A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 120

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

USA > Texas > A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II > Part 120

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Catawba county, North Carolina, was the place of Mr. Sigmon's nativity and his birth occurred September 26, 1853, The grandfather of our subject established the family in that coun- ty in the fore part of the past century, going there from the state of Pennsylvania. Catawba county was then a new and rather fron-

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

tier country and he opened up one of the new farms. There his children came to maturity and assumed their rural sta- tions in life. The family name is easily trace- able to the German blood and its descendants in the south point to either Abel or Jacob J. Sig- mon, sons of the Pennsylvania ancestor, as the tree-trunks of their respective families.

Jacob J. Sigmon, our subject's father, was born in 1819, devoted himself to rural pursuits in Catawba, his native county, and passed to rest there in 1878. He married a German lady. Siva Setzer, who died in 1868, being the mother of Ellen, wife of John J. Reinhardt, of Catawba county, North Carolina; Pinkney, who was a prominent citizen of Bowie and died in 1904 leaving a family: David H., our subject ; Jane, wife of John Coperning, of Bowie; Julius, who is identified with the mercantile interests of Bowie; Fannie, Mrs. A. P. Sites, of Gomez, Texas; and Allie, wife of Knox Coperning, of Caldwell county, North Carolina.

The common schools of his native county and Bryant and Stratton's Business College in Baltimore gave David H. Sigmon his literary and business education. At twenty years of age he had finished his education and at twen- ty-one he departed from the old home to begin life in the west with little more than funds enough to pay his fare to his destination at Dallas. In the course of his rounds in Dallas, in an effort to properly locate himself in a po- sition, he fell in with the firm of Littlehale & Brother, hide, wool and cotton buyers, who engaged his services without date. Having shown an aptitude for his work the firm sent him to Fort Worth in 1876, to take charge of their branch business there, and which he real- ly established for them. He made the Little- hale venture in Fort Worth a success and re- mained with his employers until the year of his advent to Bowie where he embarked in the same line of business in company with Doug. Wise, now of Jefferson, Texas. His capital at the opening was less than one hundred dollars and it took sudden, frequent and many turns of it to place him where he felt some financial in- dependence. At the end of a year he bought out his partner and took in his brother, Julius, with whom he conducted the hide, wool and cotton business for three years. Then buying out his brother, he remained in the business until 1892 when he purchased the furniture stock of J. T. Burnett and Company. In the course of time he joined J. A. Burgess in the undertaking business and with these promi- nent business connections he was identified

with Bowie's domestic commerce March I, 1905. Mr. Sigmon has also established himself in the furniture business in Chickasha, Indian Territory, and there he built a factory for the manufacture of the cheaper grades of furni- ture. The style of the firm is the Sigmon Fur- niture and Carpet Company and his sons are active members of the firm and proprietors of the business.

In December, 1878, David H. Sigmon and , Miss Emma A. Thornton were married in Fort Worth. Mrs. Sigmon is a daughter of John A. Thornton who came to Texas from Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1873. Mrs. Sigmon was born in Mississippi and is the mother of Claud T., William H., Alma and Julia Sigmon, all ad- juncts to the family home.

As a citizen of Bowie Mr. Sigmon is public- spirited, loyal and earnest. Whenever called to serve the public on municipal matters he has done so with a singleness of purpose and to the unswerving interests of his town. He represented the Third ward in the common council for some time and has never failed to "be there" when substantial efforts were needed to locate some desirable enterprise or to raise a fund for some public benefit. He is a Democrat and holds a membership in the Missionary Baptist church.

LUKE T. MOSELY, the owner of nine hundred and thirty acres of valuable land com- prising a richly cultivated tract and good pas- tures, is known as a prominent stock farmer of Montague county, who since pioneer days has lived in western Texas and has been a witness of the great changes that have occurred here as the years have passed by and the work of reclamation has been carried forward, so that the old hunting grounds of the Indians have been transformed into a district thickly popu- lated with a contented and prosperous people, carrying on the various lines of business activ- ity that have contributed to the country's pros- perity.

