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 108
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 108
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 108
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 108
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 108
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 108
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
Joanna Gillman, and resides in Lime- stone county ; and John Milton, born Jan- nary 1, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Posey are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, although the former's parents were members of the Methodist Church.
John Milton, the youngest child of Thomas B. and Hulda Posey, resides on the old homestead, and has the care of his parents. He married Laura E. Hanna June 21, 1885. He is a prosperous young farmer, owning 500 acres of good black land, most of which is under a fine state of cultivation.
F. BOND is a farmer residing two miles west and south of Mexia, Texas, and is a son of George Bond, whose father was Isaac Bond. Isaac Bond was born in Ireland and came to America in the latter part of the last century. He settled in North Carolina and moved from there to Tennessee, settling in Knox county, where his death occurred. George Bond, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina and was taken, when a boy, to Tennessee, where he was reared. He was a plain farmer of moderate means, quiet and industrious. He belonged to the old Presbyterian Church, and died in Knox county, Tennessee, in January, 1892, lacking only nine months of being ninety- five years old. Our subject's mother was' born in east Tennessee; was married there and passed almost her entire life in Knox county, where she died in 1867, at the age of seventy-two. She was a mem-
ber of the Presbyterian Church, a frugal housewife, a devoted wife and an affection- ate mother.
Our subject is one of eight children, who grew to maturity. His eldest brother, James Anderson, is a farmer and retired physician, who resides in Blount county, Tennessee; Sarah Louisa, wife of Nelson Seaton, of Knox county, Tennessee; Ma- rion died in Fannin county, Texas, in 1870, leaving a wife and two children; Isaac Hamilton is a merchant in Blount county, Tennessee; Catherine married Howard Headford, of Blount county, Tennessee, and is now deceased; Isabella Clementine is the wife of Hilary Tedford, of Blount county, Tennessee; Stephen Finley, our subject; and Mollie is unmar- ried and resides on the old homestead in Blount county, Tennessee.
Our subject was born in Knox county, Tennessee, November 18, 1837; was reared and resided there until coming to Texas in 1858. When he came to this State he settled in Parker county, at that time a frontier county, and there he purchased land.
In November, 1862, he married Cath- erine Mahala McCarver, a daughter of William McCarver, then of Parker county, Texas. Mrs. Bond was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, and brought by her parents to Texas in 1853. Our subject entered the Confederate army in 1861, enlisting in Captain McCune's company of rangers, and served for three years on the frontier. After the expiration of his term of service as a ranger he went to Dallas; the last year of the war he en- listed in Captain Field's company with the
867
LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
intention of entering the regular service of the Confederate army, but was taken sick before his company was ordered to the front, and did not recover until after the surrender. In 1867 he returned to Tennessee and took up his residence in Knox county, and lived there until 1879, when he came again to Texas, settling this time in Limestone county, two miles west of Mexia, where he purchased 331 acres of land, on which he has since resided. He improved this, although some improve- ments were on it when he bought it. He has 150 acres of it under cultivation, has good comfortable barns, dwellings, and has it all fenced. He has never cared to hold office, but has devoted his life to farming.
He has eight living children, having lost one in infancy. These are Ann Eliza, William Leon, James McCarver, Charles Stanhope, Mollie Ada, Homer, Guy and Kate. Our subject and wife are members of the Methodist Church and are good worthy people.
EWITT K. COMPTON is a mer- chant and farmer of Dew, Freestone county, Texas. He is the son of William Scott Compton, who was a na- tive of Tennessee, where he grew to manhood. His parents were in limited circumstances and were unable to educate him; consequently, at the age of seven- teen, he was given both a literary and law education by a law firm, and was admitted to the bar at the age of twenty years. He then located at Decatur, Morgan county, Alabama, where, after practicing for a
short time, he was made Circuit Judge, and served two terms. After this he was elected to the State Senate, in which position he served two terms also.
After his retirement from politics he accepted a position in a Decatur bank, and soon became teller. The bank suf- fered from some embarrassment and a receiver became necessary, and he was appointed to fill that position. At lengthi he came to Texas, and located on the farm where our subject now resides. He lived there until his death, which took place in June, 1882. Early in life he entered the local ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and continued active in the church until his death. For years he was promi- nently identified with the Masonic order. He (the father of our subject) was the son of William and - Compton, natives of Virginia. The father was a carpenter by occupation, and also a farmer. The Comp- ton family are of Scotch descent, and our subject's grandparents were first to come to America.
