USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 54
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Texas, and her death occurred in 1883. They were the parents of eight children, six now living: Lilla Z., wife of M. K. Willis; Catha- rine, wife of Susanna DeBose; L. E., now Mrs. R. B. Hallie; M. II., a resident of Bell eonnty, Texas; Sally J., wifo of B. Harrell; and H. C., our subjeet.
The last named came with his widowed mother to Bell county, Texas, in July, 1858, at the age of nineteen years, and there he remained until after thio elose of the war. In 1861 he entered the Confederate service, in the First Texas Regiment under R. B. IIally and Henry MeCulloch. Their first service was to take Camp Colorado and Fort Shadburn, and then they made a mareh west ovor the plains of Texas, looking after the Indians. Three months later Mr. Edering- ton returned to the Confederate service, en- tering Company E, Eighteenth Texas Cav- · alry, was eonsigned to the Trans- Mississippi Department, and took part in the battles of Cache river, Arkansas Post, Mansfield, Pleas- ant Hill, in Banks' raid on Red river, etc. Ho was never wounded or captured, received but one furlongh during the war, and tho regiment disbanded at Fort Bend, Texas. Mr. Ederington returned home in May, 1865, and two years later he located on liis present place in Williamson county. He now owns 268 acres of land, 100 acres of which is under a fine state of eultivation. His average yield in wheat sinee 1888 has been sixteen bushels per aere, and often it runs as high as thirty- five bnshels to the acre. He has also given some attention to the raising of horses and inules.
In November, 1865, Mr. Ederington was united in marriage to Miss E. S. Denson, who was born in Arkansas, in February, 1843, a danghter of T. C. Denson, She came to Texas with her parents in 1853, settling
on a large tract of land. Our subject and wife have had twelve children, namely: Gertrude, at home; Adell, wife of W. P. Wilson, of Coleman county, Texas; Anna B., at homo; Thaddens II., attending Baylor University at Waco; Walter, Leroy P., Otho, Martha E., Frank and Grace, at home; Maud, deceased, at the age of ten years; and Susie M., who died at the age of eleven months. Eleven of the children were born in the house where the parents still reside, and the re- mainder within one mile of the place. Mr. Ederington was formerly a Democrat, but now takes an active interest in the third party.
ESSE A. MCCUTCHEON, of Rice's Crossing, Williamson county, Texas, was born in Bastrop eonnty, this Stato, Jannary 4, 1842. Ilis father, William Mc- Cntcheon, emigrated to that county from Lincoln eonnty, Missouri, in 1832. He was born on Harper's creek in Davidson county, Tennessee, December 25, 1812, and grew up on the farm withont opportunities for ednea- tion and withont the advantage of joint ma- ternal and paternal advice. At about six years of age he went with his mother from Tennessee to Missonri, where he resided until his coming to Texas in 1832. From the youthful age of fourteen William was thrown upon his own resources, working abont from place to place at from $10 to $12 a month.
In his new Texas home he engaged in the pursuits of the farm and became so satisfied with the country and so confident of his abil- ity to support a wife that in 1834 he retraced his steps to his old Missouri home, where he had left a young lady who had promised that upon his return from Texas she would be
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come the partner of his joys and sorrows. No letters had passed between them during his long absence, and the bride-to-be concluded that she would never again behold the object of her love. A worthy young man in the community offered his hand after a brief courtship and was accepted, the wedding occurring only a few hours before the appear- ance of her faithful William. This was a severe blow and was a loss keenly felt for some time. Mr. McCntcheon returned to Texas in the spring of 1835, and not long afterward the worthy lady with whom he now lives became his wife. He was a conspieu- ous figure in much of the Indian trouble oc- cnrring as long as the red man continued to visit the settlements on the Colorado. He participated in the Brushy creek fight, which lasted from 10 A. M. until dark. The loss of the whites was four men; that of the Indians not known, but it must have been heavy, as the battle ground had the appearance of a veritable slanghter pen. After the killing of the Gocher family the Indians were followed and overtaken and a fight ensued in which three men were lost. The Pecan Bayou fight was also participated in by Mr. Mccutcheon. Here twenty-seven whites were followed and attacked by 100 Indians. The latter, how- ever were finally driven off and without loss to the whites. Mr. McCntcheon enlisted in Captain Bean's company at Troy, Missonri, for service in the Black Hawk war. The command rendezvonsed at St. Charles, Mis- souri, and were ordered to Rock Island, Illi- nois, where General Scott was in command. Black Hawk had been captured and sent to Washington city, and the objects of the Gov- ernment had been accomplished. At Rock Island the troops were decimated by the cholera, bnt Mr. McCntelicon escaped with- ont an attack.
