A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 39

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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with the task of writing out their own certificates of admission, a proceeding not at all customary then nor since, and his initial work in a law office was as clerk with Fears and Wilkinson at Sherman, Texas. He remained there a year and then went into the office of Judge Hurt at Dal- las and served him a year. He then cast about for a location to begin the practice for himself. While in the employ of Fears and Wilkinson he tried his first case, which was a civil suit against Byers Bros., now the noted cattlemen, brought by Deere, Mansur and Company for the collec- tion of an account for machinery.

Stopping in Gainesville first on his road west, Mr. Wantland remained only a year and after a short period of unsettled purpose he opened an office in Clay county in 1884.

His forte is civil law, yet he has been connect- ed with suits of a different character and from 1896 to 1898 he was county attorney of Clay county. He has allied himself on the side of Democracy in all political contests, believing in its tenets strictly, but politics has had no hand in bringing him success in his profession.

Mr. Wantland was married in Limestone coun- ty, Texas, January 1, 1883, to Miss Maud Scott, a daughter of Beverly and Hettie (Williams) Scott, who settled at Waco, from Mississippi, in an early day, and reared a son and three daughters. Mrs. Wantland was born June 30, 1860, and is the mother of Willie Zoe, wife of Herbert J. Smith, cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Bellevue, who have a son, Wantland J., and Lois Wantland.

Mr. Wantland is an Odd Fellow and a Mason and holds membership in his town. His connec- tion with many of the substantial affairs of his town makes his influence a dominating one in any matter affecting the interests of the people and his encouragement goes out to whatever gives promise of good to his fellowmen.

DR. WILLIAM H. COOKE, of Clarendon, has enjoyed a remarkable career in the profession of dentistry. Remarkable, in the first place, for its length, since it has been over half a century from the day when he did his first professional work; remarkable, too, for the energy and en- thusiasm with which he has prosecuted his life work, and during all these years and notwith- standing the almost revolutionary changes which have been wrought by the progress of dental sci- ence, elevating its practice from an art into a profession, he has maintained his place in the forefront rank of his fellow practitioners, and is as modern and up-to-date today as he was fifty years ago ; and remarkable, as a matter of course

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from what has been stated, in the eminent suc- cess which he has gained wherever he has been located, and he has attained both professional prominence and great material prosperity, and is recognized as one of the most substantial men of Clarendon and of Northwest Texas.

Dr. Cooke is the wonder and admiration of his friends in that, though now almost at the sev- enty-fifth milestone of life, he has preserved his youthful spirits and energy almost intact, and is still a man of perfect health and activity. Born in McMinn county, east Tennessee, December 22, 1830, he belonged to one of the oldest and most prominent families of that region, being a son of H. C. and Marv (Wood) Cooke. His father, a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, came to east Tennessee in the pioneer days, in 1814. He established a plantation on the old Starr Indian reservation, buying his land from Caleb Starr, the head of the noted Cherokee Indian family of that name. This old plantation remained the home of H. C. Cooke until his death in 1859. He was a planter and slave owner. Mary (Wood) Cooke, the mother, was born in ease Tennessee, of a Virginia family, and died in Bonham, Texas, in 1886, at the age of eighty years.

Dr. Cooke was reared on the old McMinn county plantation, and he received a good liter- ary education at Hiwosee College. He began preparation for the medical profession, studying under Dr. James Carson, but when his preceptor later became interested in dentistry the pupil also decided to adopt that profession, continuing his studies under Dr. Carson. He made his first gold plate in October, 1853, so that he has since had opportunity to celebrate the golden anni- versary of that event. His first practice was at Cleveland, Tennessee, and in those early days of dentistry there were only three others of simi- lar occupation in that part of the country. Early in 1861, at the beginning of the Civil war, Dr. Cooke enlisted in the Confederate service, in Company G, Third Tennessee Regiment, and was sent to the drilling camp to prepare for active field service. But upon the recommendation of a friend, Colonel Brazilton, he was transferred to the position of chemist in the Nitre and Min- ing Corps, which was organized by the Confed- eracy to procure materials for and to manufac- ture ammunition. He was stationed in this ca- pacity at Dandridge, Tennessee, until 1863, and from that time until the end of the war was at Asheville, North Carolina. From the latter place he procured and shipped quantities of saltpetre for making ammunition.

