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 90

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 90
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 90

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).

Mr. Selkirk was married June 21, 1871, to Miss Louisa R. Mann, a native of Jackson county, Texas, and daughter of William and Esther S. (Baskin) Mann. Mr. Mann moved to Texas during the latter part of the '30s and in 1840 brought his family. Dur- ing the Mexican war he became sutler for General Taylor's army and was with the same throughout the campaigns in Mexico and until the close of the war in 1848. Later he embarked in a large wholesale and retail general mercantile business and was well known throughout west Texas. He was also much interested in the raising and . buying of cattle, horses and sheep. He died a short time before the opening of the civil war. His wife survived him many years and died in Galveston. They reared a family of six children, viz .: Virginia, who is a widow and resides in Virginia; Walter L., who was Colonel of a regiment of Western Texas troops during the civil war and is now deceased; William, who was also in the Confederate army, and is now deceased; Louisa R .; John N., who resides in Harris county; Josephine, wife of Hon. Walter Gresham; and Henry K., an attorney, who died in 1888. The last named was in Paris, France, during the Franco-Prussian war, and served in the French army until the close.

Mr. Selkirk and wife are the parents of five interesting children: William M.,

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Louisa A., Rachel G., Wyatt O., and Ruth Gresham. The family worship in the Epis- copal church. Mr. Selkirk is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 6, A. F. & A. M., and the American Legion of Honor, filling all chairs in this latter order to Past Com- mander. The career of our subject has been a busy and an honorable one. In every position to which he has been called he has acquitted himself with credit, and his in- terest in everything pertaining to the history of the State of his nativity and life-long residence is very great.

ENRY BUTTELMANN is a native of Hanover, Germany, where he was born on the 27th day of March, 1838. He was reared in his na- ' tive place to the age of twenty-one, when, in 1859, he came to America, and for six years, until March, 1865, resided in the city of New York. He then went to Matamoras, Mexico, which place he made his home until June, 1867, when he came to Galveston, where he now lives. In October, 1867, Mr. Buttelmann formed a partnership with Rudolph Kruger and engaged in the restau- rant business, opening a coffee house at the old Market. In 1872 they erected the buikl- ing on Market.street now occupied by Mr. Kruger, where they were in business together · until March, 1876, at which time the part- nership was dissolved and Mr. Buttelinann took a branch business, which had in the meantime been established in the city mar- ket house. Here he continued in the res- taurant business for several years until 1881, when, having purchased some time previous a lot on Market street, on which he had built, he moved there and opened business

on a larger scale and has since done a suc- cessful business.

January 26, 1875, Mr. Buttelmann mar- ried Miss Henrietta Vordenbaumen, who was born in Westphalen, Germany, in 1855, and was brought by her parents, William H. and Mary Vordenbaumen, to Texas at the age of two years, and was reared and spent all of her life in the city of Galveston. Mrs. Buttelinann's parents are both living in Gal- veston. Her father is now in his eighty- fifth year, having been born December 25, 1815. Mrs. Vordenbaumen was born May 23, 1813. Mr. and Mrs. Vordenbaumen have resided for many years in Galveston, and have here brought up a family of seven children: Catherine, now Mrs. Frank Ruh- ter; Louisa, now Mrs. Henry Strickhausen; Maggie, who is now Mrs. Charles Kauffman; Minnie, married to Henry Bautsch; Mary, now Mrs. Charles Balke; and Henry Vor- denbaumen. Mr. and Mrs. Buttelmann have had five children: Emma, born March 10, 1876; Henry, born August 19, 1877; Paulina, born August 6, 1879; August, born March 1, 1882; and Charles, born January 30, 1885.

The religious connection of the family is with the Lutheran Church, and in politics Mr. Buttelmann is a Republican.

