A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 140

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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James M. Blocker grew up chiefly in Lee county, Mississippi, and obtained a liberal education in the Conway high school. He began life as a school teacher and pursued the calling some six years in Texas. For the buf- falo hunt he organized an outfit of a half dozen men who spent a year in killing the brute- master of the plains and marketing his pelt at Fort Griffin on the very border of civilization. This year's work furnished him with the sinews which helped him in his future career.

February 27, 1872, Mr. Blocker married in Lamar county, Texas, Miss Ara Mann, a daughter of Joel Mann, who died in Bridgeport in May, 1905. The Manns were from Leake county, Mississippi, and came to Texas about 1870: Mrs. Blocker was born in 1855 and died in Bridgeport, June 23, 1904, leaving the fol- lowing issue, viz: Unus, of Wise county; Arthur, a postal clerk on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway ; Frank, of Douglas, Arizona ; Ban., of Bridgeport, and Joe and Fern with the paternal home.

As a citizen Mr. Blocker has ever maintained an interested position, giving encouragement to worthy enterprises and contributing his part toward high morals and pure local government. He is a Democrat and a Methodist.

JAMES ASBURY BROCK, engaged in the real-estate business in El Paso, was born near London, Madison county, Ohio, April 1, 1845, a son of John Harper and Sarah A. (Marshall) Brock. The father was a native of Greene county, Ohio, and a son of Francis Brock, a farmer and stock trader, who died in 1854 at the age of forty-two years. In the family of

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

John H. Brock were the following children : William, Andrew J., James Asbury, Russell, Ann M., Angeline and Woosley. The father's death occurred at London, Ohio.

Mr. Brock of this review remained upon a farm near that town until nine years of age, when he went with his parents to London and acquired his education in the schools there. At the age of twenty years, on the 3d of Octo- ber, 1865, he was married to Mary T. Willis, and in November of the same year he located upon the old homestead farm in Madison county, where he remained until 1869, when he sold out. In 1865, in company with Robert George Dunn, he had shipped a herd of short- horn cattle to Grinnell, Poweshiek county, Iowa. This was a part of the best herd of short-horns in America. Mr. Brock took the cattle to Iowa and then went to Council Bluffs. He passed through Nebraska and on to St. Joseph, Missouri, and thence to Kansas City, being at the last named place when the first engine crossed the new bridge there. He af- terward proceeded to the terminus of the rail- road in Kansas near Ellsworth. This was the Kansas Pacific line. From that point Mr. Brock was ordered by his partner, Mr. Dunn, to go to Girard, Kansas, to find some short horns which had been sold in that part of the country at the beginning of the war, but he could obtain no trace of the cattle and re- turned to Kansas City, after which he visited Missouri and then went to his old home in Ohio. He had become, interested in the west and, selling his property in the Buckeye state, he started with his wife in 1869 for Independ- ence, Missouri, where he became interested in a hotel business with a Mr. Pierce, conducting the hotel for a year.

On the expiration of that period Mr. Brock again went to Kansas City and from that point his wife returned to London, Ohio, while Mr. Brock joined a party of cattlemen who went by rail to Fort Scott, Kansas, and thence by wagon through southern Kansas and the In- dian Territory to Sherman, Texas, where they arrived October 1, 1870. They afterward vis- ited Mckinney, Dallas, Waxahachie and Mil- ford, camping out at these different places and in the latter part of November, Mr. Brock re- turned to Kansas City on business, making the journey by stage to Baxter Springs and on by railroad. In the succeeding spring he secured employment in the Kansas stock yards, where he remained until March, 1872, when he was called to his old home in London,

Ohio, on account of the illness of his wife, who died on the 16th of May of that year.

On the 5th of July, 1872, Mr. Brock went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he became travel- ing salesman for Doty, Watson & Company, selling revolving scrapers and railroad sup- plies. He continued in that employ until Jan- mary, 1873, and after meeting Colonel W. H. Hick, who was post trader at Fort Griffin, and Major McGibbon, he left St. Louis with them and went direct to Fort Gibbon, arriving in 1873. The horses were suffering from epizoo- dic, so that they traveled much of the way with ox-teams and by government teams continued on to Fort Griffin, in Shackelford county. There Mr. Brock began working for Colonel Hick in the general supply store, serving in that position until 1876.

