A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 3

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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Mr. Graves was born January 20, 1859, and is unmarried. Solicitude for his mother has overshadowed that otherwise attractive feature of a matrimonial alliance and he has been con- tent to remain a bachelor. He is fond of so- ciety, is disposed to look upon the bright side of life and enjoys a wide acquaintance and a host of friends.

ELI E. CARLTON, M. D. The medical fraternity of Montague county has an excellent representative in Dr. Eli E. Carlton, who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Ringgold. He is numbered among the native sons of Texas, his birth having occurred in Cass county on the 2nd of April, 1866, and al- though he was reared to farm life he chose a professional career, wherein he has so directed his labors that success has followed his efforts. He represents pioneer families of this state, his parents being William H. and Jane (Hass) Carlton. The mother was born in Cass county and was descended from one of the honored early families of Texas. The father was born in Alabama and was a son of Eli Carlton, like- wise a native of that state, whence he removed to the southwest, becoming a resident of Cass county. He was a blacksmith and carriage- maker by trade and followed those pursuits in his younger years, while later he also extended the field of his labor by giving a part of his at- tention to agricultural pursuits. He lived a quiet, uneventful life, devoted to his business affairs, and was without aspiration for political office or public honors. His children were: William H., John, Thomas, Amanda and Margaret.

Of this family the eldest, William H. Carl- ton, born in Alabama, was a youth of eleven years when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Texas. The days of his boyhood and youth were passed in Cass county and there he was married, subsequent to which time he settled on a farm, where he lived until after the birth of his first child. He thet en- listed for service in the Confederate army and was with the southern troops throughout the period of hostilities. He was severely wounded at Jenkins' Ferry and with the exception of the time needed for the recovery of his health he was always on active duty, whether it called him to the firing line or stationed him on the lonely picket line. He saw much hard service and underwent the deprivations and exposure incident to the life of a soldier, but he never wavered in his allegiance to the cause that he espoused. When the war was ended he

HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

returned to his home and resumed agricultural pursuits, to which he devoted his attention for many years with a gratifying measure of suc- cess. He is now, however, residing near Tex- arkana, Texas, where he has a good home and is enjoying the fruits of his former toil in a well earned ease. He is a stanch Democrat, believ- ing firmly in the principles of the party, and his fellow townsmen have called him frequent- ly to offices of public trust and honor. He has thus served in a number of local positions, filling the office of justice of the peace for twelve years and at one time he was nominated by his friends for the office of county judge. The cause of education found in him a stanch advocate and he provided his children with good advantages in that direction. He is a man of known integrity and genuine worth, whose life is honorable and his actions manly and sincere. He was born February 11, 1838, and is therefore more than sixty-seven years of age at the time of this writing. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the Baptist church and these relationships indicate his character and his adherence to honorable principles. In 1873 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife, who passed away in that year. She was a daughter of Mr. Hass, a prominent farmer and slave owner and a wealthy citizen of Cass county, Texas, who possessed good financial ability and was suc- cessful in all his undertakings. He died in Cass county prior to the Civil War. His children were: Jane, who became Mrs. Carl- ton; Fannie, Mary, Eliza, Catherine, Henry, George and Richard.

To Mr. and Mrs. Carlton were born five children: Maggie, who became the wife of John McConnell; William, a trader; Eli E., of this review; Mrs. Amanda Humphrey, and Augusta, the wife of W. N. Davis.

Subsequent to the death of his first wife Mr. Carlton was married to Miss Sally Moreland of Cass county, Texas, and they have had five children : Ada, Mary, John, James and Samuel.

Eli E. Carlton pursued his early education in the common schools and afterward attended Huntsville Academy in this state. Later he engaged in teaching school for a number of terms and was quite successful in his educa- tional work, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. When about twenty-four years of age he began reading medicine under the direction of Drs. Peterson and Akard, of Springtown, Texas, who remained as his preceptors for two years, when in 1892 he matriculated in the Louisville

Medical College at Louisville, Kentucky. After pursuing one course of lectures he passed the state board of examiners and entered upon the active practice of his profession, to which he devoted the succeeding three years. On the expiration of that period he attended the Ken- tucky School of Medicine for two terms and was graduated in June, 1897. After taking his first course he settled in Cass county, where he opened an office and subsequent to his graduation he returned to that locality and again took up the active work of the profes- sion, in which he continued for one year. He soon demonstrated his ability to successfully cope with the intricate problems that con- tinually confront the physician and was accord- ed a liberal patronage, but after a year his health failed and he relinquished his profes- sional duties for twelve months. He also pursued a fourth course in the Louisville Medical College and thus promoted his knowl- edge and efficiency.

