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 95

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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95

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).

C. P. Grizzard received only a limited education, and at the age of twenty years, in 1869, he came to Freestone county, Texas. The country was then only thinly settled, and he began life with but little means. He was first employed as a farm laborer, receiving $20 per month, and later engaged in teaming, receiving as higli as $35 a month. He worked for wages four years, after which he began farming for himself, and now owns a fine place of 350 acres, 150 acres under a good state of cultivation. Mr. Grizzard erected the second steam cotton gin in this place, and now gins annually from 800 to 1,000 bales. During the years of 1880-'81-'82 he was engaged in the grocery business at Wortham, and during the spring months he sells steam engines, cotton gins, grist- mills and other farm machinery.

Our subject was married, in 1871, to Mrs. Lucy Bennett, a daughter of R. B. Longbothamn. To them have been born four children, three now living: Mattie, Allie and Henry. Mrs. Grizzard had three children by her former marriage: John A .; Mary A., wife of Albert Smith;

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

and Lulu, now Mrs. C. A. Gray of Bosque county. On subject and wife are mem - bers of the Primitive Baptist Church, and the former affiliates with the A. F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F. and the R. A. M., Long- botham Lodge, No. 428. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat.

M. BYERS, deceased, one of the pioneer settlers of Navarro county, was born in the State of Alabama. He received only a limited education, and came to Corsicana, Texas, in 1847, where he was the first merchant of the place. He hauled his goods from Houston in a wagon, and did a profitable business until the opening of the late war. He owned most of the land on which Corsicana now stands. In 1859 he sold his interests in this city and moved to Mount Pisgah, where he opened the first store, but lost heavily during the war, having at one time lost his store by fire and also suffered from the depredations of the cow-boys. While a resident of Corsicana, James Kerr of this city was in his employ a number of years. After the close of hostilities Mr. Byers added farming to his mercan- tile interests, owning a fine farin of 250 acres, where he also followed stock-raising. He was a prominent member of the Ma- sonic order of Corsicana, and was a man inuch loved by the people of the county. After selling liis home at Monnt Pisgah, he died in this county on his way to Car- roll county. He was three times married, first to Mary Millard, a native of Ala- bama, and they had two children: J. E,

onr subject, and Bettie, deceased, who was the wife of George Tankersley. The mother died in 1846, and in 1850 Mr. Byers married Nancy Kemp, and after her death he married Fannie White. Two children were born to this union: Lerna, deceased, and Leora, married.

J. E. Byers was born in Red River county, Texas, in 1845, and at the age of seventeen years he joined Captain Melton's company, and served with luis brigade at Velasco. He was then transferred to Captain Brown's battalion, and while serv- ing on the coast, participated in several skirmishes. He was next transferred to Mosley's Light Artillery, and took part in the battles of Mansfield, Yellow Bayou, Pleasant Hill and in all the engagements fought by Banks while making his cele- brated raid np Red river to Shreveport. Mr. Byers was then discharged from the Confederate service, and after returning home engaged in the stock business, in buying and driving to Shreveport and New Orleans. Ten years later he began agricultural pursuits, and now owns a farm of 200 acres, 100 acres of which are under a fine state of cultivation, with splendid residence, outbuildings, etc. In 1889 Mr. Byers embarked in business in Wortham, which, in connection with his farm, he has since successfully conducted.

Our subject was united in marriage, in 1865, with Miss Mary F. Nash, a native of this county, and a sister of H. C. Nash; also a half-sister of Captain C. Fouty, the histories of whom will be found in this work. Mrs. Byers is one of the eldest ladies now living, who was born in Na- varro county. Our subject and wife have

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had ten children, seven of whom still sur- vive: Zora, wife of Benton Bates, a farmer of Freestone county; Victoria, now Mrs. David Strickle, of Navarro county; Lee, Edgar, Irene, Nora and Henry.

ILLIAM M. PETTY, one of the substantial farmers of Anderson county, Texas, was born in Ala- bama, in 1842. His father, Ewell Petty, was a Methodist minister, born in Ala- bama, and dicd after reaching Anderson county, in 1851. He married Miss Eliza- beth Curry, whose brothers were: Jack, a resident of Alabama; Tom of Falls connty, Texas, and David of Milam county, Texas.

Mr. and Mrs. Petty became the parents of the following children: Thomas, born in 1832, married in Fairfield, died during the war; Martha, deceased, married John Clark; Ann, deceased, married D. W. Payne, a dentist in Austin; Robert, born in 1838, died in 1880; J. W., a successful farmer of Anderson county; and our sub- ject.

