USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
in the village of Bastrop. Mr. and Mrs. Gill have two children -- Mary M and Eflie B. Mrs. Gill and both daughters are mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Gill is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and of the I. O. O. F.
F RANK W. R. HUBERT, farmer of Milam county, son of Ben and Anna (Simpson) Hubert, is a native of Mo- bile, Alabama, born on the 17th day of Sep- tember, 1847. His father was born in Mis- sissippi, where he was rcared and educated, being a son of David Hubert, a wealthy and influential planter of that State early in this century. David Hubert was of English descent, and born in Delaware, as was also his father Paul. He served in the Ameri- can Revolution, and subsequently settled in Mississippi, where he devoted his last years to agriculture, which he carried on exten- sively with slave labor in the style of ante bellum days. The father of the subject of this notice caine to Texas abont 1836, being then a young man, and settled at Galveston, where he was engaged for a number of years in the mercantile business, in which he met with marked success. Later he moved to old Booneville, then the county seat of Brazos connty, where, until his death in 1867, he was engaged in the real-estate business. He was quite successful in all his undertakings; was a public-spirited, patriotic citizen, and a potent political factor in central Texas thirty to forty years ago. He served as a volunteer in the Confederate army during the late war, held a number of local positions in Galves- ton and Brazos connties, and died in the en- joyment of the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. In
632
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
early life he belonged, in polities, to the American, or " Know- Nothing" party, but in later years went with the Democrats. IIe was a radical secessionist, although opposed to slavery. Ilaving been reared in the be- lief of the doctrine of "States' rights," he remained " unreconstructed " in his views until his death. He was a great friend and admirer of General Houston, who was a fre- quent guest at liis honse. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity, and, while never making any open profession of religion, he was a believer in churches and in the salut- tary influences of church people. Ile leaned toward the Methodists in sectarian belief.
Anna (Simpson) Hubert, the mother of the subject of this notice, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in which State her people settled in Colonial times, being originally from Scot- land. She is a daughter of Walter Simp- son, who was a native of Maryland. She is still living, residing now in Rockdale, where she makes her home, and is ever ready to welcome her children, grandchildren and friends.
Of the ten children of Ben and Anna (Simpson) Hubert but five are now living. The full list is as follows: Ben, who died at Bryan in 1869; Jolm C., who died at Paris in 1890; David, who died when young; Frank W. R., of this notice; Walter, who died at Dallas in 1887; Charles C., who is a stock-raiser residing at Lampasas; Hester and Annie (twins), the former the deceased wife of Judge Jolin N. Henderson, of Bryan, and the latter the wife of Judge J. S. Perry, of Rockdale; Florence, the wife of Solon Joynes, of Rockdale; and Mary, the wife of John S. Bonner, of Tyler.
Frank W. R. Imbert was born at Mobile, Alabama, during a visit of his parents to relatives in that State, their home being at
Booneville, this State. Ile was reared in Texas and received his education in the schools of Brazos county, where he grew up. Hle assisted his father in his real-estate busi- ness until he was twenty years old, witlt- drawing from this in 1867 on account of ill health and going on a farm which he pur- chased in the Brazos bottoms, where he re- mained engaged in farming until 1874. At that date he located at Rockdale, where he embarked in the mercantile business, which he followed there for two years. He then married, and, having purchased the farm on which he now lives, he moved to it, where his time has since been passed pleasantly and profitably in agricultural pursuits, for which he has always had great taste. Ile has a farm of 250 acres, 150 acres of which is in enltivation and well stocked. His agrieul- tural hobby, if he has one, is for fine fruit, Jersey cattle, pea fowls, and game chickens. Mr. Hubert is not one of those men who ex- hibits an undne desire to become land-rich or to accumulate property at the sacrifice of the natural demands of the mind and body. His motto has always been " to live and let live," and by this hie means to live rationally. He is making proper provision for the comfort and pleasures of those about him, but he be- lieves that a legacy of an honorable name, a fair education with good principles and cor- reet habits are better things for children to begin the battle of life with than great wealth in any form. He married, as noted, in 1876, taking a companion in the person of Miss Mary M. Sanders, of Milam county, a dangh- ter of Sherrod W. and Minerva Sanders, notice of whom will be found in the sketch of Sherrod F. Sanders, their son, which ap- pears in this work. Mrs. Hubert is a native of Milam county, having been born on the old Sanders homestead near Rockdale, where
633
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
she was also reared, being married in the house in which her birth occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Hubert have had born to them a family of six children, all of whom are yet at home with their parents: Florence, Sherrod, Grace, Annie, Ross and Ralph,-all handsome, healthy children, one of them especially, Florence, a slender, blue-cycd girl of four- tecn, with quiet, studious ways, who already gives promise of that great beauty of mind and person for which the ladies of her name are famous. The other little girls, Grace and Annie, are bright and intelligent, while the boys, Sherrod (or "Joncie," as he is called) and Ross, already give evidence of good business qualities, and take quite an interest in the affairs of the farm. Mr. Hu- bert allows his children a liberal percentage of the income from the farm, and does not dictate to thiem how they shall spend their money. This makes them fecl a personal interest in the matter.
