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 19

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 19
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 19
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 19
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 19
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 19
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 19

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).

"Corsicana was located in 1848 and was regularly laid off into streets, eighty feet wide, running at right angles, all of which concentrated on a public square. The lo- cation was selected for its beauty as well as for the convenience of the whole people of the county, being very near the center. The location is eminently eligible, being an elevation considerably higher than the

surrounding country. On the center of this elevation was located the square, from which the ground gradually recedes in every direction, affording ample drain- age for the whole town. The soil being sandy, our people are not troubled with that disagreeable and tenacions mnd that is so common to Texas in rainy weather.

" The town soon began to improve, and in a short time presented quite a respect- able appearance. At the beginning of the war, its population had reached nearly 1,000. At its close, it presented really a dilapidated appearance, and continued so until the question of locating the Central Railroad depot was settled in its favor. This important accomplishment, so essential to the existence of the town, was secured by the citizens purchasing 640 acres of land immediately adjoining the town, and giv- ing it to the road as a subsidy. The depot was located about 600 yards from the court house, and the original plan of the town carried out, and all the streets extended through the new town.

" In a short time everything changed; hundreds of merchants, mechanics, traders, etc., flooded into the embryo city, and all becanie life and activity. Houses went up by the hundreds, and all seemed eager for the coming business season. The popula- tion increased so fast that, on the 15th of November, 1871, when the first train reached the city, its population was esti- mated at from 3,500 to 4,000, and lias steadily increased until it now presents quite a city-like appearance, and now (March, '72), every department of business is carried on that is usual to a city."

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Here is the way a notice in the 11th No- vember (1871) Observer reads:

"A grand reception and ball will be given in honor of the Central Railroad at this place on Monday, the 13th. An ad- dress will be delivered by Colonel C. M. Winkler and the hospitalities of the city tendered to the officers of the road."

The shops were placed in the open com- mons across the track at the foot of the main street of the "old town," and the de- pot was placed in town, the first case of such success gained by any town this side of Houston. What is now the circus commons was reserved for permanent shops of the system, as it was believed. The officers of divisions made their homes here and this, with the employes and all, was a sudden increase of probably a value of $50,000 a year to Corsicana.

Then the new town began and Beaton street became the leading thoroughfare, as it has been ever since. Then the Cotton Belt came in 1880, and the union depot at the foot of Beaton street still more firmly clinched the commercial life to it. At this time the city had a population of 3,373, and it had given the Cotton Belt a bonus of several thousand dollars to secure it. The railway fever increased as the decade of the '80s moved on. This manifested itself in a desire for a road across to Pal- estine and owned by local capital, and it was pushed so hard that $75,000 was sub- scribed for it by Corsicana stockholders alone. But that has given way to a move- ment by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway owners, who propose to cover a

similar route by way of Waxahachie from Dallas, and have already filed their deed of trust.

Of course such a route is a rival to the Honston & Texas Central, and it is per- fectly natural that the Central managers would look with ill grace upon an agita- tion that had such an enterprise for its object. Whether the activity of the Cor- sicana people in securing such a route had anything to do with the Central managers' actual purposes or not, something did and it was fiercely effectual too, for in 1890 the news came like a heavy blow to every Corsicana business man that the entire division plant of this road was to be removed north to what is now the town of Ennis. For if the Central plant was worth $50,000 a year to Corsicana in 1872 certainly it was worth much more nearly a score of years later, in 1890. But that was two years ago and Corsicana's im- petus, gained in those eighteen years, was too great to be permanently checked by such a movement, and already at the end of two years she shows not only signs of recuperation, but of almost complete re- covery from its effects, while the new cross-line prospect gives its share in the renewed impetus. Then, too, it is believed by many that the Cotton Belt has been a chief main- stay since 1880. Certainly the population has doubled since the arrival of that road, for the census of 1890 gives a population of 6,285 as against 3,373 in 1880, and it is believed the last two years have made good gains on those figures.

With such gains as these the business of the city has developed several character- istic features. Of course it has its multi-

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tudes of merchants, grocers, druggists and other such supply houses as all towns have, and which increase in size and number with the size of the place, but reference is here made to the enterprises that all towns do not have and that best indicate its con- inercial vitality.

