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 112

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 112
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 112
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 112
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 112
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 112
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 112

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).

J. W. Kerley began life for himself aft- er attaining his majority, without pecuni- ary aid. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Lauderdale county, Mississippi,

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sixteen years, and in 1850 came to Lime- stone county, Texas. He began teaming between Houston and this county, which he continued until the war broke ont, and he then entered the Government service, in the same capacity, operating between San Antonio and Limestone county. After the close of hostilities, he had not only made no money for four years, but had lost what he had accumulated before the war, except a small piece of land. He then began farming and stock-raising, and he now owns 652 acres of good land, most of which is in pasture. Mr. Kerley is still interested in stock, having 300 head of sheep, a fine drove of cattle, and is careful to produce everything necessary for their consumption.

In 1861 our subject married Martha Frances Matthews, whose father was mur- dered for his money at Memphis, Tennes- see. The children born to this union are: David, Joseph, Matilda, wife of Mack Oli- phant; Bettie, wife of D. A. Hodek; George, Myrtie, John, Fannie and Bea- trice. The family are members of the Methodist Church.

O. McSPADDEN, one of the lead- ing farmers of Drane, Navarro county, came to Texas in 1873, and located in Navarro county. At first he rented land for one year, but later bought a small tract, upon which he lived until 1889, when he sold out and bought the 250-acre tract where he now lives. At that time there were some improve- ments there, and since then he has greatly

improved the place, and now owns several other valuable tracts of land, consisting of 100 acres near Corsicana, and eighty-five acres at another place. When he reached Texas he had $400, and that comprised his sole capital. His home farm is very well improved, lias good buildings and exten- sive orchard, 175 acres being in a fine state of cultivation. . On this place he does his own farming, but rents his other land, raising wheat, oats, corn, cotton, millet and his own supplies,-pork, lard, etc. He also keeps enough stock to support the farm. Since coming to Texas he has not had a failure of crops; sometimes one crop might be a little short, but that was always made up by the other crops giving an unusual yield.

Our subject was born on March 5, 1847, in Georgia. He was reared on a farm and clerked in a dry-goods store a short time. He married in 1870, but lived with his father until coming to Texas. He is a son of John M. McSpadden, a native of Ten- nessee, who removed to Georgia but came to Texas in 1872, settling in Navarro county, when a young man. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was among those who assisted in driving the Indians from Georgia. IIe is yet living, at the age of eighty-three years, still very active, one of his self-appointed duties being trips to inill. The mother of our subject was Miss Minerva Colwell, daughter of John Col- well, of Tennessee, a farmer and teacher of that State, in which he died. Mrs. Mc- Spadden is still living, active and in the enjoyment of good health.

Mr. and Mrs. McSpadden have had seven children, and our subject and one sister,

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Mary E., now the wife of R. A. Henderson, a Navarro county farmer, are the only sur- vivors. Our subject, Mr. MeSpadden, was the youngest of the family; three persons came to Texas,- two brothers and the brother-in-law, Mr. Henderson, who was also a soldier. Our subjeet married Miss Nannie E. Henderson, a daughter of Will - iam A. Henderson, a farmer of Tennessee, who died in Georgia. Eight children have been born to this marriage, namely: Min- erva E., died June 27, 1891, aged nineteen years; Jimmy, Carrie, Pearl, Ruby, Ber- tie, Linivie, and Lovie. The mother of this family was born April 27, 1852, and is still spared to them. Both she and her husband are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Chnreh. Mr. MeSpadden is a prominent Democrat of the county, and has been called npon to fill the offices of School Trustee and Road Overseer. IIe is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and is well known and highly respected.

