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 34
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 34
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ately revived and conducted by Mr. Sturgis until 1885, when he was compelled to retire on account of ill health. The following year he took a trip to California with the hope that "Our Italy" might give him strength and health again. Ile also made a visit to New Orleans for the purpose of receiving medical treatment, but this too, was in vain, and death brought him relief June 16, in the year 1887.
Mr. Sturgis was wholly absorbed in busi- ness pursuits, and gave little attention to politieal matters. The only position of a publie character which he was induced to hold was that of Treasurer of Hillsboro. Ile led a very active life, and accumulated a considerable fortune, not forgetting, however, the duty he owed to his fellow-men. Ile was possessed of excellent business qualifica- tions, and was regarded as one of the ablest financiers of the Stato.
Ile was united in marriage to Miss Julia 1 .. Vineyard, a daughter of E. N. Vineyard of Louisana, who came to Hill county in 1873. This event occurred Noxember 6, 1878, and three children wore born to them, two of whom are living: Florence M. and George F.
The Farmers' National Bank of IIills- boro was organized in March, 1887, and opened for business September 5 following, with a capital of $50,000, and with the following officers: John D. Warren, presi- dont; A. II. Files, vice-president; R. P. Ed- rington, eashier; the board of directors being
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
ton, J. O. Files, J. M. Keen, C. M. Dunham and V. Il. Ivey.
Junnary 14, 1590, the bank reorganized, with the following board of directors: John D. Warren, V. Il. Ivey, F. M. Files, J. M. Duncan, Ed Rogers and Tam Brooks. Ed- rington resigned as cashier and J. M. Dunean was appointed in his stead. The present board are: John D. Warren, J. M. Duncan (cashier), J. J. Warren (assistant eashier), Ed Rogers (president), T. S. Smith, Tam Brooks, E. B. Stroud (vice president) and R. P'. Hodge.
The Bank's correspondents are: the Na- tional Bank of New York, Continental National Bank of St. Louis, National Ex- change Bank of Dallas, State National Bank of Fort Worth and the Galveston National Bank.
The loans will average about $100,000. Dividends declared up to 1891 amount to $25,226; total net profit, $35,573. The bank valued at $12,000.
owns the building and ground it occupies, | heaviest in the interior of the State.
The Hill County National Bank is situated in a neat building at the southwest corner of the public square. Capital, $50,000; surplus, $50,000. J. II. Bemis, president; W. B. Ward, vice-president; and C. E. Phillips, cashier.
OTHER BUSINESS.
The "Shippers' Compress and Cotton Company," in the summer of 1890, erected that magnificent press north of the depot, at a cost of $60,000, between the switches of both railroads. The platform is 330 feet long
and 184 feet wide, and is capable of holding 6,000 or 7,000 bales of cotton. The shed under which the machinery is located is ninety feet wide and 155 feet long, with a storage capacity of about 4,000 bales; so that the company can care for about 10,000 bales at once.
The press is a Taylor hydraulie 2,000-ton press,-unquestionably the best made, supe- rior even to the celebrated Morse. There are three large steam boilers, twenty-four feet long, and one steam drum of equal length, which furnishes the power to the press. The press is valued at 840,000. It can easily turn out 800 bales of cotton a day of ten hours. It was sold to the company with the guaranty of compressing eotton to a density of twenty- two and a half pounds to the eubie foot; and it will put as many bales into a common thirty-four foot ear as any press in Texas, namely, sixty bales; while the average Morse is fifty bales. The Hillsboro press is the
The water is supplied from a well 165 feet deep, in which the water stands at times within twelve feet of the top. The reservoir holds 15,000 gallons, so arranged that by means of a hose any part of the building can be drenched on short notice, giving ample protection against fire.
The weekly pay-roll of the employes, dur- ing the season of marketing, is $500 a week.
Of the company J. R. Bennett is president; II. C. Denny, vice-president; B. K. Broekin- ton, treasurer; and J. L. Watson, secretary and superintendent, in 1890.
The Hillsboro Board of Trade has been
AND HILL COUNTIES
more active and efficient in the encourage- ment of the material interests of the city and vicinity than any similar organization we have ever known. Nearly all the leading business men of the place belong to it. George 1. Jordan is president.
In every community there are some ob- structionists to whom the following rhymes are appropriate:
Here's tothe kicker, The faint hearted kicker, The kicker so helpless and blue, Who is always decrying And never is trying
Some good for his own town to do.
