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 97

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 97
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 97
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 97
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 97
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 97
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 97

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).

a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Our subject is a pronounced Democrat of the old school, although he takes no great interest in politics. He has never aspired to public office, yet his influence is sought by the local politician.

OSEPH HUEY, one of the representa- tive citizens of Navarro connty, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1827, a son of John Huey, who was born in that State in 1785 and died in 1836. The latter's father, John Huey, was also a native of Pennsylvania, of Irish- Scotch ancestry, and a soldier in the Amer- ican revolution. The father of our subject was married at the age of thirty-two years, to Margaret, a daughter of John Cavitt, and they had the following children: John, of Bellevue, Iowa; Joseph, our subject; Robert M. was the next in order of birth; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of John R. Beatty; William K., now deceased; Solomon, also deceased.

The subject of this sketch, Joseplı Hney, received only fair opportunities for securing an education. Having a growing desire for some kind of independent em- ployment, he left school early in life and began learning the blacksmith's trade. He followed that occupation three and a half years in Birmingham, Pennsylvania, when the Southern fever took possession of him, and Mr. Huey ponnded iron the greater part of the next two years in Natchez, Mississippi. In 1850 he made his mother a visit in Pennsylvania, and, after return- ing to Natchez and collecting money due

him, he landed at Galveston, Texas, Jan- nary 15, 1851. He immediately started north, going first to Houston, and in the fall of 1851 arrived in Anderson, Grimes county. Our subject then concluded to locate in this community, and again re- sorted to the anvil and hammer as a means of support, having been relieved of his ready cashı by some sly pioneer. Being of a saving disposition, his labors brought him sufficient money for his living, and he also saved enough to start a business, and later he began purchasing negroes.

In 1859 Mr. Iney married Mary, a daughter of Norman Peters, a native of Connectient, who subsequently moved to New York State, where Mary was born. Our subject immediately returned from Illinois, where the ceremony took place, and went to Texas with his wife. In 1862 he entered the Confederate service. Hle was detailed to keep stage teams shod for the line operating between Shreveport and Navasota. In 1863 he enlisted in El- more's regiment, but was soon afterward again detailed to continne blacksmithing. which he followed until the close of the struggle. After returning home our sub- ject fonnd himself financially ruined, as compared to his former holdings. He first engaged in buying cotton,. bnt later em- barked in the tin and stove business at Navasota, in partnership with E. F. Mess- grove. In August, 1867, Mr. Huey took his family to Anderson, Grimes county, but November 1, of the same year, formed a partnership with H. A. McDonald in the tin, stove and hardware business at Bryan. Two years later he bought Mr. McDonald's interest in the business and

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continued it in Calvert, where he was en- gaged until the fall of 1870. Kosse, Limestone county, then became the seat of his operations until May, 1871, when he moved to Groesbeck; a few months after- ward located in Corsicana, continuing the same business. In 1879 he sold out to F. W. Caruthers, and in September, 1871, formed a partnership with James Garrity in a private banking business. In July, 1886, this institution was converted into the First National Bank of Corsicana, with our subject as vice-president. Capital stock, $125,000; surplus, $75,000. In 1872 Mr. Huey opened a wholesale and retail hardware house in Dallas, in com- pany with Simon Philp, wlio liad learned his trade while in his employ. The firm now carry a stock of $100,000, and do a business of $275,000 per annum. In July, 1879, Mr. Huey organized the Dallas Safe Deposit and Savings Bank, assisted by his son-in-law, A. V. Lane, and in 1892 this institution nationalized, with a capital stock of $150,000, with Joseph Hney, president; A. V. Lane, vice-president; Paul Furst, cashier, -under the name of the Mercantile National Bank. Our subject is variously interested in Corsicana, where lie and Captain Garrity own the Commer- cial Hotel; he was one of the successful operators of the Corsicana Compress for seven years; is a stockholder in the flour- ing mill and other enterprises. He served as County Commissioner when the court- house was erected, and was an influential member of the City Council in 1873-'74.

Mr. Huey's family consists of three daughters: Kate E., wife of J. E. White- selle; Ella, now Mrs. J. A. Hughes, of

Denver, Colorado; and Lulie, wife of A. V. Lane, vice-president of the Mercantile National Bank of Dallas, and at one time was professor of mathematics in the State University. Mr. and Mrs. Huey have four children deceased, namely: Joseph C., Albert, Lillie B. and Josephine. In poli- tics Mr. Huey is a Democrat.

