USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 40
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J. M. Burris was early inured to farm labor. In the fall of 1837 he emigrated to Texas, in company with several families, and was three months on the road. Ile located I in Red River county, where he first farmed on rented land, and remained in that county several years. He next bought wild land in
Mr. Croslin was married in Angust, 1873. to N. A. Baird. a daughter of Miles and Elizabeth (Harris) Baird, and one of a family of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Croslin ; Titns county, one and one-half miks from are the parents of five children: Norman, ; where Dangerfield now stands, afterward
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went to Hopkins county, and in 1848 came to Williamson county. Mr. Burris pur. chased 700 acres of land, erected a pole shanty, fenced forty acres, and the first year raised a good erop of corn. He added to his original purchase until he owned over 1.500 acres of land, but has since given to his chil- dren until he now has only the old home- stead, 150 acres of which is under a fine state of enltivation. He also owns two other improved farms. Before the war he owned a number of slaves, and followed farming and stock-raising on a large scale, but since 1886 he has given his attention entirely to the former occupation. When Mr. Burris first came to this county it was known as Milam district, and there were only about six fam- ilies in what is now Williamson county. The Indians were friendly, but while in Titus county they gave him considerable trouble. At one time they burned his entire erop. committed many other depredations, and dur- ing the late war killed entire families in that neighborhood. Mr. Burris was too old to participate in that struggle, but furnished three sons for the army.
Ule was married in Missouri, in 1836, to Miss Nancy Tankersley, a daughter of Rich- ard Tankersley, a native of South Carolina. Mr. Tankersley fought under General Jack- son at New Orleans, moved to Missouri in 1835, and came to Texas in 1837. He re- sided in many places in this State, and his death occurred in Coryell county. Mrs. Bur- ris was born in 1823, and died in this State, July 29, 1892. having been a devout mem- ber of the Methodist Church from early life. She will be remembered by the citizens of ; abundant evidence of the truth of this, while Williamson county for her many acts of it is a matter of common observation, though charity and benevolence. Mr. and Mrs. in a less degree, in the daily affairs of life. Bmiris were the parents of thirteen children, The subject of this sketch comes of a nine of whom grew to years of maturity, Family that has been long established in this
namely: Richard, who served through the late war, but lost his health in the service, and died at the home of an nnele in Lamar county; William M., also a soldier during the entire struggle, is a Farmer of William- son county; James II., who served as a sub- stitnte for his father in the army, is also a farmer of this connty; Ella, wife of Spencer Fine, and they reside at the old homestead; Sarah J., deceased at the age of sixteen years; Betty, wife of Rev. Leo Allenbeck, a Meth- odist minister; Clarissa, wife of Samnel Lewis, a farmer of Williamson county; and Mary, wife of J. P. Bevel, and they also re- side at the old homestead. Mr. Burris takes an interest in the Democratic party, bnt never aspires to public office. Socially, he affiliates with the Masonie fraternity, and re- ligiously is a member of the Missionary Bap- tist Church.
- AMES D. HOOKER .- There is no fact better established in the history of this country-not to go beyond it for illus- tration-than that family blood is transmitted from father to son, and that pride of ancestry, when rightly understood, and acted upon, exercises a most salutary influence in the shaping of individual character. The history of a dozen or more of the leading families of America, such as the Lees, the Marshalls, the Bayards, the Breckenridges, Randolphs and others of lesser note, whose names have be- come household words in the land, affords
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country, and one that has an honorable record. The Hookers were originally from England. They emigrated to the New World in Colonial times, and settled in New England. where they are credited with having founded the town of Hartford, Connectient, and where they secured a strong footing and were after- ward influential factors in the settlement of that locality. From there the branch to which the subject of this notice belongs moved to North Carolina, where three brothers settled at a point in what is now Greene county, named Hookerton for them. John Hooker, the grandfather of James D)., of this article, was a North Carolina planter, a man of some means, and a patriot in the times that, as the historian wrote, " tried men's souls." Ile served in the Revolution and died in South Carolina. James W. Hooker, the father of James D., was born in South Carolina, in 1797, and there grew to man- hood, receiving a liberal education in the schools of that State. He early exhibited a taste for mathematies and became in a few years proficient in astronomy and other ap- plied branches of that science. When a yonng man, he went to Alabama, where he married and became a planter and slave trader. Later he moved to Jackson county, Florida, where he spent the remainder of his life. He served in the Seminole war under General Jackson; filled the office of Justice of the Peace in his county, became a min- ister of the Methodist Church, which he served faithfully for twelve years, and died in the enjoyment of a large property, and in the consciousness of a well spont life. He was greatly respected and exercised a wide infinence both as a citizen and as a minister. His learning. his readiness as a talker, his earnestness, his character as a man, made him a tower of strength for order. law, morality
and Christianity in the newly settled local- ities, where he lived, and made his death a public loss. He died January 16, 1841.
