A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume I, Part 93

Author: Paddock, B. B. (Buckley B.), 1844-1922; Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing co.
Number of Pages: 968

USA > Texas > A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume I > Part 93

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One of these sons, James Leander Alexander, was born in Tennessee, March 6, 1815, . and was married in San Augustine, Texas, to Miss Minerva Love, a daughter of Judge John G. Love, a prominent man in the early history of the state. He was alcalde at San Augustine during the time Texas was a republic and he lived in a large house built of logs and erected at a period when transporta- tion facilities were so meagre that it was almost impossible to get lumber into the new settle- ment. The Love family came from Missouri to Texas. Minerva Love was born in the former state and came to Texas with her father in her early girlhood. Mr. Love was actively inter-

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

ested in early affairs of the state and the family history is interwoven with the annals of Texas in pioneer times. During the Mexican war the father was an active participant in the struggle and while he was at the front some of the ladies of the household rendered assistance to the men by molding bullets for their rifles, Minerva Love assisting in this work.

James L. Alexander removed from San Au- gustine and with his family settled near where Terrell now stands in what afterward became Kaufman county. This was in 1844. Among the early settlers of that section of the state were Judge W. D. Irvine, R. A. Terrell and James L. Alexander, who had married sisters and in this way became interested in and associated with each other. Mr. Alexander made his home near Terrell up to the time of his death, which oc- curred December 12, 1859. He had been mar- ried to Minerva Love on the 19th of January, 1840. These dates were recorded in an old fam- ily Bible that belonged to Horatio Gates Alex- ander and passed from his possession into that of his son, James Leander Alexander, and is now in possession of his son Franklin G. Alexander, being over a hundred years old. Minerva Love Alexander died in the spring of 1881. The father had followed the occupation of farming and stock raising, finding in Texas an ideal coun- try for carrying on those pursuits. Unto him and his wife were born eight children, seven sons and a daughter, but only two lived to ma- turity and are still surviving, namely: James M. Alexander, who was born December 1, 1843, and is now a resident of Breckenridge, Stephens county, Texas; and Franklin G., of this review.

erate army and after the close of hostilities he was married and settled in Kaufman county, whence he afterward removed to Stephens county. This left the care of the mother almost solely to Franklin G. Alexander, who remained with her and assumed the management of the home place, which, however, had been greatly devastated and reduced in its financial value by the ravages of war. He resided in Kaufman county until 1874, when he removed to Hunt county, spending his time upon a farm there un- til 1878. On the 26th of September of that year he was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary M. Henry, a daughter of A. H. Henry, one of the earliest settlers of Kaufman county living in the neighborhood of what is known as College Mound, seven miles southeast of Terrell. Mr. Alexander continued to reside in Hunt county until the spring of 1881, devot- ing his time and energies to farming and stock raising. At that date he sold his little place in Hunt county and returned to Kaufman county, taking up his abode on a place that was given to Mrs. Alexander by her father. Mr. Alexander still had his little bunch of cattle which he brought with him from Hunt county. Soon af- ter his return to Kaufman county he entered into a business arrangement with his father-in- law, whereby he was to fence about two thou- sand acres of land and gather up the remnant of his bunch of cattle. In doing this he made a trade with a man named Matthew Cartwright, of Terrell, Texas, who had a large stock interest in Kaufman county. He worked with him through the years 1882 and 1883 and made a contract with him to bring his (Cartwright's) cattle to Haskell county in the spring of 1884 for the purpose of getting better range for the stock. Mr. Alexander disposed of his interests in Kaufman county with the exception of one hundred and forty-eight head of cattle which in connection with Mr. Cartwright's cattle he shipped to Cisco, this being the first lot and the second lot to Baird, from which places they drove through to Haskell county, establishing his headquarters at a little town which had just been started and at that time contained but two families, while in the entire county there were

The latter was born in Kaufman county, De- cember 24, 1854. Shortly after his father's death his mother was prostrated by a stroke of paral- ysis which caused her the loss of the use of her right side and impaired her mind to a consider- able extent. There were four children who sur- vived the father's death, including James M. Alexander, before mentioned; Joseph L., who died February 21, 1865, at the age of seventeen years and four months; and John G. Alexander, who died September 22, 1869, at the age of twelve years and two months. The first named served throughout the Civil war in the Confed- only two other families. One of these was fif-

