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 59
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 59
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For years Mr. Henderson has taken an active interest in political matters, and has filled some responsible and lucrative offices. In 1876 he was nominated by the Demo- cratic party, of which he is an enthusiastic member, for Sheriff of Tarrant county, was duly elected, and served two terms, his second term expiring in 1880. He also served two terms, four years, as Tax Collec- tor of the county, and his whole public service has been characterized by the strict- est fidelity. Besides his valuable farm above aluded to, he has acquired other in- terests. He has rental property in Fort Worth, and is a stockholder in the Traders' Bank.
Like most of the middle-aged men of
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this country, Mr. Henderson has a war rec- ord. He enlisted in July, 1862, in Green's brigade and Waller's battalion, which was consigned to the Trans-Mississippi Depart- ment, in which he continued until the close of the war. He was in some hotly con- tested battles, and did a large amount of skirmishing; was on the Banks raid up Red river. In the last battle of Yellow Bayou he was wounded in the mouth by a minie ball, which knocked out five teeth and broke his jaw bone. He still has the minie ball. Thus disabled, he came home on furlough and remained two months, at the end of that time returning to his com- mand. At. the time of Lee's surrender he was on the lower Brazos, his command was there disbanded, and from there he directed his course homeward.
Of Mr. Henderson's parents, we further record that they were William and Serena (Ware) Henderson, and that they were na- tives, respectively, of Virginia and Tennes- see. The father was a farmer and slave owner, and, as already stated, died in Mis- souri. Beyond this, little is known of the history of the Henderson family. The maternal grandfather, John Ware, was a native of Tennessee. He also died in Mis- souri. His widow and her family came to Texas in 1851, with the Henderson family and others, and settled in this county. She died in 1863, leaving a son and four daugh- ters, viz .: Margaret, Samuel, Mary, Nancy, and Serena. Margaret and Mary are the only ones of this number now living, and
Margaret is eighty-six years of age; both have large families. Six children consti- tuted the Henderson family, namely: John E., who was killed in the battle of Mans- field; Mary J., who died at the age of eight- een years; Joseph M., the subject of this article; Emily A., widow of John Acres; William C., a farmer and stock dealer of Tarrant county; and Sarah, wife of James . Hardesty, of Fort Worth.
In April, 1888, Mr. Henderson married Miss Ishie Jewell, who was born in Parker county, Texas, in 1865, daughter of H. C. Jewell, a native of Tennessee. Mr. Jewell came to Texas in 1848, and first settled in Lamar county, from whence he successively moved to Grayson, Collin, Hill, Parker and Tarrant counties. He is now a resident of Fort Worth, and is engaged in the real-es- tate business. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have two children; Modinia, born February 21, 1889; and Robert W., born December 9, 1891.
Mr. Henderson is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason, and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Hen- derson is a Methodist.
IRAM CALLOWAY, a well-known farmer of Birdville, Tarrant coun- ty, Texas, has been identified with this part of the country for thirty-three years.
Mr. Calloway was born and reared in
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North Carolina, the date of his birth being April 8, 1822. He remained on the farm with his parents until after his marriage, when he settled on a farm of his own, and he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in North Carolina until 1859. That year he came to Texas and settled in Tarrant coun- ty. Here he bought a farm which had a cabin on it and a few acres under cultivation. At that time there was but little farming done here, as the early settlers gave their attention chiefly to stock-raising. In 1863 Mr. Calloway entered the State service. For six months he was on the frontier and after that was in different parts of the State, looking after deserters, remaining on duty until the close of the war. Although he did considerable scouting, he was never in any fights.
After the war he returned home and re- sumed farming. Soon afterward he sold out and commenced buying land where he now lives. His first purchase here was eighty acres, which were partially improved, and to this tract he has since added until now he has over a thousand acres all told. About 200 acres of his land are under culti- vation, wheat, cotton, corn and oats com- prising his crops. He also raises some stock.
Mr. Calloway voted at the election which changed the county seat to Fort Worth, and he has been an eye-witness to the growth of Fort Worth from a mere village to the city it is to-day. And he has not only been a witness to the growth and development
which have taken place here, but also, as one of the leading farmers of the county, has done his part toward bringing about this change.
