USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 13
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D R. WILLIAM PRIMM, deceased, was descended from one of the old, aristo cratic and wealthy families of Virginia. Several members of the family becaine pro- fessional and noted men. A son of Peter Primm, brother of our subject, chose law for his profession, and moved to Ohio when that was a new State, there attaining a position of eminence as a jurist. He served several terms as a member on the United States Cou- gress, and later was an ineminbent on the bench of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
best plantations in the State. After the Texas Revolution Dr. Primm returned to Louisiana for his slaves and personal effects, and after coming again to this State obtained a headright from the Republic of Texas for one-third of a league of land. He soon had his large farm opened. When he first lo- cated in this place his supplies were all brought from Houston. Our subject re- mained on his farm the remainder of his days, dying in 1865. He did not desire to practice his profession here, but as good phy- sicians were then scarce the people for miles aronnd called on him for his services, and he always attended. He would never take pay for such services, and his kindness was ap- preciated by his many friends, and he will be remembered with gratitude for generations. The Doctor's eldest son, James, the only survi- vor of the family, was born in Missouri, in 1820, and remained with his father until the latter located in Texas. He then traveled in differ- ent States and in Mexico, and finally engaged in business in the latter country, where he re- mained until the close of the late war. Since his father's death he has been the executor and manager of the large estate, and resides at the old homestead. The second son, Ga- len, died in 1852. The third and youngest son, St. Jolin, by will inherited his father's entire estate. He was born in Louisiana, in 1834, and received a fineeducation in Ohio. He made many improvements on the old estate, opened a large tract of land, and had he lived would have been very wealthy. In 1867 he married Mrs. Frances M. Inge, a daughter of Owen and Elizabeth Fanst, natives respeet- ively of South Carolina and Georgia. After her father's death, Mrs. Primm eame with her widowed mother, in 1855, to Texas, where she afterward married Mr. Inge. They
The subject of this sketeh, Dr. William Prinun, moved to the then Territory of Mis- souri, where he remained until 1830, and in that year located in Mississippi. He next removed to Louisiana, and in 1835 made a prospecting tour into Texas, where he pur- ehased, of William Barton, the headright of a league of land. The land is located in the Colorado river valley, and is now among the | had four children, two now living: Newton
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HI. and Franklin, both engaged in farming in this connty. Mr. Inge died in the army. and his widow afterward moved with her children to this locality. In 1867 she mar- ried St. John Primin, and they had five chil- dren: Julian B., Varney H., Albert M., Theodosia II. and Estell, - all at home. Dnr- ing his life, Mr. Primm contributed liberally to the education of his children, and his wife is now carrying out his desires. The two eld- est sons are gradnates of the college at Dela. ware, Ohio, and are now engaged ir mer- chandising at Smithville. The third con also attended the same college. The dangliters have attended school at San Antonio and Ans- tin, and a governess is also employed at home. Mr. Primm died in 1880.
In 1881 Mrs. Primm married James Primm, the eldest brother of her former hus- band. They now reside at the old homestead, where they have abont 2,200 acres of land under cultivation. Eighty tenants are em- ployed on the place, and they make from 600 to 900 bales of cotton annually. The family residence, a two story frame building, is sit- nated on an elevated plat, overlooking the en- tire plantation. Mr. and Mrs. Primm have one son, William A.
P ROF. L. R. WALDEN, President of the Walden's Texas Business Colleges in Austin and Fort Worth, was born in Clark county, Kentucky, April 13, 1861, a son of William J. and Mary Jane (Heisle) Walden, who were born, rcared and married in Kentucky. The father, a farmer and mechanic by ocenpation, came to Texas with his wife in order that they might spend their lives with their children, all of whom are in this State. The wife and mother died
February 20, 1892, aged fifty-seven years. The father is now fifty-seven years of age. Both were members of the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Walden were the parents of four children: Adelia, wife of James F. Ragland, of Anstin; L. R., our subject; C. E., local principal of the Fort Worth school; and Robert E. Lee, a teacher in the same school,
L. R. Walden was educated in the primary and district schools of Clark county, Ken- tneky; in the Winchester high school; in the Ogle and Mitchell Colleges, of Lexington, and in the Spencerian Business College at Cleveland, Ohio. After completing his edu- cation he began teaching in Johnston's Com- mercial College and the English Academy, bnt later severed his connection with the latter school and traveled through Kentucky, doing itinerant work in the commercial branches, bookkeeping, penmanship, short methods in arithmetic, etc. Mr. Walden was next identified with the Lake Side Busi- ness College, of Chicago, and in 1886 accept- ed the principalship of the commercial de- partinent of the Capitol Business College, in Austin, under the Presidency of Professor J. J. Anderson. One and a half years later he opened the Texas Business College, which now enrolls abont 300 pupils per annum. In August, 1895, a branch school was estab- lished at Fort Worth, under the name of Walden's Texas Business College, and the Austin school was changed to the same name. They enroll abont fifty pupils, and the curric- ulum includes a thorough business course in bookkeeping, penmanship, business arithme- tie, practical English grammar, mental arith- metic. commercial spelling, correspondence, business forms, commercial law and business ethics. Professor Walden designs the term "business course," in the Walden's Texas
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Business College, to mean a training in all the English and a few special branches, uec- essary to give a well rounded, thorough, symmetrical English education, developing the powers to apply the knowledge.
