USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume III > Part 57
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69
Mr. Long was born in the Anderson district of South Carolina, September 8, 1856. His grandfather, William Long, came from Ire- land and founded his family in South Caro- lina, where he lived out his life. He married Dorcas Gentry, and they were the parents of eight children. Second among these and the only one to come to Texas was Rev. William B. Long, a well remembered and godly char- acter whose life for many years was spent in doing good in North Texas. He was also a native of the Anderson district of South Caro- lina, and he left his home and plantation to become a private in the Confederate army. His service was chiefly in Virginia, in the army of Northern Virginia, under General Lee. He was in many campaigns but sus- tained no physical injuries. The war prac- tically ruined him, and when shortly after- ward he started for the west his chief posses- sion was a team of mules which had also been in the service, each bearing a wound. In 1866 the Long family with others from the Anderson district started across the broad expanse of country for Texas. The Longs traveled with a covered wagon. The entire party stopped in Jasper County in Northeast- ern Texas, but the Long family in the spring of 1868 came north and settled eight miles north
of Dallas, on what was known as the Caruth farm. Then, in the spring of 1870, they accomplished the next stage of their journey to the frontier, their destination being Johnson County. They located on the farm where Henry Franklin Long lives today. When Rev. Mr. Long drove into this community it was just as nature created it, the only obstruction to the view being the sky line. There were very few settlers who had preceded him, and their cultivated fields resembled garden spots in size rather than the great areas of crops now seen. Among other pioneers of that era still living are Mrs. Jo Dillard, Mrs. J. B. Page and John H. Bruce. Rev. Mr. Long took possession of the hundred acres which he had bought from W. Caruth and brother ยท of Dallas. He immediately became the agent for the extensive holdings of the Caruths in this locality, and through that agency and his work as a surveyor and as a minister he had a busy program of usefulness before him. Besides making a home and developing a farm he spent much of his time in locating other settlers and induced many purchasers of Texas scrip seeking a good place to live to throw in their lot with this community. Rev. Mr. Long finally sold his own farm, but con- tinued his home in that community and for many years was actively identified with church work. He was a home missionary as well as a pastor. He preached the pioneer sermon in the Godley community and also taught the first school there. He finally removed to Gray- son County and died at White Mound in 1901, at the age of seventy. William B. Long was a genius at figures, a natural student, and gained much of his liberal education through his personal efforts. He was a convincing and interesting speaker, but was never attracted into politics and his only public service was that of deputy county surveyor. Rev. Mr. Long married Miss Jane E. Smith. Her father, Samuel Smith, was of Scotch origin and of old American ancestry, and had been a planter and small slave owner in the Ander- son district. The wife of Rev. Mr. Long died in 1888 and is buried at Mineral Wells. Her . children were: W. Samuel, now of Fort Worth; Mary O., deceased wife of E. A. Moseley, who was also one of the party to come to Texas with the Longs; John B., of Cleburne; Henry Franklin; Carrie T., who died unmarried in 1912; and Barry Manley, of Bellefourche, South Dakota.
Henry Franklin Long was ten years of age when the family made their long journey to
L
one
299
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
Texas. His education was a product of coun- try schools, and later he took a business course. His varied experience has proved a university for an education such as few men ever attain. When he was sixteen years of age and not long after the family came to Johnson County he obtained his parents' permission to take up the work of the cattle trails. He made his first trip from Southern Texas to Deer Trail Colorado, in 1876, his employer being J. W. Cross of Kansas City, Missouri. For fifteen years his experience identified him with the famous and historical cattle trails leading to the northwest. Each year he made trips with cattle herds into Colorado, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and one trip to Idaho. During this time he made the acquaintance of many of the noted ranchers of the northwest and knew the limits and the management of many of the famous ranches of the region. In that time the frontier grad- ually faded away, but in some of his early trail drives he and his associates came into conflict with Indians in regular battles and had to defend the stock against Indian and white outlaws. On two occasions he was wounded in such conflicts. Mr. Long is one of the survivors who drove stock over both the east and west Chisholm trails, the eastern one crossing the Red River at Red River Station and passing up to Wichita, Kansas, while the western trail crossed Red River at Doan's Store and went on to Dodge City, Kansas, and thence to Ogalalla, Nebraska. Herds destined for Dakota localities were taken through Edge- mont, South Dakota, and east of the Black Hills, those bound for Wyoming and Montana crossed the Platte River at Sidney and thence to Fort Laramie. His last trail trip was made for the Standard Cattle Company of Boston, in whose employ Mr. Long remained for twelve years.
