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 34

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 34
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 34
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 34
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 34
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 34
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 34

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This point of railway outlet in three di- rections also makes Palestine a good snp- ply, wholesale and jobbing city, while re- tail supplies and professional service is like that of other cities of like size.

Palestine's financial strength is well represented by three banks, two of them national. The First National Bank of Palestine began in May, 1887, with a capi- tal of $75,000 and withi deposits from time to time ranging from $120,000 to $175,000. Its president is George A. Wright. The Palestine National Bank commenced busi- ness in October, 1890, under the presi- dency of J. W. Ozment. It has a capital of $50,000 and a surplus of $2,500. The third bank is a private one, by Robinson Bros.

The '50s had scarcely begun with its pioneer commerce pushing itself np the Trinity river when the printing press made its way into Palestine. In view of the importance of the river navigation of that day the newly established paper was given the name the Trinity Advocate, a name which it bore from that time down to rail- way days, when it took the name it now bears,-The Palestine Advocate. This was established by A. E. McClure and J. W. Ewing, the latter then a young printer. Among the many changes from the old

days to railway times-changes that have removed almost all the old land-marks- the Advocate and Mr. Ewing, like Avenue A, have served to join the new and old, and that too with such pleasant persistency that one may exclaim, "Men may come and mnen may go, but" Ewing and the Advocate keep right on forever. The Advocate has always been a weekly, and its old files should be highly prized by the people of Palestine. It is now in the lands of Deming & Ewing.

The Advocate has two friendly rivals of vigorous force, established in recent years. The East Texas News sought out a place for itself and succeeded in the weekly field. In 1890 the Semi-Weekly Times was es- tablished, and the nearest approach to a daily that Palestine possesses. I). Mc- Naughton, its proprietor, has also added to this the publication of two religions month- lies-The Church News and The Endeavor.

Among the secret societies of Palestine the venerable commandery, No. 3, K. T., has a striking corner that is worthy of no- tice. "On the 6th day of July, 1853," wrote Mr. S. P. Allen in 1879, " there as- sembled in the Masonic Hall in Palestine nine Kuight Templars. Sir Sam Houston was called to the chair and stated the ob- ject of the assemblage to be the organiza- tiou of an Encampment, and a dispensation from Sir William B. Hubbard, of Ohio, Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of the United States, was read, authorizing such organization, with Sir William M. Taylor as first C. E .; James M. Hall, Gen .; John E. Cranus, C. G .; James Sorley, Prelate; W. G. W. Jowers, Recorder; W. H. Laurence, S. W .; Sam Randall, J. W .;

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Sam Houston, Warder; John S. Finley, Sen .: " of whom all but Mr. Jowers was dead at the time the above was written in 1879. Besides, there are several others be- sides the Masonic orders: the Odd Fellows have a good lodge, and the Knights of Pyth- ias havetwo. There are also represented the Knights and Ladies of Honor and the Woodman of the World, while among the railway employes all their various brother- hoods are well and fully established. The Confederate Veterans' society has been mentioned. A poultry and pet-stock asso- ciation headquarters here.

Palestine has set an advanced pace for herself in the line of residences. No city of her size has more and finer ones, while of the middle-class homes few places of like size can show a more general atmos- phere of prosperity.

We give in this connection the biograph- ical sketches of a number of the leading citizens of Palestine, while those of others are given elsewhere, and may be found by the index.

J. W. Ozment, President of the Pales- tine National Bank and the head of a dozen other important enterprises in Palestine, is the subject of the present sketch. It is with a feeling of depression that the biog- rapher takes up the sketch of some of the subjects submitted to his hands, but when such a fine opportunity is given as that afforded by the present subject he gladly undertakes the task.

J. W. Ozment was the son of Varnum Ozment, a native of North Carolina, whose grandfather was a French Huguenot who sought refuge from religious persecutions by coming to this country about the mid-

dle of the last century. He settled in Guil- ford county, North Carolina, which point has since been looked upon as the family seat. The father of our subject, Var- nunı Ozment, ran away from home when but a lad, adopting this method of " getting even" for a severe whipping that his father had thought it necessary to ad- minister. Varnum went to Ohio, subse- quently drifting to Tennessee, where he was twice married.