After the war he returned to Cleveland, Ten-

nessee, and resumed his dental practice, which he continued until 1876. He then came to Texas, and for some fifteen years was located at Bon- ham, and in 1890 moved to Denton, where he went into partnership with his cousin, Dr. Car- son, a son of his old preceptor. He practiced in Denton until July, 1897, when having ac- quired a ranch and some cattle in Donley county. he came to Clarendon and has practiced here ever since.

Dr. Cooke is and always has been an indefati- gable student, especially in his profession, and has constantly kept up with the advance in his sci- ence. He enjoys a large practice and makes money in all branches of his work. He has held the belief that one is never too old to learn, espe- cially in the dental profession, and during 1872- 73 he took a course and graduated at the St. Louis Dental College, and in 1882-83 he took further courses in the dental department of the University of Tennessee at Nashville. He is a member of the National Dental Association, the. Southern Dental Association and the Texas Den- tal Association, and in the last named he has. missed but one meeting since 1882.

His ranch and farm consists of two sections. of land eight miles east of Clarendon. Besides, his cattle, he has two hundred acres in cultiva- tion devoted to general farm products, and in the six years that he has been raising crops he has never yet recorded a failure, which is a creditable record not only to his fine ranch and farm but to the general possibilities and resources of this great Panhandle country.

Dr. Cooke is a member of the Baptist church, and is affiliated with the Masons. He was married at Charleston, Tennessee, in 1857 to Miss Mary. A. Cantz, and their five children have since. grown up to careers of usefulness in their respec -. tive communities. The children are: Mrs. An- nie Cooke Briggs, wife of Dr. J. R. Briggs, who, owns a large and successful sanitarium at Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas ; Robert F .; Mrs. Fannie Er- win; John Esten Cooke, editor of the Banner- Stockman, at Clarendon ; and Mrs. Margaret Mc- Cormick.

NOAH RISLEY. The gentleman whose name introduces this personal article is one of the promoters of an industry which is making Jack county known beyond the limits of the Lone Star state and is one of the chief factors in sustaining Jacksboro as an important mart in the world of local trade. Responding to the oppor- tunity to reap a harvest from the products of nature's soil, Risley brothers, of whom our sub- ject is one, established a plant for the crushing:

MR. AND MRS. NOAH RISLEY

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

of stone and for the sawing of building stone from the great quarries of fine limestone under- lying the city for the great and growing mar- kets for both these products springing up all over the South, and its establishment marks an era in the history of the county seat.

As already intimated elsewhere in this work, Risley brothers have had no small part in the industrial affairs of Jacksboro for nearly twenty years. From the building of the court house and jail to the construction of innumerable business blocks on three sides of the square to the pro- motion, from this point, of other important work elsewhere, and to the erection of their plant for putting on the market a product which has made themselves and their town famous, the brothers became known and their prowess as mechanics, their character as citizens and their standing as men have justified the patronage their enterprise has won and the confidence in them universally reposed.

Having abandoned mechanics on coming to Texas in 1878 .and taking up farming in Clay county, our subject tired of the unsatisfactory results of the latter in a short time and joined his brother in resuming contract work, a business they had engaged in for some years prior to their entry to the empire commonwealth of the south. He was connected with the building of the court houses at Henrietta and Jacksboro and the addi- tion to that of Georgetown and the jails at Jacksboro and Gatesville and the Masonic temple at Waco, and the flouring mill and elevator and the oil mill at Jacksboro, and with other con- tracts of importance of a different character else- where. For the Diebolt Safe and Lock Co. he aided in putting in vaults and safes all over Texas and in Louisiana, constructing in Houston the largest vault in the United States at the time, and actively identified with fire-proof vault-building at Galveston, New Orleans and Baton Rouge. With his brother he constructed garbage crema- tories over Texas under their own and other patents, doing work in some of the best towns of the state, as mentioned in the sketch of Ward Risley herein.

In 1899 the crusher business in Jacksboro was begun when Risley brothers started a small Plant just above the station of the Rock Island ad it was operated while the business of the concern was becoming known and while the character of the Jacksboro stone was being tried and tested. In three years the capacity of the infant plant was too small and in 1902 Risley Brothers and Co. was incorporated with a capital of $30.000.00, one-half paid up, the brothers taking thirteen-

fifteenths of the stock. With the future open- ing up as bright as it has begun for ballast and with the building era of Texas unimpeded for another decade the crusher and building stone in- dustry of Jacksboro will assume immense propor- tions.