P. SIDDONS, superintendent of the ear department of the In- ternational and Great Northern Railway at Palestine, Texas, and an hon- ored eitizen, was born in Dublin, Ireland, October 12, 1840. Ilis parents, John and Anna (Andrews) Siddons, were natives of Ireland and Scotland, respectively, married in Dublin and came to the United States . in 1846. They settled in Rochester, New York, where they resided until their death, the father in 1880, at the age of eighty-four years, and the mother in June, 1892, aged eighty-two. The father learned

his trade of coach-carpenter in the old eonntry, and after he came to the United States was foreman of the New York Cen- tral Railway for a great many years. Ile was a graduate of the Dublin University, and was an excellent scholar. This worthy couple had four children: Joseph, the oldest, was a printer by trade, who enlisted at the beginning of the war in Company H, First United States Infantry of the regular army, and participated in nearly all the leading battles of the West. IIe was under the command of General Grant at Vicksburg, where he was wounded throngh the hand. IIe served nnder Gen- eral Stanley at Franklin, where he was seriously wonnded in the right side. On his recovery he rejoined his command, serving until the elose of hostilities. IIe stood the service quite well, and lived until 1878, when he died of smallpox in St. Lonis. He left a widow and three children, Matilda, John and Walter, who reside in New Orleans, Mrs. Siddons' na- tive eity. The next ehild in order of birth is the subject of this sketel. The third is Dr. George A. Siddons, a noted physician and surgeon of Hermosa, South Dakota, who is Government Examiner of that see- tion of the eonntry. He served with his oldest brother as an infantry private in Company I, Seventy-fifth Texas Regiment, Nineteenth Army Corps of the Federal army. In the first assault on Port Hud- son he was shot through the face, but served until the surrender. IIe studied medicine after he was married, graduating at Rush Medical College, Chicago. IIis first wife was Emma Swift, who died. after which he married Lillie Sprow; he

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has one child, Emma. The fourth child and only daughter is Matilda, who is an artist of considerable experience and good reputation; she sketches for several illns- trated papers.

The subject of this sketch was reared in Rochester, New York, where he was ed- ucated in the public schools. His first business experience was as pressman in a printing office, where he remained three years. He then, in 1857, became an ap- prentice in the car shops of the New York Central Railway, where he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in the army on the seventh call for troops. He served under Patterson, Colonel George H. Thomas ("Old Pap" Thomas, afterward Major- General Thomas); and under a commander in the Army of the Cumberland. He after- ward served as a private in Company B, of the Nineteenth New York Regiment, from which he was subsequently changed to Battery B of the Third New York Artil- lery, serving in the infantry department of both regiments. He participated in the bat- tle at Newbern, North Carolina; was at Fort Macon at the time of its capitulation, and was through all the battles of Burn- side's old Ninth Corps. He was at Antie- tam and Chancellorsville, which latter battle was the best of all, as he was then discharged on account of expiration of his time of service, having served three months over the two years' time for which his regimeut had enlisted. Mr. Siddons was discharged June 2, 1863, and mus- tered out of the service April 16, 1864. He stood the service well.

On his release he returned to the car department of the New York Central,

where he resumed his former positiou, eventually becoming foreman, which place he held when he left in 1881. In No- vember of that year he came to Palestine and entered the employ of the Interna- tional and Great Northern Railway, with which company he remained until June, 1882. He was then appointed general inspector of the contract work of the Gonld system, with head-quarters at St. Lonis, where he remained until December, 1884. He was then hired by A. A. Tal- madge to take charge of the car sliops at Moberly, Missouri, where he remained un- til October, 1887. He then returned to Palestine, where he assumed his present position, which he has ever since filled ac- ceptably. He was never out of employ- ment in his life, and never looked for a position, the position having always hunted for him. He was never discharged, and has only changed his position to increase his wages and better his condition.

As a workman he possesses the highest ability, and his entire life is characterized by unswerving integrity and praiseworthy fidelity, which have gained for him the esteem of his fellow-men.

He was married January 16, 1871, to Miss Esther L. Wilgus, daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth Wilgus, of Buffalo, New York, and they have one daughter, Isa- bella. He aud his worthy wife are useful members of the Episcopal Church.

Mr. Siddons takes bnt little interest in politics. Socially, he belongs to the An- cient Order of United Workmen, and the Knights of Honor.

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

ILLIAM WRIGIIT, deceased, is the honored subject of this memo- rial sketch. For thirty-seven years he was a citizen of Anderson county, be- ing one of her pioneers and a man of in- dustrious life and irreproachable character. Ile was a native of North Carolina, born in 1810, but was reared mainly in Georgia, in which State lie was twice married, and from that State he subsequently moved to Texas.

