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 87

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 87
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 87
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 87
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 87
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 87
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 87

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).

B ASCOMB LYCURGUS MOORE .- Few men of Navarro county, Texas, are more widely and favorably known than the subject of this sketch, whose ca- reer has been one of honor, which, together with his genial personality, has justly gained the wide-spread friendship of his fellow men.

Bascomb Lycurgus Moore was born in Alabama, in 1850, the youngest of six children of William A. and Martlie (Mc- Combs) Moore, well-known and highly respected residents of that State. His fa- ther was a native of Virginia, but in early life he turned his steps westward, settling in Alabama when the latter State was new and slightly populated, where he engaged in farming and stock-raising. Here he met and married Miss McCombs, who resided

695

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

with her parents near Athens, that State. Her father was a well-to-do farmer, and both her parents were of Irish descent. They had six children, of whom William A. Moore, Jr., was the oldest. He was raised on the home farm, and had liberal educational advantages, studying medicine after he had completed a course in ordi- nary branches, and was for many years a prominent physician in Franklin county, Tennessee, where he died at the age of fifty- eight years. He was for many years a worthy, member of the Methodist Church. Fannie, the second child of this family, also grew to maturity on the home farm, after which she married Louis Hurn and went to Tennessee, where she died in the faith of the Methodist Church. George E. Moore, the third of this family, was also raised on the farm, and removed to Ten- nessee in an early day, where he success- fully engaged in farming. He there mar- ried Miss M. J. Elkins, daughter of a prominent farmer, stock-raiser and slave trader of that State. Catherine, the fourth in order of birth, married Tom Good and died at an early age, secure in the faith of the Methodist Church. J. L. Moore, the next child, also spent liis early years on the farm, afterward removing to Tennessee, where he married Callie Kenerly, daughter of Jack Kenerly, a prosperous farmer, stock-raiser and slave owner of that State. J. L. Moore died in middle life of pneu- monia. The last child is the subject of of this sketch.

Mr. Moore, of this notice, was deprived by deatlı of his mother at the tender age of two years, and has no recollection of that saintly face. He afterward lived with his

grandmother, for whoin his father acted as overseer of lier farm and negroes. Thus uneventfully passed the first eleven years of his life, when he was bereaved of his fa- ther, whose death he still vividly recalls. The night on which his father died was calculated to leave a deep impression on the excited imagination of a child, being one of those dreary, snowy nights in February, with a mournful, sighing wind and a creep- ing sensation of chill. After the death of this beloved parent, he found himself won- dering what was to become of liim, and naturally sought the spot where he had so often seen his father kneel in prayer and evoke the blessing of God on his friends, and His especial guidance and care for his children, and young Bascomb imagined he could still hear those low, modulated, en- treating tones. In after years, he keenly appreciated the signification of his father's usual appellation of " Honest Billy, " by which he was known among those who had known him through life.

After the burial of his father, young Bascomb was informed that his older brother in Tennessee would come and take Bascomb to live with him, and three days later his brother came. It was then that Bascomb realized great trepidation at the thought of going to a different State with a strange man whom he had never seen. They travelled to Tennessee by rail, and on arriving at his brother's house, Bascomb was much assured by the pleasant-faced woman who met them at the door, and the kindly tones in which she addressed him. The next day he found a trying one, sur- rounded for the first time in his life by strangers, and he recalls that he went alone

696

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

behind the house to relieve his overcharged feelings by crying. Here his sister Bettie found him and sought to console him by saying that she would be a mother to hint, and his brother would also be kind if Bas- comb would be a good boy. During the war, Tennessee experienced much hardship financially, owing to which his adminis- trator sold his property, receiving his pay in Confederate money, which becoming depreciated, they were left penniless. His brother and sister sent him to school as long as they were able, after which he con- tinued on lris own responsibility until he spent all of his cash and had a bill of $150 charged up against him by the Professor and others. He then concluded to sell his horse and liquidate his indebtedness, but still owed $50. He then hired out at $10 a month until he had earned sufficient to settle the bill. His good friends then of- fered him a school in the neighborhood in which he had been raised, at $30 a monthi for six months, which he joyfully accepted and conducted to the general satisfaction of all concerned. He next tanght a free school, for ten months, at Payne's Church, Tennessee, where he received $30 a month each, for all scholars over six and under twenty-one years of age. Mr. Moore then thought he wonld try his fortune in Ar- kansas, where he went, but, disliking the surroundings and much sickness prevail- ing, he returned to old Tennessee. A short time afterward, the excitement caused by the general emigration to Texas reached his neighborhood, and a party consisting of five families and eight or ten young men, among the latter being the subject of this sketch and his brother George, started, on

October 15, 1875, for the Lone Star State. Mr. Moore arrived at his destination with $75 in money, and at once set to work to retrieve his fortunes.

