USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 14
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Mr. Lackey and wife have had born to them the following children: Ida, who died at the age of thirteen; Kittie, who was the wife of Rev. J. C. Combs, a minister of the Baptist Church; Elva; Daniel, who died at the age of fourteen; Nora; William Charles, Earnest, Henry and Emma, the last dying in infancy.
In 1853 Mr. Lackey joined the Masonic fraternity and has been an active member of the order since.
OHN NEWSOM .- In the year 1855, in a period of general industrial activ- ity, and at a time when Texas was receiving large accessions to its population from the older States, there arrived in the lower Brazos country a well-to-do planter from Georgia, named Joeday Newsom, who settled with his family and the slaves who accompanied him, in Washington county, then one of the wealthiest and best known sections of the State. Five years later he moved to Brazos county, and still later to the Brazos bottoms of Burleson county, where he purchased 1,000 acres of land on which he located, and which he began to reduce to enltivation. The opening of the late war stopped to a considerable extent his opera-
Grene Seus
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tions, not only because it demoralized his slaves and rendered inefficient their labor, but because he was called away to the service and kept from home most of the time until the closing months of the great struggle. He died just before the close of hostilities in 1865 from sickness, being at home at the time. ITis eldest son, Jesse, had died in the Confederate service, so that surviving the father were a widow and five children. The widow lived until July, 1891, when she too passed away. The eldest child of the family was a daughter, Sallie, who is now the wife of Tom Goodwin and resides at Bryan; the eldest son after the death of Jesse, was John, while the four younger members were Robert, a Burleson county farmer, - Mary, Olivia and Joeday.
John Newsom was born in Washington county, Georgia, August 11, 1849, and was in his sixth year when his parents moved to Texas. His boyhood was passed in Washing- ton and Brazos counties and his youth in Burleson. He had the benefit of good edu- cational advantages, attending school at Inde- , pendence and at Waco. He took charge of affairs on the farm after growing up and addressed himself to the task of putting things to rights on the old homestead and to assisting in the proper training of his younger brothers and sisters. Having thus early been brought into contact with the practical affairs of life, he learned to rely upon himself and to put into use all the knowledge he had acquired at school, and all he had picked np at intervals around home on the farm. Mr. Newsom has been engaged continuously now for twenty-four years in farming, at which he has met with exceptionally good success, being accounted one of Burleson county's largest, thiriftiest and most snecessfal farmers. IIis place consisting of 500 acres, lying in |
the famous Brazos bottoms, and nearly all of which is in cultivation, producing abont 300 bales of cotton annually, and yielding suffi- cient grain to support stock and run it success- fully without resorting to other resources. Mr. Newsom also owns and conducts during the ginning season a steam gin, which receives a liberal patronage and is a source of some revenne. Being somewhat isolated from the rest of the world and a man who believes strongly in the maxim of minding his own business, he has never actively engaged in public matters, having held no offices nor taken any part in political wrangles. He votes the Democratic ticket on all occasions, and believes in good government and the strict enforcement of the law and the obser- vance of order, to the maintainance of all of which he lends his aid actively and by ex- ample. Mr. Newsom is unmarried.
M RS. IRENE LEWIS, widow of George R. Lewis, is one of the pio- neer women of Texas. She was born in Blonnt county, Alabama, Septem- ber 16, 1821, danghter of John and Molly (Holt) Ryan. Her father and mother were natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respect- ively, and were married in Kentucky. Her grandfather, William Ryan, a native of the Emerald Isle, came to America and located in Virginia, where he reared and educated his children. John Ryan, father of Mrs. Lewis, came to Texas in 1832, as a member of Captain Bean's company, and died at Fort Gibson the following year.
