A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 52

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 52

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Mr. Hamilton sustains the political relation of a Democrat to his county but has taken little in-

Company, the Western Securities Company, etc., etc., is one of the best known and most in- fluential professional and business men of North Texas, where he has lived and had his busi- ness connections for the past twenty odd years. He was born at Magnolia, Arkansas, in 1861, and at the age of a little more than forty years has attained position such as would be a credit to a man much his senior in life. His parents were Zeno C. and Mary J. (Davis) Ross, the for- mer a native of New York and of Scotch ancestry, and the latter a native of North Car- olina. His father was also a lawyer of ability, and for many years carried on a successful prac- tice in Arkansas, where he finally died.

Mr. Thomas D. Ross was reared in Arkansas and gained his early education in the public schools. He obtained his academical education in the Arkansas Industrial University at Fay- etteville. It was his happy privilege to have the best of opportunities for gaining the prep- aration which he sought before entering upon his life work of the law. From Fayetteville he went to the University of Virginia, where he re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He then entered the law department of Yale Uni- versity, and was graduated with the degree of Master of Laws, his examination there per- mitting him to practice in the state of Con- necticut. There are none of the legal pro- fession in North Texas who entered upon practice with a better theoretical and scholastic equipment than Mr. Ross. From the east he took a trip to the Pacific coast in search of a location, but soon returned as far as Fort Worth, Texas, where he opened his office in 1883 and has continued his practice ever since. In 1890 he was made president of the Western Securities Company, and in 1894 became presi- dent of the Fort Worth and Tarrant County Abstract Company, both being prominent in- stitutions in the business life of this portion of the state. He is also president of the Texas Securities Company, and is connected with sev- eral other real estate and financial corpora- tions in this city. Of late years his legal

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

practice has been largely confined to represent- ing the interests of non-residents and aliens in the investment of foreign capital in this vicin- ity. He represents four or five of the largest loan companies now doing business in America. His specialty in law practice is corporation and land litigation.

Mr. Ross is a member of the Commercial Club, the Country Club and other local organi- zations both for social and charitable and business purposes. He was married in 1889 to Miss Clara G. Dunn, and they have two children, Misses Jeanne D. and Jessie McLeod.

EDWARD A. FINCHER, who is identified with the agricultural interests of Montague county, Texas, and whose address is R. D. 4. Nocona, was born on a farm in Nevada county, Arkansas, October 12, 1859, son of Daniel F. and Margaret C. (Wilbanks) Fincher, natives of Georgia.

William Fincher, the grandfather of Edward A., was a Methodist minister and farmer in Geor- gia, whence he moved to Albama and later to Arkansas, where he continued farming and preaching for some years. Late in life he retired from active labor and made his home with his children. His life was productive of good works, he enjoyed the respect and confidence of a large circle of acquaintances, and he lived to the ripe old age of eighty years. His children were Pow- ell, William, James, Daniel F., John, Bailey, Lydia, Elizabeth, Lucinda and Martha.

Daniel F. Fincher moved with his father from Georgia to Alabama, where he was married, and in 1857 again turned his face westward, Arkan- sas the objective point. There he bought land and was engaged in the work of improving and cultivating it when the great Civil war came on. Unlike his worthy father, who sympathized with the Confederacy, he was a Union man at heart and opposed to secession; but after the war opened he was conscripted and forced into the Confederate ranks, where he remained until the war closed. He was in many hotly contested bat- tles, never, however, being captured or wound- ed, and throughout the whole of his army life he never fired a bullet at the enemy. The war over, he returned to his farm in Arkansas, and during the next few years bought and sold five farms in that state. In the fall of 1874 he came to Texas and settled in Denton county. There he bought a farm on which he lived four years, after which he sold out and came to Montague county. Near Sunset he purchased land and improved a farm and made that his home for a period of fifteen years, selling out at the end of that time and buy-

