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 87

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 87
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 87

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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the change of government took place. On the 19th of February, 1846, President Jones in an impressive and touching address an- nounced the change in these words, "The Republic of Texas is no more." At the same moment the Texas flag was lowered to give place to the Stars and Stripes. This oc- curred at the old log State-house at Austin.

The seat of government had been moved from Austin to Washington in the fall of 1843, and on January 29, 1843, Dr. Jones and his family moved there, or rather to a farin four miles from Washington on the road to Chapel Hill and Independence. This farm was called Barrington, Dr. Jones liav- ing named his home in honor of Great Bar- rington. township, Massachusetts, where he was born. At Barrington tlteir youngest child was born, the elder near the same place, and Mrs. Jones dispensed a liberal hospitality. Here she was known for her charities. Many a poor family migrating to Texas, with all their worldy goods hauled by a surly team, in need of medicine, clothes and food, has been supplied with all fromn her well-furnished stores. In those days and in that locality everything was brought in wholesale quantities, and trunks of dry goods, as well as barrels of all kinds of groceries were at hand to administer, if need be, to the wants of the destitute, and every planter's wife knew enough of medicine to give from a simple laboratory such remedies as would relieve the diseases of the country. Mrs. Jones was truly a lady bountiful, and bestowed favors with a generous hand and sympathetic heart.

In January, 1858, Dr. Jones died, and on January 29, of the same year, just fif- teen years after moving to the farm in Washington county, his widow and her four children moved to Galveston, where they

lived nearly one year. In December, 1858, they moved to a farm in Harris county, sit- uated on Goose creek, about ten miles from Lynchburg. From this place the children were sent to school in Galveston until the beginning of the civil war in 1861. when a school was established at a short distance by Mr. and Mrs. Kemp, who were in turn suc- ceeded by Mr. Preston, who had a flourish- ing school there for some years.

In this quiet country home Mrs. Jones managed her Itttle farm with a skill born of practical knowledge, which made it a model in the neighborhood. An early riser, a keen observer, everything about house, garden, dairy and farm showed the result of her un- tiring industry and observant scrutiny; neat- ness and regularity pervaded every depart- ment. Her children's studies also claimed a large share of her attention, and by her clear judgment, her careful training in dis- tinct enunciation and exactitude of pro- nunciation in their school days, she not only aided their teachers, but gave them neces- sary training too often neglected by careless mothers and which in after years no educa- tion can supply. In the truest sense of the word she was a mother who appreciated the responsibilities resting upon her as the guar- dian of the moral no less than of the phys- ical and mental well-being of her children, and her moral precepts carried with them the additional weight of example. It was from this country home that Mrs. Jones' elder sons, Samuel and Charles, went forth at the be- ginning of the civil war to join the Confed- erate army as members of Company C, Dr. Ashbel Smith, Captain, Second Texas Regi- ment of Infantry, Colonel Moore command- ing. Charles never returned, was mortally wounded at the battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862; the date of his death and place of his

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burial were never known. The hope was long indulged that as a prisoner his wounds inight heal and he be returned to liis sor- rowing mother; but time dispelled all such vain hopes. He was a youth of brilliant parts and great promise, and his untimely death filled to overflowing his mother's cup of sorrow, already full. Like many another brave Southern woman, at that time her life was sorrowful yet dutiful, and through her tears she saw the path that the living must tread beset with briars and thorns though it might be.

Her youngest son, Cromwell Anson, studious from his earliest childhood, deter- mined to qualify himself for the practice of law, and in 1871 went to Houston for that purpose. Her only daughter, Sallie, having married R. G. Ashe, made her home at San Jacinto. Samuel also having married, Mrs. Jones left her lonely home and moved to San Jacinto at a short distance from the battle-ground. In 1875 she, together with her daughter's family, moved to Willis, where they lived until December 16, 1879, when, after an absence of forty years, Hous- ton again became Mrs. Jones' hoine. Her son, Cromwell Anson, the young lawyer, had speedily acquired great popularity and had been for some years Judge of the County Court of Harris county, respected for his virtues, admired for his talents, endowed with gifts which would have guaranteed him a prominent place in the affairs of the State. Everything seemed to promise a tranquil, happy old age to his mother, whose delight was in his congenial society. But on Janu- ary 19, 1888, death removed him from their family circle, where he was the idol. To use his mother's own words, "In the midst of his usefulness, in the bloom of young manhood, he was called from labor below

to labor above, in that better life. Oh, the blackness of that pall of sorrow I held in my heart of hearts, as one, apart from all other beings, so thoughtful, so gentle had he ever been in bestowing filial care upon an aged mother."

