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 33
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 33
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
" Profoundly impressed that we, the loyal sons and daughters of the South, united by strong and faithful ties of love and honor for onr brave ex-Confederate fathers, and believ- ing they were not traitors and rebels but true, patriotic men who believed they were
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fighting for truth and noble principles, for their country and for their rights, should and do set forth our declaration of intentions. Wo therefore resolve:
"1. To honor and defend the true and noble patriotism of the ex-Confederate sol- diers and the justice of the eause for which they enlisted and which they so gallantly defended.
" 2. To labor for and support the needy and disabled ex-Confederate soldiers and save them from the wants of this life.
"3. To protect and support the needy widows and orphans of the ex. Confederate soldiers, and endeavor to procure for them happiness in their fatherless homes.
"4. To inculcate in our children ever to love and honor our ex-Confederate fathers and the justice of the lost eause, but at the same time to love, honor and labor to protect the grand and powerful union of the United States."
But on account, it is said, of the expensive- ness of the institution it could not get under full headway. It is always a pity that chari- table contributions cannot be devoted wholly to their objeet without loss from friction of handling.
KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
Early in May, 1885, Mrs. Lney Sinith, wife of J. C. Smith, living just west of the depot in Ilillsboro, was killed by lightning. She was beginning to recover from a severe spell of sickness.
PIONEERS GOING !
As an example of the increasing rapidity with which the pioneers of Ilill county are
fading from its domain, we clip the following item from a recent number (December, 1891) of a newspaper:
Within the past three weeks the grip has taken from earth to that other world no less than seven of the few remaining pioneer Texas men and women remaining in ITill county. These good old people who had withstood the many hardships and trials of life for the greater part of a century and who, it would seem, were capable of battling sueeess- fully with every conceivable species of mis- fortune, were foreed at last to yield to this dread destroyer.
Mrs. Mahala Parker died at her home in Whitney on the 19th, aged eighty-four years.
The death of Mrs. J. P. Townsend is just announced from Union Bluff, at the age of sixty.
Mr. W. K. MeLendon of the same neigh- borhood has just crossed the dark river, at sixty-five.
Mrs. Julina Reaves had passed the four- score mark when the death angel came.
Mrs. Thompson died recently at the home of her son-in-law, Mayor M. D. Knox of this city, in her seventy-first year.
The death of Colonel D. D. Sanderson is reported from Whitney, at a ripe age.
It is learned here to-day that Rev. J. C. Rogers of the Methodist church 'ied on the 16th at his home, near Covington, in his seventy-fourth year. This Christian gentle- man was born in Lawrence county, Tennes- see, January 26, 1818. Twenty years later he removed to Perry county, Alabama. At
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the outbreak of hostilities with Mexico he went to the front and it was while at Vera Cruz with the American army that he preached his first sermon, which was to his commade in arms. Tres that time to the
HILLSBORO.
The location of the county seat at Hills- boro, upon land donated by Thomas M. Stei- ner, has already been noticed, in part. Fol. lowing is a copy of Steiner's deed to the county :
State of Texas, {
County of Hill. S Know all men by these presents, that I, Thomas M. Steiner, of the county of Ilill and State of Texas, for and in consideration of the county seat being located upon the following described traet of land, to wit: A 320-aere survey made for me by vir- tue of certificate No. 82, issued on the 16th day of April, 1850, by the commissioner of Mereer's colony, the receipt whereof is here- by acknowledged, have this day granted, made over and conveyed, and do by these presents grant, transfer, make over, couvey and confirm unto the county of Hill in said State, for the sole use, benefit and behalf of said county of Hill, all the following picee or parcel of land situated and described as fol- lows, to wit: Beginning at the sonthwest corner of the aforesaid 320-acre survey, thence north sixty degrees east twenty-two and a fourth rods, to a stake in prairie; thence north thirty degrees west, 1553 rods, to a stake in prairie, whence an elin ten inches bears north thirty-three degrees west, twelve and a half rods; thenee south sixty degrees west, 226} rods, to a stake on the branch, whenee a cottonwood ten inches bears north twelve links; thenee south thirty degrees east, 1552 rods, to the place of beginning,-con-
taining 220 acres taken off the survey afore. said made for Thomas M. Steiner, assignee of Israel D. Houston, by virtue of certificate No. 82, issued by the commissioner of Mer. ver's colony on the 16th day of April, 1850, transferred to me, the said Thomas M. Stei- Her. on the 1st day of September, 1553,-to day of his death he was over prominent in have and to hold the aforesaid 220 acres of religions circles. holding many positions of trus: in church affairs.
land, together with all and singular the rights, title and claim of interest and appurtenances thereunto belonging or any wise incident or pertaining to the said Hill county, forever.
