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 37
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 37
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funds for the erection of a house of worship during the summer of 1892, to cost about $2,500.
There is also a church of this denomination at Files' Valley, six miles east, which is served by the minister of the Itasea church, when there is one. They expect to build a church there also this summer. The society was first established there in 1876, under Rev. Smiley, D. D., of Milford, and they erected a hand- some edifice in 1879, costing about 81,500, with a Masonie hall above; but this was burned down, and since then a union honse of worship has been eroeted, on a site near by, for all denominations and also for school pur- poses. F. M. and J. L. Files are the ruling elders, and T. J. Files is the deacon. The church sustains a Sabbath-school, of which the superintendont is Rev. J. A. Walker, D. D.
The Cumberland Presbyterian church of Itasca was organized about 1834 or 1885, by Rev. W. J. Lackey, who was sent here as a missionary of the Kirkpatrick Presbytery, now the Corsicana Presbytery. There are now eighty-five or ninety members. The ruling ellers at the time of organization were J. C. and W. A. Clack, J. R. and J. HI. Grif. fin; and the deacon, James Clack. The present elders are N. B. Palmer, J. A. Cody, James Patton, and Messrs. Ilodge and Mal- lard. The deacons are W. J. Pruitt, W. I. Ilooks (elected but not serving) Dr. W. S. McLean (elected but is not now a member), W. S. Kennon. They have a good Sunday- school, superintended by J. II. Griffin, with
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an average attendance of about sixty. The present minister in charge is Rev. W. A. Patterson, of Hillsboro, who preaches here the record and fourth Sundays of each month. He has been the pastor here since January 1, 1892, preceded by Reve. E. B. Johnson one and a half years, and W. J. Lackey a little over four years. Under the ministry of the latter the greatest number of necessions to the church took place.
The church edifice, centrally located, was erected in the spring of 1890, at a cost prob- ably of about $2,000. It was under Rev. Lackey's ministry, also, that the church build- ings at Enreka, three miles south of Itasca, und at Osceola, were erected, at both which points there are flourishing church organiza- tions, with efficient missionary societies, as well as at Itasea. At Eureka there aro about seventy-five members, and at Osceola thirty- five. Cost of church building at Eureka, ubont $700, and at Osceola in the neighbor- hood of $1,000. A Sabbath-school is main- tained at both these places. The pastor is Rev. I. N. Clack. Osceola has no pastor at present.
At Covington a church was organized about 1589, with about thirty-five members, and it has been served by Rev. Patterson; but there is no preacher there now.
The Baptist church at Itasca was organized in 1882. There are now about 170 members. Deacons, M. S. Ilolland, D. J. Smith and J. Il. Conner; G. II. Abernathy is elerk. The Sunday-school has an average attendance of unbout forty, superintended by R. B. Brown. Rev. W. P. Green, of Grand View, has been
the pastor since November, 1891, preceded by Revs. J. M. Glass three or four years, W. J. Brown two or three years, U. W. Jarrell, ete. This church was moved hero from Bois d'Are, abont three or four miles northwest.
The Baptists erected their house of wor- ship, 30 x 50 feet, in Itasca in 1882 or 1883, loeating it in the northern part of the town; its cost was about $1,500.
There is also a Baptist church at Osceola.
At Itasea there has been a flourishing " Young Men's Christian Association" for several years.
A FIRE.
Early in the morning of November 29, 1886, the Vinson Hotel and three business houses were destroyed by fire, originating in a defective flue. Several guests in the hotel were obliged to jump out of the second-story windows. Loss on the hotel, $1,600; Moore & Funderburk, saloon, 83,500; Webb & Mes- simer, groceries and supplies, 84,500; Roper Bros., hardware and groceries, and building, $3,500.
A WORTHY CITIZEN.