Lavica Simmons, the wife of James W. Hooker, and the mother of the subject of this notice, was also a native of South Caro. lina, being a daughter of Fountain and Eliza- beth Simmons, who were probably born in South Carolina, being residents of the local- ity where the Hookers lived, and who moved abont 1820 to Alabama. It was the attach- ment that had been formed for the danghter Laviea in the old State that took James W. to Alabama. This lady died in 1829, leaving four children, three of whom, Martha, Eliza- beth and Jane, are now deceased, the only survivor being James D .. of this article.
The last named was born in Dale connty, Alabama, June 24, 1828. Ile was reared in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, and received good educational advantages. In 1850 he came to Texas and entered Fowler Institute, at Rnsk, where he remained three years. He then engaged in teaching in Cherokee county. Later he engaged in farming, in that and Houston counties, following this snecessfully till the opening of the war. lle entered the Confederate army in 1861, enlist- ing in Company A, Carter's brigade of cav- alry, with which he served abont a year, when he had to quit on account of sickness, and returned home. In 1863 he moved to Milam county, and settled on a farm near the present town of Milano, where he followed farming for twenty years. In 1882 he moved to Milano, where he embarked in the mercantile business, to which and his farming interests he has since devoted his time. He owns a large amount of real estate in Milam county, which represents his earnings since moving here thirty years ago. and considerable per- sonal property also. He has served as Com-
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missioner of the county two years, and has Isaac and two brothers, sons of Rowland, taken an active interest in county and neigh- emigrated to America in Colonial times, lo- borhood affairs.
April 5. 1855, he married Martha J. Carr, a native of Tennessee, then residing in Cherokee county, this State, her parents, Erastus and Mary (Millican) Carr, having moved to Texas about 1843. The fruit of this union has been twelve children, but four of whom are now living, although eight reached maturity. The names in the order of their ages are: Martha, Tom, Frank and James C., deceased; Julia, deceased, wife of I. A. Beard; Susan, the wife of T. P. Smith, of Atascosa. Texas; George D., of Milano; Dora, deceased; W. Freeman, of Trinity county, this State; Rosa, deceased; Charles, at home; and Mary II., deceased. For more than twenty years in early life, Mr. Hooker was a member of the Church of the Dis- ciples, of which he was also a minister and did much work of a ministerial nature; but recently he has identified himself with the " New Church," a late organization, in which he is now a minister, and of whose doctrines he is an exponent of recognized ability. His life has been devoted largely to the good of 'in Sevier county, Tennessee, afterward moved his fellow-man, in the capacity of a minister.
eating in Maryland and Virginia. The family had taken a prominent part with Cromwell in upholding the Commonwealth, and, after its fall, the feeling was so strong against them that the father thought best that his sons should leave the country. Isaac located in Virginia, and was the great-great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch. The great grandfather was named James, and the grandfather was Dr. Thomas Hill. who brought the family from Virginia to Tennes- see. A purse for coin, intricate in design, has been handed down in the llill family since Rowland Hill's time. He hated all the customs of royalty to such an extent that in- stead of giving this relic to the eldest son he gave it to the youngest son, Isaac, and com. manded that it should so descend. It is now owned by Benjamin Hill, of Grimes county, Texas.