The educational opportunities of our subject were very poor, but the little edu- cation that he did obtain, supplementing his natural ability, has made for him an enviable reputation as a business man who is carving out a successful career. When the trouble came on in 1861-5, Mr. Petty entered the Confederate service as Ser- geant of Company K, under Captain Parks in Colonel Hubbard's regiment. In 1863, after one year of service, he was made wagon-master, as he was not strong and was unable to perform heavier duty. He

participated in the fights of Jenkins' Ferry, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and Yellow Bayon. From this time on there was little fight- ing, and the command was disbanded at Hempstead in May, 1865.

When Mr. Petty reached home he found the family in straitened circumstances and he set abont the building up of his lost fortunes, and soon succeeded in ameli- orating their condition. Upon September 12, 1867, our subject was united in mar- riage with Miss Margaret, the daughter of Greenberry Fane, from Georgia, who had married Miss Susan Russell and had reared eight children. Mr. and Mrs. Petty are the parents of six children: Ewell G., Robert, Susan, John, Thomas and Link.

The first tract of land that Mr. Petty ever owned he bought in 1868, and this contained 200 acres. This he disposed of, and in 1871 he bought the place where he now lives, containing 360 acres, eighty of which is under the plow. In 1891 he pro- duced thirty-two bales of cotton. He always has a surplus of horses and cattle. He makes his own meat and has not bought twenty-five bushels of corn in twenty-seven years, or since the war. He has adopted the principle of "pay as you go" and finds this a certain road to inde- pendence.

T. WESTMORELAND, one of Dawson's successful business men, was born in Maury county, Tennessee, in 1840. His father, John W. Westmoreland, was born in Mecklenburg county, Virginia, in 1812, and in 1837

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

located in Virginia, where he was a promi- nent business man. In 1866, he returned to Arkansas from Texas, and died in 1871. His father, Robert Westmoreland, was born in Virginia in 1780, and married a Miss Pennington, also a native of that State. Our subject's mother, nee Eliza- beth Park, was a danghter of Samuel Park, of Georgia, and a Revolutionary soldier. The parents of our subject had the follow- ing children: W. T., S. R., John A. and F. F.

W. T. Westmoreland had only slight educational opportunities, and his knowl- edge has been attained principally by actnal contact with business men and their meth- ods. In 1862 he enlisted in the Nine- teenth Texas Cavalry, under Colonel Nat. M. Burford, and served in the Trans-Mis- sissippi Department. He was on Marma- duke's raid, saw some fighting on the Mis- sissippi river, was captured in Louisiana, and soon afterward paroled. He rejoined his army at Hempstead, served throngh the remainder of the struggle, and dis- banded on the Little Brazos. One year later our subject removed to Arkansas, but, not being satisfied with that State, he located in Hill county, Texas, near Mount Calm. Nine years ago he came to Na- varro connty and engaged in merchandis- ing, where he recently formed a partner- ship with his son. They carry a stock of $3,500, and our subject also owns a small farm in Hill county. In his social rela- tions, he is a member of the Masonic order.

Mr. Westmoreland was married in 1868, to M. A., a daughter of Hardy Jones, an early settler of this State. Two children

were born to this union, Dalton and Ella B. The wife and mother died in 1881, and in September, 1865, the father mar- ried Lulu, a daughter of Henry Coleman. They have had two children, Mary Ann, deceased, and Winnifred.

RESTON OWEN, a successful busi- ness man of Navarro county, was born in Montgomery county. Texas, in 1844, a son of Nelson Owen, a native of Louisiana, born in 1812. The latter grew to manhood in his native State, after- ward engaged in freighting and farming in Harris county, Texas, later moved to Montgomery county, and in 1852 came to Navarro county, where he died in 1879. He was a man of limited education, but acquired an extensive general knowledge, was universally recognized as a man of sonnd judgment, and was a devoted mem- ber and Steward of the Methodist Church. His parents, Samuel and Hettie (Prather) Owen, were natives of Kentucky. Our subject's mother (nee J. White) was born in Lonisiana, a daughter of Solomon and Mary White. Mr. and Mrs. Owen were married in Louisiana, in 1835, and were the parents of nine children, viz .: Jesse, deceased; Eliza, deceased, was the wife of William Nobles, of Navarro county; Pres- ton, our subject; the fourth child died ir. infancy; Martha, deceased, was the wife of J. L. Gage, of this county; Nelson and Valentine. died in infancy.

