A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 103

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 954

USA > Texas > Henderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103
USA > Texas > Freestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103
USA > Texas > Leon County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103
USA > Texas > Anderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103
USA > Texas > Limestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103
USA > Texas > Navarro County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 103

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).

Jasper Howard, the subject of this sketch, was born in Shelby county, Ala- bama, September 30, 1835, and was nine years of age when his parents came to Texas. His education was received in Nacogdoches county, afterward went with his father to Hunt county, and thence to Parker county. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army from the latter county, in Company A, Twenty-first Texas Infantry, served in the Gulf depart- inent along the coast, in the vicinity of Galveston and Houston, and after the close of the struggle returned to Parker county. Mr. Howard removed thence to Falls county, Texas, and a year later to Lime- stone county, which, with the exception of a few years spent in Hill county, has since been his home. In 1882 he settled where he now lives, purchasing 200 acres of land, and is now one of the leading farmers and representative citizens of this locality.

Our subject was married in Wood county, this State, in 1855, to Lettie Mat- thews, a native of Georgia, but a resident of Texas for some time before her marriage. She was a daughter of George W. Mat- thews. Her death occurred in 1868, leav- ing three children: Georgia Ann, wife of J. M. Chapman; James W., of Mart, Mc- Lennan county, Texas; and Salathiel Vic- toria, who married, and afterward died in Falls county, in 1888. Mr. Howard was again married, in Falls county, in 1868, to Mary E. Matthews, a native of Cherokee county, Texas, and a daughter of David R. Matthews. To this union has been born the following children: Marion Almarine and Mary Alzada, twins, William Jasper, Henry Elmo, John Matthews, Clinton and David Rushing. Mr. Howard is a member of Oak Point Lodge, No. 636, at Mart, Mc- Lennan county, and also of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church. His parents are members of the old-school Baptist Church. Both he and his father have been Jeffer- sonian Democrats all their lives.

R. A. W. BOTTER, the oldest physi- cian of Buffalo, Leon county, Texas, was born in Greene county, Ala- bama, in 1845, and was the second child born in a family of four children, to Jacob P. and Eliza P. (Garland) Botter. Jacob P. was a native of Heligoland, a province of England, and was born there in 1807, and came to Anierica at the age of twenty- two years: his father was a native of the same province. In early life Jacob P. was a sea pilot, and his latter days were

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spent as a steamboat man in Mobile Bay and on the rivers of Alabama, and he died in Mobile, Alabama, in 1858.

The Garland family came from the Ein- erald Isle to America at an early day, set- tling in North Carolina, and they followed the occupation of planter, some of them becoming mechanics. The grandfather of our subject was Winston Garland. Of the four brothers born to the parents of our subject, Jasper J. resides in Mobile, en- gaged in merchandising; A. W., our sub- ject; J. B. lives in Centreville, Leon county; and M. L. is also a resident of Centreville. The mother of our subject died in 1857. A. W. Botter, our subject, received his literary education at the con- mon schools near his home, and then took a commercial course at Dolbear's College at New Orleans. At the age of twenty- one he commenced to read medicine in this county, and in 1873 he attended the Evansville Medical College at Evansville, Indiana, and graduated from the Medical College of Alabama, at Mobile, in the spring of 1875. He returned to this county, practicing at Centreville, the county seat, for one year, and in 1876 he came to this place and engaged in practice, being the second doctor to locate here. At that time he covered a circuit of froin fourteen to sixteen miles of territory. His practice was very severe, as the calls often came from one end of the territory to the other at the same time. However, he was always very attentive to his patients, and became very popular with them. Dr. Botter came to the State in 1858, when only thirteen years of age, accompanying an uncle and aunt and younger brothers.

He commenced life for himself without a dollar, and worked on a farm and as a mechanic until he earned enough money to thoroughly educate himself. He spent some time in clerking in stores, and says that the one year which he spent on the prairie, bunching cattle, was one of the most enjoyable years of his life.

