USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 51
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
in the war of 1812. took part in the battle of Horse Shoe Bend, was a Democrat in his political views, and a member of the Asso- ciate Reformed Church. Abper Matthews was a son of James and Mary (Doke) Mat- thews. The former, a native of Ireland, came to America in the early part of the eighteenth century, locating in North Caro- lina. He came in company with two broth- ers; one settled in Tennessee, one in Ohio and one in Alabama. The Doke family are also of Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. James Matthews were married in 1766, and were parents of twelve children, six sons and six danghters. The mother of our subject, nee Asenath Henderson, was born in North Carolina, Jannary 3, 1793, and died March 18, 1851. Her parents were also natives of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Abner Mat- thews were married October 12, 1813, and had ten children, nainely: Mary Doke mar- ried R. E. Flaniken, and both are now deceased; James, who served as Sheriff of Travis county, from 1842 to 1848, died in 1869; Agnes H., married Robert Thompson, both now deceased; William H., deceased; John G., a resident of Liberty Hill, Will- iamson county, Texas; Esther HI., deceased; Ezekiel, onr subject; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of B. Payne; Martha M., mar- ried P. A. Monroe, both now deceased; and Robert F., deceased.
Ezekiel S. Matthews, our subject, was born in Manry county, Tennessee, in 1828, but in 1833 moved with his parents to west Tennessee, where he remained until 1840. In 1862 he was employed in the Quarter- master's Department. in the State service, and served nutil the close of the war. Since that time he has resided at the place where he now lives, with the exception of the time between 1884 and 1889, when he resided in
374
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Tehmacana for school advantages. Mr. Mat- thews now owns 530 acres of land, and also town property in Austin and Telmacana. In political matters, he affiliates with the Demo- cratie party, and religiously has been a Deacon in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for many years.
In 1862 Mr. Matthews was nnited in mar- with Miss Julia Saunders, a native of Illinois and a daughter of George Saunders. After the mother's death, the father married Mary C. Breed. a daughter of Jonas Breed. The family are relatives of the Prentice and Ran- dall families of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews have eight children: Mary A., Marshall H., George S., Lu Esther, Julia P., Steele O., Olie H., and DeKalb T.
F. WINGO, of Clarkton, Milam county, Texas, a substantial farmer and leading citizen, dates his residence in the county since 1877. Prior to that, Robertson county was his home for four years, he having lived near Calvert, in that county. His native State is Georgia, his birth occurring Febru- ary 8, 1844. His father, Allen Wingo, was born in South Carolina, about 1807. He was reared on a plantation in that State, educated very little, and at twenty-five, before mar- riage, emigrated to Alabama, taking up his residence in Barbour connty, later in Loundes and Montgomery, dying in the latter in 1872. He was a member of Hilliard's Legion, in the Confederate army, and saw hard service around Atlanta and Lookout Mountain, and was taken prisoner at Richmond, Kentucky, while on detail duty driving a wagon. He was at once paroled and sent home, and did not again enter the service.
The grandfather of our subject was born in Spartanburg district, South Carolina, about 1789, and lived and died there, having been a farmer all of his life. The mother of our subject was named, in her maiden days Sarah Ilaynes; she was a daughter of John Haynes, a hatter by trade. The resulting family are: John, deceased; Thomas J .; Mary, who mar- ried Ed. DePew; Julia, who died in Houston county, the wife of T. W. Cullefer; Martha, who died in Robertson county; and Bettie, who died in Barbour county, Alabama; Mag- gie, who married Ed. DePew, of Cameron; and William Allen, who lives in Milam county, Texas.
In 1862 onr subject enlisted in Company C, Eighth Alabama Cavalry, under Colonel Livingston. The command was one of those lucky ones which was nearly always in some skirmish or fight, constantly trying the mettle of the trne soldier. Our subject participated in the Atlanta campaign, and was at Franklin, Tennessee, and Okalona, Mississippi, Demop- olis and Mobile, Alabama, and at Pensacola, Florida, and was paroled at Montgomery, Al- abania, by General Steele, in May, 1885.