No use to correct; Nor need to expect
Him to go to the front like a mau; For while others hustle He'll sit down and rustle
Objections to raise to each plan.
But when the brute dies We'll pause with dry eyes,
On his future condition to dwell; And we'll envy the devil Who'll not have to be civil When he roasts this rank kicker in hell.
HILLSBORO POSTOFFICE.
A good index not only to the intelligent character of a community, but also to its material interests and prosperity, is the num- ber of postoffices in it, and the extent of their business. Postmaster II. F. Attaway has just completed a statement of the busi- ness transacted at his office for Uncle Sam during last year, and it shows the following interesting facts:
Stamps roll, $4,384.32; special request
envelopes sold. $386.50; second class matter 5,270 pounds, $52.76; box rents collected, $459.59; auditor's circular, 86.25; total re- ceipts, $5,289.72 Expenses of office, inclutd- ing allowances, clerk hire, fuel and lights, $1,947.46; remitted United States treasury, $3,312.26; total disbursements, 85,289.72. The 1891 receipts are in excess of 1890 re- ceipts, 8514.64.
Money order department-On hand De- cember 31, 1890, 8206.01; 2,917 domestic orders issued, 829,933.47; 1,322 postal notes issued, $1,974.52; fees on above issues, $291.81; fees on duplicate postal notes, 9 cents; total receipts, 832,405.85. Disburse- ments-1,503 orders paid, 817,589.21; 586 postal notes paid, 8934.98; 34 money orders repaid, 8298.06; postmaster's commissions, 8209.47; deposited postoffice at Waco, 813,- 257; auditor's circular, $1.85; balance on hand December 31, 1891, 885.28; total, 832,405.85.
The Immigration Association of Hill county was organized in Hillsboro February 6, 1888, for the encouragement of immigration. J. R. Thompson was elected president, J. W. Golledge secretary and E. B. Stroud treasurer; and vice presidents were elected for the vari- ous parts of the county, to act as ex-officio chairmen of their respective communities, to raise subscriptions for a fund for adve. ising the county. Much useful information was elicited and published; but the association is not active at the present.
IMPROVEMENT IN VALUES.
The best evidence of the steady and ma-
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
terial growth of Hillsboro within recent years is shown by the city tax rolls for the past few years. The Reflector is indebted to Assessor Connevey for the following statement show- ing the taxable values of the city for each of the past five years, as shown by the tax rolls. 1534 $ 610,784
1,55.
685,170
1556.
780,000
980,810
1,159,710
1559
1,162,890
1890
about 2,000,000
This shows a steady improvement of val- nes during every year, making a total increase of 8552.105 within the entire six years. The rendition really amounts to but little more (if that much) than half the real value, yet such a showing is the highest evidence of the stability of Hillsboro's prosperity and the profitable character of the investments in property here.
A good business house will command from 825 to $75 per month for the ground floor, the price being governed in some measure by the location. Residences rent at from $6 to $20 per month, which is a reasonably low rate of rent in proportion to the general val- uation of property. But at the present writing there is not a vacant house in the city.
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
Hillsboro has a very neat little public library and reading-room, up stairs in the northeast corner of the courthouse. Its es- 'gently arranged and furnished.
tablishment is due mainly to the efforts of J. G. H. Buck, Dr. N. B. Kennedy and O. D. Cheatham. In the month of May, 1591, these gentlemen originated a subscription list, with shares at $5 each, and obtained eighty-five names and a donation of 200 vol. umes: soon they had 100 volumes more, The library was first set up in the furniture building occupied by the Board of Trade over T. B. Bond's drug-store, but afterward re- moved to the courthouse, where it now con- tains about 600 volumes, besides many pam- phlets, magazines, newspapers, etc., and where the very accommodating and polite librarian, Mrs. C. W. Reiley, presides. The library is kept open every day in the week from ten A. M. to ten r. M., and on Sumlays from two to six p. M. The condition of membership is the payment of $5 at first and 25 cents a month thereafter, for current ex- penses. Prof. J. G. H. Buck is president of 1 the association.
This most useful institution ought to be far more patronized than it is, especially see- ing that the expenses are so light. The i librarian is paid only 820 a month, and be- sides that the only expense is fuel and the small fund for the purchase of additional books and periodicals.
