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 58
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 58
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They had a large family of children, seven of whom came with them to this State. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson have had seven children, two of whom, Arabel and Aramay, twins, died at the age of four years. The others are William K., a practicing physician, of Bristol, Ellis county, Texas; John C., also a practicing physician, his location being at Moran, Shackelford county, Texas; Wash- ington T., at home; Maria, wife of J. L. Furguson, of Bonham, Texas; and Mary A , wife of Martin Scott, a farmer of Tarrant county.
Mr. Hudson has always taken a com- mendable interest in political affairs. He served as Constable and Deputy Sheriff four years, and twice was nominated for Tax Collector on the third-party ticket. He was raised a Democrat. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons and the Odd Fellows. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Church.
ESSLEY T. MURPHY, one of the enterprising and prosperous farmers of Tarrant county, Texas, has been identified with this State since be- fore the war. As one of the representative citizens of the county, he is entitled to more than a passing mention in this work.
Mr. Murphy was born in Howard coun- ty, Missouri, August 24, 1832; was reared on a farm, and when he grew up learned the trade of carpenter and cabinetmaker. It was in 1855 that he came to Texas. The
following year he made a trip back to Mis- souri and on to Kansas, being in Kansas during the border ruffianism, and in 1859 returned to Texas. In 1860 he again went to Missouri, and it was not until after the war was over that he came back to this State.
When the civil war broke out Mr. Mur- phy joined General Price's army and was - with him in all the prominent engagements west of the Mississippi river. At the time General Price crossed the river Mr. Murphy was sick and was left behind. After his re- covery he joined the Nineteenth Texas Cavalry, Parson's Brigade, and from that time until the close of the war his services were in Arkansas and Louisiana. During his army life he saw much hard fighting. At Lexington, Missouri, he was wounded in the breast by a piece of shell, but he was soon afterward able for duty again, and in all his service he was never captured.
Soon after the close of the war Mr. Murphy married and settled in Tarrant county, Texas, his location here being on school land, then all in its wild state. After making some improvements on his property and residing here for a time, he sold out and went back to Missouri again. He, how- ever, remained in Missouri only a short time, and upon his return to Texas he rented land, which he cultivated two years. In 1869 he bought 320 acres where he now lives. To this he has added by subsequent purchase until now he has 420 acres, about . 170 of which are under cultivation. He
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rents his land, and has it cultivated chiefly to cotton and corn. He also raises large quantities of sorghum. Since 1882 he has owned and operated a gin, doing both his own and public work. At an early day he raised lage quantities of cattle and hogs.
Mr. Murphy was the third born in a family of five children, his parents being Jesse W. and Mary (Hines) Murphy, na- tives of Kentucky. Jesse W. Murphy went to Missouri at an early day and was married in that State, Mrs. Murphy having gone to Missouri before his arrival there. Her father, John Hines, was one of the earliest pioneers of that State, going there at a time when it was frequently necessary to seek the forts as a place of safety and pro- tection from the Indians. The father of our subject served as Sheriff of Howard county, and in Missouri spent the rest of his life and died, the date of his death being 1858. His children are as follows: John W., who came to Texas in 1855, died in 1890; F. M., died in Missouri in 1856; W. T., the subject of this article; W. B. is a resident of Parker county, Texas; and Walter is a resident near Sedalia, Missouri.
Mr. Murphy was married September 13, 1865. to Miss Maria J. Traylor, who was born May 5, 1835, daughter of W. Traylor, who went with his family from Indiana to Arkansas, his, farm being on the Arkansas and Missouri State line, his dwelling and one stable being in Arkansas and his mill and another stable being in Missouri. He sub- sequently moved over into Missouri about
a mile, and from there he came with his family to Texas in 1854. They settled in this county, where her father spent the rest of his life on a farm, and where he died, in . 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have three children, C. L., Ida and Nola. The son is engaged in farmning in this county.
While he believes that Democracy is the true principle with which to govern Ameri- ca, Mr. Murphy, like many of the Demo- cratic party, is opposed to President Cleve- land's administration.