0 R. J. N. WILSON .- Jesse Nor- man Wilson is a native of Pennsyl- vania, and comes of old Colonial ancestry of English and French Huguenot origin. His father was George H. Wilson and his mother bore the maiden name of Rosa La Ross. Both parents were born in Pennsylvania, his father's ancestral connection running back to the carly settled

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families of New Jersey and his mother's to those of Pennsylvania. Both grandfathers of Dr. Wilson were Revolutionary soldiers, his maternal grandfather, John La Ross, serving throughout the entire period of the war as a member of the historic l'ennsyl- vania Light Guards,

The Doctor was reared in Philadelphia, and received the benefit of the excellent schools of that city, completing his literary education in Lafayette College. He studied medicine and took lectures at Bellevue Medi- cal College, New York, and completed his preparation for the dental profession in the Chicago College of Dentistry in 1879. Lo- cating in Philadelphia, he pursued the prac- tice there until 1885, when he came to Texas, and for about four years traveled over the State engaged in professional work. In 1889 he settled in Galveston, where he has since re- sided, and has built up a large practice, firmly establishing himself in the confidence and esteem of those among whom he has lived. The Doctor has brought to the dis- charge of his professional duties a thorough scholastic training, a large amount of nat- ural aptitude for the work in which he is en- gaged and a sincere desire to accomplish the greatest possible measure of good for him- self and those who wait on his services. He has devoted himself wholly to his profession; has sought every opportunity to keep him- self abreast with the best thought of the day in his line of work, and has surrounded him- self with all needful appliances and equip- ments essential to the expeditious, skillful and satisfactory conduct of his business. He is a member of the Texas State Dental Association, to the proceedings of which he has made some contributions.

In 1876 Dr. Wilson married Miss Jennie Meighan, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and

the offspring of this union was four children: Herbert, Harry, Grace and Phillip. Dr. Wilson lost his wife in 1882, and in 1890, at Texarkana, Texas, he married Miss Eloise Bares, a native of New Orleans, then resid- ing at Galveston, Texas, and a daughter of Emil and Josephine Bares, both natives of Louisiana, and of French extraction. By this last union Dr. Wilson has three chil- dren: Jessie, Hazel and Vernon. The re- ligious connection of the family is with the Catholic Church.

R OBERT MELLOR .- The subject of this sketch, now one of the old- est residents of the city of Galves- ton, was born in Manchester, Eng- land, April 3, 1840. His father was Robert Mellor and his mother bore the maiden name of Susanna Bostick, and both were natives of Manchester, England. The senior Mr. Mellor came to Texas in 1837, at which date he took up his residence on Galveston island, with whose early history he became identi- fied and there spent the remainder of his life. He was a candy-maker and confectioner by trade, but did not follow his trade after locating in Galveston, as there was at that time but little demand in the new town for the class of goods he was accustomed to handle. He was variously engaged, accumu- lated some means, and, purchasing property at the corner of Nineteenth street and ave- nue L, there resided until his death, which occurred about 1844. His wife survived him a number of years; was subsequently married to John Lindsay, with whom she moved to New Orleans, where her death occurred in No- vember, 1866. Her remains rest beside those of her first husband in the Episcopal ceme- tery at Galveston, having been brought here

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

by her son, the subject of this sketch. To Robert and Susanna Mellor the following children were born: Maria, who was mar- ried to George C. Raines, and is now de- ceased; Robert, of this article; and Susanna, who was married to Henry King, whom she survives, being now a resident of Mont- gomery county, Texas. To John and Su- sanna Lindsay one child was born, a son, George, now a resident of Texas.

Robert Mellor, with whom this article is chiefly concerned, was reared in the city of Galveston, his father having returned to England for his family, whom he brought over in 1840. Young Mellor received his education in the select schools of Professors Nash, Wolbridge and Smart, of this city, and at a proper age was put to learn the butcher's trade under Captain L. M. Hitch- cock, one of the pioneer butchers of the island. He worked for Captain Hitchcock for a number of years, -up to 1868, at which time he purchased the business, which he has conducted almost uninterruptedly and with a fair measure of success since.

In 1861 he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Captain Charles Atkins' company, with which he served for six months, when it was disbanded, after which he re-entered the service as a member of Company C, De Bray's regiment, subse- quently going on to General Magrnder's staff, where he served until the close of hos- tilities, taking part in both the defense and recapture of Galveston.

For a time after the war Mr. Mellor was extensively engaged in the live-stock busi- ness, at which he inade considerable money, but, by unfortunate business ventures, lost heavily, mostly in the lightering business, and finally fell back on his trade, which has since chiefly occupied his attention.

In 1860 Mr. Mellor married Mary O. Dabney, who was born near Austin, Texas, and whose parents were early settlers in that section of the State. To Mr. and Mrs. Mellor fifteen children have been born, only four of whom survive: Mamie, the wife of Joseph J. Miller, of Belton, Texas; Robert Mellor, of Waco, Texas; George Mellor, of San Francisco, California; and Susie, wife of Sam Brown, of Houston, Texas.

