A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 104

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: 972

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On the 30th of November, 1869, Mr. Ward was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. Taylor, a native of Marshall county, Tennessee, and a daughter of Frederick Taylor, one of the early settlers of that state. The young couple began their domestic life upon his father's farm and he assisted in its development and improvement, while his wife attended to the household duties. Later he removed to a farm of his own, on which he resided until he was more than thirty-one years of age, when he disposed of his interests in Tennessee and came to Texas, settling in Jones county in 1881. He made a claim and after the land was placed on the market pur- chased the property in 1883. He has since owned a number of farms, purchasing a tract upon which he would make improvements and then sell. In this way he has realized quite a handsome sum of money on his investments and was enabled to discharge all of his indebted- ness. When the country became sufficiently settled to make profitable the introduction of a cotton gin he turned his attention to the pro- duction of cotton and small grain, after the in- troduction of farm machinery and other imple- ments, and his own farm labor became more profitable as the crops could be handled to bet- ter advantage. He has made judicious invest- ment in real estate, the price of which has appreciated as the country has become more thickly settled until he now owns some valu- able farming land, all under improvement and situated near the town of Anson. Its splendid condition is due to his earnest efforts and inde- fatigable energy and he is accounted one of the representative agriculturists of the community.

In the meantime Mr. Ward has reared an interesting family, numbering three sons and five daughters, namely: Edith A., the wife of A. S. Barkley; Sim Fred, who is married and resides in Sterling county; Agnes, the wife of W. L. Logan; Lewis T .; Myrtle A., the wife of Dan Frey; Mattie I .; Avah K., and Joseph C. In the fall of 1904 Mr. Ward was elected county treasurer of Jones county, which position he now fills, and in the discharge of his duties he is found reliable and faithful, having systematized the work of the office and carrying it on along

progressive and business-like lines. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and he and his family are all connected with the Methodist church. They are held in high esteem in the community, their social relations winning them the warm re- gard of the best class of citizens.

CHARLES C. FERRELL, an active mem- ber of the legal profession of Jones county now practicing in Anson, was born at Marion, Will- iamson county, Illinois, on the 28th of April, 1859. His father, Rev. Wilfred Ferrell, was a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, and became a missionary Baptist preacher, his field of labor being Kentucky, Tennessee and southern Illi- nois. He was married in Tennessee to Miss Eliza Jane Smith, who was born and reared in Albemarle county, Virginia. He was stationed in Smith county near Nashville, Tennessee, where he was married and from that place he made his customary rounds through the coun- try, proclaiming the gospel to the settlers. Later he removed to Illinois, settling in Marion, Will- iamson county, about sixty miles north and east of Cairo, and on leaving that state he came to Texas in 1859, establishing his home near Marshall in Harrison county. There he pur- chased a farm and also embarked in merchan- dising on his place, where the town of Hallville was afterward built. He was associated in this venture with his brother-in-law, Dr. W. A. Smith, and he successfully carried on business there up to the time of his death, which occurred in April, 1885. In the meantime he devoted many hours each week to religious work, preaching the gospel in various churches and localities, although he never accepted any pay for his services in this direction. He was a most earnest and consistent Christian man, his life being filled with good deeds, so that his memory is cherished and revered by all who knew him. He was twice married, his second wife passing away in August, 1896. By this union were four sons, all of whom reached manhood and are yet living.

This number includes Charles C. Ferrell, who was less than a year old when his parents re- moved from Illinois to Texas. He was reared at his father's home near Marshall, and he com- pleted a high school course of study in Hallville, while later he became a student in Waco, now Baylor, University. Subsequently he matricu- lated in the state university at Austin for the purpose of preparing for the bar and was grad- uated from the law department in the class of 1887. Thus well equipped for his chosen life

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

work, he practiced for a year in Austin, enter- ing the law office of John Dowell, with whom he was associated in his professional duties. At that time the western and northern portion of the state was enjoying an era of rapid growth and gratifying prosperity and associating him- self with J. H. Hargrave, who had been a fellow student with him while in the university at Aus- tin, he went to Greenville, Hunt county, and together as partners they practiced law until January 1, 1890. Mr. Ferrell then decided to change his location in the hope of enjoying a more congenial climate and removing to Jones county located at Anson, where he has since been an active member of the bar. In his law practice he has made a creditable record by reason of his analytical power, logical deduc- tions and clear and cogent reasoning.