The date of the settlement of Mr. Wright in this State was 1840, that being the time when he took up his residence in Ander- son county. This was six years before the county was organized, and many years be- fore it could in any sense be said to be well settled. All the families then in the county lived at old Fort Houston, and they numbered probably not more than a dozen. For the first six months, Mr. Wright re- sided with his family at the fort. He then selected a claim on the Wells Leagne, which had previously been located by the Lumpkin family in 1839, but was aban- doned and the buildings were burned by the Indians the same year.

Mr. Wright was the first, or among the first, who moved out there and held his ground against the Indians. That same fall Major Joseph Pinson settled with his family near, and soon afterward Mr. Lump- kin and Samuel Wells built honses near each other so that they might be in sup- porting distance of each other in case of an attack by the Indians. Mr. Wright and Major Pinson erected a number of buildings, some of them rather large and pretentious for that day, and as all of them were covered with new pine boards made

a considerable show at a distance, and on this account more than once prevented the Indians from making attacks, they suppos- ing that all the buildings were occupied and would thus be able to slow a pretty good fighting force. At any rate this was the reason they afterward gave to General Houston at the signing of the Treaty of 1842, when asked why they had not mo- lested Mr. Wright during the raids on the settlements in that locality. Among the other buildings erected by Mr. Wright and Major Pinson at that time was a large cotton gin, possibly the first put up in the county.

This gin did a considerable business then and for years afterward, being pat- ronized as the country settled np, from points now in Henderson, Cherokee and Houston counties. Later Mr. Wright added a gristmill to the cotton gin, the stones for which were taken from a quarry about six miles southwest of Palestine, and were gotten out and dressed by a man named Baker, who was afterward known as "Rock-cut" Baker. These stones are still in the county, and would be a valn- able addition to a collection of early-day relics, and ought for this reason to be looked after by those interested in preserving the "old landmarks."

Mr. Wright was engaged in farming, stock-raising, ginning and milling, in all of which he met with reasonable success. The simple ways of living at that day dis- pensed with the necessity of great accumu- lations, but his resources were ample and he lived well. Being a man of good in- telligence, public-spirited and successful in the management of his own affairs, he

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was called out at an early date to take part in public matters. He was one of the first Commissioners of the county, and as such · assisted iu getting the county business in shape and in setting the wheels of the local government in motion. Not long after the county was organized he was elected Sheriff and was the chief executive officer for some time. However, he never became all office-sceker,-in fact never filled any office after he vacated that of Sheriff.

Our subject was a man who, as he be- lieved, found the best field for the exercise of his talents and industry in looking after his own private concerns. He kept closely about liis home and devoted his attention studiously to his farm and domestic affairs. Like many of the other early settlers of the county, his opportunities for securing an education in his youth were very lim- ited, and he grew up no master of books, but was a man, nevertheless, of good prac- tical sense, alive to all of his duties as a citizen, and was one who took a pleasure in discharging those duties. If he knew but little of those social, political and re- ligious questions which form the bone of contention in so many learned and oft- times heated discussions in these days, he was skilled in the art of getting on in a new country and he knew how to be most helpful to his fellow-men in their struggle to secure a foothold for themselves and those who depended upon them.

For many years he was a Mason aud stood well with the order. Going back to what he believed to be "first principles," he took the Bible as his rule of conduct, and insisted upon that plain, straightfor- ward interpretation which characterize the

teachings of the Church of the Disciples, cominonly known as the Christian Church, and from its origin he was one of its members.

Mr. Wrighit was married four times and became the father of fifteen children. His first marriage was to a Miss Hale, and took place in Georgia. This lady died in a few years, leaving two sons, Mahlon and Thad- deus, both of whom became grown. The elder died in the Confederate army during the late war, and the younger is now a resident of California. Mr. Wright's sec- ond marriage was to Miss Jennett Winn, a Georgia-born lady and a representative of an old Georgia family, in which State the marriage occurred.