Mr. Wingo did not leave his father's roof until he was twenty-seven years old. Ile en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, but up to the period of his coming to Texas he had not ac- cumulated much. The trip West was made by water to Galveston, by way of New Or- leans. The first stop in Milam county was made near Jones Prairie, where our subject rented land for four years, but in 1881 he purchased 200 acres of his present farm, and his prosperity has made additional invest- ments possible until 310 acres of fine Texas soil are accredited to him on the county tax- rolls, and 125 acres are in a good state of enl- tivation, producing in 1891 fifty-two bales of cotton, and in 1892 forty bales. Mr. Wingo
375
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
also owns a one-third interest in a gin, built in 1885, at an outlay of $800 by our subject. Mr. Wingo believes in raising every article of consumption for the farmer, if possible. Politically, he is a Democrat, but does not belong to the office-seeking kind, having held no office save that of School Trustee.
In December, 1873, Mr. Wingo married Mary Jane, the daughter of John Sharp, an Alabama farmer, who was born in Alabama, and who lived and died in that State. In September, 1875, Mrs. Wingo died, and in December, 1878, the second marriage of onr subject was consnminated with Mrs. Mary Lon Nicholson, a danghter of Daniel Moore, of Georgia, who had been a pioneer to Texas. Mr. Moore married Miss Annie Allday, and reared two children, of whom Mrs. Wingo is the older and the only living one. The fam- ily of Mr. Wingo is as follows: Frank, Mary Engenia, David Allen, Annie, Charlie, Clin- ton, Eva, James Calvin and Alma. Mr. Wingo is connected with the Little River Ma- sonic lodge, and the family are members of the Methodist Church.
OHN M. HEFLEY, president of the First National Bank of Cameron, mer- chiant and in many ways connected with the business interests and history of Cameron and Milam county, is a son of William V. Ileffey, a personal sketch of whom appears else in this volume, to which reference is here made for the facts relating to the ancestral history of the subject of this notice.
John M. Ileffey was born in Henderson county, Tennessee, October 17, 1845. Ile was in his tenth year when his parents came to Texas and settled in Milam county. His boy hood, until he was seventeen, was passed
on his father's farm near Cameron. At that age, May, 1862, he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company B, Brown's inde- pendent regiment of cavalry, with which he served as a private, mostly along the gulf coast of this State, until the close of the war. Returning home after the surrender, he at- tended school for a year at Salado, Bell connty, and then went to work on the farm, where he remained until 1868, at which date he engaged in the mercantile business in Cameron. He is thus one of the oldest mer- chants now in business in this place, as he has, at all times, been one of the most pros. perons. His line is hardware and farming implements, and lie controls a trade reaching to a considerable distance in all directions. In August, 1889, in connection with a nnm- ber of other gentlemen of Cameron, Mr. Hefley organized the First National Bank of this place, of which he was elected president at a later date, which position he now holds. He is also president of the Trinity, Cameron & Western Railroad Company, recently or- ganized, which has for its object the con- strnction of a line from east Texas through central and west Texas, and gives promise of considerable in the way of increased trans- portation facilities to this section of the State. Besides these interests Mr. Hefley has exten- sive real-estate holdings, both in this and other counties, which are yearly growing in valne with the settlement and development of the country. He is one of Cameron's solid men of business and progressive, publie-spir- ited citizens, who interests himself in what interests his town and county, and who con- tributes liberally of his time, money and per- sonal effort to all enterprises tending to stimulate the industry and promote the wel- fare of the contuunity and section in which he lives. A Democrat in whom there is " no
24
376
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
variableness nor shadow of turning," he takes that interest in political affairs that every , at his death left an estate valued at $40,000. good citizen is expected to take, voting with his party on all political measures but giving more attention to the administration of town and county affairs than to the affairs of State or nation, believing that on the successful management of these all prosperity, private as well as publie, depends.
Mr. Hefley has been twice married, having had the misfortune to lose his first wife not long after marriage, she dying childless. Ile married the second time February 22, 1882, the lady being Miss Mary E. Bradshaw, a daughter of the Rev. J. N. Bradshaw, of Georgia, a minister of the Presbyterian Church and an educator of considerable re- pnte in his State. Mrs. Hefley was born and reared in Tennessee, and is a niece of John C. and Neal S. Brown, former Governors of that State. She was edneated in the schools of Georgia, and is a lady of intelligence and refinement. To this nnion have been born one child, Bessie Clare.