In the meantime Mr. Brock had purchased some cattle and in 1874 bought some thorough- bred short-horns, the first to be taken to Shack- elford county. He kept adding to his stock in- til he brought his herd up to a high standard and it was said by some of the best cattle inen of Texas that Mr. Brock did more in those times to elevate the cattle business than any other man.

On the 28th of November, 1875, his cousin, Frank Woosley, of Madison county, Ohio, wrote Mr. Brock that he wanted to come to Texas. He was a son of Mrs. Angeline Brock Woosley, an aunt of our subject, and was at that time about twenty-eight years of age. Mr. Brock in reply to the letter wrote him of Texas and its possibilities, but before the let- ter had reached Ohio, Frank Woosley had started for Fort Griffin, arriving on the Ist of January, 1876. After looking over the country Mr. Brock and his cousin with a guide and out- fit started northwest from Fort Griffin on the buffalo range, but after twenty days returned without any buffalo. He then made arrange- ments whereby they drove one hundred miles to Weatherford, Texas, thence proceeding by stage to Fort Worth and on to Dallas, which was the terminus of the Texas Pacific railroad. Woosley then returned to Ohio, reaching home in time for the stock sales at London, Ohio, on the Ist of February. He visited at the home of Mr. Brock's sister and gave glow- ing accounts of our subject's prospects in Texas. He then purchased fifteen head of short-horns, five heifers and ten bulls, which he shipped to Dallas. He also sent a draft of four thousand dollars to Mr. Brock, who placed it at Weatherford with Captain Henry

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Warren, cashier of the bank, for collection. Mr. Warren before Woosley went east had of- fered to put ten thousand dollars into the cat- tle business and become a partner of Mr. Brock. Woosley followed the cattle to Dallas, , but it seemed to be the only alternative. carrying with him an order from Taft, secre- tary of war, nominating Mr. Brock for the po- sition of post trader at Fort Griffin. Colonel Hick, who was then post trader, came to Mr. Brock and said, "Did you know there was an order here for your nomination for post trader?" and received a reply in the negative, after which Colonel Hick said he had no show for the position then. But in the meantime Mr. Brock had written an application for the position and the next morning after he re- turned to his ranch an orderly came from the adjutant's office where the post council was in session and requested Mr. Brock to appear before the council. Captain Chase then said, "We have a commission here from you regard- ing the post tradership and the same from sev- cral other applicants and we want to consult you first." Mr. Brock said that the gentlemen knew all about him and he therefore needed only to assure them that he had the necessary means to carry on the business of post trader. He was then asked if his cattle business or any outside interest would interfere with his duties as post trader and if he would always be there to co-operate with the post council to fix prices on goods, etc. Mr. Brock answered that if he obtained the office he would sell his cattle business to his cousin and brother and thus be left free to attend to his official duties, and after his departure the council agreed to nom- inate him. Mr. Brock went on to Dallas and on his way back drove cattle to Fort Griffin, arriving about the Ist of May, 1876. His cousin Woosley had also returned and a few days later they bought three hundred and fifty heifers off the trail at nine dollars and a half per head, paying thirty-one hundred and fifty dollars out of the four thousand dollars sent by Woosley from London, Ohio. In the mean- time while Mr. Brock was at Dallas the papers had come affirming his nomination as post trader. By the time he reached Fort Griffin the news had been received there and in con- sequence considerable rivalry sprang up be- tween the merchants of Fort Griffin and F. E. Conrad, acting as post trader, brought up an account against Mr. Brock for goods bought at the store, although he did not owe it, while an- other merchant attached his cattle on the ground that he was about to leave the country,

taking advantage of his trip to Washington, which was a necessary trip ere he entered up- on the duties of the office. Mr. Brock there- fore paid the bills, although they were unjust,

Going once more to Dallas he returned by rail to St. Louis and on to London, Ohio, and went with his mother to Washington, D. C., in June, 1876. While he was absent a hurry order came for the garrison at Fort Griffin to go to Custer's relief in the Black Hills and Mr. Brock then saw that the post tradership would not be worth anything, so gave up the office. He returned to Ohio and thence went to Iowa, where he sold some fine cattle for his uncle, Russell Brock, after which he pro- ceeded to St. Louis, then again to Ohio and back to Texas, arriving at his ranch in No- vember, 1876.