Probably the two big cotton-seed oil mills are the most noticeable in the line of manufactures. These are large and com- pletely equipped plants that compare favor- ably with those of larger places. One is the Corsicana Cotton Oil Company's works, and the other the old National Cotton Oil Mill. These, together with the army of cotton-buyers of the city, tend to make Corsicana an exceptional cotton mar- ket. The mills also have spur tracks, con- necting them with the railways, which in- dicates a large shipment. Both are located not far from the railway crossing. As the cotton trade, with the large yards, gins, and compress, is undoubtedly Corsicana's chief trade, the oil mills become her chief factories.

But this is the region of the grain belt also and the Texas Mill and Elevator Com- pany's plant, placed here in 1885, would no doubt come next in importance. Its stock is valued at between $75,000 and $100,000, and when it comes to turning ont a daily capacity of 300 barrels of flour, and a power to draw grain from a large radius of many miles, with a working force of from twenty-five to thirty men, a plant of that kind shows unusual vigor. Its elevator is capable of handling 100,000 bushels daily, and its grain-buyers are sent

out and stationed in many parts of the State. This tends to make it one of the backbone enterprises of the city.

In the factory line also may be men- tioned, before noticing the wholesale gro- cery trade, the large plant that includes a well equipped foundry for brass and iron goods, a gin factory, the electric light and gas plants, and some other features. This is a strong plant, also, as it employs from twenty-five to forty men, and fills probably all local iron contracts for a considerable radins, even beyond the county.

There are several other factories of a supply rather than an aggressive nature, that are also strong in their lines, such as the ice company, bottling works, vehicle factory, water-works, large steam brick- yards, steam laundry, broom factory, and numerous others of a lesser nature, that are always found where there is a large population with wants in that line. Cor- sicana is well supplied with these.

But more important than these lesser factories to Corsicana as a growing city is her wholesale grocery trade. In this line there are over a half dozen strong houses that do a large jobbing business that places this feature easily the third among the vital business lines of the city. When it is considered that Navarro county alone has twenty-eight post offices, and most of them supply centers of a greater or less degree, it will be seen that there is good ground for Corsicana's large jobbing trade, even in her own county, although she draws from outside also.

The banking strength in such surround- ings as these must always be strong; indeed the location of capital-that most sensitive

yours

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of forces-is one of the best indications that these favorable appearances are real and promising of future development. The banking and loaning strength of Cor- sicana undoubtedly aggregates in the region of a million dollars. The great bulk of this is done by four institutions for those purposes.

In point of time in beginning, probably the Texas Loan Agency comes first, with a small private loan office in 1872. The present agency was incorporated in Decem- ber, 1884, with $100,000 capital. But its business so increased that now it is capital- ized at $300,000. Of course this is partly held by parties from abroad, but it is a powerful Corsicana institution just the same.

The real banking business as it exists at present, however, began in the establish- ment of the private bank of Jester Brothers in 1881, with Hon. George T. Jester as president. In 1887 this became the Cor- sicana National Bank, with Mr. Jester in the same position, and with a paid up capital of $100,000. This bank's work has come to include such large contracts as the care of the county treasurer's funds.

HON. GEORGE T. JESTER, president of the Corsicana National Bank and a leading citi- zen of Navarro county, is a son of Levi and Diadema Jester, and was born on a farm in Macoupin county, Illinois, August 23, 1847. His father died in 1858, leaving the mother and six children a small amount of property that served to support the family until Charles W. and George T. Jester were old enough to contribute to the maintenance of the family.

Hampton Mckinney, related to the Hamptons of South Carolina and grand- fatlier of the subject of this biography, re- moved to Texas in 1847 and built the first house-a log cabin-on the site now occu- pied by the thriving city of Corsicana. On the death of Mr. Levi Jester, in 1858, his widow and six children made their way to Mr. Mckinney's home, traveling the long distance from Macoupin county, Illinois, to Corsicana, in a two-horse wagon. Soon after their arrival the county commenced the construction of a courthouse, the first brick building erected in that part of the State. George T. Jester and his elder brother, Charles W., secured employment, hauling and bearing brick at 50 cents a. day, and earned a support for their mother and sisters.

