A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 46

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 46

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Berry T. Parr, Sr., was reared in the state of his nativity and there engaged in farming until after the birth of eight of his children. About 1831 he removed with his family to Arkansas, settling in Washington county, which was then a new and undeveloped region. Much of the land was still in possession of the government, having not been claimed by the settlers and the district in which he located became known as Parr Prairie. He was a minister of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church and did much toward promoting the moral development of his part of the state, being actively engaged in ministerial work in connection with his farming pursuits. He remained in Arkansas until the fall of 1837, when he went to Missouri, settling in Barry county, where he purchased land and developed another farm. He was again a pioneer minister of that locality and was soon called to regular charges. He proved a faithful and safe guide to the people in their moral growth and his influence was of no restricted order. He died on the old homestead there in April, 1849, leaving behind him the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. In politics he was a Democrat and al- though he never sought or desired office was

called by his fellow countrymen to the position of justice of the peace. His wife survived him for three years, passing away in 1852. She, too, was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and a most worthy Christian woman. Their children were as follows: John O., an .ordained minister of the Cumberland Presby- terian church, who assisted in religious work in several counties in Texas and died in this state ; Eliza R., who came to Texas in 1853, married R. Price; Jesse C., who died in Denton county, Texas in 1881 ; Elzira, who became the wife of C. C. Porter, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and later married S. B. Abernathy, also a Cumber- land Presbyterian minister ; James H., who is liv- ing in Erath county, Texas, at the ripe old age of eighty years ; A. J., who died in Arkansas ; Z. H., who died in Denton county ; Pressley O., who died at Mallard, Texas; Mrs. Martha Jarrett; Berry T .; and Alvina T., who became the wife of M. A. Sappington and died in 1904. All reached adult age and became members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church.

Berry T. Parr was born in Arkansas and with his parents removed to Missouri, where he re- mained until twenty years of age. In 1854 he came to Texas and in the fall of 1855 settled in Grayson county, making a home with his brother. Later he bought two hundred acres of land in Denton county, which he farmed until November, 1861, when he enlisted in Grayson county, I:e- coming ordinance sergeant on the staff of Colonel Joe Harris. He served with the Chickasaw Battalion largely in the Indian Territory, being at Fort Arbuckle and also at Fort McCulloch. On account of disability, however, he received an honorable discharge and returned to Grayson county, where he resumed farming. He also handled horses and afterward cattle.

Mr. Parr was first married in Denton county in 1869 to Miss Sarah E. Coleman, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Richard Coleman, who belonged to one of the old families of that state and became a prominent resident of Texas, coming to this state after the Civil war. Mr. Parr lost his first wife about six months after their marriage and in 1872 he wedded Alice J. Hodges, who was born in Kentucky in No- vember, 1849, a daughter of the Rev. Charles B. Hodges, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister of Kentucky, who was ordained there in 1851. Later he removed to Platt county, Missouri, and became a regular circuit rider in the Presbytery there. In 1866 he removed to Dallas, Texas. where he purchased a home and settled his fam- ily, after which he made a business trip to Ne- braska City. Nebraska. Not long after his

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return he removed to Ellis county, Texas, where he settled upon a farın and also accepted a pastorate. In 1871 . he took his family to Grayson county, where he again began the development of a farm and at the same time acted as minister for a church of that locality. The year 1898 witnessed his removal to Nocona, where he remained until his death in November, 1901, when he was seventy-nine years of age. He led a very busy, useful and honor- able life and was a most devoted member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, having un- shaken faith in its teachings. His wife yet sur- vives and makes her home in Nocona. She is a daughter of William Gooch, a native of Virginia, who went to Kentucky at an early day and be- came a farmer and slave owner there. He was a gentleman of high attainments and was reared in the Baptist church, with which he always affili- ated but was never a member. He was of Irish descent and he remained a resident of Kentucky until his death. He served under General Jack- son in the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812 and was a patriotic and honored citizen. In his family were eleven children: Polly, who became Mrs. Hawks and afterward Mrs. Cun- ningham; Mrs. Tabitha Conyers; Abner, who died in Kentucky; Dorcas, the wife of Rev. C. B. Hodges; Mrs. Martha Williams; Sarah F., the wife of J. Cann; Elizabeth, the wife of Jackson Cann; James, who died at the age of twenty-one years ; Juda ; Mrs. Louisa Figgett; and Thomas, a farmer. All of the family were connected with the Cumberland Presbyterian church.