Turning from his life for a glimpse at the history of his forefathers, we find that the Calloways were many years ago residents of Virginia. His parents, Thomas and Eliz- abeth (Ray) Calloway, were natives of North Carolina. Thomas Calloway was a promin- ent man in his day. For twenty-six years he served as Clerk of the Court and he also served as Surveyor for a number of years. He had large farming interests and was a slave owner, and, in short, was a leading and influential man in his county. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Jesse Ray, was also a prominent farmer of that State. Thomas and Elizabeth Calloway had ten children, viz .: Carey, Joseph F., Nancy, John, Shaderick, William H., Thomas, Hiram, James and Marshall, -all having passed away except the subject of our sketch and his brother James. The father died in 1834, and the mother in 1882. Both were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Mr. H. Calloway married Miss Catherine Reves, daughter of Jesse and Mary (Bower) Reves. They became the parents of two children, one of whom died in childhood. The other, Mary, married her cousin, Joseph F. Calloway, and they came with her parents to Texas. In 1868 she was left a widow with two sons, Wylie and Marshall, and all three have since made their home with our subject. Mrs. Calloway died in 1878. She
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was a member of the Baptist Church, as also is Mr. Calloway.
While a resident of North Carolina, Mr. Calloway served as Circuit Clerk, but since coming to Texas he has given his whole time and attention to agricultural pursuits, and has not aspired to official position. He is a member of the Masonic order.
3 OHN M. ELLIOTT, a highly re- spected farmer of Tarrant county, was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, January 31, 1851, and in Decem- ber of the same year the family removed to Texas, settling on a farm in Tarrant county. His father bought two sections of land, upon one of which our subject now lives.
John M. grew to manhood here, inured to life in farming and stock-raising, and re- ceiving a common-school education, such as could be afforded in that early day. He is still engaged in the occupation to which he was reared. He buys and feeds beef cattle for the market, making a shipment to northern points each winter. He owns 265 acres of the finest land in America, being nicely situated, and 140 acres are in a fine state of cultivation. Corn, cotton and oats are his products, besides a number of hogs. Confining himself to such business as he was able to attend to upon his farm, he has suc- ceeded, and well does he deserve his success, which he now enjoys.
He is a son of John H. and Sarah (Baker) Elliott. His father is a native of
North Carolina, of Irish descent, and his mother is a native of Missouri, of German ancestry. John H. Elliott was a son of John Elliott, who emigrated from North Carolina to Missouri in pioneer times, lo- cating in Cape Girardeau county. Both came to Texas in 1851, with their parents, and died here. Mr. Elliott's father was a slave owner and a prominent farmer, and the largest live-stock raiser and dealer in the county. For a short time he was en- gaged in merchandising at Johnson's Sta- tion. He was a gentleman of great local influence, progressive, useful to the country, taking an interest in public affairs, and was a Democrat, though he never aspired to office. He was a member of the Masonic order. His wife survived him, dying July II, 1889. They had seven children, namely: Susan, who married M. L. Meek, and died December 4, '1883; Amanda, who became the wife of John Roy, a farmer and promi- nent citizen of Tarrant county, and she died March 18, 1889; Sarah, who married James Watson, and is also deceased; Ellen, who married F. R. Wallace, and is deceased; William, born in 1847, and is engaged in the livery business at Arlington; John M., the subject of this sketch, was the next; and Joseph, now in the live-stock business at Arlington.
Mr. John M. Elliott was married in 1875, to Miss Sally Russell, born November 28, 1853, a daughter of John Russell, of Mis- souri, a farmer, who came to Texas in 1867, locating in Denton county, and died at his
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home in December, 1868. His wife yet survives him, and is now living in Wise county. Mr. and Mrs. Russell had eight children, viz .: John W., deceased; Betty, who married John McGovern and resides in Wise county; Sally, now Mrs. Elliott; Abraham, a resident of Wise county; Rud- dle and James, of the Indian Territory; Edward, who died December 22, 1886; and Thomas, a resident of Wise county. Mr and Mrs. Elliott also have had eight chil- dren, of whom three died young. The living are: William E., born May 17, 1880; Joseph H., December 17, 1881; Elam R., December 10, 1887; Benton R., Decem- ber 17, 1889; and Charles C., September 16, 1893. .
Mr. Elliott was nominated by the Demo- cratic party for County Commissioner in November, 1894. He is a Master Mason, and his wife belongs to the Missionary Baptist Church. On January 1, 1895, Mr. Elliott engaged in the livery business in Mansfield.