Few women have incurred greater hard- ships in early life, and not many have drained the cup of sorrow with greater forti- tude than Mrs. Jones. Truly her sorrows have been great, but the bitterness of grief have not tainted the sweetness of her life. Having lived from childhood to old age in Texas, the sacred sentiment of patriotism is deeply rooted in her heart, and second only to her love for her own family may be ranked her pride in Texas and her love for its institutions. As president of the Daugh- ters of the Republic, of Texas, she occupies a position which none other could fill with equal fitness. But while febleness prevents her active participation in many of the affairs of the society, she inspires and advises.

Two children remain to comfort her de- clining years: Dr. S. E. Jones, the eldest son, a successful practitioner of dentistry, who with his son Elliott resides with her; and her daughter, Mrs. R. G. Aşhe, who with her husband and interesting family live in the same city. President Anson Jones, her husband; Cromwell Anson, her son; and Willie G. Aslie, a beloved granddaughter, rest in Glenwood cemetery at Houston.

In all the varied experiences of Mrs. Jones' life she has shown remarkable strength of character. A companion to her husband in every sense of the word, he made her acquainted with all the details of his business; these her quick mind grasped and comprehended, so that, when his sud- den death left hei the sole guardian of their family of four children, she found herself

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possessed of business qualifications of in- calculable value in the management of their estate. At once the responsibilities of guardian, parent and teacher rested upon her alone, and she fulfilled the duties of each with a precision and exactitude to ex- cite the adiniration of her friends, and al- ways with the welfare and happiness of her children the one object in view.

Mrs. Jones' character is shown in her strongly marked features, which are clear cut, her steady grey eyes, which express sincerity and decision, and the firmness of the tones of her voice, as well as in the dis- tinctness of her enunciation; all these indi- cate that with her there is no wavering to this side or that, where truth or riglit is con- cerned. Her memory is good, exact even in minute particulars, and running over the events of her early life in Texas with the same exactitude as in regard to an occur- rence of yesterday.

HE ALLENS OF HOUSTON .- "Ab urbe condita,"-" From the founding of the city,"-ran the phrase by which the ancient Ro- inans reckoned time. Historical events, the origin of their institutions, the genesis of their families and the rise of their great names, were all referred to the festal occa- sion on which the Sabine maidens were seized and the city was established by Ro- mulus and Remus. The city of Houston was founded by two brothers, and while there is a tinge of romance connected with their scheine to lay out the capital of a new republic in a wilderness there is nothing obscure or legendary respecting their pur- poses or the manner in which they went at their work. Houston has no mythology.

Its architects were announced and their plans were known. Its foundation-stones were laid in the full blaze of the noonday sun, and the people of a whole republic were interested spectators. It was the con- ception of two enterprising New Yorkers, Augustus C. and John K. Allen. This city also became, a short time afterward, the home of the four remaining brothers of the family, and this led later to the parents' re- moval to Texas.

The father of the Allen brothers was Roland Allen, a native of New York, born in the village of Saratoga in the year 1780. He was of Scotch-Irish origin and reared an orphan. At about the age of twenty-five he married Sarah Chapman, also a native of Saratoga, New York, and a daugliter of Benjamin Chapman, a Captain in the Revolutionary war. About 1805 Roland Allen, accompanied by his wife, moved to the Indian village of Canasoragua, in what is now Madison county, New York, and was successively a resident of that place, Orr- ville, Chattanango, Mexico and Baldwins- ville in the same State, in each of which places he was engaged at his trade as a blacksmith and manufacturer of fine edged tools. A man of industrious habits, enter- prising spirit, clear-sighted and intelligent, he was instrumental in establishing a num- ber of manufacturing concerns in his native State, in one or two of which he acquired considerable interest and made some money. He resided in New York until about the year 1838, when he came to Texas and set- tled on Galveston bay, where he died some four years later.

