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 66
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 66
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1879, and settled on a farm in Red River county, where he died in 1881. His family consisted of eleven children, six of whom came to this State and three of that number are still living, -Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. James Patterson and George P. One brother, James, is still a resident of Tennessee. The widowed mother is a resident of Red River county and is now seventy-seven years of age.
Mr. Reynolds cast his first vote for James K. Polk, and has always affiliated with the Democratic party, but now, like many others, is politically "at sea." He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Baptist Church. Mrs. Reynolds belongs to the Christian Church.
J OSEPH FOWLER, a well-known and prominent merchant of Azle, Tarrant county, was born at Hazel Green, Wisconsin, June 22, 1847, the fifth of seven children born to Meredith and Diana (Cheatham) Fowler, natives of Ten- nessee and Kentucky, respectively. The grandfather, William Fowler, was a native of South Carolina, but removed to Tennes- see in an early day. His father was taken prisoner by the British during the Revolu- tionary war, and died of smallpox while in prison. Meredith Fowler was married in Kentucky, removed from there to Illinois, where he was engaged in merchandising at Alton, next went to Wisconsin, was engaged in lead-mining in Missouri, and then came to Texas. Both he and his wife were
members of the Missionary Baptist Church. The latter departed this life in 1886. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, three now living: Mary was married in this State to J. A. Steward, who practiced medi- cine in Tarrant, Parker and Wise counties for twenty-five years, and died at Azle in 1892; Martha, wife of W. H. Rowland, a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church; and Joseph, the subject of this sketch.
The latter moved with his parents to Missouri when one year old, and ten years afterward, in 1858, located at Sherman, Grayson county, Texas. He afterward re- moved to Wise county, and since 1863 has been a resident of Tarrant county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1876. In that year he opened a small mer- cantile establishment in this city, and later erected a large store building, which was destroyed by fire in 1891. Having only a small amount of insurance, his loss amount- ed to about $12,000. Heimmediately rebuilt, and now has a large building well stocked with general merchandise, amounting to about $7,000. Mr. Fowler has also been entensively engaged in the cattle business. In 1881 he erected a cotton gin, which he conducted until 1893, and since that time has given his entire attention to his mercan- tile pursuits. He was instrumental in es- tablishing the postoffice at Azle, and has served as Postmaster since 1881.
August 1, 1886, Mr. Fowler was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Miller, born in Oregon, in 1861, a daughter of George B.
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Miller, a native of Kentucky. He moved to Oregon about 1858, and is still engaged in stock-raising and farming in the Willamette valley. To this union have been born two children: Joseph G., aged seven years; and Mary D., born October 30, 1891.
Mr. Fowler takes an active interest in political matters, acting with the Democratic party. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order. Mrs. Fowler is a member of the Christian Church.
EN C. HENRY is a prominent and influential citizen of Weatherford, Texas, engaged in farming and in merchandising as a dealer in carpets, furni- ture, picture-mounting, etc. He has a well- appointed store, and also one of the finest stock farms in this section of the State, and all has been acquired through his own well- directed efforts.
Mr. Henry is a Georgian by birth, first opening his eyes to the light of day in Tal- bot county, that State, on the 18th of May, 1843. His parents, Daniel and Mary (Bran- nan) Henry, had a family of thirteen chil- dren: H. T., a resident of Mincola, Texas; Rufus; Ben C., whose name introduces this record; Mrs. Judge Irvin, of Terrell, this State; and Mrs. Amazon Bartle, who is liv- ing in Greenville, Texas, are the only ones now living.
In taking up the personal history of our subject we present to our readers the life record of one who is both widely and
favorably known in this community. His father removed to Stewart county, Geor- gia, prior to 1850, and there he was reared to manhood, receiving a cominon-school education. About the time he was entering on manhood the civil war broke out, and, true to the principles and the people among whom he was reared, he joined the Confed- erate army as a member of Company C, Tenth Regiment of Georgia Volunteers. He continued with that command, during which time he participated in the battles of Williamsburg and the Seven Days' fight. He was then transferred to the Seventeenth Regiment, which had been made up in his old home neighborhood, and with many of his old friends, now armny comrades, he dis- played his bravery in the battles of Price's Farın, Fredericksburg, Shepherdstown, Har- per's Ferry, Gettysburg, Chickamauga,' Knoxville, and others, amounting in all to thirty-two. He was never wounded, but suffered from white swelling, which caused his retirement from field service a year be- fore the war closed.