Mr. Hubert votes with the Democrats, and, while never soliciting office of any kind, he has frequently been chosen to represent his fellow-citizens as a delegate to their coun- ty, district and State conventions, and has served as School Trustee ten years in the last twelve. The estimation in which he is held by his neighbors was shown at their last annual election when, of the thirty-nine patrons who voted, thirty five supported him for the office of Trustee, being the strongest vote cver received by any one for the office at Midway.
He is not a member of any church organi- zation, but contributes to the different churches in his neighborhood. He has never chewed tobacco and was never drunk in his life, yet is fond of a glass of wine, and few men are better judges of a cigar than he. He believes in the " pay-as-you-go policy," and
has never sned any one, or been sned for a debt which he had contracted.
Mr. Hubert is a great reader, and is a reg- ular subscriber to no less than twelve papers and magazines. He is one of the most hos- pitable of men, and those who have met him at his home and felt the pressure of his hand and met the steady glance of his clear, blne eyes, will not soon forget it, particularly the hand-shake, for without doubt he has the most terrific grip in his hand of all men whom the writer has ever met.
M URRAY BURLESON, one of the leading citizens of Smithville, was born in Bastrop county, in 1849, a son of Joseph and Allie M. (Seaton) Burleson. The father was a son of Joseph Burleson, dr., who came to Texas in 1833. He was a brother of the father of General Ed. Burleson, and the family all came from the same State. Joseph B., Sr., was a farmer by occupation, and after coming to this State was too old to take part in public affairs. His son Joseph, the father of our subject, came direct to Bastrop county, Texas, from Tennessee, in 1833, locating four miles northwest of Smithville, on the Colorado river. He remained in that neigh- borhood until 1852, and during that time the Indians were very troublesome. While re- siding there the celebrated stampede trans- pired. He was then in the Texas army, but after the fall of the Alamo he returned home to remove his family to a place of safety. Like many other settlers he had no wagon and only one horse, but, in company with a nciglibor, they made a truck wagon, to which they hitched a yoke of young, wild steers, and thus kept pace with the other settlers,
684
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
although he was one of the last to start. His ' at this place, and is secretary and treasurer wife and two children rode the horse, and ;of the Smithville Town Company, which con- trols 300 acres of fine land, the entire tract being surveyed and laid off in town lots. The business lots are 27 x 125 feet, and the residence lots 673 x 125 feet. The land is situated in one of the most beautiful and picturesque valleys on the Colorado river. Mr. Burleson owns individually about 2,500 acres, located principally on the Colorado river, abont 700 acres of which is under a fine state of enltivation. He also owns con- siderable city property.
all arrived in safety at the Sabine river, where they remained until after the battle of San Jacinto. On leaving home they hid all their household effects possible in cliffs of rocks along the Colorado river. Mr. Burleson re- turned to his home late in the summer, and planted a crop of corn, which proved a snecess, and was a great blessing to the com- innnity. Although not in the regular State service, Mr. Burleson was a member of a company of minute men, and took part in many skirmishes with the Indians and Mex- icans. In 1846 he moved to Buckner's creek, where he was engaged in farming and stock raising until 1860, and in that year moved to Burnet county. His death occurred there in 1892, at the age of eighty-four years.