In 1876 and 1877 he farmed, and in 1878 he taught school at Love Grange, after which, in 1879, he taught seven and a half months in two other places. Ile had thus far managed to save $1,000 by labor and by loaning what money he could command at 12} per cent., payable semi- annually.

December 5, 1879, Mr. Moore had the happiness of winning for his future wife Miss Estella A. Wilkinson, daughter of James Wilkinson, of Tennessee, who was a son of John Wilkinson, an early and highly respected settler of that State, a farmer and hatter by occupation. James Wilkin- son, boru October 3, 1807, followed farm- ing most of his life, being engaged at the same time in merchandising. He removed from Tennessee to Mississippi, and thence to Arkansas, and finally to Texas in 1869, settling in Navarro county, near Dresden. Mrs. Moore was born in Tennessee, Janu- ary 26, 1858. She and her husband have five children : Nannie Bell, William Harvy, George Eddie, Ruthie and Robert. Mrs. Moore owned, when married, 140 acres in this county, and Mr. Moore bought twenty- eiglit more, on which they lived until lie could improve her land, which he soon ac- complished by perseverance and good man- agement. Three years later he had so far prospered as to buy and pay cash for 172 acres, adjoining on the east the 100 pre- viously mentioned. The following year lie bought 280 acres adjoining the original 100 acres on the north, paying part cash

James Learly

697

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

and part on time, and exchanging the twenty-eight acres, previously mentioned, in payment for the 280 acres. He next invested in school land on ten years' time, and successfully met every payment, after which he bought and sold other land, mak- ing money on every transaction, until he is now one of the most substantial men in the county. He raises and improves stock, horses and cattle, of which he buys and ships large quantities. He now owns 1,200 acres, all paid for and enclosed by fences, 400 of which are under a good state of cultivation and well stocked. He is a stock- holder, director and member of the board of finance committee in the First National Bank of Blooming Grove, to the prosperity of which he has materially contributed.

In closing, it is only necessary to remark that Mr. Moore's motto through life has been to be honorable and truthful under all circumstances, and to so live that all might with justice remark of him that he was, like his father before him, a " good, hon- est man. "

AMES HARDY, a farmer and highly respected citizen residing in the nortlı- western part of Limestone county, is a son of Miles Hardy, and grandson of Jesse Hardy, both of whom were born and raised in South Carolina. They located in Georgia at an early day. The father, Miles Hardy, served in the war of 1812, and married Phyllis Miles, a native of Maryland, but reared in Georgia, and a daughter of John Miles. Soon after their marriage they moved to Alabama,

settling in Horse Shoe Bend county, now Montgomery county, where the father died in 1823, aged fifty years. He was a farmer by occupation, a prominent pio- neer and an Indian fighter. His wife died in Macon county, Alabama, in 1884, at the age of ninety-three years. Both were members of the Baptist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy were the parents of seven children, viz .: William, Nancy, Cyn- thia, Saralı, James, Betise and Sophie. All of the children grew up to maturity and were married, but most of them are now deceased.

James Hardy was born in Jasper county, Georgia, March 10, 1816, and was but two years of age when his parents removed to Alabama. He saw much of frontier life, and was reared principally in Montgomery and Lowndes counties, Alabama. He was small at his father's death, and early as- sisted in the support of the family. In 1836 he enlisted in service against the Indians, participated in the wars of that date, and afterward removed to and re- mained in Macon, Russell and Chattooga counties, Georgia, until 1858. In that year he went to Mississippi, remained prin- cipally in Scott county until 1863, when, that country being overrun by both armies and he being too old to enter the ' service, he removed to Horton, Lavaca county, Texas. In 1866 Mr. Hardy located in Freestone county, and in 1867 came to Limestone county, buying land in the vicinity of where he now lives in 1881. His first purchase consisted of 390 acres of rich, black land, for which he paid $3 per acre, and has since bought 930 acres more in the same locality, paying from

698

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

$2.50 to $5 per acre. He has given 600 acres to his children, and still owns a fine farm, 200 acres of which is cultivated. He and his wife now occupy the old homestead.