ing and improving another farm, on Farmers' Creek, where he remained during the rest of his life. January 24, 1900, while plowing in the field, he dropped between the handles of his plow and instantly expired, at the age of seventy years. He was an industrious, conscientious man, affectionate as a father and kind as a neighbor, and was respected by all who knew him. For many years he was identified with both the Meth- .odist church and the Masonic order. His widow died in 1902, at the age of sixtv-nine years. She was the fifth born in a family of eleven children, her brothers and sisters being as follows: James and David, in Texas ; George, of Alabama ; Wil- liam, of Texas; Elizabeth, Ann, Mary, Sally, Mattie and two others. The children of Daniel F. and Margaret C. Fincher are: Amanda, wife of N. M. Smith ; William, a resident of the Creek Nation ; James, of Clay county, Texas; Albert, of Eastland county, Texas; Edward A., the di- rect subject of this review; Delia, wife of Lum Bowland; George, who died, leaving a widow and one child; Mattie, wife of M. W. Harbour, who died leaving two children; Mollie, wife of W. M. Harbour, and Fanny, the wife of W. r. Gregory.

Edward A. Fincher came with his parents to Texas, and with them made the moves above recorded, remaining under the parental roof un- til his marriage in 1879. The next four years he farmed rented land, after which he bought sixty acres, improved the same and made his home on it seven years. Selling out, he moved to the Chickasaw Nation, in Indian Territory, and for three years cultivated leased land there. At the end of that time, in 1894, he came back to Mon- tague county and bought the farm on which he now lives, first buying one hundred and sixty acres and afterward ninety-four acres adjoining, two hundred and fifty-four acres in all, one hun- dred and twenty-five acres of which are under cultivation. This place was partially improved when he came into possession of it, he has made many additional improvements and now has a fine farm and beautiful country home. His resi- dence, located on an elevation, commands a pret- ty view of the valley. An orchard of peaches and plums had been planted. Mr. Fincher has added apples and other fruits, until now he has over four hundred trees, and in a few years will doubt- less have a variety and abundance of fruit. Mr. Fincher also raises stock. As a result of his hard work and good management, he has accumulated a competency in Montague county, in a healthful locality, with good neighbors all around him. Like his father and grandfather, he and his wife and children are Methodists, and he is a member

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of the Masonic fraternity. Politically he is a Democrat.

Mr. Fincher married December 2, 1879, Miss Mary S. Harbour, who was born in Mississippi September 8, 1862, daughter of O. W. and Hope (McDonald) Harbour. Her father was a Mis- sissippi farmer who served all through the war of the rebellion in the Confederate army. He came from Mississippi to Texas in 1869 with an ox team and wagon, and settled first in Dallas county, on a rented farm, where he remained three years ; moved to Cooke county and bought land and improved a farm ; in 1878 came to Mon- tague county and purchased land, and here he lived for twenty years. During this time he was for ten years engaged in merchandising at Sun- set. He suffered loss there by fire, but rebuilt a stone block, and continued in business until 1900, when he sold his stock, retaining the building. Afterward he sold his farm and moved to Greer county, Oklahoma, where he is now improving another farm. His first wife died in 1887. Of their children, we record that Morris is a resident of Chickasaw Nation; Mary S., wife of the sub- ject of this sketch; Mitchell is engaged in farm- ing in Montague county ; Coley resides with his parents ; and Rosy died at the age of fifteen years. Edward A. Fincher and wife have five children, namely: Noel N., a farmer of Montague county ; Donie, wife of G. Etter, and Emmer, Mitchell and Ethel, at home.

SPENCER BOYD STREET. In the early day the broad and untamed plains of the Texas frontier offered inducements to the hardy and somewhat adventurous young men of the plod- ding and conservative east to ally themselves with a condition which promised both entertain- ment and profit, and to join the caravan of prog- ress ever wending its way toward the setting sun. The military post, the isolated settler and the armed cowboy led the first advance toward the occident, and the advent of the young blood from the states was an added force applied to the en- tering wedge of civilization which eventually crowded out barbarism and brought the borders into touch with the enlightening influences of the modern American race. With this caravan and wielding in a measure this benign influence were some of the landmarks of Young county, and it is our purpose to point out briefly the modest part taken bv one of them, Spencer B. Street, of Graham, now among the substantial citizens of his county and a participant in the commercial affairs of the northwest.