Murray Burleson, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the conntry schools of Bastrop connty, and also attended one session at the college in Bastrop. When about seventeen years of age he engaged in the stock business in this county, which he followed exclusively for five years. In 1868 he went to New Mexico as a hired hand, in 1870 drove a herd of stock to Kansas, in the following year made a second trip to that State, and in 1872 closed his stock interests and engaged in the mercantile business at old Smithville, in company with his brother- in-law, Dr. Taylor. Three years later Dr. Taylor sold his interest to Mr. Smith, and for the following three or four years the firm of Burleson & Smith had an extensive trade. In 1876 onr subject bought most of the land on which Smithville is now located, and has since purchased considerable more real estate in and around the village. Mr. Burleson donated land to the M. K. & T. Railroad Company, for the purpose of locating a depot
In 1876 onr subject was married to Susan E. Fawcett, born in this county February 22, 1854. They have had six children, -- Marian W., deceased; Florence D., deceased; Susan J., Allie R., Sarah E. and Murray F. Mrs. Burleson is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. In political matters, Mr. Burleson is a Democrat, and in 1882 was elected to the position of County Tax Col- lector, in which he served two terms. So- cially, he is a member of the A. F. & A. M., No. 421.
Z INA P. EAGLESTON, one of the leading business men of Smithville, was born in Wihnington, North Caro- lina, in 1833, a son of S. V. and Julia A. (Mos- ley) Eagleston, natives respectively of Troy, New York, and North Carolina. The father mnoved from the latter State to Texas, via New Orleans and Galveston, and from Gal- veston came by team to Bastrop county, lo- cating in the town of Bastrop, which at that time containel only a few houses. Mr. Eagleston was a carpenter by ocenpation, and many of the houses erected by him are still standing. The lumber for these houses was whip-sawed. He erected the first public
685
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
building in the city, which is two stories high, and is located on the river. This build- ing was used for court purposes, a church, theatrical parties, balls and many other things. The house is now known as the Sliepperd place. The old Claiborne honse was also erect- ed. by Mr. Eagleston. During the stampede from Bastrop, in 1836, he took Iris family to the Trinity. He was a soldier in the Texas army, took part in the battles of Sau Jacinto, San Antonio, Gandalnpe, etc., and after the war of 1836, was a member of the minute men of Bastrop. In 1837 there was an alarm of Indiaus in that city, and the people congregated in block-houses or in the three forts. From eight to ten families were at the home of Mr. Eagleston. Being ill that night, he had occasion to be up late, and Heard a peculiar noise at his horse lot, but, thinking he had better return for liis gun, started for the house, when he was discovered by the Indians, and was shot in the stomach by an arrow. Mr. Eagleston succeeded in securing his gun, but after reaching the lot the Indian had escaped. He was shot on Monday night, and survived until the follow- ing Thursday. At his death he left a wife and seven children, all of whom grew to years of maturity in Bastrop: Mariah, deceased, was the wife of Graves Milligan; Jemima, who first married Hiram Turner, and after his death she became the wife of Walker Wil- son, also now deceased; Mary, widow of Jonathan Davis; Zilphia, deceased, was the wife of Elias Jones; Amelia, deceased, was first married to James Read, and afterward became the wife of James Walker; Z. P., our sub- ject; John G., deceased; and Sarah, who first married Samuel Churchill, and after his death became the wife of James Walker. Mrs. Eagleston survived until 1886, dying at the age of eighty-four years. She was a mem-
ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Eagleston was a member of the Masonic order.
Z. P. Eagleston, the subject of tlris sketelr, received his education in the village of Bas- trop, and began work for himself at the age of eight years, for the purpose of assisting his mother in supporting his sisters and brother, the latter being a cripple. At tlre age of fourteen years, weighing at that time only sixty-five pounds, he entered Captain Sam High Smith's Company of Texas rang- ers, was sent to the frontier, and took part in many battles. Their trip to Chihnahna was one of the most severe undertaken by any men. They were guided by a Mexican be- longing to Colonel Hays' regiment of volmi- teer troops, numbering 250 men. Captain High Smith's company consisted of fifty Texas rangers, and they also liad a Delaware Indian, known as Captain John Connor, with a small band of his own family. The expedi- tion started from where Llano, Texas, is now located, but after reaching the mountains east of the Rio Grande, their provisions gave out, although they had started with forty days' rations, and the men began to kill and eat pack mules. After being lost for forty days the Mexican acknowledged that he was unable to find the way, and begged Colonel Hays to kill him. The latter would have done so, but was prevented by Captain Smith. The Delaware Indian then took charge as guide, and in four days brought them to water, which was the first that man or beast had tasted for four days and nights. Arriving at the pool of deep water on a mountain top, men and horses, with eyes pro- trading, nostrils extended and tongnes swol- len and parched to a blister, made a dash for the water. After resting two days they pro- ceeded to Del Norte, and next to El Paso,
CSG
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
where they secured some breves, the Indian acting as guide until they returned to camp. They proceeded to Austin where they were discharged .. Mr. Eagleston received $22.50 per month for his services, and furnished his own outfit. Captain John Connor was a man whom early Texans loved to honor, being brave, intelligent and honest. On one occas- sion our subject saw him chasing a band of Waco Indians, whom the whites had been fighting for sometime, and he fired and loaded his gun eight times while running a mile on horseback.
