USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume IV > Part 52
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 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
Mr. Stone was born at Wichita Falls in 1892, a son of J. W. and Florence (Seymour) Stone, who have lived in Wichita Falls since 1891. J. W. Stone was born near Staunton, Virginia, and for many years was in the serv- ice of the Fort Worth and Denver City Rail- way. with offices at Wichita Falls. When he resigned he was chief dispatcher and for the past fifteen years has been prominently en- gaged in the real estate business.
Jerome S. Stone graduated from the Wich- ita High School and spent three years in the University of Texas. As soon as war was declared against Germany, in the spring of 1917, he volunteered and as his service is credited to Wichita Falls he earned the special distinction above noted. He first tried for the aviation service at Austin, but could not pass the examinations in the engine course and concluded that the infantry offered the best chance of real duty at the fighting front. Therefore, at Fort Worth, he joined an or- ganization of Americans whose intentions were to go with Canadian troops to France. From this organization, however, he was transferred to the Forty-second Division and went to France to this famous contingent of Ameri- cans early in 1919. Mr. Stone did duty as a soldier at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Ar- gonne Forest, and at the time of the armistice was with his command on the heights of Sedan. He continued with the Rainbow Divi- sion as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. While still in the army he was se- lected as one of the American soldiers to take advantage of the courtesy extended by the French Government to pursue a special course in the French language, French Govern- ment and its institutions at Montpelier, on the Mediterranean Coast. the purpose being to educate a representative portion of the Amer- ican Army to a better and more intimate knowledge of France.
Mr. Stone returned to Texas July 25, 1919, and was soon afterwards discharged, after having been considerably more than two vears with the colors. He at once located at Wichita Falls, then in the midst of the great oil boom. He turned to that business as a dealer in leases and broker in production,
also operated in real estate, and with the char- acteristic good luck that comes to the plucky and energetic young American he has achieved a remarkable success, has made a great deal of money, and is one of an intersting group of wealthy young men who claim Wichita Falls as their home. He has a suite of offices in the City National Bank of Commerce Build- ing. While busily making money he is also doing his part as a public spirited citizen and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Wichita Club, University Club, Add Club. American Legion and the Elks.
JEROME GALLATIN KILGORE as a business man has a constructive and creative faculty. For a number of years he had the valuable routine discipline of railroad service, but for the past six years has made every day count for something progressive and something practical in the promotion and upbuilding of Wichita County's remarkable oil industry. He has been especially prominent in oil refining, and has contributed in no small measure to making Wichita Falls one of the greatest re- fining centers in the Southwest.
Mr. Kilgore was born in Van Zandt County, Texas, son of Virgil and Minnie Lee (Black- burn) Kilgore. His parents are both deceased. He was only ten years of age when his father died. Virgil Kilgore was for many years a member of the East Texas bar. Jerome G. Kilgore is a nephew of the late Hon. Buck Kilgore, long a distinguished figure in the public affairs of Texas. For sixteen consecu- tive years he represented his district in Con- gress and later was judge of the Supreme Court of Old Indian Territory, and died on the bench.
The Kilgore home was at Wills Point, where Jerome G. Kilgore was reared and educated. He was only a boy when he secured his first railway employment with the Mis- souri, Kansas & Texas Railroad at Mineola. For a number of years he enjoyed distinctions and promotions, both as an employe and as an official, and in both the operating and trans- portation departments. His principal services were with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the Fort Worth & Denver City Railways.
It was his connection with the Fort Worth & Denver road that brought him to Wichita Falls in 1908. He has had his home in this city for the past twelve years, and continued with the railroad company until 1914. when he retired to enter the oil industry.
639
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
Mr. Kilgore, in association with Roy B. Jones, were the men responsible for the build- ing of the Panhandle Refinery, the first petro- leum refinery to be built in Wichita Falls. Subsequently he was chiefly instrumental in the building of the American Refinery in the same city. Both of these industries have been successful financially and in every other way, and have contributed an enormous aggregate to the wealth of the city. He has continued to be connected with this important refining, pipeline and oil producing interest in Wichita County, and is always an active man, having something constructive and progressive going on all the time.
Mr. Kilgore is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations, and is very proud of the remarkable business city that has grown up and developed since he came to Wichita Falls. He married Miss Mary E. Brasher, of Longview, Texas. Their two sons are Gallatin, born in 1905, and Gordon, born in 1915.
