A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 118

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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acre. He also raises and handles stock and both departments of his business are proving profitable.

Mr. Seeds was married in 1872 to Miss Sarah F. Sartin, who was born in Grayson county, Texas, in 1855, and is an estimable lady, who has been of much assistance to him as they have traveled life's journey together. She is a daughter of Jesse Sartin, a native of North Carolina, who settled in Texas in 1857, taking up his abode in Grayson county, where he suc- cessfully carried on agricultural pursuits. He later became a prominent cattle man and had a wide acquaintance because of his business in- terests and also by reason of his identification with the early development and progress of this part of the state. During pioneer days he ran cattle in Montague county but later he traded his cattle and bought a fine farm in Denton county, where he resided throughout the remainder of his life, passing away on the old homestead in 1901, at the age of eighty years. He was a member of the Christian church and a man whose fidelity to principle was one of his strong and salient characteris- tics. His word was as good as any bond sol- emnized by signature or seal, and moreover he possessed a kindly benevolent spirit that made him beloved by all who knew him. His first wife died in 1870 and he was again married. The children of the first union were: Susan, Nancy, William and Mrs. Sarah F. Seeds, while those born of the second marriage were: Net- tie, Harriet, James and Jack.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Seeds has been blessed with eleven children: Hiram, who died at the age of twenty-three years, leaving a wife and three children ; Sadie, the deceased wife of R. Wilmar; Esther, the present wife of R. Wilmar; Emily, the wife of J. Walling; Edda, Ira O., Cora, Robert, Charles, Nellie and Herman, all lived at home. Of this family nine are yet living, and the parents have every rea- son to be proud of their large family of intel- ligent sons and daughters.

In his political affiliation Mr. Seeds is a Re- publican, giving stalwart support to the party where national questions are involved. His wife is a member of the Christian church and both are held in high esteem by many friends. He is a self-made man who, as the architect of his own fortunes, has builded wisely and well and now in the conduct of his farming and stock raising interests he is meeting with the success which ever crowns honorable and per- sistent effort.

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

JOHN M. McGRADY. The student of his- tory does not have to carry his investigations far into the annals of Montague county with- out learning of the close and creditable connec- tion of the McGrady family with this section of the state and the subject of this review has lived in harmony with the family record. He is well known as a stock farmer and also as a liveryman of Saint Jo. His birth occurred upon the old family homestead on Clear Creek in Montague county, Texas, August 4, .1870, and he was reared to the work of the farm and the care of stock. His parents were R. Allen and Elizabeth (Cox) McGrady, the for- mer a native of Georgia and the latter of Louisiana. The family is of Scotch-Irish line- age and the first representatives of the name in the new world crossed the Atlantic at an early period in its colonization. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a resident of Georgia, where he followed the occupation of farming and although living a quiet and un- eventful life was highly respected for his gen- uine worth and his devotion to the principles in which he believed.

R. Allen McGrady was born and reared in Georgia and in early manhood went to Louisi- ana, where he was employed as an overseer for a number of years, following which he came to Texas in 1856. Making his way to Fannin county he again acted as an overseer, continu- ing in the employ of Samuel Howard in that capacity until 1859, which year witnessed his arrival in Montague county. He then located land on Clear Creek about four miles from the town site of Saint Jo, which place was platted in 1872. Only one settler had up to that time made a location in the Clear Creek valley, and thus into a wild and unimproved region Mr. McGrady made his way to meet the hard- ships and privations incident to pioneer life and to aid in the reclamation of this district for the purposes of civilization. Wild beasts were frequently killed and there was much wild game that furnished many a meal for the early settlers. It was not thought up to this time that farming would ever prove a very profitable industry in this section of the state, which thus far was devoted to cattle raising and the range was free. Mr. McGrady located one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which he built a cabin and then with character- istic energy began to cultivate the soil and convert it into productive fields. He had placcd a part of it under cultivation and had made a good start in stock when the country