The subject of our sketch was mainly reared in Johnson county, Arkansas, where she was married, April 4, 1839, to George R. Lewis, with whom the joys and sorrows
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of her life were blended until his death. Mr. Lewis was born in Tennessee, Jannary 2, 1812, and was reared in his native State. Ile was a son of William Lewis, a native of Vir- ginia and by occupation a blacksmith, which trade he followed in connection with farm- ing. He owned many slaves and was a wealthy and prominent man. George R. Lewis was a natural mechanic. He could make almost anything out of wood or iron, and did his own work of that kind on the farm, as he was engaged in farming all his life. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis removed from Arkansas to Texas in 1852, arriving in Burleson county on the 1st of June. Their family at that time consisted of six children. They brought with them their slaves, some stock, etc , and here in this county Mr. Lewis developed two farms. He sold his first farm and some slaves and was swindled out of the proceeds. This loss so worked on his mind that it distracted him and led to his death by snicide in March, 1860. At the time of his death he had 350 acres of land. which he left to his widow and children. Under these sad circumstances Mrs. Lewis took upon herself the management of the farm and the rearing of her large family of children. These she raised, educated and kept together until one by one they married and left her, and as they settled in life she gave each one of them a start. All of her nine children grew to adult years. They are as follows: Sarah, who was twice married, and who died leaving an only child; John R., a resident of Nolan county; Christianna, wife of l'aul R. Valentine, is deccased; Jemmie, who died at the age of twenty-two ummarried; Maggie, wife of James Lewis; Lou, wife of Silas Valentine; George A .. a prominent farmer and stock- raiser of Burleson county; Alice, wife of Taylor Keene, a resident of Alabama; and
Willie, wife of James W. Winn, of Tom Green county, this State. Mrs. Lewis has fifty grandchildren. All of her family oc -. enpy honorable and useful positions in life. Iler son-in-law, Mr. Lewis, now has charge of her farm, and he and his family reside with her at the old homestead.
The religions connection of the family is with the Baptist Church, Mrs. Lewis having belonged to this church since 1854, and hav- ing raised all of her children under its influ- ence, and to it one of hier sons and all of her daughters and sons-in-law belong.
P. SMITH, a well-to-do farmer and stock-raiser of Burleson county, was born in Broome county, New York, October 2, 1824. His parents were Neomiah and Ruth Smith, who wore natives of Massa- chusetts. He was the fourth-born in a fam- ily of six children, and the only one of that number who, so far as is known, ever became a resident of this State. Mr. Smith had a varied experience when a young man. leaving home at an early age, since which time he has lost sight of his people, and in conse- quence knows but little of them. His father being a woolen inannfacturer the son was tanglit that trade, spending most of his youth in the factory and receiving but little educa- tion. At the age of twenty-one his father gave him 85, and, telling him that he was now master of a good trade, suggested that he strike ont and begin the serious duties of life for himself.
Young Smith's first trip was to Baltimore, Maryland. He had been at that place only a short time when he decided to visit an uncle in Michigan. A few months were spent in that State, when he went to the lumber
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regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin He remained there abont four years, after which he went to St. Lonis, and then to New Orleans. Ile was in New Orleans in 1850, and, the " gold fever " then raging through- ont the country having seized him, he started for the Pacific coast. The trip was made by steamer by way of Panama, and he landed in San Francisco in March, 1850. Hle mined only a few months, when he turned his at- tention to the live-stock business: buying and selling butchers' stock, mainly cattle and sheep. IIe made considerable money at this, but in 1853 lost nearly all he had accumu- lated up to that time by an unfortunate venture in the sheep industry. He was in no wise discouraged, however, and by patient industry and good business management was soon on his feet again. In 1856 he con- ceived the idea that there was considerable money to be made buying and driving cattle through from Texas to California, and came to this State that year in company with a friend, Henry Harrison, for the purpose of trying his fortune in this business. But be- fore the enterprise had been got well under way Mr. Harrison died, and this caused Mr. Smith to change his plans. He decided to locate in Burleson county, and, establishing himself here, was soon engaged in handling cattle on a large and profitable scale. Ilis business, like everybody's else, suffered se- verely during the war, so much so that by 1862 his bunch of cattle had dwindled to half what it was before the opening of hostilities. Ile sold out what was left and entered the Confederate service, where he remained until the war was over.
Having married in 1859 Mr. Smith bought. in 1866, a tract of land consisting of 350 acres, on which he settled and turned his at- tention actively to farming and stock-raising.
The " flush times " following the close of the war, when all kinds of agricultural products sold for good prices and fortunes were easily made in cattle, brought Mr. Smith much prosperity. His aecminlations were regu- larly invested in good bottom land and in stock, and in this way he laid the foundation of the snecess which has come to him in later years. Ilis real-estate holdings at this time amount to 2,600 acres, 1,500 acres of which are under fence. His ranch is well stocked and a small portion of it in cultivation. IIe has been devoted to his business interests ex- clusively, never having held any office but that of Constable, which he accepted and the duties of which he discharged for a number of years as a matter of accommodation to his neighbors and fellow-citizens. He is a Democrat in politics, having cast his first Presidential vote for Lewis Cass in 1848, and having affiliated with the Democratic party since.