Mr. Ferrell was married February 25, 1902, to Miss Rosa D. Freeman, a native of this state, born in Austin. Mr. Ferrell has about twenty- five hundred acres of land pleasantly situated sixteen miles northwest of Anson in Jones county, of which thirteen hundred acres are under cultivation, constituting one of the best farms in the state of Texas. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Abilene and is a member of the Missionary Baptist church. He displays excellent business ability in the con- trol of his agricultural interests, while in his profession he is making substantial advance- ment and gaining a most creditable place as a legal practitioner.

WILLIAM H. HOLLIS, the present sheriff of Jones county and one of its prominent citi- zens, represents an old family that settled in the state at any early day. His father, Thomas H. Hollis, was a practicing physician in Texas for many years and served as a surgeon in the Confederate army during the Civil war. He was a native of Tennessee and when a young man came to Texas with his parents, arriving here about 1838, long before the admission of the state into the Union. He settled in San Aug- ustine where the old Hollis home is still stand- ing. At the time of hostilities between the north and the south he espoused the cause of the latter and enlisted in Walker's Division of Texas Cavalry as a surgeon, rendering valuable aid to the soldiers of the Confederacy who were wounded upon the field of battle or became ill because of the rigours and hardships of war. A more extended account of Dr. Hollis will be found on another page of this work in connec- tion with the sketch of Dr. L. W. Hollis.

William H. Hollis was born in San Augustine, Texas, October 1, 1859, and is the eldest mem- ber of the father's family. Following the close of the war the family removed to Nacogdoches, Texas; where Mr. Hollis of this review spent the greater part of his boyhood and youth. He attended school there and remained at home until about the time he attained his majority. Before the Texas & Pacific Railroad was built through the state he came to western Texas in company with his brother, Dr. Hollis. This was in the year 1878, when all the western country was in its primeval condition. Only here and there was an occasional ranch and there were long distances between the settlements. Mr. Hollis obtained employment with some of the ranch owners handling horses and cattle, being thus employed for some time. In 1886 he became deputy sheriff of Jones county under George A. Scarborough, who was then sheriff and who was afterward killed in Mexico. He acted in that capacity at a time when there was a large rough element in the country such as is always found in a pioneer district, but he proved a brave and courageous officer, acting as deputy for two years under Mr. Scarborough and also under his successor, E. M. Tyson, for a period of six years. In the fall of 1904 Mr. Hollis was elect- ed sheriff of Jones county and is now acting in that capacity, having been well qualified for the office during his previous service as deputy. During the interval which elapsed after his re- tirement from the office of deputy until his elec- tion to the position of sheriff, covering a period of ten or twelve years, Mr. Hollis secured a farm about seven miles southeast of Anson and de- voted his time to the cultivation of his land and the further improvement of the property.

On the 15th of July, 1897, occurred the mar- riage of William H. Hollis and Miss Lula M. Hunter, a daughter of C. S. Hunter. She is a native of Alabama but was reared to woman- hood in this state and by her marriage has be- come the mother of two sons and a daughter, namely: William H., Charles T., and Hattie K. Hollis.

Mr. Hollis has been a permanent resident of the county since he first made his way into this part of the state and during the many changes that have taken place he has not only been a constant observer but has also aided in the work of progress and improvement. He thoroughly knows the conditions and characteristics of the country and of its people, and during the years of his residence here he has seen the rougher element almost entirely disappear, being re-

MR. AND MRS. EZEKIEL J. HOFFMAN

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

placed by an enlightened civilization and a law- abiding citizenship. As a public official he has won high encomiums, no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil darkening his pathway in the performance of his public duties. .