The mother of our subject was named Angeline (Gun) Compton, and became the widow of a Mr. Burks. The parents of Mr. Compton had sixteen children, four- teen of whom grew to maturity. Mary L. was first married to Dr. James Johnson; she now is the wife of J. W. Humphries, of Mexia. Robert M. is now the County Clerk of Freestone county. Willis W. is a farmer of Avant Prairie, and is now serving as Justice of the Peace of precinct No. 8. The following died: Richard R., who was a farmer of Freestone county and a soldier in the Confederate service, came home on a furlough and died be-
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
fore he could return. Thomas E. was a commission merchant, of Galveston. Will- iam F. was in the ministry for twenty years, and served four years in Parsons' regiment. James E. died in the Con- federate service in 1877. Betty B. was the wife of Robert T. Johnson, of Free- stone county. Nancy died in her seven- teenth year. Henry M. by profession was a doctor. He went as surgeon in the Confederate army. For a number of years he was an instructor and dem- onstrator of anatomy in the Nashville Medical College.
The subject of this sketch was born August 2, 1853, in Freestone county, Texas, within three-quarters of a mile of where he now lives. He remained with his parents until 1870, and then began a course in an institution located at Owensville, where he remained for two years. From 1872 to 1877 he traveled through a number of States, with the ex- ception of two years which he spent in the employ of a real-estate firm in Tennessee.
In 1878 our subject returned to Texas, and married the following year. He en- gaged in farming until 1888. Then, in connection with his farming, he went into the mercantile business, at which he still continues. At the age of twenty-three years he was thrown upon his own re- sources, and since that time he has fallen heir to property. He now owns 358 acres, 140 of which he has under cultivation, and he has about fifty head of stock. He car- ries a stock of goods worth $2,000.
The marriage of our subject took place in 1879, to Mrs. Strowher, who was the widow of John Strowher; her maiden naine
was Nancy T. Jones, and she was the daughter of L. C. and C. A. (Reynolds) Jones, natives of Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Compton are the parents of five children; Angelina, Louis B., Smith D. (deceased), Mary B., and Joseph John W.
In 1888 our subject entered the minis- try of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has since been continually engaged in in the work in connection with his other duties. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, and is now serving as Postmaster of Dew.
W. HERREN, a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Navarro county, Texas, post office Cryer Creek, who has for many years contributed to the geul- eral prosperity of this county by his un- tiring energy and ability, was born in Hinds county, Mississippi, June 24, 1851. His parents, G. G. and Nancy (Allen) Her- ren, were natives of the same State, the former being a son of Stephen Herren, who was born in North Carolina, and was an efficient soldier in the war of 1812. Ste- phen Herren passed his last days in Mis- sissippi, where he died about 1867, aged about ninety years, sincerely lamented by all who knew him. G. G. Herren, father of the subject of this sketch, entered the army in 1863, and died in the same year, while in the service. Little is known of the history of the Allen family, the pater- nal ancestors of Mr. Herren of this notice, except that they were an honest and indus- trions people. Mr. Herren was the fourth in order of birth of nine children.
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
Mr. Herren, of this biography, passed his earlier years in his native county, in Mis- sissippi, that great and historic State of the South, where he secured a limited education, which has been amply supple- mented by extensive observation and expe- rience. In 1868, at the age of seventeen, he followed the general tide of emigration to Texas, coming to Navarro county, where he was employed for two years on a farm, receiving $13 a month. By careful indus- try and economy, he accumulated some means, and in 1874 sufficient means to reut some land, which he worked for a time, until he was able to buy a small tract of fifty acres of raw land, which he cultivated for two years. He then sold the latter at an advance on what he paid for it, and bought another piece of unimproved land containing sixty- two acres. This he also industriously worked and im- proved, when he once inore sold out advan- tageously. He then, in 1877, took charge of the Pruett ranch, to attend to the cattle, etc., being emlpoyed for one year on a salary. At the end of that time, he bought a tract of 162 acres, twenty-five of which he cultivated to general farming, using the rest for pasture. He began at the same time to trade in cattle, in which industry he was very successful. He afterward sold this place of 162 acres and bought an- other tract, to which he has added from time to time until he now owns 887 acres, where he farms and raises live- stock, having been handling cattle since 1882. He raises fine mules and horses as well as cattle, which he sells at home and ships to other places as the market war- rants. He buys all his cattle, mostly one
and two years old stock, which he fattens and sells or ships. He came to this State with nothing, and is now numbered among the most substantial farmers in the county, all of which success is due entirely to his own unaided efforts, and his example might rightly serve as an incentive to all poor young men just starting in life for them- elves.
