A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 53

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 53

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On the 5th of December, 1894, Mr. King was married to Miss Molly Pedigo, the cultured daughter of James D. and Sarah J. (Meador) Pedigo. She was born near Saint Jo in 1872 Her father was a native of Clay county, Tennes- see, born January 1, 1846, and her mother's birth also occurred in that state, her parents being Christopher and (Acton) Meador, who were likewise natives of Tennessee. Her father with his family came to Saint Jo at an early day in the development of this section of the state and followed the occupation of farming here. He

served throughout the Civil war as a member of the Confederate army, belonged to the Masonic fraternity and in business life was known as a most reliable and enterprising man. In the Mead- or family were the following sons and daughters: Mary, the wife of Zachariah Pedigo; Sarah, the wife of J. D. Pedigo; Thomas, a merchant of Saint Jo; Mrs. Clarinda Chauncy; Dalton, a merchant of the firm of Meador Brothers of Saint Jo; and Mrs. Rosa Fake.

J. D. Pedigo is a son of Robert and Susan (King) Pedigo, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee, where they settled to farming, remaining at the old homestead until death claimed them. Mr. Pedigo was a promi- nent and influential agriculturist of his communi- ty and was also a minister of the Christian church, in the work of which he took a most active and helpful part. His life was honorable and upright and proved a factor for good in the community where he resided. His wife, who died in 1861, was a daughter of Zachariah King, a farmer and successful trader of Kentucky, and she was the fourth in order of birth in a family of five children, the others being: Reading, Jack, Alfondu and Polly King. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pedigo became the parents of nine children: Cur- tis, Elizabeth, Jackson, Calvin, Zachariah, Polly, James D .. John and Wade. The mother died in 1861 and Robert Pedigo afterward married again and had one son by that union, Robert A. Pedigo.

James D. Pedigo remained under the parental roof until 1863, when at the age of seventeen years he enlisted in the Confederate army for one year, joining the First Tennessee Mounted Infantry. After serving for the full term he re- ceived an honorable discharge and on returning home resumed the occupation of farming. In 1867 he was married and took his bride to his home farmı, there remaining until 1870, when they came to Texas, settling in Montague county on Mountain creek, a few miles from the present site of Saint Jo. There Mr. Pedigo bought land and improved a farm, devoting his attention to the tilling of soil and raising of stock. He was quite successful and carried on agricultural pur- suits there until 1895, when he retired to Saint Jo, where he yet makes his home, having through earnest and indefatigable labor acquired a com- petency for old age. As a pioneer of this locality he contributed in substantial measure to its de- velopment. He is a faithful member of the Pres- byterian church and is a man whom to know is to respect. In his family were two children: Smith C., a popular druggist of Saint Jo, and Molly, now Mrs. King.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. King have been born three

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interesting sons: Raymond, Everett and Ander- son. The parents occupy an enviable position in social circles, enjoying the high regard of many warm friends. In politics Mr. King is a Demo- crat and in religious faith his wife is a Presby- terian. He has won for himself a creditable po- sition in business circles in Saint Jo and as presi- dent of the First National Bank is classed with the representative men here. His life record, too, is indicative of what may be accomplished through strong and determined purpose, through close application and a ready utilization of the opportunities which surround the individual. He has in his business career kept pace with the modern trend of the times and is today a capable financier with thorough understanding of the banking business, which he is conducting most successfully.

JAMES INDEPENDENCE E GILLESPIE COWAN. The birth of Mr. Cowan on Inde- pendence day and the exemplary life of a favor- ite uncle, James Gillespie, who was the grandfather of the Honorable James G. Blaine. led his parents to christen their ninth child with the initials J. I. G. C. His ancestors were among the first of Tennessee's foreign settlers, and about the first years of the nineteenth century his grandfather, William Cowan, entered that state.

William and Mary (Walker) Cowan sailed from Ireland for America in 1780 and on their voyage over Andrew, their fourth child, was born. They settled in the southern states and lived in the vicinity of the Cherokee Indians for many years, probably in Alabama. They eventu- ally moved up into Tennessee and in Blount county, that state, passed away. Of their family of sons, Samuel, David, William, Andrew, Rob- ert, John and James, all but John and . David married and left issue. The rural improvement and development of the new country where they settled shared in their labors, and farmers they became, and in the main farmers they have re- mained.

