USA > Texas > Tarrant County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Tarrant and Parker counties; containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 57
USA > Texas > Parker County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Tarrant and Parker counties; containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 57
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Mr. Mitchell was happily married in 1885 to Miss Rebecca J. McFarland, who was born in Georgia about 1859, daughter of James McFarland. Her father came to Texas in 1871, first located in Tarrant county and subsequently moved to Stevens county. He is a native of South Carolina and is distantly related to Andrew Jackson's family. Mrs. Mitchell's untimely death oc- curred April 15, 1890. She left three chil- dren, as follows : Myrtle, born September 4, 1886; Ethel J., November 12, 1887; and Isaac H., Jr., January 4, 1888.
Mr. Mitchell affiliates with the Demo- cratic party and is identified with the Masonic fraternity.
J OEL EAST, a prominent farmer of Tarrant county, Texas, was born in Louisiana, September 7, 1849. He is the youngest of a family of thirteen chil- dren, ten sons and three daughters, of James and Elizabeth (Smith) East, the former born in Virginia and the latter in Mississippi.
James East was born in Powell's valley, Virginia, in the year 1802, and when he was two years of age his parents removed to the State of Kentucky, where they re- mained for seven years, after which they took up and maintained their residence in Louisiana for a period of eighteen years. Within the time of their residence in the Creole State occurred the great battle of New Orleans, in which General Jackson, with his volunteers, defeated General Paken- ham, who was supported by the flower of the British army. From Louisiana the family removed to the State of Mississip- pi, where they remained for the long period of twenty-seven years. Soon after their re- moval to Mississippi young James, who had attained to man's estate, took unto himself a wife and began life upon his own respon- sibility. In 1856 he concluded to try his fortunes in the Lone Star State, and ac- cordingly came to Texas and settled in Tar- rant county, near Fort Worth. In this State he has ever since continued his resi- dence, having been actively engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising for a long term of years. He is the progenitor of fourteen children, twenty-nine grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren and of one great-great-
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grandchild, -most of whom are residents of Tarrant county and numbered among its substantial citizens. " Grandpa " East, as he is now called by all who know him, hav- ing lost his wife, Elizabeth, in 1860, lives among his children, staying at the home of first one and then another, all of whom revere him and accord him a true filial solic- itude. He is remarkable for his strength and longevity. Having been prudent and regular in his habits throughout his long life he retains a vigorous physique, standing yet erect and being able at his venerable age to ride horseback alone throughout the community. He bids fair to become a centenarian. All his life has been spent in farming and stock-raising, and in the vari- ous localities where he has lived he has been highly esteemed for his many sterling traits of character. He is a member of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church, as was also his wife. Little is known of the family his- tory back of the parents. Of their large family of children, it may be said that only eight came to Texas, and of this number only four are now living. Two of the sons, James and Perry, were in the Con- federate army, and it is supposed that they died while in the ranks. Calvin has been a resident of Texas since 1860, and is now engaged in farming in Johnson county. Jamima, wife of William A. Clark, died, leaving two children. Mr. Clark is also de- ceased. Priscilla is the wife of J. J. Scott, a prominent farmer and miller of Tarrant county. William was drowned. Elizabeth
is the widow of J. A. Gantt, and lives on her farm in this county.
The subject of our sketch was quite small when he came with his parents to Texas. He moved with the family from place to place, as above stated, and, as he was reared on the frontier, his educational advantages were, of a necessity, limited. Forty days covered the whole of his school- ing. As he grew older, however, he ap- plied himself to study at home, and now keeps himself fairly well posted. In 1871 he bought a sinall tract of raw land in Tar- rant county, which he improved, and on which he lived until 1880. That year he sold out and bought the 160 acres where he now lives. This property was partially im- proved at the time he purchased it, and he has gone on with the work of improvement, erecting a commodious residence and other farm buildings, his premises now having an air of thrift and prosperity. The whole of his farm is fine black soil. He has raised some cotton, but his principal crop is wheat. He also raises some stock.
While in Lavaca county, in 1869, Mr. East was married to Miss Elizabeth Scott, who was born October 2, 1845, daughter of M. P. Scott. They have had ten children, namely: David M., Priscilla P. P., Terah J., Frances J., John J., Thomas W., Will- iam A., Joel O., James R., Elihu N., and all are living except the oldest, David M., who died March 20, 1880. John J. is at- tending school at Waco, and the other chil- dren are at home.