Mr. Jester was fourteen years of age when war was opened between the States. During the stormy period which succeeded that momentous event, schools were poor and iregular, but he applied himself with diligence and a zest for knowledge, that laid broad and deep the foundation for that wide education he attained after reaching manhood.

At seventeen years of age he began read- ing law, but abandoned its study, and the following year (the fourth of the war) joined Hood's Fourth Texas regiment. Be- fore it reached Richmond, however, Lee had surrendered. Returning home, the neces- sities of the family were such that he could not prosecute his studies to admission to the bar. With a cheerful and courageous heart he worked hard and earned money

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

enongh to purchase a wagon and liorses, and for two years followed freighting and buying hides on a small scale.

Concluding that his abilities fitted him for something better, he secured a position in a dry-goods store at Corsicana, at $20 a month, and clerked three years, his salary being increased until it reached $125 per month. He then began business on his own account, and merchandised from 1870 to 1880, meeting with success. During five years of this time he was engaged in buying cotton from farmers and shipping it direct to spinners. Up to 1875 the spinners purchased their cotton only at the ports, not coming nearer the interior than Houston. Mr. Jester conceived the idea of buying from the farmers and shipping di- rect to spinners in New England, and visited the East and demonstrated to the mill-own- ers how they could make a large saving, and at the same time enable the farmers to get better prices for the staple by eliminating the expense of commission merchants and nnnecessary freight and port charges. He met with admirable success in his under- taking, and introduced the system of pur chasing direct from the planters, which to-day is general. In 1881 he retired from merchandising and cotton-buying and em- barked in the banking business with his brothers, C. W. and L. L. Jester, under the firm name of Jester Bros. In 1887 the bank was converted into the Corsicana National Bank, with a capital of $125,000. George T. Jester is president of this institu- tion, and its business for years has been steadily increasing. Mr. Jester is as largely interested in farming and stock-raising as in banking,-perhaps more largely. He

owns 3,000 acres of fine arable land, di- vided into farms and pastures. His favor- ite place is the Valley Hill Stock Farm. It is supplied with every modern conven- ience, and is stocked with the purest strains of Durham and Jersey cattle. He is to a degree an experimental farmer, and besides other improvements has brought into nse a superior variety of cotton seed. The breed- ing and general introduction of fine stock and scientific farming is a passion with him, and he has done as much as any other man to develop the agricultural interests of Navarro county. The most highly en- joyed of his leisure hours are spent at his country home.

Mr. Jester has been twice married. In 1871 he was nnited in marriage to Miss Alice Bates, who died in 1875, leaving two children-a son, Claud W., and a daughter, named for her mother, Alice Bates Jester. In 1880, five years after the death of his first wife, he married Miss Fannie P. Gordon, and another son, Charles G. Jester, has been born to him.

Mr. Jester is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sonth, and was a lay delegate to the General Conference that met at Richmond, Virginia, in May, 1886, and elected Bishops Duncan, Galloway, Hen- dricks and Key, and was also a delegate to the General Conference that assembled at St. Lonis in May, 1890, and elected Bishops Haygood and Fitzgerald. The General Conference is the highest body known to the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the most distinguished honor that can be conferred on any lay member of the church is to be sent as a delegate to this angnst conference, which makes ecclesiastical laws

. .

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and ordinances for the 1,250,000 Method- ists of the Southern States. Mr. Jester is a director and the treasurer of the Navarro County Bible Society; a member of the Corsicana Relief Association, Navarro County Fair Association, and Corsicana Board of Trade, and is a stockholder in the Corsicana Street Railway Company, and Corsicana Manufacturing Company.