Preston Owen came with his parents to Navarro county in 1852, and his early life was spent in attending school and stock-

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES. .

raising. From 1862 to 1864 he was en- gaged in furnishing beef to the Confeder. ate army, after which he enlisted in Com- pany A, under Captain Warren, and in Johnson's battalion. The command dis- banded at Houston, and our subject then returned home and began farming on leased land. The following year he bought land where he now lives, and in 1883 came to his present home. Mr. Owen began life for himself at the age of nine- teen years, with comparatively nothing, but has since inherited $3,000, owns 2,000 acres of land, 350 acres under culti- vation, 60 head of cattle and 150 head of horses. Socially, he is Secretary of the Masonic order, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F.

In 1872 he was united in marriage with Anna Fortson, a native of Mississippi and a daughter of Ben Fortson, also a native of that State. Mrs. Owen came with her parents to Texas, locating near Chatfield. Our subject and wife have had four chil- dren: Minnie Lee, a student of the fe- male college at Waco; Loyd Nelson and William, deceased; and Pearl, at home. The family are members of the Methodist Church, of which Mr. Owen has been Steward for many years.

UGUSTUS L. BURLESON, a prom- inent farmer of Navarro county, was born in San Augustine county, Texas, June 8, 1836. His father, Joseph Burleson, was born in North Carolina, in December, 1800, afterward moved to Ala- bama, next to Missouri, then to Tennes-

see, and about 1834 came to Texas. He farmed one year in what is now Bastrop county, after which he moved to San Au- gustine county. He first farmed on rented land in that county, but afterward ac- cumulated property until he owned a league of land on Red river, in Cass county, which he sold for $3,000. In 1854 he purchased 2,775 acres in Navarro county, where he remained until his death, De- cember 24, 1877. Mr. Burleson had served. in numerous Indian expeditions, and was a brother of General Edward Burleson, of Texas State fame, also a second cousin of R. C. Burleson, professor of Baylor Uni- versity at Waco. He acquired consider- able property in this county, and was also largely engaged in the raising of mules and cattle. He owned many negroes at the opening of the late war, and had also given to each of his married children.

August L., the subject of this sketch, received a fair English education, and be- gan life for himself at the age of twenty- one years, as a farmer in this county. In 1861 he joined Captain Moody's com- pany, Colonel Griggs' regiment, which was Company G, Seventh Regiment of In- fantry, served in the Trans-Mississippi De- partment, and participated in the battles of Fort Donelson, Fort Pemberton and Vicks- burg. Mr. Burleson was twice captured, first at Fort Donelson, was sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where he was held seven months. He then joined the army at Vicksburg, after which he served in Wall's Legion, Captain Bradley's company, until the close of the war. After returning home our subject resumed farming, and he now owns a fine place of 500 acres,

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

with 100 acres cultivated, and a good resi- dence. He also owns 180 acres of land in Freestone county.

Mr. Burleson was married in 1863, to Miss Snsan Bonham, a daughter of M. M. Bonham, the history of whom will be found in the sketch of M. L. Bonham. To this union was born three children: Mary F., wife of T. J. Curry; Joseph S., deceased; and M. B. The wife and mother died in 1869, and in 1871 the father married Miss M. A. Wilson, a native of Houston county, Texas, and a daughter of B. F. and Mar- garett (Murchison) Wilson, natives of Ten- nessee, and early settlers of Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Burleson have had eight children: James, Lanra B., B. F., Richard C., An- gustus, Herbert, Solon and one deceased. Mr. Burleson is a Deacon in the Mission- ary Baptist Church, of which his wife is a member as was also his former wife.

E. A. WILLIAMS, M. D., a snc- cessful physician and well known

0 farmer of Anderson county, Texas, is the subject of the present sketch. He came to Texas in 1866, and settled in this county, seven miles east of where he now lives. After his arrival here he practiced medicine exclusively for a time, and then bought some land. His first purchase was of raw land on Brushy creek, and he opened a farm there which he afterward sold and bought a tract of 640 acres, which he opened up and made into a nice farm. This was the second farm he improved in the county. Since that time he bought another farm of 320 acres with improve-

ments on it, and has a home farm of 100 acres under cultivation and hires help for a part of his land and some of it he rents. On the farmn he always makes all home supplies in the greatest abundance.