J ULIUS C. PETIT, one of Fort Worth's prominent physicians, was born in Lincoln county, Missouri, July 2, 1842. His father, A. S. Petit, was a native of Paris, France, but came with his . parents to America when eight years of age. They located in Brooklyn, New York, where his father was one of the leading criminal lawyers of the State. As far back as his- tory traces them, the Petit family have been prominent physicians. In the Medical Directory of France will be found the name of J. L. Petit, who was one of the leading physicians of Paris. In 1718, he invented the tourniquet, used for stopping blood in case of amputation, and the same directory. speaks of many other useful patents made by him that are still in use. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Huston Reynolds, and a niece of Governor Rey- nolds, of Illinois. The family are of Irish descent.
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When Julius C. Petit, the subject of this sketch, was about twenty years of age, he began reading medicine with his father in Missouri, but about that time the Rebell- ion broke out, and, being a great supporter of the flag, left his father, who was inclined to take the side of the Rebellion, and went to Kansas. He enlisted in Company G, Sixth Kansas Regiment of Cavalry, but one year afterward was appointed Regimental Surgeon. He served in that capacity until one year before the close of the war, when he was transferred to the hospital at Fort Scott, Kansas, remaining there until the close of the struggle. Dr. Petit was then appointed by Samuel J. Crawford, the first clerk of Cherokee county, Kansas, August 4, 1866. At the expiration of his term he resumed the study of medicine, and after- ward graduated at the medical college of Keokuk, Iowa. Dr. Petit next organized and conducted a medical institute at Joplin, Missouri, four years; then followed his pro- fession in that city eight years, and, having accumulated a large fortune, moved to Wichita, Kansas, where he invested in property. This investment, however, proved a failure, and he was compelled to sell his property at a great sacrifice, having lost about $50,000 of his capital. The Doctor then went to New York city, where he was associated with the Fowler & Wells Ameri- can Institute of Phrenology four years, and during that time also delivered many lec- tures to the classes of the institute. On ac- count of ill health he returned to the West,
and, while passing through Fort Worth, was induced by many of its leading citizens to locate here. He immediately organized a medical institue, and built up a patronage amounting to $10,000 annually. Dr. Petit has performed many wonderful cures, and has made many inventions, one of which is the patent Electric Womb Battery, patent- ed June 5, 1894, the greatest remedial in- strument of the age for the treatment and cure of diseases peculiar to women, the only known appliance that, owing to com- bination of metals, generates a gentle cur- rent of electricity when in contact with the secretions of organs, and promises to be- come as deservedly famous as the tourni- quet, invented in Paris in 1718, by his cele- brated ancestor, Dr. J. L. Petit.
Dr. J. C. Petit removed to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1894, where he is permanently located, and proposes spending the remain- der of his days in the State in which he was born.
RANK ELLISTON, Birdville, Tex- as, is ranked with the prosperous and well-known farmers of Tarrant
county. As such, he is entitled to more than a passing notice in this work, and it is with pleasure that we here present the fol- lowing sketch of his life:
Frank Elliston was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, April 27, 1840, and in 1849 removed with his parents to Texas, . where he grew to manhood on a farm. He
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attained his majority about the time the great war between the North and the South caine on, and in the first year of that san- guinary struggle he entered the Confederate ranks, going into the army as a member of Waller's regiment and Green's brigade, and being consigned to the Trans-Mississippi Department. He was in many engage- ments, among which were the Mansfield and Pleasant Hill fights, and the Banks raid on Red river. At Camp Bisland, Louisiana, he received a gunshot wound in the right wrist, and at the same time was taken prisoner. Subsequently he was paroled and returned home. That was in 1863, and while at home he was married. Returning to his command, he remained on active duty until the war closed.
After the war Mr. Elliston bought a small farm, and on it began the struggle of life. For ten years he followed freighting, and he has also served in official position, but farming has been his life occupation. He sold his first farm before coming to his present location, which is six miles from Fort Worth. Here he has 350 acres under a high state of cultivation, and he also has a thousand acres of pasture land in Palo Pinto county. For some years he has given spe- cial attention to improving stock, both cattle and horses, and with gratifying results. He has a nice Jersey herd, with full-blooded bull, registered, and among his horses is a Hambletonian stallion, mixed with Morgan.
