USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 54
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
father conducted extensive operations in stock raising. We can readily call to the mind's eye a picture of the scenes that must have marked the youth of our subject. Much of his time was passed in the saddle and in car- ing for the cattle as they roamed the far- sweeping prairies. In those early days edu- cational facilities were necessarily meagrz, but the boyish mind had cognizance of a broader mental discipline than that which was represented in the vicinity, and he avidi - ously pursned liis preliminary studies in the primitive subscription schools and later, by close application, obtained a good classical and practical education, eventually fitting himself for the ministry in the Christian. Church. In connection with this work of preparation, which would have been sufficient to demand the undivided attention of the average man, he was simultaneously pursu- ing a systematic study of the law and was early admitted to practice at the bar. To snch a nature, nuselfish and devoted, there could not fail an accomplishment of good in any field of endeavor, but continuing his studies, his inclinations and judgment led him in other directions than that of the min- istry and he determined to devote himself to practice at the bar. In view to this end he had, as before stated, leut his efforts by a thorough course of private study at home, and the indomitable will of the man and the breadth of his mentality have, perhaps, been more strongly defined in no other in- stance than this. For fifteen years he suc- cessfully prosecuted his profession at various points in the State-Georgetown, Cameron, Austin and Taylor. That his ability and in- tegrity should soon meet with public recog- nition was but in the nature of things. and soon there came to him the preferment as
The subject of this memoir, Jolın N. Mc- Fadin, was the eldest son of David HI. and Jerusha (Dyches) McFadin, and was born in Jefferson county, Texas, August 11, 1838. When he was eight years of age the family removed to Williamson county, where his | Chief Justice of Williamson county. At the,
1
808
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
expiration of this official term he was called to serve in an even more important and rep- resentative office, being elected District At- torney of what was then the western district of Texas. He was also the incumbent in numerous other offices of trust and responsi- bility. In his political opinions he was inde- pendent and untrammeled by distinctive party lines. This was to be expected from one of his characteristics, but he but held the more firmly for this reason the high regard of the people, whose suffrages he secured as a result of his personal popularity and of the implicit confidence placed in him.
October 20, 1861, lic was united in mar- riage to Miss Mollie L. Sherman, a native of Houston, Texas, where she was born April 11, 1843, being the daughter of William P. and Elizabeth Ann (Teague) Sherman. She was a celebrated beauty in her girlhood days, and was referred to in the Galveston News (1860) as a " Southern beauty," both of face and form. The father was one of the Texas pioneers and served with distinction through the Texas wars. Hc was extensively engaged in stock-raising for a number of years. His wife, who was a native of Tennessee, was married in Texas in 1832 and they died about 1848, within a few days of each other. After the death of her parents Mrs. McFadin was placed under the guardianship of John Hamblin, at whose home she remained intil the time of her marriage.
To Mr. and Mrs. McFadin ten children were born, and of the number only one has passed away. Of them we make record as follows; Alice was married March 6, 1887, to Charles W. McAnulty; Zuma was married in 1886, to Howard H. Jenkins; William A. married Miss Irna Cavanaugh September 20, 1893; Ora J .; Ella married A. M. Ingram, August 23, 1893; ZeVan died in infancy;
and the others are TeVan David, Auma J., Nina and Von Veree.
As the most conspicuous characteristic of the life of our honored subject, and the one for which his memory is revered to-day, it is but consistent that attention be called to his signal devotion to the cause of humanity, than which no life can have a higher aim. He was a statesinan of the purest type, and from the forum, the legislative halls and by his pen he thundered denunciations of wrong and pleaded the cause of right. He was a hard student all his life, an ardent and inde- pendent searcher for the truth, kneeling humbly at this shrine for guidance. His motto was, " no worshipper of prescribed rules." His judgment was clear, concise and so logical that he is often spoken of as "a man a quarter of a century ahead of hie time." He was a leader of advanced thought and a tower of strength to thinking minds. He bore also some distinction as an orator. much of his time having been devoted to serving the public in this capacity. More than once he canvassed the State in the in- terest of social and political economics.