Tilary Hill, the father of our subject, was a Baptist minister by profession, his father having been also a minister, as well as phy- sician. He was married Jannary 11, 1827, to Alabama, and later to Mississippi. He subsequently returned to Tennessee to trans- act some business, and died there about 1835. The mother of our subject was of German descent, the family having come to this conn- try in Colonial times, and located in Virginia. They were all highly elncated, and members of different professions .- Benjamin Rector,
A FAYETTE D. HILL is one of the best known physicians of Travis conn- ty, having become a fixture in the hearts of the people, and enjoys their deepest confi- dence in his skill to battle with disease. Ile the grandfather of Mr. Hill, was a public is a son of Tilary and Sallie (Rector) Ilill. officer in Tennessee and Alabama all his life. The paternal family are of English descent. After her husband's death, the mother of onr subject returned to her father and home in Marshall county, Alabama, but in 1847 she and trace their ancestors back to Rowland llill, a noted Baptist minister in the times of the Commonwealth, and is spoken of in his- came with her father's brothers and others to tory for his advanced ideas on religion. Bastrop, Texas. She afterward moved to
Jussy. E. Dillingham
John Dillingham
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Ilays county, and lived with her daughter, ! Dr. and Mrs. Hill had three children: Mary Mrs. Wise, until her death, July 21, 1891, ; E., wife of E. E. Winfrey, of this county; aged ninety-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Hill had four children: LaFayette D .; Sarah E., widow of Thomas Harrison, of Buda, Texas; Francis, who served as a private in Terry's rangers, and died of disease at Nashville, Tennessee, where he is buried; and Mary J., wife of John Wise, of Bastrop. Joe T., who married Leora Hunter, and re- sides at Hunter's Bend, Travis county; and Frank, who graduated at Tulane in 1887, married Bertie White, and is now a physician of Prairie Lea, Texas. The wife and mother died March 22, 1886. March 20, 1889, at Webberville, Dr. Hill married Kate S., a daughter of Robert B. Taylor, of Stafford Court House, Virginia.
Politically, our subject is identified with the Democratic party, and socially, is a Knight Templar Mason, and High Priest of Webberville Chapter, No. 127. He was Mas- ter of Colorado Lodge, No. 96, for twenty years continuously. He is also a member of the Austin District Medical Society, and a Steward in the Methodist Church.
LaFayette D. Hill was born in Sevier county, Tennessee, January 10, 1829, and was raised by an unele, Dr. Thomas B. Rec- tor. The latter was a member of the medi- cal firm of Sayers & Rector, the former the father of Joe Sayers, present Congressman from this district. and in 1850 Mr. Hill be- gan the study of medicine with that firm at Bastrop. IIe took a course of lectures at the University of Louisiana, at New Orleans, and graduated at that institution in 1853, in the same class as Professor Sanford Chalie, now Professor of Physiology at that college. While Mr. Hill was a boy in Alabama two of his uncles failed in business, owing $20,- 000, They had a number of slaves, which were subject to sale by the sheriff. The gold fields in Tallapoosa county, Alabama, were then exciting attention, and at the brothers' request they were allowed to take the slaves to the mines, where they all worked, our sub- ject included, four years. At the end of that time they came to Texas, in 1847, arriving at Bastrop December 31, having made sutli- cient money to pay their debts, and also had a competency remaining. Dr. Ilill is now one of the leading physicians of Travis connty.
(OHN DILLINGHAM, a successful farmer of Travis county, Texas, is a son of William Dillingham, who was born in Kentucky, in 1802. The latter was one of the early pioneers of Tennessee, and his death occurred in Lincoln county, that State, in 1881. He was a farmer by occupation, a Democrat in his political views, and was a very moral man. Ilis parents, Peter and Rebecca ( McCafry) Dillingham, were also natives of Kentucky, but subsequently lo- cated in Tennessee. Peter Dillingham was a son of Michael Dillingham, a native of En. gland, who located in Kentucky when it was yet a Territory. The mother of our subjeet, nee llannah Newton, was born in Georgia,
lle was married June 20, 1855, in Webber- ville, Texas, to Sarah A. Duty, who was born and raised in this county, a danghter of in 1807. a daughter of Nicholas and Marga- Joseph and Louisa Duty. The parents came rette (Cox) Newton, natives also of that to Texas with Anstin's first colony, in 1822. State. Her death occurred in 1850. Mr.
