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 97

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 97
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 97

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county, Ireland, and a daughter of Thomas and Mary A. Roe. They had eight children, -- five sons and three daughters, viz .: Cath- erine, William H., Caroline, Josephine, George F., David and Henry W. The eld- est of these, Catherine, was married to John Allardyce, by whom she had six children, - Samuel G., William H., John M., Euphemia M. (deceased), Robert E. L. and George D. Mr. Allardyce died February 28, 1871. Mrs. Allardyce resides in Galveston. Will- iam H. Bentinck enlisted in the Confederate army during the late war, and died from wounds received in the service. John E. Bentinck resides in Taylor, Texas. Caro- line Bentinck was married to Joseph Dakin, with whom she now resides at Bryan, Texas; and Josephine. George F. Bentinck lives in Waco, and David and Henry W. live in Galveston. The mother of these children, now in her eighty-third year, having been born May 10, 1812, is numbered among the old settlers of Galveston island, having re- sided here continuously for a period of fifty- five years. The religious connection of the family is with the Episcopal Church.

a® DMUND QUIRK, deceased, was a native of Ireland, born in the year 1786, a man of some means and of enterprising and adventurous na-

ture. He emigrated to Texas early in the present century, as a member of Powers' Colony, and settled in Refugio county. He was accompanied by his family, consisting of wife and three children, and came to the new country, intending to make it his home. Soon after his arrival his wife was taken sick and died. He married again and moved from the settlement in Refugio county to a ranch on the Colorado river still further

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

toward the frontier. During the troubles between the settlers and the Mexicans pre- ceding the Revolution of 1835-6, he served in different companies of "minute-inen," and helped to protect those on the frontier against the attacks of the marauding bands of Mexicans and Indians. After the battle of San Jacinto he moved to Galveston island, and was living here when Michael B. Menard and his associates laid out the town of Galveston. He ever after made this place his home and died here November 17, 1874. He was three times married, but had only three children, these being by his first marriage: Michael, William and Cath- erine. The sons are both deceased.

Catherine Quirk, only daughter of Ed- mund Quirk, was born in Ireland, May 7, 1832. She was married to Edmund Drew, of Galveston, on February 7, 1847, and by this union had eight children, as recited in the sketch of Edmund Drew elsewhere in this volume. After the death of Edmund Drew, Mrs. Drew was married to Robert Phillipson, and by this marriage she has one daughter, Katie, wife of E. B. Nichols, and one son, Thomas Phillipson, both residing in Galveston.

a HARLES FORDTRAN, now resid- ing in Austin county, is, both in point of age and residence, one of the oldest living Texans, having been born in the year 1801 and a resident of Texas since 1829. He is a native of Prussia, was educated in the best schools of Germany, and at the age of twenty-six emigrated to the United States, whence after brief stops in the cities of New York, St. Louis, Missouri, Natchez, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana, he came in

1829 to the Mexican States of Texas and Coahuila, taking up his abode in Austin's colony. Marrying in 1833 he settled per- manently on a headright granted to one Ernst, one-half of which he purchased, and where he has continuously lived for the past sixty-six years. In the Revolution of 1835-6 he was a volunteer in the patriot army, be- ing detailed by General Houston to assist in removing the families of soldiers beyond the reach of the Mexicans. Mr. Fordtran has never been before the public in any official capacity, having a distaste for everything savoring of politics and scramble for office. As a farmer and stock-raiser he has met with noteworthy success, and in all the essentials of good citizenship has risen to the full stature.

The wife of Charles Fordtran bore the maiden name of Almeda Brookfield, was born in Detroit, Michigan, a daughter of William and (Lalliet) Brookfield, who emi- grated from New York to Texas in 1831. William Brookfield settled in what is now Fayette county, this State, soon after com- ing to the country, and there his daughter met and was married to Charles Fordtran. Mrs. Fordtran died in November, 1888. A> a civil engineer and Indian fighter, William Brookfield had considerable to do with the early history of Austin's colony and of Texas, and is remembered for his patriotic services by the few of his old associates still living. He was a man of wide reading, an orator of ability and an author of some note, having published just previous to his death in 1847 a book in the defense of the Jews. He raised a family of four sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Charles, served on the side of the colonists in tlie Revolu- tion of 1835-6; Charles, Frank and Walter, were volunteers in the Texas contingent of

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the United States army in the war of 1846-8, Walter dying in Mexico, Charles being sup- posed to have been murdered by his Mexi- can servant, while the youngest of the four, Edward, was frequently in the ranging serv- ice helping to keep back the marauding bands of Indians and Mexicans before their final dispersion and removal. The daughters of William Brookfield were Mrs. Emma Evans, wife of Vincent Evans, and Mrs. Almeda Fordtran, wife of Charles Fordtran.

