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 106

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 106
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 106
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 106
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 106
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 106
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 106

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When Mr. Newman returned to Georgia he was a financial bankrupt, but he secured a clerkship in Savannah and he remained there until the spring of 1869, when he came to Texas, striking Freestone county with $75. He at once engaged in farm- ing until he was able to buy a small stock of merchandise, and his wife attended to the store and his own attention was given to the farin. The stock amounted to $207, and he remained at this place until 1883, when he returned to Fairfield. He now has a stock worth $10,000, and is the owner of one of the largest stores in the county. His sales amount to more than ten times $10,000 yearly. Besides this Mr. Newman has some real-estate interests in the county.

Mr. Newman's first wife was Miss Lou E., daughter of Martin Chastain, of Georgia, by whom he had six children: Minnie, Willie, Ruby, Homer, James and Martin.

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Mrs. Newman died in 1889, and in 1890 our subject married Fannie, daughter of Fairfax Everet, of Thomasville, Georgia, a wealthy farmer of that State. From this union one child has been born, Cina. The family are Missionary Baptists and Mr. Newinan is a Democrat in politics and fa- vors the issuing of Texas bonds to regulate tlie capital so as to allow a safe investment ..

WILEY, County Treasurer of Lime- stone county, was born in Dallas county, Alabama, in 1839, a son of Evan S. Wiley, who was born in Georgia in 1799. He graduated at Athens Col- lege at eighteen years of age, after which he began teaching. He was a man of strong conviction, a Whig politically, and was a zealous Christian gentlemen. At the age of twenty-six years he married Abigail, a daughter of Peter Bragg, a mechanic by trade. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wiley, besides onr subject, are: Amanda, wife of T. J. Middleton, of Ala- bana; Mary, wife of Winston Gill, of Shelbyville, Tennessee; J. Roscoc was the next in order of birth; and Kate B., deceased, was the wife of J. E. Ward. Our subject's grandfather, Oliver Wiley, was a native of North Carolina, and was prob- ably one of our sturdy old Revolutionary patriots. He married a Miss Shelby, and they liad six children, of whom Evan S. was the second child.

O. Wiley, the subject of this sketch, was educated at Bethany College, West Virginia, which was founded by Alex- ander Campbell, and remained there only

long enough to prepare himself for teach- ing, which he followed eight years. When the crisis between the North and South came, our subject enlisted, in 1862, in the Fifth Alabama Infantry, nuder Colonel R. E. Rhodes. He participated in the engage- ment at Yorktown and others up to and including Chancellorsville, where he re- ceived a severe wound in the arm. After three months in the hospital he was able to return home, and immediately began agricultural pursuits. In 1870 he again took up teaching, and in 1877 was elected Justice of the Peace of the Groesbeck pre- cinct, which position lie held continuously until 1888. In that year he was elected County Treasurer, was re-elected in 1890, and in 1892 was a candidate without op- position. Mr. Wiley owns 500 acres of land, 350 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation, with good improve- inents.

In 1858 he was united in marriage with Miss Maggie, a daughter of James McCall, of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have had five children: Samnel B., Lee, Oscar, Kate and Emma. Oscar is a book-keeper in the Groesbeck National Bank. The children have all received good education in this city.

ILLIAM KIRVEN, a prominent merchant and farmer, of Wortham, Freestone county, Texas, and a member of the well-known firm of W. E. Richards & Company, was born in Clarke county, Alabama, February 2, 1856. He was the oldest child in a family of four

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born to P. E. and Fannie O. (Brodinax) Kirven, natives of South Carolina and Ala- bama, respectively, who were married in the latter State. P. E. Kirven lias been a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church for many years. He left Alabama in 1880, came to Texas and settled in this county. He served in the Confederate army and saw active service for three years. He raised a company of men for the serv. ice, but occupied no official position, and after the war he returned to his home and again engaged in the performance of those duties which be had partially laid down at his country's call. Since locating on a farm in this county, he has been actively engaged in his ministerial duties, as since 1885 lie has lived in Wortham, and has had charge of the congregation of his denom- ination at this place. For seven years he has been its beloved pastor. Of the seven children born, our subject is the oldest. R. B. resides at Fort Worth; T. C., of this place, is a practicing physician; J. B. is a merchant and Postmaster of Cade, this State. Mrs. Kirven died in 1864, and in 1865 Rev. Kirven married Mrs. Sallie Vernon, nee Williamson, and to this union three children were born, namely: V. E., of Mexia; Fannie is the wife of G. B. Everett, of Woodland, this county; and Sallie B., who is at home. Rev. Kirven is a member of the R. A. M.

