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 35

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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35

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).

Dr. Link is a member of the Texas State Medical Association, and also of the Amer- ican Medical Association.

Dr. Thomas Colley, a retired physician and surgeon of Palestine, Texas, is the gentleman whose sketch we now consider. Few, perhaps none, save those who have

278

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

trodden the arduous paths of the profes- sion, can picture to themselves the array of attributes, physical, mental and inoral, the host of minor graces of manner and per- son, essential to the making of a truly great physician. His constitution must be of the liardiest to withistand the shock of wind and weather, the wearing loss of sleep and rest, the ever gathering load of care, the insidious approach of every form of fell disease to which his daily round of duties expose him. Liberal and broad should be his mental powers to enable him to seek in every department of human knowledge some truth to guide his hand; keen and delicate must be the well trained sense to draw from nature her most treas- ured secrets and to unlock the gates where ignorance and doubt have stood as senti- nels for ages.

The subject of this sketch possesses these attributes and fulfills these conditions and in the exercise of them in his chosen pro- fession has reaped honor and wealth. He is now the oldest physician in point of resi- dence in the city of Palestine, the acknowl- edged head of the profession, enjoying a State reputation, and he may survey his past labors with much pride and satisfac- tion. Dr. Colley is a native of Georgia, born in the historic old county of Wilkes, March 14, 1836. In this county his peo- ple had lived for many years, his father, Spain Colley, having been born and reared there. The grandfather, Jolin Colley, mi- grated from Virginia to Georgia, settling in Wilkes county some time toward the close of the last century. Both the father and grandfather of our subject were plant- ers, not wealthy as the opinion of the world

now is, but substantial, well-to-do people. Their tastes and the tastes of their ances- tors ran to agricultural pursuits, not many of its members going to the professions and still fewer into public life. In Vir- ginia tliey took rank among the better class of land-owners, and always were inde- pendent, self-sustaining and self-respecting citizens. The date of their settlement in Virginia is not known, but it is thought that the first representatives came into the country before the American Revolution, and came from England. The name, though not common in this country, is met witli in localities there and the family is known to be an old one. Those familiar with the Duke of Wellington will remein - ber that he was a son of Richard Colley, of connty Meath, a name running back in that county to the time of Henry the Second. From similarity or rather iden- tity of names, and the tradition that the American representatives of the name came from England to this country, it is probable that the whole family is an off- spring from the old county Meath stock.

Our subject was reared in his native county and received his literary education in the schools of the same. He read med- icine with Dr. Walton of that county and during the session of 1857-'58 lie attended lectures at the Georgia Medical College at Augusta. His intention was to finish at Philadelphia, but agitation of the slavery question became so strong about that date and the future so uncertain that this idea was abandoned, and he took his second course of lectures at the University at Nashville, graduating in the spring of 1859. He began the practice of his pro-

279

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

fession at Wrightsborough, in Columbia county, Georgia, and remained there about one year, but in April, 1860, he came to Texas, still a young man, unmarried and in search of his fortunes.

After deciding npon Texas as a place of future residence he located at Mt. Enter- prise in Rusk county and followed his pro- fession there until March, 1861. At that date he entered the Confederate army, en- listing in Captain Young's company, which was one of the first that went from Panola county. He went at once to the field and was soon assigned to duty as surgeon and served from that date on until the close of the war, partly in field and partly in hos- pital service in different localities and in different capacities, a considerable portion of the time being brigade surgeon.

When the war was over he returned to Texas, and in October, 1865, he settled at Mound Prairie, near Palestine, where he at once took up the practice of his profes- sion, and in 1867 located in Palestine, Texas. In common with his old comrades and fellow-citizens he passed safely through the trying times of that date, and began life anew with nothing. It was a life of combat at every turn for many years, with many discouragements, but he gradually gained ground with passing years. He devoted himself strictly to his profession, never allowing any interest, pursuit or pleasure to divert his mind from his pro- fessional labors. Every dnty, however arduons, connected with his physician's life was faithfully attended to at the right time and in the right way.