The issue of Charles and Almeda Ford- tran was four sons and five daughters, in the order of their births as follows: William, who died in Fayette county, Texas; Portia, wife of Dr. G. C. McGregor, of Waco; Eugene H .; Frank, who died in the Con- federate army during the late war; Charles, Jr., of Waco; Louisa, wife of M. A. Healy, of Brenhain; Ann, who was married to J. L. Hill, of Galveston, 'both of whom are de- ceased; Josephine, wife of G. H. Mensing, of Galveston; and Sarah, wife of James B. Baker, of Waco.

Eugene H. Fordtran was born in Austin county, Texas, March 15, 1840, and was educated in the neighborhood schools and at Soule University, Chapel Hill, Washing- ton county. Quitting school at the age of eighteen he was engaged in clerking in the mercantile business, in farming and in teach- ing school till the opening of the late war. In September, 1861, he entered the Con- federate army, enlisting in Captain J. S. Lauderdale's company, which became part of the Tenth Texas Infantry, commanded first by Colonel Allison Nelson and after his death by Colonel R. Q. Mills .. He served with this command until the fall of Arkansas Post in January, 1862, when he was cap- tured, taken to Camp Douglas at Chicago, . Illinois, and held there until 1863, at which

time he was paroled. After the re-organi- zation of his command it became part of the Arıny of the Tennessee, with which he sub- sequently served. At Tupelo, Mississippi, February, 1865, he was furloughed and was at home, his furlough not having expired, when the general surrender took place.

After the war Mr. Fordtran went into the milling business near Fayetteville in Fayette county, and followed this till 1868, when he sold out and embarked in real-es- tate operations, continuing this till 1883. That year he moved to Galveston and from 1884 to 1892 he was a member of the firm of King & Fordtran, wholesale liquor deal- ers, having since severed his connection with that firm and resumed the real-estate business. Mr. Fordtran's career has been that of a business man, and it is generally understood that he has met with a fair de- gree of success. He was once County Commissioner of Fayette county, and has served one terin as a member of the Board of Aldermen of Galveston, but with the ex- ception of these two positions he has never filled any places of public trust.

In 1866, Mr. Fordtran married Miss Le- titia Satterfield, then residing in Fayette county, Texas, but a native of Halifax county, Virginia, her parents being John N. and Aun (Cook) Satterfield. Her mother died in Virginia, and her father moved in 1849 to Texas, settling in Fayette county. Mr. and Mrs. Fordtran have seven children living: Eugene H., John S., Charles. G., William B., Edgar, Walter L. and Frank.

J OHN SEALY occupied for many years a conspicuous place in the his- tory of Galveston. He was a man of acknowledged ability as a financier, an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, deeply

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imbued with a sense of his responsibilities and earnestly desirous of doing his whole duty in all of the relations of life.

Mr. Sealy was a native of Pennsylvania, born in the town of Kingston, Luzerne county, in October, 1822. In 1846 he came to Texas and located at Galveston, where he entered mercantile life as a clerk for Henry Hubbell in the dry-goods business. In the winter of 1847-8, in company with John H. Hutchings, he went to Sabine, Texas, and opened a general store under the firm name of Hutchings & Sealy. Af- ter about five years spent there he and Mr. Hutchings sold out and returned to Galves- ton, where they associated with themselves George Ball and started the banking house of Ball, Hutchings & Company. With the affairs of this great house Mr. Scaly was ever after connected, and by his persevering industry, keen practical sagacity and high moral character helped to achieve some of its mnost signal successes and added much to its name. Besides his interest in this es- tablishment he was connected with many other business concerns in Galveston, and was an active worker in scores of private enter- prises. He held numerous positions of trust, mostly of a business nature, and un- hesitatingly lent his name and influence to whatever he believed to be for the public good.