His wife's death occurred about a year before his, and the remains of both were buried at the old burying-ground in Houston. They were plain, substantial people, trained

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after the manner of training the young a century ago, being thrifty, hard-working, economical, home-loving and God-fearing. Both were lifelong members of the Presby- terian Church. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom, six sons and one daugliter, became grown. All of the sons, Augustus C., Samuel L., John K., George, Henry R., and Harvey, became carly residents of this city. Full personal sketches of the eldest three will be found elsewhere in this volume. George Allen had issue: John K., Sam and George. Henry R. Allen had issue: Mary, who was married to Dr. M. Perl, of Houston; Roland, who died in Houston some years ago, unmarried; Susie, who was married to Dr. A. H. Schildt, of Duluth, Minnesota; and Maggie, who was married to John Owens, of the same place. Harvey Allen had issne :. Orcinth Fisher; Emmet, who died in Houston a few years ago; Myrtle, the wife of James Hancock, of Beeville, Texas;'and Harvey, of Los Ange- les, California. The only daughter of Roland and Sarah Allen, Mrs. Mary Jane Birdsell, left a son, since deceased, and a daughter, who is now Mrs. Hull, of Brooklyn, New York.

George Allen, fourth son of Roland and Saralı Allen, was born in New. York and was reared in his native State, enjoying but slender educational advantages, his boyhood and youth being taken up with industrial and mercantile pursuits. He came to Texas in the spring or carly summer. of 1836 and located at Nacogdoches, where he engaged in merchandising in partnership with John S. Roberts. He married Miss Harriet E. Fenly, of Nacogdoches, June 16, 1837, and in the fall of the next year moved to Hous- ton, where he continued in the mercantile business up to the time of his death, in 1854.

He suffered heavy financial losses, chiefly by becoming surety for others, but he dis- charged his obligations of every nature what- ever, and died with untarnished reputation. He left a widow and three sons, the sons being John K., Sam and George. The widow subsequently married again, and died in Houston in 1873, leaving one child, a daughter, by the second marriage. Of the sous John K. resides at Asia, Polk county; Sam at Houston; and George in McCulloch county, -all in this State.

S AM ALLEN, a native of Houston and a splendid specimen of one of the Bayou City's healthiest prod- ucts, a thorough-going, self-made business man, is a representative of that large family of Allens whose history is so in- timately connected with the history of this city, and mention of whom appears so many times in the pages of this work. He is the second son of George and Harriet Allen (see sketch of the Allen family), and was born May 26, 1843. Reared in Houston he has passed his entire life here, except the period covered by the late war, and has in one way and another become closely connected with the social life and business interests of the place.

The first event of importance in his own career was his enlistment in the Confederate army, which occurred in the spring of 1861, he then being a few months past eighteen. He joined Company B, Second Texas In- fantry, with which he began active service in Mississippi in the fall of the same year. His command being part of the detachment of Texas troops sent east of the Mississippi to assist in repelling the invasion of the Federal armies under Grant and Buell, he

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was in all the engagements fought by the western ariny, beginning with the battle of Shiloh and ending with the fall of Vicks- burg. He was captured at Vicksburg with his command, but entered it again on its re- organization in Texas, after the paroling of the Confederate troops at Vicksburg, and served with it during the remainder of the war, exclusively in this State and mainly along the coast in the vicinity of Galveston. At the close of the war Mr. Allen became clerk for his uncle, Samuel L., in the cotton and commission business at Houston, and was with him in this capacity for three years. In 1868 he opened a lumber-yard in Houston and began the lumber business. This business grew rapidly with the general growth of the city whichi began about that date, and has continued to grow ever since. Mr. Allen owns an interest in sawmills at Asia, Corrigan, Mobile and Mulvey, in this State, besides large tracts of timber lands in different counties, and stock in manufactur- ing, commercial and financial enterprises in the city of Houston. He ranks as one of Houston's men of means, and every dollar that he has represents the result of his own labor since the close of the war.

He married, in Houston, February 20, 1867, Miss Frances Ione Spence, a native of Robertson county, Texas, and a daughter of Isaac C. and Martha Ann Spence. Mrs. Allen's parents moved to Texas, about 1840, from Beardstown, Illinois, but were natives of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have had seven children, all of whom are living, these being Percy, Baltus, Hortense, Ione, Eugene, Jennie, and Ruth L. Mr. Allen and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Holland Lodge, No. 1, of Houston.