Dr. Colley remained actively in practice up to a recent date, having now retired

and at the present time devotes his atten- tion to his investments and business inter- ests. For many years he enjoyed a large and a fairly lucrative practice. He was the first local surgeon of the International and Great Northern Railroad Company, appointed in 1871, and held the position at intervals for twelve or fifteen years. He matriculated in the Medical College of the University of New York, in Septem- ber, 1881, and remained several months visiting surgical departments of hospitals. He was appointed consulting surgeon of the Missonri Pacific Hospital at Palestine in July, 1886, and held that position until Au- gust, 1888, at which time the International & Great Northern Railroad went out of the Missouri system and the offices of the International & Great Northern were brought back from St. Louis and placed at Palestine, and the doctor was appointed chief surgeon of the International & Great Northern, and this position he held until September, 1892, when he resigned. He was a member of the County Medical Society as long as the organization was kept up, and also was a member of tlie State Medical Association.

Dr. Colley has always taken a great interest in his profession and pursued his studies with the ardor of former days. At the meeting of the Texas State Medical Association, at Galveston, in April, 1877, the Doctor was appointed alternate dele- gate to the American Medical Association, which met at Chicago in June the follow- ing year. In 1870 the Doctor married Miss Mary E. Word, a danghter of Colonel Word, an eminent lawyer of Palestine and a representative of a distinguished Mis-

280

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

sissippi family. One child, a son, Paul Simms, has been born of this union. Dr. Colley is of the financially solid men of Palestine. Ile began investing his means in real estate in this city, improving it from time to time, and as his investments liave been fortunate he now ranks as one of the largest freeholders, all of his hold- ings being inside property and yield hand- some revenues. In personal appearance onr subject would attract notice in any congregation of distinguished men. He is full six feet high, weiglis nearly 200 pounds, and with brown eyes, dark hair and swarthy complexion might well be taken for a rep- resentative of the Spanish race. Dr. Colley is quick in action and his abruptness of speech might impress one at a first meet- ing as somewhat cynical, but this disappears on closer acquaintance. He is a man of strong likes and dislikes, and, being one who cannot conceal his feelings, gives vigor- ons expression to them, and is therefore one whose friendships and enmities are of that ardent kind that characterize persons of his temperament; however, he is a man who has won and still retains the respect and esteem of the best people in Palestine, where he has resided for so many years.

John R. Hearne, one of the leading business men of Palestine, Texas, was a son of Columbus C. and Mary Ellen Hearne, natives of Georgia, the father born in 1812 and the mother in 1820. They were married in Shreveport, Louisi- ana, where both were brought when they were yet in their youth. The mother was a sister of Thomas Gilmer, a well known surveyor at an earlier date in Louisiana.

He laid out the town of Shreveport and was one of the first settlers there and be- came a man of wealthı.

The parents of our subject resided suc- cessively at Shreveport, New Orleans, and Greenwood, Louisiana, before coming to Texas, in all of which places the father was engaged during his residence in them in the mercantile business, his trade being that of a commission merchant. Mr. and Mrs. Hearne moved to Texas in 1852, set- tling at old Wheelock in Robertson county. At that place for some years and later at Houston, the father was interested in the mercantile business. He accumu- lated considerable means and invested largely in lands, particularly in Robertson county and along the Brazos river bottoms. Buying there when the land could be had cheap, he held the farms until the settle- ment and development of the country made them very valnable. He also im- proved, himself, placing a great deal of his holdings under cultivation. When the Houston & Central Texas Railroad was prospected through Robertson county he donated a tract of 400 acres where the town of Hearne now stands to that com- pany and to citizens for public and private purposes, and in this way assisted in build- ing np the town at that point. Hence it was named in his honor. He made his home at Wheelock from the date of his settlement here in 1852 until his death, which occurred in 1867, and was at all times prominently identified with the ma- terial progress of Robertson county. He was the wealthiest man in the county at the time of his death. He had always been enterprising and public-spirited, and

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

281

was a judicious investor and a clear and level-headed business man, and was de- voted to business. Mr. Hearne was an eminent Mason, a public benefactor and for many years he was a member of the Methodist church. He always was a strong moral factor wherever he lived.