became involved in the Civil war, bringing with it many hardships, while devastation fol- lowed in its wake. The red men, thinking this a splendid opportunity for the perpetration of their hostilities and depredations, began rob- bing the settlers of their stock and murder- ing many of the frontier people. Life in pio- neer districts was a hazardous thing and in 1861 Mr. McGrady joined with the other set- tlers in defense of the families and in an at- tempt to save the stock. Later the govern- ment had to assist the frontiersmen and fur- nished troops, at which time Mr. McGrady joined Captain Rowland's company of Fron- tier Rangers, in which he served for four years, during which time he participated in many skirmishes with the Indians. After the com- pany was disbanded he continued with other settlers to defend the district and in all spent seven years in range service. When the red men were driven away he undertook the task of reclaiming the wild land for the purposes of civilization, but at the time of hostilities he took his family to the head of Elm creek that they might have safety in the village. When a year had passed he built a strong stockade around his cabin, of log posts fifteen feet high, and in the cabin made port holes through which he might fire in case the Indians ad- vanced upon his home. He then returned his family to his home and then continued to re- side here throughout the troublous times, but the red men did not make an attack upon his stockade. Mr. McGrady was a man of known fearlessness and displayed bravery in many an engagement with the Indians, although he did everything possible to protect his wife and children. He was never wounded nor injured by any of their missles, yet time and again he saw the mutilated bodies of their victims upon the prairie where they had been killed and robbed of all their clothing. Many homes, too, were pillaged by the red men and their stock was driven off.

When hostilities had ceased Mr. McGrady continued the work of developing his farm and of raising cattle and was somewhat recovering from the loss he had sustained through the war period when in 1867 he lost all of his cattle from a disease, save one cow and calf, his en- tire herd of fifty-three head being thus dim- inished. Every disaster that came to him, however, seemed but to serve as an impetus for renewed effort and he became one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of the county, overcoming his difficulties by deter-

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mined purpose. He sold his horses, cattle and hogs to stock dealers, who made the shipments. He was fortunate in his choice of a location, for his land was fertile and productive and as the years passed he prospered in his work and making further judicious investment in prop- erty at length became the owner of five thou- sand acres. He has since sold some of this, but he yet holds a large tract which is the visible evidence of his life of thrift and enter- prise. He has not only prospered personally but has contributed to the general improve- . ment and upbuilding of the county, which had not been organized at the time he cast his lot within its borders. At that time court was held in Gainesville. He aided in planting the seeds of civilization here and in upbuilding the county along modern progressive lines and upon the old homestead he remained until fail- ing health caused him to seek a location else- where. Feeling that both he and his wife needed rest they went to Mineral Wells, but on the IIth of September, 1899, Mr. McGrady passed away there and twelve days later she, too, closed her eyes in death. They were in- terred side by side in the old family cemetery on the homestead farm where they had so long lived.

Mrs. McGrady, a native of Louisiana, bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Cox and gave her hand in marriage to Mr. McGrady during the time when he was serving as overseer in that state. She was descended from a promi- nent pioneer family of Louisiana and her father was the owner of a large plantation and many slaves. He continued his residence in that state up to the time of his demise. Mr. and Mrs. McGrady had a family of six chil- dren : C. Frank, who is well known as a stock farmer of Montague county ; Mrs. Nancy Ste- phenson, who after losing her first husband be- came Mrs. Pruitt; Alexander, a stock man of the Indian Territory ; Sarah F., the wife of Bud Aldridge ; John M. ; and Mrs. Pearl A. Cline.

John M. McGrady was reared upon the old family homestead amid the environments and scenes of pioneer life, remaining under the parental roof until he had attained his major- ity. H was married April II, 1892, to Miss Ida M. Masters, a native of Texas, and a most estimable lady. Her parents were W. C. and Julia (Harrison) Masters, the former a native of Green county, Kentucky, born July 16, 1838, and the latter a native of Missouri. The paternal grand parents were Harrison and Julia (Beasley) Masters, natives of South

Carolina and Virginia respectively, their mar- riage, however, being celebrated in Kentucky. The great grandfather, John Masters, of South Carolina, was a leading and influential citizen of his community and was a man of great power and personal courage, who died in the Blue Grass state. In his family were eight children : John, Jackson, Levi, Frank, Wil- liam, Harrison, Mrs. Nancy Miller and Mrs. Sally McIntire.