He first married Mrs. Harriet Sawyers, a widow (with two sons, C. F. and R. P. Sawyers). By this marriage two sons were born: I. W. O. and John Ozment. A few days after the birth of the son John Mrs. Ozment died. Her maiden name had been Harriet Kincaid, and she had descended from an old MeNary county (Tennessee) family. After her death he married Mrs. Emily Henderson, of Oak- land, Tennessee. She was also a widow, with two girls. By this marriage a daugh- ter was born, Emily, now the wife of E. E. Taylor, of Georgetown, Texas. After this marriage Varnum Ozment and wife settled in Memphis, Tennessee, and kept the old " Farmers' Inn," a noted tavern of that day and locality. In 1849 Mrs. Oz- ment died, in a few weeks after the birth of her daughter Emily. Old "Grandına" Mays, of Oakland, Tennessee, took the in- fant to raise, and Varnum Ozment, with his son, J. W. Ozment, moved to Texas.

After the death of his second wife he settled at Rusk, Cherokee county, Texas, engaging in mercantile and other business. At this place Varnum Ozment married for the third time, choosing a daughter of Colonel E. Mallard, of that place. This

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man, of whom we have been writing, died in Rich Hill, Missouri, in 1871, and the mother of our subject died in Tennessee, leaving two surviving sons, James W. and also John, who is a resident of Palestine. Of the two sons by a former marriage, R. P. Sawyers lives in Washington, District of Columbia, and C. F. Sawyers in Palestine.

Our subject was born in Purdy, Tennes- see, August 4, 1842. Coming to Texas at the age of seven years, in 1849, he was reared mainly in Rusk, Cherokee county. Entering the Confederate army in 1862, he remained in the service until the close of the war, enlisting in Company A, Second Texas Cavalry, and spending the most of the time on the coast and in frontier service. The principal engagements in which he participated were the battles with General Dick Taylor and Tom Green's army in Louisiana and Banks' Red river campaign, and skirmishes with the Lipan Indians in an expedition against them on the frontier of the State. He was also in the fight at Galveston and in one at La Fourche Crossing, Louisiana, where over one-half of the regiment was lost. He went into the service as a private, was promoted to be First Sergeant, Acting Adjutant and ex officio Provost Marshal, at Fort Duncan, Texas.

When the war was over, our subject re- turned to Rusk, in 1865, and that same year he took up his residence in Palestine. Here he began in the mercantile line on a small scale, and this business grew until in a few years he was enjoying a good trade. He was successfully engaged in this busi- ness until 1875, when, having accumulated considerable property he branched out in

some real-estate deals in which he was un- fortunate, losing heavily and consequently for a short time was ont of business. How- ever, his friends stood by him and lie was soon on his feet again, and a few months later had commenced the selling of goods again, this time in the hardware line.

In this latter enterprise our subject had first for a partner N. B. Barnes, and later Dr. J. M. Silliman, under the firm name of J. M. Silliman & Co. This firm did a very large business, of $75,000 annually. Later, J. W. K. Bryan and John Silliman became interested in the business, and to these gentlemen, with W. C. Gorman, Mr. Ozment sold his interest in 1889 and invested the greater part of his funds in the Palestine National Bank, which was started about that time, and the Edison Illuminating Company. He was one of the prime movers in organizing this bank. As there was but one bank in the town it was felt among the business men that the size of the place demanded better banking facilities. Several of the leading business men of Palestine, chief among whom were Mr. Ozment, John R. Hearne, George E. Dilley, W. P. Savage, W. C. Gorman and B. F. Broyles, obtained a charter and opened the Palestine National Bank in October, 1890, with a capital of $50,000, with an accumulation since then of $3,000. The average deposits are about $60,000 annually. Dividends of four per cent. de- clared annually. The first president of the bank was our subject, and he has been since then; the first vice-president was and is John R. Hearne. John A. Davis was the first cashier, but lie resigned, and his place was taken by V. F. Du Bose, Jan-

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uary 1, 1892. Among the stockholders besides those above named are Fox and Lucas, merchants of Palestine; Barney Pearlstone, of the firm of Pearlstone & Son, merchants at Waco and Buffalo; O. B. Sawyer, of Palestine; H. Kempner, M. Lasker, Fenn Cameron, George Seligson, George Hodson and E. L. Combs, of Sweeney & Combs, the last six being lead- ing business men and capitalists of Gal- veston and Houston.

