USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.2 > Part 55
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Mr. Hughes was elected District Judge, but was removed from that office during the re- construction period. In 1872 he was elected District Attorney of the counties of William- son, Burnet, Llano, San Saba, Brown and Lampasas, holding that position three and a half years.
Judge Hughes was first married in Novein- ber, 1856, to Miss Susan Doxey, a daughter of John and Rebecca Doxey, of Missouri. To that union were born three children; Mar- tha R., wife of Professor C. C. Cody, of the Southwestern University, and they have three children, Claude Cody, Thomas Hughes and Dorrel; John D., engaged in the cattle busi- ness in Georgetown; and Louretta, wife of A. A. Booty, a merchant of this city. The wife and mother died in June, 1871. She was a member of the Methodist Church. November 22, 1877, our subject was married at the residence of Mrs. William Short, at Louisville, Kentucky, by Rev. M. Conn, of the Presbyterian Church, to Miss Jennie Lowrie Duncan, a daughter of David and Henrietta (Spence) Duncan, natives of Illin- ois. The mother was the youngest daughter of Dr. Andrew Spence, of Philadelphia. He had the following children: Dr. James, who was born in Philadelphia, graduated at Edin- burg University, served twenty years in the British army, and was never married; An- drew B., deceased, married Miss Alice Hurry, of Philadelphia; Helen, wife of Dr. Henry Dewar, of Lassodi, Scotland; and Mrs. Dun- can. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Spence had four children; Andrew, Mary, Alice and Helen. Mr. and Mrs. Dewar had three children: John, Henry and Mary (wife of Dr. Gilman Kimball). Mrs. Duncan's parents died at an early age, and she was sent to Scotland at the age of five years, receiving her education at Edinburg. After returning to Philadelphia,
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she met and married David Duncan, a son of Gardner Duncan, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. Gardner Duncan had the fol- lowing children: James, David, John, Low- rie, Mrs. Jane Rickards, Mrs. Marion Ste- vens, Grace and Mrs. Cecilian B. Francis. Mr. Francis was United States Connl to Victoria, nnder Lincoln, of whom lic was a great friend. Mr. David Duncan was drowned while crossing the Sangamon river, in Illinois, in an early day. His wife died of cholera in Louisville, Kentucky. Their daughter, Henrietta Spence, resides with her sister, Mrs. Hughes, in Georgetown. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have one child, Thomas P., a pupil of the Southwestern University. Mrs. Hughes is a lady of culture and refinement, and is a leader of the social circles of the city. While in the practice of law, Judge Hughes ranked as one of the first jurists of the State, and is distinguished as a man of integrity and public spirit. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and the former also affiliates with the Masonic order, Blue Lodge and Chapter.
UGH BARTON, a prominent and highly respectable citizen of Bastrop county, Texas, lias been identified with the best interests of this place since 1854. He was born in Tennessee, January 3, 1817, and at the age of twelve years moved with his parents to Alabama, where he was reared on a farm and received a common- school education. At the age of twenty-two he engaged in the mercantile business in that State, where he continued until 1854. That year he sold out and came to Texas. Upon liis arrival here he located near where he now lives. He bought a tract of land, 1,000
acres, 100 acres of which were under culti- vation. No buildings, however, had been erected on it, and he at once began the work of improvement. His present conmo- dious residence he built in 1870, and he now lias 400 acres under cultivation, his principal crop being corn and cotton. In 1878 he erected a store building and opened out a stock of general merchandise. For ten years he conducted a successful business, at the end of which time he sold out to other parties. He has also been connected with various other enterprises. For many years he ran a cotton gin. During the Civil war he was detailed by the Government to run the pot- ash works near his place, and was thns en- gaged all through the war. Before the war he owned a large number of slaves.
Mr. Barton is a son of Dr. Hugh and Mary (Shirley) Barton, both natives of Vir- ginia, his grandfather, Roger . Barton, having come from England to this conntry and set- tled in the Old Dominion. In connection with his professional duties Dr. Barton also carried on farming occupations. He died in Alabama about . 1848, and his wife passed away the same year. Following are the names of their children, only three of whom are now living, viz .: Armstead; Roger; Elizabetlı, wife of William Dixon; Arthur; Margarette, wife of John W. Rutland; Mariah, wife of E. Carloss; Hugh, the sub- ject of this sketch; John; Clark, who died at the age of sixteen years; Louisa V., wife of L. V. Warren, a resident of Austin, Tex- as; and James L., who died in Alabama.