This lady accompanied Mr. Wright to Texas and bore him a faithful companion- ship for many years during his early strug- gles in that new country. She died at the old homestead north of Palestine. She was the mother of five children who be- came grown, and their names are: H., wlio now occupies the old Wright homestead just referred to; Charles, a farmer of An- derson county; Frances, the widow of Wesley Robinson, residing in the county; Emeline, the wife of R. B. Wallace; and George A., of Palestine, whose sketch ap- years in this volume.

Mr. Wright took for his third wife Mrs. Martha Metcalf, then of Anderson county, and to this union were born four children : Albert; Martha, who is Mrs. Walter P. McMeans; Ella, who is now Mrs. Owen Sullivan; and Nathaniel, deceased, all of Anderson county. After this wife's death, Mr. Wright married Miss Julia Folly, of this county, who bore him four children;

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Addie, now Mrs. Pipkins, of Innt county ; Julia, now Mr. Jacob Lively; Jott. of Houston county; and Henry, of this county. Mr. Wright passed from earth in 1877, leaving behind him the record of a good, wise, conscientious man, whose name will always be connected with the early life of this part of the State of Texas.

UDGE OLIVER CARTER KIR- VEN .-- The following brief sketch of one of the most famous and popu- lar men of Texas was prepared. by his friend, General George F. Alford, of Dallas, Texas, who had known him when a barefooted school-boy, and has watched his brilliant and useful career with pride and satisfaction :

This distinguished lawyer and jurist of Fairfield, Freestone county, Texas, was born November 7, 1849, in Butler county, Alabama. His father, William A. Kirven, was of an old Scotch family, who settled in South Carolina at a very early day. His mother, Elizabeth Carter, was the only danghter of Colonel Oliver Carter, born April 3, 1801, and Mary Livingston Carter, born March 11, 1811, the latter being a danghter of Adam and Martha Livingston, of Irish descent, both exten- sive and well-known families of Georgia and Alabama. The subject of this sketch had one brother, Thomas Livingston Carter Kirven, who was born in Butler county, Alabama, February 5, 1851, married Mary Walker May in 1874, and died in No- vember, 1880, leaving a widow and two

children: Gus, born in 1876; and Annie, born in 1878. Judge Kirven's maternal ancestors, the Carters and Livingstons, far back into the last century, were people of- note. The Carters were remarkably large, portly and athletic, active, vigorons, inde- pendent and self-reliant, and they impressed their characteristics as soldiers, citizens and pioneers upon their offspring in the States of Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. In 1851 Colonel Oliver Carter, the maternal grandfather of Judge Kirven, imbued with a spirit of adventure and nerve, remarkable physical and mental strength, and an independent spirit, with a number, of his old family negroes, his wagons and mules, and well supplied with money, the fruits of his early toil, fru- gality and sagacity, left his old home in Butler county, Alabama, his relatives and the friends of his boyhood, and, with his brother, William Carter, who was en- dowed with the same mental and physical characteristics, wended his way overland many hundred miles through a sparsely settled country, and finally landed on Grindstone creek, in Freestone county, Texas, then almost a wilderness, about eight miles west of the present prosperons town of Fairfield, the county seat of Free- stone county, at that time a primeval forest. Each of the two brothers bought a league of land (4,428 acres), lying on opposite sides of Grindstone creek, for which they paid all cash. The next year their fami- lies, consisting of their wives and children and the remainder of their negroes, fol- lowed, under charge of William A. Kirven, the father of the subject of this sketch, who brought his own family with him,

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comprising his wife and two sons, Oliver C. and Thomas L., and his slaves.

These three families and other Ala- bama friends and relatives, who moved to Texas about the same time, all set- tled in a neighborhood of about four square miles, erected neat and substantial hewed-log houses, negro cabins and barns, felled the forests and subdued the soil, and in a year or two the former wilder- ness blossomed like the rose of Sharon, and a happy and prosperous community was founded, which became noted far and near as the abode of the most generous and princely hospitality. Cattle, horses, sheep and hogs took the place of the wild buffalo, deer, antelope and bear, which re- treated to the frontier.