ILLIAM M. YARBROUGH .- Our subject, a citizen of Chand- ler, Henderson county, Texas, is one of the oldest settlers and most promi- nent men of the county. He was born in Smith county, Texas, March 27, 1849, the son of Harvey and Margaret A. (Miller) Yarbrough, natives of Alabama, the par- ents emigrating to Smith county, Texas, in 1848, where the father engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising, until 1880; then came to this county, in which he died the same year. The latter was known as Col- onel Yarbrough, being commissioned with that rank in the volunteer service during the war with Mexico; but his regiment did not get into active service. His superior education gave him prominence in Texas, where he took quite an active part in poli- tics, although he was not in any sense an office-seeker. His influence was great, and was eagerly asked for by those who sought to secure official positions. During the war between the States of the Union he served two years in the Confederate army, chiefly in the defense of the coast of Texas. His money, as well as his services, were given to the cause that was lost. His large body of slaves were taken from him,

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

and other serions losses were sustained by him; yet he put the best face possible upon the state of things and went to work after the war as a farmer and a stock-raiser, in which he succeeded fairly well.

When Colonel Yarbrough first settled in Smith county, Tyler was a village of three or four houses and about fifty inhabitants. Court was held in a small log house; mills were scarce in the county and farmers had to go long distances for their grist. Game, with the exception of buffalo and antelope, abounded; and it was possible for one to enjoy life, even if his pocket-book was empty. The colonel owned quite a large tract of land, which he divided among his children. He was a member of Tyler Lodge, A. F. and A. M. and of the I. O. O. F., of the same place. Colonel Yar- brough was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, as also is his wife, who survives, at the age of sixty-seven, making her home with her son, our subject. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom lived to the age of maturity, onr sub- ject being the eldest. Their names were as follows: Mattie, deceased, wife of Robert Jackson; Tempie, wife of V. S. Smith, of Anstin; Harvey, deceased; Columbus, de- ceased; Laura, wife of James Minchin, of this county; Richard, of this county.

Our subject was reared upon the farm and received only the very limited instruc- tion then afforded in Texas frontier schools. He went to work for himself at the age of twenty-one, although he remained upon his father's farm until his twenty-third year; then went to farming and stock-rais- ing upon a farm eight and one-half miles north of Tyler, property of his father. The

father then purchased a farm north of this place, and our subject tilled the old home farm for a number of years. In the year 1877 he purchased for himself a farm of 600 acres, improved, for which he paid $5 an acre, and upon which he now lives. But he has since added to it until he has 1,638 acres, with 350 of it in a fine state of cul- tivation. He also owns a farm of 338 acres, with 130 under cultivation, with a store and another lot of land (350 acres), unimproved. All of this property he has made by his own exertions, after having lost several thousand dollars by bank fail- ures in Tyler, in 1892. Mr. Yarbrough raises horses, mules and cattle; the horses being graded with Norman-Hambletonian blood, the cattle improved by crosses with Durham, Jersey and Holstein stock. Our subject has never married, and cares for his aged mother.

J. McCONNICO, a merchant and farmer of Birdston, Navarro coun- ty, was born in this county in 1855, a son of L. D. and Elizabeth (Bonham) McConnico, natives of Alabama. They came to Texas in 1853 or 1854, although the father had spent one year previous to this in this State, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. He did not take part in the late war, but gave liberally of his means to support the cause. In 1867 he removed to Galveston county, where he owned one of the best improved farms in the county, on Richland creek; in 1869 he went to Polk county, eight years later to Tyler county, and three years afterward

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

broke up housekeeping and now makes his home with his children, being in his sixty- fifth year. His wife died in April, 1889, at the age of sixty years. Mr. and Mrs. McConnico were the parents of eleven children, namely: C. T., of Kerens; Mary C., wife of James Cook, of Lynchburg, Texas; Russell, wife of James Shaw, of Galveston county; Mattie, wife of A. B. Quinn, of Birdston; C. J., our subject; J. B., of Angelina county; W. W., of Birds- ton; Susan, widow of Jeff. D. Shaw, and a resident of Galveston county; Sophia, wife of O. W. Johnston, of Galveston; and Jesse L. and Nina, deceased.