Mr. Elliston is a son of John W. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Elliston, and a grand-
son of Amos Elliston. The grandfather died in Kentucky, and the father, as above stated, emigrated to Texas. The latter was both a farmer and blacksmith, and, after coming to Texas, he also served as a Justice of the Peace, becoming prominent in the pioneer settlement here. He died in 1857, and his widow survived him until 1892. Both were consistent members of the Chris- tian Church, and were as much respected as they were well known. The subject of our sketch was the eldest of their four chil- dren, the other three being as follows: Za- relda, deceased; Mark, a merchant of Garland, Dallas county, Texas; and Mary, wife of Hardy Holman, a farmer of Tarrant county.
As already stated, Mr. Elliston was mar- - ried during the war. Mrs. Elliston was formerly Miss Sarah Boaz, and is a daugh- . ter of Samuel Boaz. They are the parents of five children, viz .: Hugh, at home; Tennie, wife of Ed Hovenkamp, a farmer of this county; Alice, a popular and success- ful teacher in the school at Fort Worth; and Addison and Samuel, at home.
Mr. Elliston is Democratic in politics, and has always taken an active interest in public affairs. Soon after the war he was elected to the office of County Sheriff, and served a part of a term, resigning, however, before the expiration of his time. And in 1882 he was elected Tax Collector. He served two full terms, four years, in this office, having been re-elected in 1884. Both he and his wife are members of the Chris- tian Church.
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ICHARD BOAZ, one of the self- made men and prominent citizens of Tarrant county, Texas, dates his birth in Kentucky, December 4, 1842.
Mr. Boaz was reared to farm life, re- ceiving only a limited education, and in 1859 came with his parents to Texas and located on a farin in Tarrant county. He remained a member of the home circle until the opening of the civil war. Then he en- listed in the first regiment that was raised in this county, ' the Ninth Texas Cavalry, and as a member of Company A, under Captain Quail, was consigned to the Trans- Mississippi Department. After having sev- eral fights, both with the Indians and the Yankees, his command was transferred to the east side of the Mississippi, and soon after- ward participated in the engagements at Corinth and Iuka. Afterward, while in a skirmish fight, Mr. Boaz was shot in the right arm and hip, and at the same time was captured. He was the only one wounded, and both he and the man who was left to care for him were captured and taken to La Grange, Tennessee, where they were held from December 2, 1862, until March 8, 1863. The latter date he and his comrade made their escape, and after six days suc- ceeded in reaching the Confederate lines. He then spent two or three weeks in Missis- sippi at the place where his horse had been left, and from there set out to join his com- mand. 'Upon his arrival in Alabama, how- ever, he found that his command had gone, and he turned his course back to Jackson,
Mississippi, where in due time he joined it. But he was not able for duty and was ad- vised to get a discharge; this he refused, se- curing only a furlough, and returning home for six weeks. Again he joined his com- mand at Jackson, and, although still unable for active duty, was one of nine who were selected as scouts, in which capacity he continued until the close of the war. The close of the war found him with a stiff arm, with but few clothes, and without money. For three months he remained in Mississippi, during that time working and earning clothes, and then returning to his home in Texas, by way of New Orleans.
After his return home, Mr. Boaz first engaged in freighting with ox teams, which he continued for a number of years. He also made considerable money in trading, and in a few years established a store at Birdville. This store he subsequently sold to his brother, who removed to Fort Worth. From time to time Mr. Boaz has made in- vestments in land, and to-day is the owner of five farms, all of which are rented. He built a mill and gin, which he still has in operation, and he is also largely interested in the cattle business. For some years he has operated threshers, and has two portable steam engines for his machines. Among his other investments is stock in the American National Bank. From the above it will be scen that Mr. Boaz is a man of great versa- tility. And whatever he has undertaken he has carried forward to success, and the suc- cess he has attained in life is due solely to
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his own unaided efforts, his integrity, and his perseverance. As above stated, his right arm was wounded in the army, the result being a stiff elbow, and since the war he has had the misfortune to lose the other arm by an accident which occurred while he was working with his machinery. But, notwith- standing these drawbacks, he has acquired a competency, and is ranked with the leading and influential men of the community in which he lives.
