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 89

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 89
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 89
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 89
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 89
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 89
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 89

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The subject of this sketch came to Texas in January, 1854, locating with his parents in Titus county. Hc remained at home

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until 1861, when he enlisted in Company A, First Texas Legion, under John W. Whitfield; was in Missouri the first year, then moved east of the Mississippi river, and next in the Army of the Tennessee. He saw hard service, and his command, being mounted infantry, was used for skirmish dnty. They were in a continuous skirmish through Georgia and Tennessee, was in many regular battles, but was never wounded or captured, although he had many narrow escapes. Two-thirds of his company that started with him were killed, and he received only two furloughs during the entire war. In 1868 he bought and improved a farm in Titus county, and in 1875 sold out and came to Navarro county. Mr. Lynch first farmed on rented land three years, but he now owns 100 acres of fine farming land, with fifty acres under cultivation, and good buildings.

He was married in 1866 to Miss Mary C. Renfro, an orphan girl, born March 16, 1851, and the history of the family is not known. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch have had fourteen children, seven now living, namely: William F., at home; Sarah J., wife of M. B. Gray, of east Tennessee; Emily B., Rosa Lee, Lewis H., Lemuel B. and Beatrice. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch are members of the Baptist Church. The former is a member of the Alliance, and is a third-party man, formerly a Democrat.

RITTON DAWSON, from whom the village of Dawson, Navarro county, was named, was born in Alabama in 1817. His father, Dred Dawson, was

born in Greene county, Georgia, in 1771; was a soldier during the second war with Great Britain, and was a farmer by occu- pation. In an early day he moved to Ala- bama, where he became a prominent and wealthy planter, having at one time as high as 100 negroes. In 1825 he disposed of his effects and came to Texas, settling in Jasper county, but in 1833 removed to Robertson county, where he died in 1837. He married Elizabethi Patterson, and they had the following children: John, who was burned to death; David, killed by the Mexicans; Amanda, who married James Hudson, and both are now deceased; Sallie married Clark Carter; Emily mar- ried John Galloway; Louisa was the wife of Charley Sauls; the above are all now deceased; Britton, our subject; Henry, deceased; Dred, who is still living; and Elizabeth, deceased.

Britton Dawson, the subject of this sketch, received no educational advantages, as there were no schools in the then wild West that could be considered worthy of the name, and in early life he assisted in the support of the family. Before reach- ing years of maturity he joined the Texas army, and participated in the final and memorable battle of San Jacinto. He has sent many an Indian to the happy hunt- ing ground in his numerous engagements, four months of his time having been spent in this kind of amusement. In 1849 our subject came to Navarro county and opened a farm near the present site of Dawson, owning at one time many hun- dred acres, but has since given a part to his children. In an early day lie engaged in the stock business, and at that time

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nearly everything on the broad prairies near Dawson was marked with " Uncle Brit's" brand. His great success had no tendency to make him arrogant or unsym- pathetic, but, on the contrary, he had a warm heart for the stranger and the needy. On many occasions he has insisted that a stranger should help himself to beef from his herd. But reverses have overtaken him in late years, and he is by no means as independent.

Mr. Dawson was first married to Eliza- beth Walker, a native of Mississippi, and they had three children: Sarah, wife of George L. Rogers; Henry, who married Susan I. Fullerton; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. David Spence. The wife and mother died in 1846, and in 1848 our subject married Susanna C. Cannon, who was born in Illinois in 1829, a daughter of Elijah Cannon. To this union were born the fol- lowing children: Nancy, deceased, wife of Alexander Berry; Mary, wife of Blake Lee; David, deceased; Dread, deceased; Lula, now Mrs. Don Dickson; Amanda, wife of Thomas Fread; Anna, wife of John Lawrence; Emmaly, who married William Lawrence; Britton C., who married Nora Whiley; and Frankie, deceased. Mr. Dawson is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity.

