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 83

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 83
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 83
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 83
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 83
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 83
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 83

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).

John Hollis, the great-grandfather of J. M. Emerson, was born in England, in 1746, came to America in 1763, working for seven years thereafter to pay for his passage to this country. About 1770 he was married to a Welsh lady. He served through the Revolutionary war from beginning to end. He settled in North Carolina, and to him were born eleven children-six sons and five daughters. The names of his sons were as follows: John, Jesse, Micajah, Hndson, Daniel, and William. The daugh- ters were: Elizabeth, Pollie, Nancy, Re- becca and Peggie.

Micajah Hollis, the grandfather of J. M. Emerson, was married to Frances Hodges, April 10, 1808, and settled on Stone river, middle Tennessee, and to them were born ten children,-sous as follows: Jerrie, deceased; Jesse, yet living; James C., John Harney, and William; and daugh- ters as follows: Elizabeth, Matilda, Mary Ann (yet living), and Nancy, the mother of J. M. Emerson.

John Hollis, the great-grandfather, lived to be ninety-nine years and seven months of age, dying at. Fosterville, Texas, May 25, 1893.

James M. Emerson, whose name heads this sketch, was born in Onachita county, Arkansas, in 1846, and was but a year old when his mother died. He was afterward cared for by his maternal grandparents, with whom he made his home until 1857, when he came to Texas to live with his father. He received the educational ad- vantages of the common schools, to which he has since added by extensive reading and a wide experience. In 1864 he en- listed in Company D, Bates' regiment, Thirteenth Texas Infantry, in which he efficiently served until the close of the war, when he returned to his home in Texas. He remained here until 1866, when he went to Arkansas and secured employment as clerk in a dry-goods store, where he continued until 1868. He then returned once more to Texas and began farming on shares with his father on the latter's land, where he was successfully en- gaged until the latter part of 1869, at which time he secured employment in a mercantile store in this vicinity. In 1870 his father entered the merchandise busi.

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ness and employed his son as clerk, where the latter continued a year and a half. Mr. Emerson, of this notice, then bought a farm, where he resided, and which he cultivated for two years, until he was ap- pointed Deputy Sheriff, under Edward Davis, who was the first Democratic sheriff in Anderson county after the war. In 1875, Mr. Emerson was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 4, and was ex officio County Commissioner, in both of which capacities he discharged his duties with honor and ability. In 1883, Mr. Emerson engaged once more in the mercantile busi- ness, lis partner being W. P. Welborn, and on the retirement of the latter gentle- man, in 1885, the firm became Emerson & Gore. This was successfully continued until 1890, when Mr. Emerson assumed the duties of the unexpired term of Tax Collector, to which he had been appointed in 1889. On his retirement from office he engaged in farming, until his selection to his present position of Postmaster of Fosterville, to which he brings his usual energy and thorough attention to details. He was first appointed Postmaster in 1870. He is also a Notary Public.

Thus is briefly shown what a young man of determination can accomplish in the great Lone Star State. He was thrown on his own resources at twenty, and has, with but little assistance, gained by steady in- dustry a comfortable income. He owns 1,400 acres of good land. 300 of which is well cultivated, and has sufficient stock to run the farmn.

In 1870, Mr. Emerson was married to Sarah Elizabeth Murphy, a lady of intelli- gence and refinement, who was born in

South Carolina, of which State her par- ents, Chesley and Caroline (Moore) Mur- phy, are also natives. Mr. and Mrs. Emer- son have had eleven children: Laura, born February 4, 1872; Carrie, born December 24, 1873; Chesley R., November 28, 1875; Charles K., November 11, 1877; May (de- ceased), June 7, 1880; James H. (deceased), September 28, 1882; one born September 29, 1884, who died in infancy; Claude and Myrtle (twins), born February 23, 1886; Alma, born August 17, 1888; and Wilmer, March 31, 1890.

Politically, Mr. Emerson is identified with the Democratic party. Fraternally, he is a Master Mason. Both he and his estimable wife are useful members of the Christian Church. . In domestic, private and public life, Mr. Emerson has always been the same upright, genial, whole- souled man, and justly holds a high posi- tion in the regard of the community.

