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 30

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 30
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 30
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 30
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 30
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 30
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 30

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).

seen or heard of afterward. His footsteps were followed some distance down the river near the edge of the water, when sud- denly they could be traced no farther. The river was sounded for his body but it was never found. Thus all the men on this occasion perished, with the exception of Mr. Anglin, who aloue was left to tell the tale of their sufferings."

This shows the condition of things while Mr. Lacy was away from the county until the disbanding of the army in 1837. It will be of interest now to let him take up the course of events aud show how more severe Indian troubles arose the fol- lowing year-1838:

" The Indian troubles began some time in September, 1838, brought on by a re- bellious clan of Mexicans in the county of Nacogdoches, led by a few influential meu, to-wit: Vicente Cordaway, Nat. Morris, Antonio Manchaca, the two Cruz brothers, Juan Santos Coy and others, all citizens, and some of them wealthy. This rebel- lion culminated about the middle of July with perhaps 250 well armed and well mounted Mexicans, Vicente Cordaway, colonel commanding. These leaders evi- dently had a promise of co-operation from different tribes of Indians or it would not have commenced. Their first acts of out- rage were the killing of Mr. Finley, a citizen of Nacogdoches county, then the Roberts brothers of the same county, and one or two others whose names are not remembered. These outrages commenced before they were fully prepared, which gave us time to raise an army of double their number in less time than a week, commanded by Kelsey H. Douglass.

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AND LEON COUNTIES.

When they found that we were prepared for them they left for the Cherokee nation and we in close pursuit. The Mexicans made a halt at Bowles' village, supposing that he (Bowles, the chief) would join and co-operate with them; but by the interpo- sition of a kind Providence or the good management on our part their plans were defeated. This was mainly due to Leon- ard H. Williams and William Goins (a mulatto), who dressed themselves in In- dian costume, passed through the Mexican lines after dark, went to the chief's house, interviewed him until just before day and obtained a promise from him that he and his people would occupy neutral ground. The next day Chief Bowles informed the Mexican colonel that he would have .nothing to do with the matter, and that he had better get out of his country; that there were 500 or 600 white men within three miles, and the sooner he got away the better. Cordaway's camp broke up in confusion and left on a double quick. We pursued him about forty miles, found his men had scattered, and, supposing that they had left the country and gone to Mexico, we returned home, disbanded our forces with the exception of two companies of cavalry, commanded by L. H. Mabbitt, and sent to Fort Houston for the protec- tion of that frontier. Some of the Mexi- cans-perhaps twenty-came back to Nac- ogdoches county, surrendered themselves as prisoners of war, and about the same number went into Louisiana, leaving the remainder disaffected. Cordaway did not go to Mexico, but made a stand on Kicka- poo creek, two or three miles north of the Kickapoo village, now in the northeast

corner of this county, twenty-three miles from this city. He succeeded in getting the Kickapoos, Caddos and Ionis to join him. In September he commenced his work of carnage and bloodshed, first on the Kelough families that had settled in the Cherokee nation five or six miles east of the Kickapoo village. Of this much has been written and the history proper be- longs to Cherokee county. The news of the Kelough massacre soon reached the settlements and within ten days we had an army of about 600 men commanded by General Thomas J. Rusk, our place of rendezvous being on the southern boundary of the Cherokee nation, between the Angelina and Neches rivers at Fort Lacy. We took up the line of march to meet the enemy about the 8th day of Oc- tober, 1838; crossed the Neches river late at night, and camped at McLean's, six miles from our starting point. This night inovement was for the purpose of delud- ing the enemy, should there be any spies in that vicinity. The next night brought us to a point eight miles east of this city, known then as the Jack Still place. Jack Still, although a Cherokee Indian, was a thrifty farmer. We found at his place plenty of corn, beeves and hogs enough for several days' rations. That night we were re-in- forced by Colonel Mabbitt's command from Fort Houston. On his march to join us his rear guard was attacked by Cordaway's force and a sharp little fight ensued in which Mabbitt lost three men, namely Carpenter, Bullock and Wright, and several wounded. This was about the 11th day of October. The next day, in looking over the battle-ground, we found a