The mother of our subject died in Rob- ertson county, in 1873, aged fifty-three years. She was a member of the Method- ist church. Our subject is one of eight children born to his parents, only four of whom became grown, these being Ellen, the wife of William Cheek, of Robertson county; Charles C., residing in New York city; Selby W., who died in Hamilton, Hamilton county, this State, in 1883, leav- ing two daughters.

John R. Hearne was born in Wheelock, Robertson county, July 15, 1854, was reared there and received his earlier edu- cation in the schools of that place. Later he took a collegiate course in Washington and Lee University at Lexington, Virginia, leaving this institution in 1871, at which date he returned to Texas. He took up his residence on the farm near Wheelock and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1876; at that date he went to Palestine, engaging in the drug business there, and to this he has devoted his time ever since. Besides this, however, he has been inter- ested in a number of enterprises, having invested in fact quite extensively in nearly all of the best business enterprises of the place. Ile owns valuable real estate in the city, holds stock in several building and loan associations, assisted in organiz- ing the Palestine National Bank, of which he was elected vice president at the date

of its organization, and has so remained ever since. He has been alderman of the city and chairman of the Democratic com- mittee of Anderson county, being one of the progressive, public-spirited men, stand- ing ready at all times to do his part in any movement tending toward the develop- ment of his town and county. Mr. Hearne has been a prominent worker in the Knights of Pythias, holding the position of adjutant to the colonel of the First Regiment of Uniformed Rank. He is a member of the Methodist Church, in which he holds the position of steward, and be- longs to the board of trustees.

Mr. Hearne first married Miss Albina Reagon, a niece of Judge Reagon, Octo- ber 13, 1875, but this lady died in 1880. October 11, 1883, Mr. Hearne married Miss Emma Howard, daughter of Colonel George R. Howard, an old citizen of Pal- estine. One daughter, Emma Howard, and two sons, John R. and Ben. W., have been born of this marriage.

William J. Pierce, one of the old set- tlers and leading men of Anderson county and a pioneer of Texas, was born in Wes- ternia, Tennessee, in 1852, and was the son of E. C. and Mary A. (Sawyers) Pierce, natives of West Tennessee, who removed to Arkansas in 1859 and settled in LaFayette county, where they engaged in farming and stock-raising. Here the father remained until his death, which occurred in 1865. His wife afterward married R. L. Stark and came to Texas, where she died in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were the parents of five children, namely: John F., a resident of Tennessee; W. J., our subject; Mary A., wife of J. H. Goad, of this county; I. N.,

282

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

deceased; A. C., of this county. By the last marriage Mrs. Stark had two children, namely: R. L. and C. C., both of this conuty.

Our subject commenced life for himself at the early age of eleven years, having run away from home. The plucky little fellow landed in Anderson county in 1863, and worked on a farm for three years, al- though he received no compensation for his labors. In 1866 he accepted a position in a dry-goods store owned by J. F. McElroy, at the salary of $5 per month. He only remained in this position one year, and then from the time of leaving this business until 1871 he engaged in wagoning and handling of stock. He then engaged in farming and stock-raising, on a farm lie had purchased. In 1888 he removed to Palestine and soon after was made Deputy Sheriff, which position he filled for three years and then was made City Marshal and held that office for five months. In 1892 Mr. Pierce was nominated by the Democratic party as their candidate for Sheriff of Anderson county for 1892-'94.

Mr. Pierce was married in 1871, to Miss Fannie Wallace, a native of the same county as Mr. Pierce, a daughter of J. R. and Matilda (Mc Kinnie) Wallace, natives of Mississippi, although the family came from Scotland in an early day. Mr. Wal- lace was among the very early pioneers of Texas, some time in the '40s, and settled in this county, where he engaged in farming. Mr. Wallace was engaged for four years in the late war and died in Anderson county, Texas, in 1870. His wife died when Mrs. Pierce was a little girl. They were the parents of three children, namely: Eli,

deceased in 1871; Fanuie, wife of sub- ject; and J. E. of this county.

Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have five children, uamely: Dora, at home; Enla, at home; Oliver, deceased; Edua, at home; and an infant who died. Mr. Pierce is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and of the K. of H., Palestine Lodge, No. 473. Both he and his estimable wife are promineut among their circle of acquaintances and are highly respected.

