USA > Texas > Johnson County > A memorial and biographical history of Johnson and Hill counties, Texas : containing the early history of this important section of the great state of Texas together with glimpses of its future prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens of the present time, and full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of this section > Part 21
USA > Texas > Hill County > A memorial and biographical history of Johnson and Hill counties, Texas : containing the early history of this important section of the great state of Texas together with glimpses of its future prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens of the present time, and full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of this section > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
For an account of the strata gone through in the digging of these wells, see page 55.
The city of Cleburne has never been lighted by gas, although a gas factory was partially constructed about 1887; but it is now beautifully lighted by electricity. A stock company, having its headquarters in Fort Worth, established a plant here in 1888, at an expense of $15,000 to $20,000. The establishment joins the water-works already
described. Max Elser of Fort Worth is vice- president and general manager, while for the eity of Cleburne N. F. Higgins is secretary and local manager. The Thompson-Houston incandescent system of electric lighting was first put in, but a better system was finally adopted. The dynamo is capable of supplying 500 sixteen-candle-power lamps. At present the eity uses thirty twenty-five-candle-power lamps.
The Cleburne cemetery, a mile east of town, was started on a donation of five acres by Jeremiah Easterwood in 1876, and soon afterward by a donation of ten acres by B. J. Chambers; the cemetery company in 1880, purchased twenty aeres more of Mr. Chain- bers. The cemetery is laid off in four-foot lots, and these are arranged in blocks, with the wagon-ways forty feet wide. The present Cleburne Cemetery Association was chartered in 1890.
ALVARADO.
" Alvarado, fair to night, Bathed in streams of silver light! Stars and moon from ont the sky Guard her with a loving eye.
"Queen of cities in the West,- Not the largest, but the best,- In my heart, in clouds of gold, I your memory will infold."
(The above appropriate lines were composed by a young lady of Alvarado whose name was not pub- lished.)
Alvarado is in latitude 323° north, and longitude 22° west of Washington. Its alti- tude above sea level is 900 to 1,000 feet.
The earliest settler at this point was Will- iam Balch, in 1851. Almost immediately upon locating here, he, in company with
174
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
G. 11. Sigler, began the nuelens of a town on his land, laying off the plat in half-acre lots. These were bid off at public sale at about $10 each.
The citizens were asked by the proprietors to agree upon a name for the new town. Mr. Baleh himself suggested Pittsburg, and Mr. A. II. Onstott, then sheriff, suggested Alvarado, after a town of that name in old Mexico, favorably spoken of in Prescott's llistory of that country. Ile had been in the Mexican war and participated in a fight at that place. The vote of the settlers resulted in favor of Mr. Onstott's selection.
Others settling there and in the vicinity about that time were F. L. Kirtley, Daniel Payne, T. Jeff. Payne, John Gilmore, Mr. Bromley, Jonathan Burke, Granville Shan- non, Robert Tandy, S. D. Bright, etc. Bright is said to have been the pioneer merchant of the place. Very soon after his venture the Payne brothers established themselves there also in a general mercantile business.
William P. Griffin located in the neighbor- hood of Alvarado in 1854, and L. B. Blair and son, Thomas W., came in 1856.
On account of the surrounding country being appropriated mostly by stockmen in- stead of agriculturists, the town did not grow as rapidly for a number of years as at first expected.
At this point it may be well to relate a number of seattering reminiscences, pub- lished by William Jack in the Bulletin of January 16 and 30, 1891:
" December 17, 1862, I drove into Alvara- do. There were with me two other families,
W. M. Wilhite and Samuel Miller; there were thirty-three of us altogether. Of that unmber there are still living twenty-eight. This is a testimonial to the general health- fulness of the country.