Dr. Botter was married in 1878, to Miss Sarah A. Creig, a native of this county, born in 1853, a daughter of Charles J. and Margaret A. (Morris) Creig, natives of one of the Carolinas, who were settlers of Ala- bama. Mr. Creig came to this State in 1851 or 1852, and settled in Leon county. Dr. and Mrs. Botter are parents of four children: Charles W., deceased; William J .; Marvin D. and Oliver C., deceased. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In 1862 Dr. Botter had a military ex- perience. He joined Company A, Bur- nett's regiment of cavalry, but soon after- ward the regiment was reorganized and he was put in General Walker's brigade. Be- fore the regiment went east of the Missis- sippi river he was discharged on account of age. In the fall of the saine year he joined Company E, of Baylor's regiment of cavalry, and served on the west side of the river, participating in the battles of Brashear City, Louisiana; Pleasant Hill, Louisiana; Mansfield and Yellow Bayon, besides many skirmishes and minor en- gagements, among which were seventeen days of skirmishing with General Banks. The regiment was disbanded at Rich- mond, on the Brazos river, in Washington county, and our subject returned home, engaged in the practice of medicine, and

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has confined himself to this pursuit ever since. Dr. Botter is a member of Buffalo Lodge, No. 554, A. F. & A. M., and for eight years was Master of the lodge. He has filled all the official positions except those of Junior Warden, Tyler and Gnard.

LEXANDER M. STEELE, a promi- nent druggist of Kosse, Limestone county, Texas, is a son of William Stcelc, born June, 1796, in Antrim county, Ireland. From his native placc he came to America in 1866 and first landed at New Orleans, coming from there to Galveston and from there to Falls county, settling on Blue Ridge, and therc lived with Henry, his oldest son, until his death, which oc- curred January 28, 1880. Mr. Steele was a member of the old-school Presbyterian Church, and was the son of William S. and Rose Mary (Orr) Steele. William Steele, Sr., was a colonel in the British army, but was killed in military service. He was a well educated man and was the son of Robert Steele, who was a native of Scotland, and removed to northern Ireland at the time of the Scotch persecution. He was a doctor of medicine, also of divinity, and at the time of the persecution lie was actively engaged in the ministry. Many times he and his congregation would go miles to a secluded spot and hold service withi stacked arms. The American branch of this family originated in William Steele, Jr., who was the first of liis family to cross the ocean. This last - named gentleman married Mary McGill, a native of Antrim county, Ireland. She died there Novem-

ber 5, 1852. She was the daughter of William and Florence McGill, natives of the same county. William McGill was a colonel in the British army and died while in service. Our subject's parents were married in 1816, and they had nine chil- dren, namely: Florence, died in infancy; Henry, settled in Blue Ridge in 1852, where he lived until he died; William, deceased, came to South Carolina in 1845, thence to Georgia and thence to Alabama, where he enlisted in a volunteer rifle com- pany and was killed June 27, 1862; sub- ject; Rose Mary, deceased, was the wife of William Harper, of the same county as she was a native of; after marriage they came to Texas; Elizabeth E., deceased, wife of Jolm Harper, of Kosse; Jane Isa- bella resides in Denison; James M., de- ceased; Robert, deceased, came to America in 1864 and died in Texas.

Our subject was born May 13, 1832, in Antrim county, Ireland, from which country lie emigrated to America in 1846. He was educated in the public schools of Ireland, and after his education was completed he taught in the national school for about three years, and then came to America and located in St. Louis, where he engaged in the drug business. In 1859 he moved to Texas and first located on Blue Ridge, wliere he remained until 1870. He then removed to his farm, three miles west of his former home, and there re- mained until coming to Kosse in 1880. Soon after coming here he entered into the drug business, at which he has been con- tinuously engaged ever since. When Mr. Steele began life for himself at the age of twenty, he had nothing; now he is the

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

owner of 640 acres of land, fifty of which are in a fine state of cultivation. On this farm he has fifty head of cattle and three horses, He also owns residence and busi- ness property to the extent of a lot on the sonthe corner of the block his business oc- cupies and three lots on whichi his resi- dence stands. His drug stock amounts to about $6,000. In politics our subject is a Democrat.

Mr. Steele was married May 22, 1870, to Mrs. Louisa A. (Dean) Wray. Both Mr. and Mrs. Steele are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, although Mr. Steele was formerly a member of the old- school Presbyterian Church. They take a special interest in Sunday-school work, and Mr. Steele is a teacher of the Bible class. These two people are worthy, good citizens of Kosse, and are highly esteemed by all who know them.