JAMES MAXWELL is by birth a son of Tennessee, by adoption of Texas, the greater part of his life, however, having been passed in the latter state. He was born in Polk county, . Tennessee, July 23, 1852, and his father, Reuben Maxwell, was likewise a native of that state .. While living there he was engaged in educa-' tional work for some time and he also served as justice of the peace in Polk county. About 1851 he was married there to Miss Rachael Bond, likewise a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Amon Bond, who with his family started for Texas the day after his daughter's marriage. He settled in Cherokee county, there devoting his attention to 'the stock raising in- dustry and when the settlers began raising cot- ton in the locality he left the county and went to Hood county. He was a member of the advance guard that opened up the state to civilization, being the means of inducing other settlers to come to Texas. He was one of the first to locate on the west side of the Brazos river in Hood county. Reuben Maxwell and his family, then numbering wife and four children, followed the Bond family in 1859, also locating in Hood county. Mr. Maxwell settled on land that is now within three hundred yards of where the college stands in the city of Granbury and at that place he made his home until after the breaking out of the' Civil war in 1861. The fol- lowing year he enlisted in the Confederate army, but as he was in delicate health he was unable to stand the hardships of military life and died soon afterward in the service. At that time the grandfather Bond joined the Maxwell boys in an attempt to make a living through general farming and stock raising. It was at a period when western Texas was still a pioneer district. At times they would encounter Indians who in- habited the country, and on one occasion James Maxwell, when going to mill with his twin broth- er about eight miles from home, discovered a small band of Indians whom they supposed were coming toward them. They were small boys at the time and, not wishing to have any trouble, James Maxwell concluded that he would ride the old blind horse that he was on to the cedar brakes along the bank of the river and there leave him and make his escape as best he could, but in the meantime the Indians had

become scared away, probably by a band of cowboys near by, and instead of making toward the two lads turned and rode in another direc- tion.

James Maxwell continued to reside in Hood county until after he had attained his majority. He was married there to Miss Ellen Gafford, who was reared in Arkansas, the wedding being celebrated January 8, 1873. The young couple began their domestic life in Hood county, where they remained until 1890, Mr. Maxwell devoting his time and energies to farming and stock rais- ing. In that year, however, he disposed of his business interests there and with his family came to Jones county, where he purchased land and was engaged in farming and stock raising until 1896. In that year he abandoned agricultural pursuits and removed to Anson, where he turned his attention to the hotel business, erecting a hotel which he conducted successfully until the time of the big fire which occurred on the 8th of January, 1904. His hostelry was then entire- ly destroyed and other valuable property which he owned in the city was sacrificed to the con- flagration. In the fall of the same year Mr. Maxwell was called to public office by his fellow townsmen, who elected him to the position of county assessor of Jones county, in which capa- city he has since acceptably served.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell was blessed with seven children, of whom three are now living, Reuben, Ora B. and Pearl. The first mentioned enlisted for service in the Spanish American war and was with his command throughout the period of hostilities, being sta- tioned first at Porto Rico and afterward in Cuba, where he was in active duty when the war closed. Mr. Maxwell has belonged to the Ma- sonic fraternity for about twenty years and has filled all of the more important chairs in the Blue lodge. For a quarter of a century he has been a member of the Methodist church and is consistent in his religious views and in his ad- herency to the principles and teachings of the church.

EZEKIEL J. HOFFMAN. The subject of this personal review has for the past twenty years been connected with the agricultural and grazing interests of Clay county. In the year 1885 he located on Red river near Ben- venue, where he began the improvement of a tract of raw prairie purchased from John Jones. To the cultivation and improvement of this he devoted himself assiduously and he broke it, fenced it and put up a dwelling and

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shelter for stock. His farm embraces a half section and is one of the desirable and fertile ones of Clay county.