Harrison Masters was born and reared in Kentucky and after his marriage removed to Missouri, settling in Saline county, which was then a pioneer district. He purchased raw land on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made and there he developed a farm, becoming one of the successful and en- terprising agriculturists of his community. He held membership in the Christian church and died upon the old Missouri homestead. In his family were the following: William C .; Mary, the wife of C. Bishop; John, of Mis- souri; Mat, the wife of J. Chaney; Sarah ; George, who is living in Missouri; and Dillard, the wife of M. Masters.

William C. Masters, father of Mrs. McGrady, was born in Kentucky but spent the greater part of his childhood and youth in Missouri, where he was reared to the occupation of farm- ing and stock raising. He continued in his parents' home until after the inauguration of the Civil war, when he enlisted as a member of Company F of the Seventh Missouri State Militia Cavalry and was in active service in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas. He partici- pated in many skirmishes and a number of hotly contested battles, being largely under command of General Totten. He made several charges and the regiment did scouting duty. He was also in an important battle in Kansas at Mine Creek under General Pleasanton against General Price, where his command won the victory, killing four hundred and taking more than four hundred prisoners, among whom were General Marmaduke, General Cavil and two other generals. They also captured many guns and much ammunition. Mr. Mas- ters was never wounded nor taken prisoner. He enlisted for three years and when his time expired in April, 1865, he returned home and resumed farming. Later he improved a farm for himself and in February, 1871, he was mar- ried and took his bride to his farm, whereon they resided until after one of their children was born. In 1876 he sold out and removed to Texas, settling in Montague county. He

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

first located a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres and later he bought and owned over seven hundred and forty acres, all of which he placed under fence and brought his farm up to a good state of cultivation. He added many improvements to the property, in- cluding the erection of a commodious residence and good outbuildings and as the years passed he successfully carried on general farming and stock raising until 1903, when he sold out to John M. McGrady and in the spring of 1904 moved to Wilson county, Texas, south of San Antonio, where he bought four hundred and seventy acres of fine land well improved. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits. He settled in Montague county after the Indian troubles were over, but the county was new and undeveloped and he assisted in its perma- nent growth and improvement. He prospered in his farming operations and is widely known, being highly respected for his integrity and honor. He is a consistent member of the Holi- ness Society. He married Miss Julia Harri- son, who was born at Booneville, Missouri, in 1853, her parents being Cosby and Martha (Callaway) Harrison. She was a descendant of Daniel Boone and of the Callaway family of pioneers in Missouri. Her father, Mr. Harri- son, also belonged to one of the early families of Missouri and there became a leading and prosperous manufacturer of tobacco, continu- ing his residence in Booneville up to the time of his death. His children were James, a well known and influential business man of Boone- ville ; William and Charles, who are also living in that city; Mrs. Sidney Tacket; Mrs. Mary Koontz; Mrs. Millie Hazleton; Mrs. Sallie Heffelfinger; and Juliette, the wife of W. C. Masters.

Mr. and Mrs. Masters became the parents of ten children: Levi, who died, at the age of thirteen years; Ida, the wife of J. M. McGrady ; Lulu, the wife of W. Adkins; Nora, the wife of T. Eads; Charles, Minnie, Mattie, Benjamin, James and Hobert, all at home. Mrs. Masters, who for many years was a member of the Methodist church, now worships with her hus- band in Holiness church.

At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McGrady took up their abode upon a farm and following the death of his parents removed to a portion of the old homestead, where he gave his time and energies to farming, raising and handling stock. There he lived for two vears, when he sold out and bought a large ranch and farm containing over seven hundred acres. It

continued to be his place of residence and the scene of his business activity as an agricultur- ist and stock raiser until January, 1905, when he sold this place and took his herd of stock to the Indian Territory, where he soon after- ward disposed of them. He then returned to Saint Jo, disposed of other business interests and then turned his attention to the livery and trading business in Saint Jo, where he yet con- tinues operations, keeping a good livery, feed and sale stable and wagon yard. In this he is associated with L. O. Blanton and the busi- ness is proving profitable, for they now have a liberal patronage. Investigation into the life record of Mr. McGrady shows that he has ever worked earnestly, persistently and honorably and deserves the confidence which should ever crown earnest labor and straightforward deal- ing.

