in 1876 he came to Springtown in Parker county, Texas, and for two years after- ward rented the farm of Joshua Culwell. In 1878 he bought the Jona- than Culwell farm of eighty acres, but sold it in 1882 and bought eighty acres three miles north of Springtown, which he later sold and in 1884 bought thirty acres in the village of Springtown. He platted that tract and sold it as Wilson's Addition to Springtown. After that had been accomplished he bought the Selvedge farm of one hundred and sixty acres a mile north of Springtown, but in 1908 he sold that tract and bought his present home in Springtown.
Mr. Wilson, on the 25th of January, 1866, was married to Miss Nancy J. Steely, who was born in Missouri in 1848, a daughter of John and Margaret (Miller) Steely, who subsequently moved to Missouri and spent the remainder of their lives there. Nine children have blessed the marriage union of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, namely: John, living in Okla- homa; Sallie, who married first John Culwell, and after his death James S. Roach, and she is living in Oklahoma; Norman is also living in Okla- homa; Essie married Thomas Boren, of Springtown; Theodore is living in Oklahoma ; B. Frank was killed in a railroad accident at Durant, Okla- homa, leaving a daughter, Reva, who is living with her paternal grand- parents in Springtown; and three others are deceased. Mr. Wilson has fraternal relations with Eureka Lodge, No. 371, A. F. & A. M., with Springtown Chapter, No. 75, and with Springtown Council, No. 47. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church at Springtown.
ANDREW J. CUNNINGHAM .- Prominent among the business men and citizens of Springtown is numbered Andrew J. Cunningham, a mem- ber of the drug firm of Selvidge and Cunningham and one of the city's former mayors. He was born in Marion county, Tennessee, August 20, 1844, a son of Pleasant H. and Jennie (McMurray) Cunningham, both of whom were also born in that commonwealth. In their family were the following five children: Fannie, who married W. P. Peters, of Alabama ; Andrew J., of Springtown ; Mary, who married J. W. Martin, of Poole- ville, this state; Rachel, who married Marshall Scott, and at her death left a daughter, who is now living in Springtown; and Melvina, who died when young. The parents are also deceased, the father dying in Alabama and the mother in Springtown, Texas.
Andrew J. Cunningham spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Alabama, and later he was engaged in the mercantile business at Waterloo. After coming to Parker county, Texas, in 1878 he bought a farm three miles northwest of Springtown, and leaving there in 1881 he bought a building in that village and engaged in the saloon business.
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HISTORY OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN TEXAS.
But after three years he sold his interest in that vocation and in 1890 bought an interest in the dry goods business of Kidd and Company, and then after seven years he disposed of that interest and in 1900 became a member of the firm of Selvidge and Cunningham, which bought the drug stock of J. B. Wadsworth and which is still in business. Mr. Cunning- ham built the stone block in which the drug store is located in 1903, and in 1893 he built his pleasant and attractive home.
On October 10, 1891, he was married to Miss Sallie M. Akard, a native daughter of Texas. Her father, Donathan Akard, came with his family to Texas many years ago, and both he and his wife are deceased. A son, Don H., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham on the 10th of August, 1892. Mr. Cunningham is quite prominently associated with the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with Eureka Lodge, No. 371, with Springtown Chapter, No. 75, and with Springtown Council, No. 47. He also has membership relations with the Knights of Honor at Weather- ford and with the Knights and Ladies of Honor at Springtown, and he is identified politically with the Democratic party. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church in their home town.
JOHNSON COUNTY
Johnson county was created by act of the legislature, February 13, 1854, the first election of county officers being held in the following April. Five commissioners were appointed to select three sites for the county seat, and the site chosen by the voters was to bear the name Wardville. However, the site finally selected for county seat was given the name of Buchanan, probably in honor of the then president of the nation. Bu- chanan was seven miles northwest of Cleburne, and as a town it has long since been extinct. Alvarado was founded about the same time, and the two were the only towns in the county in 1857. One of the first settlers of the county was Charles E. Barnard, who kept an Indian trading post. Settlement was rapid during the '50s, although the county was still on the frontier. In 1858 the population was estimated at 2.304. There was a comparatively small number of slaves, only 257. In the entire county only about 8,500 acres were in cultivation, over half of that being in corn. At that time Johnson county included the territory since taken to form Hood and Somervell counties.
