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 85

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 85
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 85
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 85
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 85
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 85
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 85

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).

In 1885 he came to Texas and stopped, in Cass county, teaching one year at Doug- lasville and one at Queen City, that county, then moving to Sulphur Springs, Hopkins

county, where he taught until 1888, at which date he settled in Corsicana, which has since been his home. He opened his present school in Corsicana four years ago, beginning with one scholar, whom he taught an hour a day for three months. The outlook at the start was by no means auspicious, but the professor was not dis- couraged; he kept driving away, knowing that others would come, His school in time began to grow, and when a start was once made a steady pace was maintained. He now has, and lias for a year or two past had, from sixty to seventy pupils, the school running the year round. In order to make a start and to accommodate all who applied for instruction, he at first conducted both a general, literary and busi- ness school, but recently he has begun to drop general work and give his attention especially to business instruction. The course now embraces bookkeeping, pen- manship, arithmetic, commercial law, practical grammar, business forms, cor- respondence and spelling, and general lect- ures on business principles and nsages. His terms are that one pays for what he gets and gets what he pays for; begins when he pleases, quits when he pleases, and pays only for the time he attends; use of books free, and board furnished at the most reasonable rates. He does not claim to have the best or only business college in the State, but simply a good school where young men and young women can get instruction which will be useful to them in dealing with the practical affairs of life. His school is conducted ou com- mon-sense ideas, and the constant end is to keep the course of instruction as near

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to the actnal business forms and methods as practiced by the best business men. Prof. Chambers is a born educator. He has made a success at this, but never at anything else. He has a natural liking for the work, and as the facts above de- tailed show, he has had a great deal of ex- perience in school-room work. The prac- tical part of it is especially suited to his taste. He spends considerable time among business men learning their methods, and wherever he finds anything new and ser- viceable, he picks it up and incorporates it in his course of instruction. He does not believe that all the knowable has yet become known, and certainly that it has not yet been written down in the text-books.

OHN F. TEAGUE .- This name will recall to many residents of Freestone connty, Texas, the memory of one who was generally beloved and honored on ac- connt of his blameless life and noble deeds of kindness, who is enshrined as a bene- factor to his race, and whose example may serve as an incentive to future generations.

John F. Teague was born in Madison county, Alabama, August 6, 1828. His parents, James and Jane (Fowler) Teague, were persons of uprightness, intelligence and thrift, and justly held in high esteem by their neighbors. Of their six children, John was the only son, and was early taught habits of honesty, industry, econ- omy and self-reliance. Being gifted with ready perception and good judgment, he was well calculated to profit by his advan- tages, and developed into a man eminently fitted to secure the best success in life.

When he was but ten years of age his parents joined the westward tide of emi- gration to Texas, which was then a Terri- tory, wild and but little settled, the expanse of which, as Daniel Webster said, was "so vast that a bird could not fly over it in a week." Here John Teague passed his life, contributing by his industry and influence for good to the general advancement of his community, and, incidentally, to that of the State at large. At about the age of twenty- one he began life for himself by leaving home and entering a land office in Spring- field, where he clerked until recalled to superintend his father's homestead, the latter's blindness rendering this a dnty.

In 1854, on the 27th of June, " when the flowers were gay and the world in tune," he was married to Miss Ellen Me- dora Colgin, an estimable lady, recently of Tennessee. His home life was always to him the symbol of peace, love and rest. He was a man of quiet and refined tastes, fond of books and music, and found con- genial companionship in his wife and chil- dren.

This peaceful life was interrupted by the tocsin of civil war, which nshered in all the attendant horrors of pain and death. From this war Mr. Teagne, being disabled by rheumatism, was discharged and re- turned home. By his release from active service in the war he was able to render muchi valuable assistance to others in this time of general distress throughont the South. He ever afterward continned his agricultural pursuits, securing by practical and thorough management a high degree of success. His land was well cultivated, and yielded abundant and excellent crops.

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He was firm and kind in his dealings with his servants, slaves and tenants, and en- joyed their love and respect. Although never having joined any denominational sect, he was deeply imbued with reverence for God and His word, and exemplified in his life and character the teachings of that holy book.

While yet in the prime of life, after only one week's illness, he died, July 2, 1880, leaving a wife, two daughters and an only son, James R. Teague, of Mexia, to keep him in loving remembrance. Thus lived and died nearly a life-long resident of Freestone county.