In the family of Rev. Charles B. Hodges there were five children: Alice J., now Mrs. Parr; Samuel H., an attorney at law at Wichita Falls, Texas; Mary B., the wife of Charles Wright ; William, a practicing physician who died in Grayson county, Texas ; and Jesse G., a farmer of this county.

Mr. Parr first carried on farming in Denton county, but in 1873 sold his property there and in 1875 came to Montague county. Here he purchased a pre-emption claim and ultimately re- ceived his patent to one hundred and sixty acres of land. To this he afterward added until he owned five hundred and thirty-five acres. He now owns but fourteen acres of his original holdings, but has other property. He is now living in Nocona, and has retired from active business. In his farming operations he was successful, owing to his practical methods and keen dis- crimination in business affairs. He has taken a very active part in church work and was ap- pointed Sunday-school missionary by the Ameri- can Sunday School Board of Missions, in which

capacity he served for eight years. In politics he is an unfaltering Democrat and has labored earnestly for the success and growth of his party. He has attended county conventions and in 1882 was elected county treasurer but has never been an aspirant for public office. He has, however, always manifested a deep and helpful interest in progressive public measures and his labors have been attended by a gratifying measure of pros- perity in his business career.

CAPTAIN I. H. BOGGESS, whose residence in Montague county dates from pioneer times to the present, was born in Meigs county, Tennes- see, on the 5th of November, 1835. His father, Abijah Boggess, was a native of North Carolina and soon after his marriage to Miss Susan E. Gordon, likewise a native of that state, removed to Meigs county, Tennessee, then a new and un- developed region. He was of Irish lineage and his wife of French descent. He assisted in the removal of the Indians from Tennessee and served under General Jackson in the war of 1812 at the battle of New Orleans. He became a per- sonal friend of General Jackson, for whom he entertained the warmest admiration. Mr. Bog- gess, prospering in his business affairs, became a large land owner and extensive planter. He had many slaves and was recognized as a factor in the locality in which he resided. His holdings in bank stock were also extensive and he was a director of the bank and for many years loaned money. He recognized business possibilities and the opportunities for development in his county and his efforts were instrumental in promoting public progress. In politics he was a very stanch Democrat and his labors largely promoted the party's success. He took an active interest in campaign work, was a fluent speaker and stanch advocate of party measures. At the time of the Civil war he advocated secession and labored earnestly for the Confederacy. At the outbreak of the war he was placed at the head of a minute company and assisted in disarming all of the neutral men of that locality and there were many. All firearms of every description, including shot- guns and rifles, that could be picked up were se- cured. When that work was accomplished Mr. Boggess continued to give of his time and money for the advancement of the cause of the Confed- eracy. The Federalists were very suspicious of him and his life was often in danger and he was frequently placed under arrest. His many Re- publican friends, however, were always ready to protect him, for though they were opposed to him politically they knew him to be an upright, honor- able man, one who was straightforward in all

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dealings. Before the close of the war he was made a prisoner but was released by Andrew Johnson, the provisional governor. Both armies passed through his section of the country and re- gardless of the needs of his family they took everything that they could secure from his plan- tation. They also burned the fences and dwell- ing and left his place almost in ruins, so that the earnings of a lifetime were swept away and he had little left at the close of the war save his land. However, he prospered again after hos- tilities had ceased and gained a competency for old age. He died upon the old family home- stead in 1888, while his wife passed away in 1868. Both were devoted members of the Methodist church. Mrs. Boggess was a daughter of Simon T. Gordan of North Carolina, who became a well known and influential planter of Tennessee, being a typical representative of the old southern gen- tleman. In his family were two sons and two daughters: Thomas, a farmer; Simon, a physi- cian ; Mrs. Susan Boggess; and Mrs. Patsy McGinnis.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Abijah Boggess there were ten children: Simon, who follows agricultural pursuits; Abijah, who was colonel of the Twenty-sixth Tennessee Regiment in the Civil war and was killed in the last fight after General Lee had surrendered; John, who served throughout the war ; I. H., of this review; Mrs. Vesty Latham; Mrs. Jane Sharp; Sarah, the wife of J. Sharp; Mrs. Emeline Stockton; Susan E., who became the wife of Captain W. T. Moore and died at Paris, Texas; and Texana, who mar- ried Colonel A. Cate and died in Paris, Texas.

joined his command, then on the line between Tennessee and Virginia, and afterward acted as an independent scout for the regiment until the close of the war. When Lee surrendered he was scouting in northern Tennessee.