After a life of activity, devotion to duty and of success in the highest sense of the term, Mr. McFadin entered into eternal rest November 4, 1891, mourned by all to whom had been granted a knowledge of his char acter, his deeds of kindness and his genero- sity. To all, however, must have come the realization that thus came only the fitting termination of a lite beautiful on earth --: life whose continuance could but follow it more glorious realms of eternity. Mrs. Mc Fadin made her home with the children a the old homestead after the death of her hns band, and, surviving him by only a few months, she died July 30, 1892.
809
HISTORY OF TEXAS
R EV. JOIIN H. McLEAN, A. M., D. D., Regent of the Southwestern Uni- versity, Georgetown, Texas, was born in Hinds county, Mississippi, Sep- tember 24, 1838, a son of Allen Ferguson and Ann (Rose) McLean. The grandfather of our subject, John McLean, was a native of Scotland, but in early manhood emigrated to the United States, locating in North Caro- lina. He was a teacher by profession, and in religion, a Presbyterian. Abont the year 1832 three of his sons removed to Mississippi, where Charles engaged in .merchandising; Daniel was a physician, and Allen, first a teacher, but later a merchant. The other members of the family remained in, North Carolina, excepting a sister, who married a Mr. MeLean, and in 1835 they moved to Georgia. Allen F. McLean married Miss Ann Rose, a daughter of Captain William F. and Mary Rose, and they had two sons: William P. and John H. The former, Judge William P. McLean, is a lawyer of marked ability and great integrity, has enjoyed honor 'at the hands of the State, having served sev- *: eralterms in the State Legislature, one terin " jn Congress, once as a member of the Constitu- ' tional Convention, one term as District Judge, and is now an honored member of the Rail- road Commission. Mr. McLean, the father of our subject, died soon after the birth of the latter, and the mother afterward emigrated with her father, Captain Rose, to Texas, in the fall of 1839, locating near Marshall, the county seat of Harrison county. Captain Rose was the grand-nephew of General Washington, and served in the battle of New Orleans, under General Jackson. He was a man of great courage and determination, and because of his special fitness was placed at the head of a company, known as the Regu- lars. He assisted in ridding that section of
country from thieves and lawless characters, in the times when law existed only in name, and jails, wooden structures, were inadequate to the safe keeping of prisoners. In this capacity Captain Rose rendered important service, but not without great hazard, and these scenes of danger and daring had their bearing upon the formation of the character of his descendants, in inspiring them with courage and determination. By lier second marriage Mrs. McLean, the mother of our subjeet, liad three children: Bettie, wife of R. M. Hall, ex-Land Commissioner; Mary, wife of P. A. Turner, Esq .; and Benjamin F. Hughes, in the employment of the General Land Office. An nncle of Mr. McLean, Col- onel W. T. Scott, an honored citizen of eastern Texas, served several terms in the State Legislature, and was a member of the Secession Convention. Similar service was. rendered by another uncle, Judge John Washington Rose, a prominent citizen of : Victoria county, Texas.
John H. McLean received his 'early in- structions under an excellent primary teacher, D. W. Foster, and his preparatory training was received nnder Professors Dubose, Tarl- ton and Pettit, of Marshall. His mother living, in the conntry, he and his brother were obliged to ride five miles to school, at the disadvantage of two boys on ons pony. At the age of sixteen years onr subject entered Mckenzie College, a flourishing in. stitution at that time, located near Clarks- ville, Red River county, under the presidency of that remarkable man and educator, Rev. J. W. P. Mckenzie, D. D., who has contrib- uted to the State some of its leading men. Among them are Colonel W. S. Herndon, of Tyler; Colonel W. L. Crawford, Judge George Aldridge, Hon. John HI. and Dr. Arch Cochran, of Dallas; General W. II.
810
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Young, of San Antonio; Hon. W. J. Swain, of Henrietta; Judge W. H. Ford, of Bean- inont; Dr. J. F. Hooks, of Paris; Dr. J. C. Beckham, of New Orleans, who attended Jefferson Davis in his last illness; and Revs. Dr. M. H. Neely and Dr. John Adams. It was at this institution, noted for its rigid discipline, thorough training and religious impressions, that Mr. McLean received his collegiate instruction and religious training for liis life work. After graduating he taught two years, as Adjunct Professor in the Col- lege, and in 1860 entered the itinerant min- istry of the East Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Six years later the Conference was divided, and lie now holds his membership in the North Texas Conference.