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Caddo chief evidently killed by Carpen- ter, as they were lying within thirty yards of each other and fully half a mile from the main battle-field. This was the first blood shed in the limits of this county that I have any knowledge of. That night we reached Fort Houston, remained a day, reorganized and the next day took up the line of march for the Kickapoo village, abont 600 or 700 strong. On the night of the 15th we reached the village and camped about sundown, saw a few of their spies late that evening, and knew that the enemy was close at hand. Next morning, the 16th, we were attacked by Cordaway's combined forces of Mexicans and Indians, variously estimated at from 600 to 800. The fight lasted until a little after sun-up, sharply contested on both sides. Some of the enemy were killed within thirty feet of our lines. A charge was ordered by our commander, General Rusk, and in less than ten minutes we cleared the field. Mexicans and Indians fight splendidly at long range, but neither were ever known to stand a charge. Our loss, twenty-two wounded, James Hall mortally; their loss not known. We found eight or ten dead on the battle ground. Their wounded were carried off. Thus ended the Cordaway rebellion. He and his Mexicans went to Mexico, with a few Kickapoo Indians. The remainder were scattered over the western prairies, only to come in small bands to do mischief. Early in 1839 Major Bailey C. Walters was stationed at the Kickapoo village with two companies, for frontier protection and remained there until the Cherokee fight of the same year. From the time of the Kickapoo fight until the

year 1841 the Fort Honstou people were isited by these savage people for the pur- pose of killing and stealing. The Camp- bell family, living within a mile of the fort, were nearly all killed. William Frost, Samuel McLean and John Sheridan lost their lives within the limits of this county by Indians, and perhaps others that I do not remember. It was not at all un- common to hear of some one being killed on this line of frontier during those years. The organization of the county was I think in July, 1846. It was first called Burnett, the county seat located at Fort Houston and cut off from Honston county; afterward named for K. L. An- derson, a member of our Texas Congress."

As suggested by Mr. Lacy, the decade of the '40s witnessed the removal of the Indians so much farther out that settle- ment was rapid, and diffused, until finally the necessary number of votes enabled it to be cut off as a new county, while Fort Houston became a mere settlement, and Palestine arose in 1846. The more prom- inent settlers of this date will be noted in the officers and jurymen of the county given in the two succeeding sketches.

By 1850 the settlement was so large that 600 slaves were owned within the county's limits, and in 1855 the number arose to 1,917. At that date there were twelve post offices in the county-Elkhart, Magnolia, Tennessee Colony, Mound Prairie, Beaver, Bethel, Hendersonville, Kickapoo, Louis, Roadville, Palestine, Plenitude and Marlow's Mills-this at a time when there were but five in Lime- stone, two in Bell county, five in McLen- nan, and bnt six in Falls. By this time,

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

too there were 285,000 acres of taxable land, valued at $651,600, and the 1,917 slaves reaching the princely figures of $1,- 085,760. Its horse and cattle property was large too; 1,709 horses at $122,180, and 13,250 cattle at $70,180.

Among the more prominent settlers by this time were: down at the old early set- tlemen of Elkhart, the Parkers-Elder Ben, Isaac J. W. and others, a large family; Evan Douthit, with a large family; that of Miles Bennett, and that of Dan. Kennedy and others.

At beautiful old Mound Prairie were Colonel and Dr. Laurence, Joseph Pinson, James Reynolds, Dr. Joseph Lester and sons, David Akin and other large families.

In the Tennessee Colony there were several very large families, among them the Wolvertons, the Tuckers, the Sheltons, Vannoys and others.

At Palestine were a goodly number, such as Ira Pruitt; A. E. McClure, the district clerk; Dr. Henry Link; the sheriff, W. R. Rogers; Dr. Jowers; Dr. Jordan, not far off; Judge R. A. Reeves, now of Dallas; John E. Cravens, a lawyer; editor Ewing; Branthy Cox, a merchant; J. D. C. Hunter, the first hotel-keeper; Dr. J. E. De Bard; the probate judge, John B. Mallard, and others.

Colonel Fred Jackson, a wealthy planter, came in about 1850. Hon. John H. Rea- gan, Colonel G. R. Howard, a merchant, Ira Green, a planter, John G. Gooch, a lawyer, Roger Q. Mills, a young student of law under Judge Reeves, Major R. L. Prigden, of Elkhart, John F. Taylor, a farmer, County Judge Wm. Alexander, and others too numerous to mention were

among the representative men who located at the close of the '40s or early in the '50s.