R. P. EDRINGTON .- No name is justly en- entitled to a more enviable place in the his- tory of Hill county, Texas, than the one which heads this sketch, for it is borne by a man who has been usefully and honorably identified with the interests of the county, and with its advancement in every worthy particular.
llis father, Benjamin Edrington, was born in the " Blue Grass State," February 28, 1812,
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
and moved from there to Livingston county, Missouri. in 1548. There he bought and improved a farm, and after a few years of anecessfully tilling the soil, he invested the profits in the mercantile business in company with his brother-in-law, W. I'. Settles. He subsequently sold his interest in the store and returned to the farm where he remained eight or ten years. From there he went to Chilli- cothe and engaged in buying and " prizing" tobacco in company with Joseph Davis. After one year he became sole proprietor and eontinned in this business until 1864, at which time the Union forces took possession of the buildings, eouverting them into com- missary department and livery barn. When vaeated they were unfit for use. While en- gaged in the tobaceo business Mr. Edrington took stock in the Bank of Chillicothe, Mis- sonri, of which he afterward became a di- rector. From that eity he removed to Illinois, where he was engaged in merchandising for one year, and then settled near Columbia, where he continued in the same business in Cane Valley, in connection with agricultural pursnits. Several years later he disposed of the store to his sons, Thomas and De Lonvois, and continued on the farm until his death, which occurred May 24, 1879. He was a man of very decided convictions and was not capable of being moved when his conscience approved of any measure. He was a seces- sionist from principle, and he indicated his convictions by utterly refusing to take the oath of allegiance. While he was stern, and governed in all his actions strictly by the dictates of his eonseienee, he elicited the good
will and profound regard of all those with whom he was associated. He had received a goud English education in his youth, and this he supplemented by observation and close reading, becoming one of the well in- formed men of the day. He was naturally of a mathematical turn of mind, and became quite proficient in surveying. For about forty years he was an active member of the Christian church, and for a number of years prior to his death served as Elder.
Ile was married in 1839, to Miss Emily Settlee, a native also of Kentucky, born in 1819, and the danghter of Benjamin Settles, a native of the Old Dominion. Mrs. Ed- rington has been prominently identified with the Christian Church for years. Their twelve children are named in the order of their births as follows; William Robert, a farmer and stock-raiser, resides near Chillicothe, Missouri; Mary E., wife of J. M. Spears, a farmer and stock-raiser of Avalon, Missouri; Thomas B., resides near Hillsboro, Texas, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising; DeLouvois L., farmer and stock-raiser at Ballard, Bates county, Missouri; Bettie, died when about seventeen years of age; R. P. (subject); Alice, wife of G. A. Willis, a teacher and farmer of Iowa Park, Texas; Nannie J., died when fourteen years of age; Susan F., wife of W. P. Nalley, a farmer of lowa Park, Texas; John II. died when four years of age; James L., died at the age of two years; and Emma, wife of Deroy Goode, a farmer and merchant of Adair county, Kentucky. The paternal grandfather of these children, Thomas Edrington, was born
AND WILL AGENTE
in Virginia, but moved from there to Ken- tucky at an early date. lle built boats and shipped tobacco to New Orleans. lle was a large planter and slave owner.
R. P. Edrington, the subject of this sketch, genee, and strictly honorable principles, and was originally from Kentneky, his birth oe- carring May 3, 1849, and remained with his salts from a pecuniary point of view. Hle parents until 1869. When fifteen years of age he began to assist his father in the man- nagement of the business. llis educational advantages were good. Hle completed the course at the Columbia College, and afterward spent one year in the Kentucky University. llis first business venture was buying and belling mules and hogs, and this his father encouraged by furnishing the necessary money. Mr. Edrington then studied medi- eine for a short time in compliance with his father's wish, but, not liking it, gave it up and came West. Ilo first settled in " Files' Valley," and embarked in the cattle busi- tiess, which proved profitable until the win- ter of 1873-'74, when he lost all he had made. llowever, he continued to deal in stock, and in 1875 he bought 110 aeres, which he tilled in connection with stock-raising until 1887. lle then assisted in organizing the Farmers' " There's another flower in the garden of God . Its delicate beauty no pen can describe ; There was never one purer graced the cold sod, Or so lavish with sweetness that all might imbibe. National Bank of Hillsboro, and was made cashier. He remained there three years. In 1590, in company with others, he organized So kind, obedient and loving with all, Like a pure, polished diamond so genuine and true- With grace and subinissiou she auswered the call; In the realms of the blest she's enjoying her due. the Itasea Banking Company, which was nationalized November 21 of the same year, with a capital of 850,000. Mr. Edrington began for himself when twenty-one years of There's a vacant chair in the circle at home, And hearts almost crushed by the pain and the grief; ago with nothing, and he now owns over 1,200 acres of land, well stocked and well And buried are many fond hopes in the tomb, But Christ to the mourner pours out his relief. improved, also town property and bank stock. 20
He has not only acquired a competeney but by his upright course in business has gained the confidence and esteem of the entire eom- munity. He is a man of enterprise, intelli- his labors have met with most pleasing re- has been a resident of this county for many years, having from the very first identified himself with its material progress and de- velopment, and his career has been one that retleets great eredit upon him.
