History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 56

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 56
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 56

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were piratical, and owned principally by Spanish or Portuguese. During this voyage Mr. Hughes visited the isle of St. Helena and Napoleon's tomb. He also passed up the Congo river thirty miles, into the inter- ior of Africa, in search of fresh water for the ship's crew, but was not successful. Mr. Hughes served as second petty officer during the voyage, and as such received three shares of the prize money paid by Her Majesty's government for the capture of these slave-trading vessels. He did not re- ceive the reward, however, until about the year 1856.

Mr. Hughes was married in England to Miss Frances Felton, a native of London, England, born in the month of July, 1820. She with one son, Charles, came with her husband to Galveston, and they landed at Williams' wharf in 1849. They had other children in this country, viz: Ellen, now Mrs. John Heiman; Eliza, the wife of Henry Heiman; Harry and Edwin, also married and settled in life. All three sons and both daughters reside in Galveston county.

Mr. Hughes saw Galveston in its primi- tive state, and often shot ducks on the pres- ent site of the Washington hotel. Will- iams' wharf was the principal landing place and the Star hotel, the popular "tavern." Soon after arriving he located a farm on Bolivar Point, but, a short time afterward, went to Sabine Pass, where he made by hand about 200,000 shingles. He slept many nights with William Campbell, who had been one of Lafitte's trusted lieutenants. Mr. Hughes is a surveyor, and lias done considerable work in that line. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace sev- eral terms, in his district, and declined to serve when last elected. He owns 130 acres of fine land at Bolivar Point, and, be-

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

sides other fine improvements on the same, has eighty bearing orange trees, as well as several bearing date trees.

ALTER C. ANSELL was born in New York, November 22, 1840. His parents were John Ansell and Leora T., nee Crane, the former a native of England, the latter a native of New York. Walter C. Ansell was reared in his native place, in the schools of which he received the elements of a cominon Eng- lish education. In 1858 he came to Texas and located at Galveston, where he engaged in clerking until the opening of the war, when he enlisted in the Confederate army, joining Moseley's battery, with which, during the earlier years of the war, he served in de- fense of the Gulf coast of Texas, and later took part in the series of engagements inci- dent to the Federal-General Banks' campaign up Red river. He was in the war contin- uously from the date of his enlistment until the close of hostilities, being with his coin- mand when it was disbanded near Hemp- stead in this State, in May 1865.

Returning to Galveston after the war, Mr. Ansell literally began at the bottom of the ladder, having lost what few personal ef- fects he left the army with, by the sinking of the steamboat, Lone Star, on his way from Houston to Galveston. For six years he en- gaged in the steamboat business on Galves- ton bay and Buffalo bayou, until August, 1871, when he settled permanently at Gal- veston and engaged in the ice business. For a number of years only natural ice could be had at Galveston, but in May, 1888, the company with which Mr. Ansell is associated put in a plant to manufacture artificial ice, since which time a large and constantly in-

creasing business has been done handling this article. The practical management of this enterprise has been in Mr. Ansell's hands from the beginning, and to his indus- try and sagacity its success is largely at- tributable.

On June 21, 1871, Mr. Ansell married Miss Caroline Schadt, a native of Galveston, and a daughter of Carl Schadt, and a sister of William Schadt, a sketch of whom ap- pears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Ansell are the parents of three children: Ella T., John William and Wallace Schadt.

B TIERNAN .- For a peried of more than forty-two years the subject of this brief notice has resided in Galveston, during which time he has been connected with many of the public interests of the city, has filled the usual number of local offices, and has achieved more than average success in his own busi- ness enterprises. A series of sketches, there- fore, purporting to give an outline history of the old citizens of the place, would properly include mention of him, although he has not, as he says, been a public man, nor ever sought in any way to court popular applause. Mr. Tiernan is a native of county Leitrim, Ireland, born in the year 1834, and a son of . James and Rose Tiernan, also natives of the Green Isle, who emigrated to America in 1839, and settled at New Orleans. The boyhood and youth of Bernard were passed at New Orleans, and he came thence in 1852, to Texas, landing at Galveston, De- cember 25, that year. Engaging soon after in the liquor business, he followed this for a short time, when he gave it up and em- barked in the wholesale and retail grocery business, which he conducted with success

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up to 1866, again turning his attention to the liquor business at that time, in which he has since been interested. In addition he has made investments in other directions, some of which have been profitable, and some the reverse, in accordance with the history of all speculative and business en- terprises. During the war Mr. Tiernan operated as a blockade runner, shipping out cotton and receiving in return food supplies and other commodities, at which he met with fair success, though his business in this line could not, of necessity, be conducted on a very large scale, or a very sure basis.