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Mr. East has never aspired to official position, but takes a commendable interest in public affairs, his political affiliations be- ing with the Democratic party. He and his wife and four of their children are mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist Church, of which he is a Deacon.
R UFUS CHAMBERS, M. D., who is prominently identified with the interests of Enon, Texas, and who is ranked as its leading young physician, is a native of the Lone Star State.
Dr. Chambers was born in Anderson county, Texas, January 22, 1861, and the first four years of his life were spent on his father's farm four miles from Palestine. The family then removed to Waco, subsequently to Alvarado, and in 1869 to Fort Worth. At Alvarado he had a private tutor, afterward he attended public school, and then took a course in the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, and still later was a student at Oxford in the Mississippi State University. It was at Oxford, Mississippi, in 1880, that he began the study of medicine, having for his instructor Dr. C. W. Kelly, and remaining with him one year. He then entered Medical College at Louisville, Ken- tucky, where he graduated in the spring of 1883. The following year he took a course in the St. Louis College and graduated. In 1893 he was a student in the New York Polyclinic, where he also received a degree. After he had completed his medical educa-
tion, Dr. Chambers began the practice of his profession at Mineral Wells, Texas. A year later he removed to Enon, where he has since remained, meeting with excellent suc- cess as a practitioner. Recently he found that his business had increased to a great extent, and in order to meet the demands of his practice took in as partner Dr. C. P. Graves, a regular graduate and a young man who is worthy of the confidence of the community. Thus they have established a strong firm.
Dr. Chambers was the third born in the family of ten children of Andrew J. and Sarah M. (Watts) Chambers, natives of Mississippi and Alabama, respectively. Will- iam Chambers, the father of Andrew J., was also a native of Mississippi. He was a wealthy planter, slave holder and merchant, and came to Texas at an early day, about 1848, when his son, Andrew J., came. He first settled in Parker county. After his re- moval to Waco, he engaged in merchandis- ing, passed the rest of his life there, and died at the age of seventy years. Andrew J. Chambers' first location in Texas was at Waco. From there he moved to Anderson county, and made other moves, as above stated, and finally located at Fort Worth, where he spent the residue of his life. For a number of years he was a member of the large wholesale and retail dry-goods firm of Randall & Chambers, Fort Worth. For some years before his death, however, he was not engaged in any active business, his time and attention being given to the care
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of his large estate. At the time of his death, March 10, 1893, he was on the coast at Corpus Christi, whither he had gone to re- cuperate his failing health. His death was sudden and unexpected, and thus ended a life of great usefulness. Mr. Chambers had served as County Assessor, and also as a member of the Eighteenth Legislature of Texas from Tarrant county. He was one of the framers of the present school law of the State, and it was largely through his influence that the law was passed. He was a Royal Arch Mason, and had served as Master of the Lodge at the different places where he lived in Texas, and both he and his wife were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church.
Turning to the maternal ancestry of Dr. Chambers, we find that his grandfather, Rufus M. Watts, was a native of Alabama, and was for a number of years a wealthy planter and slaveholder of that State. About 1848 he came to Texas, and settled near Palestine, Anderson county, where he conducted a large farm and raised fine cat- tle. There he spent the closing years of his life and died.
One of the ten children of Andrew J. Chambers and wife died in infancy. Of the others, we record that Mecon L. is engaged - in the real-estate business at Fort Worth; Eva J. is the wife of Dr. C. L. Rogers, of Comanche, Texas; Rufus, the subject of this article; Albert died at the age of eigh- teen; Andrew J. is engaged in business at Fort Worth; Pearl is the wife of Walter
Lazenby, a business man of Waco; Minnie is the wife of A. N. Maglaughlin, who is connected with the firm of Parlin, Orendorf & Company, St. Louis, Missouri; Mattie, unmarried; and Judge W., who resides with the Doctor, and who is now on the eve of entering college.
Dr. Chambers was married in 1882 to Miss Ray Wohlgemuth, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, May 8, 1867, daugh- ter of Dr. Wohlgemuth, an eminent phy- sician and surgeon of that city. They have one child, Ruby, born September 24. 1883.