R. JAMES H. GRANT, an able and popular dentist of Palestine, Texas, widely and favorably known as a cultured gentleman and progressive citi- zen, was born in Washington county, Vir- ginia, May 9, 1857. His parents, R. E. and Ann L. (Snodgrass) Grant, were also natives of the Old Dominion, and descended from old and influential families of that State. The Grant family has always taken kindly to dentistry, numbering many of that profession among its members, thirty- five or forty of the name, all related, hav- ing practiced in Virginia, Tennessee and Texas. The father of the subject of this sketch had three brothers and four sons,

three of whom are successful practitioners, having himself seenred practical experience in the profession under the instruction of an older brother at an early day and be- fore the Dental College at Baltimore was organized and was the organizer of the Baltimore Deutal College, which was the first and only institution of the kind ever organized in that city or in the world, and is still in a flourishing condition. He com- menced his practice in Washington county, Virginia, when twenty years of age, and was afterward offered a professorship in the Baltimore College, but, the salary not be- ing sufficient to justify him in leaving his practice. he continued in Washington county and was up to the time of his death at Austin, Texas, in the practice forty years, enjoying a large and lucrative patronage. He was a man of ability, in- tegrity, energy and enterprise, and took a prominent part in the affairs of his State. He represented his district in the Legisla- ture previous to the war, and was the origin- ator of the bill the substance of which was to "prevent the separation of husband and wife on sale of slaves," which was carried and became a law. He was a member of the secession convention at Richmond, and his antograph appears among those favoring withdrawal from the Union. He enlisted in the war as Captain of a company from Washington county, the muster roll of which is still preserved by his family in Austin. This company forined a part of the Thirty-seventh Regi- ment of Virginia Infantry, which was under the command of General Stonewall Jackson, with whom Dr. Grant was well acquainted and whom he greatly admired

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for his many sterling and Christian qualities. Dr. Grant's company was nearly all killed in the valley of Virginia in the seventhi en- gagement, after which it was disbanded and incorporated into another company of the same regiment, of which regiment Dr. Grant was appointed Dental Surgeon. This did not debar him from active service, as he participated in all engagements that came along. After the surrender at Appomattox, he returned home and resumed his practice. In 1872, he removed to Austin, Texas, and there built up an extensive business and continued to be actively employed until his death, July 19, 1888, at the age of sixty- three years. He occupied a deservedly prominent position as a master work- man among the professional men of Austin. He was for many years a member of the Board of Directors of the Institution for the Blind, and was one of the founders and a charter member of the State Dental As- sociation, of which he was ex-president. He was for many years actively identified with the Knights of Honor. He was an Elder in the church and conspicuous in all philanthropie and church enterprises. His wife still resides in Austin, aged sixty-three years. She joined the church of her choice in early life, and has lovingly continued its communion to the present time. This worthy couple were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom survive. One died in infancy, and the others, Sam- uel, Maggie and Bettie, died, aged nine, seven and fourteen years, respectively. Those living are, in the order of birth, as follows: the subject of this sketch; Sallie, wife of W. B. Brush, of Austin, Super- ntendent of the State Sewer: Robert J.,

who married Miss Weatherford of Austin, succeeded his father in the practice of dentistry; Dixie Lee, wife of Gardner Ruggles, a prominent attorney of Austin; Emma A., wife of R. J. West, also an attorney of that city; Albert, a dentist of Austin; Miss Helen and Hugh Austin, still at home.

Dr. James H. Grant, whose name heads his biography, spent his earliest years in Virginia, being fifteen years of age when his parents removed to Austin, Texas. Here, young James attended the Texas Military School, and, after completing his studies there, went into his father's office, where he remained five years. He then went to New Braunfels, Comal county, where he practiced dentistry six months, by which time he had accumulated suffi- cient means to pay his way through the Baltimore Dental College, where he pur- sued a course of lectures and graduated in 1881. He then returned to Austin and was associated with his father until 1883, un- der the firm name of R. E. Grant & Son. At this time he removed to Palestine, where he has ever since been successfully engaged in practice.

Dr. Grant was married December 7, 1882, to Miss Mattie A. Buchanan, daugh- ter of John C. Buchanan, a prominent man and a native of Virginia, where he was a school friend of Dr. Grant's mother. They have two interesting children: Helen Band and Effie S.

The Doctor has been a member of the Texas Dental Association eleven years, of which he was president the past year, and by which he has been appointed a delegate to the Columbian Exposition. He is Vice-

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Dictator and one of the Board of Trustees of the Kights and Ladies of Honor, and belongs to the Woodmen of the World.