" Life's work well done; Life's race well run ; Now cometh rest."

TANISLAUS W. BOGY, ticket agent of the Cotton Belt at Corsicana, was born in New Gascony, Jefferson county, Arkansas, in 1859, a son of Julian C. Bogy, a native of the same State. Lewis Bogy, the father of the latter, was born in Montreal, Canada, of French parentage, the great-grandfather of our subject being the original immigrant to Canada. Julian Bogy was a successful business man, but in later life, when he trusted the manage- ment of a joint business to a partner, he lost heavily. He was a large-hearted, good- natured man, and was respected by all who knew him. He served four years in the Confederate army, participating in the bat- tles of Chickamauga and Murfreesborough. His wife was a daughter of Stanislaus Dardenne, of Arkansas, and they were the

parents of four children: S. W., our sub- ject; Julian C .; Theresa, deceased; and Amelia, wife of W. L. Roberts, of Ar- kansas.

Mr. S. W. Bogy was educated by a gov- erness until thirteen years of age, when, in 1880, he began railroad work in Texar- kana, under John O'Connor. In 1882 he was employed as check clerk for the Cot- ton Belt Railroad at this place. Soon he was promoted cashier, and nine months later went into the general freight office at Tyler, under traffic-manager A. S. Dodge. Three months afterward he went to Mc- Gregor as cashier for the same road, re- maining there for over two years. He was next employed by the Gulf & Santa Fe Railroad twenty months, at that place, and then took his present position at Corsicana. His energy and business tact have increased the amount of passenger traffic 500 per cent, and he has justly earned and brought forth many compliments from his superiors in office. He is a member of the Catholic Church, also of the Catholic Knights of America. In politics he is a Democrat.

He was married April 26, 1886, to Miss Lucie P., a daughter of Elliott E. Ransom, of Brazoria county, Texas. They have had four children: Marie, deceased; Viva; Er- rol; and William Ransom, the baby.

AMES LOTSPEICH, of the cotton- buying firm of De Pass & Co., of Corsicana, is one of the oldest and most prominent cotton buyers of this sec- tion. He located here eleven or twelve years ago, when the town was less than

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half its present size, and, together with his partner, Major S. C. De Pass, of Memphis, founded the present firm, which has con- tinued withont change of location or style to this date. From year to year the firm has grown in volume of business, both here and in its branch houses in other sec- tions, and is now well and favorably known throughout the State. Texas grows about one-fourth of the cotton produced in the United States, and Corsicana is located in the heart of the cotton-producing section of the State.

James Lotspeich, our subject, was born in Christian county, Kentucky, in 1830, a son of David Lotspeich, a native of Vir- ginia, and a contractor and builder by trade. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died when our subject was only an infant. He married Nancy Western, a daughter of James Western, and they had six children, four now living. Our sub- ject, the fifth child in order of birth, was left an orphan when young. In 1861 Mr. Lotspeich enlisted with a company that went from New Orleans as General L. Polk's escort, and soon afterward our sub- ject was detailed to serve in the Quarter- master's department, where he remained until paroled at close of hostilities. In 1881 he came to Texas, locating at Corsi- cana, where he assumed his present rela- tions with De Pass & Co. They do an extensive business, handling about 25,000 bales annually, and are filling or- ders for Liverpool markets and Northern spinners.

Mr. Lotspeich was married in 1868 to Miss Margaret, a daughter of J. S. Ken- nedy. Two children have blessed this

nnion: Archie, aged twenty-one years; and James, nineteen years of age. The family are members of the Baptist Church, of which our subject is a Deacon.

OBERTH. MATTHEWS .- There are but few men now living in Navarro county who can lay claim to being one of its first settlers, and the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is one of those few. He first saw what is now Na- varro county in January, 1847, and made his settlement at Spring Hill, having been the first white man to explore these wilds with the intention of establishing a per- manent home. The county was thien abso- Intely a wilderness, only a few families having found their way here from adjacent places. In 1843 a Mr. Richey settled on the Waco road, and Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Avright, Mr. Onstadt, and Mr. Williams also came about that time. These early settlers engaged in stock-raising, and many of them became the cattle kings of the county. Farmning was done on a small scale, the reason being that horses were often stolen by the Indians. About 1848 the Indians were driven from the locality, and were never again troublesome. About 1850 a rawhide building was constructed, which was used both for school and church purposes by the west-side people. The first teacher was a Mr. Finch, now living in Hill county, and the first minister was Tom Williams, a son of the pioneer men - tioned above.

