USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 46
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of that year brought his family out and settled them. Four years later-1846 -- he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His life was thus spent on the frontier, and he was a typical pioneer, impatient of the restraints of society, fond of adventure, bold, active, alert, a great linnter, skilled in wood- craft, generons and hospitable. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1871, in the eighty-first year of her age. She was a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart, and left a lasting impress upon the lives and character of her children. Of these there were eight who reached matnrity: William Snel Goodlme, whose name heads this sketch; Temperance who was twice mar- ried, first to John Waites, of Tennessee, and secondly to William Eichelberger, of this State; Margaret, who married L. P. Standi- fer; Greenberry J .; Cary, the wife of John McLennan; John T .; Thomas Benton; and Naney, who was first the wife of James Sampson, and then of B. F. Aekerman.
The only one of these now living is Will- iam Snel Goodhne Wilson, the subject of this sketeh. He was reared in Morgan connty, Alabama, being brought up on the farm. Ile was in his twenty-second year when his parents moved to Texas. He accompanied them, and being the eldest son a large share of the responsibilities of the re- moval fell on his shoulders. What those responsibilities were the average person of this day ean hardly understand. A journey of 600 or 700 miles throngh a practically nubroken wilderness was not to be under- taken withont some thoughtful preparation, nor snecessfully performed withont many vieissitudes and trying experiences. The trip ocenpied six weeks, and Mr. Wilson relates as one of the most cheerless recollections of it that the weather was wretched, rain falling
incessantly from the day they started until they reached their destination. For a week the sun was never seen, and the roads in places became impassable with frozen mind and slush. Upon one occasion a treacherons bridge over which they were crossing a swollen stream gave way, and he with a five- horse team and wagon was precipitated into the waters and narrowly escaped drowning. Similar mishaps and hardships were of daily occurrence.
After the family was settled in Robertson county Mr. - Wilson was busily employed looking after the stoek, erop and negroes. He came with the family to Milam connty in 1842, and settled on the homestead which his father had seleeted. The death of his father soon afterward threw upon him the exclusive management of the place with the additional task of assisting his mother in the rearing of his younger brothers and sisters. He met his obligations in this capacity in a most becoming manner, denying himself many pleasures which were natural and proper for his age in order that he might the more faithfully discharge his duties to those around him and dependent on him.
August 9, 1859, he married, taking an helpmate in the person of Lizzie Ledbetter, a daughter of Isaae and Jnlia Ledbetter, then of Milam eonnty bnt originally from Rnther- ford county, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilson's par- ents moved to Texas in 1853, and took np their residence in this county. She was born in Rutherford eonnty, Tennessee, as were also her parents, -- her father in 1814, and her mother in 1824. These died in Milam connty, the father on March 14, 1861, and the mother on July 20, 1863. Mrs. Wilson is one of eleven children, seven of whom be- came grown, she being the eldest of the number. IIer eldest brother, Henry C.,
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lives in this county; Jennie is the wife of T. A. Porter, of Big Springs, Iloward county, this State; William Horace died in this county some years ago; Mattie is the wife of W. A. Barclay, of Temple, Texas: Ada is the deceased wife of E. M. Scarbrough, of Austin; and Ida is the wife of Dr. E. J. Powell, of Maysfield, this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children of their own, but have raised and educated five. They reside upon their farm, which adjoins the old Wilson homestead about three and a half or four miles south- west of Cameron, where they have made their home for thirty three years. They have a pleasant place and a valuable one, consisting of about 3,000 acres. Their resi- dence is a typical old-style farmi mansion, -- large, commodious and complete in its ap- pointments as a country place, surrounded by spacious grounds, well cultivated fields, and open woodlands, the latter being main- tained in all their original beauty and pictur- esqueness. Blessed with plenty, health, friends and the retrospect of long lives filled with deeds of usefulness and kindness, they could hardly be more happily situated to spend their declining years.