After leaving the trail Mr. Long took up the business of buying steers in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Old Mexico for ranchers in Wyoming and Montana. On re- tiring from that business he returned to Texas and settled on his farm at Godley. His notable achievements in a business way have been as a stockman rather than in the more settled lines of agriculture. Through all the years he has continued stock raising and breeding, and since leaving the cattle trail his business has been chiefly growing horses and mules. A number of years ago he took up the breeding of jacks, and in that sphere of Texas live- stock husbandry his name is easily one of the
most prominent. Many of the jacks from his ranch have won prizes at state stock shows, and individual animals have brought fancy prices.
A man of his standing and character could hardly escape the call and responsibilities of public office. In 1894 he was appointed office deputy by Sheriff W. A. Stewart, and in 1897 the Commissioners Court appointed him tax collector of Johnson County to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Collector Noel H. Wells. He completed the Wells term and in 1900 was elected sheriff to succeed Mr. Stewart. His term as sheriff for four years is a notable one in local annals. At that time Johnson County enjoyed a somewhat unen- viable reputation. Stock was being stolen, murder was stalking in the land, train robbery was a popular pastime. Such a situation gave the new sheriff plenty of opportunity to exer- cise his abilities, and he proceeded to his work with due determination and resourcefulness. Through his efforts and co-operation with the Sheriffs Association of Texas crime was re- duced to a minimum, and as an administration his stands out as one of the most efficient in county history. His last public act as sheriff was the execution of a negro convicted of wife murder.
With the close of his term as sheriff Mr. Long returned to the farm and remained there busily engaged in its industry until early in Wilson's administration he was called to an even more extensive and important service. He was appointed by Secretary Lane, upon the recommendation of Indian .Commissioner Cato Sells, a staunch and long time friend of Mr. Long, as chief supervisor of livestock, U. S. Indian Bureau. He began his duties in April, 1913. Under his jurisdiction he had the stock- ing of the Indian lands with cattle, and in this matter carried out the policy of Mr. Sells, during whose administration the cattle busi- ness on the Indian Reservations became a very great success. Various reserves were stocked and cattle caused to multiply and mil- lions of dollars were expended in this work through Mr. Long's initiative. It was his busi- ness to provide the male stock needed for the reservations, look after range and water con- ditions, assist in leasing the unused lands of the tribes, and also to look up lessors in the matter of stocking these lands, whether they were overstocking and thus swindling the Gov- ernment out of its just dues. Many of his reports to the Interior Department detailed the betterment and improvement of the live-
300
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
stock industry on the several reservations. These duties required extensive travel over New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. One interesting phase of this work was that Mr. Long on his travels met many of the old trailsmen and other cowboy friends of his youth, finding most of them with well estab- lished ranches and men of position and influ- ence in their localities. Just before the change in national administration in 1921 Mr. Long resigned, drawing his last check about the end of 1920. While absent from home on official business for the Government the work of his horse and mule breeding industry was being capably handled by foremen.
Mr. Long's realty holdings comprise a sec- tion of land. He has borne the burdens of a strenuous life so long that he has been grad- ually in recent years cutting down his land and planning to retire altogether from the business which has absorbed so much of his strength and energy. His ranch and home is within a mile of the village of Godley, which was started as a rural community some twenty- five years ago. He has participated in its sub- stantial affairs, being a stockholder of the Cit- izens National Bank, and has been a school trustee of Bethany District. His first presi- dential vote was given to Grover Cleveland in 1884.
In February, 1886, Mr. Long married Miss Docia Snider, of Cleburne. Her father, Cap- tain Snider, was a company officer in the Mex- ican war, and for many years a prominent land owner and stockman of Johnson County. His daughter Docia was born in Johnson County and died September 2, 1888. Her son, Guy M., died at the age of twenty, and one son died in infancy. At Godley December 20, 1892, Mr. Long married Miss Sallie E. Vick- ers, who was born in McLean County, Ken- tucky, October 18, 1859, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Farley) Vickers.