The Doctor is a member of the A. O. U. W., and in politics is Democratic. He is also a member of the Northwest Texas Medical and Surgical Association, and for- merly was a member of the State Medical Association.
a HARLES G. MITCHELL is an- other one of the enterprising and useful men of Tarrant county, A resume of his life is as follows:
Texas.
C. G. Mitchell was born in the State of Tennessee, October 23, 1849; was reared on a farm and remained a member of the home circle until 1872, when he came to Texas. His early education was obtained in the common schools, and after he was grown he attended Decatur Academy five years. He taught school one terin in his native State before coming to Texas, and after his arrival here he continued teaching in Tarrant . county, teaching in the winter and farming
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on rented land during the summer, and con- tinuing thus occupied until 1883, when he retired from the schoolroom and devoted his whole attention to farming and other enter- prises in which he had become interested. He has at different times made investments in land, and is now the owner of three farms. In 1883 he bought a store at Enon, and the following year a gin and mill at the same place, which he has since conducted, and during the threshing season he also operates threshers. Besides attending to these vari- ous interests, he is serving efficiently as Postmaster of Enon, thus proving himself a most useful man in his community.
Mr. Mitchell is a second cousin of Peter Turney, Governor of Tennessee, and is a de- scendant of Irish ancestors. Seven brothers by the name of Mitchell emigrated to this country from Ireland, and one of these brothers was the progenitor of the family to which our subject belongs. C. G. Mitchell is the second son and fourth child of James A. and Mary A. (West) Mitchell, both na- tives of Tennessee. . For some years the father served as a Justice of the Peace. He died in 1855. In 1860 the mother married again, and three years later her husband was killed. She came to Texas in 1876 and settled in Tarrant county, where she spent the residue of her life and died, her death occurring in 1893. Of her children, we record that Mary F. died young; Eliza J. died at the age of eleven years; Isaac H. is engaged in farming in this county; C. G. is the subject of this article; Jefferson W. died
in 1883; Mary H. married J. P. Martin and lives in Tarrant county; and Adelia, wife of J. K. Powell, is deceased.
Mr. C. G. Mitchell was married in 1886 to Miss Mary R. Woodard, of Palestine, Texas. She was born June 20, 1864, a daughter of J. H. Woodard, a native of Mississippi, who came to Texas about 1850 and settled in Anderson county, where he still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have two children: Mabel, born August 2, 1887, and Jessie, born August 6, 1890.
Mr. Mitchell's political views are in harmony with the principles of the Demo- cratic party, and he has always taken a laudable interest in public affairs, not, how- ever, being an aspirant to official position. He is identified with the Masonic order and has served as Master of his lodge. Mrs. Mitchell is a member of the Methodist Church.
ROY HACKLER, a prominent citizen and land-owner of Mans- field, Texas, is a native of Vir- ginia, born January 15, 1836.
His early life was spent on the farm and his education was that received in the pub- lic schools. In 1840 he went to Missouri with his parents, their settlement being in Cass county. There he remained until the outbreak of the civil war. While he op- posed secession and was not in favor of war, he found it necessary to take sides, and as he was in the South he chose the side on
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which his friends were enlisted. In 1862 he went to Arkansas, and there enlisted in the Confederate service. He was in the Trans-Mississippi Department, under Gen- eral Price, and saw mnuch hard service, par- ticipating in no less than thirty-seven en- gagements. At Ashley Station, Arkansas, he was wounded in the foot and was dis- abled. By the time he had fully recovered, the war was over.
At the close of the war Mr. Hackler came to Texas and located in the county in which he has since lived. That same year, 1865, he was married. For seven or eight years he farmed rented land, then he pro- cured a farm, and has all these years been identified with agricultural pursuits. As the years passed by and as prosperity attend- ed his labors, he from time to time pur- chased other small tracts of land, and is now the owner of a fair amount of land, in- cluding property in Mansfield. Some years ago he retired from his farm and has since occupied a pleasant residence in Mansfield, his time now being employed in looking after his property.
