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 89

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 89
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 89

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During his residence of more than a quarter of a century in Galveston Mr. Beiss- ner was prominently connected with the his- tory of the city. He served seven years as an Alderman of the city, was almost an equal length of time a member of the Board `of County Commissioners, and took an active part in everything relating to the welfare of the community. He was a great conserv- ative power in local politics, and, it is said by old settlers still living, influenced more votes than any other private citizen, because he never sought office for himself and was known to be wholly unselfish. While manifesting a friendly interest in all public enterprises, he strenuously opposed the city's incurring any indebtedness for such, and with men of like character main- tained a fund which was of great use in feeding the destitute during the war. He was never known to turn any one away from his house because unable to pay, but re- ceived and cared for all who came. He kept his hotel open throughout the entire period of the hostilities from 1861 to 1865, and literally fed hundreds without pay or the expectation of it, to say nothing of his charities in times of want and sickness.

On January 14, 1848, Mr. Beissner joined Herman Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., at Galveston, and ever afterward during his residence here was an active member of the same, being also a member of and valued contributor to the German Lutheran Church after its establishment in this city.

Upon the receipt of the news of his death in Galveston the people of this city paid a marked tribute to his memory. Scarce a business house in the city that could float a flag at half-mast failed to do so. The city flag was lowered and over the custom-house the national colors were lowered on the line. The Morgan, Mallory & Houston Direct Navigation offices and a number of vessels in the stream and at the docks also rendered tribute.

Mr. Beissner's wife preceded him to the grave by several years, dying in Galveston, March 31, 1867. Of a family of four sons and two daughters born to them, three- Charles L., John E. and Frederick W .- are living, being residents of Galveston. The elder daughter, Caroline, was married to E. Niebour and died in Galveston in 1872; and the younger daughter, Sophie, was mar- ried to M. K. Canfield and died in this city in 1875, where also died the youngest son, E. August, in 1888. The eldest son, Charles L., and elder daughter, Caroline, were born in Bremen before the removal of their parents from that place, the remaining four having been born in, Galveston.

J UDGE ROBERT DABNEY JOHN- SON, the distinguished subject of this memoir, was born in Charlottes- ville, Albemarle county, Virginia, De- cember 8, 1812. His father was William Johnson, and his mother bore the maiden

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name of Lucy B. Dabney, both of whom were natives of Virginia, the father a planter of means and the mother a lady of intelli- gence and refinement, being a member of the historic Dabney family, of Virginia and Kentucky.

The boyhood and youth of Robert Dab- ney Johnson were passed in his native place, in the select schools of which he received his early mental training, finishing with a course in the University of Virginia, where he was graduated in 1837. Almost imme- diately after his graduation, young Johnson came to Texas and settled at Galveston, taking up his residence here in the early spring of 1838, where he entered at once on the practice of law, which he had deter- mined to pursue as a profession.

His ability and character were soon rec- ognized, and on the organization of Galves- ton county, in 1839, he was elected the first Chief Justice of the county, a position which he held until the office was abolished by law in 1844, and that of County Judge created in its stead, when he was elected to that office and held it for a number of years. As the head of the justices' and commis- sioners' courts' of Galveston county for a period of more than forty years, Judge John- son exercised a wide and controlling influ- ence over local affairs, helping to shape the destiny of the city of Galveston and of Galveston county, perhaps, as largely as any other man of his times. He seemed to appreciate the fact that first impulses in the formative era of a new community are long continued, and he always pursued an enlight- ened policy and was governed by the strict- est sense of duty. He was a man who, whether in the discharge of his official obli- gations or in the ordinary affairs of life, made it his first concern to know the right,

and, that ascertained, he did it without fear or favor. He possessed, in an unbounded degree, the confidence of those among whom he lived, and by reason of this fact and his known desire to do equal and exact justice between man and man, he became the gen- eral arbitrator of the community, settling in this way scores and scores of disputes with- out an appeal to law. It is also said that he married more young people during his term of office than did all the clergy of the city combined, and that the friendly advice which he was accustomed to impart to the sometimes too thoughtless ones for whom he tied the nuptial knot, was always of a most wholesome nature and had the effect of arousing in them the spirit of true man- hood and womanhood, and making of them good citizens.