JUDGE LYSIUS GOUGH is a well known lawyer and business man of Hereford, Deaf Smith county, and is another one of the enter- prising and forceful men who are responsible for the present rapid rate of development of the great Panhandle country. Judge Gough's life history is an interesting and edifying story of progress from one point to another, in which the lack of early advantages, instead of proving a detriment, merely added a spur to his ambi- tion for success on the higher planes of life. He is a self-made man, and thereby all the more useful as a citizen in working out the problems of the community.

He was born in Lamar county, this state, July 29, 1862, being a son of Asher and Elizabeth (Martin) Gough. His father, a native of Ken- tucky, came to Texas in 1845, the year of ad- mission to the Union, and spent two years in Lamar county, principally for the purpose of prospecting the conditions and opportunities of the country. In 1857 he located permanently in that county, the Gough home being twelve miles west of Paris. He was a farmer by oc- cupation, and his death occurred in Lamar coun- ty in 1886. His wife, a native of Illinois, died in 1898.

The son, Lysius has always taken much comfort from the fact that he was reared in a home of Christian parents and under moral and wholesome influences. He learned to work on the farm at an early age, and industrious habits were among the best assets of his early career. Educational facilities were indeed meager in his community, and when he left home at the age of fourteen he could barely read, and did not know enough handwriting to make it

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

legible. Certainly he must have had courage, persistence and energy to make the winning fight which later placed him in the legal pro- fession.

On leaving home he worked for a year on a farm, and at fifteen took the trail as a cow- boy, a career that he followed until he was of age. Most of this time he was with the noted cattle firm of Gunter and Munson, who in 1881 fenced two hundred and ninety thousand acres in the Panhandle, known as the T. Anchor ranch. The old log ranch house where the cow- boys used to assemble is still standing at Canyon City. In 1882 young Gough brought a large outfit up to the Panhandle, and for the fol- lowing years herded cattle all over the country where Canyon City, Hereford and Tulia now stand.

During all this career as a cattle ranger Mr. Gough did not cease to be agitated by his as- pirations for a broader sphere of usefulness, and in particular he longed to supply his early de- ficiencies in education. Oftentimes when alone in his watches his fertile mind became busied with the composition of verses, which, on ac- count of his inability to write, he could not then commit to paper, but which he remembered until after he had mastered handwriting and then put them down as impressions of his thoughts while on the trail. After returning to their headquarters the boys sometimes indulged in "entertainments," of an impromptu nature, and Judge Gough often figured in these affairs by reciting poems and otherwise contributing to the delectation of the audience. Although for six years leading the wild and unrestrained life of the plains, he throughout conscientiously ab- stained from swearing and the use of tobacco and liquor, but as he did not obtrude his mor- ality upon others he was none the less popular among his fellows, and his independent and sturdy qualities have gained him esteem wher- ever he has gone.

In the fall of 1883 Judge Gough left the em- ploy of Gunter and Munson, he then being twenty-one years of age, and in December of that year he entered the school at Roxton, La- mar county, his old home. His eagerness for learning overcame all the natural diffidence he would have in associating with children so much younger than himself, and only he can estimate how hard it was for him at first in entering the primary grades and studying the same lessons which were assigned to his schoolmates of eight or ten years of age. But he was not of the kind to be abashed by this. He made rapid prog- ress, and in the fall of 1884 he went to Pilot

Point in Denton county, where he made ar- rangements with Dr. Eddleman to work nights and mornings for his board, and in addition swept out the school and did other manual duties for his tuition, a program that he continued un- til he was through school. In 1889 he took charge of the school at Pilot Point, known as the Pilot Point Institute, in which he had been a student, and among his pupils were fourteen who had been in advance of him in 1884. Previous to 1889, however, he had taught four terms in Denton county, and had studied at Denton under Colonel Pitman, a well known educator, and under Colonel J. E. Hughes, another noted teacher, at Gainesville. At Pilot Point his first instructor had been Professor Davidson.