FREDERICK HANSEN, deceased. -After an active and useful life he whose name heads this sketch was called from this world on the 16th of June, 1894, his death resulting from heart failure. IIe was born in Schleswig- Holstein, Germany, and while growing up learned the trade of shoemaking. In 1852 he decided to seek his fortune in America, and brought with him quite a large sum of money, which, with the usual German thrift and foresight, he had accumulated, and was thus enabled to purchase some property and erect him a home on Seventeenth and I streets, in Galveston.

The first year of his residence in Texas was spent in La Grange, Fayette county, but the year 1854 was spent in traveling in the North with his family, and some time was spent in Terre Haute, Indiana. The climate of tlie North did not please him and he returned to Galveston, where he ever afterward made his home and with the in- terests of which he warmly identified him- self. During the many years of his residence here he was in the employ of Messrs. Spooks & Leinbach, early boot and shoe makers of this city, and being a skillful, competent and faithful workman, his services were highly valued by his employers. In 1862 he joined the State militia raised in Galves- ton and participated in the recapture of the city, January 1, 1863, as well as having helped to defend it in 1862. His good judg- ment and economical spirit led to the accu- mulation of considerable worldly goods, and in 1875 he was enabled to retire from the active duties of life and thereafter to enjoy the fruits of his early industry and the so- ciety of the many friends he had made.

On the 12th of May, 1849, he led to the altar Miss Sophia Fredericka Ebeling,

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daughter of John H. and Maria Ebeling, who were wealthy mill owners and reared to maturity the remarkable large family of twenty-three children. Mr. Ebeling was a shrewd and practical man of business, and established each of his sons and sons-in-law in business as soon as they were married. To Mr. and Mrs. Hansen five children were given, who were named as follows: Theresa (Mrs. Grimpczynski); George C .; O. Fred- ricka; B. Setina (Mrs. Theodore Beng), and M. Thirza, -all of whom, with their widowed mother, are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Hansen was an excellent citi- zen, provided well for his family, and, being quite domestic in his tastes, derived the great- est enjoyment from the society of his wife and children, and upon his death left to them the heritage of an honest name as well as a considerable amount of this world's goods. He enjoyed remarkably good health, was never sick a day in his life, and his sudden death was a severe blow to his many friends as well as to his own immediate fam- ily. He was a worthy member of the church and was active in church work.

USTAVE A. MEYER .- This free country of America affords num- berless instances of men who liave made their way alone in life, and such men are always self-reliant, their ne- cessities having taught them that what is done must be done through- themselves alone. In considering the gentlemen of this class in Galveston the name of Gustave A. Meyer forcibly suggests itself, for the reason that he has made his way in the world by the force of his own talents.

He was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, near the town of Rostock, in the year 1839,

and in that town, which is the principal sea- port of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, he received the greater part of his education. In 1856 hie accompanied his parents, John H. and Dorotliea (Brandt) Meyer, to Amer- ica, and for one year they resided on and tilled a rented farm near Cat Springs, Aus- tin county, Texas. The following year the father purchased a farm of 200 acres of George Willrich, of Fayette county, and on this estate Mr. Meyer resided until his death in 1888, at the patriarchal age of ninety-one years. His wife was called fromn life in 1884. They reared a family of seven children, viz. : Charles, deceased; Louisa, widow of Her- man Schroeder and now a resident of Gal- veston; Wilhelmina, wife of Fedor Soder, of Paige, Texas; Fritz, deceased; Sophia, deceased; Augusta, deceased; and Gustave A.

After coming to America Gustave A. Meyer remained with his parents on the farm for several years until 1864, when he removed to Brownsville, Texas, and while in that city the Federal troops invaded the State at that place. He was thus cut off from his friends and home, and so he made his way into Mexico, locating in Victoria, State of Tamaulipas, and was there engaged in merchandising up to 1867. He then re- turned to Texas by way of New Orleans, and for two years worked for the hardware firm of E. Schmidt & Company, of Houston, during which time two changes were made in the firm, although Mr. Meyer occupied the position of principal salesman until his departure in 1869. He then started a broker- age business in the city of Houston, being one of the very first to engage in this line of endeavor, and was principally engaged in buying and selling bonds and doing a small banking business.

