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 93

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 93
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 93
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 93
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 93
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 93
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 93

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In 1881 Mr. Childress married a sister of the first Mrs. Childress, and from this marriage five children have been born, as follows: Leffa, Obed, Effa, Claude and Maud. Our subject is a prominent man in his church, and has long been recog-

nized as an important and active member of the Democratic party of the county. He is a member of the Masonic order. The whole family are members of the Mission- ary Baptist Church, and are valned mem- bers of society, being well educated and exceedingly intelligent. One of the great desires of Mr. Childress has been to give his children a good education, and he has been gratified to see how the advantages have been appreciated by his children. Among all the residents of the county our subject and family are held in highest es- teem.

L. TUCKER, came to Texas with his parents in 1858. He settled in Anderson county, near Tennessee Colony when he lias nine years old and grew to manhood in the county. He ob- tained a common-school education, such as Texas could provide at that time. He was reared on a farm and when his father died in 1861 he remained on the farm with his stepmother until the late war was over. His own mother died in 1860, and after the war he made his home among relatives until he was twenty years old and then returned to the old homestead.

In 1871 our subject married and two years later sold his interest in the home farm and came to the place where he now lives. Here he bought a farm and has added to the first purchase until now he owns 1,000 acres and has 200 under cultivation, the most of which he has opened up and has cultivated by tenants. He makes crops of corn, cotton and enough produce for his

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

family; also has some to sell. Since 1882 he built a gin, and in January, 1892, he bonght a steam gin, which he conducts for the public. His farm is located five miles north of Blackfoot, twenty miles north- west of Palestine and sixteen miles south of Athens, in a good farming district and in a well settled neighborhood.

Our subject was born in Georgia August 2, 1849, and moved direct from Georgia to this county. He is the son of John R. and Mary (Cox) Tucker of Maury county, Ten - nessee, and his occupation through life has been that of a farmer, before the war being a large slave-owner. The mother of our subject was Miss Mary Cox, a daughter of Jack. Cox, a farmer of Georgia. He had a family of six children and our subject was the second son. All came to this State. Joseph W. died young; Robert R. died and left a family of four children; C. R. died at the age of eighteen; Daniel is now a farmer of Uvalde county, Texas, and Mary married D. H. Wolverton, but she is now dead, as also is her husband, leaving three children, two of whom find a home with Mr. Tucker.

Our subject married Miss Mary L. Staf- ford, a daughter of George W. Stafford and Ann Stafford, natives of Mississippi who came to Texas in 1850 and settled in this county, remaining here until liis death in December, 1877. He was a farmer in the early part of his business carreer but later engaged in merchandising. Eight children were born to our subject and wife, seven of whom are yet living, as follows: George R., Anna, John J., Ela G., Reagan, Katie L. and Panl W. The wife and mother was born February 12, 1855.

In 1890 our subject was elected to the office of Justice of tlie Peace, which office he is now filling, elected by the Democratic party, of which he is a leading member. Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church.

R. J. A. ALLEN, of Worthain, Texas, is one of the leading physicians of this place. He was born in Spring- field, Missouri, in 1848 and was the son of Sterling B. and Eleanor (Younger) Allen, natives of Missouri and Tennnessee. Ster- ling B. Allen was one of the first merchants of Springfield, Missouri, and was a partner with Colonel Dansey Berry. He was a prominent Mason and died when quite a young man. The mother of our subject soon after re-married, removed to this State and settled in Navarro county, where she resided for several years. Her second hus- band was Major A. Barry, of Tehua- cana, of this county, where she now lives. To the parents of Dr. Allen only two chil- dren were born,-our subject and J. B. of Cleburne. The sketch of Mayor Barry gives facts relating to the history of the family.

Dr. Allen received his literary education, at Richland Academy in the neighborhood of Dresden. Leaving school at the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine, and in his nineteenth year he entered the State Medical School at Galveston, from which he graduated in the class of 1878 and 1879. He then entered and graduated from Tulane Medical School of Louisiana and also from the medical department of Vander- bilt University. He then engaged in the

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

practice of his profession. At the age of twenty-four he opened up an office at Dresden. In the summer of 1886 he was in Corsicana and 1892 he removed to this place.

The Doctor was President of the County Medical Association for four years, a mem- ber of the District Examining Board, a member of the Texas State Medical Asso- ciation and one of the Medical Judicial Council of the State Legislative Com- mittee on behalf of the State Medical Asso- ciation.