HARLES HARDISTY, Birdville, Texas, is another one of the pros- perous farmers of Tarrant county. He has long been identified with this county, and it is appropriate that some personal mention be made of him in this work. A brief sketch of his life is as follows:
Charles Hardisty was born in Henderson county, Kentucky, November 27, 1836. He spent his youthful days on a farm in his
native State, much of his time being em- ployed at work in a tobacco patch. In 1854 he came with his father and family to Texas and settled on a headright, which his father purchased from A. G. Walker. After his marriage, which event occurred in 1861, he bought a portion of the home farm, and has since lived on it, developing it into a valuable property. He has also bought other land, and now has two farms, 100 acres of his land being under cultiva- tion, and cotton, wheat and corn being his chief products. Here Mr. Hardisty has re- sided ever since he came to Texas, with the exception of the time he spent in the Con- federate service. He enlisted in 1864, and was in the Quartermaster's Department un- til the close of the war. In 1855, the year following his arrival in Texas, he assisted in surveying the county, his part of the work being to dig the holes and plant the stakes, which he did all over the county. He also drove the wagon containing the provisions.
Mr. Hardisty is a son of James and Julia A. (Kelly) Hardisty, both natives of Kentucky. His maternal grandfather, Frederick Kelly, was a merchant and hotel man, as well as a prominent politician and Universalist, and was well known throughout Kentucky, where he passed his life and died. The children of James and Julia A. Hardisty are eight in number, and as follows: Henry, a resident of Wise county, Texas; Susan, deceased wife of David Thomas; English, who died in Louisiana, while in the army; Charles, the subject of this article; James, of Fort
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Worth; John, a prominent farmer of Tar- rant county; Elizabeth, wife of Prof. Will- iam Hudson, an Englishman and a promi- nent educator of Texas, now in Greer county; Ellen, wife of a Mr. Wendling, of Fort Worth; and Thomas, a merchant and cattle man, deceased. The father of this family died in 1875, and the mother passed away in 1879.
Charles Hardisty was married in 1861 to Miss Nancy Calloway, who was born in North Carolina, January 3, 1844, daughter of Shade and Catherine (Baker) Calloway of that State. Her parents came with their family to Texas in 1859 and settled in Tarrant county, where they spent the resi- due of their lives and died, the father in 1862 and the mother in 1888. Mr. Callo- way filled a number of minor offices in the county. By occupation he was a farmer. They had a large family of children, namely: James F., who died from disease contracted in the army; Cyntha, wife of William Plum- mer, a Tarrant county farmer; Thomas, de- ceased; Mattie, widow of Eli Fitzwaters, Hunt county; Elizabeth, deceased wife of J. Hightower; Mary A., wife of Robert Bailey, Dublin, Texas; Ellen, wife of Albert Walker; Charity, wife of William Dunigan, Hunt county; Lu, the only one of the family born in Texas, is the wife of Robert M. Davis, of Fort Worth.
Mr. and Mrs. Hardisty have had nine children, all of whom lived to be grown, viz .: Georganna, who died August 11, 1878, at the age of sixteen years; Mary E.,
wife of C. E. Ryan, Fort Worth; Laura, wife of Lon Bartley; Henry, at home; Shade, engaged in farming; Lee, who died October 10, 1891; and May B., Thomas and Kate, at home.
Mr. Hardisty has all his life been a steadfast Democrat and has filled some minor offices most acceptably. He is not, however, an office seeker nor is he a poli- tician.
Such, in brief, is a sketch of the life of one of Tarrant county's worthy and highly respected citizens.
3 OHN HARDISTY, a successful farm- er and prominent citizen of Tarrant county, Texas, dates his birth in Henderson. county, Kentucky, June 22, 1 840.
Mr. Hardisty spent his early boyhood days on a farm in his native State, and in 1854 came with his father and family to Texas, first settling in Dallas county, and a year later coming to Tarrant county. He remained a member of the home circle until 1859, when he went to Louisiana with a drove of horses, remaining there until the civil war broke out. Then he enlisted in the Eighth Louisiana Infantry, and was con- signed to the Army of Virginia. He was in the first battle of Manassas, and in all the prominent battles of Virginia and Maryland, and also at Gettysburg, being under Hayes, Longstreet, and "Stonewall" Jackson, and seeing hard service throughout the whole of
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the war. He was never wounded, although he was often in the thickest of the fight. At Rappahannock Station he was captured, was carried from there to Washington, and thence to Point Lookout, Maryland, where he was held as a prisoner four months. At the expiration of that time he, with others, was taken up to Richmond for exchange; but terms of exchange not being agreed upon, the Confederate prisoners were paroled for thirty days, or until exchanged. Mr. Hardisty ran the blockade of the Mississippi river and came home at this time, but re- turned to Virginia. He afterward joined his command again and continued on active duty until the war was over.