In 1870 he came to Galveston and be-

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came bookkeeper for the firm of Lowenstein & Elias, wholesale tobacco and sugar dealers, and was with this firin for two years. In 1872 he established himself in his present business, continuing alone up to 1890, when he transferred the active trans- action of the business to one of his nephews, Charles A. Schroeder, and J. A. Labarthe, who were associates for about one year. From May, 1890, until the fall of 1893, Mr. Meyer was engaged as a shipper, but in Sep- tember, 1893, he again embarked in realty dealing by associating himself with his nephew, Mr. Schroeder, and the firm then became known as Meyer & Schroeder. However, in 1894 Mr. Meyer again took full charge of the business, in which he is now prospering. He is one of the best posted, experienced and reliable real-estate dealers in the city. During his residence in Hous- ton he was an Alderman of the city for two years from the Third ward. He is a mein- ber of several social clubs, and has been a member of the Cotton Exchage since 1884, has been a member of the Chamber of Com- merce almost ever since its existence, and is also an honorary member of the Washington Guards of this city.

He was married in November, 1880, to Mrs. Carolina (Kortegas) Koenig, a native of Brunswick, Germany. She and her sis- ter came to this country in 1855, and in the Lone Star State she has since made her home. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have no children.

ENRY HEYEN .- Every city has its indicator of traffic and public enterprise, and to the intelligent observer there is no more certain sign of the times than the busy meat-market.

Mr. Henry Heyen, who is well and favor- ably known in the city of Galveston as a prompt and energetic, as well as a success- ful business man, carries. on his meat- market at the corner of Center street and avenue O.

His father, Henry Heyen, Sr., now de- ceased, came to Galveston from his native country, Germany, at a very early date. He was born at Bremen and early in life entered upon seafaring life. Later he became master of a vessel and first visited Texas and the port of Galveston in the year 1839, when he put in here for repairs, having encountered a storm in the gulf while bound for Mexican ports. At that time a few cabins marked the spots where now stand some of Galves- ton's most imposing and costly public build- ings and business blocks. After making the necessary repairs to his vessel Mr. Heyen continued on his voyage. In 1844 his ship once more headed for Galveston, where he landed a miscellaneous cargo and quit the sea. He was not only a navigator, but a practical mechanic as well, and had a thor- ough knowledge of the art of shipbuilding. Soon after locating in Galveston he opened a yard for the building and repairing of small craft, and as this enterprise filled a long existing demand, he made money. At that time lie was a comparatively young man, full of enterprise and ambitious for the future. His shipyard was located at the foot of Twenty-sixth street, and a number of years later he opened a store in the im- mediate vicinity and conducted both enter- prises up to about 1849. He then removed to Velasco, but remained there only until about 1852, when he returned to the Island City and embarked in the grocery business, at the corner of Church and Twenty-sixth streets. There his death occurred in 1866.

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Henry Heyen, the subject of this sketch, is the eldest son of Henry Heyen, Sr., and was born at Velasco, November 10, 1851. He learned the butcher's business at Gal- veston, and after embarking in that industry, in 1882, has followed it since with more than an ordinary degree of success. In business matters he is trustworthy and re- liable, and as a citizen is well liked. He was married November 16, 1883, to Miss Maggie Jack, a native of Londonderry, Ire- land. They have one child, whose name is John Joseph Heyen.

ARCUS HAMMER is a native of Germany, born in 1850. His par- ents, Marcus and Metta Hammer, were natives of the same place. Young Hammer was educated at Flems- · burg, and in 1865, when but a boy, started out in life for himself as a sailor on a Ger- man ship. In 1867 he crossed the ocean to New Orleans, on the ship " Wild Hunter," a Boston vessel. From New Orleans he came to Galveston on a coaster, and a few days after landing was taken with yellow fever. Recovering and liking the city he decided to remain, and he soon secured a position with Mr. Kruger in a restaurant in the coffee stands of the market. He re- mained with this gentleman until the spring of 1878, when he went to St. Louis, where he continued one year, returning to Galves- ton in the fall of 1879. Here he accepted a position as bar-keeper for Peter Bock, but subsequently purchased a coffee stand in the inarket. Later he purchased Peter Bock's bar on the northeast corner of Market and Twentieth streets, where he controls one of the largest trades in the city. Mr. Hammer was married in 1871, to Miss Louisa Fouser,

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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