USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 52
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Politically, Mr. Jacksou adheres to the Democratic party, of which his father before him has always been a strong advocate, but the subject of this sketch does not aspire to public office, although taking a deep interest in the public welfare. He is a worthy men - ber of the Masonic fraternity, and he and his faithful wife are useful members of the Bap- tist Church, to which denomination his an- cestors for several generations lave belonged. Mr. Jackson is a worthy son of a worthy father, and reflects credit on his birthplace and place of residence, the great State of Texas.
JOSEPH T. DANIEL, deceased, who re- sided on his farm in Milam county, Texas, for nearly half a century, was one of the venerable citizens of the county. A brief sketch of his life is as follows :
Joseph T. Daniel was born in Alabama. December 31, 1824, son of Peyton and Mary (Curry) Daniel, the former of Georgian birth,
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and the latter a native of Alabama. All orphan when quite young, Joseph T. was left to tlie care of his maternal grandparents, Thomas Curry and wife, with whom, at the age of ten years, he came to Texas. Ile re- maincd a member of their family until he reached his majority. While his educational advantages were limited, he was fortunate in receiving good training otherwise, his grand- parents being industrious, moral people, wlio instilled into him good principles, their daily lives being in accord with their teachings. On coming to Texas, Mr. and Mrs. Curry took up their residence, about January 5, 1835, in the settlement then constituting Robertson's colony,-what is now Robertson county. There the grandfather died in 1840, leaving to young Daniel his right to a league of land which he had located in what is now Milaur county. This county was then unor- ganized and was practically unoccupied terri- tory, the Indians being too numerous and hostile to permit of its settlement. Mr. Daniel was yet young and not desirons of set- tling down, so he held the papers but made no attempt to improve the land. In the meantime, his services being called for in de- fense of the settlers, he entered the various organizations as they were raised, and helped through several years to protect the frontier against both the Indians and Mexicans. In 1840-1 he was a member of the organiza- tiou known as the " Minute Men," and par- ticipated with this organization in a number of expeditions against the redskins. In 1842 he joined the expedition against Mexico, un- der General Sumervell, and was out on duty several months. Later, he was in the celebrated Snively expedition, organized to intercept the Mexican train on its way to St. Louis with gold and silver, which expedition failed in its purpose to get the precious metal
but succeeded in getting some fighting out of the Mexicans. Then, in 1846, he enlisted in Ross' regiment for the Mexican war, and served on the Rio Grande for three months, or until the close of hostilities.
Marrying in 1847, Mr. Daniel moved out to the claim which his grandfather had left him in Milam county, and on this tract of land he afterward made his home. Live stock was the principal, source of revenue at an earlier day, and Mr. Daniel was profitably engaged in raising and selling horses and cattle until the opening of the late war, during the first two years of the war man- aging to liold his business pretty well in hands, but on the call for volunteers in 1863, he entered the Confederate service and was in it until the cessation of hostilities, serving on the Gulf coast and in the vicinity of Galves- ton. When he returned home after the close of the war he found most of his property gone, and it was not until after several years of hard work and close economy that he was able to replace what he had lost. In 1879 he turned his attention to the mercantile busi- ness. In this venture however, he was un- fortunate, losing not only the ready cash he had, but also having to sacrifice some of liis land in order to save liis credit. He tben re- tired to his farm and thereafter gave his at- tention strictly to farming pursuits, the place comprising about 200 acres of black soil, well located. most of which is under cultiva- tion and productive.
Mr. Daniel was twice married. In March, 1847, he wedded Miss Nancy House, daughter of Jolin House, who moved to Texas from Mississippi in 1836, dying shortly afterward in Robertson county or colony as it was then called. This lady was a native of Mississippi. They became the parents of seven children, as follows : Frances, who
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was married to W. C. Sparks, and who died in Bell county, this State, April 21, 1888; Mary C., wife of Mike Rogers, Milam county; Wade H., a resident of Oregon; Joseph P'., who died in 1881, leaving a widow and three ehildren; Artilla, wife of James Swann, Bell county, died February 2 1890; Dora, wife of J. W. Smith; and John D .. a fariner of Mi- lam connty. Mrs. Daniel died September 19, 1871, and May 18, 1873, Mr. Daniel married Mrs. Sarah Riggan, the widow of Rev. M. T. Riggan, formerly of Milan county. The present Mrs. Daniel is a daughter of Jolm and Elizabeth Gillmore, natives of Alabama. Her father was a leading Methodist divine of Alabama and Mississippi for many years, dying in the latter State, October 2, 1844, of typhoid fever. His wife died on the same day and of the same disease. Mrs. Daniel had five children by her former marriage, none of whom are now living. By her last marriage she had no children. Mrs. Daniel, as was also her late lamented husband, is a inember of the Methodist Church and zealous in the support of all church work. Politi- eally, Mr. Daniel was originally a Democrat, but in later years was independent, with a leaning toward the People's party. Fra- ternally, he was a Chapter Mason.