From 1858 to 1868, inclusive, Mr. Tier- nan was a member of the Board of Alder- men, of Galveston, and helped to carry on the city government during the trying times of the war, and the still more trying times immediately following, when, with a de- pleted treasury and disorganized police, health and fire departments, the citizens had to meet all the ordinary demands of local governinent, and to relieve the suffering en- tailed by the war, and the visitation of two disastrous yellow-fever epidemics. He, with the rest of the council, was removed from office in the year last named, by Gen. Rey- nolds as an impediment to reconstruction.

With the return of peace, Mr. Tiernan interested himself in local improvements, taking stock in public enterprises, notably tlie City Railway and the People's Railway Companies, and has at all times since shown his willingness to help anything and every- thing tending to stimulate industry and pro- mote the public good. He is also interested in mining, being president of the Montezuina Mining Company, organized by Galveston parties, which has extensive mines at Cooney, New Mexico. He was also one of the first men in Texas to direct attention to

the silver and gold deposits in Llano county, in this State, and to undertake the mining of the same, a task which he pursued with great difficulty and not without inany per- sonal hardships and exciting experiences with the Indians.

In 1857, Mr. Tiernan married Mrs. Mary A. Cowlon, (née Jones), of Galveston, and by this union has six children now living, all of whom are grown.

In politics he is a Democrat, and at dif- ferent times in life has belonged to a num- ber of social orders.

a HARLES ROBERTS .- It is uni- versally conceded that the distribu- tion of food products constitutes the most important factor in the long list of a city's industries, and, such being the case, the grocer must be accorded the palin as the most important contributor to the development of this fact, his wares covering almost every article of daily con- sumption known to man. This branch of mercantile activity is admirably represented in the well appointed establishment of Charles Roberts, of Galveston, Texas.

He was born in Christiania, Norway, April 7, 1845, son of Ole Roberts, who was engaged in farming near that city. The father died when his son Charles was but six months old, and the lad become the ward of a bachelor uncle, who lived in the city of Christiania. As he merged from boy- hood into manhood he developed a strong desire to be independent, and, accordingly, when but a mere boy, went before the mast on a missionary vessel, known as the John Wesley, and his first voyage was to the South Sea Islands. He first touched Amer- ican soil at San Francisco, in 1867, via

iI veal

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Australia, and for some time thereafter he followed boating in and contiguous to San Francisco harbor. He later found employ- ment in the redwood lumber regions of Cal- ifornia, but in 1872 he made his way over- land to Galveston, Texas, and for six months thereafter was engaged in clerking in a grocery store in Galveston city. Some years later lie embarked in this business for himself, and, by carefully observing the wants of his patrons, and by supplying them promptly, he has built up a business of large proportions. He has one of the most complete stock of groceries, staple and fancy, in the city, and his goods are always fresh, wholesome and desirable. He was the first man to introduce California wines into the city, and has succeeded in making thein popular, and in this respect, also, he has a very large patronage. Mr. Roberts is, in every sense of the word, a self-made man, and the success which has attended his business efforts is due solely to his own enterprise, energy and business sagacity. He was married in the city of Galveston, in 1876, to Miss Dora, daughter of Fritz Falkenhagen, one of the early settlers of the place. The following children were given to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts: William John Louis, Charles Peter, Ellen Louise, Bessie Dora, Josephi, Clara, and Albert, who is deceased.