Having thus briefly glanced over his life from his birth on up to the present time, we turn for a glimpse of his parents and the rest of the family. Mr. Hackler was the fourth born in a family of nine children of George and Frances (Boyer) Hackler, na- tives of Virginia. The father was a local preacher in the Methodist Church, and was also a well-to-do fariner. He died in No- vember, 1855. Grandfather Conrad Hack-
ler was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, in which war several other members of the Hackler family participated. The great- grandfather of our subject came to America from Germany and settled in Virginia. Mr. Hackler's mother, like his father, was a de- voted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She died in Missouri in 1873. Little is.known of her people, save that they were at one time residents of Pennsyl- vania, going from there to Virginia. A record of George Hackler's children is as follows: Henry, who died from the effect of wounds received in the war; Nancy M., wife of D. P. Jennings, is deceased; C. M., a resident of Missouri; Troy, the subject of this article; W. C., a resident of Cooke county, Texas; M. G., of Kansas; W. R., of Missouri; Fielden, also of Missouri; M. E. Jane, wife of Dr. Steward, died in Texas in 1891.
The subject of our sketch ha's been twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Miss Mary S. Harris, was a daughter of William and Phebe Harris, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Missouri. After the death of her father, her mother became the wife of Calvin Wyatt, and about 1860 came to Texas. Mrs. Mary S. Hackler had two children, one dying in infancy. The other, Willie M., died at the age of twenty-two years. Her untimely death occurred in 1868. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and her life was that of a faithful . and devoted Christian. In 1871 Mr. Hack-
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ler married Miss Annie Belcher, who was born in 1850, daughter of Daniel and Eliza J. Belcher, natives of Virginia and Missouri, respectively. Her mother died in Missouri, and after that she made her home with J. L. and Susan Wyatt, coming with them to Texas in 1861, and settling in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt were prosperous farm- ers, and both died here, willing Mr. and Mrs. Hackler three-fourths of their entire estate. By his present wife Mr. Hackler has had four children, -Mary Susan, Alice, George W., and Minnie M. All are living except the oldest, Mary Susan, who died at the age of eighteen months. Mr. and Mrs. Hackler are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, South, and in politics he votes the Democratic ticket.
A NDREW T. LOWE, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Mansfield, Texas, was born in Kentucky, August 14, 1828. His parents ยท being farmers, he was reared to farm life and had only limited educational advant- ages. In 1834, when he was six years old, the family moved to Illinois and located in Woodford county, from whence they subse- quently removed to Knox county, and at the latter place Andrew T. grew to manhood. In 1848 they came to Texas and settled in Dallas county, where they engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising.
Mr. Lowe continued his agricultual pur- suits in Dallas county until 1859, when he
removed to Jack county. There he re- mained until the fall of 1865. During that time the settlers of Jack county suffered much from depredations committed by the hostile Indians, many of their cattle being killed and stolen, and not a few of the set- tlers themselves meeting death at the hands of the red men. Mr. Lowe belonged to a company of Home Guards, and was in sev- eral raids after the Indians, but was never in battle with them. He was married pre- vious to his removal to Jack county, and while there he kept his family at Jacks- borough. In 1865 Mr. Lowe came to Tar- rant county and settled on a farm three miles east of Mansfield, where he made his home until 1892, at that time retiring from active life and removing to his present home in town. He has disposed of the home farm, but still owns two others, one in Johnson and the other in Jack county, be- sides having a tract of timber land in this locality. In Mansfield he owns two busi- ness properties, which he rents.
Mr. Lowe's parents, Isaac W. and Mary (Boydstun) Lowe, were both born in Ken- tucky. The paternal grandfather of our subject, William Lowe, was a native of Alabama, removing from that State to Ken- tucky at an early day and settling on a farm, where he died. Isaac W. Lowe spent the closing years of his life and died in Dal- las county, Texas, being eighty-two at the time of his death, in 1890. His wife had died in 1871. Following are the names of their nine children: William C., Andrew
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T., Benjamin H., Isaac W., Nancy, Amer- ica, Hopson H., Mary F., and Sarah; and five of this number are still living.
Andrew T. Lowe was married in 1854 to Miss Mary E. Hart, who was born May 26, 1835, daughter of William C. and Jane (Phillips) Hart, of Kentucky. The Hart family moved from Kentucky to Missouri, and from Missouri in 1851 to Texas, settling on a farm at Cedar Hill, Dallas. county, where the parents spent the rest of their lives and died, the mother dying in October, 1874, and the father in 1878. Their family was composed of nine children, viz .: Wal- lace, Thomas, William H., John, Mrs. Lowe, America, Delaney, Martin and Cor- daline, Mrs. Lowe, Martin and Cordaline being the only ones of the family now living. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have had ten children all of whom reached maturity, as follows: Mary J., wife of Jacob Blessing, died in 1878; Sarah F., wife of A. Bratton, died in 1878; Andrew J., a farmer of Tarrant coun- ty, Texas; Thomas J., a resident of Midloth- ian, Texas; William I., a farmer and stock- raiser of Greer county; Martin, a resident of Bowie, Montague county; Jessie, wife of I. P. Dunn, a Tarrant county farmer; Addie, wife of Russell Burris, Mansfield; and Delia M. and Rosa, at home.