" In crossing Cedar hill in Dallas county we could see no signs of civilization, and thought we had gone too far, but found a few settlers on Mountain creek. On reach- ing Alvarado we found a few families of women and children and some old men, the young men all being in the army. We do not suppose there were over 300 men in Johnson county. There was only one Ma- sonic lodge west of Waxahachie, and that was at Grand View. Our meetings were at- tended by parties from Hillsboro, Acton and Rock ereek, in Tarrant county.
" We were kindly received by the people here, but there were no supplies in the coun try for our teams or ourselves, except beef, which was abundant and as fine as I ever saw, and at fair prices. Corn and wheat were very seareo. We were told that we could not make a living here by farming, and that there was corn for sale some seventy-five miles down the Trinity river, near Wildcat bluff. Miller and Wilhite had horse teams, and went there for corn. I turned out my cattle to shift for themselves, and went to making rails for corn, and then went to making looms and wheels for soldiers' fami- lies, and by economy and perseverance suc- eeeded in securing a suffieieney of such as the country afforded, which was beef, bread and barley coffee. Sinec that time I have seen more corn and wheat in Johnson county
175
AND HILL COUNTIES.
than I ever saw in any county, and as fine hogs als were ever raised in Kentucky or Tennessee. "Of the few families and some of the old men in and around Alvarado when I first came here, most have died or moved away. The deceased are William Baleh, George Sig- ler, Granville Shannon, Colonel Sam Myers, Joel Iliggins, Blackburn Blair, Lewis Rich- urdson, Joel Combes and Simpson lead. These are still living here: Major N. F. Sparks, Moses Barnes, Thomas Richardson, Judge J. G. Woodson and John G. Mitchell; and the changes in the country are equal to the changes in population, which is more than ten to one. There was but one respect- uble residence in the county, to my knowl- edge, and that was Meredith Hart's house, on the Mustang, and only two church buildings, one at Grand View and one at Alvarado; and they were used by all denominations for pub- lic services and also for schoolhouses. There were several sorry leg-cabin schoolhouses and brush arbors where people met to worship. Now there are respectable frame school- houses in every neighborhood in the county, and the church buildings I am not able to number. In the county there are probably twenty-three or twenty-four Baptist churches and others in like proportion, all very re- spectable church edifices, and many of them are magnificent.
"At that time one could go alnost in a straight line to any place, but now we are confined to the public highways, the country being almost entirely enclosed either as farms or as pastures. No cotton was grown here in those days."
In 1876 there were three or four dozen families residing at Alvarado. There were eight dry-goods stores, two groceries, two drug stores, two blacksmith shops, a saloon or two, and occasionally a saddle and harness shop; but the great institution of the place was the Masonic school. In 1879 business houses bounded the publie square, besides others in the vicinity. The population grew to 100 in 1876, and 350 in 1879.
About 1870 the outlaws, Biekerstaff and Thompson, met their violent death (see page 111) here at Alvarado, and the lynching had a good effect. Such a proceeding has been common elsewhere, in almost every com- imunity. The most extensive of the kind that has ever taken place in America was in San Francisco, California, in 1856, when several thousand citizens systematically and closely organized themselves into a "vigi- lance committee" and ran the city, as it were, by military power until they had hung a few murderers and scared away nearly all other criminals, thus purifying the place far more thoroughly and quickly than the courts would have done.
While speaking of criminal matters we may here add the item that James Collins, a horse-thief, fleeing from Fannin county, was caught near Alvarado in May, 1875, and shot and killed by the officers in his attempt to escape. The officers, Cope and Lewis, were obliged to shoot or be shot, as the fugitive reached down into his saddle-bags after a pistol in order to fire upon them. He was a desperate fellow.
