USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 26
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condition, soon after the close of the late war. Traveling overland with teams, he landed in Brazos county in 1874. A year later he came to Burleson county and rented land for four years on the Brazos river bottoms. He then bonghit a partially-improved place, and settled where he now lives. He has since made more elaborate improvements on this place, now having a comfortable and attract- ive home, a good orchard and other conven- iences.
Mr. Page was born in Alabama, March 11, 1829, and was reared to agricultural pur- suits, receiving a common-school education. He remained under the parental roof nntil he reached his majority, and Jannary 22, 1851, he was married. Soon after liis mar- riage he engaged in merchandising, remain- ing thus occupied until the opening of the war, doing a fairly successful business. He, with others, laid aside his business and en- tered the Confederate ranks, enlisting in 1861 in Company E, Second Alabama Regi- ment, being consigned to the southeastern department of the Confederacy. With his command, he was stationed along the Mobile railroad, gnarding the property and keeping the road serviceable. After being on duty eleven months, he was obliged, on account of ill health, to return home. For some time he was laid up with rhenmatism. Snb- sequently he served with the conscript bureau, but finally was discharged by the medical board, and returned home. At the close of the war he found himself completely broken np. He then returned to farming, in which ocen pation he has been engaged ever since.
Since coming to Texas, Mr. Page has been connected with various organizations, having been prominently identified with the Grange. Ile first joined the College Grange in Brazos county, in 1874, of which lodge he was Wor-
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thy Master. Afterward he was a member of Concord Grange, in Burleson county, of which he also served as presiding officer, and at present he is a member of the Caldwell Grange. He helped organize the Burleson County Co-operative Association, and helped establish a store at Caldwell, of which enter- prise he is still serving as director. IIe also helped to organize the Texas Wholesale Store, of Galveston, of which he is likewise a di- rector; and among those who organized the State Grange Fair & Manufacturers' Associa- tion, hield at McGregor, none took a more active part than Mr. l'age. Also his name is among the list of directors of this enterprise. Another organization with which he is con- nected is a company that in 1890 built an oil mill at West Caldwell, and of this, too, he is a director. In politics, lie is an uncompro- mising Democrat, and is somewhat of a leader, standing squarely on the Democratic national platform, as enunciated at Chicago in 1892. He is an admirer of Mr. Cleveland, and, in the absence of a wider personal expe- rience in public matters, imposes implicit confidence in the wisdom and integrity of the chief magistrate of this nation and his ad- visers; but in no sense of the word is he an office-seeker. He was elected Justice of the Peace of his precinct in 1882, and served two years. Mr. Page cast his first vote for Pres- ident of the United States for Franklin Pierce, in 1852, and has voted steadily with the Dem- cratie party since. He was made a Mason in April, 1851, and in 1854 took the Royal Arch degree. In religious belief, he is a Universalist, while his wife is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
was a farmer all his life; was a strict mem - ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a Royal Arch Mason. He was assassinated by highway robbers in Alabama, in 1859. His wife survived him until 1890, and died at the old home in Alabama. They had seven chil- dren, the subject of onr sketch being the eldest, and the only one of the family in Texas. He had two brothers in the war. One, Kinchin R., was killed at Vicksburg; the other, Haskew, passed all through the war and has since died, at his home in Conecuh county, Alabama.
James W. Page married Miss Catherine L. Hawthorn, who was born in Alabama, December 18, 1831, daughter of Joshna and Nancy C. Hawthorn, who were for many years residents of Coneenh connty, Alabama, where the father died, in 1866, aged fifty-six, and the mother in 1846, aged thirty-six. Mr. and Mrs. Page have had three children, all natives of Alabama, viz .: Jefferson F., who died in 1882; Henry R., a Burleson county farmer; and William B., in the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad, and residing at Dallas, this State.
A G. GANNAWAY, a prominent mer- chant of Florence, is a son of Norvel and Elizabeth (Sanders) Gannaway. Two brothers of that name came to this country from England before the Revo- Intionary war, locating in Virginia. One of their descendants, Gregory Gannaway, the grandfather of our subject, located in Bnek- ingham connty, that State, where Norvel Gannaway was reared to manhood. The lat- ter was there married, later lived for a period in Wythe county, next in Lawrence county, Alabama, and in the early part of 1830 lo-
Of Mr. Page's parentage we record that his father, Allen Page, was a native of Georgia, and that his mother, Sarah (Wright) Page. was born in Sonth Carolina. Allen Page I cated in Talladega county. Mr. and Mrs.