At the time of his casting his fortunes with this county Mr. Street was a young man just past

his majority and the presence here of Fort Grif- fin attracted him hither ostensibly to farm. The consumption of foodstuffs at the fort was consid- erable, and it promised a market for all that he might raise as a squatter upon the fertile lands of the valley of Elm creek, and he located there and began his Texas career. His farm was not far from where Profit now is, but for only about two years was he destined to realize his early hopes, for the military fort was abandoned and no further excuse for farming existed. In 1874, after two years of experience on the farm-ranch, Mr. Street organized a crew to engage in the buffalo hunt, an industry which was attracting much interest and some adherents then. His out- fit of ox teams numbered several and his force of men traversed the plains over and about Cros- bv county for some three years, the marketing of the hides and meat taking place at Sherman, some two hundred and fifty miles away. This venture was much more of a success than a dis- "appointment, and when he decided to abandon it in 1877 he possessed the sinews with which to- engage in another business. He established him- self in Graham and engaged in the lumber busi- ness, using his ox teams for hauling his stock from Fort Worth and continuing in the trade some twenty-four months. Following this he be- came a partner in the drug business in turn with J. E. Ryus and F. M. Burkett, and his next mer- cantile connection was with John E. Morrison, as the firm of Morrison, Street and Company. After eight years the firm dissolved and Mr. Street joined Mr. Mabry in the mercantile firm of S. B. Street and Company, and seven years later this firm also dissolved and Mr. Street then associated with him his sons as S. B. Street and Sons, his „sons, Boyd and Bruce Street, being included in the partnership. Their establishment is a general store and one of the large institutions of Gra- ham and with branch stores at Haskell, in Haskell county, and at Munday, in Knox county, Texas.

Mr. Street began his journey to the Lone Star state from Foxcroft, Maine, in 1872, and came by rail to the terminus of the Katy railroad in the Indian Territory and from there to Sherman and on to Fort Griffin by stage. He had been orphaned in childhood and was thrown upon his own re- sources at about eleven years of age. He was educated fairly in the schools of Foxcroft and its academy, and started his business career as an employe of a lumber firm of that place.

St. John, New Brunswick, was the birthplace of Mr. Street, and the date was August 3, 1850. His father, who died in early life in New York, was James B. Street, a native of England. The latter accompanied his father, William Henry

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HISTORY OF NORTH AND WEST TEXAS.

Street, to New Brunswick, and in St. John the father was engaged in the wholesale mercantile business, where he is yet remembered many years after his death. James Bruce Street married Alice Bruce, a lady of Scotch birth and a daughter of Lord Kennet, a peer of the realm and a member of the upper branch of the English parliament. Mrs. Street survived her husband, but passed away in 1862, leaving issue, John O. B. Street, of the Creek Nation, Indian Territory, and the subject of this review.

At Dover, Maine, in June, 1878, S. B. Street married Miss Ada Hodgdon, a daughter of Au- gustus Hodgdon, a farmer, whose ancestors were of English stock. Mr. Hodgdon was born in Maine, and married Miss Marcela Page, and Mrs. Street was one of three children in their family. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Street are : S. Boyd and H. Bruce, both born in Graham, the former born April 23, 1879, and the latter May 9, 1881. Both took business courses in Quincy, Illi- nois, after leaving the public schools, and both were trained to business under their successful father, with whom they are now partners ; Miss Alice and Glenn O. comprise the remaining mem- bers of the family.

Mr. Street has lived in Graham all his married life and has reared his family to assume places of responsibility and business prominence as they shall reach maturity. Its social life is wrapped up in that of the town and its general tendency is toward high morals, business thrift and commer- cial independence. While Mr. Street has been among his townsmen for nearly a third of a cen- tury and has participated in all the social and commercial and other business achievements of Graham he has escaped the annoyance of politics, and its bickerings and bitternesses have never been suffered to mar any relation or destroy any friendship. Having never renounced his allegi- ance to the land of his birth he is still a subject of the king and under the protecting folds of the English flag.

JOHN H. WILLS hes been connected with the growth of Amarillo and the development of the surrounding region of the Panhandle from this country's period of ancient history-some- thing over fifteen years. As surveyor and real estate dealer he has accomplished some excellent work and made himself a valuable factor in the development of Potter county.