ILLIAM M. BROWN, a citizen of Bradford, Texas, was born in An- derson county, this State, June 4, 1854, and has lived within five miles of the spot ever since. His schooling facili- ties were very poor, but he is a man of ob- servation, and has learned much in the school of experience. He lived under the home roof until his marriage, when he went to farming for himself, in 1875, buying a small farm, upon which he yet lives, adding 320 acres to it in 1882, which, with characteristic energy, he proceeded to clear and improve, until now he has very good buildings, 100 acres under fence, and

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about cighty in a fine state of cultivation. He rents a portion of it out, and cultivates the remainder, growing cotton, corn, cane and stock for the support of the farm. In the years 1888 and 1889 he operated a mill and gin.

Mr. Brown is an athletic man of pow- erful build, and has done a great amount of work in the past ten years. He makes an average of fifteen bales of cotton, plenty of corn and other products, and grows ample vegetables, mcat, etc., for family use. He is the son of F. M. and Mary (Smith) Brown, who was a widow and the mother of two children at the time of her marriage to Mr. Brown, the latter a na- tive of Alabama, and she of Lonisiana. The ceremony took place in this (Anderson) county, he having come to the State previ- ously-in 1841, about; removed to An- derson county in 1851, engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising, and is living in this county, being born in August, 1833. He served through the late war in Arkansas and Louisiana, being Corporal in his company.

Our subject is the second child of four, and the only one living, the others dying before reaching maturity. His mother passed away in 1883, dying in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which she was devotedly attached throughout her life. His father married in 1887, and two children are of that union, namely: James and William.

Our subject has been married twice; first to Miss Nancy, daughter of John Featherstone, a resident of Henderson county, who is a farmer, and a soldier of the late war. Two children were the re-

sult of this union: one who died in infancy, and Ballard A., who was born October 29, 1876. His second wife was Molly, daugh- ter of Bluferd C. Holland, of Mississippi, who came to Texas in 1847, and reared his family here. He served the public in many ways, having been County Clerk for several terms, finally dying in April, 1874, having been born in 1822. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. His wife is also dead. The danghter, Mr. Brown's wife, is one of six children, and was born at Athens, Henderson county. She has borne her husband eight children, namely: Willic, born September 18, 1882; Lenna A., born April 26, 1884; Archie D., born November 29, 1885; Mary E., born April 11, 1888; Charlotte A., born April 26, 1889; Erasmus and Mattie, twins, born April 24, 1891. The mother of this fine sct of children was born June 12, 1859.

Onr subject is a member of the Knights of Honor, and takes much interest in the doings of that organization. While he does not aspire to the honors of office, he is none the less interested in politics, and is an unflinching Democrat.

A. JAYNE, a land agent and sur- veyor of Groesbeck, Limestone coun- ty, was born in Simpson county, Mis- sissippi, December 13, 1838, a son of Brew- ster H. Jayne, who served as Judge and State Senator of Mississippi twelve years. He was born Angust 19, 1789, was highly educated, and was a lawyer by profession. He came to Texas in 1840, locating at Anstin with President Lamar's family, but

A. C. Flann, I. D.

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two years later was killed by the Indians. September 30, 1828, lie married Julia, a daughter of Mary and Amos Tims, and to this union was born five children: Nar- cissa, deceased, was the wife of W. B. Williams, of Brandon, Mississippi; Juli- ette T., widow of Dr. A. G. Camp; A. A., our subject; Caroline, wife of Dr. T. J. McFarland, of Lavaca, Texas. The grand- father of our subject, William Jayne, was born in Suffolk county, New York, in 1766, was highly educated, and died March 19, 1826. The history of his father is unknown, but his grandfather, William Jayne, was born in Bristol, England, Jan- uary 25, 1618, was the founder of the family in the United States, and died in New York March 24, 1714.

A. A. Jayne, our subject, returned with his mother and sisters to Brandon, Missis- sippi, in 1849, was shot by an arrow and twice in possession of Indians. He opened the Bastrop (Louisiana) Academy in Sep- tember, 1860, but after managing it one scholastic year the call to arms was irre- sistible, and he enlisted in Company G, Twenty-eighth Mississippi Regiment, un- der Colonel Peter B. Stark. In the fall of 1862 he was detailed to Harvey's Scouts, where he served the remainder of the war. He had many narrow escapes from death and capture, and near the close of the war he was picked up by a gunboat and car- ried to Vicksburg, but soon succeeded in making his escape. In 1867 Mr. Jayne returned to Texas from Louisiana, where he had spent one year teaching and keep- ing books, and was given the position of inspector of lands for the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, which he held several

years. After his retirement he located in Groesbeck, and has since devoted his time to surveying and selling lands. He is yet unmarried, and is a member of the Masonic order.