EORGE L. ROGERS, one of the most successful farmers of Navarro county, was born in Montgomery county, Texas, July 4, 1832, and grew to manhood iu that connty, where he was reared to stock-raising and farming. His

parents, Rolly and Polly A. (Long) Rogers were natives of east Tennessee, who came to Texas in 1831, and settled in Montgom- ery county, where they remained during life, dying in 1854. The father partici- pated in the Texas Revolution, serving through the war. The day of the battle of San Jacinto he was detailed to care for some women and children, and hence was not in that action. For ten years after the decisive battle of San Jacinto the Mexicans were very ugly and Mr. Rogers was in many a raid against them. After the State was annexed he was one of the State mili- tia, who patrolled the State against the raids of the Mexicans and Indians. Mr. Rogers, Sr., married, in Louisiana, before coming to Texas, and our subject was born the year after the arrival of the young couple in this State. The Rogers family is of Scotch-Irish extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers had a family of nine children, of which our subject is the fifth. They all grew to maturity and came to Texas. Six are yet living, all in Texas, although our subject is the only one in this county.

In 1862, our subject came to Navarro county, and settled on the farm he yet owns, which consists of 800 acres, 220 of which are in a fine state of cultivation. On this land he raises cotton, corn and farm produce.

Mr. Rogers married, March 13, 1861, Miss Sarah Dawson, a daughter of Britton Dawson, an old pioneer and one of the first settlers of this county, who is yet living. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have had eight chil- dren, namely : Ella died, aged twenty-two; Mary died young; Lizzie married L. A. Killian, a merchant of Montgomery; Rollo

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B., a farmer of Navarro county; Nannie, at home; Achsah died young; Alva died young, and Ida, at home. The wife and inother was born December 7, 1841.

Mr. Rogers is a member of Spring Hill Lodge, No. 155, Masonic order, and he and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. In politics Mr. Rogers is a Democrat and served the Con- federacy in a detached company during the late war, in Colonel C. C. Gillispie's regi- ment, and later with Captain Poole in serv- ice on Matagorda bay, where he was at the close of the war.

DOLPH ZADEK, Postmaster of Corsicana, Texas .- It is pleasing for the historian to write of an old and respected citizen, one who has been inti- inately associated with the growth and development of a community, and who has ably and honorably discharged responsible official trusts imposed upon him not only to the satisfaction of his government but to the people also, and especially is this so when this citizen is not only an honor to the country of his adoption but also to the country that gave him birth. Such is the sentiment felt in approaching the subject of this biography.

He was born in Gleiwitz, province of Silesia, Prussia, June 14. 1832, and dates his ancestry back to the Christian era, de- scending, as his name indicates, from the high priests of Judea. His father was a merchant of Gleiwitz, where lie lived and died, departing this life in 1849, leaving a wife and four children. The widow died

in 1880. Their only daughter, Mrs. Bertha Caspar, is a resident of Corsicana.

Mr. Zadek received his education in Prussia, and came to the United States in 1855, landing in New Orleans, where he was engaged in the saddlery and hardware business until the city was captured by General Butler. He was a Union man and voted against secession. As was in favor of the Lincoln ticket, but could not cast his vote for him as there were no ballots there. His next choice was Bell and Everett, for whom he cast his vote. He remained in New Orleans until April, 1862, when he returned to Europe to visit his mother.

He remained abroad abont ten months, when he again sailed for the United States, landing at New Orleans, and soon after, owing to the unsettled condition of the country, went to Mexico, locating for the time at Matamoras, where lie engaged in mercantile business nntil the close of the war. He then returned to New Orleans and engaged in the cotton business there and in Alabama. In 1866 Mr. Zadek again went to Europe, and after spending several months abroad, returned to the United States and settled in Navasota, Texas, where he engaged in merchandising and in the cotton business. He remained there until the Houston & Texas Central made its next terminus at Millican, and then located there. He followed the rail- road, locating at different terminals until it reached Corsicana, where he permanently settled in the summer of 1872, and engaged in the grocery and cotton business. In 1872 Mr. Zadek, being an intimate friend of Governor Davis, was tendered the appointment of Alderman of Corsicana,

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which position he accepted with the condi- tion that all the officers, from mayor down, be removed and others appointed, which was done. He served as Alderman until an election took place. During this year he, under the authority of the late Gov- ernor Davis, established the first free pub- lic schools in Navarro and Hill counties. He was president of the school board, which position he held until the late administra- tion canie into power, In 1872 he estab- lished the Progressive Age, the first Repub- lican newspaper in central Texas, which he conducted one year. During the election of 1872, he was given the authority by the Governor to appoint the board of election, the two United States supervisors, and also police, to preserve order. His fairness and non-partisanship was strongly brought out in his exercise of the trusts committed to him. Of all the appointments made only two were Republican, though in politics he was an ardent member of that party.

