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 84

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 84
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 84
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 84
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 84
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 84
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 84

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ILLIAM T. WILSON, a farmer of Navarro county, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, May 23, 1828, the third of the eleven children

born to Samuel and Siddy Wilson, also natives of Kentucky. The parents came to Navarro county, Texas, in 1847, where the father died in 1882, and the mother in 1886, aged eighty-one and seventy-five years, respectively. While in Kentucky, the father was a distiller for fourteen years, and after coming to Texas was en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. A part of their children died in Illinois, and six came to Texas, only three of whom still survive.

William T. Wilson came to this State in 1849, and he made his home with his parents, until 1854, after which he fol- lowed mining three years in California. In 1857 he returned to Texas, and settled where he now lives. In 1862 he enlisted in the late war, served in three different companies, Milton's, Moss' and Bates', was stationed at the mouth of the Brazos river, and after one year of service was released, under the old-age law. Mr. Wilson then engaged in farming on his home farın, where he now has 274 acres, and also owns two other farms, making in all about 800 acres. He has eighty acres of his home farın under cultivation, and is extensively engaged in stock-raising.

Our subject was married in 1859, to Miss Mary J. Thompson, who was born October 10, 1835, a daughter of Josiah and Mary (Walker) Thompson, natives of Alabama. They came to Texas in 1851, locating near Corsicana, this county. Both died before the war, the father in 1853, and the mother in 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have had three children: James J., a farmer and stock-raiser of Navarro county; Mary C., wife of Dr. J. N. George,

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of Cryor Creek; William G,, a farmer of this county. Our subject is a member of the Masonic order and of the I. O. O. F., and politically affiliates with the Demo- cratic party. His wife is a member of the Methodist church.

HARNELL B. HIGHTOWER, one of the farmers of Navarro county, Texas, came to the State in 1847, with his parents, and settled in Red River county. At this time he was six years of age. After four years the family moved to Cherokee county, in 1851 to McLennan county, but in a short time to Falls county, where they resided until 1859, when they came to Navarro. Our subject received but a limited education. He was reared on the farm and taught the principles of agriculture, with stock-raising. In 1861 he married, but the same year he enlisted in Company I, Nineteenth Texas Cavalry, and served in Arkansas and Missouri in Marmaduke's command. He saw some hard service, and was in some battles, but came through without wounds or capture. The regiment was disbanded in Robertson county, May, 1865, and he returned home and went to work, engaging in farming and running stock. In the fall of that year he bought a tract of thirty acres, and has added to the farm which he still owns, having now 320 acres, which he rents.

In 1879 our subject commenced buy- ing the land where he now lives. At first he bought 169 acres, and has since bought, and now owns the full section of 640 acres. It was raw land, but he now has it under

cultivation with comfortable buildings, and rents 150 acres. He is now giving at- tention to the improvement of horses, mules and cattle, has a fine Norman and Leviathan horse, also three jacks, and a nice herd of cattle, well graded. Mr. Hightower is moving along nicely, and is doing his share toward the improvement and development of the county. He was born in Mississippi, November 3, 1841, is the son of Y. P. and Louisa (Hodge) High- tower, natives of Georgia. The father served through the Mexican war, and also as Captain in thelate war in Walter's regi- ment, returning home safely. He makes his home with his son, and is now about seventy-four years old. The mother of our subject died in 1863. The family consisted of six children, and our subject was the oldest child. The father and two sons survived through the late war, but there is only three sons yet living, the two brothers of Mr. Hightower being Thomas J. and R. M., both farmers in Navarro connty.

Our subject first married Miss Martha McCord, daughter of L. McCord, a native of Georgia, an early settler in Texas, who has engaged in stock-raising, farming and merchandising, and now resides in Frost. Three children were born to this marriage, Charnell, a farmer of Navarro county; Mary, who married W. P. Griffin, a farmer of Hill county; and Nathan, a farmer of Navarro. This mother died in October, 1870. In January, 1871, our subject mar- ried Miss Laura Woodard, daughter of Thomas Woodard of South Carolina, who came to Texas in 1869, and settled in Navarro county, where he is yet engaged

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in farming. By this marriage three chil- dren have been born, namely: Mittie, who died at the age of four years and six months; Claud and Minnie, yet at home. Mr. Hightower is a Master Mason, and he and his wife are both members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In politics he is a Democrat.