The subject of our sketch was married in Alabama, in 1871, to Miss Jennie Harris, who was born in that State, May 19, 1841; and soon after his marriage came with his bride to Texas. Of her parents, James and Martha (Mathews) Harris, wc record that lier
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father was born in Tennessee in 1800, was a farmer all his life, and died in November, 1848; and that her mother, a native of North Carolina and of Scotch descent, is still liv- ing at the old homestead in Alabania, where she has spent over fifty years of her life. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Harris are as follows: Mary, wife of Thomas Drisdell; Clinch, deceased; William, a resident of Alabama; Eliza, wife of Robert Corrie, Ala- bama; Margaret, who died when young; Jennie, wife of Mr. Barton; John, of Ala- bama; Samuel, deceased; Henrietta, wife of T. L. Fossick, is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Barto» have two children: John, a merchant of basucp county, Texas; and Hugh, Jr., engaged in farming in this county.
Mr. Barton is a supporter of the Demo- cratic party. Mrs. Barton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
W JILLIAM OWENS, a prominent and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser of Bastrop county, Texas, dates his birth in Alabama, February 12, 1841. His early life was spent on the farm and his edu- cation was limited to that of the common schools. In 1857 he came with his family to Texas, and remained with his parents until the war broke out. In 1861 he en- listed in Company C, Terry's regiment of rangers, and was assigned to service in the Army of the Tennessee. He was a faithful soldier from the beginning to the end of the war, was in inany hard battles and numerous skirmishes, and in all his service was never wounded or captured. Only about a dozen of the original 100 with whom he was mus- tered in at the beginning of hostilities re- turned home when the war was over.
The war over, Mr. Owens caine back to Texas and engaged in farming on the shares in Washington county. In 1879 he bought 200 acres of land in Bastrop county, to the improvement of which he at once devoted his time and attention. To his original pur- clase he has since added and has also bought land at other places until he is now the owner of 1,500 acres, 500 acres of which are under cultivation, being rented to other parties. In 1882 he built a gin witli a steam power and all the modern improvements for public gin- ning. And he also built a gristmill. For a number of years he has been extensively engaged in the cattle business, raising and buying and selling. For some time he also dealt in horses, buying them here and driving them to Kansas, but this he quit and now confines his stock business to cattle.
Mr. Owens is a son of Thomas and Jane (Sprowel) Owens, natives of Virginia. His parents moved from the Old Dominion to Alabama, and from there, as above stated, to Texas, settling in Limestone county, where his father died in 1858, and his mother the following year. He is the youngest of a family of ten children, whose names are as follows: William (who died before the sub- ject of this sketch was born), Elizabeth, Bird, Hazleth, Sarah, Robert, Thomas, Jane, Mar- tha and William. Thomas and William were in the same regiment during the war.
William Owens was married in 1882 to Miss Mary L. Carter, a daughter of Edward R. Carter, of Virginia, who came to Texas in 1850 and engaged in farming here. Mr. and Mrs. Owens have had five children, one having died young. Those living are Lucy, Janie S., Clyde and Arabel. He and liis wife are bothi members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally, he is an I. O. O. F., and his political views are thor-
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onghly in accord with Democratie principles.
For the first land Mr. Owens bought in Texas he bought $1 per acre. This same land is now valmed at $20 an acre. He has a fine residence, good outbuildings, ete., and twelve tenant houses.
M. WELLS, a prominent fariner and stock-raiser of Travis connty, Texas, a shrewd business inan and esteemed citi- zen, was born in this eounty, January 28, 1859. His parents, Wayman F. and Mary E. (Bacon) Wells, were early settlers of this county and numbered among the best people in this vicinity.
The subject of this sketch is the third liv- ing son, and spent his youth in assisting his father in the latter's stock business and in attending school. He resided on the home- stead until his marriage, after which he en- gaged in business for himself. After the death of his father, he purchased the interest of two of the heirs to his father's estate, for which he paid $9,500, and now owns a landed estate of 1,000 acres of as fine realty as is to be found in the country, 250 acres of which is under a high state of cultivation. He feeds about 100 head of cattle, 600 sheep and from twenty to twenty-five horses and mules an- nually, and is justly ranked among the most substantial citizens of his community. All this prosperity has not come to him by chance, however, but by hard and persistent labor. He inherits mneh of his father's busi- less ability and good cominon sense, which, together with his own energetic disposition, has carried him forward to success. He is thoroughly npright in all his dealings, eon- siderate to all, liberal to the deserving and unfortunate, and kind to every one, thus gain-
ing the nuiversal respect and esteem of his fellow-men, whose best wishes he enjoys for his future prosperity and happiness.