Professor Walden was married in October, 1887, to Miss Alice L. Phillips. Mrs. Wal- den is a native of Texas, her parents having come to this State at an early date. She was educated in the public schools of Anstin, in the high school, and in St. Mary's Academy. She is a teacher of ability, and has charge of the short-hand department of the institution. Mr. and Mrs. Walden are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in which the former has been a teacher in the Sunday- school. He is a member of the Masonic order,-blue lodge, chapter and commandery, and is J. D. in the blue lodge.
W ILLIAM JUVENAL is one of the prominent poineers of Williamson county, and is entitled to more than passing mention in this counection. He was born iu Vermilion county, Illinois, Septem- ber 22, 1834. When a youth of fourteen ycars his family with some relatives, and other families from their neighborhood, set out on the long journey to Texas. Enoch Oxley, an uncle of Mr. Juvenal, had visited Williamson county a few years before this time, and had been very favorably impressed with the Bushy ereek country; here he bought a considerable tract of land on which Mr. Juvenal was entitled to settle.
This long and weary trip was fraught with accidents and filled with privations. Near Rock Island, Illinois, the Suy bridge fell, precipitatiug three teams into the stream; there were many tedions waits for
swollen streams to fall, and finally sickness and death invaded the little company. The mother of our subject succumbed to the hardships, and her remains were buried at Ashley, Missouri. They finally reached their destination; the country was new, thinly settled and wild game abounded from the jack rabbit to the buffalo. In the spring of 1849 Mr. Juvenal constructed a breaking plow, and using his ox teams with this im- plement prepared much of the land on Bushy creek for cultivation. He next engaged in freighting goods from Houston and distrib- uted them throughout the upper country; this proved a very profitable occupation in which he continued for sixteen years. The approach of the "iron horse," however, de- stroyed this industry, and Mr. Juvenal was forced to retire. Turning his attention to agriculture he began to improve a farin, and with the exception of the years 1869 and 1870 spent exclusively in the cattle business he has devoted himself to agriculture. He purchased his present farm in 1865, paying for the first 320 acres at the rate of $5 per acre, and for the remaining 118 acres at the rate of $15; 300 acres are cultivated by tenants.
James Juvenal, father of William Juvenal, was born iu Ohio, October 15, 1806; he emi- grated to Illinois in. early days, and partici- pated in the Black Hawk war. Although his opportunities for obtaining an education had been poor he surmounted all obstacles in his career as a business man and gained sne- cess in the end. He was a Whig in his younger days, but later became a Democrat. His father, a native of England, emigrated to the united States, and located in Pennsyl- vania; thence he removed to Ohio, and later to Illinois, where he died at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He married Polly
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Canghron, and they had a family of seven children: David, Andrew, James, Josiah, John, Eliza and G. M. James Juvenal mar- ried Dorcas Smalley, a daughter of Benjamin and Polly (Liggett) Smalley, who were the parents of six children: Betsey, wife of Enoch Oxley; Polly, who married Benjamin Pur- cell; Dorcas; Prudy, wife of William Robb; Cynthia, wife of Mike Risinger and William. Mr. and Mrs. Juvenal had born to them a family of seven children: Mary Elizabeth, deceased; William; J. C., deceased; Josialı; Benjamin; John, a resident of Oregon; and Cynthia Ann, who married Bartlet Asher.