The Doctor was married, in 1890, to Miss Mary St. Clair, of Missouri, a dangh- ter of J. R. and Julia (Childress) St. Clair, both prominent families of Tennnessee. To the Doctor and wife one child has been born, but it is deceased. He is a prominent member of the A. F. & A. M., Corsicana Lodge, No. 174, in which he has been Worthy Master for several terms and Dis- trict Grand Master for a number of years. He is a prominent Democrat and one who has always stood by his party.

AMES M. MITCHAM, a prominent and prosperous pioneer of Henderson county, Texas, is one of its native sons, having been born here January 31, 1852, at Wild-cat Bluff, near which his father, W. F. Mitcham. settled upon coming to Texas forty-five years ago. The latter was born on a farm in his native State, Ala- bama, where he was born in 1823, and re- ceived a fairly good education. When a young man he learned the carpenter trade, which he followed, together with farming,

during his active life. Although success- ful in all his enterpises he did not accumu- late much property, as he preferred to enjoy his money as he journeyed through life. His sterling worth and integrity were recognized by his fellow citizens, and in consequence he was elected County Commissioner, serving four years in that capacity, and was also Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 8. His father, Hezekiah Mitcham, was a Methodist minister, born in South Carolina in 1800. He removed to Alabama with his father, Richard Mitcham, when twelve years of age, and there received a fairly good English edu- cation. He was converted in early life, and later studied medicine and for some time engaged in the practice of his profes- sion; but, becoming convinced that medi- caments were all a humbug, he began expounding the gospel, and was the first Methodist minister in Henderson county, Texas. He married Mary Clark, and they were the parents of the following children : James, deceased, a member of the first Com- missioners' Court of Henderson county; W. F., while on the way to Texas fell violently in love with a Louisiana lady while the family were water-bound for four months, and when the party wended its way south- ward he carried off the fair one to the near- est magistrate, had the necessary ceremony performed and joined his family with his newly-made wife; G. J .; Sarah married Jacob Christ, deceased; Elijah died while a prisoner of war at Chicago, Illinois; Mary married S. T. Price, of Erath county T. S., deceased; Asbury T., deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; and John. Our sub- ject's mother was Mary Ann Jackson, and

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

she bore her husband the following chil- dren: Mary Jane, deceased; Arrena, de- ceased ; subject; Laura, married I. A. Ward; William Henry, deceased; Alice, deceased; Rosina Agnes, deceased; G. J .; and an in- fant, deceased. The mother died in 1872, and the father married Margaret Ann Jack- son, a sister of his first wife, and the children of this union were as follows: Albert J., James and Arthnr.

Our subjcet's educational advantages were not of the best. The pole cabins, with mnd-and-stick chimneys and witlı slab seats, constituted kindergarten, acad- emy and college, and the terms were short and teachers poor, and the boy who made a record for himself dug it out. At the age of twenty years, Mr. Mitcham married and took up the responsibilities of life, beginning empty-handed but with a light heart, and was full of confidence in him- self. Fifteen months later his wife dicd and liis energies were for a time paralyzed. Two years later he remarried, and in De- cember of the same year, 1874, bonght a tract of land containing sixty-five acres, this being his first realty holding. By the exercise of energy and economy he has now accumulated 375 acres, 170 of which pro- dnces crops every year, at least forty bales of cotton a year, and he always produces a surplus of corn and mcat. He lias 400 head of stock cattle, in which business he engaged ten years ago.

Mr. Mitcham married Miss Annie Ham- ilton in 1871, a daugliter of William Ham- ilton, a teacher from Louisiana. One child was born of this union, but it died in infancy. The second marriage of Mr. Mitcham was to Miss Emma C., a daughter

of Andrew Swanson, a very wealthy planter of Georgia. His wife was Cordelia Lester. a member of the family of that name well known in that State. Their children were: Sallie, deccased ; Catharine, deccased; Will- iam; Alice married Wesley Moore; Mrs. Mitcham, Fannie and Virgil.

Mr. Swanson served four years in thic Confederate army, participating in the campaign about Atlanta and other hard campaigns during his long service, dying in April, 1865. He left a large estate, an item of which was 200 bales of cotton, wortlı $500 a bale. The bulk of the in- heritance was swallowed up by greedy and dishonest relatives, and it did the family of the deceased soldier very little good.