Mr. Mellor is now, in point of actual residence, one of the oldest settlers on Gal- veston island, having lived there continu- ously for a period of fifty-five years. When he came to the island it was but little more than a salt-marsh covered with bayous, and was the haunt of various wild animals. He has witnessed its growth from such a condi- tion to what it is to-day, and as far as he could has always lent a helping hand to everything looking to the advancement of its interests.

HOMAS W. JACKSON .- The sub- ject of this brief notice was born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1852; was educated in Martinsburg College, in that State, and began his career as a railroad man in 1868 in the capacity of clerk with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He left the service of this com- pany in 1872, at which date he was made Deputy Prothonotary of Blair county, Penn- sylvania; held this position until 1875, when, having read law, he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of liis profession at Hollidaysburg. He was elected District Attorney of Blair county in 1877, and held this office for three years. In 1880 he came to Texas, and for a year was in the employ of the Texas & Pacific Railway at Marshall.

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In 1881 he located in Galveston, where he became way-bill clerk on the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway, was afterward made abstract clerk, and from this position was promoted, in 1884, to that of general land agent and tax commissioner, which he still retains. He was elected Alderman of Gal- veston from the Seventh ward in 1889; was re-elected in 1893, and resigned in Sep- tember, 1894. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 26, Galveston, of which he was for two years Exalted Ruler. He married Miss E. R. Reynolds, in Penn- sylvania, in 1875.

Mr. Jackson is, in point of service, one of the oldest employes of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe at Galveston; he has for many years had charge of important interests be- longing to that road, and by his faithfulness and efficiency has become one of its most trusted men.

a HARLES G. CLIFFORD .- Few men would think of claiming any special recognition for themselves on account of family connection or place of birth, these things being numbered, in the opinion of most men, among the acci- dents of life, for which no personal considera- tion can fairly be expected. Yet, since cach must have had some sort of ancestry and have begun his existence at some place, it is gratifying to know and right to state on all proper occasions when it can be done so truthfully, that one comes of good antece- dents and first opened his eyes to the lights and shadows of this world in respectable quarters. So much can be said with perfect truthi concerning the subject of this brief sketch.

Charles G. Clifford traces his ancestry on his father's side in an unbroken line back to Walter de Clifford, who accompanied William of Normandy to England in 1066. Walter de Clifford was the founder of the house of Clifford in England, which furnished many distinguished soldiers and lawmakers to that country, branches from which have extended into other lands. The first repre- sentatives of the family in Ainerica were two brothers, who came to this country during the Revolution and fought in the British army against the Colonists. Subsequently Dr. Thomas Clifford, a son of one of them, settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and built the third house in that place. He had two children, a son and daughter. The son married Sallie Newhall, of New Haven, Connecticut, a daughter of Joshua Newhall, and by this union had two sons and a daugh- ter. The elder of the sons, James Allen Clifford, was the father of Charles G. Clif- ford, of this article. James Allen Clifford was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was also reared. He was twice married, first marrying Emily Burrough, daughter of Edward Burrough, by whom he had as issue one daughter, Emily S. E. A. Clifford, who became the wife of Lent Munson Hitchcock. (See sketch of Capt. L. M. Hitchcock else- where in this volume). After the death of this wife James Allen Clifford married Jane Goodrich, of Weathersfield, Connecticut, and Charles Goodrich Clifford was one of the issue of this union, there being two other sons, one older, William H. Clifford, now deceased, and one younger, Pierre Bretoun Clifford, a resident of Galveston.

After his first marriage James Allen Clif- ford moved to Savannah, Georgia, and was successively a resident of that place, of Memphis, Tennessee, and of New Orleans,

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Louisiana, in each of which cities he was engaged in the mercantile business, dying in the last named place in 1859.

Jane Goodrich Clifford, mother of Charles G. Clifford, was born in Weathersfield, Con- necticut, and belonged to one of the first- settled families of that place, being of French Huguenot origin. She is a resident of Hitchcock, Texas, and is eighty-nine years old. Her father, Jesse Goodrich, was Postmaster of Weathersfield, in 1847.