A D. TERRY, a farmer of Milain county, was born in Austin county, Texas, in 1862, a son of M. Terry, who was born near Columnbia, Sonth Carolina, in 1800. The elder Terry was reared and edu- cated in his native place, aud at the age of twenty-one years went with ox teams to Ala- bama. After nineteen years' residence in that State. engaged in agricultural pursuits, E RNEST VOGELSANG, an enterpris- ing and thrifty farmer of Milam coun- ty. was born in Oldenburg, Germany, in 1837. He left his native land in 1850. he came to Texas, settling in Austin county, investing his small acemmilations of $2,000 in stock and real estate, and again resumed farming. In 1875 Mr. Terry was indneed to ' with his father. Jacob A. Vogelsang, who be- locate in Milam connty, where he remained came dissatisfied with the German Govern- until death, in 1888. He was very industri- ment of 1848, and songht the United States
ons, possessed of fine business judgment, and
HIe had no political aspirations or military career, having been too advanced in years for service during the late war. Mr. Terry's first marriage was to a Miss Bethnay, and among their children were: Hillard, de- ceased; William; R. A., in Bell county, Texas; Catherine, who married a Mr. Shel- don, and others whose names are unknown. For his second wife Mr. Terry married Miss Jane Bonner. a native of Alabama, who died the same year as her husband, in 1888. To this union two children were born: James M., now residing near Maysfield; and Ahab D., the subject of this sketeli.
A. D. Terry spent his school days in Milam county, and at the age of eighteen years he began farming seven miles east of Cameron, remaining in that vicinity ten years. He then began improving a farm on the prairie about twelve miles north of Cameron, on which he was residing at the time of his death November 18, 1892. Ile was devoted all his life to agricultural pursuits, and met with reasonable success.
Mr. Terry was first married in 1880, to Sarah, a danghter of Jaines Guthrie. This wife died in 1884, and June 20, 1886, he married Morilla, a daughter of Jesse and Emnta (Sheffield) Sherrill. To this second union two children were born: Euda and Floyd.
B17
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
for more liberty and better advantages. The From that time until 1869 Mr. Vogelsang family set sail from Bremen, and landed at ' continued farming, when in the year last named he cinbarked in merchandising with his brother Frederick in Austin county. They condneted a successful business eight years- closing out in 1877. Six years later Mr. Vogelsang purchased about 3,900 acres of land in Milam county, in partnership with his brother, paying from $3.50 to $8 per acre, and later added to this purchase until their holdings amounted to about 5,000 acres. Having divided their lands, the subject of this notice now holds in his own naine about 2,000 acres, all black prairie soil, all of which is fenced and about 300 acres of which is in cultivation. Ile handles considerable stock, principally cattle. A Democrat in politics, he was while a resident of Austin county a Justice of the Peace and County Commis- sioner. Ile is a member of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen. Mr. Vogelsaug married in 1875, Mary, a daughter of Mr. C. Wilkins, and by this marriage has had one son, Frederick. Galveston, Texas, went thence to Houston, where a few days' stop was made until ox teams could be hired to convey the family to Austin county, their destination. The father was trained in one of the colleges of Germany, and after reaching maturity engaged in teach- ing. After arriving in this State he gave up teaching and devoted himself to farming. Ile began on rented land, preferring not to own real estate until he had become satisfied with the country. His confidence in the State soon became established, after which he pur- chased both land and stock, and in a few years became one of the leading farmers of Austin county. Mr. Vogelsang died in Austin county, in 1889, aged eighty-five years. Ilis wife, whose maiden name was Mattie Behrens, was a native of Oldenburg, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Vogelsang were the parents of four children: Dora, wife of Il. Meier, of Anstin county; Theodore, a resident of the same county; Ernest, the subject of this sketch; and Frederick. The mother died in 1878.