In 1900 Dr. Carlton located at Ringgold, where he yet resides, and here he has built up an excellent business, having now a large and creditable practice, which indicates the con- fidence reposed in him by the general public and his thorough understanding of the prin- ciples of medicine together with correct ap- plication of his knowledge to the needs of suffering humanity. Since locating here he has given his undivided attention to his pro- fessional services and his labors have been1 attended with such gratifying success that he enjoys the confidence of his fellow townsmen and the people of the surrounding district. His office is well equipped with modern appliances known to the practice and he is thoroughly in touch with the most advanced ideas of the profession regarding the practice of medicine and surgery. He belongs to the County Medi- cal Society and also the North Texas Medical Association.

On the 29th of March, 1893, Dr. Carlton was married in Springtown, Parker county, Texas, to Miss Laura Hutchison, a native of Tennessee and a most estimable lady, whose culture and refinement have made her a favor- ite in social circles. Her parents were W. L. and Ruth (Doughty) Hutchison, the former a native of Tennessee, who became a mer- chant of Springtown, where he yet resides. He is classed with the representative business men there, is popular and prominent as well as suc- cessful in mercantile circles, and he likewise affiliates with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Royal Arch degree. He is

HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

also a worthy member of the Methodist church. His children were eight in number: William. who is engaged in the hardware business in company with his father; Charles, a farmer; James and George, who are assisting their fa- ther in the store; Angelina, who became Mrs. Dixon and after the death of her first hus- band married Mr. Kennedy ; Mrs. Harriet Mc- Clary, who died leaving two children; Lizzie. at home ; and Laura, the wife of our subject.

Dr. and Mrs. Carlton have an interesting family of four children: Merrill, born March 23, 1894: William, born August 4, 1898; Guy, born November 24, 1900; and Ada R., born in June, 1903. Dr. and Mrs. Carlton are faithful members of the Methodist church and take an active and helpful interest in its work. He is quite prominent in Masonic circles as master of Ringgold Lodge No. 862, A. F. and A. M., has taken the degrees of the Royal Arch chap- ter, and is Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star lodge at Ringgold. He likewise holds mem- bership relations with the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows and he has the favorable regard of his brethren of the fraternity, while his professional position is one that is indica- tive of his thorough understanding of the prin- ciples of medicine and his conscientious devo- tion to the obligations and duties that devolve upon him in this connection.

JAMES S. COLLIER, one of the foremost representatives of the agricultural and stock- raising industries in Tarrant county, his home being in Fort Worth, was born in Shelby county, Kentucky and was raised in Clay county, Missouri, on a farm four miles from Liberty, the county seat. His parents were Greenp P. and Lucy ( Ford) Collier. His father, a native of Shelby county, Kentucky, came to Clay county, Missouri, in 1838, when a young man, and became one of the prosperous farmers of the county. Also highly esteemed as a citizen, he held the office of county as- sessor twelve years, dying in office. lle and his wife, who was a native of Woodford coun- tv. Kentucky, are both buried at Liberty, Mis- somri.

Mr. Collier grew up on a farm, and received his education in the local schools. Though farming and stock-raising has been his prin- cipal life pursuit he has also engaged at various times in business. When a young man he en- gaged in the dry goods and boot and shoe busi- ness at Liberty and for a number of years was one of the successful merchants of that place. His home being in the middle scenes of the