And I, the said Thomas M. Steiner, do hereby bind myself, my heirs and assigns, to warrant and forever defend the right and title in and to said land unto the said county of Hill, against myself, my heirs and legal representatives, and against the lawful claim or elaims of all persons whosoever claiming to claim the same or any part of the same.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, using scrawl for seal, this second day of March, A. D. 1855.
THOMAS M. STEINER.
The above deed was acknowledged before C. N. Brooks, then county clerk.
This Steiner was living here at the time of making the above deed, but had no family here. He had a family in Ohio, who never came to Ililleboro. He died in Nicaragua, as before noticed, in 1855.
Hillsboro was named probably from the county, or in honor of the same man, and not with reference to the " mountains " at the east of it. It was named in an ago before the Postoffice Departinent at Washington re- quired that no postotliee thereafter should be given a name ending with either the syllable " burg," " borough " or " ville." But, singu- larly enough, the same department persists in pelling every " burg" in the United States with a final h (thus: burgh), whether it is the
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AND HILL COUNTIES.
correct thing or not ! and Hillsboro with ugh! Ugh !
A survey of the town of Hillsboro was re- ceived by the county court November 1. 1853. The terms of the sale of lots were, one-half payable in one year and the other half in two years. The following certificate describes the first survey :
"I certify that I surveyed the donation for the county site of Hill county on the 23d day of January, 1854, viz .: Commencing on the southeast corner of James Price's pre- emption, now owned by Thomas M. Steiner, running north sixty degrees east twenty-two and one-fourth rods to a stake in prairie; thence north, thirty degrees west, one-hun- dred and fifty five and three-fourths rods to a stake in prairie," ete .; as in the deed, closing with the sentence, " By order of the county court of Ilill county.
"ARVIN WRIGHT."
Ilere follows an account of sales of a por- tion of the lots, ranging in price from $20 to $60. It seems from the foregoing dates that the first survey, after having been received, was set aside, at least in part, and a re-survey ordered.
PROGRESS OF THE TOWN.
At the date of the foregoing deed there was no building on the ground. Thompson Frazier erected the first building, probably a frame, at least in part, one story, on the cor- ner where the Sturgis National Bank now is, - lot 8, block 5, -- and was kept as a hotel. Subsequent additions were made to the building, and after a number of years it was removed to give place to another building.
The next building was a frame, erected probably for the same purpose. The next.
was a law office erected by Joseph P. Wear, on the east side of the square. In 1853 a schoolhouse was built, 14x16 feet in area, of elm poles, but with no floor excepting the earth, and its cost was $40. It was located on lot V, out-lot Z, northeast of the public square. The patrons of the school paid one- third and the county two-thirds of the ex- penses of maintenance. In 1855 a frame building was erected on the publie square. These buildings were ceiled with lumber costing at least $5.50 per hundred feet. The schoolhouse served until about 1860, when it was removed to make place for a brick struct- ure, which cost about $9,000, on the center of the square, and the old frame building was used as a storage room during the war.
Nelms & Cyrus were among the first mer- chants in Hillsboro for several years. J. & James Goodwin were the first in the grocery business, and afterward they engaged in gen- eral merchandise. W. L. Booth & Son (C. T.) were also engaged in general mercan- tile business. All these were before and at the commencement of the war; and during that national struggle scarcely any business was done in Hillsboro.
Joseph Ilardin (or Horton) and afterward Tom Bell kept a hotel on the north side of the public square.
The Mirror of June 5, 1886, thus describes the first five years of Ilillsboro's growth after the advent of the railroad in 1881.
"Through the kindness of Mr. Frank R. Bird, of the firm of Bird & Bragg, contraet- ors and brickmakers, the Mirror is able to place before its readers facts and figures in
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regard to the progress of Hillsboro which have not heretofore been published. To those who were in Hillsboro when the rail- road came in February, 1881, its growth is familiar; but to our numrerons readers who have come here since that date the facts which wo lay before them may seem like an Aladdin-lamp tale.
"The growth of Hillsboro has not been of a mushroom nature, but of the substantial, get-up-and - get, clear-the-track - for-we-are- coming kind, and in that way she has man- aged to get there, with both feet. She has moved along at a rapid stride, twenty feet at a jump, leaving in the shade all competitors, and is to-day the peer of any country town in the State, as the following facts and figures will show.