In 1869 Mrs. Swanson came to Texas, and Miss Emma met and married our sub- ject at the age of sixteen years. The union resulted in several very bright and inter- esting children: Willie, deceased; Arthur, deceased; Preston, aged twelve; Lila, aged . ten; and Mary, aged eight. Mr. Mitcham is a member of tlic Masonic order, and is a prominent and worthy member of the Methodist Church, in which he is a Stew- ard.

OBERT GREENLEE, one of the representative farmers of Navarro county, Texas, was born in Alabama, in 1839, a son of James and Hester A. (Busby) Greenlee, natives of Ireland and Alabama, respectively. They were married in Sumter connty, the latter State, wlicre the father died in 1880, on the farm lic had entered from the Government in 1832

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

He came from Ireland at the age of twenty- five years, was in Alabama at the time of the treaty with the Chocktaw Indians, in 183-, and assisted in moving them into the present State of Mississippi. He was a large slave-owner before the late war. Mr. Greenlee was twice married, first to the mother of our subject, and they had six children, five of whom grew to years of ma- turity: William, who was killed at Jones- boro, Georgia, in 1863; Mary, wife of H. L. Bennett, of Mississippi; James, deceased; Robert, our subject; John, deceased. The mother died in 1842, and in 1847 the father married Miss Lealı Wiggins, a na- tive of Alabama. They were the parents of eiglit children, six now living, namely: Elizabeth, wife of J. B. Lee; John J., of Epes Station, Alabama; Hugh, a resident of the same place; Isabella, wife of Thomas Fitzpatrick; David, of Alabama; Virginia wife of Thomas Lee.

Robert Greenlee, our subject, took charge of the negroes on his father's plant- ation at the age of eighteen years, which lie continued until the opening of the late war. In 1861 he joined Company A, Thirty-sixth Alabama Infantry, com- manded first by Colonel Smithi. He took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Look- out Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Rock- face Mountain, Mill Creek Gap, Resaca, New Hope Church, Atlanta (where he was under fire forty days), and Jonesboro. At the latter place two of his brothers were killed. Our subject was then sent with General Hood on his disastrous raid into Tennessee, was in the battle of Nashville, and his brigade was drawn in line at the battle of Franklin, but were not ordered to

make the charge. They then retreated back to Alabama, stationed at Fort Blakely, engaged in the defense of Mobile, and re- treated to Meridian, Mississippi, where the command surrendered. Mr. Greenlee was a non-commissioned officer throughout the war, and at its close was Sergeant of his company. He had his clothes pierced by several balls and pieces of shell, but was never wounded or captured, and lost only two days from active service, during which time he was in the hospital at Marietta, Georgia.

After the close of hostilities our subject did not resume his agricultural pursuits until 1868, but from that year until 1882 he followed farming in Alabama. In the latter year he came overland to Texas, bringing his family and the old family ne- groes, who came by railroad. He purchased his farm of 473 acres in Dane county, then slightly improved, and for which he paid $6.25 per acre, cash. He now has 250 acres of the place under a fine state of cul- tivation, with good residence, barns, etc. In 1888 Mr. Greenlee was elected Justice of the Peace, and is now serving his second term in that office.

He was married in 1868, to Miss E. C. Johnston, a daughter of H. G. and Mary L. (Swilley) Jolinston, and a niece of Cap- tain R. B. Jolinston. Mr. and Mrs. John- ston were the parents of seven children, six of whom grew to years of maturity: E. C., wife of our subject; Mattie, wife of J. T. Bergin; H. G .; Irene, wife of W. W. Mc. Alpin; Catherine E., wife of Samuel Sandal; and Virgin D., now Mrs. T. Patton. Mr. and Mrs. Greenlee have liad nine children: Minnie, wife of J. T. Blackman; Robert,

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Fannie B., Ella J., Mariah S., Pearl J., Annie W., and two deccased in infancy. Both our subject and wife are members of the old-school Presbyterian Church. The former also affiliates with the A. F. & A. M., Gainesville Lodge, No. 375, and of the chapter at Corsicana. He has always been identified with the Democratic party.