A country school was established, pre- sided over by Jake A. Womack, a relative of the Carters, who is now seventy years of age, and is the efficient and honored County Treasurer of Freestone county; and in this primitive school, at the age of six years, our subject, Oliver Carter Kirven, began his career, which has culminated in a life of honor and usefulness. Early inured to the toils and privations of fron- tier life, he was reared to the handling of fire-arms, to horseback riding and mannal labor, and to this may be attributed his extraordinary strength and mental and physical vigor. The foundation of the splendid education which is the pride and boast of his friends, was early laid in Webster's blue-back speller, Kirkham's grammar, Davies' arithmetic and Olney's geography. The pens used were made of goose-quills, and the ink from balls which grew upon the forest trees, and by the

time little Oliver, or "Carter," as he was generally called and is yet known, was ten years of age he was almost perfect in all the rudiments of an education, as well as the practical knowledge of agriculture and stock-raising, and was vigorous in body, mind and morals. The success of this Ala- bama colony was so great that others, most- ly kindred of the first three families, had moved into the neighborhood, until the country school, no longer able to supply the growing demands of the rich and prosperous community, was supplemented by a high school, known as Woodland Academy, presided over by Rev. Hillery Moseley. Little Oliver was prepared to take the lead and keep it to a finish as far into the classics and higher branches as the academy could reach. A most imn- portant epoch in his young life has been omitted. In his seventh year, in the spring of 1856, his mother, a pure, noble, Christian woman, was taken to her last and best home, where she rests in peace, leaving a devoted and sorrowing husband and two little ones. In a short time the father followed her, leaving his little boys, Oliver and Thomas ("Carter " and "Tom "), alone and unprotected in their orphanhood. After the death of his wife, William A. Kirven started, in August, 1856, on a visit to his mother in Alabama, intending to bring her and other relatives to his home in Texas at Galveston. He took passage on the steamship Nautilus . for New Orleans, but fate ordained that he should never again behold his mother in this existence: the vessel was wrecked and every soul on board of her, except the steward and one other, found their last, .

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

long sleep on the bottom of the turbulent Gulf of Mexico. The two little boys, doubly orphaned, Oliver Carter Kirven, and his brother, Thomas L., were adopted by their maternal grandfather, Colonel Oliver Carter, and his wife, Mary Livings- ton Carter, and taken to their home and their hearts. The two old grandparents were childless, their only child, Thomas Livingston Carter, having died in Ala- bama iu 1851, leaving one little child, Mary Livingston Carter, who married her consin, A. H. Carter, in 1867, and they now, with their two children, Thomas L. and Maggie, both about growu, own and reside npon the old Carter homestead. The grandparents adopted these three little or- phans, Mary L. Carter and Oliver and Thomas Kirven, and raised them as tenderly as if they had been their own children, and gave them the most liberal education the limited educational facilities of the conn- try afforded. Colonel Oliver Carter was one of eight sons of a Virginia gentleman, a Revolutionary soldier, each of whom was over six feet in height and averaged near 300 pounds, lie going considerably over. He died April 26, 1876, at seventy- six years of age, and his wife died in Feb- ruary, 1860. He had a sister. Fannie, who married a Womaek.

To return to the subject of our sketch: In 1869 he entered the law office of Judge L. D. Bradley and Murray, of Fair- field, and applied himself diligently to the study of law. After a voluntary exile of some months, cansed by his alleged con- nection with an attack upon the Federal soldiery in the summer of 1868, dur- ing the infamous period of so-called re-

construction,-which will forever remain the blackest stain upon free goveru- ment,-in January. 1870, he entered the law department of Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee, and graduated with distinguished honors in June, 1871. In September. 1871, he formed a partnership with James R. Seeley, under the firm name of Kirven & Seeley, and entered snecessfully into the practice of law in Fairfield. Their connection continued only one year, when he formed a partnership with his old preceptor, Judge L. D. Brad- ley, who was recognized as the most learned lawyer in that section of the State. This partnership continned nntil Judge Kirven was elected County Judge of Free- stone county in 1876, which office he filled with universal acceptation to the people for nearly eleven years, when he refused to hold it any longer, retired from the bench, which he illustrated with ju- dicial wisdom, learning and fairness, and re-entered the general practice, and has so continued ever since, with marked success. Judge Kirven is universally recognized as the most profound, brilliant and snecess- ful lawyer in the county. He is largely interested in farming and stock-raising, which he enjoys as a relaxation from the eares and annoyances of an extensive legal practice.