Jannary 21, 1886, he was married to Miss Margaret Dillingham, an estimable lady of his vieinity, whose father, John Dillingham, is a prominent resident of Travis county. Mr. and Mrs. Wells have one child, Eva, an aetive and intelligent child, who promises to become a credit to the family and the State, in which she was born.
In politics, Mr. Wells is a stanch Demo- erat, deeply interested in the public welfare, and active in all matters relating to local ad- vancement, justly deserving to be classed with the representative citizens of this com- inunity.
B M. WALES, a successful farmer of Williamson county, was born in Fa- yette conuty, Texas, April 23, 1845, and was reared to manhood in Florence, this county. In 1864 he enlisted for service in the Confederate army, entering Company G, Baylor's Regiment of Cavalry, in the Trans- Mississippi Department. He served about eighteen months, and took part in the battles of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, and many skirm- ishes. Mr. Wales now has two farms, con- sisting of 650 acres, where he has one gin, and also owns a half interest in another. His land is worth about $8,000. Since the close of the war, in addition to his general farming, Mr. Wales has also been largely en- gaged in the stock business.
In Florence, July 17, 1878, our subject was united in marriage with Sallie V. Adams, a daughter of Dr. Philip and Naney A. (Caskey) Adams. The Adams family were among the early Puritans, who settled at
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Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1622, and lived for generations near Newbury, that State. The grandparents of Mrs. Wales finally located in Shelby county, Kentucky. Dr. Philip Adams was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1829, is a graduate of the Lexington (Kentucky) Medical College, and lias prac- ticed his profession many years in Florence, Texas. He was married in this city, May 6, 1856, to Nancy A. Caskey, and they have had eight children, namely: Sallie V., wife of our subject; Mary A., now Mrs. W. L. Swinney, of Florence; Lura M., wife of J. L. Paden, of Farmersville, Texas; Mattie R., wife of William Miller, of Florence; John L., also a resident of this city; and George E., Susie G. and Eleanor, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Wales have had five children: Robert, Ella Aurelia, Winia, Prosper and Hermer. Mr. Wales affiliates with the Democratic party, and his wife is a member of the Chris- tian Church.
AMES KNIGHT, Postmaster of George- town, was born in Danville, Vermilion county, Illinois, February 4, 1839, a son of Dr. William and Mary A. (Bangh) Knight, the former a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, and the latter of Kentucky. The father studied medicine three years with Dr. Cole- man, an old physician of Dayton, Ohio, practiced medicine at Danville, Illinois, and in the fall of 1847 removed from that city to Texas, settling the first year at Brushy, Will- iamson county. In 1848 he came to George- town, where he followed his profession until death, in 1850, at the age of fifty-four years. His death was caused from exposure while practicing in Illinois, and for the benefit of health he came to Texas. He was the third
practicing physician to locate in this State. Mrs. Knight died in the fall of 1880, aged sixty-six years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
James Knight, thc eldest of six children, all living in Texas, was educated in this State. At the breaking out of the late war he was serving as District Clerk, but was then warned he could hold the office no longer. He accordingly crossed the Rio Grande river, and became one of General A. J. Hamilton's body guards. General Hamilton was made Provisional Governor by President Lincoln, and was coming to Texas to take charge of the State. The intention was to march on and take the Capitol, expecting to return home six weeks after starting, but General Banks was defeated on Red river, which necessitated a retreat. There were about 5,000 Federal troops stationed at Brownsville, Texas, who expected to take part as regulars. They retreated to New Orleans, and served out their time of one year in that State. Mr. Knight was examined with others, having had a knowledge of medicine, and passed an ex- amination before the Medical Board of Ex- aminers, was appointed Hospital Steward, in which capacity he served until the close of the struggle. He tried to take part in the battle of Mobile, but a New Orleans Com- manding General, who was appointed after General Butler, forbade their going, telling thein if captured they would be shot as spies.