Prof. A. B. Taliaferro's Musical Consery- atory was established in September, 1991, in the second story of a building south of the Sturgis National Bank. The professor teaches orchestral mnsie, piano, pipe organ, vocal music, elvention and dramatic action. The parlors and recital hall are magnifi
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AND HILL COUNTIES.
Prof. Taliaferro is a graduate of two con- servatories of music, -Boston and Cincinnati; was two years in Italy, the land of sunshine and song, in the Royal Academy, nudergoing drill in general oratorio work; was in Cinein- nati three years as a teacher; taught music in Dallas nine years; also at Fort Smith, Arkan- tad, a year; Brownsville, Texas, one year, and is therefore well and favorably known throughout these southwestern States.
B. F. Scruggs, a modest and enterprising young gentleman, and a native of this county, is at the head of a business college in the Re- Nestor building, which he organized in De- cember, 1891, and is therefore yet only the nucleus of a larger institution. There are already twenty pupils in attendance. He is a graduate in the system of short-hand called " Tachygraphy, " invented by D. P. Lindsley, and in which there are many smart verbatim reporters in the United States. The pro- fessor is also a graduate of Baylor University, and of the business course of R. B. Hill's Commercial College, -- both at Waco.
Of the Ladies' Cemetery Association of Hillsboro, Mrs. A. P. MeKinnon is president, Mrs. J. N. Porter vice president, Mrs. J. J. Stoker secretary and Mrs. Sarah Booth treas- urer. Sixty ladies and eighty-five gentlemen are members of the association. For the cemetery a sexton is employed, at 823 a month, to fill the graves and keep them free of weeds, etc. In aid of the above work $10 is paid monthly by the city. Financially the association is in good condition. There are now 750 graves in the cemetery, and meas-
nies are now in progress for the establislimme .. i of a new burying-ground.
POPULATION.
According to the census of 1890, Ifills- boro had then a population of 2,541, and, Hill county 27,583; but the city at present really has, within itself and suburbs, abont 3,500.
NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper published in Hill county was just prior to the war, and during its continuance. J. R. Grover, a short time previous to the war, began the issue of the Hillsboro Express. This paper was kept up for a while after the effects of the war had rendered the procuring of white paper impos- sible, the weekly issue being printed on brown paper; and for a few years after the war there was scarcely any newspaper published in the county.
Tho Prairie Blade was another paper started before the war, and condneted until some time during that struggle, in the north- west part of town.
After the Elepress had ceased, W. L. Bond and C. Dalton, in 1871, established the Ex- positor, issning their own edition on the north side of the square, near where the Cen- tral Honse now stands. This was in the days of reconstruction, and they continued in the business but a short time. The paper after- ward passed into the hands of L. J. Sturgis, and then into the possession of C. S. Shook. Sturgis was a gentleman of considerable cult-
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
ure and of independent and original views and made the paper what its name indicated, -the exponent of his opinions on all sub- jects germane to its design.
But amid all these years the population of the county was comparatively small, and their reading not so indispensable as in these railroad times; benee these early ventures were not financially successful.
The Hillsboro Mirror was established by J. W. Golledge, who united the Prairie Bee (of Whitney) and the Expositor and formed the Mirror. The next year it was destroyed by fire, throwing the proprietor $2,000 in debt; but he survived and plodded along, having a large circulation, until January 1, 1856, when he sold to C. S. Shook, of Aquilla. The latter, however, sold to M. F. Beaumont, previously of the Corsieana Obserrer, and in 1558 the present proprietors, Thompson & Cheatham, purchased it. These gentlemen have added materially to the establishment. Since they bought this paper, they, in part- nership with W. C. Gower, editor of the Blooming Grove Rustler, purchased the Cor- sicana Observer, and Mr. Thompson soon afterward removed to Corsicana to edit the latter paper.
Messrs. Thompson and Cheatham, before coming to Hillsboro, had been connected with the Albany (Texas) News. Mr. Thompson was born in Missouri, was a school-teacher, and came to Texas probably about 1883, lo- cating at Albany. Is married. Mr. Cheat- ham was born in Carlisle, Kentucky, his father being a prominent citizen there. Ile lett Kentucky when quite young, locating at
Albany in 1885. Ile sold his interest in the paper there to Mr. Thompson and went to Califorma, where he remained two years, and on his return to Texas the two gentlemen purchased the Mirror, as stated. Ile is un- married. Connected with the Mirror ottice are the polite and accommodating gentlemen, Messrs. E. A. Sturgis, D. W. Campbell and T. G. Mellvaine.