ON. ELIAS BROOKS SMYTH .- The progress of towns, cities, and communities depends largely upon the character and progressiveness of the inen who inhabit them; and particularly in this connection is it true of Mexia, as from her inception, some twenty years ago, to the present time, it has been the good fortune of the place to receive direction in its des- tiny at the hands and brains of men who are energetic and untiring in their labor and zeal to give character and stability to its commercial growth and prosperity.

Prominent among the gentlemen in whose hands lay either the weal or woe of Mexia is the gentleman who is the imune- diate subject of this notice. He is a na- tive of the Palmetto State, having been born in the Abbeville district of that State on the 9th day of January, 1832, and is the fifth of eleven children born to John and Sarah (Teague) Smyth, both of whom were natives of the Old South State, the former being a son of Thomas Smyth, a native of Ireland, who, when a yonng man, settled in South Carolina, while the Teagues were of English extraction, both families having been prominent and influ- ential in the early affairs of that State.

When our subject was five years of age his parents moved to and settled in Ben- ton, now Calhoun, county, Alabama, where, in 1846, his mother died, having borne the following named children: Lourana H., deceased, wife of J. A. Landers, of John- son county, Texas; James W., a farmer of the same county; Rev. Elijah T., now a resident of Oxford, Alabama; Thomas V., a farmer of Johnson county, this State; Elias Brooks; John B., of Alvarado, John- son county; Jot J., a farmer of Grand- view, the same county; Sarah A., widow of William Reader, of Anderson county, Texas; Rev. Daniel I., farmer and minis- ter, Johnson county; Josephine H. and Susana E., both deceased. Nine of these eleven children grew to manhood and womanhood, and seven of the sons gal- lantly served in the Confederate army during the late war between the States. In 1851 the father married Mrs. Harriet Ray, who bore him two children, viz .: Forney, of Fort Worth, and Jabe C., of Alvarado. In 1861 Mr. Smyth died. He was a consistent Christian gentleman, and an acceptable member of the Baptist Church, as also was his first wife.

The boyhood of Elias Brooks Smyth was passed in a manner common to Sonthern lads whose fathers were planters, and in the common schools such as were then in vogue he obtained the rudiments of his education,-residing with his father until he attained his majority. The " majority " period is an important one in the lives of most young men, and young Mr. Smyth, not being an exception to the general rule, entered out upon the world to seek his for- tune. Going to northern Mississippi, he

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procured the management of a plantation, the affairs of which he directed for a year.

In the fall of 1854 he came to Texas, first locating in Anderson county, purchas- ing a tract of land in partnership with his brother, Thomas V., who had preceded him to Texas, and together they for two years carried on farming. In 1856 he came to Limestone county and purchased 500 acres of unimproved land four miles south of the present city of Mexia. In this county, on the 4th of March of the same year, he was married to Miss Bettie, daughter of J. B. and Elizabeth (Orr) Wood, who came from Jackson, Tennes- see, to Limestone county in 1854. Fol- lowing his marriage Mr. Smyth's life, with that of his family, flowed smoothly along, devoting himself to the cultivation of his land and handling stock, nntil the break- ing out of the war, which soon put a stop to the peaceful pursuits of men. He at once espoused the cause of the South, and enlisted in a company of which Captain Sanders had command, and which was at- tached to Colonel Bates' regiment, which was stationed on the Texas coast. Six inonths later the serious illness of his wife made it necessary for him to return to her side, and after her convalescence had been established he again enlisted, this time in Colonel Bradford's regiment, in which command he served until the war was over.

After the close of hostilities he resumed operations on his farm, taxing his energy to its full capacity to restore the losses oc- casioned by the devastating ravages of war; and in doing which he was eminently suc- cessful, not only making good his losses,

but has as well added materially to his fortune. In 1885, for the purpose of se- curing better educational advantages for his children, he moved to Mexia, where he has since resided.

Mr. Smyth is a stalwart Democrat, -- takes an active interest in the political and commercial affairs of his State and Na- tion, and is interested in all movements which tend to the betterment of conditions in each. In 1876 he represented Lime- stone county in the State Legislature, and in 1891 was appointed by Governor Hogg a Commissioner of the State Penitentiary, which position he now holds. Since he was seventeen years old he has held mein- bership acceptable to the requirements of the Baptist Church.

