A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 43

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 43

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Judge Tarlton was married in St. Landry's parish in April, 1877, to Miss Susan M. Littell. They have three daughters and one son: Miss Frances Ann, Miss Elizabeth Millard, Miss Gen- evieve Constance and B. Dudley, Jr.

Since the foregoing sketch was written Judge Tarlton has been chosen by the board of regents of the University of Texas a member of the law faculty of that institution and is now serving in that capacity.

OSCAR R. McMORDIE, county and district clerk of Hemphill county, with residence at Canadian, has been identified with this county and town ever since their corporate existence, so that he is truly one of the old-timers, although in the years of his own life he is still on the lee-side of middle age. The fact that he has been the in- cumbent of his present office for four terms indi-

cates the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens, and his great capability as a public official, and it is his creditable record that he has been uniformly successful in the various enter- prises and undertakings of his career.

Mr. McMordie was born at Round Rock, Wil- liamson county, this state, on April 1, 1866, his parents, Frank and Mary ( McGuire) McMordie, both natives of Tennessee, being now residents of Quanah, Texas. His father came to Texas and located at Round Rock, Williamson county, about 1852, living there until 1885, when he moved to Coryell county, and since November, 1892, he has been a resident of Hardeman county, living a re- tired life in Quanah. In his early life he was a stockman, and when the big Texas ranges began to be divided up he became a prosperous farmer, which occupation he followed until his retirement. He has served one term as commissioner of Har- deman county.

Mr. McMordie was reared in the cattle busi- ness and followed it exclusively until his election to his present office. He lived at the old home- stead at Round Rock until 1884, and in that year, being then eighteen years old, he went to Abilene, this state, and was a "cow puncher" on a big ranch there until the following fall, when he re- turned to Round Rock to spend another term in school. He enjoyed a practical and fundamental education, and has always been recognized as a man of much intelligence and close observation and insight into the affairs of local and general importance. In April, 1885, he went to Wyoming territory, where he was a cowboy until February, 1887. In April, 1887, he located in the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle, where he has been ever since. He was engaged in herding cat- tle in Lipscomb and Ochiltree counties until 1892, and then continued the same occupation in Hemp- hill county. In 1896 he was elected county and district clerk of Hemphill county, and by regular biennial election he has served as such ever since, which is the best testimonial that could be given of his worth as a citizen and ability in public of- fice. He gives conscientious, business-like care and attention to the details of his position, and his administration has caused universal satisfac- tion. Mr. McMordie owns a section of good farming land in the county and also his com- fortable residence in Canadian, and is content- edly prosperous from the standpoint of material circumstances.

Mr. McMordie affiliates with the Masonic or- der, and is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is well known throughout his section of the state, and when he came here in 1887 the counties were just beginning to get organized, that being

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the date of the organization of Hemphill county and the establishment of the town of Canadian. Mr. McMordie was married at Canadian in 1892 to Miss Kathleen Montgomery, a native of Min- nesota, and they have two sons, Hobart Bruce and Frank E.

WILLIAM C. ISAACS, of Canadian, is one of the prominent cattlemen of the Panhandle, and for a number of years has been a positive influ- ence for progress and development in this section of the state. As one of the oldest residents of Hemphill county he has witnessed this region in its change from an exclusive range country into a fine stock-farming and agricultural belt, and his own success and prosperity have increased with the country. The Isaacs brothers' ranch is known as one of the best in Northwest Texas, and enter- prises undertaken by men of the Isaacs name have come to be recognized as successes by matter of foregone conclusion.

Mr. Isaacs, who was born in DeKalb county, Alabama, December 4, 1853, was the son of J. C. Isaacs, a prominent Texas citizen of the last century, who was born in Tennessee, then lived in Alabama, and, removing with his family to Bosque county, Texas, in 1857, became a pioneer in the cattle industry there and later in Comanche county, his death having taken place several years ago near San Antonio.