Mr. Boaz is a son of Samuel and Agnes (Freeman) Boaz, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. The father was born March 8, 1809, and died in 1894, having been a resident of Texas since 1859. He was a farmer and stock-raiser and before the war was a slave-owner. The mother departed this life in 1883. Following are the names of their seven children : Hezekiah, who died in Kentucky about 1861; David, a resident of Fort Worth; Mary F., wife of Gilson F. Davis, Kentucky; W. J., a banker of Fort Worth; Sarah, wife of Frank Elliston, a farmer of this county; Richard, whose name appears at the head of this sketch; and R. L., a resident of San- Diego, California, engaged in merchandis- ing
Mr. Boaz was first married in 1869 to Miss Lucy Tinsley, daughter of Louis Tins- ley, who came from Kentucky to Texas and settled in Tarrant as early as 1847. Both he and his wife died on their farm in this county. By this wife Mr. Boaz had six children, viz .; Hezekiah, Lucy and Mack,
deceased; Minnie, wife of T. D. Hovenkamp; Alta, wife of John Bewley; and Mary, at home. The mother of these children hav- ing died, Mr. Boaz was married, in 1882, to his present companion, whose maiden name was Bena Samuels. Her father died in Missouri, and after his death she came with her mother and the rest of the family to Texas, where they have since resided. The children of this union are Flim, Annie, Julia and Richard Cleveland. Mrs. Boaz is a member of the Christian Church.
Politically, Mr. Boaz is identified with the Democratic party, but has never been a politician.
OHN H. LANDERS, a blacksmith and Baptist preacher of Enon, Texas, is a man whose sterling qualities have won for him the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact. A brief sketch of his life is as follows:
John H. Landers was born in Atlanta, Georgia, February 24, 1838, the son of a blacksmith and wagon-maker, which trade he learned, and at which he worked until the outbreak of the civil war, his early educa- tional advantages being limited. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate service, be- coming a member of Company E, First Georgia Battalion, and spent one year at Pensacola. He was then transferred to the Army of the Tennessee. His first important battle was that of Shiloh, followed by many other prominent engagements. Before the
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fight at Atlanta, he was sent to Charleston, thence to Savannah and from there to Mad- isonville. At the last named place he drilled militia. Then he was assigned to pro- vost duty at Lake City, where he remained eighteen months, being there at the time of the surrender, and being paroled there.
Upon his return home after the war, Mr. Landers resumed work at his trade, which he continued in Georgia until 1872. That year he came to Texas and located in Tar- rant county. A year later he bought 160 acres of school land from Shelby county, located in Tarrant county, to which place he removed and where he gave his attention to farming until 1889. In 1889 he returned to blacksmithing, and built a shop in the village of Enon, where he has since lived and pros- pered, doing a general blacksmith and re- pair business, repairing all kinds of ma- chinery, both wood and iron.
Mr. Landers is a son of Hiram B. and Margaret (Widner) Landers, both natives of Georgia. John K. Landers, our subject's grandfather, was also a native of Georgia, his father having settled there at a very early day. The Landers family originated in Scotland, and was represented in the Revolutionary war. As above stated, Hiram B. Landers was a blacksmith and wagon maker, and his life was characterized by honesty, industry and simplicity. He was born November 20, 1817, and died July 24, 1888. The maternal grandfather, Henry Widner, was of German birth; was by oc- cupation a farmer, and in religion a Method-
ist. The mother of our subject was born November 25, 1820, and died in Georgia July 15, 1852. Hiram B. Landers' children by his first wife were as follows: John H .; George W., who died in early life; William J., who was killed in the late war; James M., who died of typhoid fever, before the war; Francis M., who was killed in the bat- tle of the Wilderness; Stephen E., an engi- neer, served all through the war; Joel K., who died in 1861; Nancy E., the wife of a . Mr. Brown, of Georgia; Noah C., of Georgia; Thomas, of Alabama; Elijah, of Arkansas. The children of the second marriage are James A., Sidney C. and Claudie S., of Georgia; and Francis A., wife of George Brown, of Georgia.
John H. Landers was married in 1865 to Mrs. Arra Smith, widow of Isaiah Smith, and daughter of Kinchian Busbee. Mr. Busbee was a native of North Carolina, was a farmer by occupation, and died during the late war. Some of his family occupied prominent positions in North Carolina. The children of this union are as follows : William P., who died when young; John H., who is engaged in teaching school; George W., who died at -the age of five years; James E., deceased; end Walter E., at- tending Baylor School at Waco, Texas. Mrs. Landers had three children by her first husband, viz : T. K., engaged in farm- ing in Stonewall county, this State; Colum- bia, who died October 1, 1873, at the age of seventeen years; and Georgia R., who died January 3, 1866.