R. ALEX. C. SLOAN, physician and surgeon of Corsicana, is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, born March 31, 1843. His education be- gan at Magnolia Academy in his native place, and was pursued there till the opening of the Civil war, when, in his seventeenth year, he entered the Confeder- ate army, enlisting in 1861, in the First Alabama Cavalry, with which he served till the surrender, being three times wounded and having two horses killed while in the service. He returned to school soon after the war was over, completing his education at Louisville, Kentucky, graduating in the medical department of the Louisville Uni- versity, and quitting that institution in March, 1870. Coming at once to Texas he took up his residence at Dresden, Navarro county, where he began the practice of his profession in a nicely fiitted up little office, and continued at it there for twelve years, advancing as the country grew and increas- ing in wealth and professional prestige with increased opportunities. In 1881, he went to Europe and spent a year abroad perfect- ing himself in his profession. While away he attended Guy's Medical College, Lon- don, and was the only Texas representative to the International Medical Congress in London, that year. After his return in the spring of 1882 he attended the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, and

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then settled at Corsicana, where he again ook up the practice and has since con- tinued it. The Doctor is not a special- ist in any branch of his profession, but in all its departments has attained distinction. He has brought to the discharge of his professional duties a wide culture and thoroughiness of preparation, rare even in his profession, which claims many men of great learning and genuine merit. His op- portunities have been good, or rather be has sought the most favorable advantages. He is a careful and untiring worker, and his education has been broad, his researches reliable and his information exact. He has a natural aptitude for his calling, and mastery of it has been greatly facilitated by this fact. He possesses an insight into the domain of physical ailments which amounts almost to intuition, and his appli- cation of remedies to these ailments pro- ceeds with the accuracy of a fixed science.

Personally he is quite popular, and has met with great success financially, owning a large amount of real estate in Corsicana and Navarro county, all the result of his last twenty years' work in that locality. He is a member of the State Medical Associa- tion and of the American Medical Asso- ciation, in each of which, and in all matters relating to his profession, heexhibits at all times a lively interest.

The doctor has been three times mar- ried. His first marriage was at Dresden, Texas, to Miss Lucy N., daugliter of Dr. G. P. Shackelford, of Springfield, Missouri, by whom he had three children -- Alex. Y., Benj. L. and Lucy Ruth, who died in in- fancy. Mrs. Sloan died at Dresden, in 1879, Dr. Sloan's second wife was Miss

Etta O., daughter of Colonel James H. Blanding of Sumter, South Carolina, whom he married in 1884, and by whom lie had one son, James Blanding. She died in 1888. He was again united in marriage, in 1891, to Miss Lelia F., dauglı- ter of D. M. Smithi, of Oxford, Mississippi.

Dr. Sloan is a Mason, a member of the Chosen Friends and of the Woodinen of the World. In all of the relations of life he is a modest, cultured gentleman, benev- olent and charitable, and is held in high esteen by all who know himn.

A. KINCAID, one of Lime- stone county's leading lawyers, and a partner of Major L. J. Farrar and H. W. Williams, of Groes- beck, was born in Grayson county, Texas, August 30, 1859, a son of Rev. D. C. Kin- caid, who was born in Alabama in 1827. He received his education at Nasliville, Tennessee, and came to Texas in 1856, set- tling in Grayson county. He is now tem- porarily at Center Point, Kerr county, Texas, though his permanent residence is Tehuacana, Texas. Rev. Kincaid married Maria Isaacs, of Lincoln county, Tennes- see, and our subject was their eldest child and only son. They had three daughters: Mrs. Yarkum, of Tehuacana, Texas; Nat- tie and Minnie of Telruacana. Our sub- ject's grandfather, William Kincaid, was born in Green Brier, West Virginia, was a planter by occupation, and a soldier in war of 1812.