William Juvenal was united in marriage, April 27, 1857, to Margaret, a dangliter of G. and Elizabethı (Vineyard) Harris; they are the parents of Mrs. Juvenal, Mary, Mrs. H. M. MeNntt, and John A., a merchant of Hutto, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Juvenal have had nine children: Mary Catharine, the wife of T. W. Bowles; Annie, married to J. T. Goosby; Elizabeth, the wife of J. T. Moore; Emily, married to E. F. Harkins; J. W., deceased, who married Miss Nellie McCor- inick, and left two children; Tobit M., Anstiu, Etta and John are the other members of the family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Juvenal are worthy and consistent members of the Cum- berland Presbyterian church, and have a high standing in the community.
citizens, a full biography of whom appears under an appropriate title in this work.
The subject of this notice was reared in his native place, and in the schools of that place received his early education. Ile fin- ished his collegiate training with a course in the University of Virginia; read medicine and was graduated at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, of New York, in March, 1873. After a year's practice at Nacogdoches he located, in February, 1874, at Rockdale, where he entered vigorously ou the pursuit of his profession, which he has followed actively and earnestly at this place since. Dr. Walker, altlonghi yet a young man, is the pioneer physician of Rockdale, and has attained a position as physician and surgeon not reached by many men of his age. His chosen profession has been the ambition of his life, and success has attended him at every step therein. He is not a specialist in any branch, but has demonstrated his ability in all the branches of medicine. He has been particularly successful in surgery, and is probably best known in connection with his work in this departinent. He is the local surgeon of the International & Great North- ern and the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway Companies, and is frequently called to do fine surgical work in counties adjoin- ing his own. He is a member of the Milam County Medical Society and of the Texas State Medical Association, and is a frequent contributor to the literature of the pro- fession.
D R. A. C. WALKER, for nineteen years a practicing physician of Rockdale, Dr. Walker is in the prime of life, in good health, vigorous in action, and has many years of usefulness before him. His tem- perament is of the vital-sanguine order; his nature is bnoyant and joyful. Life is indeed to him a boon, for he appreciates all of its Milam county, being in point of resi- dence the oldest practitioner of this place, was born in the town of Nacogdoches, Texas, Au- gust 3, 1851, and is a son of Judge Richard S. Walker, deceased, at one time one of Texas' miost eminent jurists and highly respected i privileges and its pleasures. Ile is full of
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jest and humor, and enjoys a good story as well as his breakfast. He is public-spirited and enterprising, and readily endorses any project calculated to stimulate the prosperity of his town and county. Generous and affa- ble, his sympathies express themselves in kindness to his friends, and charities where they are merited. He believes that religion is a matter of conscience, and therefore not to be interfered with, as he believes that politics is a matter of principle in which men honestly differ. While not a partisan, he is a Democrat, holding liberal views with respect to party management, but strict in his adherence to the principles on which the party is founded. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken the blue lodge and Royal Arch degrees, and is Wor- shipful Master of Lodge No. 414, at Rock- dale.
In June, 1879, Dr. Walker married Miss Gertrude Wright, of Rockdale, a daughter of Captain David Wright, who moved from Sardis, Mississippi, to Texas. Mrs. Walker was born and principally reared in Missis- sippi. To this union five children have been born.
L. MORRIS, more familiarly known as Logue Morris, is one of the early set- tlers of Williamson county, having located in his present neighborhood in 1856. The Morris family were originally from North Carolina, and moved into Franklin county, Tennessee, in an early day. Jomi Morris, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina in 1802, and his death occurred in Franklin county, Tennessee, in 1848. He was married in that county in 1828, to Sarah Frame. In 1854 the mother and family came to Texas, spending the first
two years in Travis county, and then located near where our subject now resides, eighteen iniles northwest of Georgetown, at the head of Berry's creek, in Williamson county. It was then a frontier place, wild game of all kinds was plentiful, and an occasional visit from hostile Indians disturbed the peace of the community. This locality is now one of the most prosperous and thickly settled parts of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Morris had nine children: Ellen, deceased; Adaline, now Mrs. Ferguson, of Goliad, Texas; J. L., onr subject; John, of Hamilton county, this State; William, a resident of Taylor; Edward, of Williamson county; Fannie, de- ceased; Ann, now Mrs. Gardner, of Mills county, Texas; and Virginia, wife of John Moore, of Forence, this county. The mother lived with her children after they left home until her death, which occurred in August, 1887.