Mr. Long was made a Master Mason in Caddo Grove Lodge No. 352 in 1876, is now a past master of Godley Lodge No. 752, be- came a member of the Royal Arch Chapter at San Marcos in 1888, and a Knight Templar in 1900, being now affiliated with Cleburne Com- mandery No. 12. Aside from his activities in behalf of the Government, his county and him- self Mr. Long has been a useful man in his community and among his neighbors. He has aided people in securing homes for themselves, encouraged those who were depressed and
discouraged, and given wise counsel and other service in the settlement of estates and caring for and protecting the interests of the widow and fatherless. Closing a busy and eventful life Mr. Long has retired to the home where he has spent his best years. Out of his experi- ence he has derived the philosophy that the lives of men are largely as they make them, and whatever the final result one should not suffer remorse if he has done the best he could.
W. R. FLEMING. Probably the largest single contract ever allotted to an individual or or- ganization in this section of Texas was that comprising the Eastland County good roads program, the contractor being W. R. Fleming, who, in carrying out the substantial project, has become identified with Ranger as a busi- ness man and resident. Mr. Fleming is a con- tractor whose field of operations has covered many of the western states and old Mexico, and he has built many miles of railroads and is an expert in handling projects that tax the ingenuity and utmost resources known to con- structive engineers.
Mr. Fleming was born at Scranton, Penn- sylvania, in 1865, and was reared and edu- cated in his native city, attending Scranton College. As early as 1885 he began contract- ing, when only twenty years of age. His big achievements have been in the Southwest and in Old Mexico. He built many miles of national railroad in Mexico, including several great tunnels and bridges. He had the con- tract for some of the largest building enter- prises in Old Mexico. It was in Old Mexico that he laid the foundation of his business prosperity. He has always been a keen cal- culator on large works and has never lost money in any of his undertakings. Among other enterprises with which he was associated in Mexico was the building of the waterworks at Juarez. He had other construction con- tracts in Arizona and New Mexico, and at San Diego, California, he did half a mil- lion dollars worth of work on the extensive grounds and buildings of the estate of the late A. G. Spalding. The millionaire sporting goods merchant and old-time baseball patron was a friend and "pal" of Mr. Fleming. The latter during school days and early manhood achieved more than a local reputation as a baseball and football player, and has continued throughout his life a keen interest in athletic sports. It was through his interest in sports that he became associated with the late A. G.
301
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
Spalding, and for several years was one of Mr. Spalding's able lieutenants. Mr. Fleming is president of the Ranger Baseball League and continues to give his encouragement to athletic sports of all kinds.
It was in 1920 that he took the contract for building a system of good roads at a total cost of $4,500,000. This program is to be completed in 1922. In handling this contract and also road building for the large oil cor- porations operating in Eastland County and vicinity, Mr. Fleming has $150,000 worth of equipment in use, including railroad tracks and rolling stock, and his payroll averages over $100,000 a month.
He is a staunch and loyal citizen of Ranger, and in the spring of 1921 accepted the invita- tion of many prominent local citizens to be- come a candidate on an independent ticket for the office of mayor. Mr. Fleming is a man of affairs and also well traveled, having seen much of Europe as well as his home country. He married Miss Emily Harris, of Ohio, and they have one daughter, Miss Ruth Irene Fleming, now a student in Kidd-Key Col- lege at Sherman.
LUTHER H. WELCH. Professional suc- cesses have accumulated in remarkably rapid manner for Luther H. Welch, who began the practice of law in Texas in 1918, and is an active member of the bar of Breckenridge.
A son of Moses R. and Nora E. (Gunn) Welch, he was born at Alexander City, Ala- bama, in 1895, was reared there and contin- ued his education in the State Normal at Jack- sonville, Alabama, and in the law school of the University of Alabama. On March 1, 1917, with his law diploma, he went to Colum- bus, Mississippi, and entered practice as a member of the law firm, Callaway, Storey & Welch. On June 2, 1918, he located at New Braunfels, county seat of Comal County, Texas. He was immediately made county attorney, and also practiced his profession in that section of southwestern Texas until December 11, 1920, when he removed to Breckenridge to take the position of assistant prosecuting attorney for Stephens County. Mr. Welch resigned in February, 1921, and has since engaged his time and talents in a general private practice in all the courts. He is an able, energetic and progressive lawyer, and has already become well known in the great oil metropolis.