Mr. Edrington was married December 2, 1875, to Miss Caddie M. Feazel, a native of Ilill county, Texas, born Jannary 8, 1860, and the daughter of Dewitt and Caddie M. Feazel. The fruits of this union were seven children, who are named as follows: Ben. Page; M. Chloe, died September 15, 1891, when twelve years of age; Thomas DeRoy; Claudius C., died at the age of one year; William Robert, died when five months old; Files and Newton Ruil. A touching tribnte to the memory of M. Chloe Edrington ap- peared in one of the county papers:
HISTORY OF JOHNSON
Yes, Chloe, I know there are stars in your crown Whose number and brilliancy none can surpass; They would dazzle our vision and cause us to frown, Could we in thy glory but view thee-alas!
"Tis not for poor mortals in the struggle for life, To view the rich splendor that awaits us beyond; "Iwould rob us of all that we need in the strife,
That makes life so dear-that we treasure so foud.
In God's garden eternal this flower will bloom In fullness and beauty for there is no decay.
And awaits at the portals the glorious day.
When the earth and the sea shall give up their dead, What a grand reunion of God's children there'll be! The meeting will not be o'er shadowed with dread, For parting in Heaven-such never could be.
Then bear up, ye loved ones who linger behind, There's a great work allotted you yet here below. You have a bright star, a clear hope in mind,
That shines on your pathway wherever you go.
Its light is ne'er dimmed by the sorrows of earth, Through the deepest of gloom it will e'en penetrate ; Ah! who would not say that it has untold worth ?
Then go where it leads you, before it's too late."
HUBBARD CITY
is a town of about 1,500 population. It is beautifully situated on a rolling prairie in the southeast corner of llill county. Distance from the county seat (Hillsboro), twenty-six miles; from the nearest towns of commercial importance, as large or larger than it is, as follows: Waco, thirty miles west; Corsicana, twenty-eight miles east; Mexia, twenty-four miles southeast. IHillsboro lies to the north, twenty-six miles, as stated, thus leaving Hub- bard City in the center of the territory out- lined by the four points bamed. While there
are other trading points in this territory. Hubbard City is the largest by at loud SOM population, and is the only one having a bank. ing house and similar facilities for necom. modating the commerce of this largo scope of country.
Hubbard City was surveyed and platted in 1881, and the publie sale of lots took place August 11th of the same year. On that occa- sitz orer 100 Lathets and residence lots were sold -- the first bid off at $450, and the aggregate sales of the day amounting to close in the neighborhood of $40,000. This splendid sale illustrates the high esteem placed upon its location and natural advan- tages, from the very birth of the town. Governor Richard B. Hubbard was orator of the day, and the town was given the name it bears in honor of this famous statesman of Texas. The Texas & St. Louis railway, (now St. Louis Southwestern) had at that time just been completed from Waco to Tyler. This railway, being completed to St. Louis, changing hands several times, and being changed from a narrow to a standard-gauge, building branches and " feed ors " and buying other lines, has become one of the main trunk lines of Texas.
The country with which Hubbard City is surrounded is as rich a farming country as Texas affords, adapted to the cultivation of as near all the products of the temperate zone as any section could be. Being a cotton country without a superior, it is also well adapted to wheat, oats and all the cereals. Cotton yields from one half to one and one- half bales per arre; corn, twenty to sixty
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ba-hels; wheat, fifteen to thirty bushel, and State, some having been built up too far oats from twenty to cighty, the latter yield ahead of the country in years past. having been reported in some exceptional SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC. cases, But little wheat is growu, owing to the absence of facilities at Hubbard City for converting it into flour. This is one of the several urgent needs of the town, and one the supplying of which will prove to be a paying investment to the miller who will put in at this place a good roller inill. Oats is raised to a considerable extent as a money crop, while cotton is the main staple of the coun- try. Of this crop, Hubbard City received this fall
OVER 12,000 BALES,
with several thousand more remaining in the hands of the farmers to be yet marketed. For this cotton, buyers for manufacturers paid out in round numbers $420,000, which sum will, before the end of the season, be augmented to a cool half million dollars or more. This amount of money is turned loose in Hubbard City every fall, for cotton alone, the amount increasing from year to year, with the settlement of the country, and the increased facilities and development of the business of the town, at the rate of about 20 per cent. per annum. To illustrate, the ship- ment of cotton from the town in 1883 was 3,000 bales; in 1891, as above shown, 12,000 bales.