In 1873 Mr. Zadek was appointed by Judge Duvall, United States Commissioner, which position he held until the State was re-districted in 1882. He discharged the responsible and often trying duties of this office with eminent impartiality, and with- out reward other than the consciousness of having faithfully discharged the duties imposed upon him.

In 1873 he was made chairman of the State Republican Executive Committee. After the defeat of the party, he called a general State convention at Houston, for the purpose of re-organization of the party at this convention. E. J. Davis was elected chairman and Mr. Zadek was inade chair- man of the fourteenth senatorial district.

He was a delegate to the State convention that met at Houston in 1876, and was chosen delegate at large to the national convention at Cincinnati, which assembled June 10. He voted six times for that distinguished statesman, Oliver P. Morton. He was Chairman of the fourteenth sena- torial district until 1892. In 1884 he was appointed Postmaster of Corsicana by President Arthur, and held the office until he was indicted upon false charges pre- ferred by political enemies. He was sus- pended from office and brought before the United States Court sitting at Dallas, for trial, where he, in 1885, was honorably acquitted. In October, 1889, he was re- appointed by President Harrison to fill an unexpired term, and later reappointed by him and confirmed by the United States Senate February 18, 1890. This position he has since filled to the satisfaction of the public and the Government. He had a new building fitted up with all the modern im- provements and conveniences, where the business of the office has been conducted promptly and efficiently.

He has always continued his cotton busi- ness, in which he has been successful.

Mr. Zadek never having married, he lias kept house with his mother and with his widowed sister, Mrs. Caspar. Her only child, Bismark, Mr. Zadek has adopted as his son. He is a very bright, promising, worthy young man, and assists Mr. Zadek in his business.

The subject of this memoir is very lib- eral in his religious views, and is a fol- lower of Robert G. Ingersoll.

Though in politics Mr. Zadek differs from most of his fellow-townsinen, yet he

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is respected for the honesty of his convic- tions and the candor with which he ex- presses; and he is held in high esteem by those who know him as a man of sterling worth and strict integrity.

L. ROGERS, of Leon county, Texas, a prominent merchant and farmer and a popular citizen, was born in Madison county in 1848. His father, A. G. Rogers, was likewise a iner- chant, farmer and pioneer of Texas and was born in Alabama, in 1820. In 1833 he emigrated to Texas and made settle- ment on Rogers' prairie, in Leon county, locating a league of land under the coloni- zation laws then in force. He lived on Rogers' prairie until the advance of the Mexican army under Santa Ana, when he moved into east Texas. After the battle of San Jacinto he returned. When the army disbanded he held a Captain's com- mission. His parents were the first per- inanent white people on the prairie. They remained in their new home only three years, because of the proximity of the In- dians, but not until one of the family had lost his life did they move. East Texas then became their home, and in 1866 they returned to Leon county, purchased land on the prairie and a home was started. Here Mr. Rogers lived in prosperity and died. He was a man of only fair English education, but had plenty of natural abil- ity, consequently made a great success in his business and made a large fortune. He served Leon county many years as Com- missioner and when the Confederacy was

enlisting mnen for its defense he became a Lieutenant in Company E, Gould's battal- ion, Walker's division and the Trans- Mississippi Department. He participated in the Banks' campaign, being wounded at Mansfield. When disbanded in Eastern Tennessee he carried a Captain's commis- sion. He was a devout Christian, being a member of the Methodist Church and greatly interested in its success. At the age of twenty-two Mr. Rogers married Martha Carrington, of Mississippi, a mem- ber of an early family in Texas, and the following children became theirs: Jane, wife of J. M. Gates; S. L .; William L .; J. W .; L. D .; R. A .; Mollie, wife of R. W. Barkley, of Leon county; Mittie, wife of B. R. Reed, of Calvert; Melissa, wife of J. O. Markhamson, of Leon; and A. G., Jr., is deceased.