fierce border warfare that was waged on both sides the Kansas-Missouri line during the Civil war, as an inevitable circumstance, the interests of his family became involved in the bitterness of the strife of those days. Although not in the regular Confederate army, Mr. Collier was drawn into the service as a member of the guerrillas, and as a result of the devastation caused by the conflict all his possessions were wiped out and when the war closed he had to begin all over again. For two years after the war he was a resident of St. Charles, Mis- souri, and then, returning to Liberty, resumed business there and made that city his home until he came to Tarrant county in August, 1883. After a brief experience in the real estate business at Fort Worth as a member of the firm of Paddock, Kaye and Company, he pur- chased a farm and in 1886 entered upon the successful career of farming and stock-raising which has been his main resource and substan- tial activity to the present time. Mr. Collier has an enviable reputation in Tarrant county as a prosperous and enterprising agriculturist, having a large farm and stock ranch of thirty- five hundred acres ten miles southwest of Fort Worth, on the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad, where he conducts a gen- eral farming and stock business, making some- what of a specialty of good horses and mules, although he has always handled considerable cattle. Early in 1900 Nr. Collier moved his family to Fort Worth that his children might have the advantages of superior educational facilities, and this city has since been his home, his large and comfortable residence being at 1516 South Jennings avenue.

At Liberty Mr. Collier married Miss Louisa B. Francis. She was reared near Jefferson City, Missouri, from which locality her father moved to Liberty, where he is still a resident. Former Governor David R. Francis is a mem- ber of this same branch of the family. Mr. and Mrs. Collier have three children, Jackson, Miss Lucy and James W. The elder son is inter- ested with his father in the farming interests, and is a prominent member of the Woodmen fraternity at Fort Worth.

FRED OBERMEIER. The sturdy sons of many nations have contributed with brain and brawn to build up this mighty empire of ours, and conspicuous among them all for patient, intelligent endeavor, honesty of purpose and dogged perseverance are the children of "der Vaterland." Wherever they have settled, from the rocky hills of New England to the flowery

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ROBERT F. MILAM

HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

vales of California, from the snowy plains of Dakota to the sunny shores of the gulf, they have retained the characteristics of the Ger- man race.

The father of the subject of our sketch, Jacob Obermeier, was married in his native land to Mary Warli and, in the year 1854, joined the tide of emigration then flowing freely to our American shores. They had a family of two sons, Fred, who was born in Baden, April 18, 1833, and Jacob, who eventu !- ally settled somewhere in Kansas and has long since been regarded as dead. On its arrival in this country the family located in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, and there Fred learned the trade of wagon-making, working for several years with the firm of Wilson & Childs, wagon manu- facturers. They remained in the Quaker City eleven years, but tiring of city life and wage- working, they moved west, seeking the inde- pendence that should follow honest toil. They settled in Lawrence county, Missouri, and re- mained there another eleven years, during which period the parents died, the father last, in 1872, at the age of seventy-three.

Fred Obermeier had married in Philadelphia, Louisa Fluhrer, a daughter of a shepherd, Henry Fluhrer, and at the time of their de- parture from their Missouri home, were the parents of two children. Through industry and economy he had managed to accumulate five hundred dollars and a team and wagon and with these resources he set out for the more fertile and promising country of Texas whose siren song had been wafted to him as a sweet and charming refrain.

December 25, 1876, their little caravan ar- rived at the place of their settlement in Clay county and Mr. Obermeier soon purchased one hundred and sixty acres of unbroken and un- tamed prairie within a mile of the winding watery boundary of northern Texas, and the work of nature reduction was at once begun. Meeting and conquering discouragements of all kinds-failure of crops that were almost calamities-he struggled bravely and de- terminedly against circumstances and condi- tions plentifully adverse. With crop failures feed was not only very scarce, but it was very high and the only market for his products in fat years was that of Sherman, about one hun- dred miles away, and from that point for some time the family supplies had to be hauled. But difficulties only served to increase the energy of our new settler and he prosecuted his tasks with a persistence which always wins a vic- tory. Year by year he toiled, forcing reluctant

Nature to yield return for toil, and steadily he increased the area of his landed domains, first adding another quarter section and then a tract of one hundred and ninety-five acres, making him a farm of five hundred and fifteen acres, all fenced and much of it yielding, when season- able, abundant crops of wheat, oats, cotton and feed for his ample herd of cattle and other stock. He can fairly be cited as an example of intelligent endeavor in this favored land.