Ernest Vogelsang's cdncation was greatly neglected iu his youth, on account of the W M. GILL, County Clerk of Milam County .- Men of intelligence, force of character aud business capacity need no factitions introduction to public favor. They win that favor by their own incrit, and by their merit they hold it. The subject of this notice, although a resident of lack of schools in Texas during his youth. In the winter of 1861, when hostilities had broken out between the North and the South, he enlisted in Company A, Twentieth Texas Infantry, under Captain J. N. Daniel and Colonel Ehnore. The command was organ- ized for service in Virginia, but while wait- Milam county but little more than ten years, has passed the half of that time in one of the most responsible offices in the county, hav- ing been called to it and retained in it by tho free choice of the people. Mr. Gill is a na- tive of Alabama, born in the county of ing for arms the Federals appeared ou the coast, and the new troops were ordered to the defense of Galveston. The battle of that city was the only engagement of importance in which Mr. Vogelsang participated. The coast defense was afterward continued, and Laurens. March 7. 1847. His parents moved the command was retained from Texas service during his infancy to Pontotoc (now Lce) until disbanding at Richmond, in 1865. county, Mississippi, and in that county his
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
earlier years were spent. In Jannary, 1862, before he had reached his fifteenth year, he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company B, Forty-first Mississippi Regi- ment, Hindman's division, Hood's corps, Army of the Tennessee, and for three years following shared the varying fortunes of that command. Ile saw service in Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia, taking part in several of the principal battles of the war. Ilis initial engagement was Shiloh; after that he was in the battle of Perryville, Kentucky; was captured at Crab Orchard, that State, in November, 1862; paroled a month later at Lonisville; subsequently joined Van Doru's cavalry and served with it at Ilolly Springs, Mississippi, and Spring Hill, Tennessee; then rejoined his own com- mand, with which he entered the fight at Chickamauga and was with it at Missionary Ridge and in all the other engagements of the Georgia campaign down to Jonesboro. At that place he was wounded by a severe gunshot through the knees on August 31, 1864, and was disabled from further service, spending the time from then until the close of the war in hospitals at Thomaston and Augusta, Georgia. Returning to Mississippi in June, 1865, he took up his residence at Tupelo, where, February 7, 1870, he married Miss Ella Poole, daughter of William Poole, of Louisiana, and a native of Pontotoc county, that State. In 1874 Mr. Gill came to Texas, locating in Johnson county, where he engaged in farming until 1882, at which date he moved to Milam county. From 1882 to 1888 he resided on a farm in the western part of this county engaged in agricultural pursuits. In November, 1888, in a " free- for-all " contest, he was elected County Clerk of Milam county. Two years later he was re-elected to the same office under the same
conditions, going in each time by a safe ma- jority .- 287 in the first contest and 423 in the second out of a vote of 4,300. In the election of 1892 he was the regular nominee of the Democratic party, and as such was honored again with the office. This simple statement of the facts is probably the best evidence that can be given of his efficiency as a public officer and of the esteem in which he is held as a citizen. The office of county clerk. as every one knows, is an important and fairly luerative one, and for such offices aspirants are never wanting. Mr. Gill, so far. has held it against all opposition, and in doing so he has created no unnecessary enmi- ties nor made promises which he has not faithfully kept. He is a Democrat,-a be- liever not only in the principles of the party, but a stickler for Democratic methods. He has, therefore, never scratched the ticket nor given recognition to any man, whatever his claims or pretensions, unless he was the duly accredited representative of the party. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, the Knights of Pythias and of the Masonic fra- ternity, to which of each orders he has, since joining them, accorded a generous support. He was made a Mason at Tnpelo, Mississippi, in 1869, and belongs now to San Andres Lodge, No. 167, R. A. M., at Cameron, and to Little River Chapter of the same place. Hle was reared in the Presbyterian Church and continues a member of the same.
Mr. Gill is one of eight children born to Charles E. and Eliza Gill. His mother was a danghter of William Allen Milam. Both par- ents were born in Laurens district, South Caro- lina. and were reared in Lanrens county, Ala- bama, to which their parents moved in pio- neer days. Charles E Gill, accompanied by most of his family, moved to Texas in 1569, and now lives at Newport, Clay county. that
379
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
State. His wife died there in 1889, in the sixty-third year of her age. She was a life- long member of the Presbyterian Church, as is also her surviving husband. Their eight children are: William Monroe, the subject of this notice; Elizabeth, now deceased; Thomas Samnel, also deceased; Charles E .; John M .; Susan; Eliza, deceased; and Rebecca. All of these reaelied maturity, were married and had families. Those living are residents of of this State. The subject of this sketch was married, as noted, in 1867. Ilis wife died February 12, 1890, leaving six children: Clarence, Robert Emmett, Allie, Sam, Lizzie, and Mary.