ARON B. BROWN, son of Aaron B. and Rachel Brown, was born at Brown's Corner, between Spring- dale and Cincinnati, in Hamilton county, Ohio, on the 4th day of May, 1830. On his mother's side, the subject of this sketch was connected with the John Cleve Symins family of Ohio and Kentucky, a 27

family which has furnished several men of note, both soldiers and civilians, in the his- tory of those States. On his father's side he came of equally good stock, his father and paternal uncle, Captain Tom Brown, serving in the early Indian wars, both vol- unteers under General William Henry Har- rison, with whom they took part in the famous battle of Tippecanoe. His parents were well-to-do, and it was his father's wish that the son should receive a good educa- tion. With this in view, he was placed at Farmer's Academy, a good school in his native county, where he remained until he reached his sixteenth year.

At that age he threw aside his books, and with the eagerness and audacity of one born to succeed in the world of practical thought and action, he ran away, and began the solution of the problem of life for him- self. When found by his father he was driving a canal-boat between Cincinnati and Dayton. He was induced to return home and take employment in his father's carriage factory, and remained there until he attained his majority. Once a man, in contempla- tion of law, the desire to become the archi- tect of his own fortune, never dismissed from his mind, now took full possession of him; and in the year 1851, attracted by the rich prairie region of the West, he went to Missouri, where he secured work on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and, as contractor, assisted in the construction of that pioneer line. He returned to Ohio in 1853, and at Hamilton married Jane F. Lamb, a daughter of Michael and Catherine S. Lamb, and a native of Hamilton county, a young lady whom he had known fromn early childhood. He was engaged in rail- roading, principally in Missouri, until 1857, when he came to Texas. Here he was em-

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ployed as superintendent of bridges on the Texas & New Orleans Railroad for a num- ber of years, -in fact, more or less until the close of the war. After the war lie was mnade foreman of a bridge gang on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, and had charge of the bridge building on that line until the road was completed to Millican. He then became associated with Thomas G. Williamson, and, in connection with him, took the contract to build the bridges, both on the main line of this road and on its branches, to Red River City, the northern terminus. After the completion of this work he was not actively in business for a period of about a year, but, having saved some means from his earnings, he made several investments in real estate in Hous- ton, to the improvement of which, and to his duties as Alderinan, -a position to which his fellow-citizens saw fit to elect him, -he gave his attention. Later, when the Hous- ton & Texas Central management deter- mined to build the lines from Waco to Al- bany and from Garrett to Terrell, he took the contract for the bridge work, and put in the bridges on each of those lines.

It was during those years that Mr. Brown constructed the bridges spanning White Oak and Buffalo bayous, connecting the Houston & Texas Central and the Galveston, Hous- ton and Henderson Railways, an important step toward linking these two roads and facilitating land and water transportation at this point. The completion of these bridges was an event in the history of the city of Houston and attracted more than passing notice at the time. While so engaged he was taken with a kidney trouble and his health became impaired, in consequence of which he gave up all business pursuits and sought restoration. Besides consulting with

the best medical authorities he spent con- siderable time at different watering places, and finally retired for a year to a farm which lie owned in Ripley county, Indiana, en- deavoring in every way to rid himself of the disease; but all in vain. He returned to Houston early in 1884, apparently some- what improved, but after a brief period of suffering, relieved occasionally with some slight hope of recovery, he died, July 7th, that year. News of Mr. Brown's death was received with many manifestations of regret in this city, and was noticed generally by the press of the State. He had been a prominent figure in the railway development of Texas, and had been associated at one time and another and had had dealings with many of Texas' foremost inen of finance and industrial development, the respect, good will and friendship of whom he always en- joyed. His remains were laid to rest in Glenwood cemetery, where they repose be- neath one of the imposing shafts that mark Houston's beautiful rural city of the dead.

