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 80

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 80
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 80
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 80
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 80
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 80
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 80

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Mr. King, our subject, is the son of Medicus King, born in 1815, in Petersburg, Virginia; from thence he moved to Alabama and then to Texas, in the fall of 1852. He first located at Fairfield and engaged in inercantile pursuits until the outbreaking of the Civil war. He then moved to his farm, two miles north of Brewer, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1880. He served as First Lieutenant of the State militia and was a self-made man.

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He had been denied the advantages of an education, as, when about fourteen or fifteen years old he was employed as a clerk in Montgomery county, Alabama, and had already been working for four or five years. He remained in Alabama ten years and in Arkansas two years before he finally went to Texas. He was quite successful, and was a man of good habits and mild temper. He served as Deputy Sheriff and was elected to various other offices on the Democratic ticket. He was a stanch mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. He tried to surround his children with the comforts that his orphan childhood was deprived of. He married in 1841 Miss Helen M. Clough, a native of Alabama, where the marriage oc- curred. She was the daughter of Zacharialı and Rachel Clongli, natives of Georgia. Mrs. King still survives and lives on the farm with her son. She and her husband had ten children, nine of whom grew to maturity, namely: Henry Z. served in the Confederate army, and soon afterward died of consumption; Adolphus, of Freestone county, farmer; subjeet; Alston, fariner, now living at Mexia; Lonly, fariner, now resides in Fannin county ; Gordon, in mer- cantile business at Brewer; Helen, Lavenia and Sandy, at home.

Our subjeet was born in 1849, in Ar- kansas, from which place he was taken to Texas, in 1852, where he still continues to reside with his widowed mother. He has 274 acres of land, 100 acres of which are in a high state of cultivation. He also owns one-half interest in a store of $3,500 stock.

Gordon has about seventy acres of land and a half interest in the store of King Bros.

He married Miss Katie Rarols in 1891, a native of Texas. They have one child, Eva Belle. In politics he is an ardent Demo- crat.

This is a family whose members mnay well feel prond of being connected with it. The name of King is well known through- ont the entire county, and is connected with deeds of charity and benevolence, as well as with all the leading events of the county, political or social. Mrs. H. M. King, mother of onr subject, died August 5, 1892, at the age of sixty-six years and nine months.

APTAIN JOSEPH BOOTH TYUS, an honored and influential citizen of Limestone county, was born in Snssex county, Virginia, March 21, 1830, a son of John William and Sarah Coleman Tyns. His mother was a daughter of Renben and Hannah Jackson, bothı natives of Virginia. Of a family of eight children, the subject of this sketch is the only one now living.

The latter, at the age of three years, re- moved with his parents to Shelby county, Temessee, where he received a fair En- glish education.

He came to this State in December, 1849, and commenced life as a Surveyor, doing a large amount of public work in his ten years' service in that capacity. From February, 1852, to October, 1874, he made his home in Springfield, then county seat of Limestone county ; from 1874 to Decem- ber, 1880, he lived in Groesbeck, the pres- ent connty seat. In 1861 he enlisted in Nichols' regiment of six months' volun-

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teers; then in the Fifteenth Texas Cavalry, afterward dismounted; was captured with his command at Arkansas Post in January, 1863; was imprisoned three months at Camp Douglas, near Chicago; exchanged at City Point, Virginia; rejoined the army at Tullahoma, Tennessee, where his regi- ment was consolidated with the Sixth and Tenth Infantry under command of Colonel Roger Q. Mills, taking part in the battle of Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, the Atlanta campaign, and back with General Hood to North Carolina, where he re- mained until the return of the troops from Nashville.

After the close of the war Mr. Tyus en- gaged in merchandising in old Springfield for six years; in 1873 was elected County Treasurer; fonr years later was appointed Sheriff and Tax Collector to fill the unex- pired term of John W. Love, who was killed in the discharge of his official duty; resigned this office in the fall of 1879.

In December, 1880, the Captain moved his family to Sherman, to give his daugh- ters the advantages of a good school, and while there was engaged a portion of the time in mercantile pursuits. Five years later he removed to El Paso, engaged in the same occupation, and in 1889 returned to Limestone connty, since which time he has given his attention to the real-estate business, making his home in Groesbeck.

Mr. Tyus has served two terms as City Alderman and City Treasurer since his return to Groesbeck. The social side of nature shows itself in the fact that he has been a Mason since 1852; has never dimit- ted or changed his membership, but has paid his dues to the same lodge for forty-

one years; he has also been a member of the K. of H. since 1878, and of the K. and L. of H. since 1880.