The Mirror has paid special attention to local interests and educational matters, giving full details of all educational news, proceed- ings of teachers' institutes, etc., besides essays and other contributions to school literature and pedagogical science. For a novelty, it had in its issue of January 1, 1890, a New- year's card with greetings, from nearly all the business men of the city. During 1891 it stirred up a pleasant ripple of excitement in offering a scholarship in the Hillsboro high school to the young lady in Hillsboro who should receive the highest number of votes, and also to the young lady in Hill and surrounding counties, and not a resident of Hillsboro, who should receive the largest vote. The votes were given by simply filling the blank printed in the Mirror for that pur- pose and sending them to the Mirror oflice. The contest was closed at noon, Angust 26, 1891. resulting in 1,752 votes for Mi. 3 Lillie Bunger, of Hillsboro,-a plurality of twenty- seven, and 1,738 for Miss Eva Williamson, of Woodbury; but the liberality of the Mir- or led it also to grant two more scholarships on this contest, to the next highest on the respectivo lists, namety, Misses Fannie Var- nell and Lizzie Harrington. The oxcite -
291
AND HILL COUNTIES.
ment became more intense to the last minute.
In 1884 J. W. HFill started the Hill County Visitor. `Into the management and owner- ship of this he brought J. G. HI. Buck as partner and editor. This paper was charac- terized by thorough independence in its edi- torial department and the purity of every- thing admitted to its cohunns. Esponsing the canse of prohibition when prohibition was weak, it became a sacritiee to its princi- ples and ceased after nearly three years of battle for them. Meanwhile IFill had retired and Buek had become proprietor of the paper. It had eight pages, with six twenty-four-inch columns to the page, four pages of which was ready print.
In 1883 the Hillsboro News was in exist- ence, conducted by J. HI. Harrison, a vigor- ons and witty writer.
Atter closing his bargain with M. F. Beau- ment in the sale of the Mirror, J. W. Gol- ledge, May 20, 1886, established in Hillsboro the Reflector, and ran it until November, 1887, when it passed into the possession of William A. Fields. Shortly afterward J. E. II. Railey purchased a hall interest in tho paper, the first issue after this transaction be- ing on January 12, 1888. In January, 1891, Mr. Field sold his interest to P. H. Pardne, previously of the Itasea Mail, but within one week afterward repurchased the entire office from Pardue & Railey, and is still pro- prietor and editor.
The paper has ever been consistently Dem- ocratie in polities. During the summer of 1887, while the discussion of a proposed pro- hibitory amendment to the State constitution
was in progress, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union edited a column in the Reflector, wherein prohibition (non-partisan) was advocated, while the editor was anti- prohibition. The Reflector is very judicious- ly conducted, is alive to the local interests of the community, and pays due attention to educational matters. The educational de- partments, both of the Mirror and of the Reflector, have been ably conducted by Profs. N. J. Smith, D. N. Arnold, Mrs. J. B. Powell, J. M. Fennell, O. C. Melton, C. P. Hooker, D. N. Porter, ete. If we are ever justified in digressing from striet historical narrative in this volume, it would be to say that the most useful thing for the people is to study and apply the contents of the edu- eational columns in their local papers. We would insist on this more than upon anything else. In this department are given the best maxims concerning education that have been evolved by the experience and thought of modern educators, and the study of the mat- ters treated in these columns saves the reader the trouble and waste of time in searching through large volumes, many of which would be discovered, too late, to be antiquated rub bish.
WILLIAM A. FIELDS, in whose name the press of the State of Texas recognizes one of its most honored members, is a native of the Lone Star State, born in Liberty county in 1854. Ilis father, William Fields, although a North Carolinian by birth, was reared in Tennessee. In early life he engaged in the newspaper work, with Felix K. Zollieoffer as a partner, and they published the Columbia Observer in Maury
292
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
county. Ile was a vigorous writer, every article ho ever penned bearing the strong stamp of his personality. He was the author of "Fields' Scrap Book," which was first published in 1833 and afterwards revised. Hle came to Texas shortly after the admission of the State to the Union, and located in Liberty county. Ile taught school for a time and later represented his county in the Legislature, defeating General Thomas J. Chambers in the race for this office; he failed of being elected Speaker of the House by only three votes. Ile was a stanch Union man and an ardent supporter of Sam Hous- ton. At the time of his death he was State Engineer, and his name had been prominently mentioned as a candidate for Governor of the State. Ile died of yellow fever, at Hemp- stead, in 1858, while on a tour of inspection of the Texas & Central Railway. Politically he supported the principles of the Whig party. lle was very popular with the masses and was endowed of those faculties which make leaders of men. Ile married Minerva II. Mayes, a daughter of Garner Mayes of Tennessee; she received her ednea- tion at the Knoxville Female Academy under the supervision of Prof. Joseph Estabrook.