Mr. Mosely is a native of Louisiana, where his birth occurred on the Ist of March, 1857. He was reared to farm pursuits and pursued his education in the common schools of Texas, whither he was brought by his parents, Clem and Lucinda (Herd) Mosely, both of whom were natives of Louisiana. The father was a planter and slave owner who prospered in his business undertakings until his estate was de- vastated by the ravages of war and the earn- ings and savings of a life time were swept

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

away. He had about thirty slaves at that time. Believing that the war had been inaugurated in order to free the negroes he thought that he might save them by coming to Texas, where he would be out of the path of the armies. Ac- cordingly he removed to the Lone Star state, bringing his family and his slaves with him. He settled in Lavacca county, where he died in the latter part of 1864. He was loyal to the south but was too old for actual service, al- though he gave his influence and support in every way possible to the Confederacy. After the close of the war he was left with little to support his family. Later his wife removed with the family to Johnson county, where she died. The death of Mr. Mosely occurred in Lavacca county. He was a strong Democrat but without aspiration for office. He held mem- bership in the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Mose- ly was a daughter of a Mr. Herd, who removed from Louisiana to Texas and died in Lavacca county. He was also a stanch advo- cate of the Confederate cause but was exempt from field service by his years. The war also occasioned his financial ruin as it did so many of the old and prominent families of the south. He was a member of the Baptist church and was a most worthy gentleman. In the family were five children: Mary; Cordelia; Mrs. Lucinda Mosely ; Kenon, who during the Civil war was assigned to the duty of making shoes for the Confederate soldiers and who died in California; and Pollard, who died in Texas. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mosely were born four children: James A., a farmer of the Indian Ter- ritory; Luke T., of this review; George D., of Hansford county, Texas; and Molly, the wife of W. Hardy.

Luke T. Mosely was a young lad when the family removed from Louisiana to Texas and after the death of his father he went to live in the home of his maternal uncle, Kenon Herd, with whom he remained until he had attained his majority. He went with him to Johnson county and then came with him to Montague county in 1872. There were few permanent settlers here at that time. Wild game was plentiful and all conditions of pioneer life were to be met. Little farming had then been done in the county and Mr. Mosely has witnessed its permanent and substantial development and improvement. He attended the first court held in the county when there was no court house, the session being held under a brush arbor at Montague. Cattle raising was the

principal industry at the time of his arrival here but he has seen the work of farming and fruit raising introduced and profitably carried on and has assisted materially in the work of development in this part of the state. He re- mained with his uncle until 1879, when he was married and took up his abode on a rented farm, where he lived for four years. He then bought a farm but later sold that property and again invested in another farm, becoming owner of four hundred acres, on which he yet resides. There were but small and poor im- provements on the place at that time. A log cabin had been built and some land was under cultivation, but soon he wrought a decided transformation in the appearance of his place, and he extended its boundaries by additional purchase from time to time until he now owns nine hundred and thirty acres. He has cleared and improved the place, and now has exten- sive fields under cultivation. There is also a large pasture, and he raises stock in addition to the cultivation of crops best adapted to soil and climate. He has erected a commodious frame residence, has also built barns and sheds for the shelter of grain and stock, has planted an orchard, used the latest improved ma- chinery in the work of the farm and has intro- duced the substantial improvements that are upon a model farm property.

On the 25th of December, 1879, Mr. Mosely was married to Miss Mary Miller, a native of East Tennessee, born August 3, 1859, and a daughter of John M. and Mary (Singletarry ) Miller, the former a native of Ray county, East Tennessee, the latter of Charleston, South Carolina. Both were descended from honored and prominent Southern ancestry. Her father was reared in Tennessee, and soon after his marriage there removed to Missouri. When the war was begun with Mexico he vol- unteered and served throughout the period of hostilities. During that time his wife returned to Tennessee, where he joined her at the close of the war. He then began farming in that state, in which he continued successfully until the beginning of the Civil war. He was a Mis- sionary Baptist minister of more than ordinary ability, and did active work in carrying the message of the gospel to the people of his state. When hostilities began between the north and the south he joined the Confederate army and was made a chaplain, in which posi- tion he served until the war was ended. He