In December, 1865, Mr. Tyus married Miss Cora Cox, of Freestone county, and their children are: Lela, now Postmaster at Groesbeck, under appointment of President Cleveland; and Ada Coleman Tyus, now a music pupil at Oak Cliff College. Mrs. Tyus is a native Texan, born in Wheelock, Robertson county, in 1846.

The family are members of the Method- ist Church, South, in which Mr. Tyus has served as Steward almost continuonsly for sixteen years.

OGAN A. STROUD, a successful farmer of Limestone county, is a son of Ethan Stroud, who was born in Georgia in 1796. When a young man he moved to Alabama, where he was engaged in farming and trading, and in 1838 secured a headright in Robertson county, Texas. Their certificate described the land known as Chambers' claim, in Falls county, but, having the privilege to float their certificate, they located land in Hansford county, al- though continuing to live in Robertson county until 1843. In that year he moved to Falls county, and the following year settled at Bur Oak Springs, Limestone county, where he died in 1846. His early life was a succession of experiences inci- dent to pioneer life. He had frequent encounters with the Indians, which experi- ence caused him to be sent to the Tehua- cana tribe to make a treaty of peace. The chief was very friendly with the Stroud

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

family, and kept them informed of any unfriendly plots of the Indians. Mr. Stroud was a self-made man, and of extensive in- formation. He affiliated with the Demo- cratic party, and socially, was a Master Mason. He was a son of John and Sally (Phillips) Stroud, natives of Georgia. The Strond family are of Welshi descent. Our subject's mother, nee Nancy Trammel, was born in Georgia, and died in 1864. She was a daughter of John Trammel, the former a prosperous farmer of Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Strond were married in 1811, and were the parents of seven children, viz .: Teressa, deceased, was the wife of James Maddox, formerly of Alabama, but now deceased; Sampson M., was a prosper- ons farmer of Texas before his death; Appleton N., a farmer of Hill county; Mary M., deceased, was the wife of Gus- tine Owen, also deceased; Napoleon B., deceased; and one who died in infancy.

Logan A. Strond, the second child, was born in Georgia in 1814. He afterward removed to Alabama, and in the fall of 1837 located 640 acres of land in Robertson county, Texas. He afterward returned to Alabama, but the following year came again to this State, settling near where Calvert now stands. In 1841 he engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising at the Falls of the Brazos, but in 1843, on account of the overflow of the Brazos river, the greater part of his possessions were swept away. In 1844 Mr. Stroud located where he has since resided, in Limestone county. He remained at home until thirty years of age, and, after his father's death, he provided for his mother until her death, in 1864. When thrown npon his own resources he

had only a few negroes, bnt at the time of the emancipation of the slaves he had 133, and what property he had left was confis- cated during reconstruction times. Mr. Strond now owns 6,843 acres of land, and has given about 2,000 acres to his children.

In 1842 he was married to Jane E. Har- lan, a danghter of Joseph and Nancy (Craig) Harlan, natives of South Carolina. The father served in the Mexican war, and participated in the battle of San Jacinto. Mrs. Strond came with her parents to Texas in 1837, settling near where old Wheelock stood, afterward moved near where Calvert now stands, where he passed the rest of his days. Our subject and wife have had eleven children: Amaranth, the widow of Felix Kennedy; Terresa, the wife of Dr. J. D. Rankin, of Groesbeck; Ethan, de- ceased; Joseph M .; William M., deceased; Ellen C., the wife of Willis Winston, of Groesbeck; Alma; Carrie, the wife of W. W. Buck, of Hillsboro; Lela, the wife of J. P. Boyd, of Wichita Falls, Texas; Luda, who died in infancy; and James R.

Mr. Stroud is a Democrat in his pulit- ical views, and socially is a Master Mason.

R. JOHN M. COLLEY, physician and surgeon of Palestine, was born in Centreville, Wilkes county, Georgia, December 27, 1854. Dr. Colley is a de- scendant of two old families in that county. His father, Frank G. Colley, a native of the same county, is still living there and was the son of Spain Colley, who also was a native of Wilkes county, Georgia, and spent his entire life there. IIe was a son

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of John Colley, a native of Virginia, who settled in Wilkes county, probably a cen- tury ago. The Colley family were plant- ers and possessed considerable wealth. They were eminently respectable, plain, unpre- tentions people, who were home-loving, patriotic and God-fearing in their actions and lives. This family has made America its home for many generations, coming originally from England. The mother of our subject, Sarah Elizabeth Staples, a daughter of John Staples, was a native of Wilkes county, Georgia. Both the parents of our subject are still living and are resi- dents of their native county.