In those days transportation depended to a very large degree upon the waters of the Trinity river. These river steamers indeed were the main outlet until the ad- vent of the railway. Among the early boats were The Mustang, Captain Pea- cock; The Texas Ranger was another; and the Belle of Texas was about the last one to succumb to the superiority of the iron rails. Boats quit running about 1873. Their trips were often as high as old Buf- falo in the northwest corner of Henderson county. Indeed one of the old river cap- tains was Captain Stubblefield of Chatfield Point, in Navarro county. In Anderson county, however, Magnolia was the young New Orleans of the county and Parker's Bluff was a sort of St. Louis, so to speak. Indeed Magnolia with Wm. Haygood as its leader, was long a cotton point even for the Waco and Corsicana regions before the war, and in consequence became easily the second town in size of those days. It has since given away largely to its railway point-Tucker. Under the leadership of Fitzhugh Ward at Parker's Bluff, where the leading ferry was located, that was a locally strong point for a quarter of a century from 1850, and gave way for Elkhart. Mound Prairie was another ante- bellum village, off the river however, but known for its good schools, beautiful situation and society, the home, too, of Colonel J. Hanks, who also became the sponsor of the railroad town of Neches- ville, to which that settlement afterward gravitated somewhat. Fosterville arose a

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

little before the war but never expanded much. Tennessee Colony was both a set- tlement and village, and like Palestine has survived with more vigor than the rest, most of whom have returned to their orig- inal dust as farms. Kickapoo began be- fore the war and so famous for that pur- pose that it took the name Camp Meeting Springs.

This is not the place to consider how the advent of the railway has re-arranged the county and its interests, and mnade the history of the county a history of its towns for a score of years past: that will be given in a separate sketch.

Anderson has been nearly three-score years in actual settlement, showing near the begining of the last score a population of 9,229 in 1870, near the middle of the score 17,395 in 1880, with 45 per cent colored; and near the close of that score 20,923 in 1890, distributed between the two races, 11,359 white to 9,563 colored.

It took her a score and a quarter years to reach the war, and of that a half score or about a decade to reach a point in popula- tion sufficient to warrant her admission as a county.

William Young Lacy, now deceased, from whom we quote so liberally in pre- ceding pages, was an old Texan and for many years an honored citizen of Ander- son county. He was the son of Martin and Dorothy Young Lacy and both par- ents were natives of Kentucky, desceud- ants of early settlers on Kentucky soil. The father's people came from Virginia and the mother's from South Carolina to Kentucky, where both were reared and married. Martin Lacy was a soldier of

the war of 1812, and in 1815-'16 he re- moved with his family to Louisiana, set- tling about twenty miles from Baton Rouge, on the Amite river and resided there until 1830, when he came to Texas, making his first stop in San Augustine. In 1834 he removed to what was then Bean's Saline in what is now the south- west part of Smith county, being among the earliest settlers of this section of the State. In 1836 lie settled at what was then Fort Lacy, near Alto, Cherokee county, where he located a league of land.

At this place Mr. Lacy lived until a few years prior to his death, which occurred in 1843, in Houston county. He was thus an early settler of Texas, an Indian trader and served in a number of Indian skir- mishes and in some larger engagements, among the latter being the battle of Nacog- doches against the Mexicans and Indians in 1832. He was also in the war for Texan independence, but died in middle life. The mother of our subject was Do- rothy Young, a daughter of William Young, and a descendant of a large and influential family of western Kentucky. She was born in 1789, and made her home with our subject after the death of her hus- band, where her own demise occurred in 1862.

There were six children in the family to which our subject belonged, and of which he was the oldest. The others were, Martha, who became the wife of I. W. Burson, who figured conspicuously in Texan history at an early day; Mary, who married William Sims of Cherokee county ; Nancy, who became the wife of G. W. G. Jewers, a former well known citizen of

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Palestine; William N., who died young, and Hilery R., who now resides in Ander- son county and who is the only one of the six now living.

William Young Lacy was born in Cald- well county, Kentucky, March 20, 1814, and was an infant when his parents moved to Louisiana. He was reared in that State and educated in the locality where he grew up. He was at Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, when his parents decided to move to Texas, and he was sent for that he might accompany the family. This was in 1830, and his school days ended with this event, the removal to Texas, and was then a lad of sixteen. His youth was spent in San Augustine, and he accompa- nied the family in its removal to Bean's saline, as stated above.