Mr. Sealy brought to the exercise of his duties a large experience, wise foresight and a deliberation and calmness of judgment found only in few men. He was attractive in presence, and winning and hearty in man- ner. His uprightness and probity were everywhere known and admitted. His friends were legion. His influence wrought not only in matters of private business, but in those of city and State. The John Sealy

Hospital at Galveston, founded by him, fitly typifies the largeness of his heart, and will in a becoming manner long perpetuate his name, though this was not needed to endear his memory to a people among whom he had spent so many years of his life.

In 1857 at Galveston Mr. Sealy married Miss Rebecca Davis, who, with a son and daughter, survives him. His death occurred August 29, 1884. Every appropriate mark of respect was shown to his memory and his remains rest in the city of his adoption.

ILLIAM J. MOORE was born in Pickens county, Alabama, Feb- ruary 8, 1842, and is the younger of two sons born to William and Polly A. Moore. His father, a well-to-do farmer, came to Texas in 1844 and settled in Fayette county, where he resided till 1853, when he moved to Lavaca county, and there died four years later.

William J. Moore was reared in Fayette and Lavaca counties, and received during his youth the advantages of such schools as were then in reach. He quit college at the opening of the war in 1861 to enter the Con- federate army, enlisting in Company A, Colonel Pyron's regiment of Texas cavalry, with which he went at once to the western frontier of the State, where he served a short time, being transferred thence with his com- mand to eastern Texas. He served along the Texas and Louisiana border until near the close of the war, taking part in numerous skirmishes between the Confederate and Fed- eral forces in that section, including those incident to Banks' Red river campaign. At the time of the surrender he was stationed on Galveston island and here laid down arms.

Returning to Lavaca county, Mr. Moore

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formed a partnership with his brother, Samuel B. Moore, and they set about at once to gather up the fragments of their estate, which, consisting largely of live stock and other perishable property, had been greatly dispersed, much of it being past re- covery. But with the odds and ends thus saved from the ravages of the war they launched out into the land and stock busi- ness, and with the era of prosperity, espec- ially in stock dealing, which immediately followed the close of the war, they rapidly accumulated money. Later, with the rise of land values, they began giving more at- tention to real estate, and at this writing they are among the heavy operators in these two lines, taking them as a combined bus- iness, in southern Texas. They own large cattle ranches both in Fayette and Lavaca counties, and have lands, improved and unimproved, in several counties in the southern part of the State, including Lavaca, Fayette, Karnes, Kinney, Uvalde, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris and Galveston, besides town and city property in different towns and cities in these counties. Alert, earnest and intelligent, giving their attention solely to business, meeting their obligations promptly and dealing fairly. and liberally by all inen, the Messrs. Moore have accumu- lated a comfortable fortune, have estab- lished an honorable name and have won the friendship and esteem of those with whom they have had business transactions or per- sonal relations.

In 1869, at Moulton, William J. Moore married Miss Louisa Lattimer, a daughter of Mrs. Louisa Lattimer, who moved to Texas from North Carolina in the early '50s and settled in Lavaca county, where Mrs. Moore, was principally reared. By this mar- riage there was one daughter, now Mrs. W.

B. Fordtran, of Galveston. After the death of this lady a few years later, Mr. Moore married Miss Allie Williamson, a daughter of J. A. Williamson, of Lockhart, Texas, in 1877, and she also is now deceased, leaving one son, Samuel.

In 1883 Mr. Moore moved to Galveston, which place has since been his home and where in addition to his land and stock bus- iness he has carried on a good local trade in city property. He was appointed a mem- ber of the Texas Live Stock Commission by Governor Hogg in 1893, and reappointed to the same place in 1894 by Governor Cul- berson.

A. POUEIGH was born in New Orleans, November 29, 1849, at corner of Toulouse and Bourbon streets, where the French opera house now stands. He is a son of Victorine Poueigh, a Frenchman, a stone-cutter by trade and occupation, who came to New Orleans from France in 1833, pursued his trade, raised his family, and there died, in 1874. The subject of this sketch had six brothers, he himself being the seventh born and youngest of the family, and the only one of the entire family in this country liv- ing. One brother, Hyppolite, was a soldier of the Confederate army under General Beauregard; another, Adolph, served in the Federal army under General Phil. Sheridan as Quartermaster, and died in New Orleans, August 15, 1869; Francois died of yellow fever during the epidemic of 1853, in the same city; Antoine is a wholesale hardware merchant in France. Two others born of this generation and family died infants,- names not known. T. A. Poueigh is a car- penter by trade, and as such worked at Gal-

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veston for seven years and four months for the Santa Fe Railway Company, until the strike of 1894, since which time he is on the Galveston city police force.