In 1874 Mr. Herren was married to Miss Mary Benson, a lady of domestic tastes, who was born in Arkansas February 15, 1854. Her parents, Martin and Jane Benson, were natives of Tennessee, whence they removed to Arkansas, in which latter State both died when Mrs. Herren was sınall. Mr. and Mrs. Herren have had five children, four of whom are now liv- ing: George G., born November 10, 1874; Samuel P., April 28, 1877; Mary E., Jan- uary 13, 1880; and R. W., May, 6, 1891, all of whom are at home.
Politically Mr. Herren advocates the principles of the Democratic party, al- though he takes no active part in public affairs, his time and attention being de- voted to his personal matters. His actions through life have been characterized by honesty, industry, intelligence and kindli- ness of spirit, and he enjoys the universal confidence and respect of his fellow men.
W. SNEED .- No man is more widely or better known in Free- stone, Texas, than he whose name appears above. He is not the oldest citi- zen, yet the date of his residence here is of sufficient length to make liis preten-
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
sions to being a pioneer at least respect- able. He is not a public character, in fact his modesty compels him to shrink from publicity; his intensely honest nature and exceedingly abrupt yet inoffensive man- ner, and his unusual eccentricities, observ- able at any and all times, makes him remembered by those who come in contact with him. Mr. Sneed came to Freestone county and located near his present place in 1858. Near Milledgeville, Jones coun- ty, on the Chattahoochie river, in south- west Georgia, was the place of our subject's birth, which event took place May 24, 1820. His early life, boyhood and youth, from 1833, was spent in Culloden, Monroe connty, where he attended school. He had an active mind, an attentive memory, and was, on the whole, an apt scholar; but his temper was rather unmanageable, and when he finally crossed swords with his teacher the results were disastrous to that quiet man, and the youth was sent to more congenial employment on his father's farm. He was a classmate of Linton Stephens, a brother of Alexander Stephens. At the age of twenty he passed out of his father's care and entered upon bachelor life, still pursuing his chosen occupation. For four years he kept up this kind of an existence, working slaves and looking after the profits of the farm. He then married, and became a freeholder. He moved in 1845 to a point near the Chattahoochie river in southwest Georgia, and in 1858 came to Texas, bringing with him a number of slaves, and money enough to pay for 520 acres of land. He cleared and planted and invested his earnings in real estate, and now he owns four or five thousand
acres in Freestone county, clear of all en- cumbrance, and he owes no man a dollar.
In defence of his land and property, Mr. Sneed enlisted in Colonel Pyron's Second Texas Cavalry and saw service, mostly in southern Texas, and was in no engagements. In the latter part of the war he was ordered ont West, and received his honorable discharge at San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Sneed was a private, and was next to the oldest man in the regiment. Our subject was a Democrat in politics, until his party nominated Horace Greeley for President; he then left the party, and has not cast a ballot since.
He is the son of John Sneed, a large and successful planter of Georgia, who was born in Virginia before the Revolutionary war, and lived to be seventy-eight years old. He married Mary Freeing, who was born on the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and the family of this anion were Alex- ander, who became an attorney-at-law, but died; Zoe P., also died; Franklin, died; Ulion, married John Gibson, of Alabama; Warren; Homer; Dr. Cyrus, and Newton, the last four of whom are deceased. Both the grandfathers of our subject were soldiers in the Revolutionary war. Mr. Sneed was personally acquainted with Linton Stephens, brother of Alexander Stephens. He also knew Robert Toombs and Jefferson Davis, who was a cousin of Miss Martha Davis, who, in 1843, became Mrs. A. W. Sneed. Mr. and Mrs. Sneed have had the following children: William, M. D., whose sketch appears in this volume; Josephine, the widow of Dr. W. G. McInnis; Lemuel, deceased; Ella, who married E. T. Johnson and is de-
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
ceased; J. A. Sneed, M. D.,; Walter, living in Houston, in the employ of the Texas Pacific Railroad; Martha, who married Dr. J. H. Oliver, of Leon county; and K. W. Sneed, M. D., of Wortham, Texas. The three sons who are physicians gradnated in the medical department of Tulane University at New Orleans.
Our subject is still active in mind and body, and he oversees liis large plantation, rides to the county seat, and attends to all manner of business, quite as well as when he was only fifty years old.
His is an imposing presence, tall, com- manding figure, and white beard and florid complexion, and presents the appearance of a fine old Southern gentleman, who would be remarked upon anywhere.
