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 60
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 60
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all the business in this line here. Mrs. Rodgers has a general supervision over the hotel, taking an especial pride in the table, and happy is the guest who is entertained at their sumptuous board.
Mr. Rodgers was the second born in a family of seven children of David G. and Mary (Audolph) Rodgers, of Georgia, the former being of Irish descent and the latter of German. David G. Rodgers was a man of prominence in his day. He served as County Clerk and Justice of the Peace, and also as a member of the State Legislature, besides filling various minor offices. He owned a large plantation, and previous to the war was a slaveholder. He died in Georgia, in March, 1889, at the age of sev- enty-seven years. Of his seven children, record is made as follows: James M., de- ceased; Thomas F., the subject of this article; Lucy A., now Mrs. McLane, resides in Georgia; Mary, wife of S. Y. Allen, is de- ceased; Georgia A., wife of A. H. Rollins, resides at Lancaster, Texas; George D. is a resident of Georgia; and J. H., also of Georgia. The mother of this family passed to her reward above in 1851. Both parents were devoted Christians and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father was also identified with the Masonic frater- nity. Mr. Rodgers is a Democrat in politics, and takes an active interest in all public and political matters, yet he has never held or sought political office. He has always been a friend and advocate of public schools and has held office in that connection.
The subject of our sketch was married in 1857 to Miss Mary A. Adams, who was born in Kentucky, January 19, 1842, daughter of Edward Adams. Her father removed from his native State, Kentucky, to Kansas in 1855, and from there in 1858 to Texas, lo- cating in Tarrant county, where he spent the residue of his life and died, the date of his death being 1882. His wife survived him until 1887, when she died at the home of Mr. Rodgers. Of their family we record that James and Thomas died in the army during the war; Jane is deceased; John E. died in the Indian Nation; and Mary A., wife of Mr. Rodgers, is the only one of the family left. Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers have had five children, namely: James M., mar- ried and living in Colorado; John H. and David, engaged in farming in this county; Thomas F. died at the age of two years; and Mary A. died when four years old.
ENRY L. WHITE, post-office Kennedale, came to Texas from Kentucky in 1858 and settled in Tarrant county. He was married only a short time before, and brought with him to this new State his wife and all his belong- ings, the latter consisting of a small amount of money and some good horses. His first settlement here was on Deer creek, where he improved a farm and engaged in the stock business, handling cattle extensively, and being prospered in his undertakings. At the time he entered the Confederate
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service he had several thousand dollars worth of stock, and upon his return he found only a few left, the ravages of war having practically broken him up. For two years longer he continued on this farm. Then he sold out and moved into the cross timber, where he lived one year. In 1870 he bought his present farm, 350 acres. At the time he purchased this place its im- provements consisted of five acres under cul- tivation and a cabin. He had some difficulty in securing clear title to his property, but finally succeeded in doing so. He now has eighty acres under cultivation, has a com- fortable residence and other improvements and conveniences, and in a moderate way is still carrying on liis stock business in con- nection with farming.
Mr. White tendered his services for the war at its beginning, in 1861, becoming a member of. Griffin's battalion in the Texas Department, and serving all through the conflict. He was at the battle of Galves- ton, at Sabine Pass, and in other engage- ments, and was for some time stationed at the mouth of the Brazos river. At the time of Lee's surrender he was on Galveston island, and from there returned home, ar- riving on the sixth of June, 1865.
Mr. White was born in Kentucky, De- cember 21, 1828, son of John H. and Mar- garet (Thompson) White, both natives of Kentucky. John H. White was a son of Lawson White, a Virginian, whio emigrated from Virginia to Kentucky at an early day, making the journey on foot, and taking withi
him his family and belongings. He was a veteran of the Revolution, and, after his set- tlement in Kentucky, became a wealthy planter, owning a large tract of land and a number of slaves. His son, John H., also was a planter and slave-holder. He was married five times, reared a large family of children, and died in 1889. The maternal grandfather of our subject, John Thomp- son, was a cousin of the noted David Crockett, and was a prominent farmer of Kentucky. John H. White's children by his first wife are seven in number, and as follows: Alford, who was killed at the opening of the war; Cyntha A., wife of Charles Spalding; Henry L., whose name heads this article; WWilmuth, a resident of Kentucky; Robert C., of Kentucky; Wilson M., deceased; and Milton O., of Kentucky. The mother of this family died in 1843. The children by the last marriage are Lu- ther, deceased, and Anna H., wife of Rob- ert Page, a druggist of Nashville, Tennessee.