Our subject was born in Pickens dis- trict, South Carolina, March 15, 1841, and was educated at an academy in the county and at the age of nineteen he began the study of medicine. Dr. William Robin- son, an excellent physician, was his pre- ceptor, and after our subject had been nuder his tuition for six months he was prepared for his course of lectures. From the college at Charleston, South Carolina, he left in March, and in April, 1861, he enlisted in the Confed- erate army, entering Company I, Fonrth South Carolina Infantry, for twelve months, and at the expiration of this time he organized a company of sharp- shooters, known as the Palmetto Sharp- shooters, and continned with that nntil the final surrender. They were attached to the brigade known as General Jenkins' brig- ade. Onr subject saw hard service and was in almost every hard battle in the cam- paign in Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, in General Longstreet's division.

At Seven Pines our subject received a gunshot wonnd through the left elbow, by which he lost two months from active serv- ice. At the siege of Petersburg he re- ceived a shot in the head, and the effects of this rendered him nnable for duty for six months-in fact, it never healed until aft- er the war. Abont three days before the closc of the war he was captured, but three honrs after he was retaken and the Federal captors were also taken. At the time of

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

the surrender Mr. Williams was at Appo- mattox Court House, and received a parole and returned to his home, where he took up his medical studies, and graduated in the winter of 1865-'66.

In May, 1865, Dr. Williams married and moved to Texas. He is the son of Jeremiah Williams and the grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was a planter in South Carolina, and in that State lie married Miss Charity Stanton, whose father also was a native of the Pal- metto State. Our subject was the youngest child of sixteen, and fifteen of this large family lived to be grown. The mother gave up seven sons to the army, and, re- markable as it may seem, all returned but one alive, and one died after the war was over from trouble contracted in the army. Two brothers of the family came to Texas in 1855, one of these is dead and the other, C. B., is living in Henderson county. The parents have passed away, the father in 1854 and the mother in 1876, both in South Carolina.

Our subject married Miss Elizabeth Pickle, a daughter of Crawford Pickle, of South Carolina, who came here in 1868, and settled in this county. He bought a claim and opened a farm where he remained until his death in September, 1882. His family consisted of six children, and all of these came to Texas and are all living in the State. Before the war Mr. Pickle was a merchant and was the Postmaster at Will- iamston, South Carolina, but after coming to this State he engaged in farming. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Will- iams, as follows: Lena May, who mar-

ried Rev. J. B. Sweeney, pastor of the Christian Church at Taylor; H. C., who is clerking in a store at Palestine; Ralf S., who was accidentally killed February 15, 1886; Graham, Charity, Una, Anna B., Paul M. and Ada V. Mrs. Williams was born May 28, 1845, and both she and her husband are among the most valued of the members of the Christian Church in this place. Dr. Williams does not aspire to office, but as a man of intelligence he has been quite a leader in politics in the county. He holds membership with the Knights of Honor.

Y. DAVIDSON, one of the pio- neer settlers of Navarro county,

6 Texas, was born in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, April 20, 1826, a son of William and Jane (Fleming) Davidson, natives of South Carolina. They removed to Tuscaloosa county, Alabama, in 1818, where the father engaged in farming, but soon after the birth of our subject they went to Pontotoc connty, Mississippi. In 1851 they took up their residence in Texas, stopping in Brazos county two years, and then purchased the farm of 1,500 acres where our subject now re- sides, paying $2 per acre for eighty acres, and $1.50 for the remainder. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson remained on that place from 1853 to 1861, when the father died, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife sur- vived him until 1869, dying in her eigh- tieth year. They were the parents of eleven children, namely: Nancy, deceased, was the wife of Jacob Dansbery ; Catherine, de-

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

ceased; Caroline, deceased, was the wife of James C. Allen; Elizabeth, deceased, was formerly Mrs. Allen S. Jones; Harriet, deceased, was the wife of William Stone; Elijalı F., a resident of Fauco; M. L., de- ceased; W. Y., onr subject; Matilda J., deceased, was the wife of Edward Garlic; Missouri, deceased, was the wife of Dr. T. M. Carter; Robert S., deceased.