Mr. Isaacs confesses to have been practically "reared in the saddle," and the various phases of the cattle business have been known to him from the days of his early boyhood. Such educational advantages-which were meager enough-as the schools of Comanche county and Fort Graham afforded while he was growing up he enjoyed without impairing in any particular the practical bent of his nature. Some time in early manhood he moved from Comanche to Taylor county and went into the cattle business with his brother-in- law, J. A. Martin. In those days Taylor county was one of the principal centers of the cattle in- dustry, many of the most extensive cattlemen op- erating from Abilene, the county seat. From Taylor county he was located in Fisher county for three years, then for a year and a half had his cattle on the Cheyenne-Arapahoe reserva- tion, then in New Mexico for four years, and since the year 1883 he has had the center of his industrial operations in the Panhandle country. He is in partnership with his brother, Sam Isaacs. Their ranch is in all respects a model, one of the best in the cattle country, and its thirty thousand acres are situated beautifully along the river in the Red Deer country in Hemphill county, the ranch headquarters being a mile and a half

west of Canadian. Mr. Isaacs himself lives in town, where he has a beautiful residence, anc is esteemed as one of its foremost citizens.

Mr. Isaacs is well known in Masonic circles, and his brother Sam is also a prominent member of that fraternity, having been worshipful master of the local lodge ever since its organization. An- other brother, John Isaacs, operates a ranch indi- vidually, his place being ten miles east of Canadi- an in Hemphill county.

Mr. Isaacs is a member of the executive com- mittee of the Panhandle Cattle-Raisers' Associa- tion, and takes a leading part in all matters per- taining to the cattle business. Mr. Isaacs married Miss Mary Brainerd, who was born in New York, and they both enjoy high social connections throughout this section of the state.

JOHN SPEER. A native of Montague county and a strong and able representative of the young attorneys at the bar, Mr. Speer was born October 12, 1873. His parents, D. and Sallie H. (Ellis) Speer, who reside in Alvord, Texas, set- tled at Montague, in Montague county, in 1872. The father taught school in this county for nine years, and while he was brought up on a farm in Smith county and obtained some knowledge of books there after the war and even after his mar- riage, he prepared himself for public school work and has followed it most efficiently and thorough- ly from 1872 to the present. The Speer family was founded in Smith county, Texas, in 1848, by John Speer, grandfather of our subject, and near Floresville was where he reared his family. He was from Shelby county, Tennessee, where his son, D. Speer, was born March 24, 1844.

D. Speer was a member of Company K, Tenth Texas Dismounted Cavalry, during the rebellion, and enlisted at Clarksville. He was in Ector's Brigade, and first served in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Later his regiment was transferred east of the Mississippi and he participated in bat- tle at Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, Gettysburg, Chickamauga and finally at Mobile, Alabama. He was on duty when Lee surrendered and when he returned home he first turned his attention to farming. He married in Smith county, in 1869, a lady whose parents died of yellow fever in Mo- bile, when she was five years old, and she was brought up by and accompanied her uncle, Jo- seph Swan, to Texas in 1865. The issue of this marriage includes: Judge Ocie Speer, of Fort Worth, associate justice of the Texas court of appeals, elected in November, 1902; Robert E., of the Speer Printing Company, of Fort Worth; John, of Bowie; Oran, of Alvord, Texas ; Charles H., of the Fort Worth Printing Company ; Lon

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A., a teacher at Fate, Texas; D. M., a student of medicine in Fort Worth; Bonnie M., of Al- vord, and a teacher in the public schools, and Ivan R., who died in infancy.

The literary education of John Speer was ob- tained under the direction and supervision of his father. He finished a course in the high school in Merkel, Texas, at the age of nineteen years, and as a start in life became a clerk in a dry goods store in Ennis. After remaining there some four years he came to Bowie and took up the study of law with his brother, the Judge. He was admitted to practice before Judge D. E. Barrett, August 6, 1896, and formed a partner- ship with his brother under the firm name of Speer and Speer. His first case was one of as- sault charged against a party at Sunset and his second one was where, as deputy county attor- ney, he prosecuted while his brother defended. Civil practice has occupied him chiefly, and his time is spent in attending to the wants of a good clientage and in delving into his fine library of law books, as a student for the more complete preparation for his profession. He holds to Democratic principles, and naturally takes some notice of things political as they pass along. He is at this date chairman of the Democratic exec- utive committee of his county.

December 26, 1899, Mr. Speer married in Bowie Miss May Allen, a daughter of A. J. Al- len. Their only child is Ruth, born January I, I90I.

