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 81

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 81
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 81
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 81
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 81
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 81
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 81

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).

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

can raise anything, and that in great abundance. Of varieties of the sugar beet, the "French Red Top" gives the best sat- isfaction, they being very good for feed.

The Messrs. Stubenranch have their place in a fine state of cultivation and have experimented extensively with all kinds of prodnets, good houses, nice large hedge fences, apparatus for irrigating, etc., etc .; and they find ready market for all their garden prodnets at Mexia, and for their fruit at Honston and Galveston. During favorable seasons they can clear from $2,500 to $3,000 on their place. They raise no cotton and only enongh general farm products to supply themselves. They raise everything on the farm. Both these gentlemen are practical horticulturists as well as theoretical ones, and they read and observe and give attention to study in their line. They are well educated gentlemen in both languages, are energetic and are really making the bald prairie blossom like the rose.

Mr. Joseph Stubenrauch married Miss Barbara K. Hyenck, a native of Dowagiac, Michigan, in 1878, and Jacob married Miss Louisa Serr, of Erie, Pennsylvania, both ladies being of German ancestry. Both brothers were reared in the German Catho- lic Church, and are good and consistent members of the body still.

AVID MURPHY, deceased .- While this gentleman was never an actual citizen of Limestone county, he was so connected with its history and has so

many descendants in the county, that a sketch of him may be appropriately in- serted in this work. He was born in Cum- berland county, North Carolina, September 13, 1803, of Scotch extraction, being the son of Robert Murphy, a native of Scot- land, who came to America some time between 1782 and 1812 and settled in North Carolina, where some of his country- men had preceded him. His reason for leaving his native land was the religious persecutions of that time. David Murphy was reared in New Hanover county, North Carolina, and followed the different occupa- tions of planter, merchant and manufact- urer. The most of his life was spent in Cumberland county, North Carolina, where he was engaged in large mercantile mann- facturing interests, at Rock Fish, a village in that county, where he also had a paper mill, which he successfully conducted until it was destroyed by General Sherman's army about the close of the war. Mr. Murphy came to Texas in 1867, and in- vested largely in Texas lands, some of which lay in Limestone county. In all he bought, in Limestone county, some 2,400 acres, seven miles west of Mexia, which he divided between his children.

This gentleman was married three times: the first time to Eineline Theodora, daugh- ter of Wesley and Sarah Whittaker. She was born, July 30, 1815, married March 3, 1836, and died September 18, 1844. Four children were born to this union, namely: Charles Bailey, born December 14, 1836, killed September 22, 1863, in the Confederate arıny, as a member of Hampton's Legion; Wobert Westley, born October 7, 1838, and died June, 1855;

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Sarah Ellen, born October 28, 1840, and died two years later; and Harriet, married P. F. Alderman and died in Limestone county, in 1869.

Mr. Murphy married the second time Miss Julia Ann, a sister of his first wife, and by this marriage he had five children, uamely: Emeline Whittaker, wife of H. W. Williams, of Mexia; David Adrian, a farmer of Limestone county; William Langley, cashier of the First National Bank of Mexia; Mary, wife of John Car ter, of Mexia; and Julia, wife of A. T. Schultz, of Mexia.

Mr. Murphy's second wife died in 1861 or 1862, and he was married the third time, in 1866 or 1867 to Miss Beatty, who is now living in North Carolina. By this union they had one child, John, who lives with his mother.

Mr. Murphy died in Cumberland coun- ty, North Carolina, at the advanced age of eighty-two, in May, 1885. He had led an active life until his death, and his efforts were successful, as he was a born money-maker. He accumulated a fortune after the war, it being necessary for him to begin all over again after that dreadful scourge had passed over the South. Mr. Murphy had no taste for public life, but represented New Hanover county, North Carolina, in the State Legislature a term or two. He was a life-long Democrat and devoted to the interests of his party. It can be said of this man that he was a per- son of fine intelligence, good business in- stinct and general information, and as he was of charitable impulse he did much good. The old-school Presbyterian Church claimed him for a member from early man-

hood. Mr. Murphy was greatly devoted to his family and provided handsomely for them.

In personal appearance this fine old gentleman was rather delicate, especially in later life, and, although his height was six feet, his weight was only between 140 and 150 pounds. In spite of his fragile frame he possessed great powers of phy- sical endurance and was active and ener- getic in disposition. His temperment was nervous, but he had it under fine control.