OHN RICHARDSON is the son of Richard A. Richardson, who was born in 1818, near the line between Lonis- iana and Mississippi, and who came from there to Texas in 1838, and stopped first in Jasper county, remaining there until 1866, and then went into Colorado county, where he died, before settling, and was in- terred at a place about nine miles west of Columbus on Hallettsville road. He came to Texas by ox team. By occupation he was a farmer and stockinan, and was fairly successful in life. In 1864 he enlisted in the Old Men's and Boys' Company, and served to the close of the war. He died August 9, 1866. In politics he was a Democrat, and he served as Commissioner of Jasper County. He was a member of the Primi- tive Baptist Church, and was considered
a good, consistent Christian man, of ex- emplary habits. He was the son of John and Nancy ( Albritton) Richardson, natives of Bullock county, Georgia, and of English parentage. His father was a farmer and died in Jasper county, Texas, at the age of about seventy years. The mother of our subject was Eliza Williams, a native of Mississippi, and there she married. She was the daughter of Simon and Tabitha Williams; the former was a successful farmer. The marriage of the parents of our subject took place in 1836, and to them were born twelve children, viz .: Hardy, who now resides in Leon county, by occupation a successful farmer; Amos is a successful farmer and stockman, and resides near the old homestead in Jasper county, and at present he is trading in tim- ber land; Tabitha is the wife of Henry M. Lewis, and now resides on a farm in Leon county; Nancy is deceased; Ben. F. resides in Limestone county; James S. resides in Jasper county, Texas; William R. is a farmer in Jasper county; Margareth L. is the wife of William J. Withers, a farmer of Jasper county; Francis M. is a farmer in Leon county; Jasper is a farmer in Free- stone county; and Irena E. is the wife of Walter Withers, of Jasper county, Texas.
The subject of this sketch was born in Jasper county, Texas, in 1844, and resided there with his parents until 1862, when lie enlisted in tlie Confederate service in Company A, O. M. Marsh's battalion, composed of two companies of cavalry, which afterward joined A. W. Speight's regiment. He was at the capture of the " Morning Light" at Sabine Pass, and was at the capture of the two gunboats at Cal-
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERON, ANDERSON,
casieu Pass, Louisiana. IIe served until the close of the war, and was at Galveston island at the time of the surrender. He then returned to Jasper county, where he continued to reside until 1868, when he married and bought a farm of 320 acres of improved land, and farmed there until 1877, and then went to Leon county, where he remained one year, and from there to the place where he now lives.
The marriage of Mr. Richardson took place October 15, 1868, when he was mar- ried to Miss Laura P. L. Flemmings, a na- tive of Tennessee. She is the daughter of John (deceased) and Tabitlia (Hendon) Flemmings. She died September 9, 1880, and left five children, viz .: Levisa L., who is the wife of J. R. Laird, a farmer of Montgomery county; W. Stewart is a teacher, who completed the senior course at the Huntsville, Texas, Normal School in 1891; Josephine L. is at home; Eliza died when young; and Benjamin J. is at home.
Our subject was married a second time September 2, 1881, to Miss Matilda I. An- derson, a native of Florida. She is the daughter of Allen and Elarfair (Lord) An- derson, natives of Florida. By this mar- riage there are five children: Alma E., deceased; Clarence E., Eunice, Ora L., and Beulah E. In politics our subject is a Democrat, and was County Commissioner of Jasper county in 1876, and served there until he removed into Leon county. He began life for himself at the age of eight- een, having received about $150 in money, and now owns 294 acres of land, of which there are 165 under cultivation, and he has twenty-five head of stock. He is a meni-
ber of the Primitive Baptist Church, of which he is clerk of his local church organ- ization, and also clerk of the association to which he belongs.
ILLIAM J. FOSCUE, one of the largest land-owners, stock-raisers and most prosperous farmers of Anderson county, Texas, is the subject of this sketcli. He is the son of Caleb S. Fosene, who was born in 1812, in North Carolina, who came from there to Ala- bama when eighteen years of age and re- mained there, engaged in active business. In 1879 he came to Texas and lived with our subject and brother in Liberty county, and there his death occurred in 1878. He had been a prosperous farmer at the out- break of the war, but then he lost all, and felt that lie was too old to ever retrieve his fortunes. He was a man of good edu- cation, as learning was required in his day, tanght school for some time and occupied a prominent place in the political party in his section. He was a life-long Demno- crat, and wasa member of the Primitive Baptist Church, of kind disposition and of exemplary habits. His father was William Foscue, a descendant of Irish an- cestoì's.