Mr. White was married in Kentucky, in 1857, to Miss Isabella Dishman, who was born December 15, 1838, daughter of Will- iam Dishman, a well-to-do farmer of that State, who died in 1866. Mrs. White died January 15, 1892. She was a most amiable woman, and was an old-side member of the Presbyterian Church, as also were her parents. Of the nine children of this union, we record that two died in infancy, the others being as follows: Margaret D., wife of Joseph Squires, Mansfield, Texas; Annie E., wife of T. K. Smith, a farmer of
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Stonewall county, this State; Robert E., a Tarrant county farmer; Lurana, who died January 2, 1884, at the age of eighteen years; America B., at home; and Emma J., also at home.
Politically Mr. White is in sympathy with the third party, and has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He has been a Mason for about twenty-five years.
RCHIBALD EARL, Fort Worth, Texas, resides at "Fairview," a pretty country home. As one of the representative men of the county, he is entitled to some personal mention in this work, and we take pleasure in presenting the following sketch of his life in this volume.
Archibald Earl was born in Virginia, April 17, 1830. His youthful days were spent on his father's plantation and his edu- tion was received in private schools. For some time he was engaged in teaching, and later was at Webster carrying on mercantile pursuits. In 1857 he received an appoint- ment from President Buchanan, on the topographical corps, Pope's conunand, to go over the projected route of the Texas & Pacific railroad, and ascertain where water could be obtained. As a member of this corps he went through to New Mexico. At the mouth of Delaware creek they sank a a well 1, 140 feet deep, and, although they found plenty of water, it did not flow.
While on this expedition they had several fights with the Indians, killing some and capturing a large number, but the whole corps, numbering 204, returned in safety after having accomplished their mission. From 1859 until the outbreak of the war Mr. Earl taught school in his native State. In 1849 and 1850 he was engaged in teach- ing in Iowa."
In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Con- federate army, in the Thirty-first Virginia Infantry, and served for some time, after which he hired a substitute. Later, how- ever, he himself entered the ranks again, and remained on duty until the close of the war, participating in many of the important battles of Virginia. Much of the time he was on scout duty, and in this way per- formed very efficient service. In all his army life he was never wounded, and, although he was thrice captured, he as many times made good his escape before being taken to prison.
After the surrender, Mr. Earl returned home, and the following year, 1866, came to Texas, settling in this county and making Fort Worth his headquarters. Here for five years he was engaged in freighting, making trips between Houston, Jefferson, Austin, etc., and taking Government con- tracts. After this he turned his attention to the handling of stock, chiefly mules and horses, and found a market for them in Louisiana and Mississippi. In 1874 he married, having previously bought a tract of land and settled down to farming, in which
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occupation he has since been engaged. To his original purchase he has since added until now he has 225 acres of prairie land and a tract covered with timber, about 175 acres of his farm being under cultivation, it being operated by him and his sons, and with the aid of some hired help. He raises a diversity of crops, but his principal prod- uct is wheat.
Mr. Earl is one of a family of twelve, all of whom reached maturity, his parents being Archibald and Mary (Buckey) Earl, natives of Virginia. The Earls originated in England, and some members of the family came to America and settled in the Old Dominion previous to the Revolution. The father of our subject was a prominent man in his day. He served as Clerk of both Courts for many years, at Beverly, Ran- dolph county, Virginia (now West Virgin- ia); was a wealthy planter and slaveholder. The Buckey family is descended from the French. Their first settlement in this country was in Pennsylvania, and later they removed to Virginia. Grandfather Peter Buckey was a hotel-keeper. Of the twelve children of Archibald and Mary Earl, we make record as follows: John B., deceased; Lucinda, who died in West Virginia in 1892, . was twice married, first to A. Wilmuth and afterward to F. Leonard; Sally A., wife of D. Harper, died and left five children; Ma- riah, wife of George W. Ward, died and left six children; Christina M., wife of Charles W. Newlon, State Senator two terms, once before the division of the State and once in
West Virginia, died and left six children; Edith, deceased wife of John W. Adams, left two children; Elias B., of Virginia; Anzina, deceased wife of B. W. Crawford, left two children; Archibald, the subject of this article; Jefferson, a fariner of Tarrant county, Texas; Mary E., wife of T. C. Bar- low, of West Virginia, has three children; and Creed, a resident of Elkins, West Vir- ginia. The father of this family died April 7, 1844, and the mother in March, 1863. He was a Mason of high degree, and she was a worthy member of the Methodist Protest- ant Church.