Besides the offices of Chief Justice and County Judge, Judge Johnson held other positions of trust, including that of Post- inaster for several years and of Collector of Governmental Revenue during the late war. This last entailed on him the most delicate and difficult duties, but he discharged them with strict fidelity and to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Having been reared in a State, which, in his youth, was pointed to with pride as the "Mother of Presidents," Judge Johnson naturally entertained a warm feeling for the Union, and during the early agitation of the question of secession .he was outspoken in his opinions against it; but after his native and adopted States both joined the Confed- eracy he cast his lot with his section and gave to the "lost cause" an active and earnest support.

Judge Johnson was not an aggressive man of business. He was rather a student, methodical in his habits and somewhat re-

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tiring in disposition. Still he always kept in touch with the great mass of his fellow- beings, and knew perfectly and appreciated fully the feeling and purposes by which they were moved. He was warm hearted, easily appoached, and actively interested himself in cases of distress where he thought his services were needed.

He was twice married. For his first wife he married Caroline Matilda Maffitt, a daughter of the great divine and orator, John Newland Maffitt, and a lady of supe- rior intellectual endowments and acknowl- edged social prominence. She died in 1857. His second wife's maiden name was Mary Ann Rodgers, a member of an old Alabama family. By his former marriage he had two sons: Frederick Dabney Johnson, who served through the late civil war in the famed Waul's Legion, and was lost on the ill- fated Veruna in 1870; and William R. Johnson, the well-known business man of .Galveston. The issue of Judge Johnson's second marriage was six children, namely: Philip Rodgers Johnson; Lutie, wife of Bleecker L. Morse; Mada, wife of Judge S. S. Hanscom; Albert Sidney Johnson; Fan- nie, wife of Grouer Reed; and H. Lamar Johnson.

Judge Johnson died at Galveston, Octo- ber 3, 1883. If, to have passed forty-five years of an active official and business career in one community without reproach, may be accounted a success, then unquestionably Judge Robert Dabney Johnson achieved it.

0 R. PETER P. CLUFF, a practic- ing physician of the city of Gal- veston, was born in the town of Snow Hill, Worcester county, Maryland, April 18, 1814, and is a son

of Jonathan and Sarah Sturgis Cluff, both of whom were also natives of Maryland, the father being a lawyer by profession and for many years Judge of the county in which he resided. Of a family of six children the subject of this sketch is the only one now living. He was reared in his native place and received his early education in an academy at Washington, Maryland, from which institution he went to Jefferson Col- lege, at Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, where he completed his literary training, gradu- ating with the degree of A. M. in 1839. Go- ing West he located in Palmyra county, Missouri, where he took up the study of medicine under Dr. Griffith, of that county; subsequently took one course of lectures in the old' university at Louisville, Kentucky, after which he returned to Missouri and be- gan the practice of his profession as a first- course student, in Marion county. In 1845 he graduated in medicine from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, after which he prac- ticed his profession in Marion county, Mis- souri, till 1851, and in Lewis county, that State, till 1861, moving thence to Harris- burg, Harris county, Texas. He was a resident of the last-named place for ten years, and of Austin, this State, for twelve years, at the end of which time he moved to Galveston (1883), which has since been his home. Here, as well as at the other places named, Dr. Cluff has been actively engaged in professional pursuits, having given his entire attention to the practice of medicine since first engaging in it, more than fifty years ago. Dr. Cluff is a member of the Texas State Homeopathic Society, to the proceedings of which he has from time to time contributed.

In 1854 Dr. Cluff married Miss Sarah Lawthan, the issue of which union was one

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child, Mara M., now Mrs. T. D. Vanliew, residing in Harrisburg, Texas. Mrs. Cluff died of yellow fever in 1867; and in 1869 Dr. Cluff married Mrs. Mary Gayle, who died ten years later, leaving no issue.