To him and his estimable wife have been born seven children, viz .: Alva P .; Ella, wife of J. F. Hawkins, of Brownwood, Texas; Ed. B .; Lee; Beulah, wife of W. A. Lanning, of Mexia; Thomas F., now at- tending medical lectures in Philadelphia; and Mabel.

EESE B. MARSH, one of Navarro county's most progressive and sub- stantial business men, was born in Greene county, Tennessee, December 14, 1849. His father, R. K. Marsh, was born in the same State, in 1827, and was a farmer by occupation. In early life he served as a Deputy Sheriff, later was en- gaged in merchandising, and was afterward a hotel-keeper. He came to Texas in 1880, and in 1885 moved to Alabama, where he now resides. His father was born in Penn-

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

sylvania, and the latter's father, the great- grandfather of our subject, was a pioneer of that State from the shores of the Emerald Isle. R. K. Marsh married Nanie Reese, of Tennessee, and they had the following children: John, deceased at the age of fourteen years; Hannah Ann, wife of James Pettit, of San Jose, California; W. H. C., of Hubbard City, Texas; Mary Jane, de- ceased at the age of twenty years; E. R., who was accidentally killed on the railroad; Virginia E., now the wife of John C. Brown, of Joplin, Missouri; R. B., our subject; Kittie, deceased; J. B., of Ala- bama; Sarah, deceased; David, engaged in railroad work at Fort Worth.

Our subject received a common-school education, his ripe school days having been during the war, when education had no friends in the Sonth. The chief training at that time was purely of a military na- ture, hence the business man of to-day, who had those conditions confronting him, is in possession of an intensely practical education, coming in contact with the af- fairs of the world and profiting thereby. At seventeen years of age he began life's stern realities as a clerk for F. F. Neal & Co., of Cleveland, Tennessee. Three years later he located at Spring Hill, Navarro county, financially embarrassed, and engaged as clerk for J. M. Johnson, where le re- mained until 1871. Mr. Marsh then em- barked in the drug business with his father-in-law, Dr. Dean, whichi, with a cou- ple of changes in the style of the firm, ex- isted until 1883. At the end of that time he found that he had saved $10,000. In 1881 he came to Dawson, where he was engaged in the drug business until 1883,

and in that year opened a grocery store in partnership with S. A. Pace, of Corsicana. One year later our subject bought a one- half interest in a general merchandise stock with J. M. Johnson, and they now carry a stock of about $10,000, under the name of Johnson & Marsh, and do an annual busi- ness of $30,000. Mr. Marsh owns 200 acres of land in Navarro county, and also town property in Dawson. He is interested in politics, but has no desire for office; is in sympathy with public education, and has served on the School Board. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic order, and belongs to the Corsicana Chapter, No. 41, and is also a K. of H.

August 2, 1871, our subject married Miss Sallie, a daughter of Robert A. Lathem, of South Carolina, near Green- ville, and a stepdaughter of Dr. Dean. The father married Anna Ferguson. He died in South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have had seven children, viz .: Will- iam G., deceased; James D., now at school in Waco; Clarence Reese, died in infancy; Rufus K., Robert L. and Eddie B. The family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

C. ANGLIN, one of the leading far_ mers, gin and mill owners of Groes- @ beck, Limestone county, was born in this county in 1847, a son of A. Anglin, a Texas pioneer of 1833. His history, to- gether with that of his brother, John, which appears in this volume, is conspicn- onsly linked with that of the county. They came here when the State of Texas was not

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

yet in existence, and thirteen years before the organization of the county. They wielded no little influence in shaping the fu- ture of this particular locality. They were a family innred to toil and hardships, and at once prepared to meet frontier life and all its conditions just as they found it. No one questions their being the first white family in the county, and many are the Indian fights in which the sons partici- pated, in one of which the father was wounded. They learned to know the red men perfectly. Just prior to the attack and capture of Fort Parker by the Indians, when Cynthia Parker was captured, the tribe encamped near Waco had been robbed while absent from camp by the whites from this vicinity. No attention seemed to be paid to it for some time, and many of the settlers thought the matter had been forgotten, but the Anglins, with characteristic shrewdness and precaution, moved their families back to the settle- ments and awaited developments. The Indians came, the fort was taken, and many lives were lost. During the Civil war Mr. Anglin furnished the Confed- eracy with beef, but served in no other capacity. He amassed a good fortune, which he left to his children. In 1837 he married a Miss Faulkenberry, and they were the parents of the following children: Nancy, Emma, John and E. W., deceased; J. C .; our subject; A. F .; W. R .; Eliza- beth; and Virginia.