The subject of this sketch was born in Savannah, Georgia, March 1, 1843; was educated at Franklin College, Louisiana, and at Seashore Seminary, Handsboro, Mis- sissippi, being a student in the latter insti- tution at the opening of the late civil war. He quit school to enter the Confederate army, enlisting in the Orleans Southerns, Company F, Fifth Louisiana Regiment. He served under General Magruder around Yorktown, Grove's Wharf and Williams- burg, Virginia, etc.

The campaign on the peninsula was a severe one, and, broken down in health, Mr. Clifford left his company for the lios- pital at Richmond, and the rest of the men went into winter quarters. Shortly after- ward, on account of illness, Mr. Clifford was discharged and returned home to East Pas- cagoula, Mississippi. After recovering from a severe term of sickness, which had con- tinued for a period of four months, he went to New Orleans to rejoin his old command; but on account of exposure, -being com- pelled to make the trip in an open boat, - he was again taken ill, and was in that city when it was taken by General Butler. Be- fore he had fully recovered from this illness lie made his way to East Pascagoula, where he joined White's cavalry, First Battalion of Partisan Rangers of Alabama, and served

about eiglit months, when he was honorably. discharged at Mobile. Two months later he connected himself with the Twenty-sec- ond Mississippi, Twiggs' Rifles. On liis way to join that company he met Dr. Grif- fin, who had attended him in the last ill- ness and was the captain of Twiggs' Rifles, and the doctor insisted that he, Mr. Clifford, was not able to stand active service, and took him before the Board of Examining Surgeons at Mobile, and, upon examination, . they gave him a discharge, this making the third time he was discharged on account of sickness.

A few weeks afterward, while on his way in a small boat from East Pascagoula to Mobile, in a fog, he ran upon a Yankee gunboat, was captured and taken to Ship island, and from there to New Orleans and placed in prison; but shortly afterward, when the Federals learned that he was a discharged soldier, he was released on parole of honor. Physicians recommended to him a trip to Cuba; but, determined to cure or kill himself in his own country, lie ob- tained a permit and went by boat to St. Louis, Missouri, and on to Chicago and Detroit, crossing over into Canada, and was on his way back to New Orleans again when the war ended.

After the war closed Mr. Clifford came to Texas and settled at Galveston, where lie secured employment in the post office for about four months. Then, in i867, he entered the employ of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railway Company, of which he was later inade secretary and treasurer, and he held this position and that of secretary and treasurer of the Gal- veston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway Company for a number of years. Next he was assistant postmaster of Galveston about

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six years. He has also filled the office of County Assessor of Galveston county, and that of Auditor of the city of Galveston twice. In July, 1893, he resigned his posi- tion as City Auditor and was appointed Cashier of Customs under Colonel George P. Finlay, Collector at the port of Galveston, which position he is now filling.

Mr. Clifford has been twice married. On December 13, 1868, he married, at Bryan, Texas, Miss Imogene Blackshear, a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and a daughter of James M. and Eliza Black- shear. The issue of this union was four children: Forshey Nichols; Chudleigh An- drews; Lent Munson Hitchcock, and Lucile Alice Gregory. Mrs. Clifford died August

. 2, 1889. On April 25, 1892, Mr. Clifford married Miss Mary Louise Beers, of Gal- veston, daughter of Jonathan S. and Mary , Elizabeth Beers. This lady died October 15, 1893, leaving no issue.

Mr. Clifford belongs to a number of social orders, being a Royal Arch and. a thirtieth degree A. & A. S. R. Mason, is Secretary of the latter lodge and chapter; has been Dictator twice of his lodge of Knights of Honor; is a member of the Legion of Honor; in 1880 was District Deputy Grand Master and District Deputy Grand Patriarch of I. O. O. F. for this district; was one of the organizers of Camp Magruder, No. 105, U. C. V., of Galveston, Texas.

3 UDGE S. S. HANSCOM .- Sidney Scott Hanscom, son of Frank D. and Martha E. Hanscom, was born in Mobile, Alabama, March 13, 1855. He was reared in his native place to the age of fourteen, when, in 1869, his parents moved to Galveston, where he has since

resided. His education has chiefly obtained in the private school of .Professor E. E. Crawford, of this city. For some time after leaving school he was a clerk in the station- ery house of Strickland & Clark, of Galves- ton; was then employed in the United States Marshal's office under L. D. Evans; subse- quently read law in the office of R. G. Street; was admitted to the bar in October, 1878, and on January 1, 1879, opened an office in Galveston for the practice of his profession, which he has since followed with satisfactory results.