AMES JACKSON, a successful farmer of Milam county, is a son of David Jackson, who was born in South Caro- lina. The latter's father, Edward Jackson, was also a native of South Carolina, a farmer by occupation, and a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. As far back as is known the Jackson family came from South Carolina. David Jackson moved from his native State to Georgia, and in 1852 to Texas. He was living with our subject in Parker county, this
State, at the time of his death, in 1873. Ile was a prominent and successful farmer, a Whig in his political views, and a member of the Baptist Church. The mother of our snb- ject, nee Rachel Brecken, was born and raised in Georgia, a daughter of James Brecken, natives also of that State. Mr. and Mrs. David Jackson were married in 1820, and were the parents of nine children, viz .: Lydia, deceased, was the wife of William Myers, also deceased; Nancy, widow of Alston Mills; William, deceased; James, the subject of this sketch, Indie married James Parton, and both are now deceased; Edward, who was killed at the second battle of Manassas, in the Confederate army; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of Clark Wiems, who was also killed while in the Confederate service; Jolin, deceased, and the youngest child died in in- fancy.
James Jackson was born in Georgia, June 5, 1825, where he remained until 1851. He then spent two years in Bosque county, Texas, and next, in company with his father, pur- chased 738 acres of land in Parker connty. Five years later, in 1858, he located in the northwestern part of Johnson county, and while there enlisted in the Confederate ser- vice, entering the Third Texas Cavalry, under Colonel Sweet, of San Antonio, and Captain Calfee. After four months of service Mr. Jackson was released by the conscript act, but afterward re-entered the army at Dallas, as wagon master, and served until the close of the struggle. He then started on the journey to Mexico, but after reaching Travis county bought teams, and began freighting from Brenham, Columbus, Fort Lavaca and Indianola to the Government post of Jacks- borongh, continuing that occupation abont six years. In 1875 Mr. Jackson settled on the place where he still resides, and for the
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following twelve years, in connection with his farming, ran a milk wagon to Austin. Ile now owns 1573 acres of land, 100 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation, and well-stocked.
In 1841 Mr. Jackson was united in mar- riage with Emeline Cavendar, a native of Fayette county, Georgia, and a daughter of Joseph and Myram (Henry) Cavendar, na- tives also of that State. Our subject and wife have three children: Rachel A., who first married R. A. Meaehum, and after his death she became the wife of Richard Dice, of Travis county; Donha Isabel, wife of J. W. Duke, also of Travis county; and James B., of Brazoria county, Texas. They have also raised a child by the name of Owens, who now bears the name of Jackson. In his po- litieal relations, Mr. Jackson affiliates with the Democratic party, and, religiously, the family are members of the Baptist Church.
C APT. LOVARD L. LEE, a farmer of Milam county, is a native of Barbour county, Alabama, where he was born July 13, 1842. Ilis parents were Needham Lee, born in Jefferson county, Georgia, in 1815, and Emaline, nee Lewis, born in North Carolina in 1819. His people on both sides were among the early settlers of Alabama, moving there in early Indian times and set- tling on what was then the frontier. His paternal grandfather, Needham Lee, was a Virginia planter connected with the great Lee family of that State. Hle served in the war of 1812, and about the same date took up his residence in Alabama, where he lived until his death, about 1850, a prosperous planter and slave owner. Needham Lee, the father of the subject of this notice, married
about the age of twenty, in 1835, and settled on a farm in Barbour county, where he lived until his death, which oceurred in February, 1887. While he was always interested in farming, he was also at different times in life interested in mercantile pursuits and was quite successful. He lost heavily by the war, bnt his energy and good management en- abled him to repair his wasted fortunes in a considerable measure and his declining years were free from care. Although a slave-owner he opposed seeession, believing that a more rational solution of the problem could be found than an appeal to arms. In this be- lief he was probably influenced somewhat by his previous political training and associa- tion. He was a great admirer of Henry Clay and a stanel supporter of Whig meas- ures and principles. For nearly fifty years he was a Steward and Class-leader in the Methodist Church, always taking great in- terest in all kinds of religious work and par- tieularly that of his own church. He was also a Mason and was buried with Masonic honors.
The mother of the subject of this article, Emaline Lewis, was danghter of Elvey and Nancy Lewis, who moved to what in now Barbour county, Alabama, early in this cen- tury, being North Carolinians by birth and of English origin. They were also large plant- ers and people of some means and good stand- ing where they lived. Mrs. Lee died in 1871. Their thirteen children were: Mary, the de- eeased wife Ben F. Petty; Jefferson L .; Nancy, unmarried; Lovard L .; Sarah E., the deceased wife of Carey Lilly; Robert E .; George W .; Virginia, the wife of William O). Drewrey; Needham; Martin Luther, who died young; Joseph G., who died at the age of fifteen; Benjamin F., and Alpheus J. Of those that are living all except three live at
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Louisville, Alabama: two of these three, Jefferson L. and Lovard L., being residents of Milam connty ; and Benjamin F., the other, a practicing physician of Temple, Bell county, this State.