Dr. Colley is the eldest of nine children, five sons and four daughters. He was reared in his native place and educated in the public schools of Centreville and at Beard's Academy, Centreville. The Doc- tor first began to read medicine under Dr. William Mulligan,of Washington, Georgia, and received his medical lectures in the Medical Department of the University of Augusta, Georgia, graduating there in March, 1881. After graduating Dr. Colley came at once to the Lone Star State and settled at Palestine, where he began the practice of liis profession, and where lie has followed it continuously ever since, except about two years spent in Butler, Freestone county, to which place he was induced to go on account of his health. Dr. Colley has devoted his entire time to the practice of his profession, since enter- ing upon it. He is enthusiastic upon the subject of his calling, is a close student and has a fine medical library and excep- tionally good collection of surgical instru- ments and apparatus. Dr. Colley has

always enjoyed a good practice, and is per- sonally and professionally popular, not only on account of his medical skill, but for liis genial, pleasant manner and kind- ness of heart. Dr. Colley is a well edu- cated, well-read man and a cultured gen- tleman.

The happiest day of Dr. Colley's life was July 10, 1889, when he led to the altar Miss Mary A. Hunter, daughter of Dr. Henry J. Hunter, a former well-known physician of Palestine, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Dr. Colley has been assistant surgeon of the International & Great Northern Railway Hospital, at Palestine. As Dr. Colley is a skillful sur- geon, he is eminently fitted for all classes of surgical work and can readily fill any position he is called upon to take.

ILLIAM C. JONES .- The ob- servation is frequently made that the second crop of settlers in a new country always reap the fruits of tlie labors of the pioneers. Strictly speaking, this is not correct, but the general state- ment contains considerable truth. The qualities that go to make a good pioneer do not necessarily make a successful man of the world; and it is a fact that as a new country becomes settled the old- timers move on to more sparsely settled districts, while the new-comers pick up the desirable locations, and not unfrequent- ly they monopolize the most lucrative professions and absorb the best-paying business enterprises. There is something about the free and easy way of living

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practiced by old settlers that seems to unfit them for coping successfully with the aggressive forces that come with the better settlement of a country. Ou the other hand, the newly arrived settler, fresh from the overcrowded communities of the East, and thoroughly practiced in all the approved methods of getting along in the world, feels freer for his change, and sees opportunities were his discouraged neighbour cannot. Not being slow to avail himself of the opportunity he soon forces to the front, and begins to attract attention as a man of success.

One of the citizens of Limestone county who falls within the designation " second- crop settlers " is William C. Jones, a suc- cessful farmer residing abont five miles northwest of Groesbeck. He was born in Henry connty, Tennessee, June 23, 1848, a son of Hiram and Martha (Burdson) Jones, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of North Carolina. The parents were married in Weakley county, Tennessee, where the father died in 1856. He was a farmer by occupation, and led a quiet and uneventful life. The mother now resides with the subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were the parents of ten children, viz .: Gaines F. C. C., who died in Weakley county, Tennessee, leaving a family; Margaret, who became the wife of Joseph H. Jones, and now resides at Newtonia, Putnam county, Missouri; James M. and Henry Burden, twins, the former dying in the Confederate army in May, 1862, and the latter at Metropolis, Illinois, since the war, leaving a family; Isabella, wife of P. HI. Brooks, of Weak- ley county, Tennessee; Mary, deceased in

Ilowell county, Missouri, was the wife of William Bruce; Susannah, wife of B. P. Mc Whorter, of Weakley county; William C., our subject; Hiram Jarvis, of Lime- stone county; and Martha, who died before marriage.