While his law business is centered at Breck- enridge, his home is at Abilene. He is a
member of the Masonic Order. Mr. Welch married Miss Lorna L. Callaway, of Coosa County, Alabama, and they have one daugh- ter, Clara Lee Welch.
PERE M. KUYKENDALL, M. D. The home of Doctor Kuykendall is the Texas oil city of Desdemona in Eastland County. He is one of the busiest physicians and surgeons of the town, but his fellow citizens, appreciating his civic attitude, have also burdened him with the responsibilities of mayor pro tem.
Doctor Kuykendall, who came to Desde- mona soon after leaving the army medical service, with a record of two years' experience in France, was born at Moody in McLennan County, Texas, in 1892. His grandfather settled at Moody prior to the Civil war. His father was the late Dr. Pere M. Kuykendall, Sr., a native of Moody, a graduate of the Louisville Medical College, and who spent all his active career practicing medicine at Moody.
The son was educated in the schools of Moody and took both the literary and medical courses of Vanderbilt University at Nash- ville, Tennessee, graduating with his medical degree in 1916. The following year he spent on the medical staff of the Dallas City Hos- pital. He was ready to give his services to the Government at the beginning of the war with Germany and in June, 1917, volunteered in the Medical Corps. In September of that year he went overseas, attached to Base Hos- pital No. 51, which followed the Second Divi- sion of the American Expeditionary Forces during all its front line service. He was in France during a year of active hostilities, and soon after the armistice his hospital unit was established at Toul. It remained there until the early spring of 1919, when Doctor Kuy- kendall was transferred to Marseilles and in July, 1919, returned to America and received his honorable discharge.
In selecting a locality in which to take up his professional career, Doctor Kuykendall chose Desdemona, then in the midst of its great oil boom. He has readily found a large practice, but at the same time has identified himself with the best interests of the locality. In December, 1920, he was appointed mayor pro tem, his appointment being endorsed by the best elements of the city. Doctor Kuyken- dall is a member of the County, State and American Medical associations. He married Miss Alla Ray Elliott, of Muskogee, Okla- homa, and they have one daughter, Alla Ray Kuykendall.
302
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
GEORGE CONE SMITH, of Rio Vista, Johnson County, is a farmer and a business man. A number of years ago he began his independent career as a farm hand, but soon turned his enterprise to a wider sphere, and his affairs have grown and prospered until he is now one of the, largest land owners of the county.
Mr. Smith was born near Sand Flat, John- son County, July 21, 1879, and grew up in the locality where his father established his home on coming to this county. His father, George Jackson Smith, was a native of Louisiana, grew up on a plantation in that state and had a very limited schooling. He was a pioneer of Johnson County, Texas, locating here about 1855, twenty years before there was a railroad in the county. During the war between the states he served as a private soldier one year, and after the war married and continued the development of his land in the Sand Flat locality. He remained there until 1890, when he moved to Swisher County, Texas. Three years on the western plains, where he tried stock ranching, proved disappointing, and he then returned to his former home in Johnson County, and is still enrolled as one of the active farmers of the county. His history as a cit- izen has been that of a man deeply interested in the welfare of his community and his neighbors. With limited opportunities during his youth he has worked whole-heartedly to secure the best of schools for later genera- tions, has been a rural school trustee for many years, and has been an equally staunch friend of churches and religious work. He is a mem- ber of the Missionary Baptist Church, for many years has been affiliated with the Ma- sonic fraternity, and in politics is a Democrat.
Soon after the war he married Miss Fannie Pike, a native of Tennessee, whose parents came to Texas before the war. She died in 1881, the mother of the following children: John S. and Elbert O., both residents of Stam- ford, Texas; Norman W., of Cleburne; George Cone; Urban, of Walnut Springs, Texas; and Sterling Samuel, who died at the age of fourteen. The second wife of George Jackson Smith was Ophelia Oliver. Her chil- dren are: Eunice, wife of Frank Madison, of Walnut Springs; Joshua, who died in young manhood; Mary, Mrs. Walter Jackson, of Walnut Springs; Luna, Mrs. John Drennan, of Johnson County ; and Andrew P., of Ranger.