Lovard L. Lee was reared in his native county in Alabama, growing up on his father's farm. He received the benefit of a good English education. At the opening of the late war he entered the Confederate army, enlisting April, 1861, in Company E, Seventh Alabama Infantry, with which he served until just before the battle of Shiloh, when, his regiment having been disbanded, he returned home and shortly afterward enlisted in Com- pany A, Forty-fifth Alabama Infantry, with which he served till the close of the war. He was elected Lieutenant of his company and was later promoted to the Captaincy of it and commanded it during the last days of its service. He was three times wounded, first at Peach Tree creek, again on July 22, 1864, before Atlanta, and last at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee. He was shot through the body at Atlanta and through the foot at Franklin, both serious wounds at the time, but neither of which kept him for any con- siderable length of time from active service. He was captured at Macon, Georgia, just at the close of the war, but immediately paroled and thus escaped the horrors of prison life. Ile returned to Alabama after the surrender and took up farming on his father's place, which he followed there for ten years. IIe came to Texas in Jannary, 1875, and Novem- ber 2. 1875, he married Mrs. Mary S. Grubbs, the widow of Samnel J. Grubbs, of Barbour county. He settled in Grimes county, where he lived about ten months. He then moved to Milam county, locating where he now lives, near Thorndale, which has since been his home. He owns a farm of 137 acres, | dered the State great service, hanling ammu-
100 acres of which is in cultivation, besides other real estate in Thorndale, this repre- senting his earnings since coming to the State.
Captain Lee's wife, like himself, is a native of Alabama, having been born in Jackson county, that State, March 22, 1847. She is a daughter of William T. and Malinda ( Vault) Gunter, who were born and reared in Ala- bama, the father in Jackson county and the mother in Madison county. Captain Lee and wife have had one child, Lovard L., born August 26, 1877, in Milam connty, Texas, and Mrs. Lee had one by her former mar- riage, Aminie J. Grubbs, born August 22, 1874, in Grimes county, Texas. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, of which he was Steward in Ala- bama and has been Superintendent of Sun- day-schools in this State. Captain Lee has been a Mason since he was twenty years old.
R C. McLAREN, a prominent citizen of Coupland, Williamson county, Texas, was born in Lawrence county, Tennes- see, October 24, 1834. IIe was reared and educated in his native State, and at the age of twenty came to Texas and located in Travis county. There he engaged in farm- ing and continued this occupation until fif- teen years ago, when he removed to William- . son county and established a ranch. Upon going to Travis county he hired himself ont for a year, and at the end of that time se- cured a position as overseer, receiving as compensation $50 a month. After several months he was married, and during the five years following this event he farmed on rented land. During the Civil war he reu-
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mition and other supplies from Mexico to the ; the Civil war, without military record. llis Brazos river. He was twice sworn into the' Confederate service, first into the company commanded by Captain " Wash " Hill of Ans- tin, and secondly into that of Captain Petty of Bastrop; but neither of these companies was mnstered into the regular service as they were then organized. When the news of the surrender reached Mr. McLaren he was en- gaged in transporting bacon from Mexico to the Brazos river; he yielded readily to the inevitable, and resumed his agricultural por- suits in Travis county. Ile located in Will- iamson connty for the purpose of improving a portion of the Moore leagne, to which his son was heir, and this he has well-stocked with both cattle and sheep. He is giving especial attention to the finer grades of ani- mals, and has done much to clevate the stand- ard in this section. In his flock it is a com- mon occurrence to find an animal that will shear twelve and a quarter pounds, and he has one fine bnek that yields a fleece of thir- ty-three and a quarter pounds. His total clip front 800 head averages 6,000 pounds ammally.