William C. Jones came to Limestone county, Texas, in 1875, and his possessions at that time consisted of a pony, bridle and saddle. With these as his stock in trade, lie begau life in Texas. Four years later, November 20, 1879, he married Miss Pauline M. Sharp, a danghter of one of Limestone county's early pioneers. At that time Mr. Jones possessed limited means, and in 1886 he made his first purchase of land, buying 100 acres where he now lives, five miles northwest of Groes- beck. He at once settled on this place and began its improvements, later purchas- ing 110 acres more, and still later twenty- three more. Of this large farin he now has sixty-five acres under cultivation, erected a neat and comfortable dwelling, at a cost of $1,000, has planted an orchard, fenced his entire tract, and made other useful and important improvements. His farm is now one of the finest and best im- proved places in the vicinity of Groesbeck or Hornhill. He is one of Limestone county's best young farmers.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones have had the follow- ing children; Donzella, Edward Walker, and Robert Rankin.

Z T. SHARP, a farmer of Honest Ridge, Limestone county, is a son of Spencer and Sarah (Henderson) Sharp, natives of Tennessee. The parents

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were married in that State, and resided in Weakley connty nntil 1855, when they moved to Limestone county, Texas. In 1857 the father bought and settled on what is now known as the old Spencer Sharp place, consisting of 328 acres. He resided on this place until his death, which occurred in 1863, while he and his wife were on a visit in Arkansas to look after a sick son in the Confederate army. The mother survived him many years, dying in 1881, at the age of seventy-one years. They were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom grew to years of maturity, viz .: Nathaniel Henderson, who died in the Confederate service at Arkan- sas Post; Anthony Frank, a resident of Lampasas, Texas; William Van Buren, who died in prison at Camp Douglas during the late war; John Monroe, who was killed at the battle of Corinth; Ezekiel Marion, a soldier in the Confederate arıny, died in Weakley county, Tennessee; Thomas H., also a soldier in the late war, is a resident of Limestone county; Zacha- riah Taylor, our subject; Martha, deceased in this county, was the wife of J. H. Lip- pard; Eudora Frances, wife of Charles S. Bates, a sketch of whom appears in this work; and Pernicia, wife of A. J. Runnels, of Groesbeck, this county. The children were all born in Tennessee, and six sons served in the late war.

Zachariah Taylor Sharp was born in Weakley county, Tennessee, May 2, 1849, and was six years of age when he came with his parents to Texas, having been reared on the old homestead where he still resides. In 1877 he married Miss Alice Sanders, a daughter of James M. and

Nancy Jane Sanders, residents of Groes- beck, this county. The parents removed from Anderson county, Texas, to Lime- stone connty about twenty years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have five children: Zelda T., Junius S., James E., Lura J., and Bertha M. Mr. Sharp has lived on the farm he now owns since seven years of age, is a thrifty, industrious farmer, and a respected citizen.

RA E. WOOD, a prosperous farmer of Limestone county, residing six miles west of Mexia, is a son of John Kelley and Ann Elizabeth (Sawyers) Wood. The father was born in Pastastank county, North Carolina, in 1818, where he was reared to the age of sixteen years, and was then taken by his parents to Tennessee. He was married in that State, and resided there, principally in Weakley county, until 1850. In that year he came to Texas, reaching Limestone county in December of the same year, and in December, 1851, he bought 320 acres of nnimproved land of R. J. McAdoo, located six miles west of Mexia. He resided on that farm until his death, which occurred at Honest Ridge, this county, in the fall of 1880. Mr. Wood was a farmer and stock-raiser, was a good, law-abiding citizen, and for many years was a prominent member of tlie Methodist Church. His father. William Wood, was also a native of North Caro- lina, and moved to Weakley county, Ten- nessee, in 1834, where he afterward died. Our subject's mother, Elizabeth Sawyers, was born in North Carolina, in 1819, a

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daughter of William Sawyers. Her par- ents died when she was young, and her death occurred in Limestone county, in 1881. She was a member of the Meth- odist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Wood were the parents of fourteen children, viz .: Ira E., our subject; Thomas, who was a mem- ber of the Tenth Texas regiment, and was killed at Atlanta, Georgia, July 21, 1862; William, a member of the same company, died at Little Rock, Arkansas, while serv- ing in the Confederate army; Wilson and James, deceased when young; Joseph, who was waylaid and shot in Limestone county; Brooks, of Mexico; James, a minister of the Methodist Church of New Mexico; Emily, wife of Charles Penner, of Wichita Falls, Texas: Sarah, who died before mar- riage; Mary, wife of Archie Stephens, of Mexia, Limestone county; and twins, de- ceased when young.