Mr. Hardy was married in February, 1840, to Sarah Page, who was born in Edgefield district, South Carolina, in 1823, but was reared in Lowndes county, Ala- bama, where her parents had settled when she was small. Our subject and wife have had nine children, viz .: Thomas Miles, a farmer near the old home; Ann Savannah, deceased, was the wife of Robert Burr; Louisiana, deceased when young; William, who also died when young; Lourania, wife of Joshua Cason, of Oklahoma; John, de- ceased when young; Middleton M. was the next in order of birth; Texana, wife of L. B. Hudson; and Charles A., the last three residing near their father's home. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy are members of the Bap- tist Church, and are respected by all who know them.

R. WM. J. W. KERR, a prominent physician of Corsicana, and one of the founders of the Odd Fellows Orphans' Home, was born in Giles county, Tennessee, December 1, 1834. In 1872 he removed to Corinth, Mississippi, from West Tennessee, and January 26, 1873, came to this city. His father, James M. Kerr, a Cumberland Presbterian minister, was born near Charlotte, North Carolina. He is strictly a self-made man, and for sixty years his energies were exerted for the Master's cause. He is now eighty-one

years of age, but hale and hearty. Our subject's mother, Delia Newton, was a daughter of Jacob Lawrence, a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, and a farmer by occupation. Dr. Kerr is the eldest of three children, the other two being D. H. M. and J. C. R., both farmers of Navarro county.

The subject of this sketch received his education largely at home, having been his own instructor, both in the common and higher branches, and has mastered some of the most intricate problems in algebra. He read medicine three years in the same manner, and was engaged in teaching school at the same time. Dr. Kerr took his first course of lectures in 1859, at Nashville, and graduated at that institu- tion in 1869. When the conflict between the North and the South burst upon the country, the Doctor enlisted in Ford's Battalion of Graybeards, being a company of 118 large men, 116 of whom were mar- ried, and represented 516 children. Dr. Kerr was taken prisoner while sick near Jackson, Tennessee, and was carried to Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois. In 1863 he was exchanged and commissioned Hospital Steward, but was soon detailed as Assistant Surgeon, and was on duty both in field and in the hospital, until sent to Andersonville, Georgia. He was one of the men much wanted by the Federal authorities for his connection with the Andersonville prison, for which Captain H. Wirz suffered death. He was also indicted with Jefferson Davis, and others. In June, 1865, the Doctor returned home, to West Texas, and soon afterward removed to Mississippi, as above stated. He was em-

699

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTES.

ployed as Surgeon of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad for many years, and was Examining Surgeon for Insurance companies in Corsicana,

Dr. Kerr was married December 1, 1853, to Miss Martha J. Nelson. They had one child, who is still living, Albert, of Farmersville, Texas, The wife and inother died in 1870, and on December 8, 1870, the Doctor married Mattie C. Cowan, of Abbeville district, South Carolina. The children born to this union are: Maggie N., James Wade and two now deceased. The Doctor is prominent in the Odd Fellow circles of the State, being Past Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment, and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Honor. The Kerr family is noted for its longevity, very few of the members dying before reaching an advanced age. This is probably accounted for by the fact of their coming from the rugged mountainous State of Northi Caro- lina, where our subject's grandfather was born in 1771. He removed to Arkansas in an early day, where de died in 1853.