The total population in 1870, after the county had been reduced to its present form, was 4.923. During the next ten years population in- creased several fold, being 17,911 (574 negroes) in 1880. In 1890 it was 22,313; in 1900, 33,819 (1,147 'negroes).
Property, according to assessed valuations, has increased in like pro- portions. In 1870 the assessed values were $1,888,955; in 1882, $4,875,- 128; in 1903, $9,096,310 ; and in 1909, $25.584.440.
Following the detachment of the western half of the county to form Hood county, the county seat was moved from Buchanan to the new town
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of Cleburne. In 1870 the postoffice centers of the county were Cleburne, Alvarado and Caddo Grove.
The county was without railroad facilities until the '8os. The Fort Worth-Temple division of the G. C. & S. F. was completed in December, 1881; the M. K. & T. was built at the same time, and in 1882 was opened the Cleburne-Dallas branch of the Santa Fe (originally the Chicago, Texas & Mexican). A few years later the branch of the Santa Fe from Cleburne to Weatherford was built. Since the first railroads were built the county developed rapidly, the last of the big pastures disappeared several years ago, and this is now one of the chief agricultural and stock farming counties of Central Texas.
A number of towns have grown up in the last twenty-five years. The larger centers, with population in 1890 and 1900 respectively, are : Cleburne, 3,278, 7,493; Alvarado, 1,543, 1,342; Grandview, 257, 713; Burleson, 249, 368; Joshua, 285, 482; Keene (in 1900), 500; Venus (in 1900), 475 ; Godley (in 1900), 289; Rio Vista (in 1900), 274.
Cleburne is a modern, progressive city, with water works, a street railway now building, and other public improvements, and a number of commercial and manufacturing enterprises. Its largest single resource is in the Santa Fe railroad shops, with an annual payroll of about a million dollars.
HOOD COUNTY
Hood county, named for General J. B. Hood, was created November 2, 1866. Up to that time its territory was part of Johnson county. In 1875 the south part of the county was taken to form Somervell county. The act creating Hood county directed that the county seat, when se- lected, should be called Granbury.
Settlement began here in the '50s, but Indian hostilities prevented rapid development until after 1870. Besides Granbury, one of the early centers of settlement was at Thorp's Spring. Here, in 1873, J. A. Clark and sons, Addison and Randolph, started the private school which was soon afterward chartered as Add-Ran College, and in 1895 it was moved to Waco and is now Texas Christian University. Acton was also a small post village in 1870.
The total population of the county in 1870, before the creation of Somervell, was 2,585. In 1880 the population was 6,125 (198 negroes) ; in 1890, 7,614 ; in 1900, 9,146 (241 negroes) ; and in 1910, 10,008.
In 1887 the Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railroad was completed from Fort Worth to Granbury, which remained the terminus until 1889. Since the advent of the railroad Granbury has become a prosperous town, and the surrounding country has been developed to modern agricultural con- ditions.
The assessed wealth of the county in 1870 was $423,194; in 1882, $1,367,956; in 1903, $2,277,494; and in 1909, $5,222,070.
In 1890 Granbury had a population of 1,164; in 1900, 1,410. Thorp Spring in 1900 had 485 inhabitants. After the removal of Add-Ran Col-
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lege, an institute was maintained at Thorp Spring known as Jarvis In- stitute, in honor of one of the principal founders of Texas Christian Uni- versity. Cresson, at the junction of the F. W. & R. G. and the Santa Fe, had a population of 279 in1 1900. Other towns, with population in 1900, are: Tolar, 171; Acton, 112; Lipan, 286.