For a nminber of years Mr. Mccutcheon was engaged in wagoning in Texas. IIis teams numbered each six or eight yoke of tine cattle, the trips he made to Houston for goods are almost countless, and the incidents of this experience as told by him are exceed- ingly entertaining. While he was teaming, his wife, with the help of her sons, was sn- perintending the farm, both while they lived in Travis and Williamson counties, and it was to her good management that the pros- perity of the family was in part due. In 1865 Mr. MeCatcheon moved to Williamson county from Lampasas, where he had resided only a few years. He owns a fine farm on Brushy creek and is in a position to spend his declining years in comfort.
The grandfather of our subject was Will- iam Mccutcheon; born in Tennessee in 1790; died there in 1865. He was a prom- inent military man during the Civil war, be- ing a Quartermaster in the Confederate army. He was very enthusiastic in the success of the Southern cause, and while laboring in the field contracted a heavy cold and died. His father, and the founder of this family in the United States, was John Mccutcheon, who emigrated from Ireland. The place of his settlement, however, is not exactly known. He was a prosperons farmer and became a wealthy man, as popular as he was well known. He married in the old conntry a tall, black- eyed and dignified lady, while he himself was stout, short and jolly. One of Mrs. Me- Cutcheon's sisters, "Aunt Polly," became the wife of one of the governors of Tennessee. John McCatcheon's children were Samnel, William, Polly, Ellen, and probably others.
Mrs. McCntcheon was Elizabeth Jane Harrell, a daughter of Jesse Harrell, a pio- neer of Missouri. At a very early age Mrs. MeCntcheon was left an orphan and reared
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by Jacob Harrell. an uncle. The children of this marriage were: Willis, a resident of La- vaca county, Texas; Mary, wife of Jack Jones; John, mention of whom is made else- where in this work; J. A .; J. T .; Sallie, wife of Albert Highsmith, Williamson county; George; W. F., deceased; Fannie E., wife of Tom Evans; Elizabeth, wife of Warren Swindoll; James; Beauregard, a stock dealer in Western Texas; and Jefferson, deceased.
Jesse A. Mccutcheon was fairly educated, and just before he reached his majority en- gaged in teaching. The war coming on he left the school-room to become a soldier. Hle entered Colonel Crisp's regiment, and later on went into the Missouri State service un- der General Shelly. He fought and starved and endured all the privations incident to a four years' war. The winter before the close he went home on a furlough and while there joined a company for service in the Rio Grande country, where he was on duty when news of the surrender reached him. The company broke up at once and young Mc- Cutcheon came back to Williamson county. Hle was then attracted to the stock business and in this he embarked, being interested with his father and brothers. They drove herds north into Kansas, Nebraska and Wy- oming, and followed the business with profit until 1870.
While in Kansas City preparing for a return trip on one occasion, Mr. Mc- Cntcheon remained behind the other men of the company for the purpose of looking np a stray innle and was thus detained in the city a day. Before he had overtaken his party, and while at Westport, men halted him in the road and demanded his valuables. These consisted of some change in a small purse and $1,300 in an inside vest pocket. By Sarah, a daughter of Lewis and Mahala Sher- keeping a striet watch on the fellows, Mr. rill, and engaged in school-teaching and in
Mccutcheon was enabled to ship a couple of pistols from his saddle pockets, and by his bravery succeeded in escaping without financial loss.
From the stock business he went to the farm, where he has continued up to the present time and with marked success. He owns 380 acres of land, 270 of which are under enltivation. In 1892 his cotton crop amounted to 126 bales.
Mr. MeCuteheon was married in October, 1872, to Sue Noble, danghter of E. P. and Sarah M. (Calhon) Noble, of South Caro- lina. Her parents had twelve children, eight of whom are living, viz .: Mrs. John Bennett, Mrs. McCutcheon, Miss E. F. Noble, E. P. Noble, Jr., A. B. Noble, William C. Noble, Mrs. Dr. P. J. Bowers and G. Alexander No- ble. Mr. and Mrs. MeCntcheon are the par- ents of six children: Pickens Noble, Eliza- beth Jane, Jesse A., William C., Sarah Mar- garet, and Jolin Willis.
Politically, Mr. McCntchieon is a loyal Democrat; religiously, a Presbyterian; and socially, an agreeable and popular gentleman.