Fraternally Mr. Lowe is identified with the Masonic order. Politically he is now a a Populist. In his early life he was a Democrat, later was a Greenbacker, and now his views are in harmony with the principles advocated by the Popu-
lists. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Christian Church. His parents were also members of this church, while her father and mother belonged to the Primitive Baptist Church.
J OHN D. HUDSON, prosperous farm- er and enterprising citizen, residing near Kennedale, Tarrant county, Texas, is a son of one of the earliest pio- neers of this State, and has himself lived in Texas ever since he was three years old.
Mr. Hudson was born in Mississippi, January 5, 1835, and came with his parents to Texas in 1838, settling in Shelby county, and there spending his youthful days. Since 1855 he has been identified with Tarrant county. During the late war he was in the Government service. He enlisted in 1862, was detailed to the Quartermaster's depart- ment and located at Dallas, where he had charge of teams, continuing there until the close of the war. Mr. Hudson had been married only a short time before he entered the service, and had a comfortable home, good farm and nice herd of cattle. Upon his return after the war, he found only fif- teen of his cattle left, and his farm in bad shape; but he was not to be discouraged, and with renewed energy set about the work of repairing his losses. As time passed by prosperity crowned his earnest efforts and he is to-day ranked with the leading men of his community. In 1874 he built a gin, which he ran in connection with his farming
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operations. This gin was burned in 1876, but was immediately rebuilt, and is still run- ning. In 1882 he was one of three gentle- men, the other two being O. S. Kenneda and C. B. Teague, who bought land and located the town of Kennedale, on the Texas Central Railroad, ten iniles southeast of Fort Worth. This place is noted for its mineral wells, fourteen medical properties found in the water and recommended by physicians for rheumatism and dropsy. Mr. Hudson built a store here, opened out a stock of general merchandise, and continued in business for ten years, also serving as Postmaster during that time, and in 1892 he returned to his farm, three miles from the town, his family being on the farm all the while. In 1888 he began the manufacture of brick at a place about half a mile from his home, both his brick-yard and gin being located on the railroad, where he has excel- lent shipping facilities, and both still being conducted by him. The town of Kennedale now has a population of about 300, and is constantly growing. Mr. Hudson still holds his interest in the place, and is always ready to aid in advancing any measure or enter- prise intended to benefit it.
Mr. Hudson's parents, Howell and Jan- ette (Hardin) Hudson, were natives respec- tively of East Tennessee and North Carolina. Howell Hudson was a veteran of the war of 1812, a participant in the battle of New Orleans. For a number of years he lived in Pontotoc, Mississippi, where he was engaged in the real-estate business up to 1838, the
time of his coming to Texas. He secured a homestead claim in Shelby county, the tract comprising 1,280 acres, and being taken under the Republic act. He cultivated a small portion of this land, but devoted the most of his time to the stock business. About 1842 a disturbance arose between the old settlers and the new-comers, and finally resulted in war, two or three battles being fought, one at Shelbyville in 1844. In this Shelbyville battle the father of our subject took part and was wounded fatally. Gover- nor Houston ordered 700 of the militia to arrest both parties, who, hearing of the action, disbanded. After the father's death the mother remained with her family on the homestead until 1855, when they sold out and came to Tarrant county. She was mar- ried a second time in Shelby county. Her death occurred in this county October 5, 1878, at the age of seventy-eight years. The names of her children are as follows: James; Mary C., wife of Daniel McVane, both deceased; William K., deceased; John D., the subject of our sketch; Susan J., wife of Jesse Teague; and Georgiana, deceased wife of C. B. Teague.
John D. Hudson's marriage has already been referred to. Mrs. Hudson, whose maiden name was Winnie S. Trayler, was born in Pike county, Indiana, May 28, 1839, daughter of Washington and Maria J. Tray- ler, natives of South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively. They came to Texas in 1854, and settled in Tarrant county. Here the mother died in 1858, and the father in 1864.
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