JOHN J. HINER, attorney at law, Granbury, Texas, was born in Johnson county, this state, December 25, 1869, son of Rev. James and Martha (Abney) Hiner, the former a native of Kentucky, the latter of Weakley county, Tennessee. They came to Texas in early life and were married in Johnson county, November 4, 1859.
When a young man, the Rev. Hiner studied law and was admitted to the bar in Johnson county. When the Civil war broke out he was ap- pointed recruiting agent at Camp Henderson, where he recruited and drilled several companies. He was not eligible for active duty himself on account of an accident which left him lame. After the war he moved from old Buchanan, in Johnson county, to Cleburne, where in 1866 he served by appointment, and later by election, as county judge, which office he held until his removal in 1871 to Acton. He was elected county judge of Hood county in November, 1878, and in 1880 was elected county clerk. In 1882 he was re-elected to the clerk's office, and was just enter- ing upon his second term, in January, 1883, when his death occurred. Soon after the war he was ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and remained in the ministry until his health failed, when he was placed on the superannuated list. Previous to his marriage to Martha Abney he had married a Miss Williams, who bore him two chil- dren : Joseph H., of Farwell, Texas, and Mrs. M. E. Wohlford, of Hood county, Texas. The children of the second marriage are all residents of Texas, and are as follows: Thomas H., of Granbury; Mrs. S. A. Merrill, of Somervell county ; Mrs. H. A. Randle, of Snyder ; Lee Forest, of Acton, Hood county; John J., of Granbury; Fannie D. Maloney, of Granbury; Mrs. Eppie Bradley, of Dublin; Marvin Neil, of Granbury, and Mrs. Claudie Hensell, of Granbury. The mother also is a resident of Granbury.
John J. Hiner received his education in Granbury College and studied law in the office of Major Thomas T. Ewell. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1891, before Judge C. K. Bell, and immediately thereafter opened an office and entered upon the practice of his profession in Gran- bury. In 1904 he was elected Democratic presidential elector from the twelfth congressional district, this honor coming to him unsought, and he has never held or been a candidate for any other office.
On June 17, 1894. Mr. Hiner married Miss Etta Beatty, who was born in Missouri, January 16, 1874, a daughter of John and Elvira (Crites) Beatty, both of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Hiner have one daughter, Mildred Elizabeth, born November 8, 1895.
The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, of Granbury, and Mr. Hiner is a Knight of Pythias.
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HISTORY OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN TEXAS.
WILLIAM L. DEAN, of the firm of Hiner & Dean, attorneys at law, Granbury, Texas, has been a resident of this place for ten years, and dur- ing that time has been prominently identified with its affairs.
Mr. Dean was born at Van Zandt, Texas, October 10, 1871, a son of John E. and Adaline M. (Wages) Dean, and grandson of Asbury M. Dean. His grandfather Dean came to Texas when a young man and settled in Van Zandt county, where were born his six children, namely : John E., of Portalis, New Mexico; Mrs. Samuel Mayfield, of Van Zandt county ; Calloway, deceased; Mrs. Nettie Coffman, of Kaufman county, Texas ; James R., of Kaufman county ; and Asbury M., of Van Zandt county, Texas. The only child of John E. and Adaline M. (Wages) Dean is William L. The parents separated, and each has since married and reared a family. By his second wife, Sarah, nee McClearen, John E. Dean has seven children: John P., Robert L., George, Egbert, Edgar, Connie and Clifford. Previous to her marriage with Mr. Dean, Adaline Wages was the wife of John Moore, by whom she had one daughter, Sarah T., who married Martin A. Groom and now lives in Hood county, Texas; and for her third husband she married N. Y. Groom of Van Zandt county, the children of this union being Jerome; Mrs. Minnie Lyle, who died, leaving one daughter, Minnie Lyle; Delia, Frank, Mrs. Lilia Baccus and Harvey.
William L. Dean remained with his mother until he was eight years of age, when he went to live with his uncle, John H. Wages, of Van Zandt county, with whom he remained until he was fourteen. At that early age he started out to make his own way in the world, and began by working on a farm. After doing farm work for a number of years he accepted a position as clerk in the drug store of L. E. Griffith, at Terrell, Texas, where he remained one year. At the end of that time, in 1891, he opened a drug store at Alamo, Texas, which he conducted one year.