J. L. Morris was born in Franklin county, Tennessee, February 19, 1832. At the death of his father the care of the family was thrown on his young shoulders, although he was only sixteen years of age, and he assisted his mother in keeping the children at home until they were able to care for them - selves. At the opening of the late war he enlisted in Company I, Twelfth Texas Cav- alry, served in the Trans-Mississippi depart- ment until the surrender, and participated in the battles of Cotton Plant, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, etc. Mr. Morris uow owns one of the finest prairie farms in William- son connty, consisting of 363 acres, 140 acres under a fine state of cultivation, and sitnated on the Lampasas and Georgetown road, eight- een miles from the latter place.
In 1868, in Williamson county, our sub- ject was united in marriage to Susan Moore, a niece of L. Moore, a Texas pioneer. To this
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mion have been born seven children: Sarah, now Mrs. Edgar, of Gum Springs, Texas; J. R., William, James, Clara, Bernice and Susie, at home. Mr. Morris is a staunch Demo- crat, and a member of the Missionary Bap- tist Church.
J HOMAS WILLIAMS, a successful farmer of Williamson county, is a son of Thomas and Tabitha (Williams) Williams. The father was born, reared and married in Indiana, and afterward moved to Scott connty, Arkansas. In 1854 the family located in the eastern part of Burnet county, Texas, on North Gabriel creek. Mr. and Mrs. Williams had four children: Ro- land and James, of Burnet county, Texas; Charlotte, deceased, was the wife of C. C. Steward, also of that county; and Thomas, our subject. The mother died in Arkansas in 1838, when Thomas was but an infant, and the father departed this life in Texas, August 23. 1890. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Christian Church.
Thomas Williams was born in Scott. Ar- kansas, September 25, 1838, and when a boy came with his father to Texas. During the war he was a member of the State rangers, under Captain Bedick, and served on the Texas frontier. He now owns a fine farm of 500 acres, located on North Gabriel creek, twenty-two miles northwest of Georgetown, 160 acres being under cultivation. In his political relations, Mr. Williams affiliates with the Democratic party, and religiously is a member of the Christian Church.
October 25, 1858, he was united in mar- riage with Elizabeth Smart, a native of Mis- souri, and a daughter of B. M. and Emma
(Cox) Smart. Mrs. Williams came with her parents to Texas in 1851, where the father died in 1879; the mother is still living. Our subject and wife have had twelve children, namely: Susan T., wife of Samuel Priest, of Williamson county; Milan, of Burnet county; William, of this county; Josephine, wife of W. C. Baker, of Burnet county; J. R., at home; J. M., a resident of Williamson coun- ty; Emma, wife of W. T. Thornton, of Bur- net county; Charles M., at home; Charlotte, George W., II. P., and Albert B.
D R. J. C. REESE, dentist aud druggist of Cameron, Milam county, is a native of Washita county, Arkansas, where he was born in 1855, and is a son of James Henry and Malinda M. Reese, natives of North Carolina and Georgia, respectively. His parents were mainly reared in Arkansas, inarried in that State and resided there until their removal to Texas in 1870. They set- tled in Milam connty in 1872, after having resided a year in Travis and a year in Bas- trop county. Here the father died Novem- ber 14, 1888, in the sixty-third year of his age, and the mother April 16, 1893, in the sixty-first year of her age. The Doctor is their eldest son, there being but two other children, Joel Samuel residing in Milam county; and LeRoy Zachary, residing in McLennan county.
Dr. Reese was reared mainly in this county and received his education in the country schools. He read dentistry here and attended lectures at the University of Nashville, Ten- nessee, at which he graduated (in dentistry) in 1881. March 20, that year, he married Miss Abbie Womack, daughter of Dr. J. C. Womack, of Cameron, and located in this
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place, where he began the practice of his pro- fession. In 1885 he engaged in the drug business, in connection with his father-in- law, and has since been engaged in it, being now the senior member of the firm of Reese & Sapp. On the organization of the First National Bank of Cameron in 1889 he took stock in that institution, and in January, 1892, became its vice-president, which posi- tion he still holds. He gives his attention exclusively to his profession and to hiis drug business, and for the size of the town in which he is located he enjoys a reasonably good patronage. Modest in his deportment, fair in his business methods, attentive to his own affairs, he is-and his fellow-townsmen so regard him-one of Cameron's most val- uable citizens.