Thus it will be seen that Hubbard city is
A GROWING TOWN,
which is not the case by any means with all the cities and towns in this portion of the
Hubbard has a school population of 300, which is accommodated with one of the most flourishing institutions of learning in Central Texas. The school building is a two-story briek structure containing six rooms, aceom- modated with all the modern facilities in the way of furniture and appurtenances. The building was constructed two years ago, at a cost of $10,500, and is a model of convenience and utility. The town numbers in its bor- ders eight chinreh organizations-Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, old-school Presbyterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, Bap- tist, Christian, Episcopalian and Catholic. It has three church buildings that would be creditable to any city, and a splendid Masonic temple. The business portion of the town consists of good solid brick houses. It has a bank, a good newspaper and printing office, two milling and ginning establishments (no Hour mill), cotton yards, general mercantile houses, ete. Samuel R. Boyd is the attorney at law practicing here.
GOOD WATER
is obtained at a depth of ilfteen to fifty feet by digging wells, although cistern water is largely used. The town is about 720 feet above the level of the sea.
FRUIT GROWING.
Fruit does well in this section, and excel- lent orchards and gardens are a marked fea- ture. Apples, peaches, pears, grapes, etc., do well, as also all the deciduous products of the
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
garden. Bee-keeping pays well, and is en- gaged in by quite a number in this section. The yield of honey is enormous, owing to the abundance of flowering plants that cover and ndorn the prairies. Market gardening and fruit-growing has never been tested to any considerable extent but by one or two men. Colonel J. 11. Lippard has made the business very profitable in the past, as does his suc- cessor, Mr. D. E. Withers, at present, on the same forty-acre fruit farm.
PRICES OF REAL ESTATE.
Wild lands sell from $8 to $10, enltivated lands from $15 to $25, per acre.
Lands usually sell for one-third or one- fourth eash and one to five years on balance ten per cent. interest; property in Hubbard City is still cheap, and can be bought on reasonable terms.
STOCK RAISING.
is still conducted to some extent in the conntry tributary to Hubbard. The railroad company have excellent shipping pens at this place to accommodate this business.
PROBABLE COUNTY SEAT.
The agitation of the question of organizing a new county, composed of portions of Hill, Navarro, Limestone and MeLennan counties, eansed the founders of the city to make preparation for the final success of the move- ment, by laying off a court house square and publie park, when the town was platted. A bill to create the new county has been intro- dueed in the legislature at several different
times, but so far has failed of passage, al- though earnestly petitioned for by nine- tenths of the voters in the proposed territory. The bill has been reported favorably by the "committee on new counties " two or three times, and friends of the project are confident of its final passage at an early day. Ilubbard City, being in the exact geographical center of the proposed new county, would beyond doubt be chosen for the county seat, for the convenience of the people, also because it is the commercial headquarters of the territory embraced in the bounds of the proposed new county.
WHAT HUBBARD CITY NEEDS.
The needs of Hubbard City are, a cotton compress, a roller flouring mill, a system of water works, and more capital invested in general mercantile business. More than one move is being made to supply the water works. One of these is by artesian supply. A well is now down about 900 feet, thongli operations aro at present suspended. Another proposed plan is by furnishing surface water from tanks-a supply much relied upon in Texas and other prairie countries for furnish- ing good, pure water. A cotton compress would pay very liberally upon the invest- ment, and would be splendid property in such a young, thrifty and growing town. The same may bo said of the milling enter- prise, while it is the general desire, even of merchants now in business, "to have others come to help bring to this town the whole of the business naturally tributary thereto.