The Risleys are known as Michigan men. June 12, 1848, Noah Risley was born in Berrien county, Michigan, where his father, Alanson Ris- ley, settled in 1847. The family was from Syra- cuse, New York, where the latter's birth oc- curred in 1816. The family was originally a Connecticut one, an English sea captain having founded it in the Nutmeg state during old colo- nial times. The most remote New York ancestor of the family seems to have been Wait Risley, who married a Miss Cautch and lived and died near Syracuse on a farm. He was the grand- father of our subject and his children were: Sallie ; Polly, who married Harvey Dart and died in Berrien county, Michigan; Stephen, of Buchanan county, Iowa; Wait and Alanson.

Alanson Risley was married in DuPage county, Illinois, to Lucy A. Porter, a daughter of David G. and Charlotte (Lathrop) Porter, from Onon- daga county, New York. He passed his life in his native state, in Illinois, and in Michigan, chiefly as a farmer. He manifested some liking for mechanics for he was a house-carpenter in the development period of the Wolverine state and can be said to have been a success in life. He took a warm interest in civil affairs, was a Republican and served for a time in the Union army during the rebellion. His command was Company B, Sixth Michigan, and he served ten months under Gen. Butler and was discharged for disability. He died in Berrien county in 1863, April 10, and his wife passed away January 8th, 1876.

Of the issue of Alanson and Lucy Risley, Wait, the oldest, enlisted in the army with his father and died on his eighteenth birthday; Ward en- listed for military duty but failed to pass exam- ination ; Noah, our subject ; Charlotte, who mar- ried S. R. Spry and died in Berrien county, Mich- igan ; Job, who died at twenty-one years; and George W., of Luder, Texas.

Noah Risley came to early manhood on the farm and attended no public school until he could read in the third reader, his instruction having emanated from his competent and thoughtful mother. He began life at fifteen years of age, doing something at carpenter work and contrib- uting toward his own support. He acquired the trade of a carpenter and followed it many years, then learning masonry and, as the occasion de-

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manded, picking up a knowledge of blacksmith- ing besides. He remained with his native locali- ty until 1878, when, as before stated, he identi- fied himself with Texas and became a farmer in the big Worsham pasture in Clay county.

In Berrien county, Michigan, Mr. Risley was united in marriage December 20, 1868; with Hattie Spry, a daughter of William and Char- lotte Spry. Mrs. Risley was born in Berrien county, February 7, 1852, and is the mother of Mark A., a stonecutter, of Amarillo, Texas, and married to Ida Chisholm; Roger, who married Laura Thwing and resides in Cowlitz county, Washington; Myrtle, wife of C. R. Patching, of Clay county; Noah J., of Cowlitz county, Washington; Rosa, Alah M. and Oscar V., all deceased; Barbara, wife of John Phipps ; James G. and Benjamin F.

In politics, in which Mr. Risley was wont to become absorbed in younger life, he has differed from the dominant political party of both north and south. Becoming a Greenbacker, he fol- lowed it and its various successors through the People's party and now holds limited socialistic views. On spiritual questions he is decidedly agnostic and is without interest in any secret order.

JOSEPH CALVIN BALES. In the year 1880 Calvin Edward Bales established this worthy family in Montague county, where its efforts have in a quiet way added ma- terially to the wealth of the community as well as to the financial welfare of its domestic circle. He was from Fannin coun- ty hither, and the place where he settled was on a quarter section of Pinola county school land four and a half miles east of Bowie. He dropped into the stock business for a few years but gradu- ally confined his efforts to the farm, as the range began to close up. From the material point of view his life was a fairly successful one and when he died, in 1889, he left a homestead as his es- tate.

Calvin E. Bales was born in Buncombe county, North Carolina, in 1806, and he grew to man- hood in Georgia, whither his mother had moved about 1811. For his wife he married Mary E. Hale, who passed away at her home, where her son now lives, in 1888, at sixty-three years of age. They left Hall county, Georgia, in 1870, bound for the Lone Star state. En route they stopped two years in Franklin county, Alabama, finish- ing their journey in 1872 and settling in Fannin county. There they purchased a farm and were occupied with its cultivation until their removal into Montague county some eight years later.