E. TODD, a progressive farmer and stock-raiser of Milam county, was born in Polk county, Georgia, on the 12th day of Jannary, 1859, and is a son of John Todd, who was born in Anderson district, South Carolina, in 1821. John Todd was the younger of two sons born to Andrew and Olive Todd, who also were South Caro- linians by birth. He was reared in his na- tive State to about the age of twenty, when he emigrated to Georgia, where he married
WS Evans
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
farming, which he followed successfully there till 1859. That year he moved to Texas and settled in Milam county, where he spent the remainder of his life engaged exclusively in agricultural pursuits. He died at his home near Maysfield in 1871. His wife is still liv- ing, making her home with her son, the snb- ject of this sketch. John and Sarah Todd were the parents of eight children, all of whom became grown and all of whom are now living, being residents of this State: These are Eugenia, the widow of N. O. Mc- Cowen of Milam county; Eliza, who was married to J. L. Ford and is now deceased; Harriet, the wife of G. C. Timmons of Milam county; Robert, a farmer of Milam county; Fannie, the wife of J. L. Ward of Leon coun- ty; John Edwin, the subject of this sketch; Jessie, the wife of D. B. Worcester of Milam county; and Daniel D., a resident of Grimes connty.
John Edwin Todd, the subject of this no- tice, was an infant when his parents moved to Texas and settled in Milam connty. Ile was reared in the vicinity of Maysfield, where they took up their residence. He was brought up on the farm and has followed farming pur- suits all his life. His early educational ad- vantages were restricted to the local schools in the vicinity of Maysfield. He assisted his father on the farm until the latter's death, when he took charge of the affairs on the old homestead, which he has successfully man- aged since that date. He cultivates about 150 acres of land, on which he raises an abun- dance of Texas sovereign products; cotton and corn. He has placed the old homestead under a good state of cultivation and has put many valuable improvements on it, these in- elnding a good comfortable dwelling erected at a cost of $1,300, outbuildings and fruit orchards and other conveniences.
Mr. Todd is devoted strictly to farming, never having held any public office or allowed any other pursuit to interfere with his farm- ing interests. In politics he is a Democrat. He is an Apprenticed Mason.
W ILLIAM T. EVANS, of Hutto, Williamson county, Texas, is one of the wheel-horses of the pioneer tribe of this wealthy county. His photograph may be seen along with probably a hundred others, all old connty landmarks, in the Georgetown gallery and in the homes of many of the county's first families.
Mr. Evans was born near Bowling Green in Warren county, Kentucky, December 19, 1822. Ile was there reared, and sparingly educated. When he was eleven years of age, Mr. Evans' parents moved to Tennessee, and within the next five years the father died, and about twelve years later the mother. He did farm work in Montgomery county, being a hand and overseeing hands until 1841, when he went to his brother's in Mis- sissippi, where he engaged in the same busi- ness. He soon after married and bought a small farın near Crystal Springs. There he resided nntil his coming to Texas in 1854.
He became convinced that somewhere west there was a better country than Missis- sippi. Ile started out on the search, fonnd Texas, and the spot on which he wanted to settle, returned for his family, and when he could not sell his little farm just drove off and left it. It was Christmas week, 1854, that he pitched tent on Brushy creek, near where his present handsome residence now stands. The third year he bought 400 acres, at $6.25 per acre, being a renter the first two years. Ilis land holdings now aggregate
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710 aeres in Williamson, Travis and Bastrop counties. For many years after 1854 Mr. Evans was engaged in that common and profitable business, stock dealing. He drove to Kansas and New Orleans and other points, and for four years during the Civil war he was detailed to drive for the Confederate government as superintendent or chief of the squad.
Pursning the history of the Evans family further, we find Elisha Evans to be the father of our subject. He was by birth a Virginian, born in Buckingham county, that State, in 1778. He was reared and educated there, and about the year 1808 moved to Kentucky. Ile was a tobacco farmer and a fine business man, popular in his county and a Deacon of the Baptist church. For his wife he married Judith Ferguson, by whoin he had ten children, as follows: Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of Laniers Bootright; George, who died in Mississippi; Edmund, a resident of Cave City, Kentucky; Robert, de- ceased; John, deceased; Joel, deceased; Mary, the wife of David Gillespie, of Mississippi; Martha, deceased, was the wife of Ambrose Spencer; William T .; Elisha, deceased; and Isaiah.