In 1890 he was nominated by acclama- tion, by the Democratic Convention of the Sixtieth District, and at the ensuing elec- tion in November was elected, to the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature, without opposition,-a high and well merited recognition of his ability, integrity and fitness to participate in a legislative. assembly to which the people looked with confidence for the enactment of an efficient railway commission law and other measures of vital importance. Every page of the House Journal abundantly testifies how well he discharged the duties entrusted to him by his constituents. Mr. Jester was a member of the following com- mittees: State Affairs, Revenue and Tax- ation, Roads, Bridges and Ferries, Insur- ance, Statistics and History, and Stock and Stock-raising.

In the discussion to create a commission to regulate the operation of railways in this State, he contended and voted for the feature giving the governor power. to se- lect the commissioners. He took the position that in the gubernatorial cam- paign of 1890, the people voted for Gen- eral James S. Hogg with the understand- ing that he should have the right to appoint the commission, and the belief that he would see that when they asked for

bread, they would not be given a stone; and that to incorporate an elective feature in the bill would he unjust to Governor Hogg, the success of whose administra- tion depends upon the commission work- ing satisfactorily, and in violation of the wishes of the people as expressed at the polls. A bill giving Governor Hogg per- mission to put men on the commission thoroughly in sympathy with his views in relation to the regulation of railroads, was what he said the people voted for, and what he proposed to do all in his power to give them. The bill enacted by the legisla- ture was a signal victory for the admin- istration, and those who espoused the appointive side of the issue, and during Governor Hogg's probable four-years ten- ure of office he will have the power to se- lect his lieutenants, and give the regula- tion of railroads, by a State commission, a fair trial. Mr. Jester says that the bill, as passed, is by no means entirely free from defects; that perfection could not be expected, or even approximation thereto, but that future legislatures, acting in the light of experience, can add to, take from, and improve upon the work done by the Twenty-second Legislature.

Mr. Jester introduced a road bill, that with others, having in view important changes in the old law, was referred to a committee which reported a measure that became a law. The main feature of his bill was a clause providing for county road superintendents. It was incorpo- rated in the committee bill, and is now a statutory provision, under the operation of which a long step will be taken toward giving the people good country roads.

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The most important measure introduced by him, however, was a joint resolution to submit a constitutional amendment provid- ing for the annual transfer of one per cent. of the permanent school fund to the avail- able fund for the support of the public free schools. The permanent fund now amounts to $75,000. About $750,000 would be the amount annually transferred. Mr. Jester, in defense of the resolution, declared it to be his opinion that the enjoyment of the per- manent school fund should be equitably divided between the people of to-day, who are working in every field of effort to build up the State and lier resources, and an unknown posterity. He said that this, like every other, age, owed a debt to after times, for the payment of which a wise statesmanship should provide; but while this fact was self-evident it was no less true that the men of to-day owe an equally sacred duty to the children growing up around them, and who will be the next actors to succeed them in the marts, the forum, and the halls of State. He demon- strated clearly that the sum of $750,000 would greatly promote the efficiency of the public-school system, permit the reduction of taxes, should such a step be deemed ad- visable; and, by reason of the rapid in- crease in the value of school lands, certain to attend increase in population and devel- opment of the State's limitless resources, enable this generation to transmit to pos- terity a fund, as great as, or greater in amount than, the present sum total of the permanent school fund. He thought it mistaken public policy to hoard the fund for generations, until it runs up into many more inert inillions before putting it to a

useful purpose. He does not wish to de- stroy the permanent school fund but wants it like a generous river to give of its abundance as it passes, enriching the country through which it rolls its tide, and go on to its far distant term with un- diminished volume. The best financiers in the house accord this bill the merit of originality, and declare that it furnishes the only just and rational solution of the question as to what disposition shall be made of the school fund. Mr. Jester se- cured the passage of his joint resolution and it was subsequently adopted at the polls.

He also introduced a bill, requiring rail- roads to provide comfortable and commo- dious waiting rooms for the separate ac- commodation of white and colored passen- gers. It was not enacted into law, but a like bill will in all probability be passed by the Twenty-third Legislature. He was the author of a number of other bills of minor importance.

He is firmly grounded on the principles of Democracy, and while he has attended a number of State conventions, and been au active party worker, he never, until 1890, permitted his name to be used in connec- tion with office. He is truly a representa- tive man of the people, having worked his way through many difficulties that would have crushed a weaker spirit, up to the place he now occupies in the social, polit- ical and business world, and in the hearts of his constituents.

