A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume I, Part 95

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 95

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In Masonic circles Mr. Foster has high rank. He was made a Mason in 1876 in Kaufman county, Texas, received the Royal Arch degree in 1889 at Albany, Texas, and was initiated into the mysteries of the Scottish Rite from the fourth to the thirty-second degrees inclusive, at Waco, Texas, in April, 1891. He is at present Worshipful Master of Haskell Lodge, No. 682, High Priest of Haskell Chapter, No. 181, and Grand Visitor of the sixteenth district of Texas, the counties composing this district being the same as the sixteenth congressional district. He has been more active, perhaps, in promoting Masonic interests here than any other man in the county.

›In church matters also has Mr. Foster been prominent and influential, aiding in the support of all the Christian churches of Haskell. In the fall of 1885 he assisted in the organization of the First Baptist church of Haskell, serving as its first clerk, and continuing through the past twenty years as an active worker and leading supporter of the church. He also assisted in the organization of the first Sunday school in the town and was its first superintendent.

In Belknap, Young county, Texas, in 1886,

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

Mr. Foster married Miss Dora B. Lee. In his family are four children: Una L., Arthur C., Mildred A. and Adina. The eldest daughter is a graduate of Shorter College at Rome, Georgia, and is now in Boston, Massachusetts, attending the Massachusetts Normal Art School. There were also three other children who died in in- fancy.

DAVID P. McCRACKEN. In pioneer days the McCracken family was founded in Mon- tague county, where the subject of this re- view has now lived for many years. He has devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, and is also classed with the enterprising mer- chants of Hardy. His birth occurred in North Carolina, November 17, 1845, his parents being Enos and Charlotte (Rogers) McCracken, both of whom were natives of North Carolina. The paternal grandfather was of Irish descent and was an early settler of North Carolina, where he became a large land owner and prosperous farmer. He possessed good business ability and secured land that enabled him to give good farms and homes to each of his fourteen chil- dren. He remained upon the old homestead in North Carolina up to the time of his death. Among his children were: Ack, David, John, Russell, Enos, Harmon, James, Joseph and six daughters. Of this family Enos and Joseph came to Texas and the latter died in Cooke county.

Enos McCracken spent his youth in the state of his nativity and after his marriage settled there and began farming. In 1858, however, he sold his property in that state and the follow- ing year came with his family to Texas. He raised one crop on a rented farm in Cooke county and in 1860 came to Montague county, settling near where the town of Hardy has since been built. Here he pre-empted one hun- dred and sixty acres of land and also bought an improved farm, whereon he settled. His efforts in a business way contributed to the material progress and improvement of the com- munity. His homestead has since been known as the Enos McCracken survey and in its splen-

did appearance it indicates his life of industry and perseverance. Cattle raising was then the principal industry of the people and many re- garded it doubtful if farming could be profit- ably carried on here, but Mr. McCracken de- voted his attention to the tilling of the soil, as well as to stock raising, and followed that pursuit until his death on the 28th of July, 1863. In the early days the Indians occa- sioned considerable trouble to the settlers, who found it necessary to make raids upon the red men because of their thefts and also because many settlers lost their lives at the hands of the treacherous savages. Mr. McCracken, how- ever, took part in no battles with the Indians, who, however, became more hostile at a later date. In politics he was a Democrat, and while in North Carolina filled the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. He was also captain of a militia company in the days of the general muster. He came to Texas in the hope of being able to provide his children with good advantages in a business way here and they owed him a debt of gratitude for making it possible for them to develop business interests on their own account here. He possessed highly creditable social characteristics and made for himself an honored name in harmony with his professions as a member of the Mis- sionary Baptist church. His wife, surviving him, carefully reared their children, doing for them as only a mother can do. She died in 1884. Her father, Mr. Rogers, of North Caro- lina, was a well-to-do farmer of Scotch descent, and was a devoted Methodist, dying in that faith at a ripe old age. His children were: Thornton; Newton, of Gainesville; William ; Mathew ; Taylor ; Doc ; and Mrs. Charlotte Mc- Cracken. To Mr. and Mrs. McCracken were born twelve children: James, deceased; M. J. C., of Oklahoma ; Mrs. Sally Masoner; David P .; Joseph, a farmer of this neighborhood; F. Reed, of Donley county, Texas; Mrs. Molly Berry ; Mrs. Rachel Piland; C. Tip, of Kansas ; Mrs. Dorthula Jackson; Mrs. Victoria Egleson of the Indian Territory ; and Enos, of Kansas. The last two were born after the removal of the

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

family to Texas and the first two were soldiers of the Confederate army throughout the Civil war.