Mr. Hardisty was engaged in farming in Louisiana at the time he enlisted in the Con- federate service, and upon his return from the army he resumed farming there. A year later he came back to Texas, to his father's home, bringing with him his wife, whom he had married in 1865. His worldly goods at this time consisted of a wagon, a yoke of oxen and $15 in money. He found employment here as cattle driver, at $60 per month and board, and in this way worked one year and got a start. Then he rented land and commenced farming, which occupation he has followed ever since, meet- ing with prosperity, and to-day being ranked with the wealthy and respected farmers of the county. About 1870 he commenced buying land, and, with the exception of the sixty acres which his father gave him, he has acquired his large landed estate by his own
honest industry and good management. At one time he owned 900 acres, but has since given some to his children. He gave to them property in Fort Worth to the amount of $10,000. From time to time he bought out the heirs to the old home place, and has since owned and occupied it. He now has 225 acres under cultivation, raising wheat, oats and corn.
Mr. Hardisty is a son of James and July A. (Kelly) Hardisty, natives of Kentucky, the father of Scotch descent and the mother of Irish. His grandfather, Frederick Kelly, was a prominent farmer and large slave owner of Kentucky. James Hardisty was also engaged in farming all through life, and after he came to Texas was a slave owner. He died here in 1876; his wife, in 1879. They had nine children, namely : Susan,. Henry, English, Charles, James S., John, Betty, Thomas and Sarah.
John Hardisty has been twice married, and has a large family of children. His first wife, whose maiden name was Miss Mary E. Best, was a native of Louisiana. She bore him thirteen children, two of whom died when young, the others being as follows : Ida, wife of J. L. Rhodes, a resi- dent of Fort Worth, and by occupation a railroad conductor; L. E., of Fort Worth; C. E., a Tarrant county farmer; Clarence, who runs a gin; John H., also a ginner; Cora, wife of Isaac Sansberry, a farmer of Tarrant county; Gertrude, wife of John Naylor, also a farmer of this county; and Alice, Clements, Albert C. and Frank, at
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Christina Nugent
Joseph Nagut
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home. The mother of these children passed away November 17, 1889. She was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and her life was beautiful, being adorned by many Christian graces. November 1, 1891, Mr. Hardisty wedded Miss Annie Wilson, daughter of Isaac Wilson. Her father, a native of Michigan, emigrated to Texas with his family about 1885 and located on a farm five miles north of Fort Worth. By his second wife Mr. Hardisty has two children, -Thomas W. and Ada.
He affiliates with the Democratic party and is a member of the Masonic order and the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Hardisty is a Methodist.
J OSEPH NUGENT, one of the most prominent and enterprising farmers of Tarrant county, is a native of Canada, born near Grafton, June 3, 1829, and reared to farm life; attended Victoria College two years, his teachers being Dr. McNabb and William Ormiston. He taught school some and then came to Texas, in 1851, to join a brother in Ellis county, who had emigrated to that point as early as 1848.
Soon after arriving here Mr. Joseph Nugent obtained a school in Dallas county, which he taught two years, and then he came to Tarrant county, in 1853, and con- tinued teaching for ten or twelve years, the last two years of which time he was at Mansfield College.
In 1852 he exchanged his pony for fifty acres of land. He continued to engage in trade until he was able to buy more land, which he did in small quantities, until at the beginning of the war he owned over 800 acres. Just before the war, however, he went to Canada on a visit, and while there hostilities broke out between the North and South, which kept him in the queen's do- minion. While thus compelled to sojourn there he did not remain idle, but taught school, and one year was a clerk in a store. After that he was employed in Division Court four years, and became so engaged in it that he made some real-estate pur- chases; but that property he left and return- ed to Texas, in 1868, and commenced the improvement of his lands here. Most of his cattle were gone, but he obtained a few of his horses. He soon procured a house, opened farms and followed agricultural pur- suits and stock-raising, dealing also in cattle and horses. At one place he owned 2,000 acres, which he made his ranch and his headquarters.
Prices of live stock at length becoming low, while the land rose in value, Mr. Nugent parceled out the ranch and sold it to settlers, and it is now a fine farming community. He yet owns a good farm. In 1889 he moved to Mansfield. Too much cannot be said of his enterprise and thrift, and as a leader in his community. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church.
In 1891 he married and began perma-
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nently to settle himself. He has built a fine residence, where he expects to remain.
In 1891 also he was elected Mayor of the town, at the first election after the town was incorporated, and since then he has served alternately with Mr. Bratton, and he is now Mayor. He has also served as Deputy Tax Assessor several terms, has always taken an active part in public affairs, and is consid- ered the chief enterprising man of his com- munity. He never fails to see what is needed, and quietly goes to work to bring about the fulfillment of the want.