Religiously, both he and his worthy wife are useful members of the Presbyterian Church, of which the Doctor is an Elder.

Dr. Grant is a leader in his profession, is a man of honor and geniality. and en- joys the universal esteem of his fellow mcn.

A. EZELL, M. D., a prominent physician of Limestone county, is

O a son of William Ezell, who was born in 1820, in South Carolina. He was the son of Abel and Sarah (Palmer) Ezell, natives of Ireland, who came to America about the Revolutionary times and settled in South Carolina. Here came four or five brothers of the Ezell family and all settled in this State. William Ezell re- moved to Giles county, Tennessee, from his native State, and remained until his death, which occurred in 1890. By occu- pation he was a farmer and stockman, and was very successful. He had received a good English cducation and was very well informed. In politics he was a Democrat, and served as Justice of the Peace and Sheriff of his county. He was a Master Mason and a member of Elkhorn Lodge, No. 24, at the time of his death. He was a devout church worker and for many years was a member and Deacon of the Primitive Baptist Church. His wife was Anna Kerr, a native of Giles connty, Tennessee, where she was married. She now resides at Elkmont Springs, Ten- nessee, and is the daughter of Henry and

Mary (Ford) Kerr, natives of Tennessee. They had three children, Mrs. Ezell and two sons: J. H., deceased, was a practicing physician at Navasota for thirty years, al- though he was formerly of Houston, and then went to Calocob at the time of the yellow fever of 1873, then retired to Nav- ' asota, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1891. He had acquired quite a reputation as a physician. The other brother, J. W., is now a successful physician of Brownsville, west Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Ezell were married in 1841, and were the parents of fourteen children, namely: Eton, interested in California mines; Andrew G., in Elkton, Tennessee, inerchant; Ida C., wife of T. R. Burgess, of Tennessee; Lura V. married B. S. Hen- derson, of Elkinont Springs, Tennessee, a merchant; Mattie, wife of John I). Reed, of Prospect, Tennessee, also a merchant; Addie, with mother, at Elkmont Springs, Tennessee; Madora, with mother, a teacher of lier native town; subject; and the re- maining six who died.

Our subject was born in 1859 in Giles county, Tennessee, and remained with his parents until 1876. He was educated at Elkmont, Smyrna and Poplar Hill, prior to 1876, when he went to Texas and lo- cated in Kosse, where he was employed by J. L. Conoly in general merchandise. He remained with him two years and then re- turned to Tennessee and began the study of medicine under Dr. A. L. Glaze, of Elk- ton, Tennessee, and in 1879 began a course of lectures at Vanderbilt University and graduated from that institution in 1881. He then located to practice at Prospect, Tennessee, where he remained four years,

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carrying on a large and lucrative practice. He then removed to Kosse, Texas, and continued his practice and remained in that locality ever since.

The Doctor was married in 1881 to Miss Pattie Ezell, a native of Lincoln county, Tennessee, and daughter of F. L. and Mary (McCrackin) Ezell, natives of Tennessee. Dr. and Mrs. Ezell have six children, namely: William F., at home; May Lou, with grandparents; Harry, with grandparents; Bunyan and Bert, twins, the latter deceased, and Tazell A., at home.

Our subject began to support himself when only seventeen and received no as- sistance. He now is the owner of a nice residence and drug store. In addition to his practice and drug store he has given his attention to the raising of fine stock, and now has standard-bred saddle horses valued at $2,000. His practice yields him an income of $3,500 a year, and his drug store is valued at $2,000 more. In poli- tics he is a Democrat, and has been a member of the Masonic order for years, also a member of K. of H. His wife was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. She died Jan- uary 15, 1892. Our subject is a member of the Central Texas Medical Association at Waco.

AVID A. AKIN, a popular and pros. perous resident of Anderson county, is the subject of this sketch. He was born December 29, 1825, and was the third child in a family of six children born to Aaron J. and Nancy E. (Caldwell) Akin, who were early settlers of Tennes-

see. The grandparents of our subject came to that State when it was very sparsely settled. The maternal grand- father came to Tennessee when quite small, and settled in Monroe county, Tennessee, where he engaged in farming. The paternal grandfather was also and early settler, and died when the father of David was a small boy, having always engaged in agriculture. At the same place the father died and had been the parent of six. children, and the names of this family were as follows, and all of them have passed away from life, except David: William, the oldest, died; Sarah married and died in Arkansas; the third was our subject; James died in the Confederate army at Fort Donelson; Do- rothy died; and Dock died at Nashville, Tennessee, while in the Confederate ser- vice.