He has been twice happily married; first on January 5, 1875, to Alice Gray- son, youngest danghter of Dr. S. G. Gray- son, of Freestone county, another pron- inent old Alabama family (Wilcox county). This amiable lady died November 28, 1884, leaving two little sons: Oliver Carter, Jr., born September 3, 1876, and William

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

Thomas, born November 28, 1878. On December 23, 1886, Judge Kirven mar- ried W. Catherine Carter ("Caddie"), his second cousin and a daughter of William Carter, Jr., who was a son of William Carter, Sr., a pioneer of Freestone county. Her mother was Catherine, nee McInnis, also of Alabama. . Mrs. Kirven was born Au- gust 2, 1856, in Freestone county, Texas, and is one of the most charming and ac- complished ladies in the county. By the last marriage there is a sweet, black-eyed, black-haired little daughter, Alice Cad. Kirven, born September 23, 1892.

In his political opinions Judge Kirven has always been an out-spoken Democrat, and lias taken an active part in all the . movements of his party. In 1871, at the age of twenty-one, he was made a Master Mason in Fairfield Lodge, No. 103, A. F. & A. M., of which he is still a member, and of which he has been Worshipful Master, and High Priest of Royal Arch Chapter, No. 42, at Fairfield, Texas.

In personal appearance Judge Kirven is a strikingly handsome specimen of physi- cal manhood. Almost six feet in height, he weighs 240 pounds, and has winsome and expressive dark eyes, dark hair and a florid complexion. His distinguished ap- pearance is supplemented by graceful and charming manners, which, by their genial frankness, at once wins the confidence and affection of his associates. His warm and generous heart, open purse and boundless hospitality las ınade him a universal favorite, and it is not too much to say that he has more devoted and loyal friends than any other man in the district, and deserves thein.

OHN H. JOYCE, M. D., one of the leading and oldest physicians of Buf- falo, was born in Louisiana, in 1854, and was the only child born to William and M. M. (Head) Joyce, natives of Texas and South Carolina, respectively. The father was a planter by occupation, who moved to Louisiana before he married the mother of our subject. He had been mar- ried previously, and by the first marriage had three children, two of whom lived to be grown, namely: William R., who re- sides in Texas; and Martha, who was twice married, the first time to a Mr. Mitchell and the last time to Mr. Wilson. The second wife died, and Mr. Joyce died in 1860, after coming to Texas, where he set- tled in Franklin Parish.

Our subject received his literary educa- tion in his native county and in this county, where his mother moved in 1863. At the age of twenty-one he entered the Missouri Medical School, at St. Louis, and graduated from it in the class of 1876 or 1877. He returned to Leon county and located at Buffalo, in 1877, and has since followed his profession at this point.

Dr. Joyce is the second oldest practi- tioner, in point of location, in the place. For some years he commanded the practice for a radius of from ten to twenty miles, but the strain was too great, and so now he attends only to the practice near at hand, which is very large. In addition to his profession the Doctor is engaged in other enterprises, and when the County Medical Board was in session Dr. Joyce was its able secretary.

Dr. Joyce was married, in 1877, to Miss Mattie Wallace, of this county, daughter

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

of Riley Wallace, a very early settler of this county. Mr. Wallace was one of the earliest settlers of Leon county and served as County Clerk. He engaged, on the Confederate side, in the late war. He and his wife had a family of eight children, some of whom reside in this county. Dr.

Joyce and wife are the parents of three children, namely: Claud D .; Lucille, de- ceased, and Wallace, deceased. Both Dr. Joyce and wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and he is a mem- ber of A. F. and A. M., Buffalo Lodge, No. 554, of which he is Chaplain.

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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