David P. McCracken was born in North Carolina, and with his parents came to Texas when about fourteen years of age. He assisted in the arduous task of developing and improv- ing a new farm and then started out in life on his own account. Following the death of his father he lived with his widowed mother and assisted her in her struggle to provide for her family and keep her children together, but the hostility and depredations of the red men proved a great hindrance. They stole all the horses the family owned and spread a feeling of alarm through the locality. The settlers were constantly on the alert and it was neces- sary to make many raids after the Indians. D. P. McCracken was on a number of these runs, trying to recover stock. The Indians always made their raids on moonlight nights, stealing and running off stock and killing the settlers. The frontiersmen placed all their horses to- gether and took turns in guarding them. Mr. McCracken was acting as guard one night when he saw an Indian approaching and shot him, but according to the custom of the red men several of his companions carried off the body. The Indian, however, who was shot, died. It was through the vigilance of Mr. Mc- Cracken that the entire herd of horses was saved. He saw the bodies of many men and women on the plains who had been killed by the Indians and he was the first to discover the dead body of John Leatherwood, and of Fitzpatrick and his wife, and A. Parkhill, all of whom were carried to the McCracken home. The total killed on that raid were sixteen men, women and children. The settlers continued to be constantly annoyed by the Indians until 1872, and after the big raid in 1868 the Mc- Cracken family removed to Whitesboro, from which point different members of the house- hold made trips back and forth to the ranch for two years. They then returned to settle permanently upon the farm. Great changes have occurred in the country since then, as the

district has become thickly settled, towns and villages have sprung up and the land has been reclaimed for the purposes of cultivation and stock raising.

Mr. McCracken remained under the parental roof until December 24, 1871, when he married .Miss Winnie L. Thompson, who was born in Georgia in 1853, a daughter of William and Polly (Gan) Thompson, the former a native of Georgia and the latter of Tennessee. In 1870 they came to Montague county, Texas, where the father conducted farming, purchasing and selling four or five tracts of land. Later he bought a good farm in Wichita county, where he remained until his death in 1881. While in Georgia he served as sheriff of his county, and he was also influential in political circles in Texas. In his family were seven children: Barry, Joseph, Nathan, Harm, Mrs. Susan Tid- well, Winnie L. and Mrs. Lizzie Masoner.

A year after' his marriage Mr. McCracken pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he yet owns, and to this he added two other surveys, and also bought the inter- est of the other heirs in the homestead. He owns a total of four hundred and sixty acres and three well improved farms, all of which he now rents. He placed his first farm under cul- tivation and made substantial improvements there, continuing upon that place until 1882. In the three farms he has two hundred acres un- der cultivation, and his labors have been at- tended with a gratifying measure of success, as he has carried on the work of tilling the soil and raising stock. Much land was yet open for pre-emption when he came to the county, and milling was done at Farmington, while it was necessary to go to Sherman for supplies, and the cottom market was at Jeffer- son. Game of all kinds was plentiful and there were a number of kinds of wild beasts in the country, including the Mexican cougar and bear.

Mr. McCracken continued in active farming until 1882, when he and his brother, F. R. Mc- Cracken, built the second business house of Hardy and engaged in merchandising. After

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

two years he purchased his brother's interest and carried on business alone for three years, when on account of failing health he closed out his stock and remained out of business for a few years. He still retained possession of his property, however, and resided in the village, where he erected a commodious residence that he now occupies. In 1894 he resumed opera- tions as a merchant and is still an active factor in trade circles. Hardy was established in 1880, the first store house being erected in that year and business commenced there. The post office was established in 1882 and Rube Hardy was the first postmaster. The village has a population of two hundred and has two stores and a postoffice, also a large school, a black- smith shop and cotton gin.

Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have a family of three children : Nora, the wife of J. G. Griffin, a farmer; W. Pearl, the wife of C. F. Phillips, a farmer and stock raiser; and L. Mabel, the wife of W. S. Denton, also an agriculturist. Mrs. McCracken is a member of the Missionary Baptist church. Mr. McCracken exercises his right of franchise in support of the Democracy, and served two years as deputy sheriff, but has never been active as a politician, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business af- fairs, which have been capably conducted and have brought to him a gratifying measure of success.

MRS. TOBITHA DUNN before her mar- riage was Miss Tobitha Ingram, who was born ten miles west of Denison and is a daughter of Clark Alexander and Martha (Scannon) Ingram, both of whom were natives of Ohio. They were married in that state and soon after- ward came to Texas, Mrs. Ingram being at that time but fifteen years of age. They set- tled ten miles west of Denison, where Mr. Ingram took up a tract of government land of one hundred and sixty acres and there he de- voted his time and energies to general agricul- tural pursuits until his demise. He was one of the early settlers of what is now called Pres- ton Bend, near the Red river, and on the land of which he was formerly the owner oil has

been found and wells are being bored by a syn- dicate of Denison capitalists. Mr. Ingram died at the age of forty-seven years, while his wife passed away at the age of fifty-nine years. In their family were twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, of whom six are now liv- ing, as follows: Ellen, the wife of James Ar- nold; Sarah, the wife of Anthony Malcom; Kate, who married William H. Easton; Mar- tha, who married Albert Abbie; Tobitha, who is now Mrs. Dunn; and Ida, the wife of Wil- liam Farley. The father served as a soldier of the Confederate army, enlisting with the troops from Tennessee.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dunn were born three children: Harry, Nora and Mabel, all natives of Denison. Mrs. Dunn removed with her chil- dren to the farm and began the improvement of the place, which is located five miles south of Denison and half a mile east of the Wood- lake interurban station. Some of the land is black soil, some a light sandy loam, some red sandy loam and other portions a mixed soil. The farm is splendidly adapted for the produc- tion of fruits, berries, vegetable products and all kinds of farm crops and she now has an excellent orchard of mixed fruits of five acres. She has recently erected an attractive residence on this place and has a number of tenant houses. Gas has been found on the property within eighteen feet of the surface and oil has been found in small quantities with- in twenty-one feet of the surface. Mrs. Dunn has demonstrated her ability in a business way and deserves great credit for what she has accomplished, having brought her present property up to a high state of cultivation. Some of the finest vegetables and melons of the locality are produced on her farm and in the management of her property she displays excellent discernment and keen business enter- prise that have won her the admiration and re- spect of all who know her.

S. J. ALDRIDGE, who is engaged in the raising and shipping of fat stock in Montague county, was born in Harrison county, Georgia, on the 12th of September, 1866, and was there

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reared upon a farm. His parents were Joseph chased a farm, but on account of hostile Indians A. and Texan (Bryant) Aldridge. His paternal grandfather, Edward Aldridge, of 'Kentucky, went to North Carolina and afterward to Georgia at an early day and taking up his abode in the latter state there spent the remainder of his life. He became a leading and influential agriculturist of his community, respected for his genuine worth. His children were: James, Joseph A., William, John, Marion, Thomas, Sarah and Mary J.

Joseph A. Aldridge, the second son of Ed- ward Aldridge, was born in Georgia, March 7, 1840, and there spent the days of his boyhood and youth. After arriving at years of maturity he was married to Miss Texan Bryant, whose birth occurred in Georgia, February 18, 1845. Her parents were Gains and Mary ( Pertle) Bry- ant, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Georgia. They were married in Georgia, where Mr. Bryant followed the carpenter's trade and also had farming interests. He had a wide and favorable acquaintance in the locality where he made his home and in later life he removed to Tennessee, where he died. His wife was a daughter of Jacob Pertle, a well known farmer and slave owner of Georgia, in which state his death occurred. 'In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Pertle there were nine children, as follows : Gains, Olmstead, Shade, Stephen, James, Wil- liam, Lucy A., Betsy A., and Lodusta. The children of Gains Bryant were: Elijah, a min- ister of the Christian church; Jacob, Stephen, William, Alonzo, Elizabeth, Mary A., Texan, who became Mrs. Aldridge, and Mrs. Lodusta Kyker.