N. R. Royall a member of the firm of Royall & Murchison, of Palestine, Texas, is the subject of the present sketch. He is a popular, progressive and enterprising business inan and was born in Polk county, Georgia, in 1846. His father, John Royall, was born, reared and received his education in Virginia, his birth dating in 1803 and grew into a quiet, unassuming man, fairly successful, in no sense a public man nor even an office-seeker. In Virginia he mar- ried Miss Lucy A. Walton and became the father of eight children, as follows: R. H., who died at the age of thirty-one; Mary, who died the wife of T. F. Murchison, she dying in 1883, leaving four children ; Lucy, wife of W. F. Neff of Henderson county; W. W., of Henderson county; Mittie, the wife of M. M. Baker of Houston county, and at her death she left seven children; J. D. of Palestine; and Jolin P., living in Gilmer, Upshur county, where he keeps a hotel.

Our subject was the third child fromn the last and was eight years of age when lie came with his father in 1854 to Texas. The latter settled in Henderson county and there engaged in farming until 1881, when lie passed out of life. Our subject went

283

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

into clerking after he left the farm where he was reared. He had received only a mod- erate English education, but he was bright and studious and soon made himself very useful to his employers, Messrs. Murchi- son & Marrion. When he became of age he entered into business as a clerk for his present partner and thus continued until 1873, at which time there seemed to be an opening for another mercantile line in this city. Mr. Royall went into it with Mr. Coleman and the firm name was Royall, Coleman & Company, but in 1887 Mr. Coleman went out and Royall & Marchi- son purchased his interest.

With the exception of handling dry goods and hardware, the firm now does a general merchandise and commission busi- ness, also buying cotton, in 1891 getting 3,000 bales, the amount varying, sometimes falling as low as 1,500 and again climbing as high as 4,000 bales. A few small farmns have accumulated on the hands of the firin, aggregating 1,000 acres.

In 1864 Mr. Royall enlisted in Colonel Hardman's regiment, Sibley's brigade, of Confederate troops, and succeeded in being converted into a soldier for a period of eight months. The command under which he served operated in Arkansas, Texas, and finally disbanded in the latter State, and our subject returned home with added ex- perience. In his business affairs he has been very successful. Hence the people of his district have insisted upon him be- coming the Treasurer of the school district. He has served his ward as Alderman a number of terms and was a member of the finance committee, and in all the positions to which he has been elected or appointed

he has done his whole duty, and efficiently performed every duty required of him.

In 1872 onr subject was married to Miss Annie, the danghter of William Richard- son, a farmer of Henderson county, and four children have been born of this mar- riage. These are, Maggie, wife of C. W. Fish of Laredo, Texas; Lncy, wife of John W. Wright of Palestine; Tucker, attend- ing school in Smith county; and Bessie, attending school in Palestine.

P. W. Ezell, a prominent business man of Palestine, Texas, was the son of Fred- erick and Matilda (Claud) Ezell. The father was born near Petersburg, Virginia, and was reared in Middle Tennessee, whither his parents moved when he was eight years old. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Philip Cland, and a native of Williamson county, Tennessee, in which county the parents were married late in the '20s, and in 1832 removed to Kentucky, settling near Farmington, in Graves county. From there, in 1849, they came to Texas, and settled in Kaufman county, and were among the earliest settlers of the county. They then moved from Kaufman to Van Zandt county in 1856-'57, where the mother died in 1858.

After this sad event the father broke up housekeeping and went to live with one of his daughters in Henderson county, where he died in 1862, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He was a farmer through life, a man of some means, quiet, unassuming and pleasant in his ways. He was a life-long inember of the Methodist Church. He possessed many of the qualities that go to make up the pioneer, being fond of the freedom of the frontier, adventurous, and

284

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

self-reliant. He took an active part in public matters, both in Kaufman and Van Zandt counties, at an early day, and was re- garded as a leading citizen of the county while a resident there. He built the first courthouse in Van Zandt county.

