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 38
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 38
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The parents of Mr. MeNeese, Parrott W. and Mary A. MeNeese, were natives of South Carolina. The father came to Texas a single man in 1835, and participated in the Texan Revolution. He received a land warrant and also a pension in recognition of his services as a Texas veteran. In the year 1838 he was married to Miss Mary A. Allcorn, a daughter of Elijah Alleorn, who was of Irish descont; he came to Texas a member of the Austin colony in 1830, from his native state, Ten- nessee. Four of his sons were soldiers in the Texas war. To Parrott W. MeNeese and wife were born five children, three boys and two girls: George W., the subject of this notice is the eldest; Franklin P., the second son, died in 1867, of yellow fever, in Washing- ton county, Texas; he was twenty-five years of ago, and had served all through the late
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war in the Confederacy without receiving wounds or being imprisoned; Nancy E., the eldest daughter, married P'. W. Connell, who is deceased: she is living in Washington county, and has two daughters; Mary E. married J. II. Cochrain, and lives near Har- rold, Wilbarger county; John P., the third son, died at the age of five years. The pater- nal grandfather of this family, John MeNeese, was of Irish descent, and from him is the MeNeeses sprung; he came to Texas about 1537 from South Carolina, and died in Washington county. George W. MeNeese was wedded in Hill county, Texas, September 1, 1869, to Miss Sallie E. Poteet, a daughter of James Poteet of Tennessee; her father eame to Texas about 1853, and died in Lime- stone county before the war.
Mr. and Mrs. George W. MeNeese have nine children, three of whom died in infaney: Franklin P., the eldest son, was born August 16, 1870; George W., Jr., second son, was born November 22, 1872; Ilugh S., the third Bon, was born September 9, 1575; Mary Es- telle was born October 6, 1879; Aylmer Green, named from General Tom Green, was born October 3, 1882; Sarah Louise and John D. Leo, twins, were born May 7, 1885; Sarah Louise died October 28, 1886, aged eighteen months. Mrs. MeNcese, the mother of these children was born December 11, 1850, in White county, Tennessee. Her father, James Poteet, was born July 21, 1801, and her mother, June 18, 1810; the father died Octo- ber 1, 1857, in the State of Texas, and the mother returned to Tennessee, where she died May 16, 1860. P. W. MeNeese, the father
of the subject of this notice, was born April 22, 1816, in Darlington, South Carolina, and died October 2, 1885, in Brenham, Washing- ton county, Texas. His wife, Mary Ann MeNeese, was born July 10, 1817, and died November 10, 1880, in Brenham, Washing- ton county, Texas. After the death of his wife Mr. MeNeese married Mrs. Frenettie C. Dunlavy of Brazoria county, Texas; they had no children; she is still living, and makes her home at Brenham, Texas.
To return to George W. MeNcese: Politi- cally he affiliates with the Democratic party. HIe has no aspirations to hold public office, but he has served as deputy Sheriff of ITill county. Ile is a member of the Masonie fraternity and also of the I. O. O. F. In all the walks of life he has shown himself a man of the highest integrity of character, fully possessed of the courage of his convic- tions, loyal to all home interests, and a citi- zen of whom Hill county may well be proud, a credit to the community of which he is a member, and an honor to the parents who bore him.
WHITNEY.
The town of Whitney is situated in the western portion of' Ilill county on the Texas Central railroad, thirty-three miles north of Waco and twelve miles west of Hillsboro. The country immediately surrounding the town is a rolling prairie, though the cross timbers are only two miles distant on the east and other timber is still nearer on the west. To the north and south, however, tin- ber is found only in seattering groves, leaving
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a belt of fine farming and pasturo land ex- tending in both directions alnost indefinitely. The character of the soil in this belt, or at least that portion of it in the vicinity of Whitney, is what is known as "black sandy," and differs from the "black waxy" in the eastern portion of the county in that it con- tains more sand. In point of fertility this soil ranks with the best in the State when the seasons are favorable, but in dry seasons the "black waxy" excels it by being more adapted to the retention of moisture. Six miles to the west of Whitney lies the Brazos river, and it might be well to include a mention of the rich lands of its valley in connection with the topography of the town. All these lands produce excellently, and though they are mostly sandy, their proximity to the river insures better seasons than higher land. The town is situated at an elevation of about 750 feet above the level of the sea, which, together with its topographical surroundings, makes its natural advantages for health most excel. lent. It is drained by the tributaries of Towash ereck, one of which passes through the southern portion of town and the other through the western portion.