Those of his children who are now liv- ing reside in Limestone and are among the best people of the county. In addition to bringing his children to Limestone county and settling them here, he was instru- mental in bringing others here and aided many to purchase lands. In this way he became identified with the county and is justly entitled to a place in these pages, where are recorded the lives of those who have been instrumental in the upbuilding of the portion of the State of Texas em- braced within the confines of Limestone county.

W. L. Murphy, son of the above, is cashier of the First National Bank, at Mexia. He was born in Cumberland county, North Carolina, February 1, 1851, reared and educated in the select schools of that locality. He came to Texas in 1873, and began his business career as a clerk in the banking house of Oliver & Griggs, at Mexia, Limestone county. Here he remained until they sold their business, in 1882, to Prendergast, Smith & Co. We next find him a member of the mercantile firm of Ross Kennedy & Murphy, but he disposed of his interest in this business

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

within a year, and in Angust, 1883, upon the organization of the First National Bank of Mexia, he became connected with that as cashier, which position he has since held. The bank is one of the financial insti- tutions of Mexia and much of its prosperity is due to the efforts of Mr. Murphy, who has had the management of the affairs since it started. The bank has a capital of $50,000, surplus of $30,000 and annual deposits of $60,000.

Mr. Murphy possesses good executive ability, clear foresight and conservative business habits and methods. He is a rec- ognized factor in the business circles of his town and county, and his name possesses financial strength in the State.

He married, in Mexia, in 1875, Miss Fannie Griggs, daughter of J. P. Griggs and sister of W. L. Griggs, a former well- known citizen of Mexia, member of the banking firm of Oliver & Griggs. Mrs. Murphy was born and reared in Waco, and she and her husband are prominent factors in the social circles of the city.

G. ADAMS, a prominent and suc- cessful farmer of Mount Alba, Texas, came to this State with his parents in 1854, and settled in this county, in Beaver valley, where he has made his home ever since. He was born in Alabama, Au- gust 4, 1852, consequently was but two years of age when the family removed to this State. He is the son of Dr. T. J. and Elizabeth (Oldham) Adams, of Tennessee and Alabama respectively. His grand- father, Reaves Adams, was a Colonel in

the war of 1812. He was also a practicing physician in Anderson county for thirty- five years, although he carried on farming before he came to Texas, and afterward also. In addition to these occupations he manufactured agricultural implements be- fore leaving Alabama. He also manu- factured buggies, wagons and all kinds of implements, but after coming to Texas lie confined his attention to farming and the practice of his profession, which he made a success. He has now retired from active business of all kinds, and although born in 1812 he is still hearty and vigorous. His wife was born about 1824, and she is also quite active, and was the daughter of P. G. Oldham, of South Carolina, a prominent farmer of that section and a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Six chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Adams, namely: William L., deceased in 1881; Julia A. married S. D. Brown, deceased; she still resides in this county; J. Q., now in lumber business, at Warren, Texas; subject; Sally married O. D. Pace, but died in 1876 and left one child; and Thomas R. died in 1868. Both Mr. Adams and his wife are members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Mr. Adams served as Justice of the Peace for twelve years since coming to this State.

Our subject received a good common- school education and received a fine train- ing in farming and stock-raising on the farm of his father, with whom he remained until he was twenty-eight years old. In 1881 he bought the farm he now owns, of 624 acres. This land was slightly im- proved, and he has now brought 325 acres of it into a fine state of cultivation. On this

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farm are a handsome and commodious resi- dence and large barn. This land is farmed by tenants, and Mr. Adams has seven houses for their accommodation upon the farm. Cotton, corn and all table supplies are raised on this farm, and Mr. Adams also gives attention to stock-raising. He has a nice herd of cattle on hand. He has also engaged in the sawmill business, is a gen- eral trader and an enterprising man of more than ordinary ability.