In Rock Island county, Illinois, in 1874, Mr. Earl married Miss Addie F. Brown, who was born in Beverly, Virginia, now West Virginia, January 14, 1844, daughter of Bernard L. and Mary E. (Dailey) Brown. Mr. Brown was a fine lawyer but, on ac- count of his defective hearing, did not prac- tice his profession. After the death of the senior Mr. Earl, as above stated, Mr. Brown was elected to succeed him as Clerk, which position he held until death. Besides this office, he filled that of Commissioner of Chancery, and was surveyor many years. In 1837 he moved from his native place, Albemarle, Virginia, to Beverly, West Vir- ginia, where he remained until the war. During the war he took sides with the South and made his home in Albemarle, and afterward returned to Beverly to find his dwelling demolished. He died in Beverly in 1868. Immediately after his death his widow removed with her family to Rock
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Island county, Illinois. Subsequently she returned to Virginia, where she still resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl have had three chil- dren,-Archibald B., Charles J. and Clay C. Clay C. died August 27, 1883.
Mr. Earl is Democratic in his political views, and has always taken at interest in public affairs. He has served as deputy Sheriff and Constable. Mrs. Earl is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
S TUART HARRISON, one of the leading insurance agents of Fort Worth, was born in Tensas parish, Louisiana, March 21, 1859, and received his education in New Orleans and Galveston. At fourteen years of age he began work for W. A. Dunklin & Company, cotton factors of the latter city, remaining with them four years. Next he was employed by the Gulf City Cotton Press Company, and in six months came to Fort Worth, where he was private secretary to Mayor Beckham, and served in that capacity until appointed as- sistant City Secretary under Charles Mc Dougal, and was four years in that office, serving at the same time as Deputy City Marshal. He was elected City Secretary in 1883, when only twenty-four years of age, and he filled the office two years. Next he en- gaged in fire insurance, with Swayne Brothers & Crane, who were succeeded by Crane & Harrison, and this firm in turn by Harrison & Wright. In 1885 Mr. Harrison was
elected secretary of the State Volunteer Firemen's Association, and has served in that capacity ever since.
Mr. Harrison is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias and of the order of Elks.
He was married in Fort Worth, February 20, 1888, to Miss Helen Dickson, a daugh- ter of William Dickson, originally from Tennessee, who came to Texas in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have three children: Malcom Foster, born in November, 1888; James William Stuart, born in September, 1890; and Randall Kenneth, born in Sep- tember, 1894.
Mr. Harrison's father was General Isaac F. Harrison, who was born in Jefferson county, Mississippi, and died in Fort Worth, August 17, 1890, aged seventy-three years. At the age of sixteen years he and his brother David, moved to Tensas parish, Louisiana, and purchased and opened out Delta & Maryland's cotton plantation. They both were heavy owners of slave property, and were making money rapidly when the civil war came on. General Harrison's sympa- thies were naturally with his own people, and he maintained a strong stand for State rights and ultimate Confederate indepen- dence. He was elected Captain of the Tensas cavalry in 1860, was mustered in at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and served with distinction during the entire four years of the war, being finally promoted Brigadier General.
During the war General Harrison emi-
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grated to Waco, Texas, with his negroes, and remained there till the war ended, when he returned with them to Louisiana. Two years afterward the General removed to Spanish Honduras, Central America, and remained there three years, then returned, in 1870, to his old homestead in Mississippi.
In 1872 he disposed of his planting in- terests there and came to Fort Worth, where he engaged in real-estate business, as a member of the firm of Kneeland & Harrison. They represented several foreign syndicates, surveying Western lands and engaging in active field work for many years. In 1878 General Harrison moved to El Paso, and resided there until just before his death. He was a life-long Democrat, active in the sup- port of the principles of his party.