Andrew Cowan became an influential citizen of the community adjacent to the Cherokee tribe of Indians and familiarized himself with their doings and intentions, and when, in 1814, the tribe became restless under some ban of the Federal government and threatened to resist it and take up arms against the citizens he with Jack McNair was sent as a spy by the Federal authorities to learn the intentions of the tribe. It was a perilous undertaking and might have resulted in death to both men if the lax vigil of the natives had not made it possible for them

to escape each time their capture and identity was affected and discovered. When the war finally broke out Mr. Cowan took part in it and did a soldier's duty toward the final subjugation of the race. When he became a resident of Tennessee Andrew Cowan established himself in Blount county, where he resumed his vocation of a farmer. Late in life he moved into Bradley county where his death occurred in 1872, and he lies buried at Flint Springs. The family into which he married is an historic one and its central figure participated in the battle of Horse Shoe Bend, was afterward governor of Tennessee, led the Texans in the decisive battle which estab- lished the republic of Texas, was its president and then governor and United States senator of the state, and on the 25th of February, 1905, his statue was placed in Statuary Hall at Wash- ington as one of the great men and heroes of our country. Hettie Cowan was formerly Het- tie Houston, a daughter of William Houston, a brother of General Sam Houston's father. William Houston was a native of Rockbridge county, Virginia, and died in the state of Vir- ginia in 1852. The issue of Andrew and Hettie Cowan were: Samuel, who died as a Confederate soldier during the rebellion, leaving a family in Benton county, Arkansas; Nancy, who died un- married; Jane married Joseph Johnston and died in Loudon county, Tennessee ; William, of Denton county, Texas ; Anne, wife of P. W. Norwood, of Wise county, Texas, a colonel in the Federal army during the war; Matthew L., of Greer county, Oklahoma ; Andrew F., of Wagon- er, Indian Territory; James I. G., our subject ; and Martha, widow of John McGaughey, of San Diego, California.

In Blount and Bradley counties, Tennessee, James I. G. Cowan passed his childhood and youth. During three months in the year for a few years he attended country school and ob- tained a fair knowledge of the elementary princi- ples of an education. He was born in 1832 and soon after attaining his majority he entered the railroad service at Cleveland, in the operating department of the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad. For a time he ran a freight train, but when the passenger run was put on to Knox- ville he ran the first railroad train into that city, that event occurring on the 21st of June, 1855. As a valuable and interesting souvenir of that service he has a copy of the time-card of that company, issued in 1853 and showing in columns "up" and "down" the time of arrival of trains and in separate columns the distances between stations. Both sides of the six by nine inch card contains printed matter, in one place announcing

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the completion of a new railroad in the Mexican Republic and in another exploiting the progress of railroading and road building "in the past thirty years." Mr. Cowan abandoned railroading in 1857 and was first married January 6 of that year, and opened a store in Concord, Tennessee. He lost his wife October 12, following, and he came west soon afterward, reaching Texas in the spring of 1858. After spending a few months in Grayson county he went to Bonham and took a clerkship with Nunnelly and Hoffan and re- mained with them some eighteen months. In the spring of 1860 he entered the Ranger serv- ice in Captain Wood's company, Johnson's regi- ment, and saw service as a scout over North- west Texas and up in the Indian Territory, be- ing in camp at Fort Radminsky for several months. After his discharge from the Rangers he engaged in freighting from Jefferson, Texas, to Denton county and to Milliken until the spring of 1862, when he entered the Confederate army. Company A, Thirty-fourth Texas Infantry, was his command and Davenport and Alexander were Captain and Colonel respectively, of his company and regiment. He was made Commissary Ser- geant of his regiment and, consequently, he was ever engaged whether the regiment was or not. It was his duty to keep his regiment supplied with available food, in action as well as in camp, and while he did not occupy a place on the fir- ing line, in the battles of the Trans-Mississippi Department, where his regiment served, he caught the full meaning of war whenever it was necessary for him to carry coffee to the front in time of actual engagements. He served under the French General Polignac and under General Walker.

he became a farmer in Randall county, Texas, but returned to Bowie after three years where for some years he has resided, being employed by Witherspoon as a buyer at Seymour during the cotton season.