July 8, 1901, Mr. Obermeier suffered the loss of his wife and bosom companion at sixty-nine years and eleven months of age. Of their two sons, one died only two weeks after their ar- rival in Clay county and the other, Willian Frederick, still survives and is the active head of all the Obermeier agricultural affairs.

William Fred Obermeier was born in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1858, and was educated in the country schools of Missouri and Texas. June 21, 1893, he married Emma Schubert, a daughter of Gottleib and Johanna (Stephan) Schubert, of Clay county, who came to Texas in 1891 and are the parents of five children. Mrs. Obermeier was born Septem- ber 14, 1867, and is the mother of the following children, viz: Louise, born May 27, 1894; Al- vina, born June 14, 1896; Elzie, born January 16, 1898, and Mary, born March 3, 1901.

Mr. Obermeier, Sr., is in the enjoyment of a rare old age surrounded by the well earned comforts of earlier years, with his faithful son and loving grandchildren to help and bless him in his decline.

JUDGE ROBERT F. MILAM, judge of the . county court of Tarrant county, has been an es- teemed resident and a successful lawyer in Fort Worth for the past ten years. He was admitted to the bar before he had turned the majority point, and he is a very young man to be honored with a responsible judgeship in one of the most populous counties of the state of Texas. These honors and duties are all well befitting his ability as a lawyer and his dignity and personal popu- larity before the people and among his hosts of friends.

Judge Milam is a native Texan and takes prop- er pride in the traditions and history of the Lone Star institutions and people. He was born at Weatherford, Parker county, June 8, 1873, being a son of Benjamin R. and Lula (Fain) Milam. The Milam family has been largely connected with Texas history before, during and after the days of the Republic. It was the Judge's grand- uncle, Colonel Ben R. Milam, who was among the heroes that gave up their lives in capturing

HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

San Antonio. and it was he who said, "Who will follow old Ben Milam into San Antonio?" Thus, from the early days of American occupa- tion of the territory of Texas to the present time the name Milam has had an honorable and worthy representative within the borders of the commonwealth. Judge Milam's father was born in Bowie county, Texas, and lived a great part of his life at Glen Rose, in Somervell county, where he was a banker, merchant, stock-raiser and farmer, and a successful man of affairs gen- erally. He died in 1901. His wife, who is also deceased, was born in Cass county, Georgia.

Judge Milam received his education at South- western University in Georgetown, Texas, where he graduated in 1892. He had already resolved upon a legal career as his life work, and he be- gan his reading in the office of Colonel (now Governor ) Lanham and Judge I. W. Stephens, at Weatherford, where he was successful in obtain- ing admission to the bar in 1893. He then came to Fort Worth and took up active practice, which he carried on with increasing success and with entire devotion of his time and energies until he was elected, in November, 1902, to the office of county judge, the duties of which have since oc- cupied much of his time and attention. He is one of the youngest lawyers in the state now serving on the bench, and is acquitting himself with dis- tinction. He was chosen to the office on the Dem- ocratic ticket, with whose principles and policies he and the family have been identified for many decades. ITe also belongs to all the leading clubs and fraternities, including the Masonic, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias.

HENRY FLOYD SCHOOLFIELD, M. D. The profession of medicine in Montague county is strengthened and honored by the presence among its membership of Dr. H. F. Schoolfield, whose name announces the subject of this sketch. It is nearly twenty years since he established himself in the village of Denver, an inland town on Denton creek and among the ancient settlements of the county, and during all these years his solicitations have been for the health and material prosperity of his local- ity. His professional efficiency and his per- sonal popularity have brought him into contact with a wide radius of the population about Sun- set, where he resides, and his citizenship holds for his community a goodly share of its stabil- ity and integrity.

The state of Tennessee is responsible for the birth and education of Henry F. Schoolfield. Ile was born in Bledsoe county September 12, 1858. His remote ancestors were English,

Irish and French and, on his father's side, begin with David Schoolfield, of Pennsylvania. The latter was born in the Keystone state of Eng- lish parents and married Rachel Graves, a Scotch lady and a Quaker in religion. The. issue of their marriage were: Samuel, Enoch, John, Benjamin and David. David moved into Ohio where he was afterward known as "Da- vid Schofield." Aaron Schoolfield was born July 29, 1775, and died near Bentonville, Arkan- sas, November 8, 1843. There was a daughter, Jane Schoolfield, a sister of Aaron, who mar- ried William Stine.