Mr. Bales, Sr., was the father of Noah LaFay- ette, who returned to Hall county, Georgia, about 1881; Franklin, of Pierce, Indian Territory; Mattie and Lou, twins, the former Mrs. Frank Howard and the latter died in Fannin county, Texas, as the wife of Charles Forsythe, and both left families; Jesse, of Fannin county ; George, who passed away in the Chocktaw na- tion leaving a family; Ed, who was drowned in Red river, single; Joseph C., our subject ; and John, of the Chocktaw Nation.

The country schools of Fannin county provid- ed Joseph C. Bales with a fair education and he made himself indispensably useful on the range and the farm in their new home in Montague county. His pioneer home in Montague was little better than a log pen, but it served its pur- pose and during its occupancy it never lost its significance as expressed in the strains of John Howard Payne in his world-familiar hymn, "Be it ever so humble there's no place like home."

The domicile that provides shelter and comfort to the present occupants of the old Bales home was erected by our subject in 1899 and it and its surroundings form one of the beautiful and attractive places along the public highway. Mr. Bales started life with his young wife with very inconsiderable means. He bought out the other heirs to the old home and was forced to borrow the money with which to have the papers execut- ed and put of record. Possessing great industry themselves, practicing rigid economy and exhib- iting good business judgment the apparently monumental debt with which they began life was wiped out and the home has long since been their own. One hundred and thirty-three and two-thirds acres comprise the homestead, of which forty acres are devoted to fruit. His place is among the choicest of the fruit-growing region of the county and Providence has ordered and decreed, in the past, that it shall support its own- ers in comfort and in plenty.

December 13, 1881, Mr. Bales married Mattie, a daughter of Wilson and Mary (Griffin) Wil- cox, who came originally, from Missouri. En route to Texas they stopped in Louisiana, where Mrs. Bales was born in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Bales' children are: Zella, the wife of Robert Nichols, of Montague county, whose child is Tennie L .; Benjamin, Andrew, William, Flor- ney D., Etta, Josephine, deceased, Mark and Ruby constitute the remainder of the family.

Mr. Bales has allied himself with the prevail- ing political party of Texas and he has considered his political duty done when he has cast his vote. He has permitted nothing to draw his attention from his farm and to his tenacity and persistency

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is attributable his substantial success. He was born in Hall county, Georgia, July 16, 1862.

LITTLETON G. PRITCHARD is a man of self-made achievement and influence, who has made himself what he is by earnestness and dili- gent perseverance throughout life from the time of boyhood. He is now one of the leading citi- zens of Tarrant county. He is the county road supervisor, is mayor of the municipality of North Fort Worth, and is a leading real estate dealer.

He was born in 1860 in the state of Alabama, his parents being S. D. and Harriet (Logan) Pritchard. When he was eight years old the family moved to Copiah county, Mississippi, and from then on he was reared in Wesson, Missis- sippi. He was accounted as one of the most in- dustrious and hard-working lads in that vicinity, and early manifested those diligent habits that resulted in his rapid progress in later years. He was self-reliant and soon made himself independ- ent of circumstances or outside assistance. He went to work in a cotton mill doing the sweeping out and other small general work, at first earn- ing twenty-five cents a day. He later learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed for a num- ber of years. He came to Tarrant county in 1883, and bought a blacksmith shop in the village of Bedford, where he was a citizen for some years. About 1890 he moved to Fort Worth and located in the northern part of the city, which has since been formed as the separate city of North Fort Worth. In 1897 he was appointed, by the board of county commissioners, as county road supervisor for Tarrant county, and has filled that position ever since, for the betterment and continued improvement of the public high- ways of the county, where are some of the best roads to be found in the state. In April, 1904, he was elected mayor of North Fort Worth. In addition to these public responsibilities he is a member of the real estate firm of Hall and Pritchard, transacting a general business in North Fort Worth realty. He is a very popular man in this section of the city and has always been among the stanchest advocates and helpers in its improvement and general upbuilding. The extensive stock-yards and packing-house inter- ests are located in North Fort Worth, and it is a populous and enterprising place. He owns considerable real estate in this part of the city, and is personally concerned with the growth of the industries and improvement of the munici- pality.