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

not only carried on farming in Tennessee, but also gave some time to merchandising, but the ravages of war proved greatly detrimental to his business affairs and financial condition. He remained in Tennessee until 1873, when he removed to Texas, first locating in Cooke county, where he operated a rented farm. Sub- sequently he came to Montague county and purchased raw land near Bonita, on which was a log house. There he opened up a good farm, made substantial improvements, and became one of the leading agriculturists of Montague county, where he continued to re- side up to the time of his death, in 1893. Dur- ing all these years he not only conducted his business affairs, but also engaged in preach- ing, and was a devoted and earnest minister. of the Baptist church and a conscientious Christian gentleman, whose life was crowned with many good deeds, while his influence was a potent element for good in every com- munity where he lived and labored. He was a veteran of two wars, but he is more widely remembered and loved for his acts of charity, his helpful spirit and his irreproachable honor. His wife survived him for a few years, and died at the old homestead July 15, 1905, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. She, too, was a consistent member of the Baptist church. Their children were nine in number: Thomas, who was killed at the siege of Vicks- burg; Mrs. Orlena Hambright; Nathaniel, who was killed by bushwhackers during the Civil war while in North Carolina; Leonidas, who died in childhood; Tennessee, the wife of H. Kate; Benton H., who is living in Bowie, Texas; John, who died at the age of seven years; Mrs. Mary J. Mosely, and Sterling P., who is operating the homestead farm.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Mosely was blessed with two daughters and a son: Texas P., who is now the wife of A. Holland; Mabel, the wife of L. Ware, and John S., who is as- sisting on the home farm.

Mr. Mosely deserves much credit for the success which he has achieved, for he started out in life empty-handed, renting land until his labors had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to purchase property. Persist- ency, energy and strong force of character have been the salient features in his success, and today he is one of the well-to-do agricul- turists and stock raisers of Montague county. He votes with the democracy, and both he and his wife are active members in the Missionary

Baptist church. Their circle of friends is ex- tensive, and they enjoy the high regard of all with whom they have been brought in con- tact.

SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND, who is en- gaged in real estate operations in El Paso, is by birth, training and preference a resident of the west. His birth occurred in Lawrence, Kansas, and he was reared and educated in that city, acquiring his preliminary knowledge in the public schools, and afterward supple- mented his early training by a course in the State University, located in that city, where he was a classmate of George T. Nicholson and others who have since become prominent, particularly in the official circles of the Santa Fe railroad. As Mr. Sutherland's birth oc- curred in 1858 he was but a small boy at the time of the quantrell raid in Lawrence, but remembers the circumstances, his cousin, Henry Brown, being sheriff of the county at that time. Mr. Sutherland continued to make his home in Lawrence for some time, but in December, 1880, he arrived in El Paso as a passenger on the old Concord stage coach from the north, the railroads at that time hav- ing not yet been completed this far. The first brick building, a small structure, was being constructed at the corner of El Paso and San Antonio streets. In March, 1881, Mr. Suther- land, in partnership with A. E. Stewart, under the firm name of Stewart & Sutherland, estab- lished the first grocery store in El Paso, con- ducting it for about four years, when, on ac- count of ill health, Mr. Sutherland sold out and went to Mexico, where, to enjoy the bene- fits of an outdoor life, he engaged in the cat- tle business, making his headquarters at La Luz. He was thus connected with the cattle business for about fifteen years, and subse- quently he settled at Alamo Gordo, New Mex- ico, where, for one and a half years, lie was the agent for the Alamo Gordo Improvement Company, which promoted and built that beautiful little city, improving it with graded streets, sidewalks, trees, parks, a beautiful lake and other equipments which add to the attractive appearance of the city. This is a new town that was established on the El Paso & Northeastern Railway not long after the com- pletion of the road.

Returning to El Paso Mr. Sutherland has invested quite extensively in realty interests, and in addition to the care and rental of his

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

own property he is conducting a real estate business as a member of the firm of Newman & Sutherland, established in the summer of 1905, his partner being G. T. Newman, who is represented elsewhere in . this work. Mr. Sutherland was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Carrie E. Findley, a daughter of one of the old California pioneers. He has been a witness of many interesting experiences con- nected with the development of the west, and as the years have gone by has noted its. re- markable growth and development. In every community in which he has lived he has given hearty co-operation to movements for the gen- eral good, and at the same time has con- ducted his business interests with a care and precision that have resulted in the acquire- ment of a comfortable competence.