For his wife Aaron Schoolfield married Malinda D. Lawler in Virginia. She was a daughter of James Lawler, of Irish stock, whose wife was Ruth Matthews, a lady of French descent.

William A. Schoolfield was married to Mary Brown in Bledsoe county, Tennessee, and there passed his life as a farmer and died in 1902. His widow survives and resides at Bridgeport, Alabama, the mother of: Poca- hontas, who died at Bridgeport, Alabama, as the wife of R. E. Allex; Lucy, wife of J. G. Lane, died at Pikeville, Tennessee; Virginia. who married Dr. G. W. Sawyers, of Marietta, Indian Territory; Edith, wife of Rev. J. R. Walker, of Fresno, California; Robert, who is court clerk of Bledsoe county, Tennessee; Dr. H. F., our subject, and William A., who is county attorney of Hamilton county, Ten- nessee.

Dr. Schoolfield grew up on his father's farm and was educated in the People's College at Pikeville. He began preparation for his pro- fession at twenty years by a course of medical reading with Dr. J. P. Barnett of that place. He entered the medical department of the Uni- versity of Tennessee in 1882 and was a student two years, graduating in medicine in February, 1885. He was stationed for a short time in Melvin, Tennessee, but in the spring of 1886 he came to Texas and began his work in Mon- tague county. In 1893 he abandoned Denver as a place of residence and located in Sunset.

November 10, 1887, Dr. Schoolfield was united in marriage with Miss Ella Holbrook, on Denton creek. Mrs. Schoolfield was a daughter of the late well known farmer, John A. Holbrook, and was born in Texas. No children have blessed Dr. and Mrs. School- field's union, but three orphan babies have found a welcome in their household and are being reared and educated to become useful citizens. They are: Carroll, Harry and Char-

HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

lotte, who have brought much joy and comfort to their foster parents.

Dr. Schoolfield is a member of the North- west Texas Medical Association, of the Mon- tague County Association and of the Texas State. He is a Master Mason, a Woodman and a helpful member of the Methodist church.

DR. MILTON W. CUNNINGHAM, the well known real estate man of Amarillo, has had a varied and prosperous business career. He started out in life as a practitioner in medicine, but soon abandoned that profession for active participation in the material affairs of the world. In this field he found the most successful sphere of his activity, and during the past two decades has given his attention to various enterprises and always with success. He has been at Amarillo since 1890, at first in the mercantile and later in the real estate busi- ness, and he is one of the most influential men of the city.

Dr. Cunningham comes of an excellent southern family, and was born at Okoloma, Chickasaw county, Mississippi, November 1, 1857. His parents were James G. and Carrie (Saunders) Cunningham. His father's direct ancestors were originally from Ireland, but many years ago settled at Charleston, South Carolina, whence the doctor's great-grand- father came to Tennessee. The father's maternal ancestors were from Scotland. James G. Cunningham, who is still living, although four score years of age, was born in Tennessee in 1824; he removed with his parents to Ala- bama in 1830, and thence came to Mississippi in 1835, locating in Monroe county, near old Cotton Gin, on the Tombigbee river, among the earliest settlers of that locality. His home was later transferred to Chickasaw county, and in 1860 he located in Lee county of the same state. He was a successful farmer and planter, and a man of much force of character and the wielder of considerable influence in his com- munity. When the Civil War broke out he en- listed in the Confederate army, and from first to last was a soldier in that conflict, being for a part of the time in Forrest's noted cavalry brigade. His home remained in Mississippi until 1888, and in that year he came to his son the doctor's place of residence at Mansfield, Tarrant county, Texas; several years later he moved to Pilot Point, this state, where he now resides, retired from active life, making his home with his daughter, Mrs. W. A. Upchurch. Dr. Cunningham's mother died in Mississippi in 1885. Her father was Judge John Taylor

Saunders, a well known citizen of Alabama, who served as adjutant general of the state and for several years as judge of the probate court, and was actively interested in military affairs.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 3

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