On the 5th of April, 1893, Mr. Daniel was strieken down with paralysis and lay nntil the 29th of August, when he departed this life, sincerely lamented by all.
D ANIEL D. FOWLER, a prominent and prosperous farmer, residing in the vicinity of Gause, Milam county, Texas, is a son of Alexander Fowler, and a brother of Joseph D. Fowler
Daniel D. Fowler was born in Butler connty, Alabama, in 1850, but was reared in Guadalupe and Milam connties, Texas; grow- ing up on the farm and receiving the usnal educational advantages of the day. He was in his eighteenth year when his father died, and, being one of a large family, he began at that time to look out for himself. ITis first employment was as a teamster, hanling freight from Milam and Bryan, then the ter- mini of the Houston & Texas Central Rail- road, to Austin and other western points. In this business he was profitably engaged for three years. As the railroad progressed westward his operations as freighter were eut off and he turned his attention to live stock and the butcher business, furnishing supplies to the construction crews of the International & Great Northern Railroad then building north from Hearne. After a year so spent he bought a small farm on Cedar creek, on the south line of Milam county, where he settled and began farming. Two years later he bought his present homestead, consisting then of 320 aeres of nnimproved land, for which he agreed to pay $1,600, paying $1,000 down and agreeing to pay the rest in twelve months, which he did. Thus, by careful economy and good management, he was en- abled to get a start. The passing years have witnessed a marked change in his affairs. Now he owns 1,400 aeres of land; 300 acres of which are nnder enltivation; his place is stocked with 800 head of eattle, forty horses and other stock in proportion. His comfortable home and other good farm build- ings are among the improvements on his land, and, while Mr. Fowler has acenmulated a large fortune, his time has not been solely taken up with gathering the property about him. He has a family, and, in addition to a large honsehold of his own, he has raised five
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orphans -brothers and sisters of his wife whom he has trained to habits of industry and usefulness, and provided for in propor- tion to his means and their wants.
Mr. Fowler was married in 1872, to Miss Emaline Patty, who was born in Arkansas, and who accompanied her mother, Mrs. Delilah Patty, to Texas, her father having died in California a number of years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have had ten children: Walter G .; Ella, who died at the age of seven years: Frederick Dow; Edgar; Addie Lou; Bertie May; Pearl ; Daniel Webster ; Charles B., and one that died in infancy.
Mr. Fowler is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being Junior Deacon of Milano Lodge, No. 605, and he is also a member of the Knights of Honor, Lodge No. 506, at Cameron. Both he and his wife belong to the Methodist Church, in which he has served as Steward and Trustee, and in the affairs of which he takes an active interest.