The boyhood days of our subject were spent in running cattle and farming. At the age of twenty-three years le engaged in the livery business at Groesbeck, and three years later began his present occupa-

tion. He is still largely interested in stock-raising and farming, owning 930 acres of land, 250 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation. The mill plant was erected at a cost of $7,000, and has a capacity of 200 bushels and 40 bales of cotton a day, and in 1891 they pressed 1.600 bales. Mr. Anglin served a short time in the Confederate army, in Captain McAnnally's scouts, and saw service ex- clusively in Texas. He was discharged at Hempstead.

In 1874 our subject married Mary, a daughter of William Bennett, and they have had six children: W. A .; Lela; Eva; James; an infant, deceased; and Nellie. Mr. Anglin is a member of the Masonic order and the K. of H., and the family are identified with the Baptist Church.

OHN ANGLIN, of Groesbeck, Lime- stone county, is a son of Elisha Ang- lin, one of the fonr first white mnen who made a permanent settlement in the county. He was born in Powell Valley, Virginia, where he was raised and ınar- ried; mnoved thence to Kentucky, after- ward to Clay, Edgar and Cole counties, Illinois, and finally, in 1833, to Texas. He reached what is now Grimes Prairie, Grimes county, in the fall of 1833, where Austin's colony still remained. In the summer of 1834, in company with James and Silas Parker, he visited Limestone county, in Robertson's colony, and located a claim where the present town of Groes- beck is situated. Silas Parker located his claim north of Anglin's, and James Parker

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

went still further north. They then re- turned to Grimes Prairie, eachi buying a load of corn preparatory to bringing their families, which they did in the summer of 1834. Mr. Anglin settled on his claim February 1, 1835, and Fort Parker was built in the summer of the same year. An account of the building of the fort and events attending its fall will be found in the history proper of the county. When the Parkers and Mr. Anglin settled in the county the Indians were friendly and peace- able, those then in the locality being thie Tehuacanas, at Tehuacana Hills; the Kee- chies, on Keechie creek, and the Wacos, who were then occupying their village at Waco. The first trouble was bronglit abont by raids being made on them by bands of white men. The raids were made in the summer of 1835, and the following spring news reached the fort of the ad- vance of the Mexicans under Santa Ana. Mr. Anglin, believing that the fort and all the inmates would fall victims to Mexican foes and hostile Indians, tried to induce the Parkers to abandon it and retire to the settlements beyond the Trinity. But this they refused to do. Taking his family, Mr. Anglin, in company with Mr. Fanlk- enberry and family and Mr. Bates and family, sought safety at old Fort Houston, near Palestine. He did not return to Limestone county until the spring of 1838, when Springfield, afterward the county seat, was laid out, he being present and assisting in this labor. For four or five years following this date he resided prin- cipally in the settlements in Grimes county, but in January, 1844, took up liis perma- nent residence on his claim, where lie lived

until his last marriage, and nntil liis death, near Mount Calm, in January, 1874, aged seventy-six years. He assisted in the or- ganization of the county, held a number of minor local positions at an earlier day, was an nnlettered man, but possessed con- siderable force of character, the elements of the pioneer strongly predominating.

Mr. Anglin was five times married, and the father of a number of children. His first wife was Rachel Wilson, a native of Virginia, who died in Edgar county, Illinois, leaving five children: Abram; William; Jolin; Mary, afterward the wife of Silas H. Bates; and Margaret, now Mrs. John Moody. He was then married, in Coles county, Illinois, to Catherine Dnty, who bore him three children, only one of whom reached maturity: Rebecca Cath- erine, now the wife of Franklin Coates, of Utalı Territory. His second wife died at old Fort Houston, near Palestine, this State, and he married the third time, at Tinnan's Fort, Robertson county, Mrs. Orpha James. They had eight children, only one of whom is now living: Adeline, wife of Daniel Parker, of Anderson county, Texas. His fourth marriage occurred in Limestone county, to Mrs. Nancy Faulken- berry, widow of David Fanlkenberry. His fifth wife was Mrs. Sarah Chaffin, nee Crist, but by the last two unions there were no children.