Steady resolve, patience, energy, forti- tude, and strict integrity, when combined with capacity to do, are resistless. Let obstacles be piled mountain high, the gates

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of wealth swing back at their command, and better still the portals of honor and fair renown open wide and welcome on the man who weaves these virtues into his daily life.

Mr. Jester is keen and logical in debate, and a pleasing speaker. In social life he is affable and engaging, and made many warm friends among his colleagues in the Twenty-second Legislature, as he does wherever he goes.

In 1892, he was elected on the regular Democratic ticket to represent the ninth senatorial district, comprising the counties of Navarro, Henderson and Kaufman.

The first bank to organize under the na- tional law in Corsicana was the one organ- ized by Captain James Garrity, on July 1, 1886, as The First National Bank of Cor- sicana, and within two years after that the two others took the national formn. This took form at once as a strong institution, with Captain Garrity as president and with a large capital, which is now $125,000. In addition to this the bank shows a sur. plus of $75,000.

Captain James Garrity, president of the First National Bank of Corsicana, is a na- tive of Ireland, born in the city of Dublin, April 3, 1842. His earlier years were passed in New Orleans, and in the schools of that city he received what education fell to his lot, his training in this respect, like that of many other boys of his age, having been seriously interfered with by the late Civil war. He was a student when hostilities were declared between the States, and at the first call for volunteers he entered the Con- federate service, enlisting, May 4, 1861, in a local company of cadets, which soon after-

ward became part of the Fifth Louisiana Regiment, operating in the Army of Northern Virginia. He entered this com- pany as a private, rose to the captaincy of it and served with it in all the campaigns and engagements which the Army of Northern Virginia took part in. He was three times wounded -- at Sharpsburg, Mal- vern Hill and Fisher's Hill -- but never kept for any considerable length of time from active field service. At the close of the war he returned to New Orleans and for a year was employed as a clerk with Sibley, Guion & Co., cotton brokers and operators of the since well-known " Guion Line of Ocean Steamers." In the fall of 1866 he came to Texas and for five years following that date was engaged in the mercantile and banking business, first as clerk and later as a partner in interest, at points along the line of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, then being built through territory now traversed by it in the counties of Brazos, Robertson and Limestone. Throughi good fortune, he says, but it would probably be more correct to say, through industry and good manage- ment, he met withi success while so en- gaged, accumulating between $10,000 and $12,000, which formed the nucleus of the handsome fortune since amassed by lıim. In 1871, having sold his interest in the banking business of Adams, Leonard & Co. at Calvert, he formed a partnership with Mr. Joseph Huey and started the pio- neer banking institution of Navarro county, this being the private banking house of Garrity, Huey & Co., which began busi- ness in Corsicana in September of the year just inentioned. Captain Garrity has since

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given his attention chiefly to the banking business. In 1886 the firm of Garrity & Hney (the company having been dropped after the first year), was succeeded by the First National Bank, of which Captain Garrity became president and Mr. Huey vice-president, the bank nationalizing witlı a capital of $100,000. This was increased a year later to $125,000, and so remains at this time. Captain Garrity is still the chief executive officer and gives his atten- tion as unremittingly to the interest in his charge as in former years when the suc- cess of that interest was by no means as well assured as now. In addition to his banking business he has various outside interests, owning a great deal of valnable real estate in the city of Corsicana and being connected, as promoter and stock- holder, with some of the city's leading in- dustries and enterprises. Among these are: the Corsicana Compress Company, the Texas Mill and Elevator Company, the Corsicana Manufacturing Company, the Merchants' Opera House Company and the Corsicana Cotton Oil Company. Captain Garrity has always contributed liberally to all enterprises which have sought favor at the hands of the people of Corsicana, and he has shown his confidence in the future of the place by investing largely of his means in city property and by erecting the most substantial buildings and improvements on his holdings. It will be a sufficient comment on the social side of Captain Garrity's nature to say that he is a member in good standing of the Masonic fraternity, the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Elks, in all of which orders he takes much interest, par-

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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