A most unusual and remarkable faet in
G Ms Meneuse
AND HILL COUNTIES.
conticetion with the last suggestion, is that in the ten years history of the place there have been but two assignments-but two failures in business. This fact, and the solidity of Hubbard City, are notorions among commercial tourists of Texas, and can be verified by any of them who is well posted " on the road." It is a fact that needs no comment to enforce its importance to the in- vestment seeker.
AS A PLACE OF RESIDENCE,
llubbard City combines many attractive features. Here is splendid health. A pure, bracing prairie atmosphere; no swamps or lagoons in fifty miles of the town; high, roll- ing, well-drained prairie country, interspersed, of course, with some timbered sections. Small creeks meander through the territory aljoining, whose banks are lined with the timbers which furnish the firewood for the homes. The elevation, 720 feet altitude, as heretofore already noted, insures freedom from miastatie poisons. The scenery can- not be said to be grand; it is moro on the order of the beautiful- the picturesque. As an illustration of some of its features, it may be stated that on a clear day one may view from almost any south window in the town, the college buildings at Tehnacana-eighteen miles away to the southward -- the seat of one of the leading institutions of learning in the State. This Tehnacana is situated on the apex of a low range of mountains (so- called), while Hubbard City is on a greater elevation than that of any point intervening,
though reached by gradual ascent, broken by many gentle undulations.
Such is the scenery and such is the char- acter of this new "garden of the gods," whose realm eneireles for many leagnes in all directions this modern queen of a rich and vast estate, Hubbard City. Well indeed is she entitled to wear a erown golden as the harvest field and snowy as her own cotton farms, where the white staple wreaths in its thou- sand clusters many a wide expanse. Her people hold out the hand of welcome to all worthy eomers. Her people themselves are from all quarters of fair America. They came here from the North, from the East, from other portions of the South, from across the waters; and all who have tried, and the work of whose hands has been well directed by old- fashioned common sense, have prospered. Others can do likewise. There is room for thousands, of the right kind-industrions, virtuous, earnest people, no matter where they hail from. Come to see us, and you can, in this country, easily make yourself content.
GEORGE W. MeNEESE, whose residence in the Lone Star State began with his existence on this planet, has had a long and hon- orable career, and is worthy of representa- tion in this history of his county. II. was born December 20, 1840, in Washington county, Texas; was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and received only a limitod edu- cation. The great common schools of this country were then in embryo, and the oppor- tunities offered the youth of the frontier were meager, indeed. At the early age of eighteen
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON
years Mr. MeNeese embarked in business for himself, going to southern Texas, where he invested in live-stock. He devoted his ener- gies to this industry until he came to ilill county in July, 1861. In September of the same year he went to San Antonio, Texas, where he enlisted in Company F, Tom Green's Regiment, Sibley's Brigade, after- wand Tom Green's Brigade. He spent one year in Arizona and in New Mexico, was at Valverdee and Gloretta with Tom Green, then went to Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. After the return from New Mexico, Sibley resigned, and it was Tom Green's Brigade. Ile was in many skirmishes and battles through Arkansas and Louisiana, and was on the Bayou City with Tom Green at the re- capturing of Galveston, January 1, 1863. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner; was elected Second Lieutenant in New Mex- ico, having enlisted as a private, and was soon afterward made First Lieutenant. Im- mediately following the recapture of Galves- ton, he was taken sick with pneumonia and was sick for a few weeks. Ile was at Hons- ton when news of the surrender was received, and his brigade there disbanded. Ile thon returned to Washington county, arranged his business for permanent removal, and then came to Ilill county, taking charge of his live-stock. In September, 1869, he was mar- ried, and then went to work on his ranch and began improving his land. In early days his father had received a headright here for ser- vices rendered in the Texan Revolution, in 1835 and 1836, the tract containing a third of a league; this was divided among three
children, Mr. MeNeeso's share being about 500 acres. He has always lived upon this land, Parrott W. MeNeese' head- right, and has added to it until he now owns about 2,500 acres; 400 acres have been brought to an advanced state of cultivation, the principal crops being cotton and corn.
Mr. MeNeese has continued his interest in the live-stock business, and of late years has given special attention to the breeding and raising of minles and horses; he has succeeded in elevating the standard of all grades of stock which he has handled, and his enter- prise in this direction has been of great bene- fit to the county. Ile is a man of much more than ordinary business ability, and is consid- ered an authority upon all questions of agriculture.
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