The Texas Central railway originally formed a part of the Houston & Texas Cen- tral, and both roads continued under the same management until the latter part of the year 1891. The line of road from Waco north was surveyed and graded to a point about a mile east of the present location of Whitney during the year 1876, and it was the intention of the management then that the road should continue its northerly course
directly to Cleburne. A hitch in the arrange. ments, however, caused work on the road to be suspended from 1876 until 1879, and when work was resumed the course of the road was abruptly changed and it took a westerly direction.
The Houston & Texas Contral was the first railroad to enter the county, and prior to its advent the territory of which Whitney is now the trade center received its supplies of merchandise through the medium of sev- eral small villages of two or three stores each, dotted over the country in all directions. The most important of these was Peoria, six miles to the east of the present location of Whitney, which had, up to a few years previous, enjoyed the distinction of being the most important county town. Hillsboro, six miles to the cast of Peoria, was then an unimportant hamlet, and the only special distinction it enjoyed was that of being the county seat. A shabby brick structure known as the court- honse, four or five houses, a blacksmith shop or two, and a score or more of rickety shan- ties, in which its people took their meals and slept, then marked the spot occupied by the present proud metropolis of the county. On the Brazos river, six miles to the west of the site of Whitney, was a village known as Towash, which was noted more particularly for its milling facilities than for any other of its natural or acquired advantages. Mr. Simpson C. Dyer, now deceased, then owned the dam and mill, which still stands, and dur- ing those early days it did the grinding for people in the West for hundreds of miles.
Another village six miles to the north of
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Towash, on the river, was Fort Graham (See a little Further on.)
Other hamlets that were not particularly distinguished for anything except as distrib- uting points for merchandise were, Wood- bury, seven miles north of Peoria; Prairie Valley, seven miles southeast of Towash; Towash Springs, three miles south of the present site of Whitney, and Hamilton Springs, one mile northwest of the same point. The two last named places were noted for their magnificent natural water supply, and even to this day, especially during dry years, the inhabitants of their re- speetive vicinities are dependent alinost entirely upon these springs for drinking and stock water.
Soon after Whitney's debut all these places dwindled into insignifieance. Their merchants moved to the new town and their people went there to trade, the effect of which has been that at the present day no business at all is done at any of the places named except Peoria, Woodbury and - Fort Graham.
far and wide and arrangements made for a grand pienie and barbecue. People in the surrounding country from far and near assembled to do the occasion honor and par- ticipate in the hospitalities. Besides theso were men of capital who came from distant towns to invest town property and reap the material benefits of the occasion. The town site was then a cornfield and the only houses in sight were Griffith's, on the north; C. M. Carver's and two houses on Captain R. II. Sayers' place on the east; C. C. Hicks' on the south, and Lewis Raborn's on the southwest. The barrenness of the country in the imme- diate vicinity of the town, however, did not interfere with or affect in the least the sale of the lots; and when the auctioneer mounted his block the crowd were more eager, if possible, to buy than he was to sell. The streets of the town were laid off to the north and south, east and west. Those run- ning north and south were named after the principal rivers of the Stato, and beginning on the cast were as follows: Angelina, Neches, Trinity, San Jacinto, Brazos, Colo- rado, San Marcos, Guadaloupe and San An- tonio. Those running east and west north of the railroad reservation were named North First, North Second, North Third, etc.