In the meantime Frank Woosley had been joined by his brother Ed and his wife, who had come in June. In January, 1877, they found the trail objectionable, as the cattle were be- coming scattered. Woosley made a trip to the plains on the McKinsley trail to Canyon Blanco, thence south to Yellow House Canyon and to Snyder's store in Scurry county and on to Center line trail, where the trail strikes what is now the Texas Pacific railroad near Sweetwater. He afterward continued east to old Fort Phantom, Missouri, and thence re- turned to the ranch near Fort Griffin. This trip gave him a general knowledge of the coun- try to the west and of the landmarks which would serve to guide one in traveling. Fol- lowing his return there was a stock meeting called at Fort Griffin, attended by all the stockmen of this section of the state and J. B. Mathews, J. C. Lynch and Mr. Brock were made delegates to the convention, which was to have a ten days' session in April, 1877, at Graham, in Young county, Texas. On return- ing from the convention they found the trail cattle coming up and Mr. Brock, at the solic- itation of other stock men and neighbors, went seven miles north of there and proceeded to inspect the trail cattle to see that the cattle owned by himself and neighbors were not driven off. About this time John S. Moon, who was a brother-in-law of F. Woosley, after staying for a few weeks in Texas returned in April to Ohio. As is customary in round-ups, the men start to work from a given point, pro- ceeding from one ranch to another, each man gathering up his own cattle. They started on the Ist of May, went south to Clear Forks on

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

the Brazos, and on to Albany. About the 12th or 15th of May, Woosley went to the ranch, leaving the round-up and in a few days re- turned and then went on south of the round- up and again back to the ranch. He was at Fort Griffin on the 20th of May, 1877, which was the last seen of him for fourteen years. He hoped by his mysterious disappearance to create the impression that he had been foully murdered by his cousin and partner, Mr. Brock. On the day on which he disappeared he wanted to use a fine mare, which was an extra good cattle animal for cutting, herds. Mr. Brock reluctantly let him have the mare, as he said he wanted to go on farther on the round-up, but the records show that there was no round-up for five days before or afterward. He arrived there after dark, picketed his horses, two in number, and lay down for the night on his blanket. The next morning he went to Antelope Creek, where he met Sam Myers, Ed Campbell and "Turkey" Jones in camp and took breakfast with them. He then proceeded down Clear Fork toward the ranch and pulled up as they were finishing breakfast. The men say that they asked him to get off and have a meal with them, but he stayed on his horse, which bore the brand figure 2 until a cowboy saddled his horse and they both rode off. A short distance away Woosley left his companion and started to the southeast to where he had left the mare, giving the impres- sion at this ranch that he was going back home, but he never returned. That was the last seen of Frank Woosley for fourteen years, and it was a month and two days before he was reported missing, Mr. Brock supposing that he was on the round-up.

John F. Brock, who was with John G. Thompson, sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives in Washington, went to Lon- don, Ohio, from the capitol and his mother said that she wished he would make a visit to our subject. He did so, arriving at Denison, Texas, and on the 22d of June, 1877, sent a message to James A. Brock. This was one month from the day that Woosley disappeared, the message being received at Fort Griffin, June 23, 1877. Mr. Brock of this review showed the message to Ed Woosley, brother of Frank Woosley, saying that John Brock would be at Fort Griffin in a day or two. When Ed Woosley went back to the ranch and re- turned the next day he reported his brother missing and the citizens organized search par- ties, for in those troublous times in the history