The bank is located in a central part of the town and is supplied with all modern conveniences and improvements for the successful transactions of banking, such as snitable furniture fixtures, burglar and fire proof vault, Diebold's time lock, and is one of the business centers of the place. Our subject has had charge of the business since it was first started and his manage- ment has been successful and satisfactory. In addition to being at the head of this in- stitution he is the manager of a half dozen more business concerns of the place, among them being the following: president of the Edison Illuminating Company: president of the Palestine Loan Association; presi- dent of the Palestine Real Estate and In- vestment Association; president of the People's Co-operative Loan Association; president of the Eureka Manufacturing Company; manager of John Weiler & Co., and manager of the largest insurance agency in the city, the last named represent- ing sixteen of the largest companies doing business in Texas. It has a capitalization of over $113,000,000, taking $15,000 in premiums annually and writing against all classes of hazards. This agency has been in successful operation for twenty-five

years and has never had any serious losses, having issued policies for seven years be- fore it sustained a loss at all.

Mr. Ozment organized the Palestine Electric Light Company in January, 1886, putting in the present plant, which was the first of the central station incandescent system put in in Texas. In 1888 he or- ganized the Palestine Loan Company and had previously organized the Mutual Bene- fit Loan Association, which ran with stock to par and dissolved in 1891, having paid out and secured homes to over 200 citizens of Palestine. In 1883, he organized the People's Co-operative Association to fur- nish homes on the installment plan, which will pay out in 1892. In 1891, he organ- ized the Palestine Real Estate and Invest- ment Company, which is intended to build homes for home-seekers and furnish a per- manent means of investment. The three building associations, here mentioned are putting $7,000 a month in homes in Pales- tine, and have, as stated already, furnished homes for some of the city's most indus- trious citizens. Mr. Ozment assisted in or- ganizing the Eureka Manufacturing Com- pany, in 1886, which began business with a capital of from $18,000 to $20,000, and the purpose of which was to manufacture gin and mill machinery. It built a good plant, which was put into operation and turned out very superior articles, but it was not able to compete withi Eastern factories and had to close. It will soon be turned to other and it is believed profitable purposes in the manufacturing line. Our subject became manager of the Palestine Water Works, rebuilt the plant and put the concern on a paying basis, but is not

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now connected officially with it. He has always been foremost among the leading men of Palestine in advocating every measure for the improvement of the place, and lias contributed liberally, both money and personal effort, in this direction. Ex- cept that of alderman, Mr. Ozment has never held any office, as he is neither office- seeker nor politician, but is one of the hard- est workers among the business men of the State.

He is a charter member of the Knights of Honor, local lodge at Palestine, is now and has been financial reporter of the same for fifteen years. He was made a Mason at Palestine in 1869, and is now a member of Palestine Lodge, No. 31. A year or so later he was made a Knight, Templar and became Eminent Commander of Palestine Commandery at the age of twenty-seven, the youngest commander the commandery ever had. He also is a member of the K. of P .; Chosen Friends, A. O. U. W .; Modern Woodmen of America; Knights and Ladies of Honor. He is also a mem- ber of the Methodist Church, in which he is an important and influential factor.

Mr. Ozment was married, in Jannary, 1867, to Miss Eva L. Martin, a daughter of John S. Martin, of Palestine, she belong- ing to an old family that had settled early in Texas. She was born and reared in An- derson county. Our subject and wife have had the following family: Pearl, now the wife of R. A. Jenkins, of Palestine; Jewell, who died at the age of nineteen, unmar- ried; Ruby; Coral and Garnett. The last three are under the parental roof.

George A. Wright, president of the First National Bank of Palestine, is the subject

of the present sketch. Men of intelligence, force of character and business capacity, need no factitious introduction to public favor. They win that favor by their own merit and by the same they hold it. It sometimes happens that unworthy individ- uals are thrust into positions of prominence by fortnne and for awhile they disport. themselves in the cobweb of circumstances with marked elegance and much feigned superiority, but time tries all things we are told, and soon they are shorn of their false glory and borrowed honors. Then they silently drop to the rear, where they take the place which in reality belongs to them.