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Mr. Landers is Democratic in his politi- cal views, and, while he takes a laudable interest in public affairs, he has never as- pired to office. Fraternally, he is a Royal Arch Mason. Since the fall of 1868 he has been a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church, not having a regular charge, but preaching whenever called upon, and in this way has been the means of accomplishing a great amount of good. His wife is a mem- ber of this church, as also is one of his sons, the latter being a Deacon.
HOMAS J. GOSNEY, a prosperous and highly respected farmer of Enon, Tarrant county, Texas, was born September 9, 1843, in Pendleton coun- ty, Kentucky, and was reared on his father's farm in Kenton county, that State. In 1871 he came with his mother and family to Texas, first stopping in Johnson county, and a year later coming to the locality in which he now lives.
Soon after his arrival in Tarrant county, Mr. Gosney settled on school land and lived on it six years before it came into mark- ket. Then he purchased 160 acres, to which he subsequently added until this tract now comprises 295 acres. In 1891 he bought the 118 acres where he has since lived, and besides these farms he owns a tract of tim- ber land. He has under cultivation about 240 acres, one of his farms being rented, and about 200 acres cultivated by himself and his three sons. His home place is well in-
proved with a nice residence, good barn, fences, etc., and all these improvements were placed here by him since 1891. Mr. Gosney is also engaged in stock-raising, keeping horses, mules and cattle, and hav- ing a portion of his stock in Greer county. He, however, confines his operations chiefly to farming, wheat, oats and corn being his chief crops. . His renters raise some cotton. This year, 1894, his wheat crop amounted to 2, 1 50 bushels, and his oats to 2,800. He has never failed to make a crop of some kind. Wheat failed here one year, but other crops were good.
Mr. Gosney is one of a family of ten children, of whom six grew to maturity, namely: William G., of Kentucky; Mary J., wife of J. D. Mullens, died in this State and left seven children; John R., a resident of Missouri; Thomas J., whose name heads this article; Leonard P., of Vernon, Wilbar- ger county, this State; Ezra S., attorney at law and a banker of Flagstaff, Arizona. The father of this family died in Kentucky, Jan- uary 22, 1866, and the mother passed away in Texas about 1882. Both were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
December 25, 1873, Mr. Gosney mar- ried Miss Maggie Race. She was born in Kentucky, April 1, 1854, and died in Texas, February 13, 1891. Her father, Enos Race, a native of Kentucky, came to Texas with his family in 1870, and located in John- son county, from whence he subsequently removed to Tarrant county. Here he died in 1892. He was a highly respected man,
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and a farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Gosney had ten children, three of whom died when young. The others are Rosa L., Oscar L., Enos C., Russell S., Cora E., Mate and Henry R.
Mr. Gosney is a Populist in his political views, and takes a commendable interest in public affairs.
J OSEPH M. HENDERSON has long been identified with the interests of Tarrant county, Texas, is enthusias- tic over its progress and development, and is found among the front ranks of its most enterprising citizens. He arrived in Tarrant county when this whole country was a sea of grass, without a mark of civilization any- where. With his team he was the first to drag a log over the grass to mark the road for travelers to Dallas.
Mr. Henderson was born in Bradley county, Tennessee, March 21, 1841, and in 1845 moved with his parents from there to Cooper county, Missouri. His father died in Missouri, August 8, 1846, and his mother was afterward married, her second husband dying in 1849, while on his way to California. In 1851 she and her children emigrated with some friends to Texas, and located near where the subject of our sketch now lives, in the vicinity of Birdville. Here he grew to manhood. His education was limited to that received in the common schools. Mrs. Henderson bought 320 acres of prairie land, upon which she settled and where she passed
her remaining days and died, her death oc- curring September 3, 1880. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was a woman in whose life was portrayed that amiability and courage which so characterized the pioneer mothers. After her death Mr. Henderson bought the interest of the other heirs to the old home- stead, has also made other land purchased, and is now the owner of 1, 715 acres of fine black soil, all under fence, and 300 acres in a high state of cultivation, the rest being used for stock purposes. He rents the most of his cultivated land and gives his personal attention to the stock business, making a specialty of grading both cattle and horses. He has some fine specimens of shorthorn cattle. He also fattens beef cattle for market.
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