In the spring of 1890 Mr. Gough had to re- linquish his work of teaching on account of poor health caused by his hard work. About the same time he received the government ap- pointment to take the census in Pilot Point dis- trict. In the following October he was ap- pointed justice of the peace of that district to fill an unexpired term, and in November was elected to the office by a vote of 743 against his opponent's 79. He had already turned his atten- tion to the legal profession and had been reading law, and after the November election he continued his studies in the office of Colonel Collier, a prominent lawyer of Pilot Point. In August, 1891, he resigned the office of justice, and passed the examination and was admitted to the bar at the county seat, Denton.

The scene of his first life work seemed now the best field for his professional endeavors, and he accordingly returned to the Panhandle, now just entered upon its course of rapid develop- ment, and on September 3, 1891, located at Dim- mitt in Castro county, which county, however, was not yet organized. He taught the first pub- lic school in that county, and when the county organization was effected, December 18, 1891, he was elected the first county judge, Dimmitt being made the county seat. He held that of- fice from December, 1891, until November, 1898. He also bought and improved a ranch four miles from Dimmitt, and made his home on this place.

November 16, 1898, Judge Gough moved to Hereford. The railroad had been completed to that town only the previous October, and when he arrived there were just six houses to mark the townsite. In the following December he opened a law and real estate office, and in May of the next year he formed a partnership with Judge C. G. Witherspoon. Besides their large general law practice, the partners have com- plete abstracts of Deaf Smith and Castro coun-

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ties, and also represent a number of strong fire insurance companies, and a general real estate business is also transacted by the firm.

Judge Gough was one of the founders of the Panhandle Christian College, which, largely ow- ing to his efforts, was established at Hereford in 1902, and which is now a flourishing insti- tution. He is a trustee of the college and has devoted both time and money liberally to its welfare. Naturally, education in general has aways gained his attention and support, and he carried around the subscription paper by which money was raised to build the first schoolhouse in Hereford, and he has ever since interested himself in the public schools of his town. He is a valued member and a worker in the Christian church of Hereford.

Judge Gough was married at Pilot Point, De- cember 23, 1886, to Miss Ida Russell, and they had a happy married life of almost twenty years. Mrs. Gough died July 4, 1904, leaving six chil- dren: Earl, Leron, Irma, May, Roy and Cora- lee.

JOHN CELUM, a well known rancher of El Paso county living at Clint, was born in Randolph county, Arkansas. He was reared upon a farm and remained in Arkansas until early manhood. He then came west, spending some time in Arizona and in 1884 he made his way to the Rio Grande valley, locating on his present place near Clint postoffice. He was one of the pioneer farmers in this part of the state, there being only a few settlers scattered in the valley at the time of his arrival here, and these were mostly Mexicans. The country, however, had been known among the Mexicans for several generations as particularly adapted for fruit raising when water could be supplied to the soil. When Mr. Celum first came here and for some time thereafter water was more plentiful in the Rio Grande river than it is now since the numerous irrigation ditches of Colorado and New Mexico have appropriated so much of the natural supply. Consequently it was a comparatively easy matter to procure then a sufficient supply of water by small irri- gation ditches extended from the river, and now, after a few years of comparative scarcity of water the present project of a great irriga- tion system under government control, to sup- ply water from the Engle dam to the land own- ers in El Paso valley, once more assures a splendid future for the owners of farm property stich as Mr. Celum's and land in his vicinity is already being held at one hundred dollars per acre or higher.

Mr. Celum's home place consists of seventy- five acres under a high state of cultivation and is devoted to alfalfa and fruit. The finest crops of the former raised in the country are here produced. In his horticultural pursuits he makes a specialty of the pear, which reaches its greatest perfection here through the combina- tion of soil, water and climate. He also raises apples, grapes and other fruits and high grades of vegetables, principally tomatoes, celery and onions. His ranch at present receives its sup- ply from what is known as the community ditch owned by the neighboring farmers, but will come under the big government ditch when it is completed. It is due to such men as Mr. Celum coming in as pioneers and ex- perimenting with crops and developing the country that it enjoys its present prosperity. He is careful and practical in all that he does, and his labors have been attended with a high measure of prosperity which will be fully aug- mented when the present irrigation system now in course of construction has been carried forward to completion.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 118

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