JASPER B. WELLS has been a resident of Cooke County almost half a century, and is one of the largest owners of improved farm lands in this section. He is a man of wealth and of dignified citizenship, and his life and adventures comprise one of the most inter- esting chapters furnished by the careers of prominent Texans.
He first came to Texas at the beginning of the war between the states, was here only a few days when he joined the Confederate Army, fought nearly four years for the cause, and is one of the youngest of the surviving veterans of the great struggle. After the war he completed his education and married in the North before returning to the Lone Star Commonwealth.
He was born in Barren County, Kentucky. April 22, 1845, and was just sixteen years of age when the North and South became en- gaged in war. Two of his great-grandfathers, Barnett Wells and Colonel Hughes, were natives of Great Britain, the former of Wales and the latter of Scotland. Both came to America and were soldiers in the Revolution- ary war, serving with Virginia troops. The father, grandfather and great-grandfather of Jasper Wells all bore the Christian name of Barnett. His father, Barnett, who was born near Lexington, Kentucky, about 1807, and one of his older brothers, Abner Wells, served as soldiers under General Jackson in the War VOL. IV -- 18
of 1812, taking part in the battle of New Or- leans. Barnett Wells married Elizabeth Kins- low, who died before her husband. Of their nine children Jasper B. is the last survivor and was the only son in the war between the states. The only other child to come to Texas was Mrs. Sarah Ann Stinebaugh, who died at Hereford, this state.
Jasper B. Wells grew up in a tobacco dis- trict of Kentucky. He attended the brief terms of common schools and also supplied his strength to the farm work. In 1855, when he was ten years of age, the family moved to Missouri and settled in Polk County. He received some additional schooling there. His father and mother died in Polk County, leav- ing their children young. Jasper Wells was then invited by a cousin in Illinois to become a member of his family. He went to White- hall, Illinois, where he attended school a few terms through three years. A true Southerner, in spite of his youth Jasper Wells did not take kindly to the expressions and opinions on negro slavery in that Illinois region. After Lincoln's election in the fall of 1860 he could no longer tolerate his uncongenial surround- ings, and therefore abandoned his cousin's home, went back to Missouri, and determined to join and lend aid to his friends in the South. In Missouri he became associated with Gran- ville Stinebaugh, a brother of his brother-in- law. They drove a bunch of mules, including some fine Jacks and Jennets, to Texas for the purpose of getting them away from danger of confiscation by the North. The party arrived in Collin County, Texas, in April, 1861, and Mr. Stinebaugh lived all his life in that section of the state.
Company G of the Eleventh Texas Cavalry was then being organized at Weston in Collin County, and a few days after his arrival Jasper Wells joined the company, commanded by Joe Bounds of Mckinney. The colonel was one of the San Jacinto veterans with General Houstan. The regiment first went into service across Indian Territory into Southeastern Kansas, and did some skirmish- ing with the Jayhawkers in 1861. Early the following year the regiment went into Indian Territory against the Pin Indians, where they fought on Bird Creek. ' Of three thousand in the tribe it was reported that five hundred dead were left on the field. Mr. Wells the morning after the fight went out and found but eighteen dead and many wounded, the dead lying about on blankets. In the pursuit
640
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
of the scattered forces Mr. Wells followed a fleeing Indian on foot. while he was riding a horse. After a chase of about three miles over rough country the Indian became ex- hausted and stopped in an open spot to meet his fate. He was unarmed and had no means of protection, as he had shot all of his arrows away, and the young soldier could not bring himself to dispatching his enemy. A comrade finally came up. and to his inquiry why he did not shoot Mr. Wells replied. "I'm afraid it's a squaw." The comrade refused to accept this interpretation, and after two shots killed the Indian. He wore a Texas spur on his bare feet. but this Wells also declined to take.
The Eleventh Texas was next ordered to Elk Horn or Pea Ridge, Arkansas, and par- ticipated in the battle of Elk Horn. Mr. Wells was close to Gen. Ben McCulloch when he was killed. The Eleventh Regiment was ordered to attack a battery of six guns out in the open and supported by Federal In- fantry, and actually rode over the battery. scattering the infantry support. During the day Colonel McIntosh succeeded General Mc- Culloch in command, and when he, too, was killed Colonel Hebart took charge of the battle. He was soon wounded and dragged into the Federal lines, and left thus without commanding officers the Confederates became confused and largely on this account the battle of Elk Horn was won by the Union forces. Mr. Wells shares in the judgment of other critics that with competent commanding of- ficers the Southern forces would have held the field and could then have gone to the aid of General Price and probably reversed the fortunes of the subsequent battle of Pea Ridge.