RESTON M. LEA, of Corsicana, was born in east Tennesse, January 3, 1849, a son of P. J. Lea, who was born in that State in 1814, of Irish parent- age. He was a farmer by occupation, and married Mary Peck. They were the parents of sixteen children, of whom our subject was the seventh child, and ten are now living. The father moved from east Tennessee to Georgia, in 1865, and from

there our subject came to Texas in 1870. He first followed farming and ginning about two years, and was then appointed Deputy Sheriff under Captain Johnson, in which capacity he served during the years of 1871-'72-'73, proving himself a very efficient officer. Mr. Lea again engaged in farming and milling, but soon sold out and came to Corsicana, where he embarked in the grocery business. After three years he met with reverses, which cost him all his property, but has since made up his loss. In 1889 he succeeded to the gin and mill establishment of Cullen & Bragg, which has a capacity of thirty bales, and 200 bushels of corn per day. In 1891, 2,000 bales of cotton were pressed. The plant is valued at $8,000. In addition to his cotton business, he is a dealer in grain. He is now arranging to double the ca- pacity of his cotton gin, making it sixty bales per day. It is situated in the west part of Corsicana, on the main line of the Cotton Belt.

In 1875 Mr. Lea was united in marriage with Lilla M., a daughter of J. P. Garner, of Tennessee. They have three children, Preston, May and Willie. Our subject is a strong supporter of public education, affiliates with the Knights of Honor, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In politics he is a Demo- crat.

HARLES H. ALLYN, a leading citi- zen of Corsicana, is a representative of that historical family of Allyns who were among the first settlers of Mas-

700

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

sachusetts, and whose descendants trace their origin on this continent to their common ancestor through the peculiar spelling of the name. His father, Joseph B. Allyn, was born in Massachusetts, mar- ried Maria Smith of that State, and moved to New York, in which State and Wis- consin, to which he moved later, he spent the greater part of his life.

The subject of this notice was born in Oswego county, New York, in 1844, but reared in St. Croix county, Wisconsin. His education, begun auspicionsly enough in the schools of the latter State, was brought to a sudden end by his entering the Union army in his sixteenth year, en- listing in 1862 as a drummer in the Fourth Wisconsin Regiment. For. three years he was in the service of the Federal Govern- ment, partly as drummer in the regiment he enlisted in, and partly as clerk in an office of one of the chief of divisions in the Gulf department, located at New Orleans. When the war was over he remained in the South, taking up his residence in New Orleans. July 7, 1868, he married Miss Angela Aldrich, of that. city, a danghter of D. C. Aldrich, with whom, the same year, he came to Texas and entered the mercantile business under the firm name of Aldrich & Allyn, at points along the line of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, then being con- structed through the central part of the State. He is the father of three children: Josephine A., Buena W. and Angela.

In 1871, upon the completion of the road to Corsicana, he settled there and has since made that place his home. For twenty-one years he has been one of the

leading spirits in developing the com- mercial strength of that city, and, in fact, has been identified with its every interest- material, social, educational and otherwise. For about nineteen years he was actively engaged in mercantile pursuits, having built up the large wholesale grocery house of Charles H. Allyn, in which he yet re- tains an interest, but from the active man- agement of which he has within the past two years retired. He assisted in organiz- ing the First National Bank of Corsicana, and has been, since the date of its organi- zation, a member of its board of directors. He was one of the promoters of, and still holds stock in, the Corsicana Flouring Mills Company, the Cotton Seed Oil Mills, the Street Railway Company, the Bottling Works, the Building and Loan Associa- tion, and the Merchants' Opera House Company, being secretary of the last of these, and a member of the board of di- rectors of most of the others.

During the twenty-one years of his resi- dence in the city, he has served fourteen years of the time as Alderman, School Trus- tee or Mayor, and has contributed his share both of money and personal effort to every movement which has been set on foot for the public good. He has never sought any place for honor or emolument, nor las he ever refused any place because of its lowliness or the onerous nature of its duties. He has taken especial pride in the public schools of the city, having made them the objects of his fostering care as Alderman, Trustee and Mayor, and having since watched them with interest, and lent his aid and influence to every- thing calculated to promote their welfare.

701

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

He is a member of the order of Elks and of the Masonic fraternity, being Eininent Commander of Corsicana Commandery, No. 14.

GEORGE W. MORRIS, a prominent and influential farmer of Limestone county, Texas, came here after his father, in 1865. The latter stopped at Marlin, in Falls connty, in 1863, where he remained for five years and then removed to Limestone county, in 1868. Our sub- ject married in 1870, and then bought 320 acres of land, npon which there had been some little improvement, and here he opened up a farm, and two years after he entered into the cattle business. His first purchase was made July 12, 1875, when he bonght 250 head and very soon found himself an extensive dealer. He raised, bought and sold until the country because fenced up, and until 1887 he "rustled " the cattle, but then he, with two others, sent their herds to Hardeman county. In 1890, he separated his herd from the others, and moved them to Dona Ana county, New Mexico, where he still holds about 1,000 head. He has about 500 steers for feeding out and marketing.