Captain Boggess then went to Mississippi and was employed as overseer and manager of a large plantation. Subsequently he engaged in merchandising in Mississippi for two years and then went to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he sold goods and engaged in auctioneering. He re- mained there until 1869, when he came to Texas, settling at the head of Elm Creek, where he bought land and soon erected a double log cabin. He brought with him a supply of goods such as is needed by cattle drovers, hauling the goods from Jefferson, Texas, for several years. His was the only stopping place for a long distance and he received a liberal patronage. When he had to entertain his customers he furnished them with blankets and they slept upon the counter and on the floor of his store. Soon after estab- lishing the mercantile business, however, he em- ployed help to conduct his store and gave much of his time to the cattle trail. He afterward established another supply house at Red River Station, known as the Last Chance, where he employed a good man, thus profitably conducting both mercantile enterprises. He continued to successfully handle cattle and he bought and sold large herds, which he drove to the north. He would buy broken down cattle from drovers, feed them and place them in good condition and in his work he was very successful, continuing the enterprise until the latter part of 1869. Mr. Boggess about that time was instrumental in securing the establishment of a postoffice at the head of Elm Creek, but having been an officer in the Confederate army he could not be commis- sioned. He had in his employ, however, a soldier who had been in the Federal army, James Gor- don by name, who was commissioned and acted as postmaster.

I. H. Boggess remained under the parental roof up to the time of his marriage in 1859. He had been reared upon his father's plantation and had acquired a liberal education, attending the common schools and afterward Mars Hill Acad- emy. When he was married he began farming on his own account near the old homestead, where he remained until the opening of the war. He then assisted in raising Captain Bly's com- There were very few settlers in this part of the state when Captain Boggess took up his abode here. The work of farming had not yet been be- gun, the attention of the white men being given to cattle-raising, but soon people began to arrive and undertake the work of cultivating the soil. The hostile Indians were driven out from the tain Boggess arrived. In 1872 he admitted Joe Howell to a partnership in his business and pur- chased three hundred and twenty acres of land from the A. Ketchum survey. He then platted the town of Saint Jo, giving to it the name of his partner. In the work of upbuilding and improve- pany and enlisted as a private. The company was attached to Colonel Mckenzie's Regiment of Cavalry and soon afterward entered active ser- vice. Mr. Boggess was made commissary of the regiment with the rank of captain and con- tinued on active duty until taken prisoner with many others near Strawberry Plains in 1864. , country and there were but few raids after Cap- He was held for eight months, during which time he was compelled to work on the fortifications and breastworks and also perform other labor for protecting the Federal army. After eight months some of the prisoners were exchanged, Captain Boggess among the number. He re-

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ment in the town he took a most active interest and gave lots for the building of churches and also to people who would erect substantial build- ings thereon. He also built a stone store house and with his partner he increased his stock-rais- ing interests and conducted a large dry goods business in the town. Here he again secured a postoffice and for many years acted as post- master. A very enterprising and progressive busi- ness man, he added to his lands until he owned extensive tracts and he is still the owner of three large farms and much town property. The orig- inal double log cabin he first builded is yet doing service, but it has been weatherboarded and placed in excellent repair. He retains the ownership of it and regards it as a relic of the early days, for it was in this cabin that he lived and kept his store and postoffice and entertained the traveling pub- lic. Dr. Crump also had his office in this cabin.

Later Mr. Boggess built a commodious two- story frame residence on the same tract of land where he yet resides and from this place can be seen the old cabin, which remains as a memento of pioneer times. He continued in merchandising until 1887, when he closed out the business and has since given his attention to real estate dealing and the management of his property interests. In the early days when the county was sparsely set- tled it was necessary that there should be a notary public in order to record legal transactions and Captain Boggess was appointed to the office, which he still fills. During this time he has is- sued many legal documents and he is now the oldest notary in the county. His business career in Montague county has been successful and but few white men in this section of the state are better known.