Mr. Lacy studied surveying in the mean- time and spent considerable time on the frontier. When the war for Texan inde- pendence came on he raised a company from among his associates and acquaint- ances, and entered the service of the strug- gling settlers. He was taken sick before the battle of San Jacinto and therefore did not participate in the battle, which is re- garded as a memorable one. After Texan independence was won he was engaged in the frontier service, warding off the Indians in their marauding expeditions through the country. He was in one noted Indian battle, which took place in what is now Anderson county,-the Kickapoo fight, which occurred in the northeast part of the county.

An account of this fight, as well as sev- eral of his experiences and adventures, is given in the historical portion of this work.

He served as deputy surveyor of east Texas by appointment from President Houston. He married in Houston county, near Crockett, July 30, 1845, Miss Eliza Lindsay, and settled at old Fort Lacy, in Cherokee county, where he was engaged in farining and stock-raising, surveying and merchandising and in general trading until his removal to Palestine, in 1859. Following that date he was engaged mostly in farming, merchandising and trading. He was three times mayor of Palestine and one of the most public-spirited of citi- zens the place ever had. He was no poli- tician and never permitted his name to be used as an aspirant for office, but never re- fnsed to serve his people when he could.

When the war between the North and the South broke out he opposed secession, but when Texas withdrew from the Union he went with it, esponsed the cause of the Confederacy, and being too old for military service gave liberally of his possessions and exerted himself in every way to se- cure the success of the Southern arms. Mr. Lacy was always alive to the dnties required of him as a citizen. Proud of his State and country, he missed no oppor- tunity to do what he could toward for- warding their interests and welfare. He was a man of the strongest domestic tastes, and toward the evening of life found his chief pleasures with his family. His good wife, who still survives him, was a lady fitted in every way to make home life pleasant. Beginning their journey to- gether in troublesome days in Texas his- tory, she bore him a faithful companion- ship for more than forty years. Mrs. Lacy is an old Texan herself and has seen

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much of Texan history. She was the daughter of Robert and Jane (Beason) Lindsay, reared and married in North Carolina, whence they removed to Ala- bama in 1836, where they died, in Talla- dega county, the mother in October, 1836, the father, December, 1838. Mrs. Lacy was left an orphan and only child and was taken by her maternal grandmother and an uncle, Dr. Jehu Beason, and by them brought to Texas when but a child. She was reared in Houston county and there mnet and married our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had nine children, but only three of these became grown, namely: Rob- ert H., died in Palestine, in 1868, a suc- cessful physician of the place; William Martin and Frank are business men of this city.

Being a surveyor Mr. Lacy became thor- oughly familiar with eastern Texas at an early day, and spending much time on the frontier met with many thrilling adven- tures. He led an active life until quite advanced in years, and was a man of great bodily strength with remarkable powers of endurance. Few men were more adept in woodcraft than lie, and few knew how to defeat the crafty Indian as he. Possessing an ardent temperament, he was exceedingly adventurous, and never failed to engage in any enterprise promising to benefit man- kind. His genial, pleasant manners and large fund of reminiscences made him a delightful story-teller and companion. He was personally acquainted with all of the distinguished men of that time, Houston, Pinckney Henderson, Ochiltree, Rusk, Jen- nings and their compatriots, with all of whom he stood in the relation of friend-

ship, claiming as his comrades the bravest and best. His life was well spent, and lie died an honored, gray-haired veteran who had seen much and known much of Texas and her glorious history.

James L. McMeans is an old settler of Anderson county, Texas. The first ances- tor of the name on American soil was his paternal grandfather, who was a native of nortlı Ireland, but of Scotch origin, who came to America toward the latter part of the last century. He was then a young man about nineteen years of age, and set- tled in Virginia, and became a volunteer in the war for independence, fighting for the colonies. At the close of that struggle lie returned to Virginia and there married a Miss Smith, and some time about 1785 he moved to east Tennessee. There he spent the remainder of his life. He was a sturdy pioneer and patriotic soldier as well as a good citizen. He had four sons, three of whom became grown, married and became the heads of families. These sons were, Isaac S., Thomas and James R.