"It has now been five years and three months since Hillsboro was connected by rail with the outside world, and in that time she has furnished to the world a shining ex- ample of the wonderful and substantial growth of Texas towns. When the railroad came the entire business of Hillsboro con- sisted of the dry goods house of George F. & W. W. Sturgis and C. A. J. Warren, the grocery house of 11. P. Harrington & Bro., L. J. Sturgis, and Perrill & Fox (who also kept a stock of dry goods), several saloons and one or two blacksmith shops. Aside from the courthouse and jail there were but two brick buildings in the town, namely, one store-house where Lewine Bros. now hold forth, and a small brick law office owned by Captain Upshaw; and to-day there is not a brick house standing that was here in Feb-
ruary, 1881, the Sturgis single store-room having been swept away by the fire-fiend.
"The brick-building boom was inaugurated in the fall of 1881, by the erection of the John D. Warren block, corner of Elm street and the square, containing 450,000 brick. In 1882 J. R. Thompson and J. R. Wheatly fol- lowed the good example set by Mr. Warren and built four one-story stores on West Elm street: number of brick, 190,000; J. R. Thompson, one-story store on same street, 70,000 briek; Hawkins & Lary, one two- story store, on same street, ninety feet long, 175,000; Mr. Stroud, one-story store, ninety feet long, corner of Elm and Covington streets, 100,000; on the south side of the square Captain Upshaw built one two-story honse, containing 175,000 briek; George and Will Sturgis and Cox & Bell, each a one- story store-house on Waco street, 100,000 brick. This closed the work of 1882, over 1,000,000 briek having been placed in busi- ness houses the second year after the advent of the railroad.
"In 1883 work commenced on Judge Abbott's building, corner of Elm street and the square, it being two stories high, 90 x 30, and measuring 225,000 brick. Then came the Harrington Bros.' and Dr. Ernst's build- ings, 80,000 briek each; then the Ewell hotel, ereeted by Lowery, Eastland & Ivey, having about 250,000 brick. The Masonie block followed, the lower story of which was erected by L. A. Scott and V. II. Ivey, and the upper story by the Masons, the whole containing 175,000 brick. Warren's block of four stories, measuring over 300,000 brick, was
then built. The opera house, containing 450,000, the lower story built by V. Il. Me- Donald, Il. W. Carter and J. R. Patty, and the upper story by a stock company, was next erected. The elegant brick residence of J. D. Warren, perhaps the finest in the city, containing 350,000 brick, closed the year 1883-over 1,900,000 brick being necessary to keep pace with Hillsboro's progress for that year.
"In the spring of 1884 John D. Warren's first block was burnt down and work com- menced with the rebuilding of that block, measuring 450,000 brick. Dr. T. B. Bond followed with a store-house containing 70,- 000 brick; and then Mr. Warren built a house adjoining Bond, with 120,000 brick. R. D. Morrell's and J. C. Morris' store build- ings were repaired, taking 62,000 brick. Jackson & Treadwell then creeted two one- story buildings on the east side of the square, taking 70,000 brick. This year's work elosed with the erection of the llill County National Bank building, as handsome a piece of architecture as can be found in any town ,
which measures 196,000 brick.
" There was less building in 1885 than in any previous year since 1881, but the work ran up into the hundreds of thousands, com- mencing with the buildings of M. D. Knox & Tarlton and Jordan & Tarlton, containing 170,000 brick, the Perrill & Fox store build- ing, measuring 160,000 brick, and the jail, which required 125,000.
Scott's cotton store-house, 270.000; Stroud & Yerby's two-story brick, 90,000; Thompson & Blakey's wareroom, 80,000. Besides these buiklings several others are in contemplation, and will no doubt swell the list of 1886 to 1,500,000 brick.
"To furnish and put these brick in the walls cost 812 a thousand, or an aggregate of abont $60,000; and when it is stated that the brick work is only abont one-half the cost of building, a very correct idea can be formed of the total cost of the brick buildings erected in Hillsboro for the past five years, to say nothing of the hundreds of frame dwellings that have gone up.
"All the above work, except the L. J. Sturgis and II. M. Rodman buildings, was done by the firm of Bird & Bragg, of which Mr. Bird is the architect and builder and Mr. Bragg the briekmaker."
In 1886 Hillsboro had nine dry.goods stores, eleven groceries, three drug stores, two stores for the sale of horticultural and agricultural implements, live saloons, two book and stationery stores, three confectionery stores, four furniture stores, four livery stables. three wagon-yards, five hotels, two restaurants, three millinory stores, two saddle and harness stores, two grain-dealers, one tin and stove store, three photograph galleries, one gunsmith shop, three shoe shops, two meat markets, one feed store, two printing oflices, three blacksmith shops, one planing mill, three gins, one mill, two barber shops, about thirteen lawyers, eight or nine doctors, three dentists, two insurance agencies, two
"The year 1886 opens with contracts closed aggregating over 1,000,000 brick; City Hall and publie-school building, 350,000; Files & land offices with abstracts of title, and other
18
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
business men, artisans, etc., in proportion.