C. J. McConnico received only a limited education in the common schools, but since acquiring man's estate has qualified him- self with a fair business training. He began life for himself at the age of twenty years as a hired hand in this county, re- ceiving $5 per month, and worked for wages four or five years. He spent a part of his earnings for his education, and witlı the remainder of his little capital engaged in the mercantile business at Winkler. Two years later, in 1885, he moved to his present place, where he has since been suc- cessfully engaged in mercantile pursuits. Mr. McConnico first formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, W. S. Grayson, and they began business with only $800 cash capital, but for many years our sub- ject has handled from $10,000 to $15,000. Besides his mercantile interests, he is en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, owning a fine farm of 350 acres, 100 acres of which is under a good state of cultivation; also has a herd of 100 head of cattle, and all of this property Mr. McConnico has accumu-

lated by his own exertions. He began life for himself in 1875, with only a caslı capi- tal of $2.50, lias always had the reputation of being an industrious and honest gentle- man, and few men in Navarro county de- serve more praise than he.

Our subject was married in 1883, to Miss Kate Grayson, of Freestone county, and a daughter of Dr. T. B. and Carrie Grayson, a sketch of whom appears in this work. Mr. and Mrs. McConnico have five children, viz .: Carrie B., Thomas G., Lill- ian, Garner L. and Mary B. Both Mr. and Mrs. McConnico are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and the for- iner is also Junior Warden of Birdston Lodge, No. 333, A. F. & A. M. He takes an active interest in politics, voting with the Democratic party.

C. HAMILTON, a successful farm- er of Navarro county, was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, a son of E. C. Hamilton, a native of Virginia. The latter was a son of James Hamilton, a native of the same State. The great-grand- father of our subject was a native of Ire, land, and a Revolutionary soldier, E. C. Hamilton was a farmer and school teacher by occupation, and was considered the most eminent scholar of his day, having taught in the highest schools. He died in North Alabama in February, 1857. He married Miss Nancy O'Neill, a native of that State, and they had nine children, two of whom reside in Texas,-our subject, and N. S., a farmer of Navarro county. Three of the sons served in the late war, two in

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

the Northern and one in the Southern army, and two died while in service.

C. C. Hamilton enlisted in the Confed- erate army in 1861, entering Company F, Fourty-fourth Tennessee Infantry, in the Army of Tennessee, and under General A. S. Johnston. He participated in the bat- tles of Shiloh, siege of Corinthi, Shelton's Hill, in the raid through Kentucky, at Munford's, on Green river, and many others. He was captured at Murfrees- borough, taken to Nashville, and a short time afterward to Camp Douglas, Chicago, having been in captivity from January, 1863, to June, same year. He was ex- changed at Cedar Point, Virginia, after which he joined his command at Chatta- nooga. He obtained a furlough in the fall of 1864, and returned home on a visit, but never returned to the army. In 1872 Mr. Hamilton located in Navarro county, Texas, and at that time had a wife, two children, and $25 in money. He first farmed on shares and worked at anything he could find to do until the second year, when he bonght a horse on credit and raised a crop. At the end of three years he bought fifty acres of raw land, the fol- lowing year erected a box house, and has been steadily improving and adding to the farm. In 1890 he bought the place where he now resides, consisting of 320 acres of well-improved land. He rents the old home farm, and, with the assistance of his sons, gives his entire attention to the cul- tivation of his new place.

Mr. Hamilton was married in Decem- ber, 1868, to Miss Betty Moody, who was born December 3, 1843, a daughter of John Moody, a native of Virginia. The

latter went to Tennessee when a young man, where he married Miss Ann Beal, a member of a pioneer family of that State. His death occurred in 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Moody were the parents of four chil- dren, of whom Mrs. Hamilton is the youngest child. One brother died when young, and a sister is married and resides in this State. Margarette was three times married, first, to S. W. Birdwell, who was killed in the army. Her second husband was George Smith, and the third was S. Mosely, a farmer of Navarro county. Sarah, another sister, married W. R. Bon- ner, a fariner of Hunt county.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have had eight children, seven now living, viz .: Addie A., wife of Dr. J. W. K. Green, of Blackfoot, Anderson county; James J., at home; Emmet E., John J., Daisy F., Walter M. and Fred L. Mr. Hamilton is a Demo- crat in his political views, and both lie and his wife are members of long standing of the Missionary Baptist Church.

