A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 31

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 31

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

family and stock and Texas gives promise of still greater development and progress in the future. Clay county is one of the compara- tively new counties of the commonwealth but its possibilities are being rapidly demonstrated and it gives good returns for the care and labor bestowed upon field and pasture here. Mr. Dale has never failed to raise a good corn crop and is thereby enabled to fatten his hogs for the market.

John B. Dale has always made his home in Bonham, where he yet resides, and in addition to his agricultural interests he is engaged in merchandising. He is now in his eightieth year, a hale and hearty man, who in spirit and interests is yet in his prime. He is a stanch Democrat, believing firmly in the principles of the party, and while in Missouri he represented his district in the state legislature but since coming to Texas has always avoided office. He is a broad-minded man, active and enterprising, a capable financier, practical and progressive in his business methods, and a man of wide and favorable acquaintance, commanding the con- fidence and respect of all with whom he has come in contact. He is a consistent member of the Christian church. In 1900 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who was a daughter of John Halsell, who removed from Tennessee to Missouri, where he was a farmer and slave owner. In early life he had learned the cabinet maker's trade. Subsequent to the Civil war he removed to Texas in order to re- cuperate his fortune which had been devastated through the hardships wrought by the long strife. He was too old to enter the army but three of his sons became Confederate soldiers. After removing to Texas he met with very gratifying success in his business affairs and eventually built up a good estate. He, too, was a devoted member of the Christian church. In his family were six children: Mrs. Sarah Dale ; Martin, deceased; Edward, who is living in this state; Amanda, who died in early life; Mary, the wife of Dr. Burton; and Thomas, who was killed in the army.

To Mr. and Mrs. Dale were born seven chil- dren: Mary, the wife of Major Young; Mrs. Amanda McQuigg; Rebecca, who died unmar- ried; Sally, the wife of J. C. Nunn; Thomas, a farmer and trader of Bonham, Texas; James E., of this review; and J. B., who is living in Greenville, Texas.

James E. Dale, whose name introduces this review, spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his father's home, attended the com- mon schools and became his father's assistant

in business. They have since been associated and he has continued in his trading and has assisted materially in the development of his portion of Texas and has been a leading factor in the upbuilding of an extensive land and cat- tle business. At the organization of the Dale Land & Cattle Company he was made general manager and he is making a success of his work. In addition to the cultivation of his fields he has large herds of cattle, also hogs and horses. He owns a fine stallion and also a jack and in his stock-breeding and stock-raising has met with excellent success. He has given strict at- tention to his business and his intelligence, sound judgment and enterprise are strong ele- ments in his prosperity.

In February, 1898, Mr. Dale was united in marriage to Miss Texas Talley, who was born in Bell county, this state, in 1875, and is a daughter of B. T. and Susan (Newton) Talley, both of whom were natives of Tennessee but were married at Bonham, Texas, while subse- quently they settled on a farm in Bell county, this state. Later, however, they returned to Bonham, where they now reside, Mr. Talley being a trader there. He had three brothers who served in the Confederate army in the Civil war, Lee, Allen and William, two of whom are in Texas and one in the Indian Territory. Mrs. Talley is a member of the Methodist church. The children in their fam- ily are: Mrs. Dale; Robert, who is living in Bonham ; Richard, who resides at Waco; and Parker and Henry, both of whom live at Bon- ham.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Dale has been blessed with three children: Jack, born Feb- rurary 25, 1900 ; Sarah, November 27, 1902 ; and Donald E., born January 30, 1904. Mrs. Dale is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Dale has never been very active in politics, preferring to confine his attention more close- ly to his business interests, and his enterprise and keen sagacity are proving strong elements in the success of the Dale Land & Cattle Com- pany.

RICHARD THORP GOWAN. The gen- tleman whose name introduces this brief rec- ord is the second son of Garrett H. Gowan, of Henrietta, and himself resides in the Friend- ship settlement of Clay county, seven miles west of Bellevue. His large farm and ranch was chiefly carved out of the renowned "UD" ranch situated on the East Fork of the Little Wichita river, all over which locality his boy-

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

hood and youthful ramblings were wont to oc- cur.