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

teen miles northeast and the other the same dis- tance southeast of the town. Here Mr. Alex- ander proceeded to build a house, which became the home of his family. The country was en- tirely new, not a plow having been put into the ground, every condition being just as it was left by the hand of nature. Antelope and other game could be had in abundance and had not yet become fearful of the white man, being so tame as to be easily approached. At that time Haskell county was unorganized and for judicial purposes was attached to Throckmorton county. It was not long afterward, however, before the possibilities of this section became known and other settlers flocked in and took up the land, being termed in cowboy language as "nesters." The county has ninety per cent of good land fit for cultivation. There is excellent water supply, fertile soil and a splendid climate. These attrac- tions were noted by the outside world and it soon became necessary owing to the increase in population to take measures to have the county organized, which was done after a petition had been circulated and signed with a sufficient num- ber of names. The organization was perfected by act of the legislature in January, 1885, with the county seat at Haskell. On account of the settlers arriving here in large numbers Mr. Alexander became convinced after a period of seven years that it would be impossible to use the country much longer as a cattle range. His- family too had increased in size and desiring to establish a home for his wife and children Mr. Alexander severed his connection with Mr. Cartwright and after disposing of his own cattle and a tract of land that he had purchased he. bought a stock of merchandise which had been opened at Haskell by Johnson Brothers and turned his attention to commercial pursuits. He formed a partnership with R. S. DeLong & Company under the firm style of F. G. Alexan- der & Company. Some changes have since oc- curred in the firm and in January, 1893, the busi- ness was incorporated under the name of the Alexander Mercantile Company, with a capital stock of sixty-five thousand dollars, the present stockholders being F. G. Alexander, S. B. Street, Henry Alexander, W. L. Hills and C. L. Mays. In addition to the main house at Haskell they also have a branch house at Mundy in the

adjoining county. This has become a leading mercantile enterprise of this section of the state and has been largely developed through the en- terprising efforts, executive force and keen busi- ness discrimination of Mr. Alexander, who is a man of resourceful business ability and carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Alexander have been born ten children, of whom nine are now living, six sons and three daughters, namely: Andrew Henry, Ethel, Raymond D., Wallace, Matthew, Fred, Frankie, Mary and Marvin. The eldest child, Maud, died December 23, 1891, at the age of fourteen years.

Mr. Alexander has been a member of the Methodist church for nearly twenty-seven years and for eighteen years has affiliated with the Ma- sonic fraternity, in which he had advanced through successive degrees until he has become a Knight Templar. He is a notable example of what is termed a self-made man. In his younger days he did not have the advantages for obtain- ing a school education but on the contrary was compelled to work hard in order to make a liv- ing for himself and for those dependent upon him. Having given a number of his best years in an entirely new country to earnest labor and to the development of the section in which he was located his education has been secured largely from practical observation and experi- ence. He is thoroughly acquainted with the country, having traveled over a vast portion of it with cattle before the settler thought of pos- sessing it. He has been an eye witness of its succeeding growth and development and has borne a helpful part in all that has been accom- plished. The lessons of frugality and thrift which he learned during his younger days have served him well in after years and as a business man he has been successful, while the mercan- tile house of which he is the head has a large trade and is well and favorably known through- out this western country. There are many traits of character and good qualities possessed by Mr. Alexander beside those shadowed forth be- tween the lines of this review and which have made him a citizen of worth and gained for him the warm friendship and favorable regard of those with whom he has been associated.

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

SAMUEL EGNEW SCOTT. A quiet and honored citizen of Jack county whose baronial possessions on Ten Mile lie on both sides of the common boundary of Jack and Clay coun- ties comprising a farm and ranch-one of the chief estates of that beautiful, undulating prai- rie-is Samuel E. Scott, whose advent to the county dates from the year 1875 and whose achievements here mark him as one of the fac- tors instrumental in bringing to the county its present state of domestic development. First as a settler on Crooked creek, where he im- proved what is now the Pickett farm, and then to the grassy sward of Ten Mile, we find in him and in his progeny a citizenship worthy of public confidence and greatly to be desired.