176
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
Coming down to the prosperity of more phone office, established in 1952, of which may dore thanks. We may ci serve that the es- Miss Jessie MeEtree has been manager since forts at _Alvarado during the year ending 1s>3. August 31, 1552, were 4.000 bales of cotton, J. R. Trulove, dry goods and clothing. Colston. Kelsey & Co .. confectioneries. Boand, & Moore, furniture and coffins. Wells, Fargo & Co. and Pacific Express office ?. 10,000 pounds of wool and three car-loads of article- were: dry good., clothing. Late and cafe, and millinery, $150,000; groceries, con- fections, bagging and ties, $100.000; liquors, J. L. Poff & Co., notions. beer and tobaccos, $94,000; ice, $1,400; wood- Roberts Bros., second-hand furniture. work, lumber, etc., 850,000; drugs, paint, II. A. Austin, photograph gallery. oils, ete., $35,000; hardware, agricultural implements, wagons, etc., $75,000.
Alvarado is in the center of one of the best farming distriets in Texas,
To show the advance that Alvarado has made, we wish now to take a glance around the public square, commencing at the north- cast corner and going west:
First National Bank, chartered March 10, 1857. Seo further on.
M. L. Pankey, manager of the Alvarado branch of the lumber business of O. T. Lyon & Son, of Sherman, Texas, since 1881: carry $20,000 in stock; yards centrally located be- tween old and new towns.
Major II. R. Jones, grocer since 1883.
C. A. Gardiner, dry goods.
J. C. Smyth, hardware, tinware, stoves, etc.
W. A. Prestridge & Co., drugs and books. A. F. Sonntag, dentist.
J. P. Fielder, drugs.
Trulove & Trulove, watches and jewelry.
W. Mayfield, grocer. In the second story, the Bulletin office, an account of which is given further on; G. C. Fahm, insurance agent; Andrew King, lawyer; central tele-
C. Il. Park, hardware, stoves and tinware. I. A. Patton, lawyer.
Turning south on west side:
Norman & Brickey, drugs and books.
J. P'. Reynolds, dry goods and groceries.
A. D. Deam, saddle and harness.
R. J. Rork, confectionery.
R. S. Holmes, grocer.
J. W. Stark, jewelry, watches, clocks, etc. Oakes & Harrison, fire insurance.
R. T. Duncan, grocer.
W. G. Belden, dry goods.
Mrs. M. K. Evans, millinery and dress- making.
J. C. Weaver & Son, drugs. W. M. St. John, dentist.
Turning east:
G. W. Cotter, postmaster.
Porter Bros., grocers.
E. A. Shultz, livery.
Wright & Son, a large blacksmith shop. Turning north:
Charles Simmons, livery.
R. P. Sansom, feed store and wagon yard. Powell Bros., blacksmith and wood shop. East of the square, two hotels, - the
177
AND HILL COUNTIES.
Sparks House and the Commercial Ilotel.
The First National Bank was organized in 1550, by Ben Barnes and C. II. Park. In 1581 Barnes was succeeded by L. B. Trulove. Sce sketch of L. B. Trulove a little further on. The present officers are: M. Sansom, presi- dent; Ben Barnes, vice-president; and J. R. Posey, cashier. Present surplus, 88,000.
The Alvarado Bank, in connection with a dry-goods store near the northeast corner of the public square, was also started about 150, by G. W. Cotter, Moses Barnes and C. H. Park. .
Two lines of railroad eross at Alvarado,- the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas (the latter, the in- itials of which are M., K. & T., often abbre- viated to the fancy name of " Katy"). A short sketch of all the railroads in the county is given on pages 122 to 124, but we may add here a miscellaneous item of interest, oc- eurring near Alvarado, illustrating one of the difficulties of railroad-building not often thought of. In 1881 a special commission was appointed by the county judge to adjust the differences between certain citizens in the neighborhood of Alvarado and what was then called the Missouri Pacific Railroad Com- pany. The witnesses for each party gave testimony according to the parties summon- ing them, one elass that the damages were considerable, and the other that they were none at all! This was as to the right of way over about six acres of Mr. Baker's land and the lands of Head & Wilburn. It was really amusing to see the vast difference of opinion. Compromises were finally effected.
Daily trains commeneed running on the Missouri Pacific (now Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe) at Alvarado August 8, 1881. There are now about 200 railroad men belonging to the " Katy " system employed at Alvarado, whose total monthly salary is about $13,000.