4
Dr. McLean was in the pastoral work of his church twenty years, filling prominent stations and districts, having served as station minister in the Jefferson, Paris and Sherman stations, and the Jefferson and Paris dis- tricts as Presiding Elder, and for two years : was President of the Paris Female Institute. In 1880 he was called to a Professorship and . to the Vicc-Regency of the Southwestern University, located in Georgetown. In 1890, .a vacancy occurring in the Regencysof the University, by the resignation of Dr. J. W. Heidt, Dr. McLean filled the vacancy as V'ice. Regent, until his election as Regent, in June, 1891. This institution was founded by Rev. F. A. Mood, D. D., in 1873, and opened wiith three professors and thirty- three -- pupils. At the last enrollment it numbered nineteen professors and teachers, and 486 ‘pupils, and has among its patrons the Governor, members of the high courts of appeal, and other distinguished citizens, as well as the worthy poor, struggling against poverty for the benefits of liberal education
.
under moral and religions auspices. The curriculum is extensive, the discipline firm and instruction thoroughi. Dr. McLean has in many ways enjoyed the confidence and and compliments of his church and friends. He has been at the head of the delegation from his Conference to the General Confer- ence, with one exception, from 1874 to the present time; was one of a committee of nine men appointed by the Bishops of his church to revise the hymn-book and was one of five delegates from the State to the last Eenmeni- cal Conference, at Washington, District of Columbia.
Rev. McLean was married March 22, 1866, to Miss Olivia McDngald, who was born at Paulding, Mississippi, September 27, 1844, but at that time a resident of Rusk, Cherokee county, Texas. She is a daugliter of Major James and Margaret McDugald. The father was a lawyer of great ability, a member of the State Senate, and a renowned orator. He was a native of Scotland, and died in his adopted State, Mississippi, in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. McDugaid had the fo.1: lowing children: Dr. Wallace who was die:i. tinguished as a surgeon in the late war; I.V. James, a member of the North Texas Con- . ference; Anny wife of a liighly esteemed citi- zen and a prosperous merchant, Colonel F. M. Hicks, of Sar Antonio; and Ellen, wife. : of Hon. R. B. Reagan, of Rnsk, Texas. The mother is still living, aged eighty-one year Mr. and Mrs. McLean have nine children: Mckenzie Marwin, .. Eunice. Margaret, Ann Rosc, Olivia, Mary, Joi Hicwell, Williamn Pinkney and McDngald, Keener The three eldest children are graduates of the South- western University, and the son is now a lawyer, and one daughter a teacher. The remainder of the children are now students of that institution. The quotable results of
811
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Mr. McLean's labors are mnost honorable, ef- ficient and praiseworthy. He carries the con- fidence and esteem not only of those con- nected with the institution over which he presides, and the community in which he lives, but also of the Church and State at large. His information is broad and varied, lie is a clear and forceful writer, unpretentious, in manner, of sterling elements of character and noble manhood, -these are among the qualities which have contributed to his suc- cessful and useful life. The Doctor is held in high esteem throughout the Southwest as an educator, and his successful administra- tion sustains well his reputation. He is a man of rare gifts in the management and control of students, having the happy faculty of securing their love and respect and of moulding character of the highest order, mentally, morally, and socially. The insti- tution is enjoying a high state of prosperity.
T HOMAS W. FELTON, a well-known and prosperous farmer residing on the San Gabriel river, twelve miles north- west of Rockdale, has been a resident of Milam county, Texas, for the past twenty eight years.
Mr. Felton was born in Smith county, Ten- nessee, January 2, 1833, son of James and Jane (Glover) Felton: His parents were mar- ried in Tennessee, and about 1840 removed from there to Dallas county, Missouri. After a residence of three years there they moved to Izard county, Arkansas, and in that county Thomas W. spent his boyhood days, being reared on a farm aud receiving only limited educational advantages. He is one of a family of twelve children, six sons and six danghters. His oldest brother, Richard, died
in Milam county, Texas. The second, Andrew J., died at Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1863, while in the Confederate army. His third brother, James M., also died in the Confederate service, his death occurring at Pocahontas, Arkansas, in 1864; while the two youngest, Geneth D. and Jonathan E., are residents of Tom Green county, Texas. The sisters were all married, and, with one exception, are all living, being residents of Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.