In August, 1865, Mr. Knight engaged in merchandising in Georgetown, which he cou- tinued twelve years. When he first came to Williamson county it contained only a few families. At one time they were holding court in the log court house when several buffaloes, which were being chiascd by dogs and horsemen, ran through the town, and
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they were killed abont a quarter of a mile daughter at home: Ethel, who died December below Georgetown. Mr. Knight in those 3. 1590, aged sixteen years; and Anna and Glady> attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Knight are members of the Presbyterian Church. Socially, Mr. Knight is a member of Phil Sheridan Post, No. 25. G. A. R. He takes but little interest in politics. He is one of the pioneers of the county. and, although not an old man, has lived to see wonderful changes. lle is a highly esteemed citizen. whose friends are as munerous as his ac- qnaintances, and is a trne man in every sense of the word.
early days saved the life of his cousin twice in one day, first by killing a large American lion, and next a large wild male hog. After closing his mercantile business our subject began driving c ttle to Kansas, continning that occupation three years, and was the second man to drive cattle from Williamson county to that State. He then farmned for a time, and next began gardening, having also raised the first strawberries in this county, six miles west of Georgetown, at North Gab- riel. May 14, 1890 he was appointed Post- master of Georgetown, and his official work has given the highest degree of satisfaction. As a citizen Mr. Knight has always interested himself in all movements that tend to im- prove the conditions of life, and promote the general welfare of the community. He was appointed District Clerk under General Ham- ilton soon after the close of the war, served until the time for the regular election, and was then elected to that office. At the fol- lowing election he was defeated by only twenty-five votes, which was a remarkable race for a Union man, and, had he canvassed the county, in all probabilities would have been elected. While the canvass was in pro- gress he had gone with a drove of cattle to Kansas.
Mr. Knight was married in December, 1861, to Miss Sarah C. Morrow, a daughter of A. W. Morrow, of Georgetown. They have seven children, namely: Williamn W., who has served as Deputy Postmaster abont eight years, both in Georgetown and Abilene; Eli, a stock raiser of Glasscock county, on the extreme frontier, married Miss Ruth Mc- Guire, of Texas, and they have two children: Mary wife of Noble Fisk, of the same county. and they have three children; Nannie. a grown
II. KENNERLY, Postmaster at Gid- dings, Texas, was born in Texas, on the present site of Caldwell, then in Milam county, Jannary 17. 1831. His parents were Everton and Snsanah (Farner) Kennerly, the foriner a native of Ireland. and the latter of Virginia. His father came to America when eight years of age and settled in Georgia. His business was that of a farmer, and lie died abont 1839, at the age of forty-two. He had come with his wife to Texas in 1829, when the present State was yet a part of Mexico, and they inade their first stopping above Austin. He came in Haven's colony, but, later, joined Anstin's colony. The mother died at Independence, Washington county, in 1843.
The parents of the subject of this sketch had four children; the eldest, Elizabeth, mar- ried Enoch Martin, and both are now de- ceased, she dying February 14. 1870, having been born January 6, 1829. Onr subjeet was the second of the family. The third was Steven, who died at the age of fourteen; and the fourth was Tacitus HI., who married Mary l'ahner.
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Our subject was engaged in farming all his days until he was appointed to his pres- ent position, in August, 1889, since which time he has made a good and efficient officer. He was a resident of Washington county, be- fore the " runaway scrape " in 1836. He has seen the rough-and-tumble of Texas pioneer life, and has always hated the institution of slavery. He was an abolitionist in the days when it took courage. grit and muscle to be one, being one from principle. He never cast a vote for any president until 1868, be- cause there was no electors for whoin to vote. He has lived through five different govern- ments in Texas, and is a pioneer of the pio- neers. He took part in the late war, joining Company A, of F. M. Wanl's Legion of Cav- airy, and was in Van Dorn's raid around Holly Springs, in 1862; was at Vicksburg, engaged in courier duty, and was in many skirmishes, but was never severely wounded, nor was he ever taken prisoner. He was arrested several times for telling too plainly what he thought, and was made to serve on guard dnty as punishment. Ile was at home on furlough when the war closed and has never served in official capacity until the present time.