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Aldridge they began their domestic life in Georgia, where he followed the blacksmith trade that he had learned in early manhood. At the time of the Civil war he joined the Confed- erate army and served faithfully for four years, meeting the usual experiences, hardships and exposures incident to a soldier's life. He con- tinued to follow his trade until 1869, when he removed to Texas and settled in Montague county, at Red River station, where he pur-

he remained but for one year. He then sold out and took up his abode in Hopkins county, where he raised two crops and worked at his trade. In 1874 he removed to Saint Jo, where he purchased land and made a permanent home. Abandoning blacksmithing, he gave his entire attention to farming and stock raising, purchas- ing at first a small tract of land to which he afterward added as his financial resources in- creased until his holdings embraced eight hun- dred and twenty acres. He made a good selec- tion and his was the finest farm in the vicinity of Saint Jo. Excellent improvements were placed upon the property, a good residence and substantial barns and outbuildings were erected and the latest improved machinery was added. There is an excellent water supply upon the place and Mr. Aldridge engaged in raising, feed- ing, handling and shipping cattle. He placed six hundred acres of his land under a high state of cultivation and produced the various crops best adapted to soil and climate. He established two tenant houses on his place, also rented some land and became known as a most prosperous, extensive and successful farmer and stockman, recognized by all as a broad-minded, intelligent business man and good financier. He owed his success to his energy, determination and inde- fatigable diligence and thus he created a large estate. The uprising and hostility of the In- dians delayed his permanent settlement for two or three years and occasioned him much uneasi- 'ness in the early days, but he was in none of the fights with the red men. He assisted materially, however, in the reclamation of his portion of the state for the purposes of civilization and as the years went by his labors proved a valued factor in the development of the county. In politics he was a strong Democrat but without aspira- tion for office, never desiring political prefer- ment as a reward for party fealty. He was a consistent and worthy member of the Christian church, in which he served as deacon for many years and in the work of which he took a helpful interest. After many years devoted to business he determined to spend the evening of his life

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

in ease and comfort and removed to Saint Jo. Soon afterward he became ill with smallpox, which occasioned his death March 28, 1901. He is yet kindly remembered by his many friends, who greatly miss him. His wife yet survives and resides upon the old honiestead farm. This worthy couple were the parents of ten children : Jacob, who died in childhod; S. J., of this re- view; John, who is living in the Indian Terri- tory; Leonard H., who is represented elsewhere in this volume; Samuel, who died in 1898; Mrs. Myrtle Hillman; Mrs. Alba Varney; Ernest, who died in 1892; Mrs. Ord Davis; and Robert, who is living upon the old homestead farm. The mother is also a worthy and faithful member of the Christian church.

S. J. Aldridge, was born in Georgia, Septem- ber 12, 1866, and was quite young when brought by his parents to the Lone Star state, so that his youth was passed upon the old family home- stead near Saint Jo. He remained under the parental roof and assisted in farming and stock raising operations until August, 1888, when he married and began farming on his own account. He wedded Miss Sarah T. McGrady, who was born at the old homestead where she now re- sides on the 9th of April, 1868. Her parents were Allen R. and Elizabeth (Cox) McGrady, the former a native of Georgia and the latter of Louisiana. Her paternal grandfather was an early settler of Georgia and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He followed the occupation of farm- ing and was prominently identified with agricul- tural pursuits in the empire state of the south, where he remained until called to his final rest. Allen R. McGrady was born and reared in Georgia and in early manhood went to Louis- iana, where he was employed as an overseer for a number of years, during which time he was married. He continued to reside in that state until 1856, when he came to Texas, settling in Fannin county, where he was employed as over- seer by Sam Howard, thus continuing until 1859, when he removed to Montague county and located one hundred and sixty acres of land in Clear Creek valley four miles south of the present site of Saint Jo, although the town