Our subject secured only a fair educa- tion because of the scarcity of the schools before the war, and when he became of age he left the farmer's life for a career in merchandising and then his best educa- tion began. For the past twenty-two years he has conducted his business in a successful manner. His merchandising venture was begun on a borrowed capital of $1,000, giving his father as security. To show what a degree of prosperity Mr. Roberts has enjoyed, he now carries a $25,- 000 stock of goods, owns about 3,500 acres of real estate, 400 acres of it being under cultivation. His sales aggregate $60,000 annually, and he handles all of the cotton marketed at Leona, which was 1,000 bales in 1891. Politically Mr. Rog- ers is a Democrat and is a leader of his party in the county. He seldom misses a

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convention, and generally represents the wishes of his constituents as a delegatc. He favors a strong and vigorous policy in the administration of State affairs, one that will reflect credit upon the State and es- tablish confidence abroad.

Mr. Rogers was first married in 1875, to Eva, daughter of D. M. Carelton, once a representative of Leon county ; one child was born to them, named Maggie. Mrs. Rog- crs died in 1878, and in 1880 our subject married Anna Nash, who lived only five weeks afterward. In 1882 Mr. Rogers led to the matrimonial altar Miss Ella, daughter of Mrs. Monroe Ewing, of Mis- sonri, and their children are: Rosie, Al- bert, Willie, Camelia and Ewing. Mr. Rogers is a man of fine appearance, of a pleasant, jovial disposition, hospitable and reliable, and enjoys the confidence and es- teem of all.

ILLIAM ADKISSON, a promi- nent resident of Leon county. Texas, is a son of William Adkis- son, who was born in Virginia in Novem- ber, 1808, and removed first to Tennessee and from there to Texas in 1852, locating in Leon county near Central port where he resided until death, which occurred in 1885. He was by trade a carpenter and lived a quiet, peaceful and industrious life. In politics he was a Democrat, and in re- ligion he was a member of the Christian Church.

The mother of our subject was named Mary E. Scott, a native of Tennessee and daughter of Joseph Scott, a native of Ten-

nessce, and there she was married about 1836, and died in Leon county, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Adkisson were the parents of eleven children, as follows: John, de- ceased; he was a commercial traveler in the employ of McBride & Co., of Galveston; Martha deceased, was the wife of Joseph Parks, a farmer in this State; Anna Eliza, is the wife of Ira Dezell of Leon county; James W. lives in Leon county; Nancy is the wife of Joe Garland of this county; Joe L. holds the position of Depnty Sheriff and lives at Centreville; Mary is the wife of DeWitt McCoy, and Jefferson D. lives in this county. Two children died in infancy.

Our subject was the seventh child in the family above mentioned and was born in 1849, in Tennessee, from which State he was brought when but three years of age. He remained with his parents until 1872, and then bought a farm of ninety- five acres upon which he lived until 1880. From there he removed to his old home and remained there until 1892, when he came to his present home.

In 1876 our subject was married to Miss Mary Garland, a native of Texas. She is a daughter of James Garland, a native of Sonth Carolina, who came thence to Texas. A family of eight children have been born to our subject and wife as follows: Will- iam T., deceased; James T .; Lilly; Lizzie, one of twins whose little companion died in infancy; Mary, Sally and Harmnon, at home.

Our subject faced life for himself when he was twenty-three years old, with but lit- tle assistance. He now owns from 800 to 900 acres of land, with 225 in cultivation.

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Of cattle he has 200 head and ten head of horses, and he is also the owner of a cotton gin. In his politics he is a Democrat, and socially he belongs to the K. of H. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been a Steward for a number of years. Mr. Adkisson has shown thrift and honesty in all of liis dealings with his fellow citizens, and is reckoned among the best of the residents of Leon county.

NDREW J. SMITH, County Com- missioner of Freestone county, Texas, and a prominent farmer of the same place, was born in Macon county, Alabama, in 1815, and was the fifth child in a family of ten children, born to Jewryston and Lucy (Horton) Smith, natives of Georgia. Mr. Smith, Sr., was a farmer, who served in the Indian wars of Georgia and Florida. He held the office of Justice of the Peace in Georgia, was there married, but died in Alabama: his wife died there also. The ten children, with one exception, grew to maturity. Their names are as follows: Munro resides in Coryell county; Philip, in Jones county; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of R. W. Nelson; A. J., our sub- ject; Marcus, of Coryell county; Thomas and Robert, living in Alabama, and Georgian, is the wife of Beaman Hunt, of Millerville, Alabama.