May 6, 1887, at St. Joseph's Church, in Galveston, he married Miss Kate Drew, a daughter of Edmund Drew, deceased, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Poueigh was born in Galves- ton, December 28, 1853, and has one son, F. Antone, born April 8, 1888.

ANIEL D. ATCHISON. - This old and respected citizen of Gal- veston was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, four miles south of the city of Lexington, on April 7, 1830. His parents were John and Elizabeth Atchison, both of whom died early, leaving Daniel D. an orphan at the age of thirteen.

He was reared in his native place and graduated at Center College, Danville, Ken- tucky, in September, 1842, and also at the Dane Law School, Harvard, Massachusetts, in the class of 1844. During his attend- ance at Harvard his instructors were the distinguished Judge Joseph Story and Prof. L. B. Greenleaf, whose personal friendship young Atchison was fortunate enough to win and to whom he was indebted for many helpful suggestions respecting his future career. After his graduation at Har- vard, Mr. Atchison returned to Kentucky and was admitted to the bar at Lexington, in 1844, and immediately began the practice of his profession at that place. Feeling that the opportunities were better in the West or Southwest for a young lawyer just enter- ing the practice, he turned his attention in that direction in quest of a location. He had been advised by his preceptor, Judge

Story, to go to St. Louis, which that gen- tleman thought would become the greatest city on this continent, and, for a time he seriously thought of making that place his home; but froin what he had learned of northern winters he concluded that the cli- mate there would be too severe for him; and having passed the winter of 1845-6 at Charles- ton, South Carolina, with the beauties of which place and its winter climate he was captivated, he decided to go South. Ac- cordingly, against the protestations of all his friends, except Robert Wickliff and his old grandfather, he left Louisville, Kentucky, on May 1, 1846, for Galveston, Texas, to join his partner, William Alexander.

He arrived at this place on the 27th of the same montli, taking the river route to New Orleans and coming thence by schooner to this city. At that time the wharf facili- ties were very poor. Mr. Atchison relates that he was carried on the shoulders of a sailor from the vessel in the stream to a place on Fremont street, whence he pro- ceeded dry-shod to the old Tremont Hotel, where he took up quarters. The first sign that greeted his eyes in the town was one reading, "Ready-made Coffins for Sale," and a little further on he saw one announc- ing, "Fresh Water for Sale." He had brought a letter of introduction to Colonel Jaines Love, then one of the leading lawyers of the place, and the first thing he did after getting a night's rest and a change of linen was to hunt up Colonel Love and present his letter. Colonel Love accompanied the young lawyer to the club, took a sheet of paper, wrote a few words on it, folded the paper and handed it to his young friend, saying, "Now, sir, you can go ahead." Mr. Atchison was invited by Colonel Love to dine with him the following day, and at

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that gentleman's splendid home, then the finest in the city, situated on the lot where now stands the Ursuline Convent, he met a number of the best people of the city and was made to feel at home.

Mr. Atchison at once rented an office and entered on the practice. He wanted to practice admiralty law, and becoming asso- ciated with George W. Brown, then United States District Attorney at this place, filed a libel on the schooner, Francisco, a Mexican prize, this being one of the first actions in admiralty ever brought at Galveston. There were then many fine lawyers practicing be- fore the court at this place, most of them residents of this city, among whom were B. C. Franklin, James P. Cole, Franklin Mer- riman, Milton H. Potter and O. C. Hartley. For a number of years Mr. Atchison devoted himself actively and exclusively to the law, and did his share of the legal business. He was never very much in politics, but by force of circumstances took some interest in those questions with which the public inind was in those days concerned, and sat in the councils of his party whenever occasion demanded. He was from the first a great admirer of Houston, and shared his views on most public matters. He was one of the "Old Guard," who formed themselves into a personal escort to General Houston on the occasion of his visit to Galveston, when he made his celebrated Tremont House speech in 1861, and aided, as it is said, in preventing personal violence being done the General, and thus saved the city what otherwise might have been a lasting stigma on its fair name.