Mr. Matthews was born in Maury county, Tennessee, November 3, 1814, a

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

son of Robert Matthews, a native of Northi Carolina, born in 1773. The latter was a cabinet-maker by trade, and moved to Maury county, Tennessee, in 1801. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and onr subject now owns a powder-horn which he carried during that struggle, and his ma- ternal grandfather, Samson Stewart, car- ried it in the Revolutionary war. The latter's father, the grandfather of our subject, came from Ireland, settling in North Carolina. Robert Matthews mar- ried Mary Ann, a daughter of Sam- son Stewart, who emigrated from Scot- land to America, where he became a Revolutionary soldier, and he died at the advanced age of 106 years. General Stew- art, of Confederate fame, is his great- grandson. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were the parents of eleven children, namely: Jolin, deceased; Patsey, who married James Matthews, and both are now de- ceased; Jane, deceased; S. S., deceased; Newton, deceased; Minerva, who first married Frank Slaughter, and after his death she became the wife of George W. Hill; R. H., our subject; Prudence, wife of Samuel Wright; Elizabeth, who married Henry Estes, and both are now deceased; and Dr. W. L., a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and the Vanderbilt University, of Tennessee.

When our subject was twenty-one years of age he left Tennessee and came to Texas in 1835, as a member of Sterling C. Robertson's colony. They made a settle- ment in Robertson county, and took oath to the Mexican government. In the spring of 1836 Mr. Matthews eulisted in the Texas army, under Captain Robertson, and they

would have participated in the fight at San Jacinto had they not been ordered back to the settlements to drive off the Indians. In 1837 he joined Barnes' rangers, under Major Smith, and later, after the expira- tion of his term of service, joined Eli Chandler's company, where he remained until Texas became a State. Mr. Matthews has been in many Indian fights, and shot old Jose Maria, chief of the Anadarcoes and the Iron-Eyes. In 1856 he was elected District Surveyor of Young Land District, which position he held two years, and was then engaged in hauling corn to the United States troops on Red river. He has also served as Justice of the Peace, Tax Collector and Assessor of Robertson connty, before the war; in 1884-'86 served as Commissioner of Navarro county, and during his terin the courthonse was com- pleted and paid for, the county farm was bought and steel cages were put in jail. During the Civil war our subject was in John H. Morgan's command for a time, and in 1862 was detailed at the quarter- master's department at Spring Hill. While there he collected and issued tithe to the Government, which was a respons- ible place; but he filled it well, Since the close of the war he has devoted his time principally to farming, and he now owns 16,000 acres of land near Dawson, 400 acres of which is cultivated. For the past two years he has been engaged in mer- chandising in this city.

In politics Mr. Matthews is a Demo- crat. He is a man of generons nature, and has always contributed to charitable objects. He is much respected by the peo- ple with whom he has so long dwelt.

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE

Mr. Matthews was married when seventy years of age, to Miss Betty Preddy, who was born in 1856, a daughter of Richard Preddy. One child was born to this union, which died in infancy. Mr. Matthews has educated five orphan children, and is a be- liever in public education.

OBERT WILLIAM WALTON, the efficient and probably permanent Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 1, Navarro county, was born in Person county, North Carolina, May 19, 1834. His father, James H. Walton, was born in North Carolina, July 7, 1808. He began life as a clock peddler, later became a far- mer, and still later a speculator in negroes, and at his death, which occurred in Geor- gia in 1855, he was a wealthy man. When twenty-four years of age he married Lucy, a daughter of Allen Wade, of Halifax county, Virginia. They were the parents of four children, viz .: Ann Eliza, de- ceased, was the wife of Robert Collier; R. W., our subject; Mary A., wife of Gen- eral C. A. Evans, who commanded Gor- don's brigade during the war, and is now a Methodist minister of Atlanta, Georgia; and Clementine M., who married Jesse M. Fulgham, a Baptist minister at Waverly, Tennessee. Lawton B. Evans, a son of Mary A. Evans, is a graduate of Oxford College, and of the University of Georgia, at Athens, Georgia, and is now Superin- tendent of Education at Angusta, Georgia. His sister, Ida, married William F. Eve, Judge of the Criminal Court of that city.