His parents, John and Isabella (Harri- son) Nugent, came from Ireland to Canada. His father, a weaver by trade and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, settled in the woods in Canada and established a home there, which he occupied the remainder of his days, dying in 1856, at the age of seven- ty-seven years, a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife survived till 1887. They had ten sons and one daughter, name- ly: Richard, who came to. Texas in 1868, and died in 1890; James, who died at the age of seventeen years; John, who became an engineer on the Mississippi river, married in Tennessee, came to Ellis county, Texas, in 1848, was ordained a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and con- tinued in the ministry during life, dying in 1870, while on a tour preaching, leaving a wife and nine children; on coming to Texas he obtained a section of land under the Peters Colony act; Thomas (first), who died young; Thomas (second), who died in Can-
ada; Robert, who came to Texas in 1851, and in 1854 returned to Canada, where he yet resides; one, born on board of ship and died unnamed; Joseph, the subject of this sketch; the next was one that died in in- fancy unnamed; Samuel, who also died young; and Matilda, who married David McNeely, and moved to Texas in 1877: Mr. McNeely was a farmer and died November 16, 1885, leaving a wife and four children, one son and one daughter living at Gar- land, Dallas county, one son lives in Brit- ish Columbia, and another daughter resides near Mansfield.
June 24, 1891, Mr. Joseph Nugent mar- ried Miss Christina Cowans, who was born March 25, 1863, and is a daughter of Will- iam and Christina (Thompson) Cowans, of Iowa. Mr. Cowans, a railroad contractor, followed up the construction of the roads, moving from place to place, until finally, in 1865, he came to Texas, where he con- tinued in the business, and died, in 1883. His wife had died in 1874. By their death six children were left orphans, of whom the eldest and head of their interests, Alexan- der, died in 1884; the other five children are yet living. The next oldest brother, William, is continuing his father's occupa- tion, railroad construction, being now in Louisiana. The eldest sister, Grace, is now the wife of Thomas Goodnight, and is liv- ing in Collinsworth county, Texas. Mamie married Alexander Sessums, of Waco, where they are yet resident. John, next of age, learned telegraphy, but, his health breaking
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down, he went to the Panhandle of this State and took a piece of land, which he now occupies.
HOMAS F. RODGERS, a resident of Kennedale, is one of the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Tarrant county, Texas. While he carries on general farming, he makes a specialty of fruit and vegetables, and in this industry has attained signal success. It is appropriate that more than a passing mention of him be made in this work, and it is with pleasure that we present the following resume of his life.
Thomas F. Rodgers was born in Stewart county, Georgia, April 20, 1835, and until he was twenty-one his life was spent on the farm there with his parents. Upon reaching his majority in 1856, he went west to the Territory of Kansas, and located on a tract of land seven miles from Topeka, where he developed a small farm. He was there dur- ing the Kansas trouble, and, as a member of Clayton's company, was in the raid after John Brown, not, however, being with the party that finally routed him and drove him from the State. Few men are better posted on early Kansas history than is Mr. Rodgers.
In 1858 he sold his claim in Kansas and came to Texas, making the journey hither with a two-horse wagon, and settling in the locality where he has since resided. He at first bought 160 acres of State land, for which he paid fifty cents an acre, and by the time the war broke out had got a nice 15
start in stock and had a portion of his land under cultivation. In 1862 he enlisted in the Fourteenth Texas Cavalry, Colonel Jolinson's regiment, and was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas. There the regiment was dismounted and sent to Corinth. Mr. Rodgers was one of five who were detailed to bring the horses home, and, being sick at the time and not likely to recover, he was discharged from service before leaving Arkansas. After he reached home he came near dying. As soon as he recovered he resumed work on his farm. Prosperity has attended his efforts from that time up to the present, and he is to-day ranked with the wealthy men of the county. To his original purchase of land he added from time to time until he now has 1,273 acres, 765 acres of which are under cultivation. He raises more cotton than any other farmer in this locality, his crop this year amounting to 175 bales. Each year he markets a large number of hogs, and this year will sell about 200. He also raises other stock for the support of his farm. As has already been stated, fruit and vegetables form his princi- pal crop. He has a thousand peach trees, a plum orchard and a vineyard. From early season until late he has a variety and large quantity of vegetables and melons, and all these, together with his fruit, find a ready market at Fort Worth. Mr. Rodgers was among the first to haul garden products to Fort Worth, and he still finds it a remunera- tive business. For the past few years he has been running the hotel at Kennedale, doing
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