John Speer, as a citizen, needs no defense. The pages of his life-book have been wide open through all the years that those who wished might read and nothing prejudicial to his char- acter has been found therein. In his professional capacity he carefully guards his clients' interests and whether he wins or loses in a lawsuit he has conscientiously done his whole duty in the case.

JAMES C. POWELL is a stock farmer of Wichita county and owes his success entirely to his own efforts. He has placed his dependence upon the substantial qualities of industry and en- ergy and upon this has builded a prosperity which makes him one of the substantial residents of his community. He was born at Winchester, Frank- lin county, Tennessee, in 1835, a son of George W. and Sarah Ann (Cawker) Powell. His fa- ther was a native of England and during his in- fancy was brought to the United States by his parents, who located first in Virginia and after- ward removed to Tennessee. For many years George W. Powell carried on agricultural pur- suits in Franklin county, Tennessee, and there died during the latter part of the Civil war. His

wife, who was born and reared in North Caro- lina, died at their Tennessee home in 1877.

James C. Powell spent his boyhood days upon the home farm and was early trained to habits of industry, integrity and perseverance, thus lay- ing the foundation for an honorable career. The Powell family were opposed to slavery and to secession, and sharing in these views James C. Powell soon after the outbreak of the Civil war went to Elizabethtown, Hardin county, Illinois, where he enlisted as a defender of the Union, becoming a member of Company C, Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. The regiment was sent south to Fort Henry and Mr. Powell participated in the engagement there and at Fort Donelson. In the battle of Shiloh he was severely wounded, but when he had recovered his health he rejoined his regiment and was with Sherman's army in all of its campaigns. He participated in the siege of Corinth and in other important battles in Mississippi and was again wounded at Jackson that state. He was in the leading engagements of the Atlanta campaign, marched with Sherman in the celebrated march to the sea, and afterward took part in the Carolina campaign, going on then to Richmond and to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, the most cele- brated military pageant that has ever occurred on the western hemisphere. Later the regiment was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas, to do post guard duty and remained there until August, 1865, when the members were mustered out of the service. The company had started to the front more than four years before with one hun- dred and four men and of these only fifteen were left to be mustered out. Although twice wound- ed Mr. Powell remained with his command to the last, never faltering in the performance of any military duty assigned him and he returned to his home with a most creditable war record.

After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Powell established his home in Jefferson county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming for about eleven years. In 1876 he returned to the south, locat- ing near Paris in Lamar county, Texas, where he resided for fifteen years or until 1891, when he came to Wichita county, settling twelve miles north of Wichita Falls. Here he owns three hundred and sixty acres of land and is success- fully engaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing. Throughout the greater part of his life his attention has been directed to that line of busi- ness activity and the success he has achieved therein is due entirely to his own labors, careful management and unfaltering endeavor.

Mr. Powell was married in Jefferson county, Illinois, to Miss Mary Jane Carr and they have

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children : Minnie, Jennie, Thomas, Ella, Murl and Fred. Mr. Powell has served as school trus- tee of district No. 2, and is interested in all that pertains to the upbuilding and advancement of his community along social, material and intel- lectual lines. In manner he is free from all os- tentation and display, but his intrinsic worth is recognized and his friendship is most prized by those who know him best, showing that his char- acter will bear the scrutiny of close acquaintance. He is a generous-spirited, broad-minded man, a true type of the American spirit and an embodi- ment of that progress which in the last few years has drawn to this country the admiring gaze of the nations of the world.

THEODORE MERRIMAN. The pioneer blacksmith of Chico and the gentleman distin- guished as the second person to locate on the townsite of that thrifty little metropolis is Theo- dore Merriman, the. widely known citizen and farmer named in the introduction to this arti- cle. An active mechanic until his hammer pounded out the price of a piece of fertile land adjoining the new town, and since then busied with the affairs of a successful and systematic farmer, and, at times, with the administration of justice as the chosen officer of his peers, he is regarded as one of the characters of Wise county and a citizen truly worthy of the name.