June 2, 1887, the Reflector stated that when the editor first commeneed publishing a paper here in 1881 the town had 1,500 in- 1 ... Vitants and eight saloons and four groceries where liquor was sold, and only one church building; and that then, the day of writing, the population was double, with only three saloons and two groceries where liquor was sold. and five new church building's.
Now, in 1892, let us take a glance around the publie square, commencing at the south- west corner and going east:
Ilill County National Bank.
J. E. Martin, harness.
" Racket " store, groceries and notions.
Hooper, Anderson & Co.
Bond's drug store.
Upshaw & Jordan, lawyers and land agents.
J. J. Stoker, law, loan agency and notary public.
Barber shop.
Thornton & Piper's saloon and restaurant.
C. J. George, grocer; south, W. L. Booth, lawyer.
Clifford Moorman, lawyer; and Bennett & Lovell, cotton agents.
Smith, Morrison & Co., faney groceries, confectioneries, etc.
M. Lewis, saloon.
L. Brin, dry goods and clothing.
I. Goldman, dry goods.
Sturgis National Bank; up stairs, T. H. Dixon, lawyer; A. L. Lowrey, fire insurance; and T. P. Whipple, law er.
East side, going north:
Quickeustedt Bros., " Board of Trade" saloon; M. Keller, proprietor.
Rose & Tarlton, insurance, land, loan and collecting agents.
C. N. Bangs, farm and city loans.
J. M. Johnson, lawyer. Rosenbaum Bros., day goods, ete. Opera saloon.
Reflector office, Seruggs' business college, and city treasurer's office.
E. D. Rogers, " Spot Cash " grocery.
Eagle Drug Store, in which are seven physicians: see list further on.
T. S. Johnson, dentist.
W. A. Findley & Co., grocers.
Ilearn, Moore & Co., dry goods.
Going west:
" Mississippi Store," W. II. Ellington & Co., dry goods.
W. II. Bragg, dry goods.
B. K. Brockinton, dry goods.
S. E. Carter & Co., hardware and agricult- ural implements.
Central House, by Mrs. Billings.
Going south:
W. Il. MeDonald, feed store.
Mrs. G. A. Paschal, faney goods, millinery and notions.
Paris & Hamilton, grocers.
K. E. Bauch, saddle and harness.
O. Holland & Co., grocers.
Reavis & Young, loans and insurance.
Smith, Tomlinson & Co., erockery, hard- ware, agricultural implements.
Farmers' National Bank; up stairs, Spell's and Wear's law offices.
AND HILL COUNTIES.
Going south from the southwest corner of the publie square:
E. M. Turner & Co., wagons, agricultural implements, etc.
Near the southeast corner of the square: Christopher's news depot.
W. W. Phillips, music store.
A. B. Taliaferro, musical conservatory.
" Royal Palace " saloon.
I. M. Givens, " City Drug Store."
II. F. Attaway, postmaster. Grocery. Porter & Crumley, livery. Commercial Ilotel.
Going east from the southeast corner of the square:
'Two restaurants and two barber shops.
D. T. Iluffhines, dry goods and clothing. S. L. Mayers, sewing-machines. Gibson & Ballard, grocers.
Mirror office. Lingo & Hall, grocers.
A. E. Graham & Co., dry goods.
R. T. Dennis & Bro., furniture. From the northeast corner of the square: Meat market.
Bakery. Ersley, photographer. Booth Ilouse. Ilillsboro Hotel. Reid Bros., marble works. Northwest corner: County jail. Pierce, wagon yard. HIatcher & Harpold, carpenters. Tennessee House. Feed and grist mill.
Going west from the square and about the depots:
Ilawkins Hardware Co.
Strond Bros., grocers and warehousemen. J. L. Braswell, furniture store. Lumpkin, saddle and harness.
Thompson, Lang & Co., crockery and hard- ware.
P. Mittenthal, groceries and liquors. Pate & Green, grocers.
Turk Bros., dry goods and groceries. Carney, livery.
Gibmin, blacksmith.
Sweeney, blacksmith and wood shop.
Grain store, meat market, etc. Ilillsboro cotton press.
Files, Taylor & Files, cotton press, not running.
Hillsboro Bottling Works,
Gould Hotel.
A. II. Files & Co.'s new improved gin and corn mill, run by J. S. Manly, a member of the firm.
M. T. Jones Lumber Co., Inmber.
Kirk & Patterson, coal.