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Gannaway were the parents of eight chil- dren, viz .: Sanders, who died when a prisoner of war; Martha, deceased; Rhoda, widow of a Mr. Houston, of Calhoun county, Alabama; Mary, widow of a Mr. Roberts, of Talladega county; A. G., our subject; James, of Cal- houn county, Alabama; Sarah and Senah, deceased. The wife and mother died about 1840, and the father afterward married a Mrs. Gorc. They had one son, William L., who resides near Oxford, Alabama. This wife is also deceased. Mr. Gannaway is a farmer by occupation, and is a prominent worker and a devoted member of the Meth- odist Church. His sister, Rhoda, married a Mr. Brownlow, and their son was the noted W. G. Brownlow, who was prominent as a Legislator in the national Congress.
A. G. Gannaway, the subject of this sketelı, was born in Wythe county, Virginia, Decem- ber 29, 1825, and grew to manhood in Talla- dega county, that State. At the opening of the Mexican war he enlisted as a private in Captain Hugh Cunningham's company of infantry, took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, and served one year. He then tanght school for about two years, and in the fall of 1852 located on his present farm, near Florence, Williamson county, Texas. Mr. Gannaway tanght school in this city until 1873, since which time he has followed mercantile pur- suits, first as a clerk for J. A. Montgomery several years. In 1878 he opened his present storc, and in addition to this also owns a farm of 140 acres, which he rents.
Mr. Gannaway was married in Talladega connty, Alabama, Jannary 27, 1852, to Mar- garet C. Whittenberg. They have had seven children: Ella, deceased; Sarah A., wife of T. B. Hoover, of Bell county; Mary A., now Mrs. B. S. Iloover and a resident of Flor- ence; James L., of Austin; Norvel A., who
resides near this city; Annie M., at home; Thomas S., of Florence. Mr. Gannaway affiliates with the Democratic party, and has served as County Commissioner one term, and as Justice of the Peace for twenty years. In his social relations, he is a Royal Arch Mason, has served as High Priest of the Chapter, and is now Secretary of Florence Lodge, and is also Treasurer in the 1. O. O. F., in which he has held other high offices. He is a Steward in the Methodist Church.
W. TURNER, another one of the enterprising farmers and prominent citizens of Bastrop county, Texas, is found in the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Turner was born in Tennessee, March 13, 1835, and when quite yonng removed with his parents to Alabama. In November, 1849, the family came to Texas and located in Bastrop county, where he has since lived. He was reared to farm life and had limited educational advantages, remaining a member of the home circle until the opening of the late war. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, W. H. Parsons' brigade, in the Trans- Mississippi Department. The most of his service was in Arkansas and Louisiana. His first battle was at Cotton Plant. After that he was in many important battles and did a great deal of skirmishing. In all his service, however, he was never wounded or taken prisoner. He was in Texas on, the Little Brazos at the time of the surrender, when, the forces disbanding, he returned home.
In the fall of 1866 Mr. Turner engaged in mercantile business at Hogeye, in this county, and eighteen months later removed his stock to Almm Creek, same county, where he continued in business until 1875, succeed-
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ing fairly well. Then he sold out and turned his attention to farming, in which occupation he has since been engaged. His first farm he sold in 1880, and bought another, which, after raising three crops on it, he also sold. Then he bought his present farm, 500 acres, which had some improvements on it at the time of purchase. He has since built his commodious residence and made other sub- stantial improvements, and now has 115 acres under cultivation, renting some of it and hiring help to cultivate the rest. Cotton and corn form his chief crop. Soon after coming to Elgin he opened a butchering and saloon business, and was meeting with snc- cess when his entire establishment was burned. This was a total loss, as he had no insurance.
Mr. Turner's parents, Dr. J. L. and Juliana (Sessums) Turner, were born in Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. Dr. Tur- ner was a prominent physician of his day, and in addition to his professional duties he also carried on agricultural pursuits, having a number of slaves. He was born in Sep- tember, 1799, and died in 1870. His wife sur- vived him until 1876, when she, too, passed away. They had a family of fifteen children, three of whom died yonng. The others are as follows: William, who died in 1857; Della, wife of H. Olsup, both being deceased; Sanford, who was killed in the army; Har- riet, who married J. Olsup, both now deceased; Wade H., who died in 1857; O. W., the subject of this sketch; Mary, wife of J. Wilks, both deceased; Henry H., a resi- dent of Taylor, Texas; Juliana C., widow of H. L. Harkins, resides in Lee county, Texas; John B., of Hunt county, this State; W. E., of Lee county; and Ann E., widow of Ezekiel Wilson, Lampasas county.