B E. MORISON, a prominent resi- dent of Tarrant county, was born in Virginia, June 14, 1858, the eldest 'child of J. W. S. Morison, a native of Virginia. The latter served as County Clerk of Hood county, as County Commis- sioner of Tarrant county, and served as Clerk of both courts in Jonesville, Lee county, Virginia, for over thirty years. He spent many years of his life in public ser- vice, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his community. Socially he was a member of the Masonic order and the I. O. O. F., and religiously, was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Morison was twice married, and to the first
union were born five children,-S. P., de- ceased in 1890; Absalom W., deceased in 1889; Charles HI., in 1877; Benjamin, who was killed in the late war; and F. C., of California. All came to Texas with their father. By the last marriage he had four children, -R. E., the subject of this sketch; Marcy, a Tarrant county farmer; Louisa, deceased at the age of fourteen years; and Hetta, wife of A. S. Wear, of San Antonio, Texas. Mrs. Morison finds a good home with her son, the subject of this sketch.
R. E. Morison came with his parents to Texas in 1860, locating first in Johnson county, afterward removed to Hood county, and about 1865 came to Tarrant county, where he grew to manhood. After reach- ing his majority he began the struggle of life for himself, having purchased a farm of 266 acres, with a few improvements, but the place is now under a fine state of culti- vation. In 1886 he began merchandising at Mansfield, under the firm name of Piles & Morison, and they now carry a large stock in two departments. Politically Mr. Mori- son is an active worker in the Democratic party, and, with the exception of one term, has served continuously for fourteen years as Constable. He is a faithful and efficient officer, and can hold office as long as he will serve.
In 1888 Mr. Morison was united in mar- riage to Miss Florence Moody, born in 1864, a daughter of Thomas O. Moody, a native of Tennessee. He was a master mason and came to Texas about 1858. He served
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as Captain of his company during the late war, and spent his remaining days in this county, dying in 1878. His wife survived until 1884. They were the parents of twelve children, all of whom are still living but three. Mr. and Mrs. Morison have had two children,-J. W. S., five years of age; and Thomas O., aged two years.
J OHN J. HARD, a prosperous and enterprising farmer of Tarrant coun- ty, Texas, and well known among the members of the Grange and Alliance and the Populist party in this vicinity, dates his birth in Newark, New Jersey, March 30, 1837.
Mr. Hard spent his boyhood days in his native town, attending school until he was sixteen. He then entered upon an appren- ticeship to the trade of silversmith, and served three years, at the end of which time he was a victim of the Western fever. He had an. uncle in Texas,-Captain Joseph Ward, -and came here to Parker county to join him, making the journey in company with W. F. Carter. , That was in 1858. The trade to which he had served an apprentice- ship was not congenial to his taste, and we here state that since he camne to Texas his time has been given chiefly to agricultural pursuits. The year following his arrival here he married and settled down to farm- ing. Not long afterward he removed from Parker to Wise county, where he partially developed a farm, and was also engaged in
stock business, but was obliged on account of hostile Indians to leave that place. He then moved back to Springtown, Parker county. This was about the time of the outbreak of the great war between the North and the South. In 1862 he volunteered for service in the Confederate army, and, as a member of Colonel Griffin's battalion, served on the coast of Texas. He was at the retaking of Galveston. Afterward he was attached to the Engineer's Department, and was employed as an overseer of negroes until the close of the war.
At the close of the war he returned to Springtown, and the following year taught school. Then he farmed on rented land one year, and the next year worked in a mnill at Weatherford. His next move was to Tar- rant county. After cultivating rented land here one year, he purchased the eighty-acre farm where he now lives, then all wild land. Fifty acres of this tract he has brought un- der cultivation, cotton and corn being his chief crop. He raises only enough stock for the support of his farm.
Mr. Hard's parents were Melvil T. and Abigail (Ward) Hard. His father was a native of Connecticut and was by trade a tailor. He is deceased. The Hard family origina- ted in Wales and were among the early settlers of New England, some of them coming to America on board the Mayflower. They were represented in the Revolutionary war. Of our subject's maternal ancestry little is known. Captain Ward, his mother's brother, above referred to, was the only one
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of her people who came to Texas, the date of his arrival here being 1845. Mr. Hard is the oldest of a family of three. His brother, George M., is president of the Chatham National Bank, of New York city, and re- sides at Nyack, on the Hudson river. Laura T., his sister, resides with their mother at Nyack.