Our subject was reared to farm life and received only a limited education. After beginning life for himself he engaged in farming, and farmed until 1851, when he came with wagon to this State, taking six weeks on the trip. The company was made up of six families and they went as far as Springfield, in Freestone county, but after one week of Texas life all the rest returned to Tennessee, leaving our subject. He had met home acquaintances, and he remained one year, but has since been a citizen of this county.

For the first year our subject farmed on shares with a man and then engaged in the sawmill business in this county. For a few years he continued at this business and resided at Mound Prairie, but at the commencement of the war he was engaged in the brokerage business. In 1862 he

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joined Captain Hanks' company and Col- onel Burnett's regiment, and was made Third Lieutenant of Company D. He served in the trans- Mississippi depart- ment and participated in no battles, being discharged in 1864 on account of bad health. After the war he engaged in the mercantile trade at Mound Prairie, and was quite successful until 1880, when he retired from active business and devoted liis attention to farming until 1888. In 1882 he moved into this city, Palestine, and then it was that he formed his mer- 'cantile partnership with A. B. Williams.

In this and adjoining connties, Mr. Akin has cultivated 1,000 acres of land and gives a great deal of attention to the raising of mules and jacks. He has made his life very successful by the wise management of his affairs. When he landed in this State with his wife and one child he pos- sessed $800, and from this start he amassed considerable more until the war came on. During that time he lost a great portion of all he had accumulated, but has since then retrieved liis fortunes and has become one of the most prosperous men in the connty.

Mr. Akin has been twice married,-the first time in 1845, in Tennessee, to Miss Mary J. Sewell, daughter of James and E. L. (Walker) Sewell, early settlers of Tennessee, and in Monroe county of that State, Thomas Walker, the father of Mrs. Sewell, was the leading man. To Mr. and Mrs. Akin four children were born, as fol- lows: Nancy E., deceased, wife of Thomas Brown; Susan W., deceased, wife of E. P. McDonald; Texana, wife of John A. Mil- ler; and Mary J., deceased. Mrs. Akin

died June 13, 1886. In 1888 Mr. Akin married Miss Anna Walker, daughter of William and Harriet (Moore) Walker, who was a relative of the first Mrs. Akin, and both of whom, with Mr. Akin, were men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of A. F. and A. M., Prairie Lodge, No. 173, where he has since demitted.

RCHIE S. ROBBINS, a prominent citizen of Henderson connty, Texas, came to this State, from Alabama, when only four years old. He is the son of Solomon and Amanda (Funderbury) Robbins, both natives of Alabama. The occupation of the former was that of farm- ing, and his father, grandfather of subject, was also Solomon Robbins, of South Caro- lina, who removed to Alabama and was one of the early pioneers of that State, arriv- ing there when the Indians were still there. Here he lived and died, raised a family of fourteen children, and became a prominent and wealthy planter and the leading man of his community. Ile was a large planter and slave-owner, and took part in the Indian wars of Alabama and Florida. The father of onr subject served in the war with the Indians of Alabama. He became one of the leading men in his section of country after coming to Texas, and was a prominent Methodist, having been a member of that church from the time he was a boy, and dying in that faith. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity until the time of his death, which occurred in 1879. His wife sur-

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vived him until 1883. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Robbins, all of whom came to Texas, namely: Mittie, who mar- ried R. Hawkins, but is now deceased ; John W., now a farmer of Wilbarger county; subject; Thomas M., deceased in 1887; Molly, who married C. E. Moore, and now resides on the old homestead in Smith county; and Katie, now married, makes her home with her sister in Smith county.

Our subject was born in Alabama, Sep- tember 10, 1855, and came to Texas in 1859 with his parents, who located in Smith county. Here our subject was reared and received a common-school edu- cation. He was trained to farm life and has made it his life occupation. Like many other young men he made his home with his parents until his marriage, when he, at the age of twenty-three, rented a farm for two years, but at the end of that time he removed into Henderson county and bought the farin on which he still re- sides. His first purchase was thirty acres, but he now owns 132 acres and has about eighty of it in a high state of culti- vation. He rents this on shares, and cot- ton, corn and stock are raised on this farm. In addition, all supplies-pork, lard, vegetables, syrup, etc .- are raised here.

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Author: Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 954

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 954