Our subject was reared in Alabama, and received a common-school education in the subscription schools of his native State. At the age of twenty-one he was permitted to take care of himself, although he re-

mained with his father until his twenty- third year. In 1862, he joined Company C, Fifty-ninth Alabama Infantry, Confed- erate States of America, and was attached to the Army of the Tennessee until the battle of Chickamauga, wlien lie was trans- fered to the Army of Virginia. At the battle above named he had received a flesh wound in the hand and counted seventeen holes shot through his blanket, which had been rolled on his shoulder. His company engaged in this battle with eighty men, and at the close there were only thirteen able to answer roll call of men or officers, eight of the men being killed at the first volley, fired by the enemy. After his transfer our subject participated in several severe battles; was in the seven days' figlit at Richmond, his regiment and brig- ade assisting in establishing the line in front of Petersburg, from the 17th of Jnne, 1864, to the 6th of May, 1865, when the army evacuated Petersburg and retired. Our subject was captured at a place in the country twenty-eight miles from Petersburg, and was sent to Point Lookout, on Chesapeake Bay. For seven days after capture he was given but three ears of corn, and was detained in prison until June 24, 1865.

He arrived at his father's house July 13, 1865, and the remainder of the year was spent in recuperating. He had not been sick during the war, but while in prison was attacked with the measles. Remain- ing with his father until 1869, he went to Georgia, where he rented a farm. Here he made considerable money, as he was able to sell his cotton for $100 a bale. However, he remained there only one

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year, and returned to Alabama, where he remained nntil 1871, when he came to Texas by rail, landing in this county in March of that year. For three years fol- lowing this he worked at the carpenter trade, remaining in this county ever since, with the exception of eighteen months, spent further West. Mr. Smith purchased his present farm in 1886, of 127 acres of unimproved land, for $5 an acre. He has added to this until he now owns 157 acres, withi seventy under cultivation.

The marriage of our subject occurred in 1875, to Miss Sarah R. Clark, of Mont- gomery, Texas, a daughter of E. A. and Lucy (Epps) Clark, natives of this county and State. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the parents of only one child, Andrew E. Mrs. Smith died in October of the year of ler marriage. In 1880, he was married to Miss Mary E. Diggs, a native of Houston county, Texas, a daughter of Thomas E. and Nancy C. (Wicker) Diggs, natives of Mississippi and Georgia, who came to Texas while it was a republic, and here engaged in farming. Mr. Diggs died in the service of the Confederate ariny at Little Rock, Arkansas. The mother of Mrs. Smith came to the county in 1875, where she still resides, and is now the wife of Benjamin Diggs, and she and her hus- band had a family of three children, name- ly : Mary E., wife of our subject; Zilphie, J., wife of George W. Dunn, and Amanda C., wife of John Kirkpatrick, of Navarro county. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children, namely: Zellia A., Bertie, Lillie and Winnie, twins. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Smith, in 1888, was elected

to the important office of County Commis. sioner, and is now serving his second term, having given the fullest satisfaction to his constituents. He is a member of Birdston Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 133, of which he is Senior Deacon, and he is also a mem- ber of the Eastern Star chapter. His po- litical views come to him by inheritance, all of his ancestors having been stanch Democrats since the formation of the party, and Mr. Smith follows in their foot- steps.

R. F. B. MOORE, a resident of Brushy Creek, Anderson county, Texas, is the son of William J. Moore, who was born in 1820, in Georgia, coming from there to Texas in 1875, where he first lo- cated, in Dallas county. From there he came on into Collin county, where he now resides, a successful farmer and stockman. Although he was left an orphan at an early age without means, he has managed to ac- quire a nice competency for his declining days, is a Democrat in his political belief, and has been for fifty-one years a Master Mason. He is identified with the Baptist Church, and wherever known is spoken of as a man of irreproachable character. His father came to America from Ireland in colonial times, and became wealthy.

The mother of our subject was named Mary A. (Barnes) Moore, a native of Geor- gia. She was the daughter of William and Phœbe Barnes, natives of Georgia. These parents were married in 1847, and five children were born into the family, as fol- lows: Amanda A., who is the wife of Rev.

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R. T. Borum; William A. is now a prac- ticing physician of Henderson county; he is a graduate of the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons; Jolin W., a ma- chinist, now resides in Denton county; the subject and George J.

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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