In September, 1892, Mr. Dean married Miss LaVada Heath, who was born in Panola county, Texas, in 1877, daughter of Augustus and Paulina (Robburts) Heath, both natives of Texas, and both deceased. Mrs. Dean was their only child. To Mr. and Mrs. Dean have been given seven children, of whom the first two, Norman and Horace, are deceased ; the others are Truman, Clarence C., Willina, Nettie Fay and Grace.
After their marriage both Mr. Dean and his wife, feeling the need of a better education than they had, spent a year attending school, and Mr. Dean then taught school one year in Kaufman county. After this he took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar in Kaufman county. That was in 1898. In 1900 he came to Granbury, Hood county. Here he practiced his profession until June of the following year, when he was appointed county attorney of Somervell county, Texas, being appointed to fill the unexpired term of J. E. Pierce. In the spring of 1903 he returned to Granbury, Hood county, and opened a law office. In November of the following year he was elected county attorney of Hood county, without opposition, nor did he have any opposition two years later when he was re-elected. In 1908 he was again elected to the
HISTORY OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN TEXAS.
same office, over two opponents. In September, 1908, he formed a part- nership with John J. Hiner, under the firm name of Hiner & Dean.
HARRISON L. NEELY, city assessor and collector, Granbury, Texas, was born in Warrick county, Indiana, July 22, 1843, and on the paternal side is descended from staunch New England ancestry. His grandfather, Joseph Neely, and his father, Greenleaf Neely, were both natives of New England, the latter born in Montpelier, Vermont, in April, 1812. Mr. Neely's mother was a Tennesseean. He was the fifth born in a family of seven children, namely: Mrs. Samuel Overall; Rev. Matthew H., a Methodist minister ; Mrs. D. Merchant ; Randolph R., deceased ; Harrison L .; Reuben M., deceased ; and Mrs. George Smith, deceased.
In 1849 the Neelys moved from Indiana to Texas and established their home on a farm in Hopkins county, where the father was engaged in farming and stock raising the rest of his life. He died on November 26, 1875. All of the sons allied themselves with the southern cause and served in the Confederate army during the war, and Randolph died in the army, in Mississippi. Harrison L. enlisted in June, 1861, in Company D, Eleventh Texas Cavalry, and later was in Company G, Eleventh Texas Infantry, Randall's Brigade, Walker's Division, the fortunes of which he shared until the close of hostilities, when he was discharged and returned home.
On September 14, 1864, Harrison L. Neely married Miss Algeronina L. Maxwell, who was born in Weakley county, Tennessee, January 24, 1844, daughter of Calvin and Amanda (Fleming) Maxwell, natives of Tennessee. Her grandfather, Doctor Maxwell, was one of the pioneer settlers of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Neely have had ten children, seven of whom are living, as follows: Randolph, born June 20, 1865, died December 15. 1887; Lucy, born March 18, 1866, became the wife of Samuel Goodson, and died July 24, 1885, leaving one son, Wylie Good- son ; Monroe, born February 22, 1866, married Miss Bessie Mullins ; Olivia, born March 8, 1870, married E. L. Cooper of Hugo, Oklahoma ; Mary, born April 27, 1872, is the widow of James Dyer of Lyndale, Smith county, Texas; Greenleaf S., born December 29, 1875, married Miss Sue Dyer, and lives at Amarillo, Texas; Mattie Lora, born August 7, 1879, married William W. Hudson of Hyko, Texas; Freddie, born August 29, 1881, died February 8, 1882; Lawrence L., born March 12, 1885, is a resident of Amarillo, Texas ; and Rosalee, born April 16, 1887, married James Howard of Granbury.
Mr. Neely was engaged in farming in Hopkins county until 1891, when he moved to Granbury and opened a market, which he conducted until 1897. That year he was elected city assessor and collector, which office he has since filled.
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