Mr. Scott is one of those settlers who came to Texas by degrees and stages, having begun his journey and having stopped some years in the state of Arkansas, residing in Saline and other counties, and on coming to this state stopped for a brief time in Tarrant county, en- gaging in the pursuits of the farm at the various points while so en route. His birth occurred in York district, South Carolina, January 22, 1844, a grandson of the Irishman from Bellewana, John Scott, who founded the family in the Pal- metto state during the days of slave-owning and the moneyed aristocrats of the south. A Miss Egnew became the wife of John Scott and their children were: William, who died in South Carolina; Samuel, Mary and Sarah, all died un- married; and John, the father of our subject.

John Scott Jr. was about fourteen years of age when the family left Erin's Isle and he passed his youth on a slave-burdened planta- tion, yet learning the shoemaker's trade. He became a planter himself, in time owned slave labor and won substantial results by his efforts in the several walks of life. He married Sarah White, who died in Arkansas in 1859, passing away in Dallas county, while he himself died in Prairie county, in 1858. Of their issue, Mary passed away unmarried; Amelia is a resident of Bowie, Texas; Nancy, wife of W. L. Smith, of Jack county ; Ada, widow of F. G. Brantsford,

of Newport, Texas; and Samuel E., the third child and subject of this notice.

Having been taken into Arkansas Mr. Scott was brought up amidst the primitive conditions of that state and his advantages for an educa- tion were of the most meager sort. He man- aged to learn to read and write. He enlisted in Company C, Third Texas Cavalry, having come to the Lone Star state in 1859 and stopped in Cherokee county. His colonel was Greer and his regiment was under Gen. McCulloch. He fought at Wilson Creek, and Elkhorn, crossed the Mississippi in 1862 and participated in the battles of Corinth and Iuka, then Chickamauga and helped to recover the Confederate retreat to Atlanta. He took part in the Atlanta cam- paign and when the city fell he returned north with Hood and helped fight the battle of Frank- lin and on this march was taken prisoner and incarcerated at Camp Morton, Indiana, and there held to the end of the war. He reached home, in Arkansas, in May, 1865, and resumed civil pursuits there as a farmer until 1874, when he brought his family to Texas and made his temporary stop in Tarrant county.

He began at the bottom of the ladder, after the war, as was the rule with the rank and file of the Confederate soldiers, had not even a change of clothes. There was nothing left him but his muscle and an ample stock of industry to work it and this resource has been ever pres- ent since and is responsible for his favorable financial condition today. He brought little to Jack county with him beyond a team and wagon and the fifteen hundred acre farm which he now possesses speaks in meaning terms of his achievements on Texas soil.

Mr. Scott was first married in Arkansas, Jan- uary 10, 1869, to Miss Mary McKnight, who died after four years of married life. The two children of their union are: Emma, wife of W. S. Graves, of Lone Grove, Indian Territory, with children, Ollie, Rupert, Clinton, Noah ; Adda Scott married James Daugherty, resides in Grayson county. For his second wife, whom he married in 1874, Mr. Scott chose Miss Mary

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

Hayes, a daughter of John Hayes, of Tennessee.

drawn upon either in private practice or in the Of the children by this marriage, Lela married " duties of public office. The first four years of W. H. Boyd, resides at Carlsbad, New Mexico, his practice were passed in western Texas, and since then he has had his office in Sherman. and is the mother of Inoris; John, of Jack county, married Sallie Wells and has a son, Ford; Lee; Winifred, of Jack county, married Othello Nelson and has a daughter, Opal; Ber- tha, wife of J. D. Reeder, of Jack county, has no children, and Roscoe, Effie, Maud and Ruth complete the family circle.

Mr. Scott is a Democrat and a Missionary Baptist.