John Anglin, the subject of this sketch, and the oldest representative of the Anglin family, was born in Clay county, Illinois, March 23, 1823. He was only eleven years of age when his father came to Texas, and is now the oldest settler in the county. He visited the county first in 1835, assisted

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

as a twelve-year-old boy in the building of old Fort Parker, and received no educa- tional advantages, his training in this re- spect being limited to the rough experi- ences through which he passed in common with the other youth of his days. In the fall of 1863 Mr. Anglin entered the Con- federate army, served for about six months in Johnson's battalion, and later joined Green's division of McAnnally's scouts, with which he served in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas up to 1864, when he was cap- tured. He participated in a number of skirmishes, was once held a prisoner, but was with his command at the time of the surrender, receiving an honorable discharge at Hempstead in May, 1865. Our subject has never sought public office, and has never cared to become conspicuous in the public eye, being content with his lot as an humble farmer. He is a man of strict integrity, and is universally respected. His father was a life-long member of the Primitive Baptist Church, which is also his religious belief, and of which Church .he has been a member since the early '50s.

May 19, 1842, Mr. Anglin married Mis- souri Ann Powell, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and a daughter of A. G. and Tabitha (Berryman) Powell, then of Grimes Prairie, Grimes county, Texas. The father emigrated from Memphis, Tennessee, to the Lone Star State in 1832. His death occurred at Grimes Prairie, and the inother inade her home with her daughter, Mrs. Anglin, in Limestone county. Mrs. Anglin died in 1872, at her daughter's, Mrs. A. Steel. They were the parents of the following children: Tabitha, wife of Benjamin M. Usery, of Limestone county; Nancy Vic-

toria, wife of James Tidwell; James, who died in this county at the age of twenty- four years; Valentine, a farmer in Lime- stone county; Mary, wife of M. B. Smith; Rebecca, who died before marriage; Elisha, a farmer of this county, was the next in order of birth; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of F. M. Lloyd; Silas, who died unmarried; besides one son who died in infancy. May 8, 1873, Mr. Anglin mar- ried Mattie Crist, and they have had four children: Effie Lulu, Pearl, Etta and Jessie Earl.

ROF. W. R. CHAMBERS, principal of Chambers' Business College, of Corsicana, is a native of Cape Girar- deau, Missouri, where he was born in 1838, and where he was reared and re- ceived his earlier education. He finished his school training at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, at Chicago, and at the Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illinois, and began his career as an edu- cator in his native place, where he was en- gaged in teaching until the opening of the late war.

He entered the Confederate service in June, 1861, enlisting in Colonel Jeff. Thompson's six-months volunteers, and after the expiration of the term of his enl- listment in that command, entered the reg- ular army as a member of Company B, Second Missouri Cavalry, under Price. After the transfer of Price's army to that of the Tennessee, he was placed under Forest, and served with that gallant cav- alryman until the surrender, being present

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

and taking part in all the engagements from Corinth to the end of the war. He was wounded at Harrisburg, but continued with his command, and was paroled at Co- Inmbus, Mississippi, May 17, 1865. He was left penniless at the break-up, but soon found employment, securing a writ- ing school, which he taught to earn money with which to buy citizens' clothes. From Columbus he went to Memphis, where he earned further means to pay his way to his old home in Missouri, which he reached in the fall after the surrender. He did not remain long, however, in Cape Girardeau, on account of troubles existing between ex-Confederate soldiers and Federal au- thorities. He went to Jackson's Port, Arkansas, where he studied law, was ad- mitted to the bar and began the practice. But, soon tiring of this, he again turned his attention to teaching, and, returning to Cape Girardeau in 1872, he took up a school there, which he conducted success- fully for four years. About 1876 he again went to Mississippi and taught for a while at Vicksburg, and then purchased a school known as "Stonewall Jackson Institute" at Harperville, Scott county, that State, the name of which he changed to Cham- bers' Business College, re-arranged the course of studies, and ran for about five years one of the best business schools in that section of the State. In 1881 he moved to Meridian, Mississippi, where he was engaged in the same line of work for four years.

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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