At the age of eigliteen years Mr. Eagles- ton began work at the blacksmith's trade, and at the age of twenty-three years he moved to a place called Hog Eye, near where Elgin is now located, where he conducted a shop for abont three years. He then located on Ridgeway prairie, twenty miles from Bas- trop, on the old San Antonio and Nacog- doches road, one of the oldest Mexican trails in the State, and which was a dividing line in the land survey. Mr. Eagleston there estab- lished a stock ranch on a league of land, where he remained for thirty years, and his ranch was considered one of the finest in the State. At the close of the war he was brand- C. HIGGINS .- In 1840 there landed at Galveston a young man who was des- tined to leave the impress of a strong character upon the social and physicial life of Texas, and who now lives, in the person of the above subject, an example to the youth of the land, and of the possibilities of a life of honest, earnest and patient toil. Mr. Hig- gins was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, November 2, 1815, a son of Samuel and Bet- sey (Chamberlain) Higgins. The parents came to America on the same ship, the father from Ireland and the mother from England, and acquaintance on board ship resulted in ing 2,500 calves each spring, and had about 500 head of horses. At the opening of the war, in 1861, he joined Captain High Smith's company, William H. Parsons' regiment of cavalry, and served in the Traus-Mississippi Department. Ile took part in the battles of Cotton Plant, Searcy, Mansfield, Yellow Bayou, and was engaged in tigliting General Banks from Mansfield to Alexandria, for forty-one days. Ile was twice wounded iu one day in a skirmish against General Bank's men in Louisiana. He was shot in the right arm, just above the hand, from which he still suffers, and also through the body. After marriage on land. They located in Caledo-
the close of the struggle Mr. Eagleston re- smed the stock business, but in 1873 retired from that occupation and devoted his time to farming until 1890. In that year he sold his ranch and moved to Smithville, where he em- barked in mercantile and other occupations. Ile now owns a number of business and resi- dence houses in Smithville, where he still resides.
In 1857, Mr. Eagleston was united in mar- riage with Mrs. Rebecca Scobey, a native of this State, and a danghter of John W. and Edith Lytle. The father located in Galves- ton connty, Texas, in 1822, later moved to Brazoria, and his death ocenrred at Houston. He was one of the noted men of his county. Mr. and Mrs. Eagleston have had two chil- dren. One son, Edward H., is engaged in business in Smithville. He married Miss Mollie Clark, a native of Mississippi, and they have three children: Ida May, Zina I'. aud Edward G. Mr. Eagleston has been a member of the I. O. O. F. since his twenty- first year, and now also affiliates with the L. of II.
687
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
nia county, Vermont, where the father died when onr subject was but four years of age, and the mother when he had just passed his sixth year.
J. C. Higgins, the subject of this sketch, was thus thrown upon the world's mercy. The Fairbanks family, of Fairbanks Standard Scales fame, were relatives, Mrs. Erastus Fairbanks, whose husband and son have both filled the Governor's chair of Vermont since that time, having been a Chamberlain, and a full cousin to the mother of our subject. Hc was taken to their home, and during their en- tire lifetime was treated in every respect as one of their sons. The orphan boy was so much impressed with the kind treatment re- ceived that he never lost correspondence with them, and the name of Erastus Fairbanks has become a fixture in the Higgins family. The boy grew to manhood in this home, and was given every opportunity to perfect himself in the trade of a machinist and millwright. At maturity Mr. Higgins found himself a competent and trusted assistant, and it was in the discharge of a duty given only to such a person that he became separated from the Fairbanks home. In 1836 he was sent by a firm to superintend the building of a sawmill on one of the Alabama rivers. The under- taking successfully completed, lie concluded to try his hand at steamboat engineering, and for the following three years plied the rivers of Alabama.