December 2, 1873, Richard T. Gowan was born on the North Canadian river, nine miles from Eufala, Indian Territory, and in October, 1876, was brought to Clay county, Texas, and grew up under the protecting roof of a ranch- house that his father hauled, as lumber, from Sherman. The country school gave him his start toward an education, or rather the village school of Bellevue did, and his advanced work in education was done in Marmaduke Academy, Sweet Springs, Missouri, where he finished his course in 1893. He at once, upon leaving school, resumed his station on the "UD" ranch, where the cattle business has always occupied his time.

In the distribution of the historic old ranch Mr. Gowan received two sections in the south - east corner of the same and under the shady boughs of the native oaks, near its south line, he built his little cottage. By the purchase of an additional tract his domains embrace thir- teen hundred and ninety-five acres of land, fenced, stocked and partly farmed. Like his brother, he is an occasional shipper of his own stock and his brand of bar "U" is a modification of the brand which brought the Gowans their local fame.

December 2, 1896, Mr. Gowan mar- ried, in Gainesville, Texas, Mary Myr- tle Crozier, a daughter of Andrew and Arona (Matthews) Crozier. Mr. Crozier came to Texas from Floydsburg, Ken- tucky, in 1859, and is now a resident of Belle- vue, Texas. For many years he was connected with the lumber interests of Lyon and Gribble in Gainesville and was married in Collin county, Texas. He served in a Kentucky regiment in the Confederate army and returned to Texas again soon after the close of the war. His children are: J. Frank, of Mckinney, Texas ; Mrs. Gowan, born in Collin county, Texas ; January 16, 1876, and Effie D., wife of Virgil Harbison, of Hereford, Texas.

Mr. and Mrs. Gowan's children are: Will- iam Crozier, born April 22, 1898; Robert Lee, born January 22, 1900, and Hattie Lucile, born November 11, 1903.

Mr. Gowan is one of the representative young Democrats of Clay county and his enthusiasm for the candidate of his choice for local or state officers has led him to find spare time to devote to the active promotion of their campaigns.

JAMES E. TURNER, well known as an agri- culturist and representative citizen of Tarrant

county, living in the vicinity of Smithfield, finds ample opportunity for the exercise of his native talents and powers in the supervision and con- duct of his valuable farming interests, which are represented by nearly three hundred acres of rich land. He is a native of Marion county, Missouri, where his birth occurred on the 23rd of October, 1842, his parents being William and Mary E. (Mallory) Turner. Both the father and mother were natives of Virginia and after some years' residence in Missouri they came with their family to Texas in 1846, making the journey to Dallas county, where they resided for a number of years. In 1856 they came to Tarrant county, the family home being estab- lished about ten miles northeast of Fort Worth when this was a pioneer district in which the work of improvement and progress had scarce- ly been begun. They aided in reclaiming the wild land for the purposes of civilization and their labors were a practical element in the general growth and improvement of the locality. William Turner remained upon the homestead farm there until his death, which occurred on the 28th of September, 1878, and which occasioned widespread regret because he had endeared himself to many friends who rec- ognized his loyalty to principle and his devo· tion to friendship as well as to the ties of home life. Of his family two sons yet survive, James E. and William H., the latter a resi- dent of Comanche county, Oklahoma.

James E. Turner, whose name introduces this review, was only four years of age when brought by his parents to Texas, and his youth was largely passed upon his father's farm in Tarrant county, where he early became famil- iar with the duties and labors that devolve up- on the agriculturist. In early life he also learned the blacksmith trade and for thirty years conducted a smithy on the farm where he now lives. In addition he cultivated the fields in successful manner and for several years he was engaged in carrying on a hard- ware business in Smithfield. He was indebt- ed to the early subscription schools of Dallas and Tarrant counties for the educational priv- ileges afforded him, but, possessing an observ- ing eye and retentive memory, he added con- tinually to his knowledge and practical exper- ience brought him many valuable lessons. Moreover he found that earnest and persistent labor constitutes the basis of all honorable suc- cess and to his energy and enterprise he has looked for the prosperity which is the goal of all business endeavor.