Politically Mr. McLaren is of the Demo- eratie persuasion, but his interest in public affairs extends scarcely beyond the exercise of his right of franeliise.
father, John McLaren, was a native of South Carolina; he emigrated to Tennessee early in the present century, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812; he died abont the year 1845. His wife, Miss Makemson, was of Irish descent, and one of a family of twelve daughters; the sons and daughters of this union were: Daniel, Jolin, Robert, Polly, G. W., James and Betsey. G. W. McLaren married Sophia Beck, a danghter of Jolin Beck and one of the following named chil- dren; Orrin, Jeffrey, Aaron, William, Fan- nie, Meddie, who was the mother of General N. B. Forrest; and Sophia. The children of G. W. McLaren and wife were: Mary, who married Z. B. Crook; M. E., who married Miss Gilliland; John, who died in early life; William, who wedded Miss Parker; R. C., the subject of this notice; George W., who married Miss Gober, died while serving in the army; Frank, who died in the army; Aaron, who died in Tennessee; Lee, who died in Palo Pinto county, Texas; James K. P., who is engaged in the cattle business in Texas. R. C. McLaren married Ann Moore, a daughter of T. A. Moore; three children have been born to them: Laura (deceased), wife of W. T. Brown (see sketch); Willie (deceased), and Frank, who resides with his father.
G. W. McLaren, the father of R. C., was born in Lanrens county, South Carolina, in 1801. Ile was very snecessful in business, following agricultural pursuits; he was a finished scholar, having seenred a thorough M RS. EMELINE N. SNIVELY, wife of II. F. Snively, of Rockdale, comes of one of the historic families of Texas. being a daughter of Patterson Rogers. who together with his eldest son met a tragie death in one of the thrilling episodes not un- common in the early history of the State. education at West Point, Tennessee; he was a foreible speaker, possessed the conrage of his convictions, and his opinions in the conn- sels of his party were considered of great value. He was solicited time and again to become the Democratic candidate for Con- gress, but steadily refused. He died during Patterson Rogers started with his family
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from Lowndes county, Alabama, to join the struggling colonies in Texas in the early spring of 1836, but reached the Lonisiana State line just at the time of the " runaway," when the families of the settlers were ordered back from the frontier by General Houston, to escape possible massacre by Santa Anna's army. Ile stopped near Fort Jessup, Louis- iana, intending to remain there only until the termination of hostilities with Mexico, when, if the colonists were successful, he expected to take up his residence in Texas. IIe con- tinned to live at Fort Jessup, however, until 1846, when with the general movement to the southwest of citizens and soldiery he came to Corpus Christi, sending his family in care of his oldest son, Anderson W., by water and coming overland with four of his sons.
At Corpus Christi, he joined an expedi- tion on April 25, 1846, which had in charge a wagon train loaded with important stores for the Second United States Dragoons then stationed at Point Isabel and Fort Brown. In this expedition he was accompanied by two of his sons, Anderson W., his oldest boy, and William L., the third. The party was made up mostly of men and youth, there being only two women in the number, a Mrs. Atwater and a Mrs. Lafferty, the former of whom had her two small children with her and both of whom were accompanied by their husbands. This little party, important as its mission was, had no guard and was but poorly supplied with arms. The reason for this possibly was that two or three detachments of the United States army was between it and the Mexican lines, and its members felt that there was no especial cause for vigilance on their part. But in this, as is often the case in " time of war," appearances were deceptive. On the evening of May 1, just as the party was go- ing into camp at the ford of the Colorado, on
the road from Corpus Christi to Fort Brown, having crossed the Little Colorado river and proceeded abont four miles, they were snd- denly surprised by a band of Mexicans, who surrounded them and demanded their sur- render. Some of the party were for making a resistance, but others who were supposed to be wiser in counsel prevailed and the party surrendered, stipulating that they should be treated as prisoners of war by a civilized nation. The Mexicans, treating this obliga- tion as they are accustomed to treat such ob- ligations, immediately bound the prisoners with cords by twos and marched them back on the run four miles to the river. They were made to wade to the opposite shore, then marched up the bank about 400 yards, where they were divided into three divisions and marched one division at a time to the bank of the river out of sight of the others, and made to kneel. A burly Mexican with a large knife passed along the line, and, taking each of the prisoners by the hair, threw the head back and cut his troat from ear to ear! Others followed him, and, entting the cords so as to loosen the bodies from each other, cast them into the river. This was done with each one of the men. The women and two children were subsequently murdered, their last resting place not being known. Life was not extinct in all of the bodies cast into the Little Colorado, as was supposed, by the Mex- icans. An Irishnan, whose name is not now remembered, and the younger of the Rogers boys, William L., were destined after suffer- ing untold hardships to escape from that try- ing ordeal. The Irishman crawled up into an excavation made by tide-water next to the bank over which he was pitched, and thus hidden from view remained until the Mexi- cans were gone, when he escaped to the Amer- ican settlements. Young Rogers swam
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and waded to the opposite bank and clambered out. Seeing that the Mexicans were watch- ing him and knowing that they would follow and complete their bloody work if he remained long on foot, he staggered around for a few minutes and then fell to the ground, where remained motionless until all was quiet.