September 16, 1876, Mr. Merriman came to Wise county, and on the seventeenth of February following he opened his shop in the embryonic town. He had just passed a year in the south- west corner of Johnson county, where, on the banks of the Brazos, he practiced Vulcan's art for the period of one year. The nine years previous to this he had passed as a citizen of Mount Pelia and Union City, Tennessee, plying his trade, going there in 1866 from Columbus, Kentucky, where his post-bellum career as a citizen really began. Civil life opened with him at Claysville, that state, where, at the age of nine- teen years, he took a position with a mercantile establishment, leaving their employ as book- keeper and office man to take up arms for the Confederate government.

vice with the patriot army of Washington but was detailed at home to make shoes for the sol- diers, at which patriotic duty himself and his good wife both labored until independence was actually won. The soldiers in camp at Sweet- leyville, near his home wore this old patriot's shoes and his efforts in the direction of the achievement of independence were as effective as if he had carried a flintlock in actual battle. He died about 1846 at one hundred and three years old, the father of twelve sons and two daughters, thirteen of whom grew to maturity and married, namely: John, Samuel, David, Ezekiel, Richard D., Frederick, Abraham, Dan- iel, Reuben, Moses, Mary, Martha, William.

Richard D. Merriman, father of our subject, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and died in Saline county, Illinois, in 1885. He learned the machinist's trade in Pittsburg, serving a five-year apprenticeship, as was the custom of his day, and pursued his trade until 1856, when he bought a farm near the corners of Saline, Gallatin and White counties, Illinois, and remained a farmer until his death. He mar- ried Helen Bonham, a daughter of J. W. Bon- ham, mentioned in the paragraph above, who died in 1874. Of their four children who reached mature years, Theodore was the second, W. W., of Norris City, Illinois, the third, and Frank, the youngest surviving child.

Theodore Merriman had ample opportunity to acquire a good education in the Pittsburg and Morgantown, Virginia, schools but his lack of concern for his future led him into other paths and he reached manhood only fairly equipped. He left home in 1856 and secured employment for two years in a store at Carmi, Illinois, from which point he went to Claysville, Kentucky, as narrated above.

When the war broke out he entered Company I, Third Kentucky Infantry, under Sidney Johnston at the battle of Shilo. His command was at Vicksburg. when the Confederate ram passed through the Federal fleet there, and fought in the battles of Baton Rouge, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Resaca, Pine Mountain, New Hope Church, Lovejoy Station, and Atlanta, at which time he left the artillery and was transferred to Forrest's cavalry. After the Shiloh fight he was made quartermaster of Cobb's Kentucky battery and later was made Cobb's adjutant, serving in the artillery until transferred to the cavalry. He was a staff officer of Brig. Gen. Lyon in the cavalry service and the states of Tennessee and

The Merrimans were among the pioneers of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where Freder- ick Merriman, grandfather of our subject, found- ed the family at old Fort Pitt. The latter was a native German and settled first in Maryland but accompanied J. W. Bonham, a gentleman of French extraction, to Fort Pitt and there passed the remainder of his life. Frederick Mer- riman was a shoemaker and was enlisted for ser- ' Alabama witnessed their military escapades until

Mr. J. Merriman and strife

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

the surrender of the command near Selma at the close of the war.

While in the army Mr. Merriman became ac- quainted with the lady who held his future in her hands and as soon as he became a civilian he hastened to Paris, Tennessee, and there, June 4, 1865, he was married. The lady of his choice was Miss Lizzie Ethridge, a daughter of J. L. Ethridge of an old and representative Tennes- see family. Mrs. Merriman was born in Henry county, that state, January 6, 1847, and she and her husband are the parents of Allie D., of Chico ; William D., of Paul's Valley, Indian Terri- tory ; T. Earnest, a merchant of Gibtown, Texas ; Ed., of Gibtown; May, wife of C. A. Watson, of Chico; Ethel, widow of J. C. Goad, of Chico; Daisy, who married G. F. Holden, of Comanche, Indian Territory ; and Cora M., widow of Frank Martin, a teacher in Munday, Knox county, Texas.

Mr. Merriman's blacksmith shop in Chico was situated where the livery barn now stands and he followed his trade until he had paid for a farm and was well equipped ready to begin its cultivation and improvement. He left the anvil in 1881 and the work he has done as farmer has strikingly beautified his immediate communi- ty. He owns seventy-five acres in the G. W. Cash survey, a well-tilled and productive farn. He served seven years as postmaster of Chico and was elected justice of the peace first in 1880, filling the office four years. In 1894 he was again elected and served a second term of four years. He is a well known Democrat and the family are members of the Cumberland Pres- byterian and Christian churches. He is a charter member of Alvord chapter of the Masonic Order.