Captain Boggess has been married twice. In Tennessee he wedded Miss Rhoda R. Neal, who was born in that state, a daughter of Pryor Neal, a leading farmer of that state. He was a stanch Democrat, active and helpful in campaign work and strongly advocated the secession movement, but was too old for active military service at the time of the Civil war. He belonged to the Baptist church and he died in the old family homestead. His children were: Mary, the wife of J. Thomas ; Lee and John R., who were soldiers in the Con- federate army; Mrs. Lu Stewart; Molly, who died in early womanhood; Rhoda R., who be- came Mrs. Boggess ; and Thomas and Polk, who were confederate soldiers. Captain Boggess by his first marriage had two children: Susan E., the wife of A. Galliher, now of California, and John B., a prominent merchant, farmer and post- master in Tennessee. Mrs. Rhoda Boggess died in Tennessee in 1867 in the faith of the Baptist

church, of which she was a devoted member, and Captain Boggess was again married in Texas, December 22, 1874, to Miss Barbara A. McClain, who was born in Kentucky and is a daughter of Alexander H. and Mary A. (Cates) McClain, also natives of Kentucky, whence they came to Texas in 1870, settling first in Tarrant county, whence in 1873 they removed to Montague county. The father purchased land and improved a farm and he also handled some stock. His political support was given the Democracy. He died in 1894, respected by all who knew him, and his wife yet survives, making her home in Saint Jo. She is a worthy member of the Christian church. Their children were: George W., of Alaska; Sarilda, the wife of J. Gardner ; Barbara A., now Mrs. Boggess; S. Jackson, of the Indian Territory; Nettie, who died in child- hood; Mrs. Wittie Rufus; and Mrs. Gertrude E. McFisher.

Captain and Mrs. Boggess have four children : Abijah, who is a banker of Gainesville, Texas ; Eliza B., the wife of A. D. Hide; and Gordon C. and Temple H., both of whom are at home. Mrs. Boggess is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Boggess is a stanch advocate of the Democ- racy but has never been an aspirant for office, al- though on one occasion in order to settle a sec- tional strife he accepted the nomination for sher- iff and served out his term in that office. He has been a recognized leader in many movements of public benefit and is widely known as a man of broad humanitarian principles, of kindly spirit and generous charity. He belongs to the Ma- sonic fraternity and to the Odd Fellows society and his life is characterized by many sterling traits such as are advocated by the two fraternal organizations which he represents.

DAVID L. HUNT. The boys of the Kansas cow trail of the seventies have long since laid aside their spurs and slicker and pack and old and infirm with natural decline many of them are scattered over the two hundred and sixty coun- ties of the Lone Star state occupied with the mo- notony and quiet of the farm. They are men whose fire of youth has been quenched and whose vigor of middle life is on the wane and they no more long for the back of a "bronk," the "whush" of the lariat or the "round-up" sports of the olden time. To this remnant of what was once a distinct factor in our western affairs does David L. Hunt belong and with his passing an- other of the epoch-marks will have been re- moved. He came to Texas in 1869 from Frank- lin county, Tennessee, where his birth occurred February 21, 1847. The family is an old one of

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

that state, it having been founded by some an- cestor beyond David Hunt, our subject's grand- father, for it was he who established it in Frank- lin county, where he passed away. The latter married Elizabeth Larkin in Mississippi and be- fore he established himself in Tennessee he lived in Prentiss county, where, at Baldwin, he kept hotel and which county he served as county clerk. Clinton A. was his oldest child; then William B., George, Minerva, who married John McCloud, Mary, wife of John Mosely, and Jane and Ari, who passed away unmarried.