CAPTAIN CICERO SMITH is the presi- dent of the First National Bank, of Mineral Wells, and figures prominently in financial and commercial circles in Northern and West- ern Texas, both as a banker and lumberman. He stands today as one of the representative men of his state, quick to recognize, utilize and master opportunities. No citizen of Palo Pinto county is a more thorough representa- tive or more devoted to the promotion or wel- fare of the county than Mr. Smith, and he is widely known for the prominent part he has taken in local affairs as well as for his business activity.

Captain Smith was born in Walker county, Georgia, in 1845, his parents being Jesse K. and Nancy E. (Kight) Smith. The father, who was born in North Carolina, was a farmer by occupation, and came to Texas in 1871, lo- cating in Cass county, where his death oc- curred in 1876. His wife, who was born in South Carolina, has also passed away. Their son, Cicero, was reared on the home farm, and at the age of seventeen years enlisted in the Confederate army, although quite a frail youth, weighing at that time only ninety pounds. He first joined the Second Georgia Battalion, and afterward became a member of the Fourth Georgia Cavalry in 1862. During most of his war experience he was attached to the Army of the Tennessee. On the 12th of October, 1862, about four miles south of Nashville, Ten- nessee, he was taken prisoner, but after twenty-nine days he escaped and rejoined his regiment. He participated in the Battle of Chickamauga, and subsequently was under

General Longstreet in the city of Knoxville. He then rejoined the Tennessee army at Dal- ton, Georgia, and was in the campaign from that place to Atlanta, and participated in all of the engagements with Sherman's army in that state. His regiment, although greatly de- pleted through death and wounds, distin- guished itself by capturing twenty-five hun- dred zouaves of the northern army on the 22d of July, 1864. After the fall of Atlanta Cap- tain Smith went on the Wheeler raid, and, fol- lowing the campaign in Tennessee, he was de- tailed for duty in northern Georgia, where he remained until the close of the war. He was a brave soldier, loyal to the cause he espoused, and never faltered in the performance of any duty.

In 1866 Captain Smith decided to remove to Texas, and in that year located in Panola county, in East Texas, where he remained for six years, carrying on the occupation of farm- ing. He then removed to Cass county, and in 1883 he established a sawmill at Queen City, but as there was no railroad at that point he removed the mill to Forest Home, which was located on the railroad line, thus securing bet- ter shipping facilities. In 1886 he removed to Logansport, Louisiana, where he operated his mill for two years, and then removed the lum- ber business in Texas, taking his mill to Ten- aha, in Shelby county. There he engaged in sawing lumber for three years, after which he returned to Panola county, erecting his mill at Boren, where it has since remained, and Boren is now the center of the lumber opera- tions. From a small beginning Captain Smith has developed a business of mammoth pro- portions, becoming one of the leading lumber manufacturers and dealers of Texas. Although his manufacturing is done in the great lumber district of East Texas, he has for several years lived in Western Texas. Besides the large mill at Boren he conducts a very extensive wholesale and retail lumber business, having yards at various points in this state. He is president of the Cicero Smith Lumber Com- pany, at Forth Worth, having extensive yards at that place; also at Alvord, Decatur, Mem- phis, Shamrock, Roe, McLean, San Angelo, Ballinger, and Graham, Texas, and at Adrian, Indian Territory. The average man would be well content to have established a business of the importance and proportions of the lumber trade which Captain Smith controls, but he has extended his efforts to other lines, being

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now largely engaged in the banking business. In 1900 he established the First National Bank of Mineral Wells, and he is also a di- rector of the Bank of Mineral Wells. He like- wise established the Graham National Bank, of Graham, of which he is president, and he is also vice-president of the Western National Bank, of Fort Worth. He is a director in the Landon National Bank, at San Angelo, the Citi- zens' National Bank, at Ballinger, and the bank of Smith & Eddleman, at Gainesville; also of the First National Bank, at Byers, In- dian Territory.