On resuming civil pursuits Mr. Henry was appointed to the position of Internal Revenue Collector, which office he accept- ably filled for two years, and was in the government employ until 1868, at which time he came to Texas, locating in Kauf- man county. He first opened a store in Rockwall, after which he went to Rains county, where he carried on farming for five years. Resuming mercantile pursuits on the expiration of that period, in Mineola,
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Wood county, he there continued until 1881, when he established a grocery store in Weatherford. That enterprise, however, proved very unprofitable, and the business was closed. Securing a position as travel- ing salesman with McEnnis & Company, general brokers in grain, flour, etc., he re- mained upon the road for four years, then secured the Texas agency for the dental snuff manufactured in Lynchburg, Virginia, by Ivy, Owen & Company. That business yielded him a net profit of $12,000 in four years, after which he returned to Weather- ford, and in 1889 embarked in business for himself. He carried a stock valued at $8,000, and has the leading furniture store in the place, while his straightforward, hon- est dealing and courteous treatment of his customers have won him a liberal patronage. In connection with his mercantile pursuits he has other interests. He is now the owner of a valuable farm of 305 acres, located on Clear fork, and is there raising a fine herd of Jersey cattle. The place is well watered by two living streams supplied by numerous never-failing springs, and they also fill a fine basin on his property.
On the Ist of January, 1865, Mr. Henry was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Newinan, daughter of Shaw Newman, and their union has been blessed with two chil- dren, Lambert F. and Mrs. Benona Porter. Our subject affiliates with the Knights of Honor and the Knights of Pythias, and, whether in social or business circles, he has the warm regard of a large circle of friends.
EORGE W. BOICOURT, a promi- nent farmer and dairyman of Tar- rant county, Texas, dates his birth iu Sangamon county, Illinois, January 2, 1848. He has been a resident of the Lone Star State since 1855, coming here that year with his parents, their first settlement being in Ellis county. In 1861 the father moved with his family to Parker county, in 1864 to Limestone county, and in 1866 to Tarrant county. Here he died the following year, 1867. In each of these counties he owned farms. George W. made these several moves with his father, and continued to re- side with his stepmother two years after his father's death, and, as the country was new, his educational advantages were of a neces- sity limited. After his marriage, which oc- curred in 1871, he rented a farm, and two years later he pre-empted the land upon which he now lives, 160 acres, located four miles northwest of Fort Worth. This he has improved with good buildings, etc. In 1887 he bought another farm, and in 1890 he turned his attention to the dairy busi- ness, in which he has since been engaged, now milking fifteen cows, and finding the business a profitable one. In 1891 he built a commodious residence, one-half of the upper story of which he uses as a chapel and for school purposes, having a private tutor for his children.
Mr. Boicourt is the only child of John and Martha J. (Deal) Boicourt, natives of Ohio, who went from there to Indiana, and thence to Illinois, and, as above stated,
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came to Texas in 1855. The Boicourts are of French origin. Edward and Elizabeth Boicourt, paternal grandparents of our sub- ject, were natives of Ohio, the former dying in Indiana and the latter in Illinois. John Boicourt took no active part in the civil war, as he was too old for service, but he was in sympathy with his neighbors, and never failed to lend a helping hand to those around him who were in need, and he never turned a soldier from his door. Of our subject's maternal ancestry we record that his grand- father, Sidney Deal, was a resident of Illi- nois, and went from there, in 1850, to Cali- fornia. It is supposed that he made money in the Golden State and started home, as he left there on board a vessel, but he has never been heard from since. While in Illinois he followed farming. His wife survived him, and moved with her family to Kansas, where she died in 1888. A sister of Mr. Boicourt's father and her husband, William Phelps, came with them to Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps had a large family of chil- dren, all of whom are deceased except three: Phoebe, wife of Frank Wilson, residing near Azle, this county; Lydda, wife of George Turner, of Parker county; and Richard Phelps, living near Azle. These are all the relatives Mr. Boicourt has in Texas.