William Kirven was educated in the common schools of his native county in Alabama, where he received a fair Eng- lish education and by close application he has enabled himself to teach school, which occupation he followed for some years after coming to this State. Prior to coming to

Texas, he had, for several years, devoted himself to mercantile pursuits, more es- pecially to the dry-goods business. He came to the State with his father, in 1880, when twenty-four years old, and in 1882 he was appointed Surveyor of the county, and was continued in the office for five years. This was not a new position for him, as he had held it in Marengo county, Alabama, from his twenty-first year.

In 1882 Mr. Kirven was married to Miss Amelia G. Aakins, of Indiana, but who was reared in Illinois. She was the daughter of T. J. and Gertrude (Beukina) Aakins, who were natives of Holland, who came to Texas in 1879. The father was a stock-raiser, and his death occurred in 1882, his wife having died in 1874. The four children of the family were G. N. and C. B., bothı living in Mexico; Amelia G. and Mattie.

After marriage Mr. Kirven engaged in farming for a few years, and then removed to Fairfield, this county, and while there filled the duties of his office as County Surveyor and also engaged in the real- estate business. In 1885 he came to this place to take charge of the graded schools and filled the position of principal for five years, and in 1887 he engaged in the hard- ware and implement trade at this place, although he left the school against the wishes of the good citizens of the village, who were unwilling to give him up. He did not take charge of the business until 1890, and at that time he sold an interest in the business to J. L. Boys, of this city, and the name of the firm is Kirven & Boys. They do a business of something like $12,- 000 a year. In 1892 Mr. Kirven formed

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a partnership with W. E. Richards, in the dry-goods business, and Mr. Kirven has charge of this. This business is a strictly cash one, and the store is one of the hand- somest, outside of the cities, in this part of Texas. The dimensions of the house are 36 x 66, with glass front and all modern improvements to be found in a small town. They have stock of some $12,000, devoted to dry goods, hats, boots and shoes, with a special line in the ladies' department. The annual sales are about $1,500 per year, and two men, besides Mr. Kirven, who is book- keeper, are employed. Besides the mercan- tile business of Mr. Kirven, he is largely interested in real estate, owning some 800 acres of fine prairie land in Limestone and Freestone counties, withi 500 acres under a fine state of cultivation. He has excellent tenement honses and other good outbnild- ings, and also handles a small amount of stock, probably from $2,000 to $3,000 worth annually.

When Mr. Kirven first came to Texas, he, like many other men, had nothing to back him except energy, and he has been the architect of his own fortunes, except a small farm secured to him by his wife. Only one child has been born to him, Nettie G., deceased. Mrs. Kirven is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he is a member of the A. F. and A. M., Longbotham Lodge, No. 428, of which lodge Mr. Kirven has served as Secretary for several years, and of which he has also been Jnnior Warden.

During the time when Wortham was an incorporated village Mr. Kirven served as Alderman. This is one of the representa- tive families of this part of the country,

and our subject, although not a native of the State of Texas, feels her interests as deeply as one who first saw the light under her protection. Few native sons of Texas have done so much for her prosper- ity as has our subject, William Kirven.

R. JOHN T. SELMAN, one of the representative citizens of Navarro county, is a son of William Selman, who was born in Georgia in 1806. He afterward removed with his wife and children to Alabama, where he remained until his death, in 1868. He was a farmer and teacher by occupation, and was a soldier in the Cherokee war, in Georgia and Alabama. He organized Company H, Fourteenth Alabama In- fantry, was elected its Captain, but one year later returned home and was made recruiting officer, in which capacity he served until the close of the war. He was a Whig in his political views, and later a Democrat; was a Master Mason and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. His father, John Selman, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was wounded at the battle of Cowpens. The Selman family are of Irish descent, and came to America with La Fayette. Our subject's mother, nee Mary Thurman, was a native of Georgia and a daughter of John and Nancy (Hill) Thurman, natives of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Selman were married in 1828, and were the parents of seven children: John T., our subject; Ann Eudosia, deceased, was the wife of William Russell; Elizabeth and William, deceased;

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John, who died soon after his return from the Confederate army; and the last two died in infancy.