January 16, 1867, Mr. Cowan married, in Den- , ton county, Miss Mary J. Lindsey, a daughter of Elisha and Catherine (Tipton) Lindsey. Mrs. Cowan was born in Jackson county, Alabama, in 1846, and came to Texas with her parents at two years of age. Two children have resulted from this marriage, Annie Lizzie, wife of Ransom Stephens, freight agent of the Rock Island at Chickasha, Indian Territory, has children, John W. and Kathleen C., and Joseph G. Cowan, of Bowie. In spiritual matters the Cowans have been Christian people. They are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and Mr. Cowan of this review has served the congregation in Bowie many years as its deacon. Public opinion has pronounced the life of "Uncle Jig" Cowan above criticism. Wherever there have been two ways of doing whatever he had to do he never failed to choose the right one and he has ever kept in view the maxim that it always pays to be square. His life has been filled with events, as were the lives of his immediate ancestors, and they have played their respective parts in what- ever position has been allotted to them with earnestness, in sincerity and in truth.

WILLIAM BARNETT JOHNSON. The old soldier and modest farmer whose name intro- duces this article identified himself with Jack county in 1883 and established himself in How- ard Valley, near the educational village of Cun- diff. His farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres was then a new settlement containing the proverbial log cabin and with a few acres under plow and this prospect he seized with avidity and launched his career in the "red belt" of the Lone Star state. Mr. Johnson represents one of the "head-right" families of Texas, his father, John Johnson, having immigrated to Dallas county in 1846 and laid his right upon a section of the rich black land of that county. The father was not destined to play any part in the future greatness of his new home, for he was taken away in 1848, when only thirty-eight years of age. After the Civil war the family parceled out the tract he settled and our subject spent seventeen years, just prior to his advent to Jack county, in the development and improvement of one of its sev- eral farms.

After the war Mr. Cowan again resumed freighting and continued it till 1872, and from then to 1879 he was engaged in farming in Den- ton county. In 1879 he came to Montague coun- ty and purchased a tract of land which afterward became the townsite of Bowie. As the town grew he disposed of his lots, and event- ually his farm, and engaged in the grocery and dry goods business. He had been reared to believe in the integrity of humanity and the hon- esty of men. His own life had been an open book of honorable transactions and he trusted too implicitly in the honesty of his trade. Credit ruined him and many men carried goods out of his store and fed them to their families who still owe for them, and some of them walk the streets of Bowie today, in health and independence, while he bears the indelible imprint of the weight John Johnson was born in Maury county, Ten- father emigrated and settled in Jackson county, of years and is no longer in the vigor of life and . nessee, in 1810, and when twelve years of age his the prime of usefulness. Closing out his stock

MR. AND MRS. WARD RISLEY

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Missouri, upon what is now in the corporate limits of Kansas City. There he grew to man- hood and married Mary Johnston, a daughter of Gan Johnston, also a pioneer of the Missouri river town. Travis Johnson, his father, lies bur- ied in one of the early graves of the metropolis at the mouth of the Kaw, and Gan Johnston's daughter, Mary, died in Dallas county, Texas, in 1883. Among the issue of John and Mary John- son, Gan was killed in battle at Enterprise, Mis- souri, as a Confederate soldier ; William B., our subject ; Mary, wife of John Pinson, died in Jack county ; and Martha, wife of W. S. Horn, Eliza- beth, wife of Joseph Hair, and R. W., all of Marlow, Indian Territory.

William Barnett Johnson was born in Jackson county, Missouri, April 1, 1836. A few years after his father's death, he went to Cedar county, Missouri, and there started in life as "his own man." He remained loyal to the maternal home till the war broke out, when he responded to the Southern call "to arms" and enlisted the first year of the conflict. His company was C and his regi- ment the Fourth Cavalry, Colonel B. F. Walker, and his service was in the Trans-Mississippi De- partment. His first fight was at Carthage and the second was at Dug Springs. Then followed Oak Hill, Dry Wood, Lexington and Elkhorn, where a shot through the left ankle necessitating ampu- tation of the foot, removed him permanently from further part in the contest between the states. He was first in Joe Shelby's command, but in the fall of 1862 was transferred to Mar- maduke's division and served with it during his continuance in the service.

When peace had been restored and civil au- thority again held sway in the land Mr. John- son resumed farming but had made no progress - toward restoring his losses when he came back to Texas in 1866. He had married in 1861 and his net accumulations up to his departure for his old home near Dallas was a small family of children and a horse. The prospect was gloomy and somewhat forbidding, as viewed from his standpoint when the war ended, but he buckled on the armor of peace and whetted up his indus- try for the campaign and turned himself loose on his father's head-right to win or lose as Provi- dence willed, and he won. Selling out in Dallas county and reinvesting in Jack he undertook in a measure the same task he had accomplished in the former, the reduction and improvement of a home. From the primitive cabin to the modest and convenient farm cottage and from the mere "patch" to an area of one hundred acres under the plow took only time and perseverance to per- form and achieve and thus is his substantial con- dition marked at the present time.