Mr. Boicourt married Miss Sarah C. Williams, who was born in Tennessee in 1851, daughter of Louis and Isabelle Will- iams. The Williams family came to Texas about 1858 and settled in Parker county, subsequently removing from there to Tarrant
county, where the father died in 1882, at the age of seventy-two years. His life oc- cupation was farming. He had a family of sixteen children, twelve reaching maturity. Mr. and Mrs. Boicourt have ten children, namely: Martha I., Mary J., John L., Rosa M., Mettie A., Lucy L., Cassie A., George W., William C., and Lillie Ethel.
He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Republican.
a D. L. ALFORD, who resides on a farm near Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the representative citizens of Tarrant county, and it is appropriate that personal mention be made of him in this work. A brief sketch of his life is as follows:
Ed. L. Alford was born in Wilson county, Tennessee, September 26, 1830. His youthful days were spent on his father's farm in his native State, and in 1853 he came to Texas, locating in Bowie county. There he secured employment as clerk in a store, and was thus occupied when the war broke out. He entered the Confederate service in 1861 as a member of Crump's Battalion. This conimand was subsequently reorganized and became a part of Andrew's regiment of cavalry. Later they were dis- mounted and sent to Corinth, in which bat- tle they participated; remained in the Army of Tennessee, and was in all the engage- ments under Joseph E. Johnston. Mr. Al-
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ford continued in the service until the close of the war, being in Mississippi at the time of the surrender, and from there re- turning home. In all his service he was fortunate enough to escape being captured or wounded.
Returning to Texarkana, Bowie county, he resumed his old place as clerk in the store of Mr. Moore, and remained there one year. At the end of that time he came to Fort Worth, where he clerked for three years, and after that served three years as Con- stable of the town. In the meantime he bought a farm, 119 acres, to which he after- ward moved and turned his attention to its improvement and cultivation. A house had been built on this place, but no other im- provements had been made. He fenced the whole tract and put eighty acres of it under cultivation, and continued to reside on this place until 1893, when he removed to his present farm. He now owns 200 acres, a small portion of which is under cultivation, the rest being used for stock purposes. He has of recent years given special attention to the raising of mules and jacks, at this writing having seven of the latter. He also has a fine stallion, Steel Dust and Leviathan, as fine a horse as Kentucky ever produced. And he is raising cattle and hogs, too.
Mr. Alford is a son of Wylie and Sophia (Drake) Alford, natives of North Carolina. The Alfords are of Scotch-Irish descent. Wylie Alford served as Magistrate for many years. He was by occupation a farmer and
stock-raiser, making a specialty of fine horses. He raised one colt which he sold for $350 and which afterward brought $40,000! Mr. Wylie Alford died in Ten- nessee in 1857. The Drakes are of Eng- lish origin and are descended from Sir Francis Drake. Grandfather Drake served in the Revolution. The family of which our subject is a member consisted of eleven members, namely: Britton D., Lony, Ruth, Matilda, James P., Adaline, N. B., Sophia V., Ed. L., Dr. B. M., and Polly, only five of whom are living. The mother died about 1874.
E. L. Alford was married in 1860 to Miss Francesca Bellatti, who was born in England, February 5, 1835, daughter of Charles Bellatti, an Italian. The Bellatti family came to America in 1850 and located near Jacksonville, Illinois, where the father engaged in farming, and where he died October 14, 1888, at the age of eighty years. He was a carver and gilder by trade, which occupation he followed while in Eng- land. He had a family of sixteen children, Mrs. Alford being the fourth born and the only one who came to Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Alford have six children, viz. : May, wife of George Grant, a farmer of this county; Charley and Clarence M., both en- gaged in farming in Tarrant county; and Fanny P., Annie A. and Alta J., at home. Mrs. Alford is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Politically, Mr. Alford is in harmony with the Democratic party, and takes an
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active interest in public affairs, attending most of the conventions of his party, but has never aspired to office. He is a inem- ber of the Masonic fraternity.
APTAIN HENRY J. THOMPSON, deceased, was born in Tennessee, August 5, 1832, and died at his home in Tarrant county, Texas, August 26, 1883.