The first of these sons was the fatlier of our subject; the second, Thomas, went Northı when a young man and was lost sight of, while the youngest, James R., became a distinguished lawyer of Paris, Tennessee. Later he served in the State Legislature and was a well-known public man. All three brothers were born in Tennessee. Isaac, the father of James L. was born and reared not far from Knox- ville, East Tennessee and married Miss Drusilla Allen at Kingston in that State, a niece of the noted Methodist preacher, Beverly Allen of Kentucky, and a daugh- ter of Reuben Allen of Georgia, the lady

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AND LEON COUNTIES.

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE

being a native of Milledgeville in that State. Her parents had started to mnove from Georgia to Kentucky and were de- layed at Kingston, Tennessee, by the break- ing down of a carriage. The young peo- płe became acquainted in the meantime, and as their marriage was opposed by the parents of the young lady they ran away and were married. This is a pleasant bit of family history and throws a veil of ro- mance over those early days when youth was youth and lads and lasses made of very much the same material as at the present time.

Just after the war of 1812, or in 1815, Isaac McMeans removed with his family to Alabama and settled on Will's creek on the north line of the State, in what was then a comparatively wild country. He subsequently lived in St. Clair, Cahawba and Talladega counties, dying in the last named in 1847, at the age of seventy-seven. He was a lawyer by profession and achieved considerable success. He became a member of the first Constitutional Con- vention of Alabama and served several terms in the State Legislature, was a Democrat in his political views and an act- ive partisan. He was a member of no church but adlıered to the Presbyterian faith.

Our subject's inother accompanied her husband to Alabama at an early day and shared his fortune on the frontier and his early struggles as a lawyer. She survived him for some years, coming with her son, our subject, to Texas in 1852, and dying at his home in March, 1865, at the age of sev- enty-seven. She was a good and worthy lady, for many years a member of the Church of the Disciples.

James L. McMeans is one of ten chil- dren, seven of whom became grown, these being: Selden A., a physician who went to California during the "flush times " on the Pacific coast and died some years later in Nevada; Permelia, who was married to Hubbard Price, of Talladega county, Ala- bama, and is now deceased; Matilda, who became the wife of Dr. W. A. Cary of Montgomery county, Alabama; Eliza, wife of Dr. James Reece, of Chillicothe; Dru- silla, widow of Louis Bowden, residing in Palestine; De Witt Clinton, who died in Anderson county when a young man.

Our subject was born in St. Clair county, Alabama, February 21, 1819, but was reared mainly in Butler county in that State. June 12, 1844, lie was married to Miss Alexina Ricks, daughter of Isaac Ricks of Franklin county, Alabama. In 1852 Mr. McMeans came to Texas, and December of that year settled four miles south of Palestine on the northi half of the William H. Smith 640-acre tract of land, on which he resided three years, and then moved to the place which he now owns and on which he has since resided. At that time all this country was but sparsely set tled, and his purchase of 500 acres of wholly unimproved land seemed to be in a wilderness. The principal business of our subject has been farming, although at an early day he taught school and did some clerking at various places, and was so oc- cupied in some of the mercantile houses in Palestine.

Mr. McMeans had a family of ten chil- dren, six of whom he reared, and they are as follows: Julia, who married Thom- as J. Johnson in 1865, but died in 1883;

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Walter P., a merchant of Palestine; Ami- rald, a farmer on the old home place; James L .; Selden A., an attorney of Pales- tine, and Robert Lee, a physician at Plano, Texas. Mr. McMeans joined the Chris- tian church in Lowndes county, Alabama, in 1838, and his wife in Talladega county in 1845, and both have been active and consistent members of it ever since.

Mrs. McMeans was born in North Car- olina, but was reared mainly in Alabama, her parents having lived during her child- hood in Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama. Her father was a planter who died in Louisiana in 1832.

Selden A. McMeans, one of the promi- nent young business men of Palestine, Texas, is the subject of whom the present brief notice is written. He is a son of James L. McMeans, and was born on the home place two miles west of Palestine, February 18. 1858. He was educated in the schools of Palestine and for four or five years was variously employed, a part of the time on the plains. During this time he liad considerable experience " ronghing it," but from 1879 to 1885 he served in the office of the District Clerk as Deputy. In the meantime he was reading law, and was admitted to the bar in November, 1885. He entered into practice at once, and was elected City Attorney of Palestine in 1886. The proof of his fitness for the office and his popularity with his fellow- citizens was shown by his re-election in April, 1888. After serving two terins in the office lie was appointed in December, 1891, and elected in April, 1892.

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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