The Alvarado Bulletin is a transfer from Cleburne of the Bulletin that was started there Angust 4, 1880. About eight months after its establishment it was removed to Al- varado, the first issue here being April 15, 1881. G. C. Fahin was editor for nine years. The latter, early in 1889, sold out to F. B. Baillio, an intellectual and social gentleman, but bought it back early in the present year (1892). Mr. Baillio's first issue was dated January 4, 1889. Mr. Fahm is a very polite, modest and accommodating gentleman, and well understands how to keep up a live and progressive paper, in keeping with the de- mands of the times. The Bulletin has ever been one of the most potent instrumentali- ties in the advancement of Alvarado. The paper is a nine columu folio, all "home print."
GROVER C. FARM, one of the early news- paper men of his section, was born in South Carolina, in 1846, a son of George W. Fahm, a rice planter of South Carolina. The latter subsequently moved to Georgia, where he was engaged in the mercantile business. The paternal grandfather of our subject, John J. Fahm, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was Major of the regiment in which he served. The mother of our subject, Sarah L. (Coc) Fahm, was a native of Newark, New Jersey, and a daughter of Dr. Grover Coe, a
178
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
native of England. G. W. Fahm was a prosperous planter and merchant at the breaking out of the late war, but after the liring at Fort Sumter he joined the Twenty- sixth Georgia Infantry a- a private, and was postava for gatta Omar, and partici pated in a number of battles in Louisiana and Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Fahm had thirteen children, only six of whom lived to bo grown, viz .: Frances, widow of E. Sum- merall, of Georgia; George E., engaged in railroading in Georgia; Rosa, wife of Alfred Green; Eliza, widow of G. MeMitchell; Gro- ver, our subject; Benjamin A., of Georgia. The father died in 1876, and the mother in 1888.
Grover C. Fahm received his education in Georgia, and at the age of fifteen years he entered Company K, Twenty-sixth Georgia Infantry, but was transferred to the Twenty- second Battalion of Georgia, and attached to General Joseph E. Johnston's army. lle participated in the memorable battles of Chickamauga, Oulusta, in the siege of Sa- vannah, was at James' Island during the siege and surrender of Charleston, Branch- ville and Dingle's Mills, where he lost his right. leg, and was also shot through the arm. He was in the hands of the enemy a few hours, and this occurred April 9, 1865, the day of General Lee's surrender. After ten months Mr. Fahin had recovered entliciently as to be able to go on crutches, and he attended school for some time, and then engaged in the newspaper business, having worked as a journeyman some time. In 1876 he came to Texas, loeating in the southwestern part,
where he remained untit 1880, and in that year he bought a one-half interest in a paper in Cleburne. In the spring of 1881 he came to this city and established the Alvarado Bulletin, which Le conducted successfully until less, and then coll to F. B. Baillio; but in February, 1592, he bought back the paper. This paper has enjoyed from the start a very large patronage, and under the able management of Mr. Fahin it is a power. The paper is and has been a welcome visitor to many firesides in this and adjoining coun- ties, being Democratic in its principles. Mr. Fahın is also engaged in fire insurance. In 1888 he was elected Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of I. O. O. F., and the duties of this office were such that he could not at- tend to both his editorial work and fill his position at the same time, and accordingly, in 1889, he sold the paper, as before stated. He is also a member of the order of Knights of Pythias, Alvarado Lodge, No. 128.
Mr. Fahin was married in 1868, to Miss E. E. Frazer, a native of Georgia, and a daughter of George R. Frazer, a native of South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Fahm have had seven children, namely: Lou, deceased; John F., of Alvarado; Grover W., Benjamin C. and Laura A., at home. The parents are members of the Methodist Church.