The Doctor has been a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has for many years been an Elder.

a APTAIN JOE ATKINS. -- The sub- ject of this sketch, for more than forty years a resident of Galves- ton, belongs to the number of mariners, who, by the fair promises of health and prosperity, were induced to quit the sea and settle in the Island City, in the development of which he has borne a part proportioned to his opportunities and the re- quirements of good citizenship. He is a na- tive of Maine, having been born in the city of Bangor, May 28, 1829. His father was Joseph Atkins and his mother bore . the maiden name of Elizabeth McCarty, the former a native of Ireland, the latter a na- tive of Maine and of Irish extraction. At the age of thirteen Joe Atkins went to sea and served as midshipman in the East Indies for four years, being on a chartered ship of the East India Company, after which he entered the service of another company, and for a period of six years sailed the high seas, crossing the Atlantic many times and making several trips to the ports along the Gulf of Mexico. It was while on a trip of the latter kind that he first saw Galveston, this being in 1849. Captain Atkins fixed his residence in Galveston in 1852, engaging during the ensuing six years in steamboating on the bay and along the coast. In 1858 he located permanently in the city and embarked in business at the corner of Twentieth and Me-

chanic streets, where he was engaged in business pursuits till the opening of the late war.

On March 14, 1861, Captain Atkins left Gal- veston with Captain J. L. McKeen as a mem- ber of the Galveston Rifles, Texas State ser- vice, with which he went to Brazos Santiago, and served about a month on the frontier. He then returned to Galveston, where some time later he joined Captain Medard Me- nard's company. He helped to raise another company, of which R. L. Fulton was elected Captain and he was elected First Lieuten- ant, which became part of the Twenty- sixth Texas Cavalry (De Bray's regiment), and with which he served during the war.

After the war he clerked for a short time for Pipkin & Woodyard, -until the fall of 1865, at which time he was elected Lieuten- ant of the city police; a few months later he was made Captain, and served in this capacity till removed by General Griffin, military commander of this district, as an impediment to reconstruction. Captain At- kins was elected Sheriff of Galveston county in 1872 and held this office for four years, having served as a peace officer in the city of Galveston altogether for a period of fifteen years. In April, 1885, he became a candi- date for the office of Mayor of Galveston, and upon the face of the returns was elected, qualified, and served something over a month, when, rumors of irregularities having been set afloat respecting the balloting in. one of the wards, Captain Atkins, not wish- ing to hold an office to which he was not fairly elected, consented to a new election, as the result of which his opponent got the office. Captain Atkins has always enjoyed great popularity, especially among the plain people, of whom he is one, and for the pro- tection and promotion of whose interests he

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has, upon all proper occasions, whether in office or out, exerted himself to the extent of his opportunities.

In 1868 Captain Atkins married Miss Mary Bresland, of Galveston, and by this union had two sons, Henry and Florence. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics is a Democrat.

PILLIAM SCHADT .- The subject of this sketch was born in Prus- sia and was brought to Texas by his parents, Carl and Caroline Schadt, who immigrated to this State from Germany as members of the Fisher & Miller colony, in 1846, and settled at Galveston. The family then consisted of father, mother and six children. The parents and three . children died in this city of yellow fever in 1847. The father was a carpenter and was at an early day in the employ of J. A. Sauter, a pioneer workman of Galveston. Of the three remaining children of the family, after the death of those from yellow fever, Charles entered the Confederate army in 1861, and was killed at the battle of West Point, Virginia, in 1862, being a member of Company L, First Regiment of Texas Infantry; Caroline was married to W. C. Ansell, and now resides in Galveston, where also resides William, the subject of this brief notice.

William Schadt was reared in Galveston and entered the Confederate Army in 1861, enlisting in the Lone Star Rifles (second command of this name raised in Galveston), with which he joined the army of Virginia, in Hood's brigade, and served alinost con- tinuously throughout the entire term of the war. He participated in all of the principal

battles fought by the Army of Virginia and in some fought by the Army of Tennessee, - the most notable being those of West Point, Virginia, Seven Pines, Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, second Manassas, Sharps- burg, Fredericksburg, siege of Suffolk, Boonesboro Gap, Culpeper Court House, Chattanooga, Knoxville, the Wilderness, Newmarket Hill, and Darbytown. At the last named place he was captured, sent to Dutch Gap, and, in retaliation for supposed hardships imposed on the colored troops by the Confederates, he was put to work by General Butler at common labor, opening a channel through the gap. From this place he was subsequently sent to Point Lookout, Maryland, where he was paroled just before the close of the war. He was twice wound- ed, -first at the battle of Chickamauga, in . the knee; and second at the battle of the Wilderness, in the right hip.