Not having the advantages of a country school training, and being determined to secure knowledge whatever else he lost,

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Mr. Kincaid set about putting himself in possession of good English. He pursued luis studies at home, invading the sciences and languages, both Greek and Latin, mak- ing himself master wherever he went, and without the assistance of teachers. His desire for the law grew upon him from youth, and at the age of nineteen years he began its study. After one year he was admitted befor Judge D. M. Prendergast, and located at Kosse, one year afterward removed to Fairfield, and after six months to Groesbeck, where he formed a partner- ship with B. M. Burrow. The only part- nership in which he has been interested aside from this, and the one he now has is that with J. B. Kimball. Politically Mr. Kincaid is a Democrat and an anti-Prohi- bitionist, taking an active part in the de feat of the question in 1889. This cam- paign work brought him into notice, and he was favorably spoken of for the Legis- lature. He became a candidate, secured the coveted prize, and took his seat in the Twenty-first Legislature from the district comprising Limestone, Falls and McLen- nan counties. He was placed on the Judi- ciary Committee, No. 1, and other impor- tant committees, championed the free- school interests and the amendment to the constitution creating a railroad commis- sion. The latter deserves special mention for the reason that when he saw the reso- lution was about to be defeated, he suc- ceeded in getting enough votes pledged to its support to pass it on the final test. He is now chairman of the Democratic Cen- tral Committee, and is the leading factor in the Limestone county campaign for George Clark as Governor.

Mr. Kincaid was married September 26, 1880, to Bettie, a daughter of Rev. J. R. Padgett, of Ennis, Texas. To this union has been born six children: Grace, Carl, Fay, W. A., DeWitt and Bessie.

M. CONRAD, a physician and sur- geon of Hornhill, Limestone county, Texas .- The Conrad family caine originally from Germany. The father of our subject was Philip Conrad, the grand- father was Jacob, and the great-grand- father was Henry. The old family seat is Davidson county, North Carolina, where our subject's father, grandfather and great- grandfather were born and reared. The latter was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Philip Conrad was born in 1829, was a planter of the old regime, as was also his father and grandfather. He served in the Confederate army in the late war, and died in 1865. Onr subject's mother was Susan Dwiggens, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of James Dwiggens. She was visiting in North Carolina, when she met and married Philip Conrad. She died in 1867, leaving three children, one of whom, a danghter, died soon afterward. The other is Mrs. Ursula Siceloff, widow of Shelton Siceloff, and resides in Surry county, North Carolina.

J. M. Conrad, the oldest child of the family, was born in Davie county, North Carolina, in January, 1860, and was reared in Davidson county, that State. He re- ceived liis education at the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, spent one year reading medicine, under Prof. T.

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W. Harris, of that university, attended the University of Nashville, at Nashville, Tennessee, where he took two courses of lec- tures, in 1883 and 1884, and gradnated in the spring of 1885. He came at once to Texas, settling at Hornhill, immediately entering npon the practice of his profes- sion. He is now a member of the State Medical Association.

In 1867, the Doctor married Jerusha Langston, a native of Mississippi, but reared mainly in Texas, her parents having moved to this State when she was small. She is a daughter of Frank Langston. Dr. Conrad is devoted exclusively to the prac- tice of his profession, pursues it in all its branches, and is recognized as a successful practitioner.

UNIUS L. COGDELL, a prosperous farmer, living four miles west of Mexia, is of Scotch-Irish extraction. On his father's side the family is descended from three brothers-William Jones, Ross and David. The first-mentioned settled in North Carolina, the second in Illinois, and the third in Mississippi. William Jones Cogdell was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and his son, David L. Cogdell, was born in Northi Caro- lina, where he has ever since resided, being now a resident of Robeson county. He fol- lowed the trade of millright in early life, later was a farmer, and was a soldier in the late war. He was first a member of Cap- tain O. H. Blocker's company, Thirty- sixtlı North Carolina Regiment, but, on account of disability, was discharged from

this company, and later enlisted in Captain Derossett's Company, Fortieth North Caro- lina Regiment, in which he served until the close of the struggle. Our subject's mother, nee Mary Macy Blake, was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a daughter of Isham Blake. She died near her birthplace in 1863, leaving four children: Junius L., Ishamn B., William M., and J. Frank. In 1867, the father married Mrs. Sallie Bryant, and they had six children: Minnie, Robert L., Lucy, Edith, Murphy D., and Godena. All of the sons are citizens of Limestone county. Mr. and Mrs. Cogdell were mem- bers of the Methodist Church, althoughi their ancestors were Scotch Presbyterians.