It was abont sundown, and hearing the cannon at Fort Brown and believing that he was the only survivor of the party, young Rogers staggered to his feet and started in search of the fort. Ile had been stripped of all his clothing by the Mexicans, and in this condition, weak from loss of blood and with no knowledge of the conntry, he began his wanderings. For three days and nights he wandered around, subsisting. on berries and water, but hardly able to get enough down his throat to sustain life. To protect his body from the sun's rays he covered it with innd and kept mnd piled on his head. The mosquitoes were so bad that he frequently had to crawl into pools of water to escape their torture. The gash in his throat was filled with serew worms! On the fourth day he came on a Mexican ranch, where from a vacant " jackal " or hut, he succeeded in at- tracting the attention of an old man who came to his relief, bringing him clothing, after which he was taken to the honse, his body bathe and a pallet given him on which he lay down to rest.
general stoekade and placed in what was called the " Red Prison," which it was under- stood and used only for those who had been decreed to be shot. In a short time an ex- change of prisoners took place between the Mexican and American anthorities, when all of the Americans were exchanged except young Rogers. The released prisoners, not seeing him, made inquiries about him, and getting no satisfaction thought that some- thing was wrong and reported the case to General Twiggs, who was in charge of Fort Brown. General Twiggs knew young Rogers' father and at once took a personal interest in the son's case. He sent a flag of truee to Mata- moras to inquire whether all the Americans had been released, and received the answer in due time that they had. He then sent for his informant, and questioning him elosely as to the ciremmstances of young Rogers' capture and treatment satisfied himself that the prisoner was being held to conceal the bloody work of Mexican banditti and made np his mind to have the prisoner at any cost. He accordingly senta second flag of truce to the Mexican commandant at Matamoras, asking him to make a thorough search for another American, who he thought had been over- looked; but he received the same answer as before. He then sent a third deputation, giving an accurate description of the prison er, his name and the circumstances attending his capture, and notifying the Mexican authori- ties that nuless the young man was fortheon- ing withis a specified time he would open fire at once on the eity and batter it to the ground. The prisoner was immediately produced and delivered to his friends.
He remained with the Mexicans until he had in some measure regained his strength, when he was taken to Matamoras and turned over to the Mexican anthorities of that place as a prisoner of war. Here he met a number of his Fort lessnp acquaintances, who were confined as prisoners of war, and to whom he William L. Rogers died at Corpus Christi December 17. 1877, a wealthy and highly honored citizen. At the time of his death told his story and who were mich moved by his sufferings. llis story becoming known also to the Mexican4, he was taken out of the | he was the Representative of his county in
feb. Pinny
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the State Legislature, and had been vice- president of the Corpus Christi, San Diego & Rio Grande Railroad Company. The par- ties that did the bloody work here related were known to the Americans, being residents of Reynosa, Mexico, and the three surviving Rogers brothers and their friends did not let any of the number escape. The death of father and brother were fully avenged.
(UDGE J. S. PERRY, Mayor, capitalist and a representative citizen of Rock- dale, Milam county, is a native of Ken- tneky, of which State his people were early settlers, moving there from Virginia during the latter part of the last century. They lived in the central part of the State, in what is now Scott and Woodford counties, being in the heart of the " Blue Grass Region." In that locality his grandparents took up their residence at an early day, and there spent their subsequent lives. His father, Milton Perry, was born in Scott county, and his mother, whose maiden name was Isabella Morrow, in Woodford county. They were reared and married there, and moved to Mis. sonri in 1842, from which State after a resi- dence of abont ten years, they came to Texas, in 1853. They are still living, the father being now in the eighty-fifth year of his age, and the mother eighty-three. Of a naturally vigorons constitution, they have led temper- ate, industrious, well ordered lives, which has contributed in a large measure to their great age. Both have been members of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church for many years, and have lived lives consistent with their profes- sion as church members. Six children have been the issne of their marriage, one danghter and five sons. The daughter and one son
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