George Cone Smith, always known among his old friends and neighbors as Cone, grew up in Sand Flat, acquired his education in the local schools there, and was with his father
on the farm until past his majority. He left home experienced in farm work and with the impression of sound lessons of integrity and industry. His first employment was as a farm hand at fifteen dollars a month. It took real work to earn fifteen dollars a month in those days, since there was no overtime, and from dawn to dark he had to get into the harness and keep up with the procession. After one year as a farm hand he contracted for the purchase of a small farm, having only a hun- dred dollars to pay down. The rest he paid out in installments as they came due, and six and a half years later he had a homestead of his own, though it consisted of only forty acres. He handled it so as to make a living, and it was a start toward greater prosperity. While farming he bought a gin at Sand Flat, and conducted the plant there profitably for two years, when he sold both the gin and the farm. From there he came to Rio Vista, bought a gin, and in association with his brother engaged in the lumber business, con- tinuing an active factor in these two enter- prises until 1909.
About that time Mr. Smith acquired some- thing more than a section of land near Cle- burne, and for the past dozen years has had a busy program of farming, buying and selling of lands. He has never been satisfied to "mine" the wealth of the soil, but his enter- prise has enriched instead of impoverishing the land. His accumulations total 2,600 acres. He has been responsible for the erection of eleven of the twenty-one sets of improvements on, the farms, and there are thirty-two families who are tenants and earn- ing a living from his property. In former years his big crop was cotton, but the war educated him and other farmers to the raising of food, and much of his land has been in grain production. Of the total under his indi- vidual ownership of 2,350 acres are in culti- vation.
While this farm estate constitutes a big bur- den of management Mr. Smith finds time to participate in other lines of business. He is a dealer in grain and cotton as a member of the cotton firm of Smith & Barnes at Cleburne, is one of the stockholders in the Citizens Hotel project at Cleburne and one of its directors, is a stockholder in one of the banks at Rio Vista, and has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Rio Vista since its organization. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, and was reared and has always been faithful to the Missionary Baptist Church. He was one
303
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
of the chief contributors and member of the building committee during the erection of the new church of that denomination at Rio Vista.
In Johnson County in March, 1902, Mr. Smith married Miss Cathie M. Goldman, a native of Georgia, but was brought to Texas as a child and was reared in Dallas County. Her sister, Mrs. L. L. Harris, lived at Sand Flat, and she first met Cone Smith while they were children in the district school there. Her father, Thomas J. Goldman, was a Georgia soldier in the war, and a few years ago died while revisiting his home state. Mrs. Smith is one of seven children, six of whom survive. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Smith is Wil- mot Harris Smith.
ALBIN J. OLSON. A retired contractor and builder and large property owner, Albin J. Olson's place as a citizen of Cisco has been constructive in more than one sense. He has been a man of enterprise, seeking to promote community development and improvement whether it profited him or not. He has been a, staunch friend of public education, and has probably done as much for the good of the schools of Cisco as any other citizen.
His career as a whole has been one of most interesting experience and achievement. He was born near Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1870, was reared and educated in that city, and at the age of seventeen, in 1887, came to America, practically a friendless and money- less youth. His Texas career began at Brown- wood. The first three years his time and energies were largely employed in carrying out some extensive projects that were the beginning of Brown County's fame as a pecan- growing section. He was employed in plant- ing pecan trees and setting out pecan orchards. This was followed by employment as a laborer wheeling brick and stone during the construc- tion of the Howard Payne and Daniel Baker colleges at Brownwood. While it was heavy manual toil classified as unskilled labor, Mr. Olson made it the means of getting a prac- tical knowledge of the building trade, partic- ularly mason work. In subsequent years he developed a business as a building contractor that covered practically all the northern part of the state. His operations were always con- fined to brick and stone structures. Some of his contracts were as far east as Marshall, Texas, and as far west as Big Spring, and he was also a contractor in Oklahoma. Fol- lowing the great fire that nearly destroyed Paris, Texas, some years ago, he put his
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.