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

On the 20th of May, 1866, Mr. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Paschall, who was born on the first of February, 1844, in Weakley county, Tennessee. She was a daughter of Patman F. and Rebecca (Kendrick) Paschall, the former a native of Tennessee, born in 1821, and the latter of Kentucky, born June 4, 1828. With her parents she came to Texas when a maiden of about twelve summers, the family home being established in Kaufman county amid pioneer surroundings, and there Mrs. Turner was reared to womanhood. She was born February 1, 1844, and the year of the removal of the family to Texas was 1856. Her father died when eighty-two years of age in the eastern part of this state, while her mother passed away in Kaufman county, aged thirty- six years. Mrs. Mary Turner, mother of our subject, now resides with him upon the home farm near Smithfield and on the 16th of De- cember, 1905, she will have attained to the very advanced age of eighty-six years. She is one of the worthy pioneer women of this sec- tion and has for a number of years been 1 widow, her husband, William Turner, having departed this life in the seventy-eighth year of his age. Five children graced the marriage of our subject and his wife: Charles E., who is now living at Mineral Wells, Texas; Mary A., the wife of J. H. Clark of Clarendon, this state ; Sarah E., the wife of Dr. W. S. French, a well- known physician of Republic, Missouri; Will- iam J., whose home is in Tarrant county ; and I.ucy R., the wife of Walter Crane of Smith- field, Texas.

Since the fall of 1871 James E. Turner has resided upon the farm which he yet makes his home. He is one of the representative agricul- turists of the community, carefully conducting his business interests which now return to him a gratifying income annually. Interested in all that pertains to the general welfare, his aid and co-operation have been given to movements for the public good and he is especially strong in his advocacy of the public schools system. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, South, of Smithfield, and he saw military ser- vice in the Civil war, being for four years a member of the Confederate army, during which time he took part in several minor battles and in many skirmishes, continuing with his regi- ment until the close of hostilities. There are many elements in his life record well worthy of emulation and the strong characteristics of an honorable manhood constitute him a valued citizen of Tarrant county.

JOHN B. DUNCAN. A gentleman well and favorably known to the citizenship of Belle- vue and one whose career in Clay county has been filled with deeds accomplished in the course of an honorable and industrious liveli- hood, is he whose name is presented in the in- troduction to this article. Coming to the state in 1882, poor in purse but rich in the physical, mental and spiritual qualities necessary to every successful and worthy citizen, he set, un- consciously, to the task of carving for himself and his dependents a modest and comfortable abiding-place and the establishment of a good name and a character above reproach. How well he has done in the achievement of his early am- bitions, the unrecorded testimony of a com- munity of friends will suffice to reveal.

May 3, 1856, John B. Duncan was born in Cobb county, Georgia, where his father, Perry Duncan, settled as an emigrant from the state of South Carolina. The latter was born in 1809, was a husbandman and was killed while serving in the Confederate army, in 1865. His ancestors were of Scotch-Irish origin and his forefathers settled in North Carolina, from whence his father, Samuel Duncan, migrated to South Carolina, finally settling in Georgia, where his death occurred at the great age of ninety-seven years.

Perry Duncan married Sallie Bly, who sur- vived him four years and died at forty-eight years of age. Their sons and daughters were: Georgie, unmarried and residing with our sub- ject: Robert J., who died in California, leav- ing a family ; Virginia, who died in Bellevue, as Mrs. T. M. Donnor, leaving two children ; John B., of this notice; Alvin, who died with- out issue; Susan, wife of William Johnson, of Bellevue; and Mark, of Fort Worth, Texas.

In his youth John B. Duncan learned the necessity and importance of labor and when young he learned the trade of stationary en- gineer and at thirteen years old took charge of an engine in a gold mine in his native county in Georgia. His trade, in the main, has pro- vided him with a livelihood through life and when he reached Clay county from Cherokee county, Georgia, his first work was that of run- ning the waterworks pump of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company, at Belle- vue, which work has ever since been in his charge.

Seeing the necessity of a gin in the new town of Bellevue in 1884, Mr. Duncan built a two-stand plant and operated it until the amount of cotton raised and tributary to this point was in excess of the capacity of the gin

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

when it was remodeled and increased to dou- ble its original size. This plant he operated ill company with Mr. Webb until February, 1905, when he exchanged his interest in the gin for land and is now the proprietor of more than a section of rich and productive soil near his little town. He owns a commodious home on one of the conspicuous sites of the village, and, lying adjacent to it, is a tract of a little more than a quarter section of his land.