Thoms W. Felton came to Texas when a young man and worked in different localities, being employed to care for stock, until the second year of the war, when he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company D, Allen's Regiment of Infantry, for service on the frontier and coast defense of Texas. He served iu this capacity from the date of his enlistment until the close of the war. The principal engagements in which he took part were those in Louisiana, following Banks' Red river campaign, namely: Milliken's Bend, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, and Yellow Bayou.
Returning to Texas at the close of the war, Mr. Felton, in partnership with his brother, engaged in the stock business in Milam county, ranging along the San Gabriel river. In 1867 he purchased 320 acres of wild land in the San Gabriel valley, on which he settled and began farming on a sinall scale, still continuing the stock business aud giving his attention chiefly to sheep. Two years later he married and, he and his brother having divided their stock, he settled on his place and enlarged his farming operations and also increased his flocks of sheep. He was successfully engaged in these pursuite for about six years, when the sheep industry began to decline and lie lost considerable money on his investments in this line. He
.
.
812
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
continued his farming operations actively, however, and received good returns from this source. Ilis surplus was invested in lands, so that until within a recent date, when he parted with a considerable part of his hold- ings, he was one of the largest land owners in the San Gabriel valley. Mr. Felton still has a splendid farm, consisting of about 600 acres, half of which is under cultivation and all of it more or less improved and well stocked with good breeds of horses, cattle and hogs. This farm is located in one of the richest agricultural sections of the county.
December 16, 1869, Mr. Felton married Miss Martha Miles, of Milam county. She died August 10, 1884, leaving six children: Thomas F., Henry Elbert, Charles Wilbur, Lenora Ann, Lanra M. and Walter S.
UDGE THOMAS P. HUGHES, a re- tired lawyer of Georgetown, was born in Washington county, Kentucky, Decem- ber 18, 1826, a son of Jolin and Martha (Nantz) Hughes, the former a native of Ken- tncky, and the latter of Virginia. The father was appointed clerk of the circuit and county courts at the age of eighteen years, and held both offices until his death, which occurred in Springfield, Washington county, Kentucky, in June, 1833, at the age of thirty-six years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. Mr. Hughes placed a high estimate ou personal character and the good naine of those to whom are confided public trusts. His brother, eighty-five years of age, and who resides near Bloomfield, Kentucky, is the only one of that family now living. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Frederick and Martha (Watkins) Nantz, the
latter of French, Welsh and English extrac- tion. Her father was twice married, and by the first union there were twelve children, and by the second, one child, Daniel B. Nantz. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were the parents of seven children, viz .: John D., who died unmarried in 1888, aged sixty-eight years, was a merchant in early life, and later a farmer; James R., a practicing physician of Springfield, Kentucky, for many years, but at the time of his death, in October, 1892, was retired from practice, and giving his at- tention to farming and stock-raising; Martha L., who died in 1874, aged fifty years, was the wife of Dr. William Leake, of Yazoo county; Thomas P., our subject; F. E., a retired physician, and a resident of Dallas; M. Louise, widow of Charles Mann, and a resident of Georgetown; and Daniel H., an attorney by profession and who served as Judge of the Court of Morganfield, Kentucky. Mrs. Leake, at her death, left three children: Dr. Henry, until recently the City Physician of Dallas, and one of the leading physicians of that city; Mrs. William Walton, also of Dallas; and William, a resident of Texas. Mrs. Mann lost her husband soon after the war, and her children are: William L .; Lillie, wife of O. Harrell; and Hattie, wife of Henry Price. After the father's death, Mrs. Hughes, the mother of our subject, married Harrison Blanton, of Frankfort, Kentucky. She died in 1862, having been a devout member of the Presbyterian Church from girlhood. She was an accomplished, pleasant and agreeable lady.