R. THOMAS H. DENNIS has been a practicing physician of Limestone county since January 10, 1867, that being the date when he settled where he now lives, two and a half miles west of Groesbeck, upon the site of the old town of Louisville. Lonisville is no more, its population and trade, like that of Spring- field, having been absorbed by other towns which have sprung up in the connty since the advent of the Central Railroad; but at one time it was a place of some conse- quence, being such, in fact, when the Doc- tor located there. He has conformed to the changed position of things in every respect, save in abandoning his old home for a residence elsewhere he stands by his first choice.

Dr. Dennis came from Alabama to Texas, being a native of the former State. He was born in what was Macon, but is now Bullock county. He was reared there and lived there till his removal to Texas. He obtained his literary edu- cation at Dadeville and at the Baptist Male College at Talladega in north Ala- bama; he read medicine under Dr. P. M. Shepard, of the former place, and took medical lectures at the Charleston Medical

College at Charleston, Sonth Carolina, graduating in 1856. He began practice at Union Springs, in old Macon county, im- mediately after finishing his medical course, and was engaged actively in it at that place till his removal to Texas in 1867. Like many other men, he lost heavily by the war, and it was largely on this account and the changed condition of things which the war brought on he aban- doned his old home and songht another in a new country. When Dr. Dennis came to this country it had been organized over some twenty years, but it was still a stock country and had made no great progress, being but sparsely settled and practically unimproved. There were then residing in the county only five physicians, and probably not over 150 families. The peo- ple lived in settlements from five to fifteen miles apart, mainly along the streams and timbers, being pretty well scattered over the country. The Doctor relates that it was a common occurrence for a physician to answer calls as far away as fifteen and twenty miles, and that one was often called in consultation from a distance of forty miles. Those were the days when a physi- cian carried half of an apothecary's shop with him. and inight be expected to be called on to prescribe for any form of a disease, from an ordinary case of colic to an attack of malignant fever, or to set a broken limb or to extract a bullet from a " cow-puncher " or " border tough." In fact he must be physician, apothecary, sur- geon and oftentimes nurse. The medical man was supposed to know what was to be done, or whether knowing or not he had to do something, for probably he was the

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

nearest physician within twenty or thirty miles. Dr. Dennis says that there was not a case of surgical instruments nor a hypo- dermic needle in the county when he came, those brought by him being the first, as he was advised by the physicians who had been here since the country was organ- ized. But as an offset to the hardships and many disadvantages under which they practiced, the pay was certainly very good. If a physician was called to go twelve or fifteen miles to snatch some poor mortal from the jaws of death, when his mission was performed the grateful subject or some member of the family stood ready to pay the "accustomed fee," and that in cash, not in notes or " farm truck."

Dr. Dennis has always done a fair prac- tice. It has more generally been a round- about practice, and in recent years a coll- siderable portion has been done as a mat- ter of charity. He is a member of the State Medical Association, and has been for some years. He has been a Mason since 1857, and is a member of the K. of P.

In January, 1860, Dr. Dennis was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Day, a daughter of Martin H. Day. His wife was born in Macon, now Bullock, county, Alabama. She died in Limestone county, this State, in 1872, leaving four children surviving her, her eldest, Robert B., having died young. Those living are Percival Wal- -

lace, Mary E., Ida Irene, now the wife of James H. Welch, and Gertha.

Dr. Dennis has no relatives in this State except the inembers of his own fam- ily, his people, so far as they all survive, all living in Alabama. The father, Sum-

ervel Dennis, was one of the early settlers of what is now Bullock county, Ala- bama, going to that county in 1835. He was an Indian trader, an enterprising, ad- venturous young fellow, who pushed away from his home in South Carolina, where his people had resided for many years, and took up his residence in the wilds of Alabama. This gentleman was a soldier in the Mexican war and raised a company in the vicinity where he lived, and served as its commanding officer throughout the war with Mexico. His later years were passed in agricultural pursuits on the old homestead, where he had resided for more than half a century. He lived to the great age of 103, and died in 1888, still in the possession of all his faculties. Dr. Dennis' mother was also a South Carolinian by birth, but was brought by her parents to Alabama, where she married Mr. Dennis. She lived to the age of ninety-six and died in 1884. There are seven children in the family of which Dr. Dennis is a member, namely: James, a lawyer and planter, re- sides in Tallapoosa county, Alabama; Sumervel is a farmer of the same county; Mary Louisiana, wife of William Page, of the same county; Caroline, an unmarried sister, resides in the saine county; Solo- mon H. is a physician of Butler county; Virginia is the wife of Flen Higgins, of Decatur.