The town of Whitney was laid off and the lots sold on the 25th day of November, 1579. The land on which the town is located was originally granted to Mary Beauchamp and Thomas Mackey, the former on the north and the latter on the south, a bois d' are hedge which passes through the town south of the railroad depot forming the league live. The land was purchased by the railroad com- pany from Mr. I. E. Griffith, and had been in cultivation prior to the sale. The day on which the lots were sold had been advertised piece of land which had been bought a few days
As soon as the crowd was made acquainted with these facts, and the further fact that the town was to bo named after Charles A. Whitney, of New York, stockholder in the Central railroad, the selling began, and be- fore it was concluded the railroad .had added 832,000 to its coffers, and the investors had a
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before for $15 per acre. Lots sold at prices ranging all the way from $100 to $750, the latter price being paid for one lot ou the cor- ner of Brazos and First streets, now occupied by the Strauss building. All parties were seemingly satisfied, however, and work on the new town was begun without a moment's delay. Carpenters and other workmen plied their vocations uninterruptedly both night and day. Some who were too impatient to wait for the completion of their houses opened up stocks of goods in tents in order to accommodate anxious buyers.
The first of these was Major J. IT. Little- field, now of Hillsboro, and the first dollar's worth of goods was sold by him at the train before he had time to get his stoek under cover. Major Littlefield was also the first to complete a business house, which was a frame building and occupied the corner of North First and Colorado streets, now owned by M. V. Anglin.
Work was begun, however, on several houses immediately after purchasers had secured tities to their lots, and before the end of the year several firms were doing business in new houses. E. Parr was the first to lay the foundation for a roek building, which occupied the corner fronting Brazos on the east and North First street on the south. This was built from native sandstones ob- tained from quarries in the cross timbers, about two miles distant, where it is found in almost unlimited quantities. A large one- story brick building was also commeneed on the northeast corner of the same block, about the same timo, by Messrs. Frelich & Badt.
Other buildings on which work was begun at the same time, were two large hotel buildings, one by Dr. Napier on the corner north of Frelich & Badt's brick, and the other by a party whose name has been forgotten, on the corner east of E. Parr's rock building. Be- sides these there were several other smaller buildings, including a large number of resi- denees, in course of erection in all portions of the town.
As has been already stated, Whitney is located on the dividing line between two surveys, viz .: the Mary Beauchamp and Thomas Mackey. The league line also origin- ally formed the dividing line between connty precinets Nos. 3 and 4, both of which made Whitney their seat of government. At the time the town was founded precinet No. 3, whieli comprised the northern and main por- tion of the town, was a local option precinct, while No. 4 was not. The line dividing the two ran diagonally across Trinity street, in the eastern part of town, at its intersection with North First. This was the occasion for a number of saloons to be opened just across the line in preeinet 4, and it was here during the first years of the town's existence that all manner of immorality was practiced without the least effort at concealment. A number of bawdy houses were erected at the rear of the row of saloons on Trinity street, and during all hours of the night and day the hideous yells and imprecations of drunken iken and women disturbed the peacefulness of the law-abiding citizens. Such reprehen- sible eondnet as this soon secured for that portion of town the very appropriate cogno-
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men of " Ilell's Half Acre." All gone now.
The first year of the town's existence was a particularly hard one, erops of all kinds being almost a total failure. The town, however, managed to sustain itself in spite of the short crops. It was the nearest rail- road point to a number of western counties, and the short crops forced the people of these counties to come here to buy corn and other supplies. Corn was shipped here from Kansas, carload after carload, and there were two or three merchants here who did nothing but handle corn. It sold all the way from $1.00 to $1.75 per bushel, and even at these prices the demand was hard to supply. The next year, however, made up for the short- comings of its predecessor, abundant crops having been raised in all parts of the country. Whitney still enjoyed an immense trade ter- ritory, and during that year her merchants bought and shipped 22,000 bates of cotton, besides doing an enormous business in all other lines. There was one wholesale gro- very house here that did a large jobbing business with merchants in the West. The trade territory of the town extended beyond Hillsboro on the east and to Cleburne and Waeo on the north and south. To the west she had practically no competitor, and trade came from as far in that direction as there was human habitation.
machine shops here, but it left the impres- sion on the minds of investors that it was yet their intention to complete the line of road which had been surveyed in the direction of Cleburne. With this end in view the com- pany began at once to dig for artesian water, but when the well had reached a depth of 300 feet the project was abandoned. In the meantime the road had been completed to Walunt Springs, and the management of the road made similar promises to investors in property thero as had been made to the people of Whitney. This naturally made the people of this place lose confidence in the future of the town, and probably this was the first cirennstanee to start the town on a " down grade."