Pritchett & Floraneo, blacksmith and wagon shop.
Joseph Effland, mattress factory.
Hillsboro Roller Mill. This is owned by the Ilillsboro Roller Mill Co., of which Mr. Ed. Rodgers is president, and J. R. Thompson secretary and treasurer and man- ager. J. W. McClure is the head miller. The final, successful organization of this company was preceded by several protracted attempts which proved abortive. The ca- pacity of the mills is 125 barrels of flour and
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
twenty-five barrels of corn meal per day. The leading brands are Red Seal, Blue Seal and Royal Patent.
BANKS.
The Sturgis National Bank, of Hillsboro, Hill county, had its origin in the private banking house of Abbott & Sturgis, which was established in 1875, the proprietors be- ing Jo Abbott and George F. Sturgis. Busi- ness was begun in August, 1875. It was conducted under this arrangement till 1877, when Sturgis bought out Abbott's interest and ran the banking business in connection with the dry-goods trade, assistod by his brother, W. W. Sturgis, till 1882, when the entire business was burnt out. It was re- vived immediately and conducted until 1885, when George F. Sturgis was compelled to retire on account of ill health, W. W. Sturgis taking control and conducting the business till 1887. That year George F. Sturgis died and on October 1, within a few days of the time of his death, the bank nationalized with a capital of 860,000, W. W. Sturgis becom- ing president, C. N. Brooks vice-president and J. N. Porter cashier, the directors being W. W. Sturgis, C. N. Brooks, J. N. Porter, John S. Schofield and B. K. Brockinton. In 1890 Mr. Brooks died and his place as vice- president was taken by Dr. Schofield, and in July, 1891, Mr. Porter was succeeded as cashier by C. A. Sullenberger; L. L. Works, assistant cashier.
The present board consists of W. W. Stur. gis, Dr. John S. Sehofield, J. N. Porter' George L. Porter, J. C. Robinson and
Thomas B. Bond, most of them farmers. These gentlemen all live in the county and all the stock is owned by citizens of the county, these numbering only nino. The capital is still $60,000.
During the first year of its existence the bank netted twenty five per cent. on its in- vestment, the second year it netted twenty- seven and a half per cent. and during the third year twenty-nine and a half per cent. The balance has not been struck yet for the fourth year. There has been passed to the sur- plus fund $25,000, and 825,500, has been paid in dividends. On October 1, 1891, the bank had cash on hands and in other banks to the amount of 867,862, and individual deposits amounting to $76,890. Undivided profits, $10,000. The bank owns the building which it occupies, a neat and substantial two-story structure, brick, situated on the southeast corner of the square and convenient to the business portion of the city. This building was erceted in 1888, and is valued, together with the lot on which it stands, at $12,819. The fixtures are valued at $2,535. The bank is furnished with a vault 8 x 12 feet, Hall's combination door and time lock and burglar-proof safe.
Y George F. Sturgis, deceased, was the pioneer banker of Hillsboro, and it was in his honor that the Sturgis National Bank of Hillsboro was named. Ile was born in the town of Berlin, Worcester county, Mary- land, March 26, 1848, and was a son of James W. L. and Martha A. (Pernell) Stur- gis. Ilis father was born in the same county and State, in 1808, and there received au
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academic education; he resided there until 1854, when he removed to Crittenden county, Arkansas, and there engaged in farming quite extensively. In 1858 he disposed of his land and went to Memphis, Tennessee, where he embarked in the retail grocery business; two years later he was burned out, and after this catastrophe he came to Texas and settled in Milford; at the end of twelve months he came to Hill county, where agri- culture again claimed his attention; he de- voted his energies to this occupation until 1568, when he retired to Hillsboro. ITis death occurred here in 1881. In 1829 he was united in marriage to Charlotte Selby, and four children were born of the union, one of whom is now living. In 1840 he wedded Martha A. Pernell, and the result of this union was five children, three of whom are living.
George F. Sturgis received his education in the public and select schools of Waco, and his business career was begun in that city. lle acted as salesman for his brother at Waco for one year, and then went into the bank of Flint & Chamberlain, where he continued un- til 1875. In that year he came to Hillsboro, where he opened a private bank in partner- ship with Judge Jo Abbott; he also formed a partnership with his brother for the purpose of engaging in mercantile pursuits. The banking firm remained the same until 1877 when Mr. Sturgis bought out Judge Abbott, and operated the banking business in connec- tion with his other interests, assisted by his brother, W. W. Sturgis. In 1882 the entire business was burned ont, but was immedi- 'John D. Warren, F. M. Files, R. P. Edring-
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