Had Mr. Brown chosen a wider field for his energies he miglit have achieved a greater name, though it is doubtful whether he would have won more real honor. He might have amassed more wealth, but not left a more solid character. As it was, he selected his work with reference to what he felt to be his own fitness for it, and he hewed out his fortune from the hard granite of fact and circumstance by virtue of his own .in- dustry and native gifts of mind. He was practically self-taught and self-made. He followed the bent of his own intellect, even, from boyhood, and thought out, as they were successively presented to him, the var- ious problems of life. He never assumed the airs of a man of learning, not having made great pretentions to a knowledge of the world;

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but concerning those things falling within the limits of his observation, or which had en- grossed his thoughts, his information was exact and his ideas clear and well-defined An illustration of the making of his character might be taken from the work with which he had to do. Accustomed to the handling of heavy machinery and ponderous pieces of iron and timber, his mental processes moved with slowness but at the same time with precision, and when each fact and principle was put in its place it fitted there like a beam or column, an essential component of the entire structure. His services to the railway interests of the State were of far greater value than it would be appropriate here to say; in fact they were of that kind upon which no definite or adequate value can be placed; but that they were fully appreciated by those mnost competent to pass on them is shown by the fact that he was retained in the employ of one company until he volun- tarily retired on account of ill health, and that during the time he was with this com- pany he constructed some of the most impor- tant work along its line.

Beginning with nothing, Mr. Brown amassed a comfortable fortune by his own industry and good management. He was never ostentatious in his charities, but he gave liberally in accordance with his means, and was always willing to render any sort of assistance he could to one of his fellowmen. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and believed in the broadest possible appli- cation of the principles of that order. He was never a subscriber to any religious faith, but he believed in the fundamental princi- ples of morality, and under the limitations imposed by nature and environment he made his life an acceptable fulfilhnent of the golden rule.

Mr. Brown left surviving him a widow and one son. He had several brothers and sisters, all of whom, however, remain at the North or are deceased. One brother, David, was a Captain in the Union army, a gallant soldier now dead, and another is an attorney of Cincinnati, where he is promi- nent both in politics and in his profession. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had seven children, all but one of whom died in infancy and child- hood. This one, George P., was born at St. Louis, Missouri, on August 28, 1859; was educated at Kenyon College, Knox county, Ohio, and at Farmer's College, Hamilton county; married Bettie M. Morin, of Houston, Texas, and has two children, George P. and Cleve. The junior Mr. Brown is a traveling salesman, and makes his home in Houston, as does his widowed mother. Mrs. Brown, as did her husband, comes of the people who fought the battles and laid the foundation of the republic from the beginning. She is of Irish extraction. Her father, Michael Lamb, was born in 1795, and is still living, being a resident of the town of Napoleon, Ripley county, Indi- ana. He served in the Seminole war of 1836, but did not consider himself too old for service in the late war, offering himself as a substitute for one of his sons. In his younger days he was a seafaring man, and he has lived a life crowded with interesting experiences.

HOMAS D. GILBERT, City Col- lector of Galveston, is unquestion- ably well fitted for that responsible position.

He was born in Galveston, on the 15th of January, 1844, and was the only one liv- ing of the eight children of his parents, Da-

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vid and Catherine (Curry) Gilbert, natives of the Emerald Isle. In the year 1838, when about nineteen years of age, the father came from Ireland and settled in Galveston, and here met Miss Curry, wlio emigrated to New York from her native country, and from there to Galveston about the year 1841. Their union occurred in 1842, in New Orleans, Louisana.

In connection with his trade as shoe- maker, Mr. Gilbert followed various occu- pations until 1848, when he was taken with the gold fever, and went to California, un- dertaking the trip across the plains of Texas and Mexico with five companions. While in the latter country they were joined by a number of others bound for the Pacific coast. Of the six composing the original party only two, Mr. Gilbert and John O'Connor, survived the hardships of the journey. The former remained in the Golden State a lit- tle over two years, and met with success. In 1851 he returned to Texas, and in the spring of the following year went again to California, where he disposed of his in- terests in the State, and in 1853 returned to Galveston. After locating in this city per- manently, he engaged in the real-estate business, and continued this with fair suc- cess until his death. He was a public- spirited man, and his honorable walk through life points its own moral to the rising gener- ation. His good judgment and capable business methods brought good returns, and at the breaking out of the civil war he was one of the wealthiest nieu in the city. He was a warm friend of General Sanı Houston, and like him, was opposed to se- cession, but when Texas seceded he cast his lot and fortune with the Confederacy. He became a member of the State militia, but died in 1863, when forty-six years old. Mrs.