The subject of our sketch has been twice married. In May, 1867, he wedded Miss
Mattie E. Litton, a daughter of John Litton. Her father came to Texas when this State was a Republic, and was one of the Indian fighters of early times. He was engaged in the stock business here and also farmed some, dying about 1858 and leaving a large estate. Mrs. Mattie E. Turner died in 1868, her only child dying about the same time. November 22, 1871, Mr. Turner married Mrs. Kate H. Hamilton, widow of B. M. Hamilton. By her first husband she had one child, Minnie L. Hamilton, now the wife of W. J. Jackson. Mrs. Turner's father, A. A. Tisdale, a native of Sonth . Carolina, came to Texas in 1847 and located in Bastrop connty, where he spent the rest of his life engaged in farming, and where he died in 1860. His wife lived until 1890. Follow- ing are the names of Mr. and Mrs. Tisdale's children: Mary M .; J. E .; Nannie N .; Sara E .; Mattie; William H., who entered the Confederate army and was killed in bat- tle at Vicksburg; Lu R .; Jane; Virginia; and Kate, who was born in Texas, October 11, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have had nine children, one of whom died young. The others are all at home and are as follows: William 'S .; Mattie E .; Legrand S .; Callie; Nash; Wallace W .; Jolin O .; and Tom Green.
Mr. Turner affiliates with the Democratic party.
AMES P. MAGILL, one of the well known and respected citizens of Will- iamson county, was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, March 5, 1825, azson of Samuel P. and Nancy (Shackleford) Magill, the former of whom died in Barnet county, April5, 1865, and the latter in February of the
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same year. At the age of twenty-one years James P'. came to Texas, and while on the the road from Houston to Anstin the first battle of the Mexican war occurred, on the Rio Grande river. Shortly after arriving in this State he joined Captain H. E. McCul- loch's company of State rangers, which had been in ustered into the United States service; was elected Second Lieutenant, and served in that capacity until the close of the struggle. The company was ordered to the scene of war two different times, but never succeeded in getting beyond the Rio Grande, as they were needed to protect the border. After the close of hostilities Mr. Magill spent two years in his native State, was there married, and then returned to Texas. He located in what is now Burnet county, where he remained for twenty years after the organization of the county, and served as County Clerk eight years. He then resigned that position, and in 1863 represented the counties of Burnet, Llano and San Saba in the Legislature. Dur- ing his residence in Burnet county, Mr. Ma- gill devoted much of his time to the State ranger service, having had cominand of a company of scouts. In 1865, in a fight with the Indians in Burnet county, he was wounded in the lower left side by an arrow, but, as it was then winter, he was heavily clad, and the arrow passed through thirty-two layers of clothi, and ranged backward to the back bone. In 1869 our subject purchased his present farm of 800 acres, 200 acres of which is un- der a fine state of cultivation. He has served one term as Commissioner of Williamson county, and during that time the present handsome and commodious court house was bnilt.
Mr. Magill was married in Wayne county, Kentucky, March 5, 1850, to Angelina S., a daughter of David and Rachel Evans. The
parents came to Texas late in life, and the father died in Lampasas county, January 28, 1866, and the mother at the home of our sub- ject, in Burnet county, March 6, 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Magill had fourteen children, twelve of whom grew to years of maturity, nainely: Sarah, who died in Burnet county, December 29, 1865; Mary, wife of Robert Hanna, of Williamson county; Julia, wife of J. N. Mason, also of this county; T. W. Magill, of Georgetown; James P. Magill, a resident of Los Angeles county, California; Ella, wife of John T. Bryson; Samuel David Magill, of Williamson county; J. D. Magill, also a resident of this county; S. H. Magill, at home; M. B. Magill, of Georgetown; H. E. Magill, of Burnet county, Texas; Nannie, at home; Susie, at home; and Katy, who died October 27, 1892, aged seventeen years. Mr. Magill votes with the Democratic party. He was made a Mason in Wayne county, Kentucky, in 1850, served as Secretary and Worshipful Master of Valley Lodge at Bur- net, and has taken all the Chapter degrees. He is a member of the Presbyterian Churel.