Z P. JOURDAN, another one of the substantial farmers residing in the vicinity of .Sprinkle, Travis county, Texas, is deserving of some personal consider- ation on the pages of this work. Of his life and parentage we make the following record:
Fred and Harriet E. (Baelnnan) Jourdan, his parents, natives of North Carolina and Mississippi respectively, were married in the latter State, whence they soon afterward W ILLIAM M. DUNSON, an enter- prising and successful farmer, aud a leading man in his community, has an attractive rural home northeast of Anstin. moved to Alabama. Abont 1847 they came to Texas, and lived successively in Grimes, Washington and Bastrop counties before coming to Travis county. In Travis county Mr. Dunson was born in Alabama, Decem- ber 20, 1842, son of Sanford W. and Martha (Fanbis) Dunson. Soon after his birth his parents moved to Tennessee, where Mrs. Dunson died, in 1844. The family then re- inoved to Mississippi and located in Tippalı county, where they lived nntil 1855. That year the father and one brother came to Texas, settling in Travis county, in the same neighborhood in which William M. now resides, about eight miles northeast of Ans- they took np their abode near where the sub- jeet of our sketch now lives, and where they spent the rest of their lives and died, the mother passing away March 27, 1881, and the father October 14, 1887. Their family of ten children are as follows: Harriet; George W. and Mary C., deceased; Sallie E., wife of W. L. Giles, Sprinkle. Texas; Aman- da B., widow of D. R. Peyton. Duval, Travis county, Texas; William, deceased: Jennie L., wife of J. C. Maxwell, Austin, Texas; I. B., ;tin. Here, in 1858, the father was married
also near Sprinkle, same State; Z. P .. the subject of this sketch; and Julia E, wife of (). (. Cato, Miles City, Montana.
Z. P. JJourdan was born in Bastrop county, Texas, March 29, 1854, and when quite yonng came with his parents to Travis county, where he has since lived. He was married in March, 1885, to Margaret B. Daugherty, danghter of John and Melinda (Burt) Daugherty, both of Irish descent. Iler father was born in Lincoln county, North Carolina, in 1830, and in 1852 came to Texas, being now one of the substantial farmers of Travis county. Mr. and Mrs. Jourdan have one child, Edward Eugene.
Mr. Jourdan has 460 acres of land, 330 of which are under cultivation, utilized for diversified erops, cotton being his chief production. This property is located nine miles north of Austin.
Fraternally, Mr, Jourdan is an Odd Fel- low and a member of the Woodmen of the World, and politically is a Democrat.
380
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
again to Miss Sarah Flaikin, and here he spent the rest of his life, dying in the latter part of July, 1868. His wife died several years later. He had four children by his first wife, namely: Edmond, who died at the age of six years; Jefferson, who died at the age of two; William M., whose name heads this sketch; James K. P., who lived to man- hood and served in the Fourth Texas Infan- try. in Virginia, during the last three years of the Civil war, and who sickered and died the year following his return home. The second family consisted of three children, one of whom is living,- - Luella, wife of Angus McKean,-living sixteen miles east of Austin in Travis county. Sanford W. Danson was a farmer by occupation and was a man of great industry and good business ability. From varions canses, however, he never aceumnlated much property.
William M. Donson was reared in Texas, and was eigliteen years old when the war came on. He enlisted as a private in Com- pany G, Sixth Texas Infantry, Rhodes Fish- er, Captain. ITis service was chiefly in the Army of the Tennessee. He was captured at the fall of Arkansas Post, together with his entire command, and was taken to Spring- field, Illinois, where he was kept a prisoner for three months. He was exchanged at East Point. Shortly afterward his regiment was consolidated with the Tenth and Fifteenth, and was known as the Sixth, Tenth and Fifteenthi Consolidated Regiment. He par- ticipated in the engagements at Chickamanga and Mission Ridge, and was in the Atlanta campaign, never missing a day from duty. He was also in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. Mr. Dunson was Corporal up to the time of the Kenesaw mountain fight, after which he was elected First Lieutenant. and, the company being without a captain, he
had command of it after that. He led the company in the charge at Franklin, and was in the thickest of the fight. Seven times he was struck with balls. One ent his haver- sack and canteen string, another bruised his thigh, and another grazed his cheek. After that he went around into North Carolina, and had a small engagement at Spring Hill. Ile surrendered at Greensborongh.
After the war Mr. Dunson returned to Texas, and has since made his home in Trav- is county. Ile settled on his present farm in January, 1873, this being all wild land at the time he purchased it, and its present development being due to his well directed efforts. He has 102 acres in his home farm, and 118 acres located on the creek below.
Mr. Dunson was married December 17, 1865, in Travis county,.to Margaret Tweedle. who was born in Arkansas, daughter of Fielding and Sarah (Chaney) Tweedle, and who came to Travis county, Texas, in 1863. They have had four children: Mollie, Leona, Lnella, and Ada. Mollie, the oldest dauglı - ter, married Thomas Blanton, and is now deceased. Mr. Dunson has also a niece in his home circle, whom he is rearing.
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.