William T. Evans married Mary Henning- ton, whose father, John Hennington, married Margaret Berry. Mr. and Mrs. Hennington had the following children: Abram; Ann, who married a Mr. Flowers; Margaret, who was twice married, first to a Mr. Gowan and after his death to a Mr. Hewitt; John; Henry; Mrs. Evans; Joshna; and Caroline. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Evans are: Ann, Lovie. Thomas, Mary, Gertrude, Lizzie, Cornillus and Asithenea.
JUDGE E. Y. TERRAL, son of James S. and Aletha Heidelberg Terral, was born in Jasper county, Mississippi, No- vember 13, 1839. Ilis parents were natives of Mississippi, where his paternal grand- father, Edward Young Terral, settled early in this century. The elder Terral was a native of South Carolina, a planter, a man of means and influence, a public-spirited, patriotie gen- tleman. James S. Terral was also a planter, possessed a competence, lived as became one of his position and means and died in his na- tive State, in 1879, at the age of sixty-eight. There his wife, Aletha Heidelberg Terral, also died, and there his children, with the exception of the subject of this notice, re- side. Judge Samuel H. Terral, a member of this family, is a prominent lawyer of Quit- mau, Mississippi, Judge of the judicial dis- trict in which he lives and a man of excellent reputation and fine attaiminents.
E. Y. Terral, with whom this notice has to do, was reared in Jasper connty, Mississippi, in the select schools of which county he re- ceived the elements of a common English education. In April, 1861, he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company F, Sixteenth Mississippi Infantry. He served in the army of Virginia, Ewell's division, Trimble's brigade, with which he took part in the operations about Front Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys and other places in that vicinity until the fall of 1862, when on account of fail- ing health he quit the service and returned home. In 1863 he moved to Texas and shortly afterward again entered the army, en- listing in Bradford's regiment, with which he served during the remainder of the war.
After the surrender he settled on a farm in Milam county and with the exception of two years spent in Mississippi has been a resident of this county since. He was engaged in
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farming np to 1886, when he was elected to the office of County Judge, holding that of- fice by re-election until 1892. During Judge Terral's term of office a vast amount of pub- lie business was transacted before him, and it was uniformly well and faithfully done. The different funds, public and fiduciary, under his control were properly cared for, the county's wards and charges conscientiously looked after and the vexed question of roads and bridges handled economically, and other mat- ters falling under his jurisdiction promptly and efficiently acted upon. The most im- portant of his official acts were those in con- nection with the building of the new court- house. The movement which resulted in the erection of this splendid structure took forin and was carried through during his term of office. As presiding officer of the Commis- sioner's Court and as a member of the com- mittee to select plans and specifications and supervise the construction he was called upon to use his official powers and to exercise his discretion almost daily from the time the agi- tation began until the building was completed. His wisdom and patience were often put to the test, but he bore himself with dignity on all occasions, did what seemed to him at the time to be best, and his condnet has been generally approved by a large majority of the thoughtful and public-spirited citizens of the county. In addition to having served six years as Judge of the county, Judge Ter- ral served as a member of the Board of Conn- ty Commissioners for eight years-from 1878 to 1886-from precinct No. 2. He is therefore familiar with the connty's af- fairs, and an authority as regards things done during the past fifteen years. Indis- try, attention to the details of office, a solici- tnde for the public interest, politeness to those having business before him always
marked his public action. The Judge is a Democrat, and whenever politics have en- tered into a race in which he has been a candidate he has always acted with his party. He is a member of the Baptist Church and has a family.
W ILLIAM H. ASKEW .- Along in the latter part of the '60s, the State of Texas was receiving a class of per- manent settlers, hundreds of young men from the other States, with more energy than money, more manhood than any other com- modity. Among thiese was our subject. He left Alabama, his adopted State, in 1867, in company with G. W. Hunt, a neighbor boy, took np his westward march, overtaking at Montgomery, Alabama, the Anderson and Ellison families, with whom they completed their journey, making their first stop in Washington county. Onr subject worked on the farm of Mr. Hammond for a portion of the crop, while there; and when the agree- ment was executed, not caring to remain longer in the county, he came to Milam county, reaching here in March, 1868, and that season he worked on shares.