C. CASKEY, of Williamson county, Texas, is a son of Samnel and Nancy A. (Coffey) Caskey. In 1768 the grand- father of our subject, John Caskey, emi- grated with his wife and two children from Ireland to Charleston, South Carolina. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was born in Lancaster district, that State, in 1839, was married in 1810, and in 1816 the entire family mnoved to Manry eounty, Tennessee, where they mere among the first pioneers. The grand- father died in that place, and the father after- ward moved to Lincoln county, Tennessee,
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where he died in December, 1839. He was a farmer and mechanic by profession, and was a Democrat in his political views. The mother of our subject was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was raised in Lancaster district, South Carolina. She died in Florence, Texas, in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Caskey were the par- ents of nine children, namely: Esther, widow of a Mr. Wells, of Giles county, Ten- nessee; J. C., onr subject; James J. and Wiley, deceased; Samuel W., of Maury county, Tennessce; Lucinda, now Mrs. Meadows, of Wilson county, that State; Mar- garet, R. B. and Martha, deceased; and Emma, now Mrs. East. of Wayne county, Tennessee.
J. C. Caskey, the subject of this sketch, was born in Lancaster district, South Caro- lina, Angnst 13, 1814. He went to Tennes- see with his parents, and lived in Manry and Giles connties until September 26, 1851, when he came by wagon to Texas. He lo- cated the land on which the town of Florence is now situated, and at one time owned as many as 1,350 acres. He is one of the pio- neers of this section, has been active as a trader in real-estate, and has done much to develop the farming land of Williamson connty. Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and held the office of Jus- tice of the Peace, and during the late war served as County Commissioner. Mr. Caskey has been a member of the Christian Church for forty-five years, in which he has served as Elder many different times.
He was married in Manry county, Ten- nessee, July 30, 1834, and they had the fol- lowing children: William J., of Salado, Texas; Nancy A., wife of Dr. P. H. Adams, of Florence; George D, a farmer two miles east of this city; Sarah V., deceased, was the wife of B. S. Gray; Elizabeth H., wife of T.
D. Whittenberg, of Florence; Mildred A., deceased, was the wife of James T. Wales; Mary G., wife of P. M. McCaskell, of Flor- ence; Martha M., wife of W. HI. Cabell, also of this city; and John S. S., of Bell county, Texas. The wife and mother died in this city November 28, 1891, and since that time Mr. Caskey has lived with his children.
C APTAIN JOSEPH C. ROWLAND .- Robert Rowland, a native of Virginia, a brave and adventurous pioneer, settled in Tennessee some time during the latter part of the last century, where he took part in lay- ing the foundation of the great commonwealthi which sprang from the colonies planted by Sevier, Robertson and their compatriots. Later, probably about the first of this cen- tury, he moved to Alabama, taking part in the early settlement of that State. He died there well advanced in years. He had a num- ber of sons, one of whom was Joseph, born in Tennessee in the year 1785, who ac- companied his tather to Alabama on his re- moval to that State, being then a lad in his 'teens. Josepli Rowland married Tempe Ans- tin in Morgan connty, Alabama, and settled in that county, which he made his home for many years. He was a frontiersman in spirit, fond of the chase and full of adven- ture. He served in the Creek war of 1836 and took a lively interest in the affairs thien going on between Texas and Mexico. Hc had had his mind on Texas for a number of years, and finally, in 1837, moved to this State, heading for the Brazos country and making his first stop at the old Mexican town of Tenoxtitlan, located in what is now the northeast corner of Burleson connty. He resided at this place until 1840, when he
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moved out on the old Nacogdoches and San Antonio road, and settled where that road crosses Davidson's creek, on a tract of land adjoining the present town of Caldwell. He spent the remainder of his life in this county, and died here in 1881, in the ninety-sixth year of liis age. Farming and stock-raising formed the chief pursuits of his life, and, like most of the early Texans, he cared but but little for wealth, and beyond the good living which he secured, mainly through his flocks and herds, his early removal to Texas was without profit to himself. With the ex- ception of his services in the war of 1836, already mentioned, and in the ranging service at an early day in.this State, he liad no pub- lic career. He was a public-spirited and pat- riotic citizen, however, and gave abundant evidence of his zeal and devotion to the wel- fare of the community in which he resided, on all proper occasions. His wife died soon after their removal to Texas, probably about 1841. Although deprived of his faithful helpmeet he held his large family together and raised thein to be useful men and women. His eldest, Elizabeth, was twice married, first to Samuel Sloan, and, after his death, to M. B. Goodwin; Nancy Jane was married to Alonzo White; Sarah E. was married to C. C. Chance; William Green died in this county, leaving a number of children; Eze- kiel Bertrand entered the ranging service when a young man and was killed on the frontier; Narcissa Angeline was married to J. P. Johnson, and after his death, to E. J. Curry; Minerva died unmarried; Robert H. died in this county before marriage, as did also Mary A., the youngest of the family.