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and Mrs. William Dillingham were the par- of cattle. from fifty to seventy-five miles, ents of eleven children. viz : Brice, who died 250 head of sheep. and from twenty-five to thirty horses. in Tennessee, although he was a resident of Travis county. Texas, and now lies buried in this county; John, the subject of this sketch; Margarette, a resident of Tennessee; Rebecca, wife of James Irwin. also of that State; Sam- nel, of Tennessee: William P., who was killed in the battle of Petersburg: Hiram B., of Tennessee: 1-aac N., also of that State; Hannah, deceased when small; Diana, wife of Alexander Freeman, of Coryell county, ;
Mr. Dillingham was married in 1854, to Lucy E. Woodward, a native of Tennessee, and a danghter of L. S. and Jane (Wagoner) Woodward. natives also of that State. They have had eleven children, namely: Clemen- tine, wife of A. F. Tombangh, a farmer of Coryell county, Texas; William S., a stock- man of Burnet county; Annette, wife of C. D. Morris, of Merrilltown, Travis county; Texas; and the youngest child died in infancy. : Sarah Margarette. wife of J. M. Wells, also
John Dillingham was born in Bedford of this county; John Logan, a farmer of this county; Josiah P., at home; James S., a farmer of Coryell county, Texas; Lney Lee, wife of G. M. Saunders, a farmer of Travis county: Hiram N., a student at Gin Springs; George Washington and Sudie May, at home. In his political reiations, Mr. Dillingham af- filiates with the Democratic party, and so- cially, has been a member of the I. O. O. F. since twenty-two years of age. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church of Gilliland creek. county. Tennessee, May 22, 1832. At the age of eighteen year- he moved with his par- ents to Lincoln county, that State, and in 1855 ca me to Texas, coming by steamboat to New Orleans, and then by ox teams to Bluff Springs, on Onion creek. He was accom- panied by L. S. Woodward, Brice Dilling- ham, J. B. Kemp and William Brown. and our subject and Mr. Brown are the only surviv- ing members of the party. Mr. Dillingham landed at Bluff Springs with only $40 in money. remained there two years, spent the following two years on Parson Zivley's place, rented land two years at Merrilltown, and for the following five years rented land at Wal- E W. HOLLER, of Fiskville, Travis conuty, is well known as being the most extensive peach-grower in Cen- tral Texas, having an orchard of 6,500 bear- ing trees. unt creek. Mr. Dillingham then moved to his present location, where, after renting the first year, he purchased 640 acres of land, sixty-five acres of which was enltivated. He paid 83,000 down, and the remainder in two Mr. Holler was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. April 2, 1828, son of Peter and Agnes ( Wagner) Holler, who were born, reared and died in that State. Mr. Holler's grandfather, Peter Holler, Sr., also a native of Pennsylvania, was twelve or fifteen year- old at the time of the Revolutionary war. and took an active part in that struggle. The years. Mr. Dillingham was thrown on his own resources at the age of twenty-one years, with comparatively nothing, and he now has 3,000 acres of good land in the counties of Travis. Burnet and Coryell. About 250 acres of the land is nader a fine state of- enl. tivation. Ile has about 1,000 acres of land in Travis county, where he keep- 150 head parents of our subject reared a family of
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eight children, as follows: Peter, deceased; David, Franklin county, Pennsylvania; Sam- uel, deceased; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Elias Clippinger, Franklin county, Pennsylvania; Catherine, widow of a Mr. Harper, Franklin county, Pennsylvania; and Professor Joseph, deceased. The father of Mr. Holler, a farmer and miller by ocenpation, and a man of ex- cellent business ability, died about 1867, and the mother passed away the following year. Both were Lutherans.
E. W. Holler was reared in Pennsylvania. The day he was twenty years old he started West, and the following two years he spent in teaching school and traveling through Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. In 1860 he came to Texas. landing first in Jefferson, Cass county, where he tanght one term. Then he tanght in Dallas county two years, whence he went to Grayson county and there spent two years in teaching and merchandising. Next we find him in Lampasas county, where for fifteen years he was variously employed. In 1857-'58 he was Sheriff of that county. Hle moved to Travis county in the spring of 1866, settling north of Anstin, in the neigh- borhood in which he now resides, and in 1876 he moved to his present farm, six miles from Anstin. At the time he settled here this land was all unimproved. He bought 185 acres, but has since sold off a small por- tion of it. He also owns ninety-two acres about two miles from his home place.
trees. In this orchard among the early varieties are found the Alexander, Early Rivers, Beatrice and Amsden. Among those that come later are the Robert E. Lee, Old Mixon, Early St. John, Stonewall Jackson and Thurber; and of the late ones there are the Crawford Late, Ilale's Late, and several other varieties. From this orchard he sold as high as $1,000 worth of peaches in one year. Ilis average erop brings him about 8700. Ile also has some plum trees which bear fairly well.
Mr. Holler was married in 1857, on the 12th of January, in Lampasas county, Texas, to Lucetta Anderson, daughter of A. W. Anderson. She was born in Missouri and reared in Texas. They have had twelve chil- dren, nine of whom are living, namely: A. P., of Dickens county, Texas; Henry, Lee county, Texas; William, Indian Territory; Robert, Dickens county, Texas; Arminta, at home; Theodosia, wife of Morgan McClain, resides near her father; and Mary, Sallie and Nannie, at home.
Mr. Holler affiliates with the Democratic party. During the past twenty years he has taken a lively interest in political matters, attending conventions, etc., but has never aspired to official position. He served as a member of the Home Guards during the Civil war.