Mr. Pritchard is affiliated with the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities. He is a man of family, and his wife's maiden name was Miss Buckland. They have one son, Harry Pritchard.

DANIEL V. CRITES is the owner of a valu- able farming property of nine hundred and twen- ty-five acres in Montague county, of which four hundred acres is under a high state of cultivation. He, however, has retired from the active work of the farm and is living in Nocona, where he like- wise has extensive and valuable property inter- ests. He is entitled to mention as one of the men whose force of character and indefatigable enterprise have served as the foundation upon which they have builded the superstructure of success, for Mr. Crites started out in life empty- handed and has worked his way steadily upward to prosperity. He was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, November 16, 1840. His par- ents were Conrad and Polly A. (Wills) Crites, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of North Carolina. Mrs. Crites, however, spent her girlhood days in Missouri, where they were married, after which they began their domestic life upon a farm, residing thereon until 1859, when they came to Texas, locating in Denton county, where the father purchased a tract of land on which but few improvements had been made. He, however, began the further devel- opment of the property and in due course of time a well improved farm resulted. He became one of the leading agriculturists of his communi- ty and remained upon the old homestead up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1874. In all of his business life he was practical and en- terprising and his labors were therefore crowned with a gratifying measure of success. In his polit- ical views he was an unfaltering Democrat, but the honors and emoluments of office had no at- traction for him. A worthy Christian gentleman, he held membership in the Baptist church and throughout the community was known as a man of charitable and benevolent spirit in whom the poor and needy found a friend, while his neigh- bors could always count upon his reliability and trustworthiness. He came of German ancestry. His wife was a daughter of Daniel and Polly (Walker) Wills of North Carolina, who removed to Missouri and later to Texas, where both Mr. and Mrs Wills passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Crites were born ten children: Daniel V., of this review ; Peter ; William H .; Harvey ; Mari- on ; Francis ; Louisa, the wife of L. A. Hill ; Polly A., the wife of J. W. Evans ; Amanda, the wife of B. C. Carter; and Sarah J., the wife of Lee Cone.

Daniel V. Crites acquired a common school education and when nineteen years of age ac- companied his parents on their removal to Texas. At the age of twenty-one years he volunteered in December, 1861, for service in the Fourteenth Texas Cavalry and was assigned to Company

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H. The regiment was ordered to Arkansas and at Little Rock was dismounted. The troops went into Kentucky under Kirby Smith and were attached to Bragg's command. Mr. Crites par- ticipated in the Tennessee and Georgia cam- paigns in General Johnston's army and saw much skirmishing and considerable hard fighting. The first battle in which Mr. Crites participated was at Richmond, Kentucky, and later he was in the engagements at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. When Johnston was falling back through Geor- gia many skirmishes occurred. They made their next stand at Altoona, Georgia, where Mr. Crites was wounded by a minie ball, which was taken out from under the skin on the opposite side of the body from which it had entered. He there fell into the hands of the federalists and remained in the hospital there for six weeks, being well cared for by the surgeon of his own command. He was later sent to Selma, Alabama, and paroled and soon afterward he started home, walking from Jackson, Mississippi, to Texas. He was never exchanged, and remaining at home re- sumed work as soon as his wound had sufficient- ly healed. He was a faithful defender of the cause which he espoused and was a loyal and brave soldier, undergoing all the deprivations and hardships of war.

At the close of hostilities he found that he had nothing remaining save his honor and his de- termination, but he resolved to make the most of his opportunities and at once set to work. In 1866 he returned to his own home in Missouri on a visit, remaining in that locality for nine months, after which he again came to Texas.

Mr. Crites at this time rented a small tract of raw land and began the improvement of a farm, building a house and placing some of the tract under cultivation. Needing a companion and helpmate for life's journey, he was married on the 7th of January, 1872, and then began the struggle for a competence in earnest. As the years passed he placed his farm under a good state of cultivation and prospering in his under- takings he added to his land until he owned five hundred and thirty-five acres, which he suc- cessfully improved. He raised twenty-five crops on that farm and then in 1893 he sold out and re- moved to Montague county, where he purchased six hundred and seventy-five acres, of which one hundred acres was already under cultivation. On this he made modern improvements and erect- ed a good frame residence, which is attractively located in the midst of a fine grove. The land was originally purchased from the Broadus & Jordan Company and he has further continued the work of improvement and development until

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 39

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