The subject of this sketch is the second of six children born to his parents. The eldest, Herbert, died in Henderson county in this State, at about the age of forty-one, leaving a family; Frank W. is a farmer of Cherokee county; Catherine Frances is the wife of John Box, residing in Kauf- man county ; Cassendenny T. is the widow of L. D. Suggs, of Anderson county; Cal- phronia is the wife of Thomas Shannon, of Kaufman county. Our subject was born near Franklin, in Williamson county, Ten- nessee, March 26, 1830. His childhood and the most of his youth were spent in Graves county, Kentucky, whither his parents moved two years later, At the age of eighteen his father had decided to move to Texas, and he was sent ahead with some negroes and brood mares to make a start. He made the trip overland after the manner of that day, and stopped in Kauf- man county, but three years later he went to Anderson county (1852), and engaged in farming. Later he engaged in the gin business, also in merchandising and saw- milling, doing an extensive business just after the war in Millburg, in the northeast part of the county. This was conducted under the firm name of Ezell, Posey & Suggs, and here was where the town of Neches now stands. Our subject built the first substantial house in that place after the advent of the railroad.

In 1882 our subject removed to Pales-

tine, and now owns a considerable interest in the Palestine Hardware Company, and is a stockholder in the First National Bank, which he helped to organize. He owns considerable mercantile interest at Neches, and also has several farms, but has made all that he has since the close of the war, as that struggle completely destroyed his previous possessions.

The marriage of Mr. Ezell took place January 28, 1858, to Miss Mary Valen- tine, a daughter of Solomon Valentine, who moved to Texas from Obion county, Ten- nessee, some time in the '50s, and settled in Kaufman county. The lady was born near Fort Donelson.

Mr. and Mrs. Ezell had a family of seven children, as follows: Freddie, who died young; Henry Gibson, Philip Burette, Lallie Lee, Mittie, Eula and Trudie. Mr. Ezell has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, now being a member of the Knights Templars. He joined the Methodist Church in 1848, and has been a consistent member since that time, for thirty-five years having been a steward.

In summing up the above sketch we can truthfully say that our subject through life has shown himself a man of fine character, a good substantial citizen. He has never aspired to public life, although he has served as County Commissioner, and was on the board at the time of the building of the present courthouse, being at the head of the building committee, and he also at- tended to the laying out and superintend- ing of the county farm. Mr. Ezell is one of the most prominent and useful men in the county.

285

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

W. C. Kendall, assistant postmaster at Palestine, Anderson county, Texas .- Al- thoughi vur subject ranks only as assistant postmaster, he is in fact the postmaster, as he has entire charge of the office and draws all the salary. He has held his present position for eleven years, through three administrations, and has become a fixture in the office, one that the people of Pales- tine would not willingly see exchanged for another. His long retention in office has mnade him very skillful in the discharge of his duties, which, combined with his at- tentive, obliging manner, make him very popular among the patrons of the post office. Since lie has been in office all busi- ness of the office has received prompt at- tention, and no complaint could be lodged against so competent and capable an of- ficial. In an office as large as Palestine there is a necessity for clear-headed, sys- tematic and efficient service, and when these qualities are combined in one man the peo- ple are fortunate indeed to secure him for such a position.

Mr. Kendall was born March 6, 1853, in Reading, Massachusetts, where he was reared and educated, receiving very fair advantages for obtaining good instruction in his studies. He resided in his native place until December, 1876, employed at the cabinetmakers' trade. At the latter date he removed to Texas, locating at Palestine, and August, 1881, took the place of delivery clerk under J. F. Pells. So efficient did he become in his work that he was made assistant postmaster under him: later was given the same office under Alexander Ferguson, and finally under George E. Dilley, the present incumbent.

For eleven years lie has given his entire attention to the duties of his office, and is thoroughly familiar with the same. This office is a second-class one, and gives em- ployment to twoclerks besides Mr. Kendall. There are four star routes and fifteen post offices under the supervision of this office, and he makes a visit to each once a year at his own expense, there being no appro- priation to pay for such service. The af- fairs of the office at Palestine are conducted with as little friction and irregularity as any office of its size in the State, and the public in general speak in highest praise of its management. Since the present management came in, the office has been overhauled, and new fixtures and furni- ture to the value of $2,000 have been added. Mr. Kendall is one of the oldest assistant postmasters in Texas, as well as one of the most efficient.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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