The grandfather of our subject, Loftin Walton, was born in King and Queen county, Virginia, September 29, 1769; was in the Revolutionary army as a boy sol- dier, and also served in the second war with England. He first inarried Phoebe Clay, and they had one daughter, who died at the age of twenty-two years. His sec- ond marriage was to Nancy E. Black, and they had three children: Robert, James and Sidney. Mr. Walton removed to Per- son county, North Carolina, in 1792.

R. W. Walton, our subject, received a fair education, and at the age of sixteen years he left North Carolina and settled in Stewart county, Georgia. He first spent a short time in school, read law in the of- fice of General Evans, was admitted to the bar in April, 1858, and was engaged in practice in that State until the Civil war broke out. July 17, 1861, at Richmond, he enlisted in the 21st Georgia Infantry, under Colonel John T. Mercer, and was ap- pointed First Lieutenant of Company I. He saw service in northern Virginia, but left the army in 1864, returned home, and was elected one of the Judges of the Su- perior Court of Stewart county. In 1866 Mr. Walton came to Corsicana, where he was engaged in various occupations until 1878, and in that year was elected Justice of the Peace. He has since held that of- fice continuously, with the exception of two years, when he was enfeebled and went to his old home on a recruiting tour. Our subject has heard about 10,000 cases, and his opinions have been affirmed by su- perior courts with but few exceptions. In 1891 he declared the occupation tax un- constitutional when brought into his court

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HIENDERSON, ANDERSON,

as a test case, and the decision was af- firmed. He has performed 892 marriages.

In November, 1859, Mr. Walton mar- ried Laura, a daughter of James N. Davis, of Stewart county, Georgia They had two children: James H., who died when seven years old; and Charles C., who was educated at the University of Texas, and is now a farmer and stock-raiser. He mar- ried Emma, danghter of R. B. Jolinston, of Eureka, Navarro county, and has two children: Alma and Wilmer. The grand- father of Mrs. Walton, Jonathan Davis, located in Hancock county, Georgia, and became the second richest man in that State. Mrs. Walton gradnated at the Masonic Female College in June, 1858, and delivered the valedictory. Our sub- ject is a member of the Knights of Honor and of the Chosen Friends, and a straight Democrat in politics.

H. SWAIM, a prosperous farmer residing in the western part of Lime- stone county, was born in Clay county, Missouri, September 20, 1843, a son of Richard W. Swaim, of Prairie Grove, this county, a sketch of whom appears in this work. He came to Texas in 1844, and our subject was reared prin- cipally at old Springfield, Limestone county, receiving ouly a limited education. In March, 1862, he enlisted in the Confeder- ate army, in Company F, Captain B. R. Tyus' Fifteenth Texas Cavalry, commanded by Colonel George H. Sweet. He served in Arkansas until the fall of Arkansas Post in January, 1863, when he was taken pris-

oner, was confined three months at Camp Douglas, Chicago, then exchanged and served around Richmond and Petersburg, and, beginning with the fight at Missionary Ridge, was in all the battles of the Georgia campaign. He was with Hood on the return into Tennessee, taking part in the fights at Franklin and Nashville, his brigade entering the former battle with 600 men, but came out with only about 200, was then in the campaign in the Carolinas, and snrendered under Johns- ton, in April, 1865.

After the elose of hostilities Mr. Swaim returned to Texas, worked at whatever he could find to do, saved his earnings, and in 1868 began farming for himself. In 1870 he bought a small place in the vicin- ity of Prairie Grove, consisting of twenty acres, for which he paid $50. In 1880 Mr. Swaim bought 320 acres of land in the western part of the county, paying $2.50 per acre, to which he has since added 960 acres more, owning in all 1,280 acres. He has 180 acres of his farm under culti- vation, and all under fence, has a large and comfortable dwelling, which was erected at a cost of $1,200, and is located on a high hill, overlooking the surrounding country. In addition to his farming, our subjeet is extensively engaged in the cattle business, in buying and feeding, and is considered one of the wealthiest and most prosperous farmers residing in the western part of Limestone county.