The strife, turmoil and desolation of the half decade of the civil war deprived many a youth of those educational advantages which are the birthright of every citizen of a republic. William A. Fields, whose carly school-days came during that period, was no exception to the rule. It was not until 1873 that he took up the profession oflaw; he began his study in his country home, and after the war read with
Ballinger, Jack & Molt, a leading law firm of Galveston. In 1874, several months before he was twenty-one years of age, he was granted a license to practice both in the District and Supreme Courts, his disabilities having been removed by a special aet of the court in order for him to be admitted to the bar. The following year he removed to Comanche county, locating in the town of Comanche, then on the frontier, 105 miles from Waco, the nearest railroad point. Here he engaged in the practice of law, taking au uncompromising stand for the preservation of order in the community, and the repression of the crimes of a large, lawless element, then existing, whose nuin- bers were sufficiently great to be a force in that section.
It was not long after the beginning of his residence there that Mr. Fields became in- terested in the Comanche Chief, and in this position he was able to promulgate those principles which created a sentiment that de- manded the observance of law and finally re- sulted in the expulsion of all disreputable citizens. Mr. Fields remained in Comanche until 1878, when he moved to Bosque county and located in Meridian, there establishing the Blade; this gained some reputation as a local journal, and was conducted in that bold and aggressive style which has characterized all of the movements of the editor. The Blade was sold in 1885. In January, 1879, Mr. Fields was elected First Assistant Secre- tary of the State Senate and during the greater part of the legislative session filled the office of Secretary, that officer being ab-
293
AND HILL COUNTIES.
sent. While ocenpying this position he was tendered the Clerkship of the Senate Com- mittee on Indian affairs at Washington by Senator Richard Coke, then Chairman of the Committee, but the offer was declined. It was in 1880 that he was appointed Assistant Librarian of the House of Representatives at Washington: two years later, the political complexion of the House changing, he was releived from duty. In 1883 he was ap- pointed Distributing Clerk of the House of Representatives at Washington and held this position until 1887, when he resigned to ac- cept a position on the editorial staff of the Galveston and Dallas News. On account of rheumatism from which he was a sufferer, he was compelled to leave Galveston, in No- vember of that year, coming thence to Ilills- boro, and soon becoming sole proprietor of the Reflector. To this sheet he has given the characteristics that have marked his other journalistie work; and, although this free ex- pression of sentiment against the lawless characters who have at times infested this community has placed his life in jeopardy, there has never been any shrinking back nor loss of the courage of his convictions.
In 1880 Mr. Fields was married to Miss Fannie E. Andrews of Galveston, daughter of Mr. W. S. Andrews, formerly a leading merchant of that city. Of this union three children have been born, a son and two daughters.
SCHOOLS.
Before the present free-school system was fully inaugurated there were " academies,"
" seminaries," " colleges," etc., among the principal of which we mention the " llills- boro Male and Female Academy," eight to ten years ago, with Prof. J. B. Murphy as principal, and Miss Leila Carter as assistant; then the " Hillsboro Normal School," for both sexes, which was opened October 4, 1886, by James A. Clark, with five assistant teach- ers. The latter was the predecessor of the present free Central School. It was graded, well conducted, and at one time had as high as 200 pupils in attendance. Prof. Clark also published an educational periodical, entitled the Expositor. Profs. Wise and Pettit were also teachers at the " Hillsboro Collegiate Institute," which is still conducted by Mr. Pettit.
The corner-stone of the present Central School building was laid June 16, 1886, un- der Masonie services, in the presence of an immense interested assembly, probably 2,000 people. Captain Upshaw was marshal of the day; the Itasca Band furnished the music; Grand Master Jo Abbott was master of cere- monies; Rev. W. S. Wyatt delivered the prayer; G. I. Jordan delivered the address of welcome, and Prof. John Collier the oration, which riveted the attention of the andience for an honr. After this the following ode was sung, to the tune of " How firm a fonn- dation," etc .:
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