In 1888 he was a candidate against Will- iam T. Austin for the office of County Judge, and was defeated; was a candidate in 1892 against William B. Lockhart, and was elected; was a candidate for re-election in 1894, the final result of which is not yet (February, 1895) known. As a lawyer Judge Hanscom ranks well for one of his age and experience; as an official he has devoted his efforts with zeal and fidelity to the pub- lic service. He has his friends, who are liberal in their praises of his ability and the rectitude of his motives, and, as is the case with all men in public life, he is not without his enemies.

In April, 1884, Judge Hanscom married Miss Madie Johnson, a daughter of the late Judge R. D. Johnson, one of the early set- tlers of Galveston, a biography of whom appears elsewhere in this volume, and the issue of this union has been one son, Scott Sidney Hanscom.

a HRISTIAN HAKENJOS, deceased. -The subject of this brief sketch was a native of Germany, born April 25, 1837, in the Province of Wurtemberg. When he was about twelve

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

years of age he lost his father, and thus grew up under somewhat adverse circunstances. He, however, inherited the enterprise and business push that characterized his after life, and upon the completion of his appren- ticeship at the shoemaker's trade he promptly started out to do for himself. Prior to com- ing to America, in 1849, he had partly learned his trade, but completed it in the city of New Orleans, and it is said that in 1858, being then twenty-one years of age, he operated in this line a manufacturing establishment, which necessitated the em- ployment of fifty-four men. At the age of twenty-two years he married Miss Mary Hummel, who, like himself, was a native of Germany. She was born in Baden Baden, June 17, 1842, but in early womanhood came to this country, located in New Or- leans, and was seventeen years old at the time of her marriage. In 1867 they came to Galveston, and here Mr. Hakenjos im- mediately opened an establishment of his own at 310 Tremont street, where, from that time until the date of his death, De- cember 6, 1894, he continued to do a pros- perous business. He attained a high posi- tion in business circles as an upright and progressive tradesman, and was in every way deserving of his prosperity. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and socially belonged to the American Le- gion of Honor. To Mr. and Mrs. Hakenjos the following children were born: . William, born April 29, 1860, is a resident of Gal- veston; Caroline, wife of Charles Birscher, of Denver, Colorado, was born January 13, 1862; Charles was born December 26, 1867, and lives in Galveston; Mary was born De- cember 16, 1870; Thomas was born July 20, 1871; and Josephine was born Novem- ber 25, 1875. Two children died: George 43

and an elder daughter, Josephine. William . Hakenjos, the eldest son, was born in New Orleans, April 29, 1860, and in 1867 was brought to Galveston by his parents. He was given the advantages of the public schools of the city while growing up, and learned the boot and shoe maker's trade, which occupation he for some time followed. In 1885 he was married in Galveston to Miss Hattie Patterson, who is a Georgian by birth and a daughter of John C. Patterson, now of Galveston, who is a successful trav- . eling salesman. To their marriage four chil- dren have been given: Panline, Rena, Will- iam, and Nellie.

EON W. FIELDS was born in what is now Chambers county, then a portion of Liberty county, Texas, February 19, 1842. His father was Hon. William Fields, who moved from Tennessee to Texas in 1837 and set- tled near the old town of Anahuac, then Liberty county, where he was engaged for years in the stock business, farming and school-teaching. He represented Liberty county in the Congress of the Republic, and also in the State Legislature after the ad- mission of Texas to the Union. He moved to Galveston in 1855, about which date he received the appointment of State Engineer, an office which he held until his death Sep- tember 9, 1858. He was a man of culture, being the compiler of " Fields' Scrap Book," a meritorious literary work; and was at one time engaged in journalistic pursuits as an associate of General Felix T. Zollicoffer, of Confederate fame, in the publication of a newspaper at Columbia, Tennessee.

The mother of Leon W. Fields bore the maiden name of Minerva H. Mayes and

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was born and reared in Tennessee, where she met and in 1834 was married to Will- iam Fields. She survived her husband many years, dying October 1, 1892, in the eightieth year of her age.

The subject of this sketch was reared partly in Liberty county and partly in the city of Galveston. His school advantages . were limited, though he had the benefit of the sound judgment and intelligent direction of his father in such studies as he could find time to pursue up to the date of his father's death.

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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