of Texas murders were of frequent occurrence. John Brock arrived about this time to find that James A. Brock had gone with a party in search of the missing man. In the meantime a rumor was afloat that Mr. Brock had killed or else had hired his cousin murdered, so that on the next day when the party started out he went along as a common citizen, not taking any lead in directing the search, telling his associates that he had been censured and that they must make the search now without any suggestion from him. A little distance from the ranch they met Ed Woosley, who insinu- ated that Mr. Brock was accountable for the disappearance of his brother. At length the search was discontinued, there being no trace found of the murdered man. At that time John Brock gave our subject power of attor- ney to take possession of the stock and the provisions, but that as Frank Woosley had dis- appeared this power of attorney should not effect Woolsey's interest, so that in case he re- turned his property would still be intact. Ac- cordingly Mr. Brock took possession of his broth- er's interest, but Ed Woosley sequestered the cat- tle, taking them away from Mr. Brock, who in the mean time attempted to get a compromise by giving them all the stock which had been paid for by the firm, while he should retain the orig- inal herd. Woosley would not agree to this and the matter was taken to the courts. Feeling ran very high and although there was no tangible grounds an attempt was made by Ed Woosley and his followers to have Mr. Brock indicted for murder before the grand jury and dug up some Indian bones, claiming that they were the bones of the white man. An indictment, however, was not returned. They then run three cattle in- dictments for alleged killing of cattle, but it was proven that Mr. Brock never sold a pound of beef. Three guards were then appointed by the court to take Mr. Brock to Fort Griffin, where he could telegraph for money for bonds. There one of the guards, who had doubtless been bribed by his enemies, tried to induce him to go back to the ranch, but suspecting that he might be waylaid on the trip he refused to do so. The next day, however, the return trip was made and Mr. Brock was put in irons, but was guarded by Texas rangers. Judge McCall, who was Mr. Brock's attorney, said he did not know what was the matter with the people, but that feeling was running high against Mr. Brock and he had been warned to have nothing to do with the case. The Woosley contingent had offered to compromise, but Mr. Brock refused the terms until the judge

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argued that if a compromise was made it would give him a chance to find Frank Woosley and then he could recover his property. The com- promise was effected, but it left Mr. Brock nothing after paying costs. A reward of one thousand dollars for the murderer of Woosley had been offered November 23, 1877, three days before Mr. Brock was released on bond. He went to Ohio in 1878, but on the 4th of Novem- ber returned to Fort Griffin, for his trial was to come off on the 14th. A few days before this Woosley's mother came to Texas and offered a second reward of one thousand dollars. The court records give an account of the trial which resulted in the jury returning a verdict of not guilty. Mr. Brock's attorneys then tried to force the other indictments but could not get a trial, the case being continued until September, 1876, on which occasion there was a verdict of not guilty rendered in the matter of the cattle in- dictments. Thus the law had vindicated the opinions of a great many people that Mr. Brock was entirely innocent of all connection with the disappearance of Woosley or of any wrong doing in the business affairs.

Released by the courts, Mr. Brock went to Fort Griffin and on to the plains with H. C. Smith, where he took contracts to sink wells and did other work for a Quaker colony in Tab- bock county. In October, however, he returned to Fort Griffin and was there during the court sessions. On the Ist of November he took a contract on the Star route mail to carry mail from Fort Griffin to Throckmorton, Seymour county, through the Narrows, up the Panhandle, thence from Fort Elliott to Wichita Falls and Doan's store and on to Seymour. He rode all night from Doan's store, reaching Seymour at break of day. He spent the day there and returned the succeeding night to Seymour, where the car- rier arrived from Wichita Falls. He then rode all night and the next day and on arriving at Fort Elliott received some mail including a letter from his former attorneys saying that he had been indicted at Albany and bound for one thou- sand dollars. He then went to John W. Pool and stated his predicament. Pool signed his bond and they sent it to the sheriff of Shackel- ford county for his appearance at the next term of court. His enemies were still at work against him. An old army officer by the name of Wiley went to Austin, got a transcript of Mr. Brock's land, proving that he had entered it according to law and sent the transcript to Mr. Brock. When the case was called the counsel for Mr. Brock asked that the witnesses be examined sep-

arately and the first witness, W. R. Kruger, who was then sheriff, was made to admit that he was the clerk in the land office when Mr. Brock filed his papers proving up his land. Various instances of perjury on the part of the witnesses for the complaint were brought forth and again Mr. Brock was released on a verdict of not guilty. Then occurred a great demonstration by good citizens, who rejoiced in the outcome of the trial, believing fully in his innocence.

Once more Mr. Brock entered business life, this time going with a herd of cattle to the Pan- handle or Fort Elliott. There he found a tele- gram from Pat Garrett, of Las Vegas, that he had captured Woosley, but when Mr. Brock went there he found that Garrett had the wrong man.