John T. Selman was born in Georgia, February 6, 1830, and removed with his parents to Alabama, remaining at home until he engaged in the practice of medi- cine. He was educated principally by his father, who was a teacher, and in 1851 be- gan the study of medicine under Dr. P. M. Shepard. In the winter of the same year he began his course of lectures at New Orleans; graduated in 1853 at Shepard's medical school at Wadeville, known as the Graefenberg Medical School of Alabama; began practice at Davidson, Tallapoosa county, Alabama, and was then at Alex- ander ten years. While located there he enlisted in the Confederate service as a surgeon, was with the Fourth Alabama Cavalry, and served to the close of hostili- ties. The year after the war Dr. Selman came to Texas, locating near where he now resides, and bought his farm, then raw land, on credit. He moved to his present home in 1868. The subject of this biog- raphy began life for himself at the age of twenty years with comparatively nothing, and when he landed in this State he had about $300 worth of property. At one time he owned 1,050 acres of land, of which he gave his children 350 acres, and of the remainder he now has eighty acres under cultivation. He has abont twenty head of horses and 100 head of cattle. While actively engaged in his profession he had a practice which paid annually about $2,500. Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and has served as School Trustee sixteen years; socially,

is a Royal Arch Mason; and religiously, both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, of which he is a Steward.

Dr. Selman was married in 1853 to Jane Gunn, a native of Alabama, and a daughter of Moses and Elizabeth (Driver) Gunn, natives also of Alabama. Mrs. Sel- man is a relative of Dr. Gunn, the author. Our subject and wife had eleven children, namely: John, deceased; Emma, widow of William McClung; Ella, wife of James Joy; Lulu, now Mrs. Green McClung; William, whoresides with his sister Emma; George, a farmer of Navarro county; Eliz- abeth, wife of John Caswel; Fannie, now Mrs. Napoleon Christmans; Nora Lee, deceased; Charlie; and Albert J.

AMES F. ESTES, of Navarro county, Texas, is a son of William N. Estes, who was born in Lauderdale county, Alabama, in 1823. The latter was en- gaged in the mercantile business until the breaking out of the late war, when, in 1862, he enlisted in the Confederate ser- vice, in the Forty- eighth Alabama Infantry, under Captain Mitchell. He served in that company and regiment until his death, which occurred in 1863. He was well informed on general questions, was a man of good liabits and even temper, was a Democrat in his political views, and, al- though not a church member, was a good, moral man. He was a son of William N. and Elizabeth (Holland) Estes, natives of South Carolina. They removed from their native State to Georgia, and then to Ala-

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bama, where the father became a wealthy planter. The mother of our subject, nee Elizabeth Wilcoxson, was born in Ken- tucky in 1823, a daughter of John and Levina (Rice) Wilcoxson, also natives of that State. She removed with his parents to Alabama in 1823, and was there mar- ried in September, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Estes were the parents of four children: James F., onr subject; John H., deceased; William N., of Navarro county; Narcissa, deceased, was the wife of E. Abels, of Kaufman county, Texas.

James F. Estes was born in Alabama, September 24, 1849, and remained in his native State until in February, 1867, en- gaged in farming. In 1864 he enlisted in the Confederate army, in Company H, Ninth Alabama Cavalry; was at the fall of Selma, was with Forrest through Ala- bama, and the command surrendered at Pond Springs, that State. Our subject came to Texas in 1867, in company with his mother, brother and sisters, and first settled in Panola county, thence to Kauf- man county; was in the employ of Holt & Gilchrist, wholesale grocers at Hallville, two years, rented land three years, and in 1875 came to Navarro county. He bought the farm on which he now resides in 1876, and settled on the same the following year. Mr. Estes began life himself at the age of sixteen years, and without assistance, and at no time since has he received any help. He owns 420 acres, 175 acres cultivated, has fifty head of stock and all necessary farm implements. In his political views he is independent; socially, is a member of the K. of H., the Alliance, and is a Master Mason; and religiously botlı he

and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, of which the former is a Trustee.