The troops of which Mr. Wells was a part then went down the White River to Des Arc. Arkansas, where the regiment was dis- mounted. Every tenth man was sent back to Texas to take home the horses. Mr. Wells did not accompany this party, preferring to be with the fighting men. The latter were ordered down the river by boat. and Mr. Wells made a run for the boat and was counted as the 1.166 man to cross the gang plank. being the last man on board, as the gang plank had already been hauled up. but put down again for him to cross over. The name 1,166 stuck to him for some time after- ward. His next fight was at Farmington, Mississippi. near Shiloh. From that battle- field he was carried off wounded in the leg
with a minie ball, and spent six weeks in the hospital at Macon, Mississippi. His regiment then went by train from Tupelo, Mississippi, by way of Mobile and Atlanta to Chatta- nooga, where he remained about three months. then for a short time was at Louden and Knoxville. where the command was ordered to prepare food for a four days' journey across the mountains toward Barberville. While there a feint was made on Cumberland Gap by the troops. including the Eleventh Texas and an army under Gen. Kirby Smith. When the Gap was abandoned by the Fed- erals the two armies united and marched on to Richmond. Kentucky, where they de- feated the Union forces under Gen. Bull Nelson. While the old general was making his escape from the field the Eleventh Texas marched on the big barbecue prepared by the Union people for the victorious army of Nelson. and ate the feast themselves.
Next came the battle of Perryville, in which Mr. Wells took part in the early days of October. 1862. Following this came the battle of Murfreesboro, and then the second fight at Fort Donelson, where he was again with the mounted troops. At Chickamauga the Eleventh was dismounted and fought as infantry. Thence it was sent to Wheeler's Cavalry. under General Longstreet, to attack the Federals under General Burnside at Knoxville. Failing to take that city. the army fell back to Morristown. and from that point fought the enemy occasionally through the winter. The next spring they joined Gen. Bragg's army, moving toward Atlanta, but before reaching that city the Eleventh was ordered on a raid to Murfreesboro, tearing up the railroad and doing other damage to hinder the advance of the Federals.
Returning to Atlanta. the regiment was again dismounted and fought on the left of the Southern army during the great siege. Another raid was made by the cavalry to within eight miles of Nashville for the pur- pose of harrassing Sherman's army. During this raid the Federal Cavalry was worsted, a Federal pay train captured and other damage done. During a contest over a Federal flag on the turnpike the flag bearer was slain and Mr. Wells' horse was killed under him, but he escaped capture. Retiring slowly before the advancing Federals, his command caught the main Confederate forces near Milledge- ville. Georgia, and was constantly fighting on the flanks to prevent Sherman from scatter-
641
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
ing his troops and overrunning too much country, this campaign culminating in a gen- eral battle at Macon. The Eleventh Texas kept before Sherman's army as it left Savan- nah for the march through the Carolinas. Near Augusta, Georgia, the Confederates ran against General Kilpatrick's troops, whipped them and almost captured the Federal general himself, getting his fine spotted horse. In the meantime Mr. Wells and his command had come again under the command of Gen- eral Johnston, who maneuvered his troops back to Raleigh, where he was hemmed in and where he finally surrendered. The Texas troops, however, did not surrender, since Gen. Tom Harrison addressed them, advising the breaking up into squads if they did not want to accept a Yankee parole. This they decided to do, but Jasper Wells was not with the regiment, having been wounded in the final skirmishing and was in a sick bed at the home of a rich planter southeast of Golds- boro. Some of his comrades coming along and reporting the decision of the troops to make their way back to Texas without sur- render, the planter volunteered to let him have a fine buggy and harness if some one would furnish a horse. A horse was supplied by the captain of Company I and thus equipped the wounded man started for Texas. The little band were armed with pistols, and cautiously made their way across Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, though not escaping danger entirely. At Holly Springs they escaped without losses when attacked by Fed- eral outposts. On account of high waters the Yazoo was swollen to the proportions of a river, and friends having failed to provide boats the party crossed by swimming. Mr. Wells, his wound still rendering him unable to walk, abandoned his fine buggy, and crossed the Yazoo by holding to the tail of a horse. Boats also failing them for the passage of the Mississippi, the party recrossed the Yazoo slough and started north. They were chal- lenged by Federal troops camped by the road- side, but rushed through, firing their pistols, and went on faster than ever. Stopping for breakfast and taking council, they decided to accept a Yankee parole in order to escape punishment for their outlaw conduct in this march. Crossing the state to Columbus, where there was a Federal garrison with officers in authority to issue paroles, and where they concealed their arms and blankets and declared themselves unarmed, their