During his first trouble Mr. Brock owed nine dollars and a half for court costs and one day the sheriff told him that if he did not pay this he would put him in the guard house. It was another trick of the Woosley element to get Mr. Brock in jail. So great was the opposition man- ifested toward him that even people who had at first believed in him to some extent doubted him and it became the one end and aim of Mr. Brock's life to find Frank Woosley. He offered a reward of one thousand dollars and published a picture, on the back of which was a picture of Woosley and thousands of these were sent throughout the country. Old Uncle William Nick Miller, an old colored servant, who was in the care of Mr. Brock's cattle at the time of the disappearance of Woolsey was taken out by a gang who hung him, pulling him up four times in an attempt to make him say that Mr. Brock had hired him to kill his cousin, but the old col- ored man stuck to the truth that he had not been thus employed. On the 16th of June, 1891, Mr. Brock received a message from George B. Wells, of Macon, Georgia, that he had his man located in Arkansas. He then went to Augusta, Ar- kansas to find that the imprisoned man was not Woosley, but while he was preparing to leave on the next train he saw Woosley on the depot platform and, pulling his gun, he made the sup- posed murdered man return with him to his old home in Ohio and prove his innocence. It seemed alinost miraculous, this discovery of Woosley after a search of fourteen years, during which time Mr. Brock had sacrificed his fortunes and largely his health and other interests in his at- tempt to find the man. When the hope of doing so was almost gone fate seemed to intervene and Woosley appeared before him.

While sojourning in Colorado, Mr. Brock met at Pueblo the lady whom he made his second

JOHN W. HARDING

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

wife and who bore the maiden name of Emma A. Powell. She was a resident of Glasgow, How- ard county, Missouri. While in Colorado and New Mexico he was engaged in carrying mail and in railroad construction for some time. In later years he has made his home in El Paso, where he has since lived a quiet life, being en- gaged in the real estate business. He is now sat- isfied with his condition and yet he feels that if it had not been for his great trouble he could have become well off, for he had gained an ex- cellent start in the cattle business in the early days. He was a familiar figure among the cat- tle men not only in western Texas, but also in New Mexico and Colorado and he can relate many interesting stories concerning hardships, suffering and bravery in those days and not the least interesting is his own record, which is as marvelous almost as a tale of fiction. It was with great rejoicing that his many friends saw him vindicated and he is today classed with the popular and respected citizens of El Paso.

JOHN WESLEY HARDING. The first commissioner's district of Clay county is pre- sided over by a gentleman whose connection with the stock and farming interests of north- ern Texas has been extensive and prominent and it was this experience, coupled with rare business judgment and high character as a citizen, which prompted the county electors to choose John W. Harding a county commis- sioner. By reason of the nature of his early calling as a cattleman with the well known firm of Byers Brothers he became widely known throughout this and 'adjoining counties, and wherever his acquaintance extended the same favorable opinion of his virtues was held and thesame flattering commendations indulged in. As the years passed and his connection with the county's interests and affairs became more fixed and permanent his hold on the af- fections of the people grew stronger until he enjoys today the unshaken and unswervable confidence of an undivided constituency.

It is twenty-one years since Mr. Harding be- came a resident of Clay county. Having formed the acquaintance of his early employers in east Texas he was induced by them to take a posi- tion on their Clay county ranch in 1884 and for ten years his time was devoted to their inter- ests as earnestly and loyally as though their interests were his own. During this period his service and his personal worth won such a place in the regard of his chiefs as to frequently reflect itself when the aid of real friends would count for much. Having practiced some econ-

omy and being urged by his employer to pur- chase a tract of rich Red river bottom land off of their ranch he finally consented and the terms were agreed upon and the contract entered into for five hundred twenty-two and three-fourths acres. The tract was in its virgin state and everything was to do in the final acquirement and development of a home and farm. He took possession of it in 1892 and began the rough and uneven journey from com- parative poverty to absolute independence.

John W. Harding was born in Warren county, Tennessee, September 2, 1849. His father, George Harding, was a farmer, born in the same county and state. He was well and widely known over the county, being for a time deputy and finally sheriff of the same. He came to Texas some time following our subject's ad- vent to the state and died in Grayson county. În politics he was a Democrat. The mother of John W. Harding was Martha (Hennessey) Harding. She was of Irish stock, felt the loss of her mother young and her father remarried and moved into Illinois. She labored with her husband many years and brought up a large family of honorable children and died February 14, 1889. Her children were: Mary J., John W., our subject; Nancy, Sallie, George E., Thomas B., William, G. Henson, Mattie and Charles.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 140

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