HON. GUILFORD P. WEBB, county judge of Grayson county in his second term of service, for the past fifteen years a repre- sentative of the legal profession, most of the time as a successful lawyer in Grayson coun- ty, is a native son of the Lone Star state and was born at Mantua, Collin county, March 7, 1861. His parents were W. H. and Jemima A. (Spearman) Webb, and his father is a Missourian by birth and is now a resident of Coleman county, this state. He served throughout the Civil war as a Confederate soldier, and his lifelong occupation has been farming and stock-raising, in which he is still engaged. Judge Webb's mother was born in Tennessee, and came to Texas in 1854, being married to W. H. Webb in Grayson county, where for several years previous she had been engaged in teaching. She died at the old home in this county in 1874, and of her family of children four are still living, Guilford being the only son.

Judge Webb was reared to manhood on the parental farm in Grayson county, where he also gained his preliminary education. He was educated at Savoy College in Fannin coun- ty, having completed his education from that well known institution in 1883, and then for the following five years was engaged in teach- ing school. With a berth in the legal profes- sion as the goal of his ambition, he became a law student under the tutorship of Captain . Jim Woods, the well known Sherman jurist, and was admitted to the bar in 1889. Since that year his time and talents have been fully

During his career as a teacher in this coun- ty he was appointed the first superintendent of public instruction in Grayson county, just 'after the adoption of the law authorizing that office. In 1896 he was elected city attorney of Sherman, and filled that office four years. In 1902 he became candidate for the county judgeship and was chosen that year and re- elected in 1904, this being an office for which his broad experience with men and his judicial mind well fit him.

Judge Webb has been interested in practical and theoretical politics ever since attaining manhood, and for the greater part of his active career has been a worker for the cause of good government and progressive local and national policies. While, a resident of Coleman coun- ty he served as county chairman of the execu- tive committee, and in that capacity and as a stanch believer in conservative Democracy he assisted in defeating the strong Populistic movement in western Texas. For a number of years he has been a regular campaign speak- er for the Democracy in state and national politics, and his tact, his personality, his sin- cere convictions, and his persuasive ability make him both popular and influential in this cause.

Judge Webb is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is affiliated also with the Woodmen of the World and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and his family are members of the Christian church. He has been married twice. In 1885 he married Miss Eugenia Brooks, who died in 1896 leaving three children, Vida, Spearman and Charles, the last named having died in February, 1904. Judge Webb married his present estimable wife in 1897. She was Miss Ida T. Brooks, a sister of his first wife.

JOSEPH BYBEE. The real upbuilders of a town or community are the men of business activity, who, recognizing the possibilities for advancement and accomplishment, carry on suc-

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

cessfully commercial or industrial enterprises and promote progress along substantial and permanent lines. Of this class Mr. Bybee is a representative and is well known as a merchant of Dye, who has contributed largely to the im- provement and upbuilding of the town. He was born in Monroe county, Missouri, August 22, 1855, and was reared to farm life, acquiring a liberal elementary education in the common schools. His youth was passed in the home of his parents, Garland G. and Helen (Tuggle) Bybee, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, William Bybee, was likewise a resident of Ken- tucky for many years but removed to Missouri and spent his remaining days in Monroe county, that state. He was a member of the Baptist church. In his family were five children : Joseph, Garland G., James, Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Higgins, and William.

Garlend G. Bybee was reared and married in Missouri and concentrated his energies upon farm work there until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when he joined the Confederate army and served throughout the period of hostilities. At the close of the. war he was in General John- ston's command and under General Price was taken prisoner, spending four months in the pris- on at Alton, Illinois, after which he was ex- changed. He was never wounded but underwent usual hardships and experiences of military life. Returning to Missouri he resumed farming and remained a resident of that state until 1884, when he came to Montague county, Texas, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in 1888, his remains being interred at Dye. He voted with the Democracy and was a mem- ber of the Missionary Baptist church. His was a hospitable, genial nature and he greatly en- joyed the companionship of his friends. Unto the poor and needy he was charitable and help- ful. His first wife died in Missouri in 1859. He had one brother, George, and others whose names are forgotten. To Mr. and Mrs. Bybee were born six children: John, who was a Con- federate soldier and died while being held as a prisoner of war: Robert, deceased; William, of

the Indian Territory; Martha E., the wife of L. Glascock; Joseph, of this review; and George, who is living in Harvey, Texas. After losing his first wife Mr. Bybee married Miss Lydia Riggs, of Missouri. They had three daughters : Nannie, the wife of James Barnes; Mrs. Mollie Deems ; and Sallie. The mother of these daugh- ters passed away in Texas.