Mr. Adams was married, in 1881, to Addie Towns, a daughter of Mrs. S. A. Towns, a widow; father's namne not known. The Towns family came to this State from Illinois since the war. By this marriage there was no issue, and the wife died in October of the same year. December 14, 1890, Mr. Adams married Mrs. Minnie King, a daughter of T. J. Cox, of Kentucky, who came to Texas at an early day and married in this county, where he reared his family, and followed the occupation of farming. He died here in 1883, but his wife still survives him and resides in this county. One child is the result of this marriage, Mirtie, born July 25, 1891. In religious matters he is a Primitive Baptist, while his wife is a member of the Method- ist Church, and in political views he sides with the Democratic party. Both he and his wife occupy a high place in the es- teem of their neighbors.

B F. CARROLL, an experimental farmer of Navarro county, Texas, the subject of this sketch, came to the State with his parents when but seven

years of age, in 1848, received his school- ing and training in Texas, where he has spent his life.

Our subject was born in Mississippi in May, 1841, coming here, as above stated, in 1848. The family remained on the Sa- bine river until 1851, when they moved to Navarro county, and located at Dresden, the oldest settlement in the county. At the age of fifteen our subject took charge of his father's blacksmith shop, the latter having resigned the hammer and sledge for a seat in the Sixth Texas Legislature. Mr. Carroll says that he was able to make enough in the shop to keep the family in bread, and meat was obtained by the killing of a fat deer from his shop door, whenever desired. In 1858 our subject was at- tacked with a violent attachment for a lovely Texas maiden, but his father cured this illness by sending him off to McKen- zie College at Clarksville, under the disci- pline of Rev. J. W. P. Mckenzie, and while at school the war broke out. Our subject enlisted in Company B, Fourth Texas Cavalry, with William H. Parsons as Colonel.

After the war our subject engaged in school-teaching, but soon resumed the more lucrative business of blacksmithing. In 1866, when on a cow hunt, he found a swarm of bees on a mesquite bush, and he scraped them into a wallet and carried them home, and thus began an industry which he has followed until now he is one of the most successful bee men in the State. In 1867 he ordered a few American bee-hives, these being the first frame hives ever brought to this State. In 1869 he quit the blacksmith trade for the bee business, and

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

after securing a nice little farm, in 1878, he ordered his first Italian becs and changed his hives to the Langstroth, and in 1880 he received his first Cyprian queen bee di- rect from the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean sea. In 1881 he rented his farm and devoted his whole time to his bee yard. He raised a nice lot of queens, and in 1882 he ordered a large lot of extra hives. The season was favorable and by June he had increased from thirty-five colonies to 150, and from his bees that year he took over seven tons of honey, which was worth 10 cents per pound. In 1887 he discovered that his bee range liad been about all turned up by the plow, and this meant that his business was about to leave him; therefore he added to his bee culture some fancy poultry, and has now over forty varieties of land and water fowl, among them some rare specimens from Japan and Hindoostan. He has increased his acre- age to about 200 acres in all, and cultivates 150 acres, has a good orchard of choice fruits, two fine fish ponds, some Jersey cattle and Poland-China pigs, and diversi- fies the crops.

Upon his land Mr. Carroll makes all supplies for home consumption and man- ages all of his various lines himself with ease. He is a practical man and has method in all of his arrangements. He is very intelligent and keeps posted upon all his favorite lines, and not only in these lines but upon all the ques- tions of the day. He has been identi- fied with many of the reform mnove- ments in his county, and for two years was Master of Dresden Grange, President of Blooming Grove Alliance for two years,

and Secretary of Navarro County Farin- ers' Alliance for two years. He is among the leading Masons of the county, for seventeen years having been Secre- tary of Dresden Masonic lodge, and for two years its Master. For three years he was an officer in the order of Knights of Honor, and four years Recording Stew- ard of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Carroll is a leading Democrat in the county, and believes that no reform can better the true principles of Democracy.

After Mr. Carroll had served four months in the State service, as touched upon above, he entered the Twelfth Texas Regiment, under Parsons, and participated in all of the battles in Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri. He saw some hard service, and was under both Price and Marmaduke, but was never wounded or ill. He was captured at or near Lake Providence, by a portion of Steele's command, but the same night he made his escape by getting out of the guard house, and the next day rejoined his command, enduring many hardships and privations as all of the soldiers were forced to stand. His horse was shot from under hin, and by the same ball he was slightly wounded in the leg. His regiment was disbanded in Falls county, Texas, and he returned home, and has now been a resident of the State for forty-five years.