A good index to the intelligent character of a people is the amount of post-office busi- ness transacted among thein. The post- office money-order business of Alvarado averages about 826,000 a year. During the year 1891 the postmaster here issued $17,910.43 in
179
AND HILL COUNTIES.
money orders, and paid $8,405.44. The gross receipts for stamps, etc., were $2,523.60.
The citizens of Alvarado intend soon to have an artesian well.
The city is growing, being filled with the best class of people. In 1880 the population was 350; in 1882, 1,500; and according to the census of 1890 it had 1,543, which number, however, falls far short of the actual mumber in the city and its suburbs; there are, in fact, about 2,000 inhabitants in the place.
The assessed valuation of property within the corporate limits in 1850 was 8125,000, and in 1890 over $600,000. In 1889 the value of ovari suo mercantile transactions of the town amounted to the following: dry- goods, $270,000; groceries, 8250,000; hard- ware, $150,000; agricultural implements, $300,000; furniture 820,000 (considerably more now); and produce 85,000. During the same year there were bought and sold by the merchants of the place, 8,500 bales of cotton, 2,800 pounds of wool, 300 tons of cotton-seed, 300,000 bushels of corn, 75,000 bushels of wheat, 1,000 head of live-stock, and miscellaneous products to the amount of $200,000). These estimates serve to illus- trate tho fact that the country around Alva- rado is one of the richest and most productive on this globe, and that the town presents the most inviting field for the most unlimited investments.
The lawyers practicing in Alvarado are I. A. Patton, Andrew King and W. Il. Skelton. The physicians are: John Duke, -- Simonds, O. S. Carlow, J. A. Russell, B. G. Prestridge,
C. A. Shultz, C. P. Hudson, II. C. Purdom, D. N. Shropshire and J. C. Weaver. The last mentioned, however, has virtually retired from practice. He is the oldest living busi- ness man in Alvarado, the second oldest being J. W. Stark, and the third II. R. Jones.
In times past A. II. Yeager and Paul C. Hudson were lawyers here; IIndson edited the Bulletin for a time and finally died, in Alvarado. Some of the most prominent phy- sicians of the past were Drs. C. Atehley, - Smith, -- Fiekler and L. B. Allen, all of whom are now dead. Allen was killed December 31, 1885. W. M. St. John and A. F. Sonntag are the dentists.
Dr. J. W. Bowers is practicing at Venus, C. E. Russell, at Philpot League, II. W. Cul- pepper and D. N. Shropshire, at Barnesville.
In the autumn of 1878 the Alvarado Mu- tual Protection Association was organized, whose object was the " maintenance and en- foreement of all laws constitutionally enacted until repealed or shall be declared null and void by competent judicial authority."
The Alvarado Board of Trade was organ- ized May 23, 1890. The following paper, with the signatures. was distributed: " We, the undersigned, business men of Alvarado, feeling the necessity of organizing a progres- sive committee or board of trade to further the interests and business onterprises of our city, hereby agree to go into said organiza- tion, for the purpose of doing all in our power to build up and promote said enter- prises and watch all opportunities to improve our city." Sigued by F. B. Baillio, G. C. Fahm, and about tifty others.
180
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
and organized a branch of the . Merchanta' Mercantile Ageney of Chicago, Illinois, " for porta against dishonest men. J. C. Singth was elected president; W. R. Bounds, vice-president; M. L. Pankey, secretary; F. B. Baillio, treasurer; executive board-M. V. Bain, J. W. Garrett, R. S. Holmes, J. P. Reynolds, J. II. Costolo, G. W. Cotter and J. C. Golding. Eleven firms signed the agreement. The parent organization is an association incorporated under the laws of Illinois, to transact business anywhere in the United States.