In 1882, our subject sold his first pur- chase of land and bought where he now lives, which is a tract of 900 acres. It had on it a house and some small im- provement, but now he has it all under fence, and about 150 acres are in a fine state of cultivation. He engages in some · farming himself, but is obliged to do mnuch hiring, and engages in general

farming, mostly consuming his products in the feeding of the stock. Mr. Morris now has a commodious residence, with large barns and all other conveniences to be found on a well regulated farm.

When our subject first came to Texas, tlie country was wild and unsettled and there was a fine range for stock. He has seen a vast improvement in every direc- tion since his first settlement here.

Mr. Morris was born in Virginia, July 11, 1844, and when he was two years of age his father removed to Arkansas, where he lived nntil 1863, when he removed to Texas. Our subject obtained ouly a com- mon-school education, and when he was sixteen years of age he enlisted in the Confederate service. He entered Com- pany E, Fourth Arkansas Infantry, under the command of General Joe E. Johnston, in the Army of the Tennessee, and liis first battle was at Elk Horn, after which the regiment crossed the Mississippi river, and he served through the entire war to the close, participating in many battles. For three years he never heard from his home, but at the close of the war he fonnd his father in Texas. Our subject was never wounded or captured, only having his leg broken by an ambulance. This was his only mishap, although out of twenty-four soldiers who left his neigbor- hood in Arkansas only six returned.

The war had ruined his father, and when he returned he had nothing. After getting well settled, he married, and he and his wife have done well. She has always been one of the best of assistants. He is the son of H. R. and M. A. (Cheatam) Morris, both of whom were natives of Virginia.

702

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

The occupation of the father has been that of a farmer all his life and, after coming to Texas he became the owner of a good farm. He died in his seventy-seventh year, and his wife still survives at the age of seventy-six, still hale and hearty. Our subject was the fourth child of the family of six children, born to his parents. These were: John H., who was killed in the army at Jackson, Mississippi; Mary, mar- ried Captain J. G. Dier, now a farmer of Limestone county; J. V. married H. E. Lester, a farmer of this county; our sub- jeet; L. W. married, and died about 1882, leaving two children; and J. W. is a farmer of Limestone county.

Our subject married Miss Mary J. Butcher, a daughter of Abraham and Har- riet Butcher, natives of Mississippi, whose father is deceased but whose mother re- sides in Hill county. Mr. Butcher came to Texas about 1867, and died about 1869. Mrs. Morris was born July 6, 1834. They reared a family of seven children, and all have been spared to them. They are as follows: Willis L .; Alice C .; W. P .; Lily; Ross; G. E .: and Charley. Mr. Morris, his wife and three children, are members of the Baptist Church. In his political belief he is strictly Democratic.

HOMAS R. DUNN, one of the lead- ing and influential farmers of An- derson county, Texas, is a son of Elbert M. Dunn, who was born in Ten- nessee. From the State of his nativity he removed to Texas in 1840, settling in Har- rison county, near Canden, where he suc-

cessfully engaged in farming, occasionally speculating in land and stock. From Har- rison connty he removed to Rusk county, thence to Ilouston county, and finally to Anderson county, where he died in 1871. He was well informed with regard to the principles of the Democratic party, of which he was an ardent supporter, and served as Sheriff and County Commis- sioner. Just prior to his death he was en- gaged in sawmilling. Socially, he was a member of the Masonic lodge; religiously, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Elbert Duun married Ann E. Aaron, a native of North Carolina, who removed to Tennessee, where she married in 1850, thence to Texas with her hus- band. Her parents were natives of North Carolina. Eight children were born to this union, namely: subject; an infant, who died; John W. died in 1871; the fourth child died when young; Ben. A .; Mary died when young; Frances E., wife of H. A. Gossett, of Neches; Lela Isa- bella, deceased, was the wife of Dr. R. W. Freeman.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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