It was about this time also that the fire fiend began to play havoc with the bnsi- ness honses. The first house burned in the town, however, was a year or more previous to this, and was a livery stable belonging to Wiley Jones, who had formerly come from Waco, and was burned during the year 1880. There was quite an interval between this and the next fire, but during the years '81, '82 and '83, nearly all the houses which had originally formed the business portion of the town had been reduced to ashes. During the year 1883 a block of brick business houses were erected on the south side of North First street, and the following year two others were erected on the north side of the same street and west of E. Parr's building. In 1885 two large two-story brick buildings were erected on the lots adjoining the build-
Besides the advantages which the location of the town afforded as to trade territory, there were other eireminstances which tended to establish complete confidence in the town's future. The railroad company had not only pledged itself to establish round-honses and | ings which had been erected the previous
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year. Of the original buildings which are still standing are the Parr building, rock, the old Napier hotel, frame, and the frame build- ing erceted by Major Littlefield on the corner oľ North First and Colorado, now owned by M. V. Anglin. In 1883-'85 several votes were taken on incorporating, with majorities for and against, but Whitney is now an in- corporated town.
Between the years 1885 and 1889 the town declined significantly both in popula- tion and business. The railroad had gone on making new markets for people in the West, and Hillsboro had been given a boom by the advent of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad. This circumscribed the trade of Whitney to the strip of country between the Brazos river and the eastern edge of the cross timbers. Men who had invested money in property here became eager to turn it loose, but buyers were hard to find. Mer- chants put on long faces and lost the spirit and enthusiasmn which had formerly charac- terized them. In short, the boom had col- lapsed and things went from bad to worse. The population dwindled from 1,200 in 1884 to about 600 in 1859. The town corporation, which had been established in 1881, was dis- continued in 1886, for the reason that it could not be supported. The bottom was reached about 1889, since which time there has been some improvement, and at present the town is on the up grade. During the past two years several new frame business houses and one briek have been erected, and there are other substantial improvements in prospeet for the present year. There are
three cotton-yards here. The town las fully recovered from the collapse of its boom, and there is no doubt that it will continue to increase its volume of business as the in- crease in population of the country surround- ing it will justify.
The history of the town's newspaper enter- prises may be recited in few words. The first paper established in the town was the Whitney Express, by Captain R. II. Sayers, which was sold ont in a few months to a man by the name of Reed, who continued it for a few months longer, when it suspended publi- eation. In January, 1879, ahnost simulta- neously with the Express, Colonel V. IL. Ivy and Captain W. II. MeDonald began the publication of the Prairie Bee, which he con- tinued for about a year and sold out to G. W. Golledge, who removed the plant to Hills- boro and established the Hillsboro Mirror. But it is at this moment learned that the Prairie Bee was the first to issue an edition, coming out just twenty-four hours before the Express. After theso two ventures the town was without a paper until November 2, 1883, when 11. P. and J. O. Jones established the Messenger. This paper has been issued un- interruptedly since that time, with only two changes in its management. J. O. Jones retired from the management of the paper the year after it was established, and in 1890 H. P. Jones sold out to J. T. and D. S. Mayes, the present proprietors. The plant has proven itself a paying investment and its advertising columns reflect credit upon the enterprise and publie spirit of the town's business men. The paper is a six-column
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quarto, and during the fall months for the past two years the proprietors have found themselves justified in enlarging to a seven- column quarto, which makes it the largest paper in the county.
JAMES T. MAYES, a prominent resident of Whitney, Hill county, was born in Fayette county, Texas, April 15, 1870, a son of Daniel G. Mayes. The latter married Miss Mary T. Sledge, who was born in Mississippi, Novem- ber 27, 1852. The father died in December, 1873, leaving three children,-James T., William B. and Daniel S. The sons are all living with their mother, and all are en- ergetie and full of business principles. William B. is a musician by profession, but helps his brothers in the office whenever they are in need of any help.