Junius L. Cogdell was born in Sampson county, N. C., March 28, 1852, and was reared and educated principally in Bladen county, that State. He came to Texas in 1869, at the age of seventeen years, reacli- ing Limestone county December 23, of tlie same year. He came in company with David Murphy, whom he had known in his native State. Mr. Cogdell removed to this State for the purpose of making a for- tune, and for the first three years worked at intervals with Mr. Murphy, then began labor for himself. In 1876, having saved some means, he bought 124 acres of raw land from T. J. Oliver, located about four miles west of Mexia, where he erected a small house, and began to make a home. He afterward bought 134 acres of D. A. Murphy, adjoining, then 80 acres more, next 50 acres, and then 160 acres, owning in all 5682 acres. 110 acres of this farm is under a fine state of cultivation. He lias an abundance of stock, and is in every way in a prosperous condition. After his

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marriage Mr. Cogdell bought a pony mare, paying $60, and from her he has raised a great number of horses. He now has thir- teen head, and lias also sold a considerable number. At the same time he also pur- chased two cows and calves, from which lie has sold $1,500 wortlı of cattle, and now has over 100 head on his farm. He has been farmning for himself for twenty- two years, and during this time has never bought a pound of bacon or a bushel of corn.

Mr. Cogdell was married February 9, 1873, to Miss Mary F. Abernathy, a native of Arkansas, and a daughter of Masterson C. and Mary Abernathy, who moved from that State to Texas in 1862 or 1863. Our subject and wife have had the following children: Lena R., Bertha L., Lily V., Marvin D., Beulah V., William Starley, George Wyatt, Annie Alla, and Della Kate.

RS. M. E. GALLEMORE, a daugh- ter of James A. Mitcham, one of the most prominent and prosper- ous farmers of Henderson county, Texas, and a son of Hezekiah Mitcham, a well known man of the county, was born in Henderson county in 1855. Her father was born in Alabama in 1822, where lie was reared and educated, the said educa- tion consisting of six months of school training, and a large amount of experience of a practical kind, secured by coming into contact with the commercial transactions of an agricultural and grazing region of country. In short, Mr. Mitcham was a

self-made man, with all that the name in- cludes. He was very intelligent, an eager reader of newspapers, and most anxious to keep posted on all the public matters of the day; was a successful financier, every enterprise which he undertook seeming to spring into vigorous growth. He was thoroughly familiar with every branch of his diversified interests, seeming to man- age one as well as another. In his earlier life Mr. Mitcham was actively and exten- sively engaged in the cattle business, own- ing large herds, for the most of which he found a local market, occasionally mak- ing a shipment himself. When he had grown old and his physical activity had been somewhat impaired, he entrusted liis stock business to employees, while he gave his personal supervision to matters requir- ing less physical effort.

Upon his return from a ten years' resi- dence in Navarro county, in 1882, our subject engaged in merchandising in Ath- ens, and prosecuted it successfully until his death. He owned the tile and crockery works of the place, and operated tlem. His landed interests in Henderson and ad- joining counties amounted to from 2,000 to 3,000 acres, and much of the most val- uable land in the city of Athens was on the tax-roll to his credit. In the woods of Henderson county there were hundreds of cattle bearing his brand.

Mr. Mitcham held no public office ex- cept that of County Commissioner of his precinct at the organization of the county. He was a consistent member of the Meth- odist Church, and a liberal contributor to all enterprises bearing the impress of true worth and legitimacy. In the Masonic

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order he was highly regarded, and exhib- ited inch pleasure at the prosperity of the order. He first married Miss Ruth Crist, whose father was a Texan pioneer. Two children were born of this marriage, botlı of whom are now deceased. His second marriage was in 1852, to Tabitha, daugh- ter of Charles K. Cotten, of Alabama, and the children were: Mrs. S. J., wife of Dr. Melton; our subject; M. E., wife of W. T. Eustace, of Athens; Arthur, deceased; Lizzie; Charles, deceased; Annie, wife of James Everett, of Athens; and Ira, deceased.

Mrs. Gallemore received a fair educa- tion in the common schools. In 1872 she married L. A. Gallemore, of Georgia. He was born in 1851, a son of John Galle- inore, who came to Texas in 1856, and settled in Navarro county, where he soon after died. As a business man, Mr. Galle- more, the husband of our subject, was a success, and had accumulated property be- fore death. The last sad event took place from meningitis in 1882. He had been a man much respected in the locality where he was known, for many years a Mason, and a valued and consistent member of the Methodist Church. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gallemore are: Albert, Walter and Dollie. Mrs. Gallemore is a lady of large possessions, owning besides her home tract of 160 acres, 300 acres more land in Henderson county.

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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