W ILLIAM BENSON BATES, an en- terprising and successful farmer and stock dealer of Lyons, Burleson county, Texas, is a native of Cherokee county, Georgia, where he was born October 23, 1847. On his father's side, he is of Irish origin and of English descent on his mother's side. His paternal great grand-father Will- iam Bates was a native of the Emerald Isle and a gun-smith by trade, although much of liis life was spent in farming. Heemigrated to America some time during the latter part of the last century and settled in Virginia, . where he became a man of wealth and in- fluence. He was a Captain in the Revolu- tionary war and was a man of unusual ability. He held several important official positions
in Virginia, having been at one time a mem- ber of the Legislature of that State. He lost most of his property in the Revolutionary war, and afterward removed to Sonth Caro- lina, where, at one time, he owned two farms on the Tugaloo river, but in his old age he became poor and when he died owned only a small farin and a mill. Hle survived to a good old age, dying in South Carolina, in 1821, greatly mourned by all who knew him. He had three brothers: Daniel, also a soldier in the Revolutionary war; Phlegmin and Mathew. Great grandmother Bates' maiden name was Mary Royall. She was a widow with one child when she married William Bates. Her first husband, named Barton, was a Tory and died in Savannah. She sur- vived Mr. Bates many years, dying at an ad- vanced age. His son, Stephen Bates, wlio was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia in 1778, and when a young man went to South Carolina, where he married a Miss Cox and settled down to planting and distilling and lived for a number of years. In later life, he removed to Georgia, in which State he died at the ad. vanced age of seventy-fonr. He had ten children, among whom were: Williamn F., George, James M., J. R., Peggy and Sallie. The second of these, James M., was the father of William Benson, of this article. James M. Bates was born in South Carolina, January 23, 1811. In 1832, he accompanied his parents to Georgia, where he learned the trade of a wood workinan, and followed this business mainly in the line of bridge build- ing for a number of years. He was a fine workinan and fond of his trade, at which lie was reasonably prosperons. In after life, he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and now lives on a fine farm in northern Alabama, surrounded by all the comforts of life and in
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0
the universal esteem of his fellowmen. The mother of the subject of this sketch bore the maiden name of Lizzie Williamson, and was a daughter of James Williamson, a Georgia planter, in which State she was born. The children of James M. and Lizzie Bates were: Amanda, who married J. F. McIntyre; Josie M., who first married William M. Mahaffey and after his death, a Mr. Blagg; William Benson, of this article; Alexander H .; and Sarah Ann, who died at the age of thirty. On the death of his wife in 1852, James M. Bates married Rebecca McIntyre, and they had three children: James Washington, Ben- jamin Franklin and John Rice.
William Benson. Bates, whose name heads this sketch, was reared on his father's farm near Atlanta, Georgia, where he remained until he became of age. His father moved to northern Alabama some time during the war, and it was from that State that Mr. Bates came to Texas a few years later. On coming to this State, he settled in Burleson county and secured his first employment as a clerk for T. J. Pampell, at Lyons. He was engaged in the mercantile business, first, as a clerk and, later, as a partner. at Lyons, for about two years, at the end of which time he began handling cattle and followed this pur- suit actively and exclusively np to 1882. At that date, he settled on a farm near Lyons, in Burleson county, where he engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, and his interests have since been farming and stock growing. He owns a ranch in Fort Bend county, which repre- sents a considerable investment, and to which he gives a good portion of his time and at- tention.
On December 21, 1881, Mr. Bates mar- ried Miss Z. S. Fulford, who moved from Montgomery, Alabama, to Texas some time in the '50s. They have four children: John
Sly, James C., Charles T. and George F. This prosperity represents the outlay of a commensurate amount of energy and atten- tion, and Mr. Bates is justly deserving of all the good fortune which the future may have in store for him.
D R. JOHN E. WALKER, physician and surgeon of Georgetown, Texas, was born in Rockbridge county, Var- ginia, December 4, 1831, a son of John C. and Margaret (Coulton) Walker, who were born, reared and married in that State. The grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. John C. Walker, took part in the war of 1812. In 1836 he moved his family from Virginia to Montgom- ery county, Indiana, where he followed agri- cultural pursuits. He was a cousin of Alex- ander H. Stewart, who served as Secretary of the Interior under the administration of President Fillmore. Mr. Walker died in Montgomery county, soon after the late war, at the age of seventy years. He was an attend- ant, although not a member, of the Presby- terian Church, of which the family were members. He was the embodiment of those qualities which go to make up honorable manhood, was a man of high honor, strict in- tegrity, and splendidly equipped for intellig- ent citizenship. The mother of our subject died soon after they came to Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Walker were the parents of four children: Archibald, a farmer by occupation, died in Montgomery county, Indiana; Judge A. S., Reporter of the Supreme Court, in Austin; Robert C., a resident of Iowa; and John E., our subject.
The latter attended the Waveland Acad- emy, of Indiana, and later the Wabash Col-
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lege. In 1851 he began the study of medi- cine, under Dr. Parsous, of Mace, Indiana, and in 1857 began the practice of his profes- sion where New Paris is now located. In January, 1858, he opened an office in William- son county, Texas, where he is the oldest liv. ing practitioner of the county. When he came to this place there were only two dry goods stores, owned by E. W. Tolbert and Josiah Taylor, and one church, the Presby- terian, which was also occupied by the Baptist, Methodist and Christian. The school house was also situated in one end of the church, and was taught by well qualified and good instructors for those days. Among thein were W. H. Henderson, Rev. R. M. Overstreet, of the Presbyterian Church, and Mr. McMurry. Mr. Walker served one term as Alderinan soon after the incorporation of the city, but never aspired to public office.