AMES W. ALDERMAN, a prominent farmer of Freestone connty, was born in Thomas county, Georgia, in 1848. He was a son of David and Eliza (Sweet-

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

man) Alderman, botli natives of Georgia. The Alderman family came from England, settling in North Carolina, from which State the father of onr subject removed to Georgia. The family have always pursued agriculture. The Sweetman family were also old settlers of Georgia and the name is well-known in agricultural districts there. David Alderman became very prominent in Democratic political life and once served as Sheriff of Thomas county. Before the war he was a large slave-owner and culti- vated large tracts of land. He lost his wife in 1850, and his own death occurred in 1866. They had been parents of seven children, one of whom died when small. Those who grew to maturity were: Martha, deceased, wife of B. F. Fudge; Amanda, wife of G. C. Denkle; Artimissa, wife of G. W. Green; Hannah, deceased, wife of J. C. Crump; David W., deceased; and J. W., our subject.

The latter attended the best schools of Thomasville, Georgia, but at the age of sixteen years he started out in life for him- self. At this time he joined Company E, Twenty-ninth Georgia Infantry and par- ticipated in the battles of Peach Tree Creek, Georgia, and on the 22d of July, 1864, in the battle near Atlanta, where General Walker of the Confederate forces and General McPherson of the United States service, both brave and gallant of- ficers, were killed. At this battle our sub- ject was taken prisoner and sent to Camp Chase, where he was retained until March, 1865, at which time he was paroled and then returned to Georgia, remaining there engaged in farming until the close of the war. He continued farming until 1877,

and then came to Texas via Galveston, locating within four miles of where lie now resides. When he reached here he had $30 in money. Immediately he en- gaged in farming on halves, continuing for four years. He then purchased 200 acres of his present farm, which was improved land, and for which he paid $10 an acre. Since then he has added 140 acres and now has the entire tract nnder cultivation. He has spacious and commodious buildings and all the appointments of a well ordered farm. For some time he has made a specialty of raising fine innles and horses, and that with the raising of cotton consti- tutes the main part of his business.

He was married in 1883, to Miss Ella Jordan, a native of Texas, daugliter of John D. and Jane F. (Mayo) Jordan. Mr. Jordan came to Texas in 1849, and was among the first settlers in this county. He engaged in farming and stock-raising until the war, when he entered the army, pass- ing through it safely, but died in 1873. His wife still survives and she and her husband had been the parents of twelve children, seven of whom grew to maturity, namely: Doddridge, of Navarro county; William, deceased; Thomas, of Erath county; Mattie, wife of W. Chancelor; John; Ella, wife of our subject; Mollie, wife of J. R. Jenkens; and R. D. Five children have been born to onr subject and wife, namely: Annie, David, Roger Q., Eula and Ella. Mr. Alderman is a mem- ber of the Cotton Gin Lodge, A. F. &. A. M., also of K. of H., Mexia Lodge. He received the nomination of the Democratic party in 1892 for County Commissioner, and has been a life-long Democrat. In

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

connection with the life of Mr. Alderman, we may mention his brother, David W., a brave soldier in the Confederate service. He was a member of Walker's division, Johnston's army and fought with distinc- tion during the war. At the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, in 1864, under Gen- eral Hood, D. W. Alderman and Samuel Thomas were the only men who crossed the second line of the enemy's works, and for this bravery their names were landed to the Secretary of War for promotion for heroic conduct. They were captured at the battle of Nashville, sent to Camp Chaseand there retained until the close of the war. David died in 1877, unmarried, in this county, to which he had come in 1872.

R. WATKINS, a druggist of Eu- reka, Navarro county, was born in South Carolina in 1823, a son of J. R. Watkins. The latter was a son of James W. Watkins, a soldier in the war for independence. The Watkins family came to Virginia with Captain John Smith when the colony of Jamestown was founded. After the war for independence, the great-grandfather of our subject moved to South Carolina, where James Watkins was born and reared, and where J. R. also was born. The latter moved to Georgia in 1831, at the age of eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins reared a family of eight children: Louis, deceased; William, deceased; Margaret, widow of Bradford Boyd; Sarah, widow of Eli Cotton; Ann, widow of James Houston; J. R., our sub- ject; E. P., a prominent attorney of

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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