He was born at Palmyra, Virginia, in 1865, being a son of Dr. Albert G. and Martha (Hatch- er) Wills. The family is Virginian for a number of generations, and its various members have been prominently identified with professional and

social affairs. Dr. Wills came by his profession by inheritance, since both his father and his grandfather-life-long Virginians-were physi- cians. Dr. Albert Wills was born in the Old Do- minion and died at the old home place in 1870, in the house where his son John was born. As a physician he had a very large practice, and he died "in the harness," active in practice to the last. Mr. Wills' mother was born and reared in the adjacent county of Cumberland, Virginia, and her death occurred in 1901.

Mr. Wills was reared on the farm which his father owned at Palmyra. His education in the local schools was especially thorough, and he early displayed great proficiency in mathematics. He was twenty years old when he came to Texas in 1885, and his first location was at Baird, Calla- han county. He had not been there long when his attention was attracted to the Panhandle region by the building of the Fort Worth & Denver road through that section, and in 1887 he joined, in the capacity of surveyor, McClelland Brothers, district surveyors, at Clarendon. Early in the following year he came to the townsite of Amaril- lo, which could not yet be dignified with the name of town. Indeed, the railroad had been completed only to this point, and the decision had just been reached to locate a commercial center at this point. Mr. Wills became identified with Mr. H. B. Sanborn and his confreres in the establishment of Amarillo, and in laying out the present townsite and planning the town so ar- dently fostered by Mr. Sanborn he took a fore- most part. The interesting story of how Amarillo came to be located as it now is, has been told in the history of Mr. Sanborn, elsewhere in this work, and Mr. Wills had his own share in that work. He staked off the lots and made the map for the new town of Amarillo, now the main part of the city, known as Glidden and Sanborn's ad- dition, and ever since that time has been the chief representative of Mr. Sanborn and the original townsite owners in the handling of this property. For about a year after locating at Amarillo he was engaged in surveying in the new town and surrounding country, and making maps of the same. Since then he has confined his attention ex- clusively to the real estate and abstract business. He was the first abstractor, starting the business when Potter county was organized. He became known as a map-maker par excellence, and front his own surveys has drawn and had published a number of very valuable maps of Amarillo and of Potter county, as also of several of the ad- joining counties of the Panhandle. He was twice elected to the office of county surveyor of Potter county. Besides the townsite interests above re-

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ferred to, he also represents a number of non-res- ident owners of extensive Texas tracts, and is himself a large owner of real estate in Amarillo and surrounding counties.

Fraternally Mr. Wills is a Royal Arch Mason and was the first Mason to be taken in the lodge at Amarillo. He also affiliates with the Elks, and is treasurer of the local board of trade. He was married at Amarillo to Miss Margaret Summers, of Missouri, and they are both well known and popular members of social circles.

S. M. KING. A leading representative of financial interests in Montague county is S. M. King, the president of the First National Bank of Saint Jo, a man of excellent business discern- ment and of marked enterprise, whose carefully The last named was born and reared in east- ern Tennessee and remained under the parental roof up to the time of his marriage in October, 1861. He then settled upon the old homestead conducted business affairs have made him a suc- cessful man, while at the same time he belongs to that class of representative American citizens who, while promoting individual prosperity, also ' farm, where he resided for more than a year, contribute in large measure to the general good. He was born in Roane county, Tennessee, No- vember II, 1865, and is a son of B. B. and Mar- garet A. (McCullum) King. The mother was born in Roane county in 1841, while her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, becoming early settlers of Tennessee, where her father carried on agricultural pursuits. He was twice married and by his first union had one son, John H., while by the second marriage there were two daughters: Catherine, the wife of T. Fitch, and Margaret A., who became Mrs. King. The parents were both members of the Methodist church.