He was married in 1869, to Miss Lonisa Wilbarger, a daughter of Mathias and Sarah M. (Stewart) Wilbarger, natives of Virginia. The father was reared in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and the mother in Missouri. The parents came to Texas in 1837, first settling in Bastrop county, afterward in Travis county, and in 1848 came to Williamson county. In 1852, on account of the advan- tages of the school, they came to Georgetown, and the father died of smallpox in February, 1853, aged forty-six years, the disease having been brought to the neighborhood by negroes. The entire family, except the old- est daughter, contracted the disease. The mother died in December, 1883, aged sixty- seven years. She was a member of the Methodist Church for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Wilbarger had five children, viz .: Anna Jane, deceased at the age of thirty years, was the wife of A. S. Walker, of Austin; Louisa, wife of our subject; Henry Clay, who mar-
ried Miss Anna Harper; James M., who died with the small-pox; and Mathias, deceased at the age of two years. Henry Clay died in March, 1885, at the age of forty years, leav- ing three children: Sarah, George C., and Anna M. Dr. Walker is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, also of the I. O. O. F., of which he is Scribe of the Chapter. Both as a practitioner and Christian gentleman, Dr. Walker gives char- acter to the many good, honest, honorable, worthy and true men of Georgetown.
W S. BROOKSHIRE, Sheriff of Will- iamson county, was born in Wapello county, Iowa, November 15, 1850, a son of Jesse and Susan J. (Harrow) Brook- shire, the former a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Montgomery county, Indi- ana. The father was engaged in farming in Iowa for sixteen years, and in 1859 came to Williamson county, Texas. In 1869 he located on a farm in Newton county, Missonri; where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1875. Both he and his wife were prominent and devoted members of the Chris- tian Church for many years. The latter died in 1856. There were the parents of several children, inost of whom are still living.
W. S. Brookshire, the subject of this sketch, began business for himself by work- ing for wages, and later engaged in stock- raising. He has followed farming and stock- raising for the past fourteen years, and lie now owns 956 acres of land, 300 acres of which is cultivated. On this land he can raise anything grown in this latitude, but he is principally engaged in raising cattle for beef. Mr. Brookshire hield the position of Constable from 1869 to 1871, was County
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Commissioner from 1891 to 1892, and in the latter year was elected Sheriff of his county. He also served out the unexpired term of his predecessor, J. T. Olive, who was waylaid and killed in September, 1892.
Our subject was married in 1877, to Miss Hattie Hurt, a daughter of James Il. Hurt, of Brenham, Texas. They have five children: Leora, Lola, William, Ralph and one un- named. Mrs. Brookshire is a member of the Baptist Church. Socially, our subject affili- ates with the Masonic order, blue lodge, chapter and commandry. He is a man of decided character, strong in his attachments, and devoted to huis many friends. He is noted for his benevolence and kindness of heart, is gentle and sympathetic in his nature, never deaf to the cry of distress, or blind to the merits of the deserving, who stand in need of a friend. His selection for the im- portant office he holds, and the unanimity of desire for his continuance in the same, are ample proof of his qualification. He places a high estimate on the personal character and the good name of those to whom are confided public trusts. Mr. Brookshire takes rank among the responsible, worthy and most highly esteemned citizens of the county.
LOHN R. SIMS, M. D., who has been prominently identified with the inter- ests of Burleson county, Texas, since 1868, and who has resided at Tunis since 1872, is one of the representative men of his county.
Dr. Sims was born in west Tennessee, December 13, 1828, and when quite young removed to Columbus, Mississippi, where he was reared. He received his education in
the common schools and the Franklin Acad- emy. At the age of twenty he began the study of medicine under the instructions of Dr. Richard Harrison, with whom he re- mained a year and a half. Then he took a medical course in a college at New Orleans, after which he entered a medical college in Philadelphia, graduating in the latter institu- tion in the winter of 1850-'1. Returning to Mississippi, he began the practice of his pro- fession in that State and continued there un- til his coming to Texas, as above stated. During the war he served as Assistant Sur- geon in the Forty-third Mississippi Regiment for some time; later, on account of ill health, was placed on the Board of Medical Exam- iners. After coming to Texas he continued the practice of his profession until about 1885, when he practically retired. He still, however, does some office practice. From time to time since coming to this State he has made investments in land until he is now the owner of about 640 acres in three farms, two being located on the Brazos bottoms and one near the village of Tunis. This land he has under cultivation and rented to tenants.