The next year our subject bought a seventy- acre tract and cultivated it two years, but having a strong desire to see inore of the State, he sold out the farm and bought a pony, making a tour of inspection over Co- manche, Coryell, Eastland, Tarrant, Johnson, Bell and other counties. HIe then returned to Alabama, where he remained from August, 1871, to February, 1872, when, in company with two brothers, the trip to Texas was again made. The second year here he bought the old site of the Smith land of R. II. Smith, and remained until 1880, when he purchased
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and moved to his present home. This con- tained, at that time, ninety acres, and was owned by J. M. Killen. The profits of the place have been sunk in good black soil as they accumulated, 738 acres being the sum total of his real holdings, 300 acres of which he cultivates. HIog creek runs through the farm, giving it good drainage and an ample water supply. In the management of his plantation, Mr. Askew shows rare tact and good judgment. His home is a model of neatness, and there hospitality reigns, even strangers being made to feel at home while under his roof.
In 1882, Mr. Askew engaged in feeding stock for market, ranging from 50 to 200 head, and his farin stock is of his own rais- ing.
Elective office our subject has never held, but he is Notary Public of his precinct, and is Postmaster of Baileyville, appointed in 1890. In September, 1890, he bought ont C. W. J. Bailey's general merchandise busi- ness in Baileyville. He carries a stock of $3,500, his sales being $8,000 annually.
Mr. Askew is a Democrat. and a leader and molder of opinion in his county. Om subject was born in Georgia, in 1847, and is a son of H. J. Askew, who was born in the same State, in 1816. He received no education, but it was mainly his own fault, as he did not feel disposed to go to school, and became a successful farmer until the opening of the war. He lost heavily, then, and has never recovered. In 1852 he re- moved to Alabama, residing there until 1887, when he came to Texas in order to be among his children. He had been a soldier under Jackson in the Indian war.
The mother of our subject was in her maiden days Miss Eleanor Maddox, and the following children were born of that nion:
James, killed at Atlanta; Joseph W .; Uriah, deceased, and Charlie. Mrs. Askew died in 1862. Two years later he married Mrs. Elliott, the sister of his first wife, and a daughter of William Maddox, of Georgia. By this marriage there were born the follow- ing children: John; Fannie, who married B. P. Bozeman; Benjamin; Sidney and Rob- ert. Our subject married in October, 1887, Miss Mollie, a daughter of Milton Cargill, deceased, from Louisiana. Mr. Cargill mar- ried a daughter of MeClem Taylor. Mr. and Mrs. Askew are the parents of two children: W. Lucian and Gladys.
W. PORTER, an honored pioneer of Burleson connty, Texas, who has con- tributed by his enterprise and worthy character to the npbuilding and welfare of his community, was born in Kentucky, Sep- tember 18, 1836. His parents, Benjamin J. and Matilda J. (Wilson) Porter, were also na- tives of that beautiful and historic State, his father being an old resident of Butler coun- ty. Benjamin J. was of Irish descent, and in his younger days was engaged in school teaching. In 1846 he emigrated with his family to the new and nnsettled country of Texas, making the Louisiana jonrney by flat- boat and steamer up the Red river to Shreve- port. thenee by wagons to Texas, arriving in Burleson county in March. 1847. Here he settled on land which he industrionsly culti- vated and also engaged in stock raising. in both of which he was satisfactorily successful. Hle was strongly Democratic in his political views and took quite an active part in public affairs. He was for many years a devoted member of the Baptist Church. This good man was lost to a sorrowing family and com-
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munity in 1849, his death being widely and sincerely mourned. His faithful wife sur- vived him until October, 1890, when, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years, she also departed this life to rejoin her husband in the great beyond. She was before marriage a member of the Presbyterian Church, but af- terward joined the Baptist Church, in which faith she died. These worthy people were the parents of seven children, six of whom were daughters: Agnes, the oldest, married R. T. Blacklock and resides in Lampasas connty, Texas; Mary married William Thorp, both of whom are now dead; Sally A. mar- ried M. F. Figley, and they are both now de- ceased; Nancy is the wife of Isaac Sparks, a well-to-do farmer and merchant of Burleson county ; Angeline married Cortns Jackson, a farmer of Burleson county, who is now dead; J. W. is the subject of this sketch; Martha is the wife of John R. Frame, a well-known resident of Belton, who is also a Burleson . county land owner.
J. W. Porter, whose name heads this biog- raphy, was the only son and next to the youngest of seven children. He was but ten years of age when his parents removed to this county, in which he has resided ever since. Ile was reared to farming and the stock business, receiving his education in the common schools and at the MeKinzie Insti- tute of Clarksville, to which latter place he traveled on horseback over a distance of more than 300 miles. He continued at home un- til he had passed his majority, and, after his father's death in 1849, helped to care for the family and superintended the home farm.
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