The grandfather of our subject, Edward IInghes, with two brothers, Barnabas and Jolin, came from Ireland to America, locat- ing in Kentucky in an early day. The broth- ers were consins of Archbishop Hughes, of the Catholic Church. Edward married Letitia
813
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Reed, and they had fourteen children, all of whoin were married and raised families. He died in 1833, the same year as his son John, the father of our subject, both dying near Springfield of the cholera. The disease was so terrible at that time that the merchants of Springfield closed their stores, and many moved to other places. Mrs. Hughes died about 1858, at the age of seventy-seven years. Both she and her husband were members of the Presbyterian Church. Barnabas Hughes was a farmer near Danville, Kentucky, and John made a fortune in the mercantile busi- ness in that city. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hughes were: Jaines R., who served as county and circuit clerk of Union county, Kentucky, many years, married Rachel Givens; John, the father of our subject; Elizabeth, who married William Muldrow, and they moved to Missouri; Letitia and Maria, twins; Margaret married Isaac Cov- ington, lived near Bowling Green, Kentucky, and had four children; Edward married Mary Donahue, and had three daughters; Jonathan married Minerva Givens, Sheriff of Union county, Kentucky, and they had two sons and four daughters; Daniel B., still living, mar- ried Susan Crosby, and has two sons and four daughters; Willis G., formerly an attorney of Morgansfield, Kentucky, had four sons and two daughters by his first marriage, and by his second marriage, to Bettie Barber, had two sons and two daughters; Sarah, married Lile Irvine, and had one daughter, Reed; Rev. Samuel K., a minister of the Presby- terian Church, who moved to Ohio; and Thomas B. married Hattie Calhoun. They had five children, two sons and three daugh- ters. The eldest son, John C., resides in Missouri, and Edward died unmarried. Letitia, the fourthi child of Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, married Hugh Waldron and moved
to Missouri: they had two children. Her linsband died, and she afterward came to Texas and married John Sinock. Maria, her twin sister, married Samuel Vantrees, and after his death she became the wife of a Mr. Payton. They now reside in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Fred Nantz, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and assisted in the over- throw of tea in the Boston harbor. He also procured some coffee from the same vessel, which is still in the possession of the family.
Judge Hughes, the subject of this sketch, was educated in Kentucky, and is a graduate of Center College, in the class of 1848, which comprised thirty-five pupils. After gradu- ating he read law under Judge Booker, of Springfield, Kentucky, and also under his uncle, Willis G. Hughes. He obtained license under the Appellate Court of Kent- tucky, in 1850, and left that State the same year, arriving in Georgetown, Texas, in February, 1851. He is now the third oldest male inhabitant of this city, the others being W. C. Dalrymple and John Shell. Mr. Hughes began practice with his cousin, Edd H. Vantrees, they having also attended the same college. The latter, who held the rank of Captain, was killed by lightning in Louis- iana, while on an errand to see General Tay- lor to change the camping ground. - He and his horse were instantly killed. Our subject then continued practice alone until 1860, when he formed a partnership with J. J. Dimmitt, under the firmn name of Hughes & Dimmitt, and this continued until the latter moved to Missouri, in 1862. In 1861 the Judge canvassed Williamson county as an anti-secessionist, and at the following elec- tion was elected by a large majority a dele- gate to the secession convention, to meet at Austin. He was one of thirteen to vote
814
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
against the ordinance of secession. When the convention met the excitement was in- tense, and, after different views had been ex- pressed, Mr. IInghes obtained the floor, and inade a spirited appeal, taking the ground, first: "That the State had come into the Union with the sisterhood of States by a vote of the people, and the people of the State should have a vote on this question, as to whether it should or should not go out of the Union. Second, if this convention dele- gates the power to itself to force the State out of the Union, we will bring on a war at once here in the State, for the people are greatly divided on this question. We can only have a liarmony either way, by getting the consent of a majority of the Texan people." The Judge was followed by Hon. John Wharton, another member of the Con- vention, who said: "The gentleman who has preceded ine is Unionist, but I am not. I am a Secessionist, and I would rather be a Secessionist than an angel in Heaven." After making a spirited appeal, and showing the many differences between his ideas and those of the gentleman wlio had preceded him, he quietly remarked that though they differed in many things, they agreed in this way, that the ordinance whichi had passed the convention should go to a vote of the peo- ple and so it did.
During the late war, Judge Hughes en- listed in Company A, Charles Morgan's Battalion, and served as a private until the close of the struggle. He served in the Western Department, under Generals . Green, Price and Marmaduke, and serred in Arkansas most of the time .. On account of declining health he returned home a short time before the close. He afterward re- sumned the practice of law in Georgetown, which he continued until 1890. In 1866
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.