Joseph Bybee remained in his father's home until 1877, when hoping that he would have bet- ter business opportunities in Texas he made his way to Montague county, where he has since resided. He began teaching school here and followed that pursuit for five years, having charge of the second school ever held in Dye. Later he bought land and began the develop- ment of a farm, a part of which he yet owns. He was thus connected with agricultural pur- suits for three years. He bought land from the state of Texas and gave a lot to Hugh School- field, who built a store and established the first mercantile enterprise. Later Mr. Bybee plotted and sold the lots that formed the town of Dye and not long afterward he sent a petition to the postmaster general and secured the establish- ment of the postoffice. He was appointed post- master, acting in that capacity for eight years on one occasion, and then after the lapse of an- other presidential term he was again made post- master, serving for four years longer. He had also built a store building and began merchan- dising in August, 1882. He has thus been iden- tified with business interests in the town with the exception of a period of four years, and con- ducts a general store and also deals in farm im- plements, buggies and wagons. The town has grown up around him and there is now a good school here, a Methodist church, a cotton gin and other business enterprises and the popula- tion numbers one hundred. When he came here it was an open country and free range and only a small amount of farming was done. This was considered rather as an experiment than as an established industry, for the cattle business was the real source of livelihood to the settler at that time. The county seat was at Montague and a log structure was used for a jail. There

Marshall . S. Pierson

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

was only one cabin between Dye and Montague and no roads had been laid out. One could ride. over the prairies or through the timber, follow- ing blazed trails. Mr. Bybee has seen the coun- try develop and is familiar with all of the changes that have occurred. At one time he knew all. the prominent men in the county and he yet has a very extensive and favorable acquaintance. In connection with merchandising he is handling cattle to a greater or less extent and has also bought and sold land, yet holding about six hundred acres. He has good pasture lands and does some farming but largely rents his cul- tivable land.

Mr. Bybee was married in 1880 to Miss Luella A. Hutton, who was born in Missouri in 1859, a daughter of James E. and Fannie G. (Logan) Hutton, both natives of Missouri, the former a farmer by occupation. Mr. Hutton arrived in Texas in 1872, first settling in Grayson county, and for three years was a resident of Denison. He then bought the land near the present site of Dye and located thereon, improving a farm which he made his home until his death in 1891. He voted with the Democracy and belonged to the old-school Presbyterian church. He pos- sessed a social nature and progressive spirit and was prominently identified with the development of the country in the vicinity of Dye. His wife still survives him and yet resides on the old homestead at the age of sixty-three years, and she, too, is a member of the Presbyterian church. In their family were six children : Luella A .; Kate, the wife of R. T. Weatherbee; Mary, the wife of F. M. Savege; Effa, the wife of J. C. Kimball; Pearl, the wife of G. W. Bybee, and Gertie, the wife of William Yarbro.

Mr. and Mrs. Bybee have a daughter, Ruby C., now the wife of A. R. Stout, of the Indian Territory. They have also adopted an orphan, to whom they gave their name, Bessie C. Bybee. She has lived with them since two years of age and has now reached the age of nine years and she receives from them tender care and con- sideration.

Mr. Bybee has always been an earnest advo- cate of Democratic principles and on one oc-

casion was nominated for county treasurer. His attention, however, has largely been given to his business interests. He is, however, a member of the Woodmen of the World and possesses a social nature that has gained him many friends. During his residence in this county he has con- tributed in very large and substantial measure to the work of development and may well be termed the founder of Dye. He belongs to that class of representative American men, who, while promoting individual success, also contrib- ute to the general welfare.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume I, Part 93

Author: Paddock, B. B. (Buckley B.), 1844-1922; Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing co. Number of Pages: 968

Author: Paddock, B. B. (Buckley B.), 1844-1922; Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing co.
Number of Pages: 968