Mr. Smith's wife's maiden name was Eleanor Milam, she being a daughter of John and Levicie Milam and a native of Tennessee, where she was born February 29, 1824. At the time of his marriage to her she was the widow of Drury Miller. Mrs. Smith came to Texas in 1843 with her first husband, settling in Burleson county, where he died in 1858. By her marriage to Mr. Miller Mrs. Smith had five children: Josiah, Liphns, Charles, Mary A. and John, only one of whom is now living, Mary A., the wife of A. Isbell. By her marriage to Mr. Smith she has had two children: Eliza, now deceased, and George I.
This brief biography gives only the out- lines of an active, varied and successful career. In what is here said there is hardly a suggestion of the vicissitudes through which Mr. Smith has passed. Life with him has
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been a struggle from early manhood. and he has seen it as only those see it who are brought in daily contact with its rugged forces and its blighting uncertainties. He has experienced it through all the changes of prosperity and adversity. He has lived among all kinds and conditions of men; has had to do with all degrees of intelligence and honesty; has followed many pursuits under varying conditions and in widely scattered localities.
ROBERT GROCE, another one of the prosperous farmers of Burleson county, Texas, residing near Tunis, was born in northern Mississippi, November 12, 1842, and was reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving only a limited education. He remained with his parents until thic war came on, and in 1862, at the age of eighteen, entered the Confederate service as a member of Company A, Twenty-ninth Regiment of Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to the Army of Tennessee. He was in some hard-fought battles and many skir- mishes. At Lookout mountain, November 24, 1863, he was captured and carried to Rock Island, Illinois, where he was held a prisoner until March, 1865. He was then exchanged and sent to Richmond, Virginia, where he received a thirty-days' parole, and before he reached home Lee surrendered. During all his service he never received a wound.
After the war Mr. Groce remained at home until 1869, coming in December of that year to Burleson county, Texas. Here for two years he rented land. Then he bought 200 acres where he now lives, then all in woods, and to his original purchase he has
since added until he now has 354 acres. Hc has a good house and other substantial im- provements, and has eighty acres under fence llis chief crops are cotton, corn and oats, and he gives considerable attention to the raising of cattle, horses and hogs, hiring hands to carry on his farming operations.
Mr. Groce is a son of John J. and Mary (Nix) Groce, of Tennessee. The Groce family originated in Germany. John J. Groce took a prominent part in local affairs, and was well known and highly respected. He was Captain of a military company at an early day, and for many years served as a Justice of the Peace. By trade he was a mechanic, and he also carried on farming operations. His wife died in 1861, and from time to time his family of children settled in homes of their own until in 1882, left alone, he came to Texas to reside with his son, the subject of this sketch, and here he died the following year. He reared four children, the third born being J. Robert. Only two of the number live in Texas, Mr. Groce having a widowed sister, Mrs. Scott, in this State. One brother died in the army.
Mr. Groce has been twice married. In 1867 he wedded Miss Mary Ivry, a native of Alabama and a daughter of J. J. and E. J. Ivry. Her parents came from Alabama to Texas in 1871, and settled in this county, where her father died in February, 1885. Her mother is still living. Mrs. Groce dicd February 12, 1878, leaving two chil- dren, viz .. Lela, at home; and Emma J., wife of T. L. Homes, a farmer and stock-raiser of Burleson county. May 13, 1880, Mr. Groce married Miss S. A. Alderman, who was born in Mississippi, October 21, 1854, and reared in that State. Of her parents, James and Mary E. (Sanders) Alderman, we record that the former was a native of North
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Carolina, and died of sickness while in the service of the late war, in October, 1862; that the latter was married again, came to Texas with her family in 1878, and is still living. Mr. Groce and his present wife have three children, namely: Jennie Mabel, born February 14, 1883; Roger Q., July 22, 1885; and Seth Shepard, September 12, 1888.