Mr. Holler is a member of the Baptist Church.
In 1883 Mr. Iloller concluded there was money in the peach business, and started his present large orchard, setting out about 3,000 A ARON BURLESON, deceased .- From the writings of Rev. Rufus C. Burleson, of Waco, Texas, the follow- ing is enlled concerning this justly celebrated family: trees the first year and 3,500 the year fol- lowing. These trees began to bear in 1887. since which time the only failure that has occurred was in 1890, and that was when a warm winter was followed in Jannary by a ; " The Burleson family is of Welsh origin, heavy freeze which even killed some of the and derive- its name from Barles, meaning
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a strong man. All the Burlesons in Amer- ica originated from two brothers, Sir Edward Burleson, who located in Jewett City, Con- neetient, in 1716, and Aaron Burleson, who settled in North Carolina in 1726. The lat- ter's descendants have always emigrated south of Mason and Dixon's line, except in one or two instanees. Aaron eame to find his brother Edward, but, not being successful in his efforts, settled in Buncombe. Mitchell connty, North Carolina. He raised seven sons and six daughters. The former entered the Rev- olutionary war, and four perished. Of the three survivors, Thomas remained in North Carolina: Jesse went to Mobile, Alabama; and Aaron started to join his intimate friend. Daniel Boone, in Kentucky, but was mur- dered by the Indians in crossing Clyneh river, Tennessee. He left a large family. of whom Captain James Burleson, father of our subject, was a member.
"Captain James Burleson was the special and confidential commissary of General An- drew Jackson at the battles of Horse Shoe Bend and New Orleans. He afterward located in Alabama, on the Tennessee river, and owned the ferry where the Memphis and Charleston roads now cross. Becoming in- volved with the Indians at that point, the family moved to Missouri, but after a few years returned to Tennessee, loeating in Hardeman connty. From there they came to Bastrop county, Texas, some in 1827 and others in 1830-'31."
the red men. He also fought bravely under him at the capture of the Mexican army in San Antonio. December 5, 1835, and at the battle of San Jacinto. April 21, 1836. In 1838 he returned to Tennessee and married Minerva J. Seaton, who returned with him to his home on the Colorado, through a wilder- ness of 800 miles, riding the entire distance on horseback. They settled at the month of Walnut ercek, in Travis county, where the wife died in 1855. There were six children of Mr. and Mrs. Burleson, viz .: Jolm, who enlisted in the Confederate army, was cap- tured at Arkansas Post, and died in the Union prison of Camp Butler; Jefferson W., of Manor, Texas; Nannie. now Mrs. John Tay- lor, of Webberville; Vollie, wife of Edd Tay- lor, of Austin; and two deceased in infancy.
May 15, 1856. Mr. Burleson married the lady who now survives him, Miss Jane Tanne- hill, a daughter of J. C. and Jane ( Richard- son) Tannehill. The parents were married in Tennessee, came to Texas in 1829, and were members of Austin's second colony at Bastrop, where the father built the first honse in that town. He served in many positions of trust and responsibility, and acquired the title of Judge. They lived there until the " runaway serape " of 1836, and then located in La Grange. In 1839 Mr. Tannehill set- tled on his headright, which joined the city of Anstin on the east. The mother died there in 1855 and the father in 1863. He was a prominent member of the Masonie fraternity. They were the parents of the following children: Francis, who died from wounds received at the battle of Mansfield:
Aaron Burleson, the youngest son of the family, was born in Alabama, October 10. 1815. Coming to Texas with the family in 15:30 or 1831. when a young man. he en- . Cynthia was Mrs. Jedel Minore; Jesse A .. also dured all the trials and dangers of that early deceased; Jane, wife of our subject: and period. He was a brother of the noted ladian William ... of Barnet county. Tive. Mir. fighter. General Edward Burleson, and was and Mrs. Burleson had six children. namely; frequently with him in his expeditions against : Edward, engaged in agricultural pursuits
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near Webberville; Lillie married D. B. neighbors referred their difficulties, and Matthews, also of this city, and died April 2, 1893, leaving five small children; Janie, wife of Robert Deats; Rufus, of Webberville; Libbie, at home; and Tinnie, wife of C. W. Ilill, of Bastrop county. Aaron Burleson died Jannary 13, 1855, near Austin, and his widow now makes her home with her chil. dren, near Webberville. From an obituary notice which appeared in the Anstin States. man the following is taken:
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