JAMES H. HIGHTOWER, who at one time was commissioner of Tarrant county and is a prominent citizen here, well known and highly respected, resides near Smithfield, where he owns a farm and is engaged in general agricultural .pursuits and stock-raising. He is a native of Montgomery county, Illinois, born on the 16th of April, 1847, his parents being Alfred M. and Sarah (Grantham) Hightower, the former a na- tive of Tennessee. When their son was about eight years of age they left Illinois and removed to Laclede county, Missouri, where they re- mained for a time and then in 1859 came to Texas, settling in Tarrant county near what is now Smithfield. They were early pioneer resi- dents of this section of the state and contributed in substantial measure to the improvement and progress of early times. The father was a Con-

federate soldier in the Civil war and became a commissioned officer, after which he was al- ways called Captain Hightower. He died in April, 1897, and left behind him an honorable name because he had led a busy, useful and up- right life. Of his children the following survive : James H .; Daniel H., who is living in Tarrant county ; Sarah J., the wife of A. B. Clark, of Clarendon, Texas; Mary E., the widow of S. P. Thrower and now living in Shawnee, Indian Ter- ritory ; and Katie T., the wife of W. C. Meacham, who makes his home near Smithfield, Texas.

J. H. Hightower, whose name introduces this record, was reared to adult age near Smithfield upon the old home farm and early became famil- iar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He acquired his educa- tion in the public schools of this county and when not busy with his text books worked in the fields. He has throughout his entire life carried on agri- cultural pursuits, though at different periods he has followed the trade of a carpenter and build- er, doing considerable contract work in his locali- ty a number of years ago. At all times he has been industrious and enterprising and his labors constitute the basis of a well merited success.

Mr. Hightower has been married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Calloway, a native of North Carolina, who with her parents came to Tarrant county in 1859. By her marriage she became the mother of four children: Hugh M., who is living at Smithfield ; Halceon C., the wife of Loma B. Brown, whose home is near Smith- field, Texas ; Sarah E., the wife of W. H. Cloud, residing near Fort Worth, this state; and Louis A., who is a member of the well known mercan- tile firm of L. A. Hightower & Brother, conduct- ing a successful business at Smithfield. For his second wife Mr. Hightower chose Miss Cynthia A. Boyd, their wedding occurring June 15, 1884, and she is a native of Tarrant county and a daughter of Dr. Joseph B. Boyd, who at one time was county treasurer of Tarrant county and also tax collector. He was quite prominent in public circles and was a representative citizen but has now passed away.

Some public honors have been conferred upon Mr. Hightower, who has served for two terms, or four years, as county commissioner and re- ceived strong endorsement at the primaries in 1904 for county treasurer. He has always been a stanch advocate of Democratic principles and a warm friend of the public schools and of gen- eral progress along the lines which contribute to good citizenship and to the substantial improve- ment. He is a member of Grand Prairie Lodge No. 455, A. F. & A. M., at Smithfield. Viewed

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from a personal light his life may be said to be a success and all that he possesses has been ac- quired through his own labors, showing the force and value of industry and enterprise as active factors in winning prosperity.

ADOLPHUS W. RAHT. For twenty-two years has Adolphus W. Raht been identified with the substantial industrial interests of the Lone Star state, and in recent years he has been rec- ognized as a positive force in the cattle-raising industry and is regarded among his contempor- aries as a safe, progressive and successful agency in the manipulation of "cowmen's" affairs.

His identity with Texas began at Gainesville in 1883, at which time he was an emigrant from Polk county, Tennessee, in which locality his birth occurred September 18, 1855. He is of German blood, his father, Julius E. Raht, having been born at Nassau. The latter came to the United States in 1849 and passed the first year of his residence here in Wisconsin, going thence to Polk county, Tennessee, where he married Matilda Dumbois, a daughter of John Dumbois, a Frenchman. Of the issue of this union Adol- phus W. is the eldest; William E. resides in Chattanooga, manager of a stove and range works; Julius, of Tullahoma, Tennessee ; Fred A., also of Tullahoma, and Charles A., associat- ed with his brother in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 43

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