On Christmas Day of 1861 Mr. Johnson mar- ried Margaret Noffsinger, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Trout) Noffsinger, who emigrated from Botetourt county, Virginia, to Cedar coun- ty, Missouri. Mrs. Johnson was born in the old Virginia county, May 29, 1842, and is the mother of: Mary J., of Chickasha, Indian Territory, wife of J. B. Tinsley ; James G., of Young coun- ty, who is married to Cordie Bean; Charles, of Jack county, married Eulala Wicker; William, who died at sixteen years ; Eunice, wife of J. B. Evans, of Young county ; Sallie, wife of W. M. Wallace, of Reagan county; John, deceased at sixteen ; and Maggie, wife of E. W. Whitaker, near the home place. Mr. Johnson has always felt an interest in his county's affairs, served as deputy assessor under Mr. Jenkins, is a Demo- crat and jealous of his party's success. He and his wife are Cumberland Presbyterians.

WARD RISLEY. Modern Jacksboro is the creation of the practical and skillful working of a mechanical mind. The splendid structures around its public square with enduring walls and architectural finish are the products of hands schooled in the building art and mark the era of enterprise and progress in Jack county's metropolis. With all this progress was Ward Risley of this review connected and in all its permanent building enterprises he was a prime factor, a leading and active spirit. While credit for the achievement belongs to the firm of Risley Brothers, as contractors, as president of the firm great labor and much of the responsi- bility for the result devolved upon Ward Risley.

For nearly a score of years Risley Brothers were identified with various lines of contract work, prominent in its character and embrac- ing in their operations every important locality in the Lone Star state. From getting out ties and timbers for railroad construction, to the construction of business houses, public build- ings, bank vaults and the patenting and con- struction of garbage crematories, Ward Risley has ever demonstrated the cunning of the craft and given to his state some of the most en- during structures and examples of the best workmanship known to the builder's trade. By inclination and early training a mechanical engineer, with a strong penchant for extending his research into other branches of the engineer- ing science, he ultimately chose the building trade as a field in which to display his prowess and to win success.

In childhood he gave evidence of striking precocity and he handled school books under his mother's instruction as toys, attaining to a first-grade teacher's certificate at fifteen years

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of age. About sixteen he began the preparation which led him into mechanical lines, serving an apprenticeship in stone cutting and in wood work- ing also, and later studied civil engineering under the superintendent of the C. M. & L. S. Railway, becoming acting assistant chief engi- neer of the road while still an apprentice. For two years he was in the employ of the railroad and then took up the business of general con- tracting, on buildings and ship timbers, at twenty-four years of age. He was actively identified with this work in the states of Mich- igan, Indiana and Illinois until 1876, when he brought his work to a close pending his search for a location in the south.

Texas attracted him and he spent a year at Dallas, found the state to his liking and chose a location near Henrietta in Clay county and moved to it in 1878. By buying a farm he in- tended to abandon contracting, but the un- reliability of agriculture and the still absorbing interest in his trade called him again into action and, with his brother, he took a contract for furnishing the T. & P. Railway with ties and timbers for a portion of their road under con- struction in 1880. He had a contract also with the Mexican Central road and in 1884 he re- turned actively to building work as a partner in the firm of Strain, Risley & Swinburn. They built the Henrietta and Vernon court houses, the Vernon jail, the Jacksboro court house and jail, the first-class masonry on the construction of the Santa Fe road between Fort Worth and Gainesville and since then Risley Brothers have taken up and maintained themselves actively in the contracting field.

Early in the nineties Mr. Risley was em- ployed as engineer on the construction of gar- bage crematories at Corsicana, Gainesville and Cleburne, and, in 1894, a familiarity with the principle of successful garbage cremation led him to experiment on a new plan and, finding it to meet his hopes, he patented it and built plants under his patent at Waco, Taylor and Greenville, Texas, and in 1901 his patent was adopted by the City of Mexico and the plant put in on a royalty. The study of the garbage question led him to invent a plan for closet cremation and for hot air and hot water heat- ing, also for garbage consumption, but, having established himself permanently in the rock crusher business, he has not pushed his later patents.