W. Y. Davidson, the subject of this bi- ography, was educated in the common schools, and in the Cherry Creek Academy, of Mississippi. He came to Texas with his parents in 1851, and the following year located on the farm where he now re- sides, within 400 yards of where his dwell- ing now stands. The farm is located sev- enteen miles southeast of Corsicana, and at the time of his settlement that place contained only two grocery stores and sa- loons combined, and two small dry-goods stores. Mr. Davidson and his father did their trading at Houston. Indians were rarely seen in the county until after the late war. Our subject farmed on a sınall scale, but raised considerable stock, giving his attention principally to sheep. Before the war he owned about 2,000 head, but since that time he has raised as many as 3,500 head. He is rated as one of the most extensive stock-men in this section of the country. In 1862 Mr. Davidson joined Captain Hurlbut's company, Colonel Speights' regiment of Texas State troops, and after his term of enlistment joinedCom- pany B, Colonel Bass' regiment, serving in Arkansas, Missouri and the Indian Na- tion. During the last two years of the war he was one of General Cooper's es- corts, was in many skirmishes, and was

slightly wounded near Cane Hill. While a member of Company B he was appointed First Sergeant, and while serving as an escort was a member of Captain Miller's company, and Colonel Mills' battalion. After his surrender at Hempstead, Texas, Mr. Davidson at once resumed the voca- tion he had laid aside for his country's aid, that of farming and stock-raising. Since 1880 he has given his entire attention to his farm of 1,100 acres, 400 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation.

In 1869 he was united in marriage to Miss Ann Robinson, a native of Freestone county, Texas, and a daughter of James and Eliza (Bonner) Robinson. Bothı fam- ilies were pioneer settlers of Texas, having come as early as 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have had ten children, viz .: Mary A., deceased; Eliza, deceased; Bon- ner, wife of Enphratus Meadows, of this county; Carrie, deceased, was the wife of H. Shelton; John L., the next in order of birth; Tulette, wife of Frank Blanchard; and Bessie, Sallie, Maggie and James R., at home. The wife and mother died in 1883, at the age of thirty-eight years. She was a member of the old-school Presby - terian Church. Mr. Davidson takes an ac- tive interest in politics, having been a strong supporter of the Democratic party from his boyhood.

OHN N. PETTY, one of the promi- nent farmers of Anderson county, a son of an early settler, came with his parents to Texas in 1849, settling in this county. Here he grew to manhood, but

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

obtained only a limited education, as he was reared entirely on a farm. He became fond of an agricultural life, and with the exception of his army service, lias followed it ever since. His father died about 1850 and he remained with his widowed mother and assisted her in keeping the family to- gether until the opening of the war in 1861, when he entered the army, enlisting in Company G, First Texas Infantry, Hood's brigade, and was assigned to the army of Virginia. He was then under General Lee, in Longstreet's corps, and participated in all the principal battles, the first one being Gaines' Mill, and the last one Appomattox, and was with the army that surrendered to General Grant. Our subject passed safely through all the dan- gers of war until the last battle, and there he received a slight wound across the fore- head; neither was he captured, although he came very near it while retreating from Gettysburg. After all these years of hard service, he received his parole, started for home, walking all the way from Appo- mattox to Montgomery, Alabama. Later he worked his way the best he could with- out money, many days going without eat- ing, and begging what he did have.

In 1866, he married and began business for himself, and in 1867 removed to Shelby county, where for two years he farmed rented land. He then returned to this county, where he boughta farm and worked it one year, subsequently selling, and then he and his brother bought another farm, our subject selling his interest some time after. In 1878 he bought a tract of land consisting of 160 acres located in the woods, where he went to work and has since made

an excellent farm of it. He now has sixty acres in cultivation, some of which he manages himself, the rest of it he rents on halves. His land seems well adapted to cotton, corn and oats and abundantly pro- duces all the commodities needed for home consumption.

The birth of our subject took place in the State of Alabama, January 13, 1840, a son of Enal. and Elizabeth (Curry) Petty, natives of Alabama, and a grandson of Micajah Petty, a farmer of South Carolina, who died in Alabama. The father of our subject was a Methodist minister for many years, also a farmer, and married Miss Elizabeth Curry, a daughter of Wylie Curry, an early settler of Texas who was killed at the battle of San Jacinto. Our subject was the fifth child of a family of six born to them, namely: Thomas F. had been a soldier in the Confederate army, but died at home from the effects of army service; Martha L. married John Clark, but is now deceased; Ann L. married Dr. Dan W. Payne, a dentist of Palestine, and is now deceased; Robert died in 1888, after serving in the Confederate army, leaving one son, William, who is a farmer of this county. The mother of the family died in 1874, aged about sixty-four years. She had lived a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for forty years, and died in full faith of a blessed hereafter.

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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