Mr. Atchison practiced law for many years in Galveston, always meeting with a reasonable degree of success. He has filled numerous positions of public trust,

that of longest tenure and perhaps of the most importance being the clerkship of the Supreme Court of Texas, which he occupied for twelve years. Having retired altogether from active professional and business pur- suits, he is now spending the evening of life in the quiet enjoyment of home. To Gal- veston and everything looking to the promo- tion of its welfare he has always extended a willing and able support, manifesting an es- pecial interest in the educational and social welfare of the city, and in fact of the State He gave $2,000 to found the Atchison Free School at Navasota, Texas, and took an act- ive part in establishing Austin College, to which he gave the name in honor of Stephen F. Austin. He has known personally almost every man who has figured in Texas history. during the past fifty years, with many of whom as was the case with General Houston, he stood in the relation of close personal and political friendship.

While a scholar of recognized attain- ments and an accomplished linguist, Mr. Atchison never sought to achieve distinction either on the public platform or in the public prints. He has preferred to lead a quiet life, to devote himself to his profes- sional and official duties, to garner the fruits as he goes along, to live rationally and to a good old age. That he has succeeded there is but little room to doubt, for he is . now in his seventy-fifth year, and though somewhat physically feeble, still possesses his mental faculties unimpaired.

On January 20, 1847, Mr. Atchison mar- ried Frances Alexander, only daughter of J. R. Alexander, of Woodford county, Ken- tucky. This lady died at Galveston, of yel- low fever during the epidemic of the following year. In 1863 Mr. Atchison married Lucy Holt, a native of Augusta,

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Georgia, and a daughter of John S. Holt, then mayor of that city and for many years a prominent business man of the same. On October 21, 1867, she died, near Navasota, Grimes county, Texas. The issue of this last union was two sons, John H. and Daniel D., Jr., both of whom were born in Gal- veston and both residents of this city.

Connecting himself with the Presbyterian Church at the age of thirteen, Mr. Atchison has since held a membership in that church and has earnestly striven to make his life conform to the teachings of the gospel.

J OHN M. VAN LIEW was born in 1848 on the La Fourche river, in Louisiana, and was reared in his native place to the age of seventeen, receiving his education in the private schools of the same. He then left home and went to Mexico, where he remained over a year, · coming in the spring of 1864 to Texas. Here he first lived for a time at Harrisburg, Harris county, where he was bookkeeper for a sawmill concern for about nine years. He 'occupied a similar position with another sawmill firm in east Texas for about five years; was then with the Louisiana Western Railway as clerk for two years, when, in 1882, he entered the employ of the Inter- national & Great National Railroad at Galveston, as transfer clerk, which position he has since retained.

In 1871 Mr. Van Liew married Miss Virginia McDonall, a native of Canada, and daughter of A. C. McDonall, who came to Texas in 1858. Mr. McDonall was a rail- road contractor and builder, and helped to build each of those pioneer lines, the Gal- veston, Houston & Henderson and the Buf- falo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado River Rail-

roads. Mr. and Mrs. Van Liew have one daughter, Bonnie, a graduate of Hollins Institute, Virginia.

EORGE PAUL WERNER was born in New Orleans, on the 26th day of February, 1856. His father was William B. Werner, and his mother bore the maiden name of Margaret Frances Kennedy, the former a native of Germany, the latter a native of the State of New York. The elder Mr. Werner came to America at the age of twenty-five (1849), and settled in New Orleans, where he was engaged at his trade as a blacksmith until the opening of the late Civil war. In 1861 he entered the Confederate army as a mem- ber of the Twelfth Louisiana Infantry, en- listing for one year, at the end of which time he received his discharge, and his family having, in the meantime, moved to Memphis, Tennessee, he repaired to that place and resided there till the close .of hostilities. In 1866 he moved to Galves- ton, where he resided until his death in 1890, in the sixty- sixth year of his age. His wife died in this city in 1872. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eldest, the others being: Ella, now Mrs. R. H. West- erlage, of Galveston; Lizzie, who died in childhood; Valentine B., a resident of Little Rock, Arkansas; William S. J., of Galves- ton; Charles, of Galveston; and Thomas, deceased.

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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