Mrs. Groce is a member of the Baptist Church, as also was Mr. Groce's first wife. Fraternally, Mr. Groce is a Mason. Ile votes with the Democratic party, and while he takes an active interest in politics does not aspire to official position, always lav- ing declined to hold office when solicited by his friends to become a candidate.
APTAIN J. W. RAGSDALE, an en- terprising and successful business man of Tunis, Burleson county, Texas, is a good type of the genial Southern gentle- inan.
He was born in Mississippi, July 8, 1841, and was reared on a farin, his early boyhood days being spent chiefly at Aberdeen. He is descended from prominent and respected families of Mississippi aud is connected with some of the most distinguished families of Texas. His parents were Daniel W. and Naney H. (Greer) Ragsdale, and his father was a native of North Carolina. His grand- father Ragsdale came to this country from Scotland and settled in North Carolina, where, while serving as Sheriff of his county, he was killed. Daniel W. Ragsdale was a planter all his life and was a prominent man in his day. The Captain's mother was a daughter of Henry Greer, who was of Scotch- Irish descent, and who was first a resident of Georgia and afterward of Mississippi, where
he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. The parents of our subject had a family of eleven children, as follows: Mary, wife of Dr. Richard Harrison; Susan, wife of C. F. Gates, Mr. and Mrs. Gates both being de- ceased; Ruth T., wife of A. H. Davidson, both deceased, he having been killed in the army; Jane, wife of Major J. W. Wicks, both now deceased; Lucy, first wife of Colonel M. W. Sims, a wealthy farmer of Bryan, this State; Dan II., who was killed in the war; Major Samuel G., a practicing lawyer of Caldwell, Texas; Margaret N., who married Captain T. J. Bell, a lawyer of El Paso, Texas; James W., whose name heads this article; Walter G. and one (twins of Walter G.) who died in infancy. Daniel W. Rags- dale, the father, died in 1852, and in 1857 hiis widow and children came to Texas and located at Austin. In 1859 J. W. was sent to Virginia to complete liis education in the Emory and Henry College, and was a student in that institution at the time of the firing on Sumter.
At the age of eighteen, young Ragsdale followed his mother's advice, left college and returned to his old home in Mississippi, where he entered the army of the Confeder- acy as a private in Company K, Twenty- third Mississippi Alcorn Rebels. During the early part of his service lic was captured and was held as a prisoner at Indianapolis six months. After being exchanged, he was elected Second Lieutenant of his company, was afterward promoted to First Lientenant, and still later to the rank of Captain. He re- mained in active service nntil he was wounded at Atlanta, Georgia. On one occasion he, withont assistance, captured a Yankee col- onel of the Eighty-eighth Illinois Regiment and brought him into line and handed him over to the proper authorities. At Atlanta
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he was wounded by a shell which struck his right ankle. That was August 12, 1864, and after recuperating, and while on crutches, he had his commander report him ready for post conscript duty. But, the war clos- ing. he went to the home of some of his relatives, and it was not until December, 1865, that he returned to Texas. From the effects of his wound his leg had to be ampu- tated below the knee. He was a brave, effi- cient soldier and an honored commander.
Soon after his return to Texas he bought land in Burleson connty and engaged in farming, and this land he still owns. He also owns two other farms, all of which he rents. Since 1876 he has been engaged in merchandising at This. In 1888 he admitted his bookkeeper as a partner, and since that date has conducted business under the firm name of Ragsdale & Wimberley. They deal in general merchandise, taking cotton and produce in exchange for their goods, and are doing an extensive business. Formerly Captain Ragsdale dealt in stock, but has not of recent date.
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Captain Ragsdale was married in 1867 to Miss Florence Goodwin, a native of Virginia and a daughter of John and Sally Goodwin, both of the Old Dominion. Her father came with his family to Burleson county, Texas, in 1856, and settled on a farm, where he died in 1870. Mrs. Ragsdale died in 1874. She had four children, two of whom died young. The others are James W. and John G., the former being married and settled at Cald- well, Texas, and the latter now attending col- lege in Virginia. In 1876 the Captain mar- ried Miss Lily Fountain, who was born in in Alabama, danghter of J. A. and Mary Fountain, natives of South Carolina. The Fountain family came to Texas in 1874 and settled in Burleson county. Mr. Fountain
is now a resident of Bryan, and his wife is deceased. By his second wife Captain Rags- dale had three children, all of whom died in childhood, and in 1884 his wife, too, passed away.