In 1854 our subject was married to Miss Katie Williams, a daughter of Allen B. Williams, of Washingon county, and they have had five children: Everton W., who inarried Ada Hossey, whose four children are: Dave, Willie, Tenne and Pleasant. Eliza- beth, born in April, 1857, married Alexander Dunn; she died in March, 1886: her fonr children were: Dora, Walter, Orpha and Gimna. David married Nannie Campbell. and they have three children. Katie married W. H. Wesson, who died in May. 1859: and she has three children. I. T. is working with a bridge company in the North. The life. Judge Rector, as he was familiarly
mother, born March 12, 1833, died January 12, 1870. She was a member of the Chris- tian Church. Our subject was married a second time; February 1, 1872, to Mrs. Hannah (Hnnton) Hughes, a daughter of John Hnnton, and three children have been born of this union: Thomas M .; Coke and Arthur. This Mrs. Kennerly died August 5, 1885, aged abont fifty-three, and our sub- ject was married a third time in April, 1886, to Mrs. Mattie L. Baker, a native of Geor- gia. She also had been married twice before, her first husband having been Jesse Massie, by whom she had three children, and her second husband was W. M. Baker, by whom she had one child, Annie.
Postmaster Kennerly is a most efficient public official, judging from his management of the postoffice at Giddings. As a citizen he has received merited esteem from his neighbors, as he has always been found firm as a rock for truth, honesty and uprightness.
M. RECTOR, SR., deceased. During the '508, in the eastern part of Travis county, where now stands the enter- prising little town of Manor, there settled a number of families-the Rectors, Parsons, Towns, Hills and others-who were peculiarly fitted in point of intelligence and social standing to give tone and polish to the sturdy but rather unpolished elements that had preceded them. It is not the desire to in any way detract from the high character of the early settlers; but the time and thought of the early Texan was too fully ocenpied with disciplining the Comanche and Mexican to admit of much in the line of literary cul- ture or the display of the social amenities of
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known, and his family, constituted an impor. tant factor in the community aforesaid, and still continue to exert an influence for good, although the head of the family has passed the borders of the dark river
The Rectors are a family of German de- seent, emigrating to this country in early colonial days. For generations they lived in Virginia, and were connected in state-craft and education with the best families of the Old Dominion. The distinguished trait of the family is its intellectnality, a larger pro- portion of the males being honored members of the different professions. The father of our deceased subject, Benjamin Rector, moved to Sevier county, Tennessee, thence to Mar- shall county, Alabama, and in 1847, together with a large company of his children and re- lations to Bastrop county, where he died. During his lifetime he was a prominent mem- ber of each community in which he lived, passing much of his time in offices of public trust. He reared a large family, all of whom were more or less prominent in later Texas development
Judge T. M. Rector was born in Sevier- ville, Sevier county, Tennessee, November 14, 1801. He studied law with Judge Wil- liams, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and at twen- ty-one was admitted to the bar. He soon hang out his shingle in Bellefonte, the county seat of Jackson county, Alabama, and was not long in establishing a reputation as an expounder of the law, eqnaled by few in north Alabama, where lie practiced before all the courts of the State. Recognizing his merit, the people of Jackson county put him in as their County Judge, and for a number of years he served them in that eapacity.
In 1853, he followed his relatives to Texas, being the last of the family to leave old Ala- L.bama. As mentioned before, lie settled in
the eastern part of Travis county, where, in his vocation as a tiller of the soil, he achieved the same degree of suecess he attained as a lawyer. So well was he pleased with hus- bandry, he never again re-entered the court room as a lawyer, although he continued to have an interest in everything pertaining to his profession.
Judge Rector died February 19, 1892, at thie advaneed age of ninety years. He re- tained his energies, both mental and physical, to the very last, dying with an attack of la grippe superinduced by a too free exposure of himself in an inelement spell of weather
In religions faith he was an Episcopalian " and an honored member of the Masonic fra- ternity, Royal Arch degree. Of him, ak friend who was intimately acquainted with him in life, says :
"Judge Rector was twice married; first to a Miss Wilson, of Jackson county, Alabama, who lived but a few months, dying without issne. About 1831 he married in the same county a widow, Mrs. Lucy A. Lancaster, nee Hudson, daughter of Captain John Hud- son, who went from Virginia to Alabama. This lady had two children by her former linsband: Aun, deceased, and John N., now a resident of Lockhart, Texas. To their mar- riage were born five children: Kate E., liv- ing at the old homestead, the wife of John W. Brown; F. B., who died in infaney; T. M. Jr., a prosperous farmer, near Manor; Lucy J., an invalid lady living with her sister, Mrs. Brown; and Landonia M., who married John H. Washington, of Manor, and is now de- ceased."
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