Mr. Duncan was united in marriage, in Cherokee county, Georgia, with Miss Eunice Wood. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Akeman, at the home of Enoch and Sallie (Carney) Wood, the bride's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Wood were South Carolina people and both are deceased, leaving children, viz: Ada- line, wife of George Fredonby, of Rome, Geor- gia ; John, who died at Rome, leaving a family there; Mary and Columbus, of Cartersville, Georgia ; Napoleon, of Navajo, Oklahoma ; Mrs. Duncan, born September 27, 1862; Amanda, wife of Levi Godfrey, and James and Emma, of Cartersville; Warren, of Hartshorn, Indian Territory, and Ella, of Hartshorn, wife of Ed Grady.

Mr. and Mrs. Duncan's children are : Mason, who died in 1890 at ten years of age; Ida, born 1883; Freddie, born 1884, died the next year ; William A., born February 27, 1885; John, March 1, 1887; May and Fay, October 9, 1889, twins-the latter deceased; Mark Grady, January 5, 1892; Annie, July 30, 1894; Amos; Lucy, October 27, 1899, and R. J., April 26, 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan were married May 9, 1879, and their quarter of a century of married life has conse- quently been celebrated. They have reared, and are rearing, their children to become use- ful and honorable men and women and all are happily ensconced under the parental roof.

WILLIAM W. TRIPPET, a retired mer- chant of Fort Worth but still actively connect- ed with mercantile interests in Altus, Greer county, Oklahoma, is better known in the for- mer city as Buck Trippet, by which name he is recorded in the city directory. He has lived in Fort Worth since 1868 and is one of the prominent representatives of commercial life here. A native of Missouri, his birth occurred near Versailles, Morgan county, August 16, 1843, his parents being Aaron and Martha (Ingram) Trippet. The father belonged to an old Virginian family and at an early day be- came a resident of Missouri. Throughout his

entire life he has followed merchandising and now at an advanced age he is still conducting a mercantile enterprise at Waxahachie, Texas. For more than sixty years he has been selling goods, and his business record is a most creditable one. He began merchandising in Versailles, Missouri, and subsequently con- tinued business in the same line in Osceola, St. Clair county, that state. Soon after the war he arrived in Texas. His resources had all been swept away by the depredations of Gen- eral Jim Lane in southwestern Missouri, but here he made a new start and he has prospered as the years have gone by. His wife, who was born in Alabama, is now deceased.

Mr. Trippet of this review, like his father, has devoted his life to merchandising. He was associated with him in business until about ten years prior to the Civil war, when they re- moved from Versailles to Osceola, Missouri, and while living there W. W. Trippet joined the Confederate army. He remained in that state for only a brief period, however, after which he came south to Texas and at Pilot Point, Denton county, he enlisted in the Twen- ty-ninth Texas Cavalry, serving throughout the remainder of the war in the Trans-Missis- sippi department, principally in the Indian Ter- ritory and Arkansas. He saw active and se- vere service, undergoing all the hardships, pri- vations and dangers of war and he was five times wounded during his military career. He took part in the battles of Poison Springs, Cab- in Creek and other engagements, including the fighting around Camden, Arkansas, where Steele tried to go to the relief of Bank's army.

When the war was over Mr. Trippet returned to Missouri, but when a brief period had elapsed he, like his father, came to Texas, and since 1868 has made his home in Fort Worth, be- ing one of the oldest living merchants of the town. At the time of his arrival there were but a few straggling store buildings around the court house square and Mr. Trippet has much to tell concerning the appreciation of realty values, for in the early days property that now commands high prices could be purchased for a nominal sum. Embarking in the hardware trade in Fort Worth he conducted his store for about twenty years and for fifteen or sixteen years occupied the well known corner of the court house square and Houston street. Some time ago he retired from business in Fort Worth and with his son, A. T. Trippet, estab- lished a general store at Altus, Greer county, Oklahoma, which is a successful enterprise.

HA. Mulholland

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

However, he retains his residence in Fort Worth, spending only a part of his time in Altus.

Mr. Trippet married Miss Lucy Andrews, December 1, 1868, a native of Kentucky, and they have six children: Mrs. Effie Porter, George, Mrs. Catharine Swan, Aaron T., Mrs. Clyde Martin and Nellie. For thirty years Mr. Trippet has been a member of the Masonic fraternity and in his life exemplifies the benefi- cent spirit of the craft. Throughout an ac- tive business career his labors have been care- fully directed by his sound judgment and keen discrimination, and through his utilization of opportunity, combined with unremitting dili- gence, he has gained success that classes him with the substantial residents of this part of the state.