From his conversation with passengers on the boat, who were returning from Texas, he gathered a good idea of the immense re- sources of this State, and in the spring of 1840 determined to try his fortune in the Lone Star State. Landing at Galveston March 16, of that year, Mr. Higgins jour- ueyed on to Austin, then a hamlet of a few straggling houses, subject to the depredations
of the Comanche and Mexican. The first few months were spent with surveying par- ties, and on expeditions against the Indians. In the following June he coneluded to settle at Bastrop, and accordingly engaged to run a mill near that point. Ile was then without means, and for two years worked for wages, carefully laying up what he did not need for actual expenses. In this way, in 1842 he was enabled to buy the mill from his em- ployer, and thus became for the first time owner of Texas soil, ten acres of ground being included in the mill site. The mill was lo- cated on Copperas creek, about two miles from Bastrop. Mr. Higgins early saw the profit investments in fine land would bring, and ac- cordingly threw all his energies in the work. Lands and mills were seeured, which required much help, and at the freedom of slave labor Mr. Higgins lost eighty negroes. The war was further disastrons to him in the millify- ing of contraets. However, the increased de- mand for farins after tlic close of the struggle soon made the land, from which all the tim- ber had been cnt, more valuable than ever before, and Mr. Higgins again became wealthy. He still retains his place as one of the solid mnen in his community, although of late years he has given much of his land to his children. From 1871 to 1885 Mr. Hig- gins added merchandising to his other busi- ness interests, and also did some private banking. He continued the latter occupa- tion until the fall of 1892, when he retired from active business.
Ile was first married in Bastrop county, in December, 1843, to Saralt Gamble, who died in 1849. They had two children: William, a farmer of Bastrop county; and Erastus Fairbanks, who died leaving one child, Claude C., who resides with his grandfather. Mr. Higgins was again married, in Seguin, Gau-
688
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
dalupe county, in 1852, to Mary Keener, and they had five children, three of whom grew to years of matnrity: Samnel, a farmer of Bastrop connty; Blanche, wife of Brook Du- val, also of that county; and Horace, de- ceased. The latter received a fine education, gradnating at the University of the South, at Swanay, Tennessee, and later in the law de- partment of the University of Virginia. After returning home he became a partner of Hon. Sayres, now Congressman from this dis- trict, and an intimate friend of our subject. Horace Higgins started on a career that would certainly have been a brilliant one, if death had not cut short his young life. He lived bnt three months after beginning the practice of law, dying January 4, 1880. Mrs. Higgins died in 1861, and in Bastrop county, in 1867, our. subject married Mrs. Caroline Yellowly. Her danghter, Charlton, became Mrs Briger, and now resides in San Angelo, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins have two daughters: Lela, wife of Pope Holland, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Fairbanks, aged fifteen years. Mr. Higgins has been too much im- mersed in business to take an active part in politics, although in 1857, on returning from a visit to his benefactor's home in Vermont, he fonnd he had been elected to the Legisla- ture. He votes with the Democratic party. Mr. Higgins has been a Mason since 1848, and has taken all the chapter degrees of that order. He is Senior Warden of the Episco- pal Church at Bastrop.
D ANIEL S. CHESSHIER, County Judge of Williamson county, was born in Overton county, Tennessee, September 16, 1836, son of Jolm B. and Louisa A. (Gaines) Chessher, both natives of of Tennes-
see. The father was a farmer but when yonng was engaged in teaching. During the Indian war he was under General Jackson, but with this exception led an uneventful life, dying in 1853, aged sixty-three years. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The latter survived her husband, dying in 1863, aged sixty-three. Five children were born in this family, namely: Lucinda, died at the age of seven; Benson B., died at the age of sixteen years; onr subject; Sarah G., widow of W. W. Nicholas, resides in Georgetown; and James F .. who enlisted in Tom Green's bri- gade in 1862, died in the army at the age of eighteen years when on the way back from New Mexico.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.