In 1871 our subject was united in mar- riage with Miss Elizabeth Roots, a native of Texas and a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Newcomb) Roots, natives of Ken- tucky. Mr. and Mrs. Estes have had nine children, namely: William T., salesman and bookkeeper for Garlington & Rogers, a buggy firm of Dallas; John R., Henry C., Pearl, Tulus S., James F., Mabel, Pope and Bessie.

M. JACKSON .- Our subject is Tax Collector of Anderson county, and a highly respected citizen of Palestine, Texas. He was born in Fayette county, Tennessee, the son of F. S. Jackson, and is fifty years old, born in 1842. The father was born in Virginia in 1809, was reared, educated and married in that State. His wife being a Miss Louisa Malone, daughter of Robert Malone, a very successful planter, the son of George Malone, a Revolutionary soldier, a planter and for some years a pub- lic official.

The father of our subject was one of five children, all now dead. He received a fair education in the subscription schools of his time. In 1835 he removed to the State of Tennessee, remaining there until 1847; then he went to Dallas county, Ala_ bama, abiding there until 1855, when he came to Anderson county, Texas. He was married four times, his first wife be- ing a Miss Lee: his second was the mother of our subject; his third a sister of his first wife, and his last Miss Mary Booth, of

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Perry county, Alabama, who died in 1888, he dying twenty-one years before, in 1863. His children are: B. W., a merchant of Mexico, Limestone county; our subject; Margaret, wife of J. H. Bonner, both dead; W. E., living in Anderson county; J. T., died in 1879; F. S., deceased; Katie L., wife of J. R. Cook, of Anderson county; E. B., of Anderson county.

Our subject obtained only a country school education, obtaining scarcely more than the rudiments of an English train- ing. In April, 1861, Mr. Jackson enlisted in Company A, Second Texas Cavalry, under Colonel John S. Ford, and com- manded later by Colonel J. R. Baylor; spending the first year of his service in Arizona and New Mexico and the re- maining years in Texas and Louisiana, and a goodly portion of this tiine along the coast. The regiment disbanded after the surrender, at San Antonio, Texas, in June, 1865. He at once returned to his home, and engaged in farining and mer- chandising, in the Tennessee colony, con- ducting the same for years, discontinuing the merchandising afterward, and the farm- ing in 1890, when he was elected to his present office.

In recognition of the fitness of the man, he was nominated and elected, in 1879, to the XVIth Legislature, in which he served upon the committees on Tax and Revenue, Public Buildings and Grounds, County Boundaries, State Affairs and Sale of Public Lands. The prominent measures before that body were the repeal of the smoke house tax, the dog tax, regulation of the amount of public free schools and sale of public lands. Mr. Jackson was

not a candidate a second term. When running for his office in 1890 he had two opponents, yet out of a total vote of 1,600 he secured a majority of 1,200; in 1892 he had no opposition.

Our subject was married in 1866 to Miss Ella, daughter of Samuel Jemison, of Talladega county, Alabama, a successful farmer. The fruits of this union are: Sam- uel, Lue, Margaret Sue, Ella, Richard, Benjamin, Lizzie and Minnie, all living. A remarkable fact is, that of the eight at- tendants at the wedding of our subject all are living, and each represented by a child. The family of Mr. Jackson is closely identi- ified through its members with the Meth- odist Church. Mr. Jackson is a Master and a Chapter Mason and a Past Master of his lodge; also a member of the Legion of Honor.

AMES T. DENTON, editor and pro- prietor of the Wortham Signal, was born in this county, in 1871, Septem- ber 24, and is the second child in a family of five. His parents were J. C. and Susan M. (Seely) Denton, who were natives of Mississippi and Georgia. J. C. Denton, father of our subject, came to Texas in 1866 and settled in this county. He was a inin- ister of the Primitive Baptist Church, to which religion he has adhered for the past twenty-five years. He voluntered as a private in a North Georgia regiment, in the Confederate army and was wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the last years of the war, and was one of ten cap- tured and held as prisoners at Camp Douglas, Chicago, for some time after