spokesman returned from headquarters with paroles for all, ample food was distributed by the garrison, and they were given clearance for Vicksburg. There they camped near the boat landing and were ordered to take the General Anderson the next morning, bound for the mouth of Red River. Disembarking, they started for Texas, but after going a short way they learned that Gen. E. Kirby Smith was coming up the Mississippi bound for Shreveport, and they waited and joined his boat, thus saving the long overland ride. From Shreveport the march was continued into Texas. Mr. Wells stopped with a friend at Marshall, where he got his first real atten- tion from a physician, Dr. Blocker, who dressed his injuries and saved his injured leg. He remained at Marshall until he was well on the way to recovery from his wounds.
Instead of remaining in Texas after the war Mr. Wells went to Shreveport and thence down the Red River and up the Mississippi and back to his birthplace in Barren County. Kentucky. The three years he lived there he completed his education, attending Cave City Mechanical College and Glasgow Urania University, and for a time was a teacher in Kentucky. Thence he moved again to Mis- souri, taught in Lincoln County a year, and while there met the lady who became his wife.
Having married, Mr. Wells decided to make Texas his future home. Arriving in the spring of 1871, he settled four miles south of Bon- ham, where he taught school a year, and in 1872 came to Cooke County, destined to be- come his permanent home and the scene of his larger material achievements. On coming here he bought 150 acres of land, still in- cluded in his possessions, and built his first home on the spot where he has lived now for half a century. That pioneer house is still a landmark on his property. The lumber for its construction was hauled from East Texas. 150 miles away. Mr. Wells paid $2.50 an acre for his land in cash, he bought some steers to break and plow his land and started to raise cotton and wheat. His wheat market was Dal- las, Denison or Sherman. and in those early vears the highest price paid for this grain was 85 cents. Farmers without cattle to supplement their efforts in crop raising found it difficult to earn a bare existence. Mr. Wells never sold a bale of cotton for more than 10 cents a pound for many years after he came to Texas. A good four-year-old steer was worth
642
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
about $10 and a good four-year-old cow about $7. He regards his most profitable return in those early years as coming from wheat. He also began raising cattle, and by intelligent planning and tremendous personal exertion he was gradually started on the highway to prosperity.
After he had been in Cooke County four or five years he was able to add 200 acres to his original holdings. His varied farming and other enterprises were prosecuted actively, and the surplus invested in lands, and now, after a residence in the county for almost fifty years, his estate is one of the largest individual holdings in the county, comprising 5,000 acres, without a dollar of incumbrance. Mr. Wells has been a real developer and contributor to the county's prosperity. He has placed about twenty-five sets of building and farming im- provements on his land, and twenty-five fam- ilies live on and work his farms, comprising altogether perhaps a hundred people.
As a farmer Mr. Wells practiced a method of his own. While that method may have been followed by others, and whether it proved good or bad, it served his purpose and led eventually to the independence which marked his career. He continued in the cattle in- dustry for a long time, and produced much of the fine stock that went out of this region. With advancing years he disposed of his stock interests, and has more and more been iden- tified with the fundamentals of agriculture.
Mr. Wells organized the Sanger National Bank, and served as its president for five years. For the same length of time he was also vice president of the Valley View Na- tional Bank, but relieved himself of these re- sponsibilities and now his farm and ranch interests alone claim his time.
In politics Mr. Wells is a stanch democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley in 1872. He has always maintained a keen interest in political and public ques- tions, and without office seeking aspirations has sought to do his part as a thorough American citizen. It is not inappropriate to say that Mr. Wells was one of the largest in- dividual contributors to the quota assigned Cooke County for the financial burdens for the prosecution of the World war. It is known that he bought $40.000 worth of bonds, and he also bought $3.000 worth for his granddaughter, Cecelia Sue Henderson, who is a member of his household. The Wells
family are members of the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church.