Mr. Hard's marriage soon after he came to Texas has already been alluded to. Mrs. Hard, whose maiden name was Azilla J. Hill, was born in Indiana, February 8, 1841, daughter of Dr. James and Angelina (Coop- er) Hill, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. Her parents were married in Indiana in 1836 and lived in Clinton county, that State, until 1855, when they emigrated to Texas, settling first in Bastrop county and a year later removing to Parker county. At the latter place Dr. Hill purchased a farm and spent the rest of his life, devoting his time to its cultivation and to stock-raising and also practicing his profession. He died October 3, 1878. His first wife had died a few years after their coming to Texas and he had married again. Mr. and Mrs. Hard have had eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows: Ella V., wife of William Gambill; Charlotte E., wife of E. Wilson; James M., George B. and Annie L., at home; and Margaret A., wife of William Drake.
Politically Mr. Hard was formerly identi- fied with the Democratic party, but recently has been a Populist and an active worker in
party ranks. He has also been prominent in the Grange and Farmers' Alliance, filling most acceptably all the important offices at- tached to them. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he and his family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
RANK WILCOX, one of the repre- sentative citizens and early pioneers of Fort Worth, Texas, dates his birth in Caldwell county, Kentucky, in Feb- ruary, 1830. He spent his boyhood days in attending school, and at the age of sixteen entered upon an apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter. After he was twenty he went to Helena, Arkansas, and subsequently was employed by a boat company, running flat- boats on the lower Mississippi. While thus occupied he was taken sick and started home, but got better on the way and stopped at Natchez, where he remained one year. After this he worked at his trade in Ken- tucky until 1853, when he came to Texas via New Orleans and Shreveport, from the lat- ter place continuing the journey with freight teams, and arriving at Fort Worth in No- vember of that year. At this time he had only $15 in money, and he found no show for work at Fort Worth. Colonel Johnson and Jack Brinson gave him permission to occupy one of their houses, which had re- cently been abandoned by the soldiers, and in it he opened up a shop and began doing repair work of any kind that he could get.
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After a while he was called upon to make coffins. On one occasion he had an order from Parker county, a distance of twenty- five miles, the deceased being a Mrs. Tuck- er. He whipsawed lumber from the tree, made the coffin, and took it to Parker county, making the journey in the night and during a hard rainstorm, reaching his destination at two o'clock in the morning. Upon his arrival it was found that the body had so badly decomposed that burial was necessary at once, and the funeral was held the same night. When they reached the grave they found it full of water, all of which had to be bailed out. He reports this as the most trying experience he had during his career as an undertaker. After- ward he built a house of six rooms for $100, doing all the work himself, and making the lumber from the tree. Lumber soon came in and he employed hands and had all the work he could do. In the meantime he bought a tract of land east of Fort Worth, with the intention of opening up a farm. The original owner of Fort Worth, M. T. Johnson, offered him a block on Main street if he would build a house on it, which offer he accepted, and at once went to work to get out the material for the house; he then gave the entire outfit to a Mr. Craig to carry out the contract with Mr. Johnson, which he did. This was in 1856. This property occupies the ground between Third and Fourth streets, running back to Rusk, and is among the most valuable in Fort Worth to-day.
That same year Mr. C. C. Lacy was elected District Surveyor and Mr. Wilcox was appointed deputy of the Denton Land District, which included Denton, Tarrant, Parker, Palo Pinto, Young and Jack coun- ties, and the south half of Wise county, and all the terrirory west of Young and Palo Pinto counties. Mr. Wilcox continued as deputy under Mr. Lacy, and was afterward himself appointed to the office of County Surveyor, and continued in the surveyor's office until 1861, when he returned to Ken- tucky.
Upon his return to his native State, the subject of our sketch joined a squadron his brother had raised. The latter was taken prisoner at Fort Donelson, was sent to Ohio, and from there made his escape; was afterward appointed Post Commissary at Jackson, Mississippi, and Frank served under him in that department. Our subject was deputized to return to Kentucky for medicine, and while on the road was cap- tured and confined at Russellville, where he was held until August, 1864. His prison life was such that his health became in- paired, and as soon as he was discharged he returned to his old home in Caldwell county.
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