In 1859, then at the age of twenty-seven years, he accompanied his parents to Texas and located at Veal's Station. In the sum- mer.of 1861 he was Captain of a company of rangers, and in the fall of that same year he moved to Jacksborough and took charge of a cattle ranch belonging to his father-in- law, he having married soon after his loca- tion in Texas. He continued in the cattle business there until 1863. In April of that year he raised a company of 100 men and went North, from here directing his course west into Mexico, where his men scattered, thence north through Colorado and on to Kansas, and thence to Missouri. He trav- eled about considerably, freighting some in Utah, and finally located at Emporia, Kan- sas, where he engaged in merchandising. In Texas he was known as a Union man, was accused of abetting the Union army, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, dead or alive. The Confederate soldiers even came to his house to make the arrest. He met them at the gate, took the warrant to read, and while he was reading it a posse of his
own men, who were stationed in a small house near by, came up and surrounded and captured the officers, holding them prisoners and taking them nearly to Mexico before re- leasing them. It was at this time that Cap- tain Thompson and his men went North, and in their long journey they came near starving, being for five days without any thing to eat.
At the close of the war he met one of his brothers, who had served three years in the Confederate army, and together they went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and Council Bluffs, where they bought up a lot of horses, which they then brought to Texas. In the meantime they fell in with five men who had been in the Captain's company and the seven journeyed South together. They had some trouble with the Indians, and on one occasion were captured and held twenty-four hours by the red men. At another time they were pursued for sixty miles by hostile Indians, but made good their escape. Al- though the war had ended, the Captain and his men found, upon their arrival in Texas, that the trouble was not over, and for a number of years he felt that his life was in constant danger. Long before he died, however, he won the confidence of the peo- ple about him and was at peace with all mankind. On one occasion, while attending a sale of Government wagons soon after his return, at Weatherford, a man drew a pistol . on the Captain and would have killed him had it not been for the latter's brother, who, in turn, shot the would-be murderer. At
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this sale he purchased a number of wagons and for some time thereafter was engaged in con- tract work for the Government, supplying grain and hay for the stock at Fort Richard- son, and in this made money. Then for one year he superintended the Government mills on Big Sandy. After that he spent one year at Jacksborough. He had bought a section of land in Tarrant county, and in 1873 moved to that place and commenced farming. From time to time he added to his original tract until he became the owner of 2,000 acres in Parker county, 2,000 acres in Tarrant county, and land in Jack and other counties. After settling on his farm he became greatly interested in raising stock, and at the time of his death had a herd of choice cattle.
His father, Robert H. Thompson, was a native of Tennessee and was a prominent farmer. He died in Parker county in 1862. Grandfather Thompson was a soldier in the Revolution. The only survivor of the fam- ily of Robert H. Thompson is Alva J. Thompson, a resident of Parker county.
Mrs. Jeanette B. Thompson, the widow of this brave frontiersman, was born in Robertson county, Texas, February 16, 1846, daughter.of Berry L. Ham, and when six months old was taken by her parents to Navarro county, where her father opened up a farm. He had served through the Texas war of 1836, and had bought land claims in different counties of the State. He came to Texas in the first place with Ben Mc- Culloch and was one of "Deaf " Smith's
men. He was on picket at the time of the battle of San Jacinto. At the time Cynthia Ann Parker was taken captive Mr. Ham was near Parker's fort, and was one of the men who went on the raid after her and her captors. Indeed, he was a pioneer of pioneers, was in many an Indian fight, had large cattle interests, was well known and highly respected by all the early settlers. In one fight he had with the Indians he re- ceived a wound, from the effects of which he never fully recovered. At the time of his death, in November, 1879, at the age of sixty-eight years, his residence was in Ennis, Ellis county. His family consisted of nine children, viz. : Jane, Martha, A. L., Jean- ette B., Elizabeth, Virginia, Eva, J. L., and Lycurgus L.
Mrs. Thompson is the mother of seven children, namely : Cherokee, wife of J. D. Farmer, of Fort Worth; H. Luke, a fariner of Tarrant county; Mark F., who died at the age of nine years; Alva A., a stockman of Parker county; Mary E., better known as "Thudy;" Thompson T .; and Charley.
Mrs. Thompson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Both her father and husband were Royal Arch Masons.
3 H. SIMMONS, a prominent farmer of Tarrant county, Texas, dates his birth in Mississippi, October 14, 1847. He is a son of John and Eliza (Brown) Sim- mons, natives of Kentucky, who removed from there to Mississippi, and in 1859 came
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from the latter State to Texas. There was was a large connection of the Brown family in Kentucky and the Simmonses were also prominent there, but beyond these facts little is known of their history. John Simmons emigrated with his family to Texas, hoping to better their financial con- dition, but before getting settled he was attacked with pneumonia and died. His widow and children settled on a farm in Tar- rant county, and here she spent the rest of her days and died, her death occurring about 1868.