Captain Smith was united in marriage to Geneva (Harcourt) Smith, whose home was formerly near San Angelo. Captain Smith has eight children: J. William, Sidney, Clemmie, Helen, Julius, Susie, Esther and Cicero, Jr.

Captain Smith belongs to the Baptist church and to the Masonic fraternity. For about four years he has made his home in Mineral Wells, of which city he is a valued and respected citi- zen, taking an active part in everything per- taining to the general welfare.

In business affairs Captain Smith is ener- getic, prompt and notably reliable. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, joined to every-day common sense, guided by resistless will power, are the chief characteristics of the man. Jus- tice has ever been maintained in his relations to patrons and employees, and many of those who began with him at the commencement of his career are still in his service. He has not been slow to assist and encourage others who have left his employ to enter business for themselves, and in return he naturally has the loyal support of all the employees. He has been watchful of all the details of his business, and of all indications pointing toward pros- perity, and from the beginning had an abid- ing faith in the ultimate success of his enter- prise. He has gained wealth, yet it was not alone the goal for which he was striving, and he belongs to that class of representative American citizens who promote the general prosperity while advancing individual inter- ests.

JESSE PHILIP GAMBILL. Firmly estab- lished on his farm on the water-course of Sandy, in Montague county, is Jesse P. Gambill, whose life record it is our privilege to herewith present. He settled in the Selma neighborhood in the fall of 1881 and is now almost within calling

distance of the spot upon which he first lo- cated. First as a stockman and farmer and later as purely a tiller of the soil he has achieved success and provided himself and his children with sufficient of the substantial things of life to guarantee them, with wise management, a fair degree of independence through life.

Mr. Gambill came into Montague from Cooke county after having passed fourteen years there. He was a young man of twenty-two when he came to the state and he found work with Mul- hall and Scalings, large ranch men in Cooke county. He had charge of their outfit for six years and drew a salary of sixty-five dollars a month. While he was not economical, intention- ally, he accumulated something from his salary and his "privileges" so that when he left his employers he was able to engage in farming, on rented land, with some degree of independence. During the first year he had the goodness to go a friend's security and when he got through with that he was pretty well "cleaned up." He buckled on the armor a little tighter thereafter and retrieved his fortunes so that he had four horses and thirteen head of cattle when he start- ed life on Sandy, in Montague.

The first land he ever owned was a tract of one hundred and sixty acres where he first set- tled, at Selma, and this he was "paying out" when he sold it and in 1889 purchased his present home place. His efforts on this, together with those of his family, have enlarged his farm to two hundred and thirteen acres, provided one son with a farm of one hundred and eighty acres and another son with one of one hundred acres.

Jesse P. Gambill was born in Bedford county, Tennessee, November 10, 1848. His father, Newton C. Gambill, was a native of the same county, where his father, Newton C. Gambill, settled from North Carolina in an early day. They were large and successful farmers prior to the war, owning much land and many slaves, and the president's emancipation proclamation caught Newton Gambill, Jr.'s estate with thirty- eight souls to be freed. When the war came on Newton, Jr., was completing the organiza- tion of a company to enter the Confederate army when, in July, 1861, he was taken ill and died. In the early times he was a Knownothing in politics, but when the issues of the war brought the conflict close to hand he added his voice and his work to the cause of the south. While the hand of death removed him just as the crisis came and prevented his taking the field, five of his sons served their country under the stars and bars and all passed through and lived to witness a reunited nation.

JESSE P. GAMBILL AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

Newton C. Gambill, Jr., married Minerva Phil- lips, a daughter of John Phillips, a Pennsylvania settler to Tennessee. Mrs. Gambill died in 1867, at the age of about sixty-three, and, at his death Mr. Gambill was also sixty-three years old. Their children were: Thomas, John, William and New- ton C. All served in the army and died in Tennes- see leaving families : Jesse P .; Martha, of Okla- homa, married Wiley O'Neal; Puss, who passed away in Tennessee, was the wife of Sargent Price; Susan, wife of Joe King, died in Ark- ansas and Minerva, of the old home state, mar- ried S. Phillips.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 120

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