The Jacksboro crusher industry was inaugu- rated by Risley Brothers in 1897 and a small machine with toy capacity formed the nucleus of their present plant. A stock company suc-

ceeded the original venture, capitalized at $30,000 with $15,000 paid in. Risley Brothers & Company, the style of the present firm, is composed of Ward and Noah Risley and D. C. Horton, the first president and manager and the last the secretary of the concern. The plant has a capacity of one hundred thousand yards of crushed stone a year, with additional quarry capacity for getting out large quantities of building stone, sending all of their product to points in Texas, Oklahoma or the Indian Terri- tory. The Rock Island, Fort Worth and Den- ver and the I. and G. N. railroads use immense quantities of ballast and bridge stone from their plant and sawed stone trimmings for buildings in Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco have been shipped out of their yard.

While Mr. Risley is a native of the north he has felt a strong interest in the affairs of his adopted state and has permitted himself to be drawn into its political frays. He is without a positive political party, believing more in men than in a proclamation of principles. During the period of political reform, and while yet a resident of Clay county, the adherents of re- form named him for representative to the legis- lature for Clay and Jack counties, and he came within less than a hundred votes of being elected, on his second trial, without making a single speech or taking any hand in the can- vass.

Ward Risley was born in Du Page county, Illinois, March 1, 1846, and was a son of Alan- son Risley, mentioned in the sketch of Noah Risley on another page of this work. His father was a carpenter and farmer and from his worthy sire our subject took his primary les- sons in both. He was married first March 1, 1867, his wife being Sarah Spry, who died in 1885, in Clay county, Texas, leaving children : Charles, of Jacksboro, married Mrs. Barbara Bynum and has issue, Claude and Ruby; Zeph L., of Jacksboro, and Ward H., who was last heard of at El Reno, Oklahoma, in 1900. Janu- ary 1, 1887, Mr. Risley married Rose F. Har- oughty, a daughter of Patrick Haroughty, born near Dubuque, Iowa, where Mrs. Risley was born in 1867. The children of this union are : Grace, Katie, Alanson, Wait, Rose, George and Porter. Mrs. Risley's mother, who was Rose McAlay, is still living, while Mrs. Risley's father died in Clay county in 1889.

Mr. Risley is a Knight Templar Mason and a Unitarian in religious belief. As a business man he is practical at every turn and accom- plishes things without bluster and in the right way. Jacksboro is deeply indebted to his enter-

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prise for one of her important institutions and for her material permanence and substantial- ity, and when the record is made up in the last day his achievements will mark Ward Risley as having passed an honorable, busy and useful life.

GEORGE P. BARBER, a representative busi- ness man who is engaged in real estate dealing at Mineral Wells, Texas, was born in Johnson county, this state, on the 4th of July, 1866, and is a son of Dr. George P. and Sallie A. (Smith) Barber. His parents were among the first settlers of Palo Pinto county and few are now residents here who lived within the borders of the county at the time of their arrival. Dr. Barber was born in Georgia, but on coming to Texas took up his abode in Palo Pinto county in the early '50s. A physician by profession, he practiced for many years in this county, meeting all the dangers and hardships incident to the life of a pioneer prac- titioner, called upon to make long drives in 'a wild, unsettled district, where the Indians fre- quently made raids against the white men, so that no man's life was secure. Dr. Barber partici- pated in numerous fights with the redskins and, in fact, troubles with the Indians continued all during the period of his residence in Palo Pinto county, or until 1865, when he was compelled to seek refuge with his family in Johnson county, his life being constantly imperiled. He remained in Johnson county until 1870, when he returned to his home in Palo Pinto county. Frank Baker, a friend and neighbor, was killed by the Indians at Dr. Barber's door and other deeds as atrocious were numerous, causing consternation and dread among the settlers who were trying to establish homes on the frontier. During all this time Dr. Barber's home had been at what is known as Barber Mountain, on the Brazos, being about four miles southwest of where Mineral Wells now stands. In 1880 it was discovered that the wa- ters of this region were of medicinal value and Dr. Barber came to Mineral Wells in that year and assisted in founding the town. Later he be- came extensively interested in local real estate dealings and made his home here. In partnership with the Rev. G. W. Slaughter, the founder of the prominent Slaughter family of Texas, Dr. Barber purchased, laid off into city lots, and de- veloped several additions to Mineral Wells, which are still known as the Slaughter and Barber addi- tions. Dr. Barber died at Mineral Wells August 8, 1888, respected by all who knew him for what he accomplished in the business world and the success he achieved, by the aid of which he ren- dered others through his professional service and

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of north and west Texas, Volume II, Part 53

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