James T., onr subjeet, was reared and ed- ueated by his grandparents, and lived with them until their death, the grandfather dying in 1886, and the grandinother in 1888. After reaching a suitable ago he bought a sinall newspaper in Alexander, which he afterwards sold and moved to Ilill county. Ile attended school for a time in Towash, then moved to Tarrant county, four years later re- turned to Fayette county, and then settled near Whitney, where he now resides with his mother and two brothers, William B. and Daniel S. Mr. Mayes embarked in the news- paper business in this city in 1889, having purchased the Whitney Messenger, which is now a first-class county newspaper, having now 1,000 in circulation, and still increasing. Hle is one of the best newspaper men in the county, and knows how to run it for the
good of his town and the surrounding country.
The present status of the town of Whitney is abont as follows: It has about 750 popu- lation, which is steadily on the increase. A good school, with an enrollment of 220, which is incorporated and supported by the State fund, supplemented by a special tax of twenty-five cents on the $100 on town property, which gives a free school term for seven or eight months in the year. The furniture of the school building is of the most improved pat- tern and everything is arranged for con- venience, with due regard to health, comfort and speed. The religious denominations are represented by the Baptist, the Mothodist Episcopal South and the Cumberland Presby- terian, all of which have substantial church buildings and regular services. In the way of secret societies there are lodges of Masons, the order of the Eastern Star, Knights of Pythias and Knights of Honor, all of which are in flourishing condition. There are about twenty-five business firms, the majority of whom carry a heavy stock and do an ex- cellent business. Nearly all of the business houses are of brick or rock, which makes the town substantial and insurance light. Its people are all hospitable and benevolent, and the stranger moving into their midst finds a hearty welcome and experiences no difficulty in becoming acquainted. Water is abundant and is obtained at depths varying from twenty to forty feet. To the east of the town, about a mile, Colonel C. M. Carver completed about two years ago an artesian well which furnishes a magnificent supply of water coming from a depth of 1,500 feet. Its altitude above the
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sea level, its thorough drainage, its good schools and churches and its many other ad- vantages make Whitney one of the most healthful and desirable residenee points in the State.
ABBOTT.
This neat little village, ten miles south of Hillsboro, is a creature of the " Katy " rail- road, starting with it in 1881-'82, and named in honor of the present congressman, Hon. Jo Abbott, of Ilillsboro. It is beauti- fully situated on high land, in a good agricultural section of the country.
The first settlers in this vicinity were James Thompson, who died about January, 1891, about a mile and a half southeast of Abbott; Mrs. M. J. Johnson, living a mile and a half east; Thomas Franklin, now living a mile west; Judge W. G. Blood, from Ken- tucky, two miles north; W. L. Wells, from Mississippi, about two and a half miles north; D. C. Carr, now living a mile and a half southeast; J. M. Young, Edward Car- roll, Isaac Turner, W. M. Walston and G. II. Young.
March 11, 1882, there was but one house in sight of the station: scarcely a fence was visible, eattle and horses grazing at large all around.
W. W. Treadwell erected the first building here, for a general store, which was conducted by 1 .. C. Barnard, the first man to ereet a residence at the new town and ocenpy it: the store is now occupied by Milton & McDonald.
The next building was the hotel erected by G. T. Fennell, now a farmor and merchant, and the house is still a hotel.
The third building was put up by John Frier, for a saloon, and was rented ont as such. In 1885 it was devoted to general merchandise by llassler & Elins. Mr. Barnard bought the place in 1886 or '87.
The fourth building in Abbott was the hardware and lumber establishment put up by J. II. Price, who still owns it; and the next was the drug store now occupied by J. M. Young.
The gin-mill was ereeted by Ilarrington Bros., and afterward sold to J. R. Couch, now the postmaster. Mr. Barnard was the first postmaster. A good cotton market is sustained at Abbott. Wilkinson & Price are dealers in hardware, agricultural implements and lumber.
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