Joseph C. Rowland, the sixth of this pio- meer family, of Burleson county, was born December 25, 1833. He was, therefore, only about four years old when his parents came
to Texas. Ile was reared in Burleson county, growing up on the old homestead, north of of Caldwell, on part of which he now lives. His boyhood and youth were passed in the saddle and his early educational advantages were very limited.
In June, 1855, Mr. Rowland married Susan Thomas, a daughter of J. W. Thomas, of Burleston county, and having secured a small tract of land, settled on it and became farm- ing for himself. He was so engaged at the opening of the late war, when at the first call for volunteers he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company G, Second Texas Infantry. He had hardly reached the field with his command when he had to resigu on account of ill health and return home. But as soon as lie recovered he again enlisted, going in Waul's Legion, being elected Cap- tain of Company A, of that command, with which he served during the remainder of the war. He was in active field service from the date of his second enlistment till the close of hostilities, taking part iu the operations in front of the Federals ou the Mississippi aud at Vicksburg, and after the fall of that place in the engagements in Arkansas till the close of hostilities. He returned home at the close of the war and resumed farming and stock- raising, in which he met with good success. Being desirous of going into the stock busi- ness on a larger scale than the range in cen- tral Texas then permitted of, he made up a party in the spring of 1868, consisting of. eight or ten families, with their household goods, flocks and herds, and started to the Pacific coast. The point of destination was southern California, and the route lay through western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The journey was accomplished after many months of weary travel and suf- fering, and after the loss of nearly all the
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stock with which the party set out, Captain Rowland's individual loss being 650 head out of about 800 head. Traveling up the coast as far as Sacramento, he spent three years in that country, engaged mainly in the stock business. In the spring of 1872 he decided to return to Texas. Selling out all of his possessions he took the train and came back, and again took up his residence in Burleson county. He has lived in this county since, most of the time, on his present place, about a mile north and west of Caldwell. Soon after his return in May, 1872, Captain Row- land had the misfortune to lose his wife after seventeen years of faithful companionship. She left four children: Ezekiel; Watt; Sal- lie; Dustie and Eula Lee, all of whom are now grown.
In 1873, Captain Rowland married Mrs. Martha Susan Boone, widow of Squire Boone, and daughter of P. G. Thomas, to whiel union two children were born: Eureka and Jo, both daughters. His wife died in 1881, and for his third companion he married Miss Emma Boren, a daughter of Jolin D. and Lucinda Boreu, of Barry county, Missouri. Mrs. Rowland was born in Wapello county; Iowa. The issue of this marriage has been five children: Seth; Coke; Emma; Darden and Austin.
Captain Rowland having been identified with the farming interests, has always taken a leading part in all matters relating to the welfare of the farming community. He was a conspicuous figure in the Grange movement in Burleson county some years ago, and is still connected with this order. He is, and has been for some time, president of the Burleson County Co-operative Association, which conducts a mercantile establishment at Caldwell, and seeks by other co-operative measures to benefit the farming class. Ile
has served as County Commissioner of Bnr- leson conuty ; as Sheriff and Tax-collector, and has held other local positions. He is a Dem- ocrat in politics, coming of a long line of Democratie ancestors, from whom he has in- herited a predilection for the doctrines of Jefferson and Jackson, which has been sedu- onsly cultivated by study and observation.
Captain Rowland is a man of good intelli- gence, and having large experience in Texas, is full of information abont Texas ways and Texas people. Has fifty-odd years experi- ence in this State, if faithfully given would form a valuable contribution to Texas remi- niscences.
OHN S. SMITH, a farmer of Bastrop connty, was born in middle Tennessee, January 13, 1833, a son of James and Rebecca (Hale) Smith, natives of North Car- olina, and of English descent. The father, a farmer and Methodist minister, died iu Tennessee in 1862, his wife having died pre- vious to that time. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the parents of eleven children, nine of whom grew up to years of maturity, viz .: Amplias, who died in Smith county, Texas, in 1890; Melissa, deceased; Mary, deceased; Frances, wlio married a Mr. Burford, moved to Arkansas, and after his death she became the wife of Mr. Moore, and both are now living at Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Jane, who came to Bastrop county, Texas, in 1847, married James Owens, and both are now deceased; James, deceased at the age of twenty-three years; William, came to Texas in 1847, returned to his former State four years later, and served through the late war; Susan, deceased; and J. S., our subject.
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