But Mr. Hoffman's advent to the Lone Star state antedates his location in Clay county, as he migrated here when a youth in his teens and began life on the frontier as a cowboy, which occupation then offered a life of excitement, an opportunity to lay up some money and an opportunity to be connected with about all the industry there was in the state at that time. Among his first employers was Mr. Loring, who had an extensive ranch in Cooke county, and he accompanied many cattle drives to the early shipping point for Texas, Abilene, Kan- sas.

Cooke county just after the rebellion was not far from the advance guard of settlement in Texas and it was often the scene of bloody encounters with hostile Comanches. On one occasion Mr. Hoffman witnessed an Indian at- tack on a "mover wagon" containing James Box and family and saw Mr. Box killed and his family carried away into captivity, and himself powerless to render aid. The nature of his work brought Mr. Hoffman into close contact with the red man of the plains and in Texas, as in the Territory later on, he joined in the chase either to avenge some murder or to recover stampeded and stolen property. In the latter sixties Mr. Hoffman left Texas and became identified with the Indian country about Forts Sill and Reno and was absent from the state about eighteen years. As in Texas he was connected with the cattle industry and worked six years with a party who had the con- tract for supplying the army post with beef. HIe afterward filled two contracts of this char- acter himself, one at Fort Sill and the other at Fort Reno, and in 1884, with about $3,000.00 as the accumulations of his years of effort, re- turned to Texas and undertook the making of a farm in Clay county.

Ezekiel J. Hoffman was born in Wilkes coun- ty, North Carolina, June 6, 1846. Andrew J. Hoffman, his father, passed his life as a farmer, made a trip to Texas some years before the Civil war and finally brought his family west to Benton county, Arkansas, and located there. He and one of his sons enlisted in the Confeder- ate army, where he was a teamster, and both were lost track of before the war ended. Sa- rah Crane became the wife of Andrew J. Hoff- man and she died just east of Gainesville in 1859, leaving children: Abigail, deceased; James W., Elizabeth, and Ezekiel J., our sub- ject.

Little education was obtained by Ezekiel Hoffman and he was forced to provide his own living at a very early age. At fourteen years he became a plainsman after cattle, and he was essentially that for twenty-five years. He mar- ried in Clay county September 6, 1885, Mary, a daughter of G. W. and Mary A. (Johnson) Simmons and widow of Albert G. Blan- chard. The Simmons were from Virginia to Tennessee and thence to Texas. Of their four children Mrs. Hoffman is the sole survivor. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman, namely: Henry H .; Ethel N., Dwitt, deceased at six years; Sidney and Bessie, twins, and Josiah.

In politics Mr. Hoffman has tenaciously re- mained with the faith of Jackson and has sup- ported Democratic principles without fear or hope or expectation of favors.

THOMAS D. GOODWIN, one of the sub- stantial citizens of Jones county, who came here at an early day and is still living in the locality where he took up his abode, was born in Ceru- lean Springs, Trigg county, Kentucky, October 28, 1848. His father, Robert S. Goodwin, was born March 29, 1811, in the same locality and the grandfather, Samuel Goodwin, came from North Carolina, establishing his home at Ceru- lean Springs at an early day. He obtained a patent to the land from the state and the old homestead is still in possession of some of his descendants. Robert S. Goodwin lived for sev- eral years at Hopkinsville, Christian county, Kentucky, after which he returned to Trigg county and subsequently made his home there up to the time of his death, following the occu- pation of farming. He died March 19, 1885, respected by all who knew him. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Nancy Jane Blakley, was born August 8, 1819, near Cerulean Springs and died there November 30, 1854. By her marriage she became the mother of seven chil- dren, of whom three sons and a daughter reached adult age. One of the sons, Robert S. Goodwin, the youngest of the family, is now liv- ing in Anson, Texas.