had not been platted at that time. He was the second man to settle in the Clear Creek valley. At that time game of all kinds was very plenti- ful and there were also many wild beasts. Farm- ing was supposed to be an experiment but the cattle business was an assured success, as the range was free and the stock thrived well in this climate. Mr. McGrady erected a cabin and be- gan preparing some of the land for cultivation. He also had a small amount of stock and hoped to have more as the years went by. He was making good progress in his business when in 1861 the Civil war was inaugurated and the In- dians about the same time became very trouble- some, asserting their rights to the country and robbing the white settlers of their stock and other possessions. They also frequently mur- dered men, women and children and Mr. Mc- Grady joined the settlers in defense of the bor- der, taking part in many raids against the In- dians until the government interested itself in the condition of affairs and brought the red men into subjection, placing troops for the defense of the frontier. At that time Mr. McGrady joined Captain Bowland's company of rangers, in which he continued for about four years. After the company had dissolved Mr. McGrady and other settlers continued their raids against the Indians and he served in all for about seven years, taking a most active and helpful part in driving the red men from the country and mak- ing the settlement of the white men possible. Soon after the outbreak of Indian hostilities he took his family to the head of Elm Creek, where they remained for about a year, when seeing that the Indians were determined to continue hostili- ties he erected a stockade around his cabin with log posts fifteen feet high and made portholes in the cabin to shoot through, thus preparing for the defense of his family, after which they re- turned and remained in this locality during the troublesome period when the Indians committed so many depredations. They occasioned him great anxiety when it was necessary for him to be away from home in the saddle caring for the stock. On such occasions his wife would watch and wait, being always on the lookout in order to

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

protect herself and children. The only way a horse could be kept was to have a log chain locked around his neck. The Indians stole so many horses that the farmers had to use steers in the work of the fields. Mr. McGrady was a brave and fearless man, doing splendid service in rid- ding the country of the red men, who were a constant menace to life and property. Although at times he was fired upon and bullets fell thick and fast around him he was never wounded but he has seen the remains of many men, women and children who have been massacred and their cabins burned, the dead bodies being found here and there on the prairies. The struggle with the Indians was a long and terrible one but at length they were forced to give way before ad- vancing civilization. When they were gone Mr. McGrady had better opportunities for farming and stock raising. He had about fifty-three head of old and young cattle when in 1867 a dis- ease broke.out among them and all died but one cow and a calf. Not allowing himself to be- come discouraged he made another start and this time was more successful, ultimately becom- ing one of the prosperous stock farmers of this part of the county. He raised horses, cattle and hogs and sold his stock to dealers at home, never making shipments himself. He made good selection of land which was very fertile and productive and as a farmer he also won pros- perity and as the years passed he added to his property until by hard work and energy he had become the owner of about five thousand acres. When he settled in Montague county the coun- ty organization had not been effected and court was held at Gainesville, Cooke county. He as- sisted in instituting many movements that have resulted beneficially for the county and well de- serves mention in the history of this section of the state as one of the honored and valued pioneers. He remained upon the old homestead until his health and that of his wife also became impaired and feeling that they needed rest and ease they removed to Mineral Wells, hoping that recuperation would come there, but both passed away in September, 1899, Mr. McGrady on the IIth of the month and his wife on the

23rd.' They were buried side by side in the family graveyard on the old homestead and thus having traveled life's journey happily together for so many years they were not long separated in death. Mrs. McGrady, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Cox, was born and reared in Louisiana and was a descendant of an honored early family of that state. Her father was an extensive planter and slave owner there and spent his entire life in Louisiana. To Mr. and Mrs. McGrady were born six children: C. Frank, a stock farmer; Nancy, who first married a Mr. Stephenson and afterward became Mrs. Pruitt; Alexander, living in the Indian Terri- tory ; Sarah F., now Mrs. Aldridge ; John, a resi- dent of Saint Jo; and Mrs. Pearl A. Cline. The parents were consistent members of the Chris- tian church.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume I, Part 95

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