After the war Mr. Schadt returned to Galveston, where he entered the employ of C. H. Moore & Company in the sash, door and blind business, with whom he con- tinned until they were succeeded by the firm of W. F. Stewart & Company, and he was with this firm until 1888, at which time he purchased the business from his employers. His life and business career are therefore well known to the people of Galveston and are in every way creditable to him. He has never filled any public positions, but has dis- charged acceptably all the duties of good citizenship and faithfully served his country in its time of greatest need during the late war.

In 1885 Mr. Schadt married Miss Emina Keller, a daughter of John Keller, an early settler of Galveston, now deceased. The issue of this union has been five children: Charles, born December 3, 1885: Lillian.

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born January 28, 1888; Myrtle, born May I, 1890; Ewald, born December 26, 1892; and William, born December 5, 1894.

J AMES W. THOMPSON. - The sub- ject of this sketch is a native Texan and comes of the pioneer stock of this State. He was born in Harris county, June 29, 1855, and is a son of James and Mary (Thomas) Thompson. His father was a native of England, born in the county of Cumberland, August 26, 1822, whence he emigrated in 1840 and settled in Harris county, Texas, where he met and married Mary Thomas, who was born in that county July 11, 1834, being a daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Bailey) Thomas, Jacob Thomas came to Texas before the revolution of 1835-6, in which he took part with the colonists. The maternal great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch - Britton Bailey -came to Texas as a member of Stephen F. Austin's original colony, and settled first at old San Felipe, whence he afterward moved to Bailey's Prairie (named for him) in Brazoria county, where he lived many years, enduring all the trials of fron- tier life, including the loss of a son who was captured, scalped and burned at the stake by the Indians. Jacob Thomas was for years a resident of Harris and Galveston counties, dying in the latter county about 1862. His widow survived some years, dy- ing near the present town of Webster, in Harris county, in 1879. The parents of the subject of this sketch are still living, resid- ing at the old homestead, twenty-two miles south of Houston, in Harris county, where they settled in 1853. Besides James W., of this article, they have raised four other

children, one son and three daughters: Mary J., John R., Ella C., and Josie R.

James W. Thompson was reared on his father's farm in Harris county, receiving what education fell to his lot in the country schools of that locality and at old San Jacinto high school. He began for himself at the age of twenty-one, taking up farming and stock-raising pursuits, which he followed with success up to 1890, when he turned his attention to the mercantile business. At present he is the principal merchant at Webster, Harris county, and has been the Postmaster in that locality (the name and office having been several times changed) since 1887.

In 1878 Mr. Thompson married Miss Virginia A. Booth, who was born in Chicot county, Arkansas, and was brought by her parents, James P. and Elizabeth Booth, to Texas during her childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have a family of six children, Mary V., Rosa E., Maggie I., Leona, Ruth and Winnie.

In politics Mr. Thompson was reared a Democrat and has adhered to the teachings of his youth.

ILLIAM SELKIRK. - Genera- tions ago the family of which our subject is a distinguished member emigrated from Scotland to Amer- ica and settled in the State of New York, where now stands the little village of Sel- kirk, the first station on the railroad south of Albany. This was at a period antedating' the Revolution, in which William Selkirk, the great-grandfather of our subject, fought with much valor. One of his sons, William Selkirk (the grandfather of our subject), a worthy representative of the family, came to

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Texas in 1823 with Austin's colony of 300 families, and first settled in the city of San Felipe, where he was engaged in civil en- gineering for several years. He did con- siderable surveying for Austin and secured a league of land, which was called Selkirk's island, in Matagorda county, at the mouth of the Colorado river. Mr. Selkirk was one of the men who laid out the city of Mata- gorda, and was one of Austin's most prom- inent men in locating and providing for new settlers throughout the State. He died about 1834.