Gilbert survived her husband until 1882. Their son, Thomas D. Gilbert, received his scholastic training under the able tutelage of James P. Nash, of Galveston. In 1861 he enlisted in the Lone Star Rifles of Gen- eral E. B. Nichols' regiment for six months, and at the expiration of that period, in Feb- ruary, 1863, he joined DeBray's regiment of cavalry and served in the Trans-Mississippi Department. He took part in all the en- gagements incident to the Federal General Banks' Red river campaign, except those of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, being away from his command on leave of absence when these battles were fought. Through prefer- ence he served as a private during the entire war and was discharged on the Brazos above Sandy Point, in May, 1865. Returning home he took charge of his father's business, which he conducted until 1868, and then, for two years was in the lumber business. Follow- ing this he was the first to introduce rock- paving and curbing in the city of Galveston. This was in 1872, the first work being that done by him around the old customhouse. Mr. Gilbert continued in this business for two years, and in 1874 sold out and em- barked in the drug business.

In 1876 he was elected Justice of the Peace in the second precinct of Galveston, and in 1881-2 lie was elected City Assessor. From 1884 to 1885 he was Assistant City Treasurer, and in 1887 he was made First Deputy, under Sheriff Pat Tiernan, and held that position for twenty-one months. In 1888 he became day clerk of the city Po- lice Department, under Chief Lordan, held that position for two years, and in 1890 was elected Deputy City Assessor under James D. Sherwood, which position he held until June 25, 1892, when he was elected City Collector. In 1893 he was re-elected to -

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that position and is the present incumbent of the same. Mr. Gilbert selected his wife in the person of Miss Annie Young, a na- tive of New Orleans. Her father and mother died when she was only nine months old, and she was taken and raised by George and Rosetta Craycroft, who came to Gal- veston at an early date. Mr. and Mrs. Gil- bert have eight living children: Kate, Da- vid, Mamie, Thomas, Lizzie, Rosie, John- nie and William.

R ICHARD LARRABEE. - This gentleman was born in the parish of Point Coupee, Louisiana, March 13, 1858. On the 12th of March, 1867, he came with his parents to Galves- ton, but after a time moved with them to Clear Creek, Harris county. The father, for whoin the subject of this sketch was named, was a native of the State of Maine, and, by trade, was a ship carpenter. Of the. four children born to him and his wife, the subject of this sketch was tlie eldest. Alice is now a resident of Galveston, and Alvin R. and Agnes are still making their home with their parents.

Mr. Larrabee was first engaged in run- ning a schooner at Galveston for a number of years, but in 1888 began dealing in wood, and is now a member of the firm of Larra- bee & Gyle, which is doing an extensive fuel business. He was married to Mrs. Mary Ellen, daughter of Bryan Mageean (deceased) and widow of Hugh Rooney. Mrs. Larra- bee is a native of Galveston, born July 8, 1850. Her father, with a brother, James Mageean, were natives of Liverpool, Eng- land, the birth of the former occurring in 1802. He led a seafaring life, and thus came to New Oreleans, where he followed

stevedoring for several years. He and his brother finally came to Galveston, in 1840, and here he followed the same occupation until his death, which occurred on the 24th of January, 1861, his brother, James, continu- ing the business until his death, August 30, 1885. Bryan Mageean was married in Gal- veston to Miss Julia Ann Dodridge, whose birth occurred in Mobile, Alabama, Decem- ber 21, 1825, a daughter of Noah Dodridge. Besides the present Mrs. Larrabee they had one daughter, Sarah, who died at the age of two years. Mrs. Mageean died June 10, 1884. Mrs. Larrabee's first marriage (with Mr. Rooney) took place May 11, 1871, and resulted in the birth of two sons and two daughters: Julia, born November 26, 1872; George, born January 7, 1875; Nellie, born November 27, 1877; and Hugh, born No- vember 20, 1880. Her marriage to Mr. Larrabee took place on the 4th of January, 1889, and two daughters have been born to them: Rachel, born December 15, 1889; and Clara, born August 3, 1892. Mr. Lar- rabee is a stirring business man, and is a well informed and public-spirited citizen.

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532