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the close of hostilities. Then he re- turned to Georgia and from there came on to thuis State, where he married Susan M. Hogan, nee Seely, in 1868. His wife's fam- ily came to this State earlier and is one of the leading families of the county. Rev. Mr. Denton remained in this county until 1879, when he removed to Madison county, where he is still engaged in his ministerial duties, also in farming. Of the five chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Denton, only two are now living, namely: James T., onr subject, aud T. C., who was born in 1878. Both parents are still living. The Denton family is of English and Irish extraction, the great-grandfather coming from En- gland and the great-grandmother from Ireland. Of the maternal family, which is also of English-Irish ancestry, the great- grandparents came to America at a very early day, and settled first in North Car- olina, and later removed to Mississippi. The grandparents of this subject, Elder J. T. Seely and wife settled in this State and county in 1865-'66. A number of the fam- ily served in the Civil war on the Confed- erate side with distinction. The families on both the maternal and paternal sides were large slave-owners. Neither family are given much to politics, yet cach branch has always taken a positive position on any political question that would arise in their section of country, and both families for ages have been strong in their Democratic convictions.

J. T. Denton, the subject of this sketch was educated entirely in the country schools, never having any better opportuni- ties, and attending in all only about eigliteen months, during winter terms lasting from

three and four months at a session. By close application, however, to books, by liis home candle and lamp, he has so educated himself that he is now considered one of the best informed young men in the county in which he resides and the circulation of his paper justifies the assertion of his friends that the future of Mr. Denton is what he chooses to make it, for all agree as to the natural ability of the man, and whatever it might be possible that he lacks iu education he makes up in native good sense and ready adaptability to environ- ments and conditions. Commencing life for himself at the early age of nineteen, as an apprentice and local editor of the Madison- ville Messenger, of Madison county, under the management of Stevens & Bookman, he was employed by that firm for eight months. He then leased the paper for four months, sold his interest, in December, 1891, came to this place and purchased his present business. The paper is run as far as politics are concerned in the interests of the Democratic party, for Mr. Denton, like his ancestors, is a pronounced Demo- crat.

The mother of our subject was first married in 1860, to Richard Hogan, who was killed in the Confederate service, in 1863, and left two children, namely: Wm. Rufus, now a farmer in Madison county, Texas; and Anna May, deceased.

AMUEL W. ROBINSON, a promi- nent resident of Leon county, Texas, is the subject of this sketch. He is a son of Zoroaster Robinson, who was born

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in 1807, in Georgia, and who came thence to Texas with his father in 1830. He lo- cated near the mouth of the Bedias river, and there engaged in the stock business. From there he came to Leon county, and became one of the first Judges of the county. When the seat was removed from Leon to Centerville, he removed there and filled his unexpired term of office, and then went to his farm, seven miles from Center- ville, where he remained until he died, in 1883. He served in the Mexican war of 1836, under General Houston, and also in the Confederate army for four years. Judge Robinson was one of the organizers of Leon county, a prominent man there in politics, in social and business life, and in the Masonic fraternity. He was a Whig *in early life, but became later a Democrat. He was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and had held some of the offices in that body. Judge Robinson was twice married, and by his first marriage he had ten children, nine of whom are yet living.

The marriage of Judge Robinson and Matilda (Collins) Deatley took place in 1860. She had had seven children by a former marriage, of whom three are yet living, but onr subject was the only child of this union. He was born January 25, 1861, and remained with his parents until the death of his father, in 1883. The mother died in 1891. Samuel began the life of a farmer at the age of fourteen, and with the exception of two years, which he spent learning the trade of blacksmith, he continued farming until 1884.

In 1884 Mr. Robinson was married to Miss Mary A. Logan, a native of Missis-

sippi, who came from there with her par- ents to Texas, aud in 1874 to Leon county. She is the daughter of William and Mary T. (Connell) Logan, the father a native of Kentucky and the mother of Mississippi. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have had a family of six children: Clarence, Charlie, John, and three died in infancy. When our sub- ject started out in life he had nothing, but now he owns 203 acres of land, with forty acres under cultivation. He has twenty head of stock. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and has been very prominent in the county. For four years he was Constable of precinct No. 4, and in 1890 he was elected Sheriff. There were three opponents- Morgan, Burleson and Mckinney-and out of the number of 1,500 votes polled, our subject received 740. In 1892 he had but one opponent, Mr. Morgan, and received 900 votes. Our subject is a member of the Masonic order and of the K. of H. Both Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which he is a Deacon.

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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