HENRY A. MULHOLLAND is now city assessor and collector of North Fort Worth. He has also operated in real estate here and the rap- id settlement and growth of Texas has furnished an excellent field for success to the real estate dealer who possesses marked enterprise, keen dis- cernment and executive ability. Mr. Mulholland was born in Dayton, Ohio, December 30, 1839, and is of Irish lineage, his parents, Roland and Margaret J. (McCaffery) Mulholland, having been born and reared in county Derry, Ireland. The father was a brick mason, and builder by trade, and his last years were spent in Piqua, Ohio, while his wife died at Richmond, Indiana.

Henry A. Mulholland was yet a young lad when his parents removed from his native state to Richmond, Indiana. He was living near Day- ton, Ohio, however, in 1853, and was there em- ployed on a farm. From that place he went to Defiance, Ohio, where he remained until 1855, after which he returned to Richmond for a brief period. His next home was in Preble county, Ohio, and in October, 1859, while living there, he became connected with the railroad business, in which he was engaged almost continuously un- til 1895 with the exception of the period of the Civil War.

When the country became involved in hostili- ties following the attempt at secession made by the southern states, Mr. Mulholland joined the Federal army, enlisting at New Paris, Preble county, Ohio, as a member of Company C, Fif- tieth Ohio Infantry, under Captain McGraw. He was with his command for more than three years, operating in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. The regiment was at first attached to McCook's corps, Tenth Division, Thirty-fourth Brigade, and the first important battle in which

Mr. Mulholland participated was at Perryville, Kentucky, on the 8th of October, 1862. Later the regiment was detached from this brigade and as- signed to the duty of guarding trestles on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, thirty-six miles south of the former city. This was in 1863 and about that time a battalion of engineers was or- ganized at Camp Nelson, Ohio, comprising two companies of three hundred men selected from detachments from the Twenty-third Army Corps. These men whom Mr. Mulholland joined were mustered in independently just as a regiment un- der a regular army officer, Captain O. M. Poe, and the subject of this review thus remained with the battalion, which was attached to the army under General John M. Schofield, during the remainder of the war. He retained his con- nection officially, however, with his original com- pany and regiment and was discharged from the same at the close of hostilities. In August, 1863, his command crossed the mountains to Knoxville and went into that city just as General Buckner left it. He was at Knoxville during the siege in November and December, 1863, and in the spring of 1864 with his command was ordered to join Sherman's forces at Red Clay Station and take part in the campaign leading up to the battle of Atlanta. Subsequent to that engagement Mr. Mulholland's battalion went with the Twenty- third and fourth Corps to Nashville to check the advance of Hood and engage in the battle of Franklin and later in the battle of Nashville. From the latter place they went to Clifton, on the Tennessee river, thence to Cincinnati, on to Co- lumbus and later to Washington. Subsequently they were sent to Moorehead City, North Caro- lina, to Kingston, Goldsboro and Raleigh, North Carolina, and thus approached the time when the war ended, Mr. Mulholland being honorably dis- charged at David Island, New York, on the 10th of June, 1865. Returning to his home in Ohio, Mr. Mulholland resumed railroading, holding different positions, such as foreman and road- master, on different lines throughout the country, but also connected with the track department. His first work in railroading service was on what was then known as the Eaton & Hamilton Rail- road, now a part of the Big Four system. He was afterward on the old Indiana Central, run- ning between Indianapolis and Columbus, this road being eventually merged into the Pittsburg, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Rail- road, and eventually becoming a part of the Pennsylvania system. He was first made foreman in the track department of that road in 1866 and

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occupied similar positions in that part of the country for several years.

On the 29th of August, 1883, Mr. Mulholland reached Fort Worth, Texas, and in this state he was roadmaster at two different times on the Gould system. In the fall of 1895, however, he retired from railroad service and took up his abode permanently in North Fort Worth. He purchased property here in 1891 and subsequent- ly he bought other real estate interests, his prop- erty becoming greatly enhanced in value through the rapid growth of the town following the build- ing of the new stock yards and the great packing houses. His real estate interests are now quite important and represent a large investment. The care of his property claimed his time until he en- tered the office of city assessor and collector of North Fort Worth, to which position he was ap- pointed in 1903, and in April, 1904, when the office had been regularly provided for by law, he was elected for the regular term of two years. He is a capable official, his services giving com- plete satisfaction to the citizens of his adopted town.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 31

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