His marriage in Missouri has already been noted. The date was March 29, 1871. Mrs. Wells was formerly Miss Sue Gillum, and she was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, daughter of John W. and Catherine (Price) Gillum .. Her mother was of the same family as Gen. Sterling Price. She was one of two children, her brother, William Gillum, being a farmer in Cooke County, Texas. Mrs. Wells was liberally educated, having attended college at Troy and Bowling Green, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Wells had three daughters: Mrs. Lola E. Rogers, wife of Judge Rogers, of El Paso, Mrs. Eva Henderson, of Pasadena, California, and Mrs. Cecil Jamison, of Pros- per, Texas, all graduates of the best female schools in Texas. Mr. Wells also has five grandchildren, three by Mrs. Henderson and two by Mrs. Jamison.
BENJAMIN GARRETT VAUGHN. A resident of Texas for a period of thirty-five years, and during twenty years of that time engaged in business at Sanger, Benjamin Garrett Vaughn has become widely and favorably known to the people of this region as an energetic, hon- orable business man, and a citizen who has faithfully discharged every responsibility that has devolved upon him. He has been con- nected with numerous ventures, all of which have contributed to the general welfare and advancement of the community, and his entire career has been one in which industry and practical aims have contributed to the devel- opment of a useful member of society.
Mr. Vaughn was born in Fulton County. Georgia, October 22, 1867, a son of Benjamin F. Vaughn, a railroad conductor who had a run out of the city of Atlanta. His final work in this connection was done on a run from Atlanta to Macon, and when he left railroad- ing it was to become a farmer in DeKalb County, Georgia, where his death occurred when he was about sixty years of age. in 1897. He was in the railroad service during the war between the states. when his sentiment was distinctly southern in character. Benjamin F. Vaughn was the only son of Alexander Vaughn and his wife, a Miss Elam, who had four daughters: Nannie, who married James Buchanan; Elizabeth, who married John Cor- ley; Rena, who became the wife of Francis M. Griffin; and Julia, who married Sam Cor- ley. Benjamin F. Vaughn was the second in order of birth of the children. He married
39, Vaughan
-
643
FORT WORTH AND THE TEXAS NORTHWEST
Cornelia White, a daughter of Colonel White, a Confederate officer of the war between the states, and she died in 1914, when about sixty- eight years of age. She and her husband were the parents of the following children: Ben- jamin Garrett; Mattie, who is a resident of Sanger ; James, who died in Georgia, leaving a family ; Katie, who died as a young woman ; and Minnie, who resides with her sister Mattie at Sanger, where she is in the employ of the Wilfong Dry Goods Company.
Benjamin Garrett Vaughn was a youth of eighteen years when he came to Texas, in- duced here by the presence of his uncle, Francis M. Griffin, and brought with him the limited experience which was to be gained by a youth on a Georgia farm. He had not yet finished his education, and for a time he was a pupil in Collin County, but after completing his studies became a farm hand for his uncle, for whom he worked for three years for the munificent salary of thirteen dollars a month and board, and had but one day off in all this time. During this period, in spite of the smallness of his wage, he managed to accumu- late sufficient means to buy himself a team and some farm equipment, and with this to back him took on the responsibilities of married life and became a renter on his uncle's farm. He remained on that farm for three years, rais- ing cotton and corn, and for the labor of those years realized the sum of $2,000. He then left Collin County and moved out to Harde- man County, Texas, where he spent the dry years of 1892, 1893 and 1894, and lost every dollar he had trying to farm. Leaving there in the covered wagon that had been utilized to take himself and family to the scene of his misfortunes, he sought out Collin County and went to work for day's wages at McKin- ney. He secured employment with a cotton gin company, which marked the beginning of his experience in this line of work, and re- mained at the county seat three years. During that time he was able to make a little more than the average day workman, and when he left it was as the possessor of a few hundred dollars, which he brought to Sanger and in- vested in a tract of raw land. This he broke out and cropped for two years, following which he sold it at a good profit. To illus- trate the value of the land then, it may be pointed out that he bought it at $15 an acre. for his quarter section, a part of the Metz estate, and sold it for $2,500 more than it cost him, in addition to which he had a good profit from his two crops.
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.