Dr. Sims is a son of William and Rachel (Walker) Sims, of Culpeper county, Virginia. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812; was by trade a carpenter and gin-wright and died in Columbus, Mississippi, in 1847. The Doctor's mother was a daughter of Honorable Samuel Walker, who was a native of South Carolina and who served as Speaker of the House of the Alabama Legislature. Ile was a leader in politics and in religion was a Primitive Baptist. He died in 1841. Will- iam and Rachel Sims had four children, the Doctor being the second born. Colonel M. W. Sims, the Doctor's brother, is a farmer at Bryan, Brazos county, these two being the only ones of the family in Texas.
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The subject of our sketch now has his second wife. His first wife's maiden name was Miss Virginia S. Holiway. She was born in Mississippi in 1843, daughter of Samuel Holiway who went from Alabama to tliat State, and there passed the rest of his life on a farm. Mrs. Sims died in July, 1872. She had three children, two of whom died in in- fancy. The other, Samnel H., is married and has a family and resides in Oklahoma. In 1880 Dr. Sims married Miss Mary Mc- Morries, who was born in Mississippi, July 24, 1844, dangliter of Baxter and Martha (Herrington) McMorries, of Sonth Carolina. Her father went to Mississippi in 1811 and died there in 1857. His wife with her second husband (Mr. Eubank) moved to Texas in 1865, and died in Bryan, Brazos county, in 1876. Mrs. Sims is the oldest of their chil- dren, and one of the fonr who are still living. By his second wife the Doctor has two chil- dren; Mamie, born October 15, 1881, and John R,, February 5, 1886.
Dr. Sims is a Democrat, a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife is a Presbyter- ian.
JOHN T. BRYSON, Cotton Weigher of Georgetown, Texas, and one of the inost prominent citizens of Williamson county, was born in Henderson connty, North Carolina, September 28, 1857, a son of Martha and R. B. Bryson, natives also of North Carolina. The parents were married in their native State, and caine to William- son county, Texas, in 1865. The father was born in 1819, and died in this county November 24, 1872, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for about
twenty-five years. He was a quiet, nuassuming farmer, extensively known, and highily re- spected. Mr. Bryson was also an old Con- federate soldier, having enlisted in April, 1861, and served until the close of the strug- gle. He was appointed Inspector of horses, which was a public trust of great respon- sibility, but his services was rendered in an efficient manner. He was in Ransom's Division, but sent back with Captain Lane to look after home matters. His farin of 900 acres is still in the possession of the family. Mrs. Bryson, born in 1818, died October 2, 1892, having also been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Bryson were good old people, substantial citizens, devout Christians, and of signal use- fulness. They traveled life's pathway to- gether for many years, and were not long separated. Having passed from earth's ac- tivities, their memory is a precions inheri- tance. They were the parents of four children, as follows: J. C., who resides on a farm near Leander, this county, inarried Miss Nancy Wells, and they have five children,- Emma, Robert, Ella, Henry, Myrtle. Mary, the second child is the wife of Edd Girvin, and they reside on the old home farm. They have five children,-Julia, Walter, Fitzhugh, May and Guy. Rachel, wife of T. W. McGill, resides in Georgetown, and has three children,-Wayne, Ollie and one unnamed.
John T. Bryson, the youngest child, and the subject of this sketch, was educated in the county schools, and reared to farin life. He was successfully engaged in farming until 1892, when he was elected Connty Weigher. He was married in 1878, to Miss Ella Magill, a dangliter of Captain J. P. Magill, of Leander. To this nion have been born three children,-Grace, Jeff and Ger- trude. Mrs. Bryson is a member of the
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Methodist Church. Politically, our subject affiliates with the Democratic party, and socially, is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Bryson's success in life is due to his fine business ability and unflagging industry. He is honored by his fellow citizens for his high character, and his pleasing, social qualities have won for him a coterie of friends almost as numerous as his acquaintances.
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