R EV. W. S. LACKEY, a substantial farmer and most highly respected and popular citizen of Burleson county, was born in what was then Marion, now Sequatchie county, Tennessee, July 15, 1830. His parents were John P. and Elvira Lackey, the former of whom was a native of Kentucky, born in 1805, the latter a native of Tennessee, born in 1811. The parents of John P. Lackey were Hugh L. and Sarah J. Lackey, Hugh L. Lackey being a native of North Carolina, where he was born in 1772, and Sarah J. Porter, a native of Kentneky, where she was born in 1784. Hugh L. Lackey was a blacksmith by trade, a soldier in the war of 1812, an office in the State mi- litia, an early settler of east Tennessee, a leader in politics and a popular and prosper- ons citizen. John P. Lackey was reared in his native State; there learned the trade of a
hatter, married Elvira Stone of that State and in 1833 moved to Alabama, settling in what is now Calhoun county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a soldier in the Seminole war of 1836, was a Colonel in the State militia in Alabama, held the office of Justice of the Peace and was a life- long member of the Baptist Church. His wife was a danghter of General William Stone, a prominent citizen of Tennessee, Cap- tain of a company of volunteers in the Creek war, an officer of distinction in the State mil- itia and represented his district in Congress several sessions. The wife of William Stone bore the maiden name of Mary Randle and the children of their marriage were: Teresa, who became the wife of Thomas Pankey; Elvira (Mrs. Lackey); Rebecca, who was mar- ried to George W. Cain; Lonisa, who was married to A. J. Wheeler; Amanda, who was inarried to J. M. Cain; McDonough Perry Decatur; Rhoda Jane, who was married to J. M. Havron; John L. and Spencer C. The children of Hngh L. and Sarah J. Lackey were: Elizabeth, who was married to Will- iam Hnll; Isabella, who was married to Jacob Pearce; Robert William J .; Margaret, who was married to Leroy Bidwell; Jane, who was married to George McKaskill; James M .; Eliza, who was married to Elgin IIntchinson; Henry P. and John P.
John P. and Elvira Lackey's children were: William S., of this article; Sarah Jane, who was married to J. M. Teague; Christopher C .; Mary P., who was married to J. M. Pow- ell; Amanda, who died young; Hugh L .; Margaret E., who was first married to James Burdett, and secondly to J. II. Ford; Eliza, who was married to Joel Arnold; Minado Polk, who was married to Burt Cobb; John L .; and Teresa, who was married to Peter Savage.
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William S. Lackey was reared on a farm in Calhoun county, Alabama, where he was trained to all kinds of farming pursuits and where in the intervals of his labors he re- ceived the elements of a common English education. Hle learned the hatter's trade from his father and followed it a number of years in early life.
January 22, 1856, Mr. Lackey married Miss Martha M. Ghent, a daughter of Dan- iel and Nancy Ghent, Mrs. Lackey being a native of Calhoun county, Alabama.
In 1862 Mr. Lackey entered the Confeder- ate army, enlisting in the Fifty-first Ala- bama Regiment of Calvary, Wheeler's Di- vision, with which he served until his capture June 27, 1863, at Shelbyville, Tennessee. From that date until the close of hostilities he was confined in Federal prisons, spending most of the time at Fort Delaware, on Dela- ware Island. He returned home after the surrender and resided in Alabama until 1869, when he came to Texas and settled at Port Sullivan, Milam county. A year later he moved to Burleson county, where he has since resided.
At the age of seventeen Mr. Lackey be- came converted and joined the Baptist Church. He was under impressions to preach for a number of years and in 1860 entered actively on ministerial work, which he has followed since. His labors have been interspersed with secular pursuits, princi- pally farming, but his time has been given chiefly to gospel work. He has had a num- ber of charges in Burleson connty, which county has been the principal scene of his ministerial labors, having served the church at Providence for fifteen years, the church at Salem for twelve years and the church at Fraimville for five years. During his min- istry he has held a number of revivals, has
baptized over 400 converts, has solemnized the rites of matrimony for about 150 couples, and has probably officiated at a greater num- ber of funerals than any other minister in Burleson county. Ou account of his devo- tion to his church, the simplicity of his char- acter and the earnest interest he takes in his fellow beings, he is greatly admired by all classes of people and especially beloved by those with whom and for whom he has so long labored.
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