Thomas D. Goodwin was reared at the old home place in Kentucky where his father's birth occurred and acquired a fair education in his youth. He was about thirteen years of age at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. Prior to this he had worked upon the home farm and had assisted in putting in two or three crops. Just after the battle of Fort Donelson, Tennes- see, the federal forces under General Grant

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

passed along the Cumberland river and cut off all communications between the north and the south, after which there was no opportunity to make one's way beyond the established line. Mr. Goodwin desired to join the southern army but because of this line was prevented from do- ing so. His father was a sympathizer of the Confederate cause and refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Federal government, for which reason he was arrested and taken to a Federal prison, being incarcerated for three years. The country was infested with guerillas who were both northern and southern men and the entire country was devastated by the con- tending armies and these marauding bands of soldiers, who really belonged to neither side. Horses were taken and everything about the place that could be of use to the army, and by reason of this the Goodwin family were soon left in destitute circumstances. The last year in which the father was in prison the family for- tunes had been so reduced that they had only one yoke of oxen and an old horse left upon the place. Thomas D. Goodwin, being the eldest son, was doing his best with what was left to make a living for the other children. In the winter of 1863 and '64, about the time the father was released from prison, the last horse was taken, leaving only the yoke of oxen. As the result of his confinement in prison, Robert S. Goodwin was in poor health and was unable to do the work which had formerly engaged his attention. Before the war he was a man of con- siderable means and a kindly and generous spirit prompted him to go security for several of his friends. About the time the war closed the creditors came upon him and were going to force payment by selling the farm. Young Thomas Goodwin, however, prevailed upon them to withhold judgment, saying that if given a chance he would pay off the indebtedness himself. The proposition was accepted and in due time, through unremitting diligence and constant application, he accomplished this great self-imposed task. The debts were entirely paid off, and in addition a new house was built for his father that he might have a comfortable home in his declining years.

Mr. Goodwin of this review married and re- mained at the old home place up to the time he was thirty years of age. He then came to Texas in 1882, settling in Jones county, where he has since made his home. He built a part of his present residence and has since added to it, and here he has maintained his abode, taking an active part in the development of the

community through his activity in business life and his co-operation in many public measures. In 1888 he was elected assessor of Jones county and filled the position for six years, during which time he prepared the best tax roll that had been made in the county up to the time of his retirement from the office. In 1896 he embarked in the hardware and implement business at An- son, carrying on his store with good success until 1902, when he sold out, since which time he has largely lived retired. He is, however, regarded as one of the substantial business men of the western country and has carried forward to profitable conclusion nearly everything that has claimed his attention. His success he attributes to the early lessons of economy which he was forced to learn and practice when a boy, having experiences such as rarely falls to the lot of one so young. He soon realized the value of in- dustry and the force of integrity as factors in business life and those two qualities have been his strong and salient characteristics through- out the passing years.

In November, 1877, Mr. Goodwin was mar- ried to Miss Maria Goodwin, also a native of Kentucky, their respective homes in childhood being within a mile of each other, while the paternal grandfathers were own cousins. Mr. Goodwin has been a member of the Baptist church since 1871 and of the Masonic fraternity for about the same length of time. In the lat- ter he has taken the degrees of the lodge and chapter and has been secretary of the Cave Spring lodge in Kentucky and in Anson for a period of twenty-six years. His life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft which is based upon mutual helpfulness and brotherly kindness. The character of the man is indicated in the service which he performed for his father, in the courage which he displayed in taking up heavy responsibilities and in the able manner in which he thus met his self-imposed duties and obligations.

ANDREW J. MARTIN, one of the promi- nent residents of Jones county and a business man of Stamford, is a Kentuckian by birth, his life record beginning in Muhlenberg county, on the 17th of February, 1844. His father, Andrew Martin, was also a native of Kentucky, but his parents were Virginians. In 1855 the family left the Blue Grass state and removed to Missouri, making the trip a part of the way on a flat-boat on the Greene and Ohio rivers, and reached their destination on the 5th of March. The family settled in Mississippi county, where

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

Andrew Martin and his wife spent their remain- ing days, the former passing away in January. 1856, while the latter departed this life in Feb- ruary, 1859. In their family were ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom , one daughter, Mrs. Susie Howlett, is residing at Charleston, Missouri, while Andrew J. Martin is the only other surviving member of the fam- ily.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 104

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: 972

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: 972