There is no better test of genuine merit, of solid attainments, of positive superiority than the ease and steadiness with which the man sustains himself in positions of public trust and honor and in the confi- dence of those by whom he is surrounded and to whom his daily private life, is well known.

The subject of this brief notice, George A. Wright, a native of Anderson county, and for more than twenty years past a rep- resentative business man of Palestine, where he has been foremost in all that he has undertaken and where to-day he occupies a place in the esteem and con- fidence of the people of that county second to none, is one to whom the foregoing observations apply with especial force and significance.

Our subject was the son of William Wright, one of the pioneers of Anderson county. He was born on the old Wright homestead, a mile and one-half north of Palestine, August 9, 1846, on which place he was also reared. His education was

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restricted to a few months' attendance at the local schools up to his seventeenth year. At that time, 1863, he entered the Con- federate army, enlisting in Company A, Second Texas Cavalry. His command be- ing assigned to the department of the Rio Grande, he served until the close of the war on the frontier of Texas.

Returning home he spent nine or ten months more in school and then began solving the problem of a future employ- ment. His first employment was that of a cotton-buyer along the Trinity river. Later he traveled for a commission house at Galveston, and then, having saved some- thing from his earnings and being suc- cessful in some small speculations, he opened a mercantile and commission house of lis own at Hall's Bluff, in Houston county. Here he prospered, but was burned out the second year, and having no insurance he lost all that he had. He returned to the farm and in something like a year succeeded in scraping together a little money and a few ragged-edged ponies, and with this outfit he started into the livery business in Pal- estine. It was not long before he was again able to start into the mercantile busi- ness, following it actively for a number of years. During the time that he gave liis attention exclusively to mercantile pursuits he controlled a large trade, the volumes of business done by him running to $125,000 annually.

In 1886, the banking facilities of the place having become inadequate, a number of the leading men of the place began dis- cussing the advisability of starting an in- stitution that would meet the wants of the public in this respect. Mr. Wright took

a leading part in the movement, and, as- sisted by George W. Burkitt, George M. Dilley, M. Lavo, P. A. Kolstead, Henry Aslı, S. A. McMeans, and P. W. Ezell, formed the First National Bank of Pales- tine, which opened its doors to business April 11, 1887. It began operations on a capital of $50,000, George A. Wright be- coming its president, George W. Burkitt its vice-president, and Lucius Gooch, cash- ier. The Board of Directors was com- posed of the gentlemen above named as the prime movers in the organization. Its affairs prospered from the day it began business, and in July, 1889, its capital was increased to $75,000 and remains that at the present tinie. It has accumulated a surplus of $18,000, and lias declared a reg- ular semi-annual dividend varying from 5 to 10 per cent. It numbers among its patrons a fair share of the business men of Palestine, and men of means living in other parts of Anderson county. Its annual de- posits run from $150,000 to $200,000, hav- ing reached as high as $500,000 in excep- tionally good business times. It is officered exclusively by residents of Palestine, but its list of stockholders embraces a number (f men of wealth residing in other places, the chief of these being W. L. Moody of Galveston.

Mr. Wright as head of the institution lias had the active management of its affairs since it began operations, and much of the success it has attained has been due to his judgment, skill and reputation as a finan- cier. Of course he has been ably assisted in his labors by his associates in office, and is willing to accord to the business men of Palestine a fair share of the praise for the

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confidence they have at all times placed in the institution, and for the liberal patron- age which they have extended to it. The bank will soon remove into the property recently purchased by it on the corner of Spring and John streets, where it will oc- cupy commodious quarters and be fitted np with all fixtures and appurtenances neces- sary to the successful transaction of its in- creasing business. Mr. Wright is a director in two other national banks and stockholder in six.

In addition to his banking interests Mr. Wright owns a large amount of valuable real estate, some of it well improved and yielding a good revenue, and some of it purchased on speculation rising in value with the settlement and development of the country. He owns well improved farm property in Johnson and Hill counties, and unimproved lands in Baylor and Knox counties, valued at $50,000, and city prop- erty in Dallas to the amount of $35,000, besides some farms in Anderson county and city property in Palestine, the latter including one of the handsomest, costliest and most desirable residences in east Texas.