At the time the war broke out the sub- ject of our sketch was a mere lad. Two of his older brothers were in the service, and, before the close of the war, he, too, joined the ranks. He was not, however, in any active engagements. He assisted his mother in the care and management of the farm and took charge of the stock, and after her death he began buying out the heirs, and finally purchased the interest of the last one and came into possession of the whole of the old homestead. To it lie afterward added 250 acres more and is now the owner of 520 acres, ninety acres of which are un- der cultivation, wheat, oats, and corn being his chief products. He has never failed to make a crop of some kind, and his wheat averages about fifteen bushels to the acre.
Mr. Simmons was married in 1871, and the family all lived together for a few years, after which they began to scatter. Of the seven children born to his parents, we make record as follows: James, a farmer of Mon-
tague county, Texas; Georgia A., wife of James McNut, of Montague; Benjamin, of Wilbarger county; J. H., whose name heads this article; Josephine, wife of George Bur- nett, both deceased; and George and Frank, deceased. Mrs. Simmons was, before her marriage, Miss Elizabeth Read. She was born in Tennessee, August 20, 1848, daugh- ter of J. N. Read, a prominent and early settler of Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are the parents of five children, all at home, namely: Amzi, Della, Carrie, Ola, and Oney.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Simmons is Democratic, but he has never aspired to official position. Both he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Such is a brief sketch of the life of one of Tarrant county's best citizens.
RS. ELIZABETH A. EAGLE, widow of Dr. Daniel M. Eagle, has been a resident of Texas for a number of years and is now pleasantly sit- uated on a farm near Fort Worth. A sketch of her life and family history is as follows :
Mrs. Eagle is a daughter of Daniel F. and Marilla (Ingram) Young, all natives of Kentucky. Her father was a tanner by trade, and at the time of his death, August, 1833, the family were residents of Louisiana. The mother was subsequently married again and from that time on made her home in Kentucky; and after the father's death Elizabeth A. went to Arkansas to live with
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a brother, and while there engaged in teach- ing school. In 1854 he came to Texas, and at Mckinney, in Collin county, taught the first Masonic school ever taught in Texas. The following year she returned to Arkansas and continued teaching in that State. She was married July 2, 1858, to a Mr. Calvin A. Gulley, of Alabama. Their happy mar- ried life was of short duration, his death oc- curring August 4 of the following year. September 11, 1860, she became the wife of Dr. Daniel M. Eagle.
Dr. Eagle was born and reared in North Carolina, son of John Eagle, of that State, and a member of a prominent family. He received his medical education in New York, and after his graduation went to Arkansas and entered upon his professional career. That was in 1859. There he met Mrs. Gul- ley, who was at that time a popular teacher, and to whoin, as above stated, he was mar- ried in 1860. In 1862 he entered the army as surgeon, and had charge of a battalion at Camp Bragg; afterward he was at Pine Bluff. On account of a sore leg he was disabled from duty, and from Pine Bluff re- turned home. Upon his recovery he re- sumed the practice of medicine, continuing to reside in Arkansas until 1871, when he came to Texas and located at Grape Vine, Tarrant county. Subsequently he removed to Dallas, and later, from there to the farm near Fort Worth, having traded Dallas property for this land. Here he spent the rest of his life and died, his death occur- ring February 19, 1883. He was a man of
the highest integrity of character, and is kindly remembered by many of the good citizens of Tarrant county. To know him was to honor and esteem him. He was identified with the Masonic order and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mrs. Eagle has been a member of this church since she was thirteen years old.
By her first husband Mrs. Eagle has one child, Calvin D. Gulley, manager of the Cascade Company, Chicago, Illinois. Her children by Dr. Eagle are as follows: Mary S. and John S., twins, the former the wife of C. F. Vance, and the latter residing at the home place, engaged in contracting, farming and ginning; William M., a farmer and carpenter; Emma F., a graduate of the Blind school at Austin; George F., a car- penter and farmer; and Minnie E., wife of Richard Sexton, Indian Territory.
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