February 10, 1870, he married Rachel M. Seawright, a daughter of John and Cynthia C. Seawright, who moved to this State in the winter of 1836-'37. The father was born in Anderson district, South

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

Carolina, where he was married September 8, 1825. A year or two later he moved to east Tennessee, in 1836 came to Texas, re- mained in Lamar county from 1837 until 1850, and then came to this county. He located near old Springfield, then the county seat, where he remained until his death, November 4, 1863, at the age of sixty-nine years. Mrs. Swaim's mother survived until August 28, 1881, dying at the age of seventy-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Seawright were the parents of twelve children, viz .: William, who died at Camp Nelson, Arkansas, in 1862, a member of Company B, Tenth Texas Infantry; Mary Ann, deceased October 23, 1846, at the age of eighteen years; Margaret, deceased in this county, was the wife of Jolin Car- gile; John H., who served through the late war in Company F, Fifteenth Texas Cavalry, and afterward died in Limestone county; James P., deceased when young; Sarah J., deceased, was the wife of John Todd; Cynthia, who became the wife of James Tidwell, but is now deceased; Eliza- beth T., who died at the age of eight years; George W., who died in this county after reaching his majority ; Martha E., deceased, was the wife of Adrian Bates; Narcissa, wife of James Thetford, of Limestone county; and Rachel, now Mrs. Swaim. Mr. and Mrs. Swaim have two children: Cora V. and L. Annie, graduates of Sher- man Institute, one of the leading educa- tional institutions of the State. The eldest is also a graduate of Hill's Business Col- lege at Waco, and both are young ladies of great intelligence and refinement.

Mr. Swaim was made a Mason in 1869, at what was then Grayson Lodge, No. 265,

of Lost Prairie, this county. He is now a member of Oak Point Lodge, No. 636, at Mart, McLennan county. His wife is now a prominent member of the order of the Eastern Star, being Worthy Matron of her home chapter and District Deputy Grand Matron.

AMES J. MISTROT, of Corsicana, a member of one of the leading mer- cantile firms of Texas, was born De- cember 2, 1865, at New Iberia, Louisiana, and is the son of J. J. and Malvina (Sei- gora) Mistrot, the former a native of France and the latter of French parentage, bothi now residing at Marlin, Texas. They are the parents of eight sons: Heury B., Charles L., Simeon P., Felix E., Gustavus A., the subject of this sketch, Eugene W., Joseph H .- all of whom have had a re- markable business career -- and four daugli- ters: Annit, now Mrs. Smith; Olympia, who was married to J. S. Levron; Henri- etta, the wife of C. L. Caster; and Marie, all of whom are living.

The subject of this biography was raised at home, receiving a liberal education. His first entrance into business was as a clerk in the store of his brother, H. B. Mistrot, under the firm name of Adoue & Mistrot, who were doing a dry-goods and banking business at Calvert, Texas. He remained there until 1883, when he went with his brother, C. L. Mistrot, to Decatur, Texas, and engaged in business. Later, he entered the house of Mistrot Bros., at Marlin, and after remaining there awhile he located in Corsicana, in 1888, becoming a partner in

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

the firm of H. B. Mistrot & Co., and assum- ing the management of the business. Here, as in all their houses, they deal in dry goods, boots and shoes and clothing. They have an elegantly fitted up establishment, corner of Collin and Eleventh streets, and are one of the leading business houses of Corsicana, employing twenty-eight clerks. The business career of the Mistrot Brothers began first at Calvert, when H. B. opened a house under the firm name of Adoue & Mistrot in 1871. They dissolved partner- ship in 1883. Mr. Mistrot opened busi- ness in Honey Grove, Temple, Farmersville, Decaturand Henrietta, under the firm name of Mistrot Bros. They closed the Honey Grove, Temple and Farmersville houses in 1886. In the fall of 1888 they opened their house in Corsicana, as above stated. In 1890 the Waco branch house was estab- lished, taking in as a partner G. H. Moore, under the firm name of H. B. Mistrot & Co.

In 1885 the firm of Mistrot Bros. was established in Marlin, with S. P. and G. A. Mistrot, the same firm opening a branch honse at Bryan in 1887, taking in as a partner Felix E. Mistrot. In 1889 another house was opened by the firm at Mexia, with Joseph H. Key as manager, and in 1891 their business was still extended by the establishment of a house at Navasota, with Rivers Patout as manager.

The Mistrot Brothers, in all their exten- sive establishments, are doing strictly a one- price, cash business. C. L. Mistrot is the pur- chasing agent for the firm in New York, and Ira T. Atkins in Boston. They do a business annually between $800,000 and $900,000. Henry B. lives at Waco; Felix E. at Bryan; Gustavus A. at Marlin, and

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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