AMES K. BEENE is one of a large family who are well and favorably known in Freestone county, where their father, William Beene, settled in 1860. Mr. Beene, Sr., was born in 1808, in Tennessee, where he grew to manhood,

and then removed to Mississippi and suc- cessfully engaged in agriculture. While there he was prominently identified in the politics of that State, representing Itawam- ba county in the Legislature, and later was elected to the Senate, serving fifteen years in both houses. In the fall of 1859 he

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

came to Texas and settled near Centreville, Leon county, but remained there only a year, when he purchased the present home of our subject, where he resided for a number of years. He now makes his home with his son-in-law, I. R. Beets, having at- tained the ripe old age of eighty-four years. He is a man of strict integrity and more than average intelligence, and now, in his declining years he has the comfort of knowing that nothing but good can be said about him. The Primitive Baptist Church has had an active member in him for over fifty years. His parents were natives of Tennessee. The mother of our subject, Isabella (l'atton) Beene, was a native of Tennessee and the daughter of John Patton, natives of the same State. Mrs. Beene died June, 1888, after a mar- ried life of sixty years, she having been married to Mr. Beene in 1828. Twelve children were added to their family as fol- lows: the first two died in infancy; Rus- sell O., a farmer of Freestone county; Samuel Shelton, a farmer and stockman of Leon county; Reuben W., a farmer of Freestone county; William P., deceased; subject; Samuel Houston, a farmer of Freestone county; Obadiah J., deceased; Thomas J., deceased; Sarah E., wife of I. R. Betts of Freestone county; and Ida Em- eline, deceased, was the wife of James Sawyer.

Our subject was born in 1843, in Miss. issippi, and in 1859 came to Texas with his parents, with whom he continued to reside until 1869. In 1862 he enlisted in Company G, commanded by Captain Tur- ner, Madison's regiment, C. S. A. He was wounded at Pleasant Hill and was taken to

the hospital, where he remained only a few hours. Mr. Beene served until the close of the war, being on the Little Brazos at the time of the surrender.

In 1869 he located on a farm five iniles north of Marquez, where he remained eight years, and then settled where he now resides. He began life for himself when only nineteen, and without any assistance has acquired a nice competency, now being the owner of 320 acres of land and 100 head of cattle and such other stock as are necessary to carry on a large farm.

Mr. Beene was married in 1869, to Miss Emily N. Baty, danghter of Andrew and Mary Baty. Mr. and Mrs. Beene are the parents of four children, namely: William A., at home; Mary Bell, also at home; Thomas F., deceased, and Dora Eugene. Mr. Beene is a stanch Democrat, having ardently supported that party since attain- ing his majority. Few men in Freestone county enjoy a more enviable reputation for those qualities considered necessary for the true development of a man than he whose name opens this brief sketch.

OHN W. BENNETT, of Hornhill, Limestone county, is a son of James W. Bennett, son of Townsend Bennett, son of John Bennett. The latter was born in South Carolina and moved to Tennes- see toward the close of the last century or early in the present century, where he was a pioneer and an old Indian fighter. The latter part of his life was spent in Ken- tucky and Tennessee. His son, Townsend Bennett, was born in Franklin county,

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Tennessee, and was reared in that State and Kentucky, later moved to Alabama, thence to Missouri, and in 1854 to Lime- stone county, Texas. He died in this county in 1855, at the age of fifty eiglit years. He was an early pioneer, a promi- nent Indian figliter, and a farmer and stock-raiser. He was married in Tennes- see, to Mary Runnels, and they had the following children: Malinda, wife of G. W. Jackson; Lucretia, wife of Thomas MeGrew; Betsey Ann, wife of Thomas Townsend; Lucinda, first married A. Bel- lington, and afterward Dock Shed; John, James W., William, George and Townsend.

James W. Bennett, the father of our subject, was born in Jackson county, Ala- bamna, May 25, 1827. He was reared there and in Dade county, Missouri, and accom- panied his parents to Texas. October 22, 1858, he married Nancy E. Tucker, a daughter of Spottsford D. and Pauline M. Tucker. In 1859 Mr. and Mrs. Tucker settled on the farm three miles north of Hornhill, then consisting of 350 acres of unimproved prairie land. In Oc- tober, 1861, he entered the Confederate army, joining Company B, Tenth Texas Regiment, and was elected First Lieutenant of his company at its organization. After the resignation of his captain, which oc- curred about six months after the company had entered the field, he became Captain, and was actively engaged in commanding until he fell before Atlanta, July 22, 1864. He was an efficient officer and a brave soldier. He left surviving him a widow and one son, John W. An older son, Thomas S., died in infancy. After the father's death, the mother married, Decem-

ber 13, 1866, A. M. Perry, and after his death she became the wite of L. E. Estes, December 25, 1880. She and her last named husband now occupy the old home- stead with the subject of this sketch. They have added to the original purchase until it now contains about 1,200 acres, 300 acres of which is cultivated. It is one of the largest, best improved and most desir- able places in the vicinity of Hornhill and Honest Ridge.