B. B. King was born in Roane county, Tennes- see, June 14, 1841, and was reared to farm life, pursuing a common school education through. the winter seasons. His parents were Sanders and Martha (Northcut) King, the former a na- tive of North Carolina and the latter of Virginia. Her father, Mr. Northcut, was a native of Scot- land, while his wife was of Irish lineage. On coming to America he settled in Virginia, where he became a prominent farmer and money loaner. He was a man of considerable means, prospering in his business undertakings. He died in Tennes- see, and his wife, who was a most estimable Christian lady, died in Virginia. Their daughter, Martha, became the wife of Sanders King, who was born and reared in North Carolina. The names of his parents are forgotten, but he had two brothers and a sister: William B. B. and Nancy, the wife of J." Ore. Sanders King, after reaching adult age, went to Virginia, where he was married, and soon afterward he removed to eastern Tennessee, where he rented a farm and later purchased a tract of land, becoming owner

of a farm in Roane county in 1838. There he set- tled and reared his family, remaining upon the old family homestead until his death, which oc- curred July 8, 1862. His sympathies were in sup- port of the Union cause at the time of the Civil war. He had been a slave owner, but he did not believe the southern states had a right to secede from the Union. He was ever fearless in support of his honest convictions and his fidelity to duty ·was one of the strong and commendable traits in his character. He held membership in the Methodist church and died in that faith. His wife survived him for some years and passed away while visiting at her old home in Virginia. Their children were: William R., who died at the age of twenty-one years ; John H. and B. B. King.

after which he removed to Shelbyville, Illinois, where he was employed at carpentering during the succeeding winter. He then removed to Mis- sissippi, where he was engaged in farming for two years, after which he conducted a steam mill for six years. In 1875 he went to Texas, lo- cating at Saint Jo, which at that time contained only a few houses. He erected a store building and was the first furniture dealer in the town. Later, however, he sold out and engaged in dif- ferent enterprises. Part of his time and atten- tion was devoted to carpentering and contract- ing, in which he continued for ten years, erecting during that period some of the best structures in Saint Jo. Twice he removed from the town, but returned after a number of years. Eventually he established a secondhand store in this place and is still conducting it with good success. In 1864 he became a member of the Missionary Baptist church and was active, influential and helpful in its work for thirty-two years. He served as dea- con for twenty-five years of that time and filled most of the other offices of the church, being very devoted and faithful in its work. After almost a third of a century, however, he left the Baptist denomination and joined the Holiness movement, in which he continues an active and leading spirit. His sincerity is never doubted and his Christiani- ty is manifest in his good works. Both he and his wife are yet residents of Saint Jo, where they are highly esteemed because of well spent lives. Their union has been blessed with three chil- dren: Martha E. became the wife of Mr. Davis, a pioneer hardware merchant of Saint Jo, and died leaving four children; Samuel M. is the

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well known banker of Saint Jo; and John G., born July 23, 1878, is yet with his parents.

Samuel M. King accompanied his father and mother on their removal from Tennessee to Illi- nois and afterward to Mississippi, and with them came to Saint Jo in 1875. Here he was reared to manhood and acquired a good elementary edu- cation. He taught school for a few terms and then entered upon his business career unaided. He first engaged in merchandising in Saint Jo, opening a store, and at different times he sold out but would again enter the field of commercial activity here. Finally he opened a hardware and implement business, which he conducted success- fully for a number of years. He was a good salesman, carefully managed his business affairs, and by his earnest effort and indefatigable labors developed an excellent commercial enterprise, winning the confidence of the public by his straightforward, honorable methods. Gradually, however, he merged his interests into other lines of business, purchasing bank stock and becoming a large holder of stock in the Saint Jo Bank, which was organized in April, 1902, as a private institution, with a capital stock of twenty thou- sand dollars. It was founded by C. C. Hemming, who owned a controlling amount of stock and was the president. He conducted the business 11n- til 1900, when he organized it as a national bank under the name of the First National Bank of Saint Jo and increased the capital to thirty thou- sand dollars. Soon after this Mr. King and others purchased the stock of Mr. Hemming and under the new management S. M. King was chosen president, with William Grant as vice president and E. Bowers as cashier. In January, 1903, Joseph Bowers succeeded to the position of cash- ier, which office he yet continues to fill. The bank now has a surplus of six thousand dollars, with large deposits, and the business is increasing rap- idly along safe lines. In all departments the insti- tution conforms strictly to the banking system and the highest ethics concerning banking busi- ness and is justly regarded as one of the solid institutions of North Texas.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 52

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