His son, James H. Selkirk, did not come to Texas with his father, but made his first appearance here in 1835 with a regi- ment of men raised and equipped in the State of New York as volunteers to assist the Texans against the Mexicans. He was First Lieutenant of a company in this regi- ment, and after the independence of the territory was acknowledged he went to Selkirk's island, which his father had located, and was so much impressed with the coun- try that he concluded to remain. He located at Matagorda; was a civil engineer by pro- fession, also a landscape painter of consid- erable note. He was elected County Clerk of Matagorda county early after the admis- sion of the State into the Union, and held that position until his death, of yellow fever, October 13, 1863, when forty-eight years of age. Although born and reared in the North, his sympathies were with the South during the civil war. He was married in Matagorda city, in 1844, to Miss Lucy Hall, a native of Birmingham, England, and the daughter of Samuel and Lucy Hall, also na- tives of England. When Mrs. Selkirk was one year old her parents came to America and located on Staten island, New York, where Mr. Hall was one of the first men to

open a shop for the manufacture of guns and pistols. Later he came to Texas and set- tled at Victoria, where he opened a gun shop, but was forced from there to Mata- gorda by the Mexicans about 1842 or '43. Later he moved to San Antonio, where his death occurred. James H. Selkirk and his sister Rachel (who married Samuel Gross, of Albany, New York), were the only mem- bers of the family who reached mature years. Mrs. Selkirk and her sister Sarah were the only ones of that family who grew up. The latter married a Mr. Gilbert, who edited and published the Colorado Tribune, of Matagorda, Texas, in an early day.

William Selkirk, the original of this no- tice, was born in Matagorda county, Texas, December 1, 1845, and is one of the oldest native Texans now residing in the city of Galveston. Of the six children born to his parents he was the eldest. The others were named as follows: James H .; Cather- ine C. (now Mrs. E. J. Inglehart, of Mata- gorda); John M., of Houston county, Texas; Samuel G., of Galveston; and Adelaide (now Mrs. Fred K. Fisher of Galveston). Young William Selkirk received his scholas- tic training in the schools of Matagorda city and county, and when sixteen years of age was made Deputy County Clerk to his father. The latter owned at that time the wharf and warehouses and their accessories at Mata- gorda, and our subject assisted in the man- agement of these until the death of his father.

In 1863, when eighteen years of age, he enlisted in Company D, of Colonel Reuben Brown's battalion, which later became a regiment of mounted infantry. He served in the Trans-Mississippi Department. He was with a detachment which volunteered to assist the Confederate navy along the Texas coast, and came very near losing his life in

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Matagorda bay in 1863, when twenty-one out of thirty-seven men were drowned, being forced to swim ashore on account of the wrecking of the vessel. While at Tyler, Texas, as guard of the United States pris- oners, he was detailed to act as Sergeant Major at camp headquarters. Immediately after the disbanding in Washington county, Mr. Selkirk went home and found things in a ruinous condition. He forthwith went to work to put things to rights, and, resuming his father's business, carried it on until 1866. He then went to New Orleans and graduated at Dolbear's Commercial College. Returning to Matagorda county he remained there until 1867, when, by request of Rector John Owen, of the Episcopal Church, he came to Galveston, where he subsequently obtained a position with the firm of Duble & Wootters, as bookkeeper and cashier, holding this position until 1874, -a period of seven years. Within the latter part of his time with this firm the Gulf Loan & Homestead Company was organized, and Mr. Selkirk was elected secretary and treas- urer, a position he held for some time. During 1874 he entered the house of Strick- land & Clark as office manager, bookkeeper and cashier, and in 1877 accepted a position as first deputy in the County Assessor's office, remaining in the same for two years under John A. McCormick. After the latter left the office he and Mr. Selkirk opened a gentlemen's furnishing store on Tremont street, Galveston, but only remained in partnership a short time. Mr. Selkirk then purchased the stock, but closed out the busi- ness in 1880, and entered the wholesale house of L. & H. Blum as office man, being second bookkeeper. In May, 1886, he was elected City Auditor, and continued to fill that position until June. 1891. However, in

1889, he was elected secretary of the Gal- veston & Western Railway Company, -a position he still holds, as well as that of secretary of the Savings Loan Company, of Galveston. On the ist of August, 1893, he was given the position of liquidating clerk under Colonel George P. Finlay, Collector of Customs, and he is the present incumbent of that position.

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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