Mr. Carroll is the son of B. F. and Hulda (Harper) Carroll, both natives of South Carolina. The latter was the son of Ab- salom Carroll, and he was a grandson of Charles Carroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. B. F. Car- roll, the father of our subject, represented Lauderdale county, Mississippi, in 1847,

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in the Legislature. He came to Texas in 1848, lived three years in Harrison county, and then came to Navarro county, settling in Dresden. Hewas made Colonel of State militia of the State of Mississippi, and served as Justice of the Peace in this, Na- varro, county for four years. In 1858 he represented Navarro, Hill, Ellis and Lime- stone counties in the State Legislature, and his death occurred July 9, 1869. His marriage to the mother of our subject took place December 5, 1833, and from this union came twelve children-six boys and six girls. Mrs. Carroll, Sr., was a daughter of Edward and Mary Harper, who were married in 1795. Edward Harper was a preacher for many years. ordained in 1816, moved to Mississippi, and died there. The mother of our subject yet sur- vives, at the age of seventy-seven years, and of her twelve children, seven yet survive.

Of his father's family, our subject is the oldest son and fourth child: the oldest one yet living is Mrs. H. C. Ivey of Blooming Grove. Three of the sons entered the war and one was killed, William, at Chicka- mauga, September 19, 1863. Our subject was married in 1866 to Miss Georgia A. Stokes, a daughter of Willis B. Stokes. Mr. Stokes came to Texas in 1856, from Ala- bama, and settled in Navarro county, where he died on his farm in 1872. Eight chil- dren have blessed this union, as follows: Ellanor A., the wife of W. D. Allen, of McLennan county; Willis B., a farmer of Navarro county; May, Robert J., Amos L., Hulda, Ann E., and Reuben A. Mrs. Carroll was born at Greensboro, Alabama, January 12, 1849.

Mr. Carroll is very well known through the State of Texas, where he has become an authority in bee culture. The entire bee-world was astounded at his success in this business, having obtained half a ton of honey from a single colony of bees dur- ing the great honey flow in 1882. From the far-off isles of the sea, came letters of congratulation on his grand feat, and was presented with a fine Syrian queen bee by

D. A. Jones, of Canada, who ransacked the whole face of the earth for bees in 1880, traveling through Syria, Palestine, Java and even " tackled " the death-dealing jun- gles of Ceylon, for the great Apis dorsata, that builds its huge honey-combs high up in the tall banyan trees. His success in that line has been phenomenal, and it is with pardonable pride that he looks back over his career.

RS. S. A. SHARP, of Hornhill Limestone county, is the widow of Edward W. Sharp, formerly a well known citizen of this county. The latter is a son of Anthony Sharp, who removed from Missouri to Texas in 1836, settling on Blossom Prairie, Limestone county. He afterward returned to Missouri, but subse- quently came again to this State, this time settling on Frost creek, now the present town of Groesbeck. He spent the re- mainder of his life in this county, dying at the home of his son-in-law, Benjamin Ur- sey, in 1882, at the age of eighty-one years. He was a native of Kentucky, was taken to Missouri by his parents, was a farmer and stock-raiser all his life, a sol-

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

dier in the Indian wars, an old Texan, and endured all the hardships of the frontier. Anthony Sharp's wife, nee Charlotte Walk- er, was born near Cape Girardeau, Mis- souri, and died in Limestone county, Texas, in Angust, 1855, aged fifty-four years. Mr. Sharp was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and his wife of the Chris- tian Church. They were the parents of six children, viz .: Edward Walker, the lius- band of the subject of this sketch; James Ellison, who was killed in the Confederate army at Jonesboro, Georgia, during the late war; Robert L., deceased at the old homestead in Limestone county; Rachel, wife of Dr. J. C. Welch, formerly a well- kuown physician of this county; William Alexander, deceased; Alplienzie, deceased, was the wife of Benjamin Ursey, of Lime- stone county.

Edward Walker Sharp was born near Springfield, Missouri, August 4, 1826. He remained in his native place until ten years of age, when he accompanied his parents to Texas, also on their return to Missouri, and again to this State. August 12, 1852, he bought 320 acres of land near Horn- hill, and at that time the country was new. He bought a few household goods on credit, erected a cedar-log house, with stick-and- clay chimney, puncheon floor, doors set on wooden liinges, and began house-keeping. The surrounding country was covered with grass, cattle and wild animals. The nearest settlement to the northi was at Tehuacana Hills, and there was but one house between his and Waco, forty miles west. Mr. Sharp was engaged in farming on this place until his death, which occurred November 16, 1870.