March 21. 1591. the business men of Al- | himself closely to study, and is now recog- varado mat at the office of Bounds & More, med as one of the best posted men in his county. He began life for himself as a farmer at the age of nineteen years, and one Fear later engage l in the mercantile business, and also in trading in stock, etc. At the breaking out of the late war he was worth about $60,000, but at its elose had only about one-fifth of that, and he engaged in farm- ing, with free negro labor. In 1870 he came from Alabama to this State with wagons, requiring six weeks to make the trip, and landed in Dallas county, June 10, 1870. A few months later Mr. Trulove bought part of his present farm, 600 acres, paying from $3 to 84 per aere, and he now has over 2,000 aeres under a fine state of enltivation. Ile has a handsome residence, and all the neces- sary ontbuildings to be found on a well regulated farm; he also owns an interest in two ginning plants. In 1883 he engaged in the banking business, under the firm name of Cotter, Trulove & Co., and does a general banking business.
LEMUEL B. TRULOVE, president of the bank of Cotter, Trulove & Co., and one of the most prominent farmers of Johnson county, was born in Alabama, in 1823, a son of William and Malinda (Bird) Trulove, natives of South Carolina and Tennessee respectively. The parents removed to Alabama in an early day, while the Indians were still in that section, and where the father was engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Trulove reared a family of three boys and four girls, namely: Lemuel B., our subject; Margaret, wife of Reuben Vanghan, of Palo Pinto county; Elizabeth, widow of J. O. Robinson, and a resident of this county; Calledonia, wife of C. M. Bess, of Johnson county; J. R., also of Johnson county; Victoria, deceased, was the wife of W. R. Bounds; and John, who died in the Confederate army in the late war.
Lemuel Trulove received a limited educa- tion, attending school only seven months, but since arriving at man's estate has applied
Mr. Trulove was married in 1852, in Ala- bama, to Miss Anna B. Spears, a daughter of John and Edith (Atkins) Spears, natives of North Carolina, and early settlers of Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Trulove have had eight children, -Alice, who died in this conuty at the age of nineteen years; Janniata, deceased; K. S., of Johnson county; L. B., Otis, Halley, Alice and one deceased in infancy. Mr. Trulove is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and of Al- varado Lodge, No. 132, R. A. M., and Mrs. Trulove belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
LB Trucove
181
AND HILL COUNTIES.
ALVARADO CORPORATION.
Alvarado was first incorporated by an act of the legislature in 1878, and as a city June 1, 1885. At the first election for municipal ofli- cers J. II. Wright was chosen mayor and James St. John, marshal. Under the auspices of the corporation, a fine two-story frame city hall building graces the middle of the public square; and recently the city has issned bonds to the extent of $8,000 for street improve- ments and sewers,-although these are scareely needed on such a clean, dry hill as that upon which the city is situated.
Prof. I. A. Patton has recently compiled and published with great eare a neat pamphlet of 103 large octavo pages, entitled, "Revised Ordinances of the City of Alvarado, and Rules of Order of the City Council." The code of laws of this eity is not inferior to any in the State.
The present city officers are: J. A. Russell, mayor; J. W. Stark, secretary; W. O. Poff, marshal: 1. A. Patton, eity attorney; alder- men from the first ward, A. D. Oakes and J. B. Poindexter; second ward, T. W. Harrison, mayor pro tem. and G. G. Golding; third ward, W. F. Moore and G. C. Fahm.
SCHOOLS
In respect to education in Alvarado, by far the most conspicuous figure is the old Masonic Institute, on "College Hill" west of town, -the hill being named after the insti- tute.
After the community had years ago suf- fered seriously for a long time from the dis- advantages of repeated failure to secure a
permanent school, many of the citizens con- cinded that the Freemasons, being an or- ganization of considerable strength at this place, and representing ahnost all phases of publie opinion on all the questions of the day, religious and political, were the most emin- ently qualified to unite the discordant ele- ments of a community in the interest of edu- cation; and with this view the trustees of the Masonic Institute were solicited to take charge of the school here. A mass meeting of the citizens was accordingly held, which resolved to place the school interests of Al- varado under their control, and pledged them- selves to give them their united support, no Mason voting. A resolution was signed also by a large number of citizens who were not Masons.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.