The subject of our sketch is identified with the Masonic fraternity. He affiliates with the Democratic party and takes an act- ive and leading part in politics, but does not aspire to. office. He has tilled various official positions. He was appointed by the County Commissioners to serve an unexpired term as Justice of the Peace, and was elected County Commissioner and served one term. He has held the post office at Tunis since 1876. The Captain is well known through- ont this county and his friends are many and his hospitality unbounded.
S IMEON B. GLENN, who resides on a farm near Merle, in Burleson county, Texas, was born in Mississippi, March 4, 1849. He is a son of William M. and Jane E. Glenn. The former, a native of Georgia, has all his life been a farmer and is still residing on a farm in Mississippi, hav- ing reached the advanced age of seventy- three years. Mr. Glenn's maternal grand- father was William Vernor, an early settler of Mississippi. Simeon B. was the second- born in a family of seven children, he and a brother, William Vernor, being the only ones of the family who came to Texas. This brother is now a wealthy rancher of McCul. loch connty. Mr. Glenn's mother died in 1885.
Simeon B. Glenn came to Texas in 1870, arriving here in Angust, and, after visiting several counties, settled, in December of that year, in Burleson county, where he has since
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resided. Soon after selecting this location he bought land, and, after his marriage, which event oeenrred in 1872, settled on it. He cultivates about seventy aeres, renting some land, and he also gives considerable attention to the raising of cattle 'and horses. This place is known as the Jacob Long farin, it being among the first farms settled in the county. There are rails on it now that were made fifty-six years ago. Mr. Long was at one time extensively engaged in raising hogs, and controlled the market bere.
Ever since he settled here Mr. Glenn has taken a commendable interest in the public affairs of his community. He affiliates with the Democratic party. He has served four terms as Justice of the Peace and one term as County Commissioner, faithfully dis- charging the important duties devolving upon him, but refusing to hold office longer. He has also filled other minor official posi- tions. Few men in this part of the county are more popular than he.
Mr. Glenn was married in 1872 to Miss Irene Roberts, who was born in Alabaina, February 21, 1847. Her father, Edmond Roberts, a native of Alabama, came to Texas in 1860 and settled in Washington county. In 1867 he died in Bryan, Brazos county. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn have had six children, four of whom died young. Those living are Kittie and Simeon, both at home.
F RANK M. ALDRIDGE, who is ex- tensively engaged in ranehing in Bur- leson county, Texas, was born in Lime- stone county, this State, May 26, 1863. That same year his father moved with his family to Mississippi, and from there entered the army. In Mississippi young Aldridge
was reared. In 1882, at the age of nineteen, he returned to Jefferson county, Texas, where he entered upon a railroad career, which he continned until 1890, in the meantime being promoted to the position of conductor. In 1887 he bought a tract of land, and upon re- tiring from the railroad in 1890 settled on it. This tract comprises 1,660 acres, is bounded on the cast by the Brazos river, and a part of it is located on the Teel prairie. Some of the remains of the old historic Spanish town and fort of Tenoxtitlan, which were destroyed many years ago, and are still to be found here. Of this large traet of land Mr. Aldridge has 1,100 acres under fence, used chiefly for pas- ture. He raises all kinds of stock, and makes a specialty of breeding a high grade. He has a registered bull and a fine jack and Per- cheron horse. Aside from his ranching, Mr. Aldridge is also interested in the sawmill business, being a partner with his brother in a sawmill in the lumber regions of Tyler county, Texas.
The subject of our sketch is a son of W. H. and Sarah E. (Talbert) Aldridge. His father and grandfather Aldridge were natives of Alabama, and his grandfather Talbert was born in South Carolina. He is one of a fam- ily of four children, as follows: Laura A., wife of Joseph E. Harrison, of Mississippi; Frank M .; William H., who is engaged in the milling business in Rockland, Tyler county, Texas; and Charley C., of Rockland, who is also a member of the firm in milling. The father died in Mississippi in 1880, and the mother passed away in 1878, during the yellow fever epidemie at Grenada, Mississippi,
Frank M. Aldridge was married September 25, 1889, to Miss Annie L. Gage, a native of Hill county. Texas, daughter of Robert J. Gage, formerly of Mississippi but now a farmer of Hill county, Texas. Mrs. Aldridge
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