He was married in Limestone county, February 29, 1852, to Miss Saluda Ann, a daughter of Spottsford D. and Pauline M. Tucker, early settlers of this county. The father was born in Casey county, Ken- tucky, April 13, 1810, and came to Lime- stone, Texas, in 1850, where he died February 28, 1880. He was a farmer by occupation, and religiously was a member of the Methodist Church. Mrs. Sharp's mother, nee Panline M. Busbee, was born near Lyneliburg, Virginia, April 24, 1812. a daughter of Matthew and Saluda (Tins- ley) Busbee. She died iu this county, De- cember 24, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker liad the following children: Milton A., born Jannary 20, 1832, resides in this county; Saluda Ann, the subject of this sketch; Nancy Ellen, born in 1838, is the wife of Inther Estis; Matilda Frances, born April 17, 1839, died June 12, 1851; and New- man, born April 23, 1842, was killed at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1864, while serving in the Confederate army. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp's eldest child died in infancy, and those reared to maturity are: Aramintha, wife of Allen M. Drinkard, of Limestone county ; Melvin, a prosperous young farmer of this county ; James D., deceased in March, 1883; and Pauline M., wife of William C. Jones, a sketch of whom appears in this work.

After her husband's death Mrs. Sharp was left with four children to be reared and educated, and her estate was $1,800 in debt. She cleared this encumbrance, gave her children the benefit of the best schools in her reach, at their marriage gave each a portion of land, and still owns 680 acres. A large part of this land is in cultiva-

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

tion, all of which she manages and looks after personally. She is regarded as one of the best farmers in this vicinity, and lias never since her husband's death bought a pound of meat or an ear of corn; on the contrary she has sold both each year. Mrs. Sharp is a woman of much force of char- acter, is intelligent and a representative citizen.

ILLIAM HENRY is a farmer of Limestone county, residing two iniles west of the town of Mexia. He was the son of Hugh and Elizabeth (Rea- gan) Henry, natives of Tennessee and the brother of John R. Henry, deceased, who was for many years a prominent citizen of Limestone county and of whom a sketch appears in this work. Our subject was born in Blount county, Tennessee, in 1817, and came to Texas in 1838, following his brother, John R. After spending a short time with the latter, in Robertson county, where he was then living, our subject rent- ed land in Montgomery county, and there, in October, 1842, he married Miss Isa- bella Burnett, and he resided there about six years. Starting west at the end of that time he visited, successively, Harris, Cald- well, Fayette, Coryell and Denton counties, remaining in the last named county about twenty-two years. On the death of his brother, John R., in 1890, he removed to Limestone county and settled on the old Henry homestead, two miles west of Mexia, which fell to him in the division of his brother's estate, and where he now resides. He has been a farmer all his life, owns the Henry homestead before referred

to, consisting of several hundred acres; also a good farm in Denton county.

He was in the regular Confederate army during the late war, but was discharged after several months' service as being over age. He re-entered the service again, liow- ever, and served on the frontier, mostly on the Rio Grande.

When our subject came to Texas first, it was in company with a number of others, . when he was a young man. He saw it in its wild state, roughed it on the frontier, lived in his boots and fought the Indians. He has lived to see the making of much of Texas history, and as a humble, unpreten- tious citizen has done his part toward it. His wife was born in Arkansas and her parents came to Texas in 1835. They orig- inally came from Illinois and went to Texas, via Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Henry have had ten children, namely: James D., now living in Denton county, is a farmer; Eliza, married B. W. Davis and died in Henry county, Missouri; Martha married William Barnhill and died in Denton county; Eveline is the present wife of William Barnhill and lives in Limestone county; Samuel lives in Denton county and is a farmer; Hugh, deceased; Will- iam died when a young man, in Montague county; John R .; Lewis P. L. and Marion L. are at home. The family are members of the Methodist Church.

OHN R. HENRY, deceased .- For many years this gentleman was a prominent citizen of Limestone county, Texas. He was born in Blount

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

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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