The management of this place is in the hands of Jolin W. Bennett, our subject, who was born there February 16, 1861, and with the exception of a few years lias passed his entire life on the farm. Decem- ber 19, 1887, he married Annie Harring- ton, who was born and reared in Limestone county, a daughter of Judge John A. Har- rington, then a resident of this county bnt now of Galveston. Mr. Bennett is a wide- awake, intelligent and progressive young farmer, a man of force of character, and destined to make a mark in the world.

G. JAMESON, M. D., chief surgeon of the International & Great Northern Railway, Pales- tine, Texas, was born in Camden, Wilcox county, Alabama, January 8, 1856, his father, Dr. T. Y. T. Jameson, being a na- tive of the same State, born November 27, 1827. He graduated at Transylvania Uni- versity, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1855, and practiced medicine in Alabama until 1859, when he came to Texas, locating at Rusk, Cherokee county, where he remained until his death, which occurred September 9,

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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

1888. Dr. Jameson was a inan who de- voted his life to his profession, in which he achieved a fair degree of success. His wife survived him two years, dying June 5, 1890.

Our subject was the only child and was reared in Rusk, Cherokee county, this State, and was reared at the Texas Military Institute at Austin. Early evincing a taste for his father's profession, he read medi- cine under him, and graduated from the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, in 1878, after which he began practice at Rusk. Afterward he took a post-graduate course at Bellevue Hospital Medical Col- · lege, New York city, in 1880-'81, being immediately afterward appointed surgeon to the East Texas penitentiary, located at Rusk, which position he held until Sep- tember, 1892, when he received the ap- pointment of chief surgeon of the Inter- national & Great Northern Railway. Dur- ing the entire time of his service as sur- geon to the penitentiary he engaged in a general practice. Dr. Jameson is a mem- ber of the State Medical Association, and attends post-graduate courses at different institutions as occasion offers, seeking in every way to improve his already extensive knowledge and wide experience in his pro- fession. He takes a great and active inter- in his profession, devoting himself closely to it, and consequently has become very proficient in the surgical branches. He also belongs to the Masonic order; K. of P .; K. of H .; American Legion of Honor; A. O. U. W. and I. O. O. F.

Dr. Jameson was married, April 27, 1882, to Kate A. Mallard, a daughter of J. J. Mallard, of Rusk. Mrs. Jameson is a

native of Dallas, Texas, and has borne her husband four children, namely: Bessie, Mattie, Willie and Kathleen. It is the in- tention of the Doctor to make Palestine his home in the future. He is a very ef- ficient and skillful physician, and has in- spired che confidence of the entire com- munity, who feel that he is fully competent to fill the position to which he has been re- cently appointed. Although still a young man in years, Dr. Jameson is old in his profession, and no case is considered to be too difficult for him to manage.

A. BUCKINGHAM, a merchant of Dawson, Navarro county, was born in Bedford county, Tennessee, in 1846, a son of T. H. Buckingham, who was born in Tennessee in 1819. The lat- ter's father, Peter Buckingham, was a farmer and blacksmith by occupation. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, partici- pated in the battle of New Orleans, and took an active interest in the politics of his State, having been identified with the Whig party. He was assassinated by a political enemy during the campaign of Hugh L. White and Van Buren. His wife, nee Nancy Beard, was a daughter of Major Hugh L. Beard, a Revolutionary soldier. The following children were born to this union: Jane, Nathaniel and Elizabeth, de- ceased, Mary, Nancy Caroline and T. H. The latter moved to Texas in 1854, settling in Anderson county, where he remained until 1869, and in that year came to Na- varro county. He was formerly engaged in farming and stock-raising, but has now

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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

practically retired from active business. During the war he served in the Quarter- master department, but was never regularly enlisted, and the only office he ever held was that of Postmaster of Kickapoo, An- derson county. In 1844 he married Miss Jane, a danghter of K. Morgan, of Ten- nessee. They had three children: Sarah C., John Thomas, and Albert M., deceased; and J. A., our subject. The wife and mother died in 1852, and the following year the father married Mary Anglin.

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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