Ira E. Wood was born in Weakley county, Tennessee, June 22, 1836, and was reared in that county to the age of four- teen years. In 1850 he came to Texas with his parents, and since that time has resided in Limestone county. He received very little education, was reared to farm life, and grew to manhood in the rough and ready way of the West. March 27, 1861, he entered the Confederate army, en- listing in Company F, Fifteenth Texas regiment, and participated in the battles of Black Bayon, Shiloh, Corinth, Mnr- freesborough, Bell Buckle, Chickamauga, and in all the engagements of the Georgia campaign down to Atlanta. He was there wounded, losing an arm, and for a short time was placed in the hospital at Thom- aston, Georgia, but escaped from there and

joined his command, which was then on the campaign into Tennessee, under Hood. He was with his company until after the battles of Franklin and Nashville, but in which he took no part, and then returned home. In 1862, Mr. Wood was captured in Arkansas and taken to Chicago, where he was held as a prisoner abont three months, then taken to Virginia, and later exchanged. After the close of hostilities our subject fonnd himself without means, with only one arm, and the world before him in which to make a living. Ile first bought 196 acres of land, paying $2.27 an acre, but his entire estate then consisted of what his wife had brought as her marriage portion, one cow and a loom. He fenced his land, cultivated 100 acres, and made a good start. Mr. Wood now owns 2,000 acres in one body, 340 acres of which is cultivated, and also has considerable stock.

In Angust, 1866, he married Miss Sarah E. Neil, a daughter of John C. Neil, and a niece of Colonel Neil, an old Mexican veteran, who came from Tennessee to Lime- stone connty, Texas, at an early day. Our subject and wife have had five children: John Kelley, William Henry, Thomas M., Terry Neil and Mackie Ira. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the Methodist Church.

TUBENRAUCH BROTHERS. Since the days when the adventur- ous Captain Henry Hudson first pushed his explorations up the romantic stream which has since born his name, and upon the banks of that stream planted the

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seeds of one of the thriftiest colonies upon this continent, down to the present time, the nation under whose flag he sailed, Hol- land, and the more populous and stronger nation, Germany, which he may be said in some measure to have represented, liave furnished to this country a large propor- tion of its people, and what is better, some of its sturdiest, thriftiest, most intelligent and best citizens. These two countries have sent to the new world representatives who have illustrated, both in war and in peace, the characteristics of their people. no less distinguished for their valor in one than for their triumphs of their genius and industry in the other.

It can be said, without disparagement to the other worthy people represented in the American body politic, that those commu- nities where the Dutch and German set- tlers predominated are, without exception, in national faith and unity the soundest, as they are in the commnon affairs of life in the healthiest and most prosperous condi- tion.

The subjects of this sketch, Joseph W. and Jacob Stubenrauch, comprising the firm of Stubenrauch Brothers, belong to the above class of citizens. They were tlie sons of John Jacob and Margareth (Doll) Stubenrauch, and came from German an- cestry immemorial, the ancient family being from Rhenish Bavaria, where our subjects were born at the old family seat, the former February 7, 1852, and the lat- ter February 11, 1856. They were reared in their native country and received the advantages of the best schools of the lo- cality in which they grew up. As their father was a horticulturist, they were early

trained in the business, and the elder came to the United States in 1871, and the younger in 1873. Both stopped in Erie county, New York, near Buffalo, where they had relatives. There they were en- gaged in mixed husbandry-fruit-raising, wine making and market gardening. In the fall of 1876, the elder, Joseph W., came to Texas for the purpose of locating, having saved his earnings up for this pur- pose. He bought a small place consist- ing of 100 acres, open prairie, three miles west of Mexia, which he proceeded to put in order for his purposes. His first steps were slow, as the whole business was an experiment, and besides he had not enough money to go far ahead. He went into debt for a part of his land, and then improved as his means accumulated. Later, in 1882, his brother came on. Fifty acres is in farm products, thirty acres in orchard, and five acres in market garden. Of the thirty acres in orchard, twenty are in peaches and ten are in pears, apples, plums and grapes.

This firm has tried about 100 varieties of peaches on their place, of which they have found only about twenty useful for general purposes. Of pears they have tried about eight or ten varieties, of which they consider the "Dutchess," "Clapp's Favorite " and the " Kiefer " as the most desirable. Of apples they have found that the "Red June," the " Red Astrachan," "Eureka," " Ben Davis," and "Winesap " are the most desirable, and each succeeding well. Of grapes, the types known as the " Aestivalis " gives the best results. Of plums, all the Japanese varieties do well except " Kelsey" which, blooming early, generally gets killed. Of vegetables, they

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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