Mr. Wright has supported and educated quite a number of orphan children, many of whom have grown up and stand high in business and social circles. This seems to be the prondest act of his life. He is very liberal in support of the ministry and was one of the first to organize the public free- school system in Palestine, his home.

There is but little to be said about Mr. Wright's public career : his life being much occupied with business pursuits he has had no time to choose the ignis futuus of pub- lic office. He has persistently refused

official position all his life, but as has sonte- times been the case with others, his wishes have not always been respected. It has been brought to his attention in a way that he could not gainsay the truth of it, that a man cannot always discharge his whole duty to his fellow citizens regularly, voting and doing occasional jury service. The citizens of Palestine, after wrestling for some time with a growing and what promised to be an unmanageable deficit in the finances, and being desirous of having a general turning over in their municipal affairs, held a mass meeting in May, 1891, for the purpose of determining on some man to be elected mayor who would bring order out of chaos and place the finances of the city on a solid footing. Those who participated in the meeting pledged them- selves at the outset to abide by the action of the majority.

Mr. Wright was the choice and of course under this pledge he accepted. He was elected in the April following, and he has held the office ever since. He has given the citizens a good, clean administration, and they have shown their appreciation of his efforts in behalf of a good local govern- ment by co-operating with him and giving him such aid as all good citizens should be willing to extend in furthering the common welfare.

Mr. Wright was married to Miss Mamie H. Swanson, a daughter of H. C. Swanson, one of the oldest merchants of Palestine and one of the first and best citizens of Anderson county.

Mrs. Wright was born in this county, her father marrying after his removal here. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have but one child, a

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son, George A., Jr. Our subject and wife are both members of the Christian Church, to which church their parents all belonged and in which they were reared.

Dr. H. H. Link, deceased. - The present sketch is written of one who for many years was one of the leading physicians of Pales- tine, Texas, an exceptionally good man, and is yet spoken of by the citizens of his home as one of the best men who ever lived.

Our subject was a son of John Link, and was born in Washington county, Tennes- see, November 20, 1820, and he was edu- cated in the schools of that locality and mainly under the tutorship of Professor Samuel Doak, a noted educator of that day and vicinity. He read medicine, and came to Texas when a young man in 1846, settling in Palestine, in this (Anderson) county, and here continued his education in medicine, graduating in this profession at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1850.

In 1851 Dr. Link was married, at Rush- ville, Indiana, to Miss Hypatia McGee, a native of Indiana and a daughter of John McGee. Returning to Texas he took up the practice of his profession at Palestine, where he followed it uninterruptedly and most successfully until his death, which oc- curred February 20, 1890. As a physician he was acknowledged to be one of the best in east Texas, strictly attentive to his duties as such, and thoroughly up in all of the branches of his profession. He was painstaking and conscientious in all that he undertook to do. As a citizen, his name stood pledged to all that was for the pub- lic good. As a husband and father he was fully sensible of his obligations, and met his responsibilities faithfully and intelli-

gently. Four children have grown up at his hearthstone and have become honored members of society. These are: John N. Link, the present County Judge of Ander- son county; Mary Jewell, the wife of Rev. S. M. Luckett, an eminent Presbyterian minister, now president of the Austin Col- lege at Sherman, this State; and Drs. Edwin W. and Henry R., leading physi- cians of Palestine.

Dr. Edwin W. Link, one of the prosperous and popular young physicians of Palestine, Texas, was born in this city, March 31, 1858. He was reared in Palestine and re- ceived his education in the schools of this city, and later took a collegiate course in Hampden-Sidney College, Prince Edward county, Virginia, remaining there from 1876 to 1880, graduating with the degree of A. B. in the latter year. He read medi- cine with his father and attended lectures during the winters of 1881-'82-'83 at Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city, graduating in 1883. He im- mediately began practice in this city and has followed it ever since. In 1892 he took a course in the Polyclinic College, New York. Ever since beginning his life work, Dr. Link has had a large and lucrative practice. He possesses all the attributes of the true physician, and in the homes where duty calls him he is welcomed as a friend as well as a physician.

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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