The mother of our subject was named Elizabeth (Caraway) Foscue, and both she and her parents were natives of Florida, and there she married in 1841. Twelve children were born of this marriage, as follows: Samuel G., a farmer of Liberty county, Texas; Sarah, widow of S. Scott; Mary, wife of William Harrison, of Ala-
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
bama; Nancy, the widow of Alexander McPherson; our subject; Frederick, de- ceased; Eliza, deceased; Amanda, wife of George Simons; Benjamin, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Ada, wife of Benja- min Williams; and Bama, wife of Leonard Weaver.
Our subject was born in 1845, and lived in Alabama, the State of his birth, with his parents until 1870, with the ex- ception of two years that he spent in the war. His early life was spent on the farm and at school. He enlisted in the Con- federate service in 1863, in Company A, in Colquit's regiment and Clanton's brigade, serving principally in Georgia and in Tennessee. At the time of the surrender he was in Alabama, and then returned home and remained until 1870, when he removed to Texas, and first located in Henderson county and remained one year, thence to Anderson county and settled abont eight miles north of Neches, on a farm of 300 acres, which he rented and continued to rent for about four years. At this time he bought the farm which he had rented for four years, which he now owns.
In 1873 our subject engaged in the mercantile business, and continued until 1876, in connection with liis farm, and in 1878 he removed to the farm which he bought, and continued there ten years. After this he removed to Neches, and re- inained there ever since. In 1874 he mar- ried Miss Mary E. Laird, a native of Texas, and a daughter of John W. and Margaret (Cox) Laird, natives of Louisiana. Four . children have been born of this marriage, as follows: Charlie; Willie, deceased; Lillie, at home; and John.
Our subject began life for himself in 1870, when he landed in Texas, having $150, and first engaged in packing cotton at $.90 per hundred. The next two years he farmed, working on shares. He now has 1,950 acres of land, with 900 acres under cultivation, owns ninety-five head of cattle, fifteen horses and mules, and town property, besides a steam gin on his farm, and has an interest in one with C. R. Bell. Mr. Foscue is one of the most thrifty farmers in this neighborhood, and one of the best and most intelligent citizens of this county.
In political life our subject is a pro- nounced Democrat, and socially he is con- nected with the Masonic order, being a Master Mason. He is also a member of I. O. O. F. and K. of H., and of the Alli- ance. Both he and his good wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, in which congregation they are well and most favorably known.
RIFFIN BAYNE KENNEDY, of Limestone county, Texas, is of Irish extraction, and a son of George W. Kennedy. The latter's father, John Ken- nedy, was a native of North Carolina, but removed to Kentucky in an early day, and later to Tennessee. He was an early set- tler of Maury county, that State, where our subject's father, George W., was born. The latter married Laura A. Bayne, a na- tive of Tennessee, and a daughter of Grif- fin Bayne, also a native of Franklin county. Mr. Kennedy resided in that county until 1856, when he came to Limestone county,
55
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
Texas, and his death occurred here in March, 1885, at the age of seventy-three years. He was a farmer and stock-raiser all his life. After coming to this county he settled at Sulphur Springs, about four miles north of the present town of Groes- beck, where his father-in-law had bought 2,000 acres of land.
Griffin Bayne, our subject's maternal grandfather, was a native of Virginia, was a pioneer settler of Tennessee, and a dis- tinguished Texan. He was an adventur- ous character, and was a soldier in the war of 1835-'36, with the rank of Colonel. By profession he was a physician, was well educated, was a surgeon on a ship for many years, a privateersman in the war of 1812, took up a headright in Brazos county, Texas, after the revolution of 1835, was prominent in the politics of his State, and at one time was an unsuccessful candi- date for Congress. His death occurred in Brazos county, in 1848 or 1850. Our sub- ject's mother is still living, occupying the old homestead at Sulphur Springs with her sons. There were six children in the family of George W. and Laura A. Ken- nedy, as follows: Felix Grundy, who died in Limestone county, leaving a family ; Griffin Bayne, our subject; Clement P,, deceased in the Confederate army; Will- iam A. was the next in order of birth; Belle, wife of S. T. Arnett, of Kosse, Limestone county; and Eugene. Three of the eldest sons were soldiers in the late war. Felix Grundy and Griffin were in Company C, Eighth Texas Cavalry, and the former served through the struggle in this command. Griffin B. was wounded in the right arm and lung at Murfrees-
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