William B. Hunt, father of our subject, was Mr. Hunt married at Birdville, Texas, Feb- ruary 21, 1874, Sarah Boothe. Her father, Mad- ison Boothe, was from east Tennessee and an early settler in Tarrant county, Texas, where Mrs. Hunt was born November 24, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Boothe died in Tarrant county, the pa- rents of five children. born in Franklin county, Tennessee, in 1809, and died there in 1860. He married Annis, a daugh- ter of Richard Clayton, and while he died before middle life he made some property and was the father of Sallie, widow of J. W. Burris, of Bald- win, Mississippi; David L., of this notice; Rich- ard, of Fort Payne, Alabama, and George, of Mr. and Mrs. Hunt's children are: David M., of Tarrant county ; John L., of Wise county, and Jennie, Annis and Richard still of the family circle. Washington, D. C. The country schools gave David L. Hunt his education and its liberal char- acter served him in good stead as something of a stepping-stone to begin life. When he left his native state he passed the first year on a farm in Ellis county, Texas. Following this he went to the cow trail and belonged to the Ikard brothers' outfit, driving from the head of the Brazos river to the markets at Ellsworth, Kansas. He passed four years in their employ and then took up his residence in Rockwall county, Texas, taking up the work of teaching in the country schools. Fol- lowing two terms of this work he served two years as county surveyor of that county and on his retirement from office he became a farmer at old Birdville, in Tarrant county. He lived in that locality twelve years, and made his final move to Garratt's creek in Wise in 1881. He pur- chased and improved a small farm there, and yet owns it, and in 1902 bought eight acres in the . county in 1871, accompanying their parents "old town" of Paradise, where he now makes his home. It was at the youthful age of about thir- teen years that Mr. Hunt began his independent career. He farmed his father's farm a few years among the earliest acts of his career, his father's sister being his housekeeper and companion dur- ing that time. When he departed for Texas it was with a small company and by private convey- ance, and when he stopped in Ellis county sev- enty-five cents constituted all the cash he pos- sessed. John H. Larkin, with whom he journeyed to the West, remained in Texas some years, but is now a resident of Indian Territory.

During the progress of the rebellion of 1861 to 1865 Mr. Hunt was a participant the last two years of the war. He joined Company C, Twenty-first Tennessee Cavalry, Colonel Joe

Wheeler, in the Army of the Tennessee, and fought at Franklin, Tennessee. His' regiment was Hood's rear guard leaving Atlanta and after the dissolution of Hood's army, or rather its dis- organization, fragments of it scattered and num- bers of the troops went on visits at home. It was on an occasion of this kind that Mr. Hunt was met in the road by four Yankees dressed as Reb- els and captured and ultimately sent to Rock Island, Illinois. He was in prison until June 18, 1865, when he returned home to take up the work of the farm.

JOHN ALBERT EMBRY, M. D. In a sur- vey of the medical profession of Wise county our eyes are turned instantly toward several physi- cians whose success in the practice has shown them to be able exponents of the craft, distin- guished among whom is Dr. John A. Embry, of Decatur, the worthy subject of this review. His residence in the county dates back more than a third of a century and places him almost in the pioneer class, and it is twenty-five years since his knowledge of the medical science warranted his assumption of its practice and placed him active- ly with one of the honorable and ancient profes- sions of all time. The Doctor was one of three brothers who cast their lot with Texas and Wise hither from Calhoun county, Mississippi, where the Doctor's birth occurred October 14, 1848. The father was William G. Embry, born near Macon, Georgia, in 1820, and died in Decatur, Texas, in 1897. On his westward journey he stopped in Alabama, but settled in Mississippi as a young man and there married. He took some part in the Confederate service during the war, but was not at any time identified with anything in civil life aside from the farm. He was success- ful in his vocation to the extent of providing comfortably for his family and rearing and liber- ally educating his children. He married Cynthia Bales, who died in Decatur December 23, 1899, the mother of Dr. J. M. Embry, of Bowie ; Wiley G., of Paradise, and Dr. John A.

Dr. Embry acquired his literary education in

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

his native state, graduating from the college in Mansfield in 1875. He took up teaching in the public schools and pursued that calling in Wise county for several years. Having decided to pre- pare for a career in medicine he chose the Mis- souri Medical College at St. Louis as his Alma Mater and graduated in 1884. He returned to the place where he made the friends of his early manhood to begin work in his new field, and he took rank at once as a trustworthy and reliable physician and safe counselor and his name and reputation have grown in prestige with each re- turning year. In 1885 he formed a partnership with the late D. J. F. Ford, and the firm of Ford & Embry was a leading one until the death of D. Ford in June, 1904. The firm of Embry & Knox succeeded that of Ford & Embry, and the emi- nent character of the old firm has not thereby been impaired. Dr. Embry took a post-graduate course in the New York Polyclinic in 1892 and returned for additional work in 1899. . He is president of the Wise County Medical Association and is a member of the Texas State Medical Association. He has possessed no ambition for public office or other public favor, being content to serve hu- manity for the emoluments it brings and for re- lief of body and mind his knowledge and pres- ence invariably bring. He is a Pythian Knight and a Methodist, and has never married.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 46

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