USA > Texas > Indian wars and pioneers of Texas, Vol. I > Part 51
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Col. E. L. R. Wheelock, one of the first settlers of Robertson County, Texas, was a native of New England, where he was reared and partly educated. finishing his collegiate training at West Point, of which he was a graduate. He served in the War of 1812 and in the Black Hawk War; settled when a young man in Illinois, where he lived for a while ; then went to Mexico and spent something over three years trading in that country; returned to Illinois, where he resided until 1833, engaged principally in the mercantile and milling business, and then came to Texas, and settled in Robertson's Colony, on the prairie, named for him Wheelock Prairie, and laid out the town of Wheelock, which was also named for him. He remained in Texas until 1846, when he returned to Illinois to settle up some business matters there, preparatory to trans- ferring all his interests to Texas. He had consid- erable landed possessions in Adams County and Quincy, Ill., his name being perpetuated in the history of that city by Wheelock square and Wheelock addition. While on this journey he was taken sick and died at Edwardsville, Ill. His trunk, containing many of his valuable papers, was never recovered by bis family ( who remained in Texas) in consequence of which they lost some of bis property.
During the troubles of 1835-6 he was in Texas stel was in what is known to history as the " Run- away Serape." After removing his family to a place of safety, he started with his son, George R.
Wheelock, and his afterwards son-in-law, Samuel A. Kimble, to join the army under Houston, but reached it the day after the battle of San Jaeinto.
His wife was Miss Mary P. Priekett before mar- riage and was born in Lexington, Ky. Her parents emigrated to Illinois at an early day and there she met and was married to Mr. Wheelock. She died in Robertson County, Texas, October 12, 1881, at the age of eighty-four years. To Mr. Wheelock and his wife five children were born, the youngest of whom, a son, Thomas Ford, died at the age of five. The others grew to maturity. Thesc were: George Ripley, Annette Woodward, William Hillman and David P. The three sons saw more or less military service in Texas, George R. as a mem- ber of the Minute Men and William HI. and David P. in the Mexican War, both the latter being present at and taking part in the battles of Monterey and Buena Vista. William H. and David P. also served in the Confederate army during the war be- tween the States. But two of the family are now living: William H., who resides at Franklin, in Robertson County, and the daughter, Annette Woodward, now Mrs. S. B. Killough.
Mrs. Killough, at this writing, one of the oldest settlers of Robertson County, was born in Bond County, Ill., in 1821. Accompanying her parents to Texas in 1833 her entire life has since been passed in this State -- and that, too, within a mile or so of where she now lives, near old Wheelock, in Robertson County. She remembers many events
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connected with the early history of the locality where she lives and is a very entertaining talker. She has borne her full share of the burden of settling the country and her life has not been without its sorrows in addition to the hardships incident to the settlement of the country. She has been three times married and is now a widow. Her first marriage was in November, 1836, and was to Samuel A. Kimble. There being no one authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony in Robertson's Colony the contraeting parties had to go to Naehi- toches, La., where they were regularly united according to the laws of that State. Mr. Kimble died three weeks later. In Mareh, 1837, his widow was united in marriage with Andrew Jackson Powers, a noted pioneer who was killed January 9, 1839, in Morgan's defeat in what is now Falls County. Of this marriage one child was born, Thomas Washington Powers, who died when three weeks old. The third marriage was in 1841, to Samuel Blackburn Killough, who was born near Murfreesboro, Tenn., September 10, 1813, and came
to Texas in 1839, settling at Old Franklin, Roberston County, where he was engaged a short time in the mercantile business. He then moved to Wheelock Prairie and there spent the remainder of his life, engaged in planting and stoek-raising. He was County Judge of Robertson County in the '50s and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1875 from Robertson, Brazos and Milan counties. Ile died at his home near Wheelock, . June 21, 1876. To Judge Killough and wife were born eleven children, six of whom reached matur- ity: Nancy J., wife of George H. Dunn; Sallie E., wife of William Henry; Annette, wife of Abe MeMordie ; Henry C., Charles Cavendish and Isaac DeLafayette Killough.
Mrs. Killough at this writing lives with her son, Isaac DeLafayette Killough, on the farm where Judge Killough settled. She has all the neees- saries and comforts of life. Her other children live near enough for her to see them quite often. She is indeed a kind, motherly, model woman.
FREDERICK KALTEYER,
SAN ANTONIO,
Was born in Aademer, Grand Duchy of Nassau, frin name of F. Kalteyer & Son, on the north side in 1817, where he was reared. In boyhood and of Military Plaza. youth he attended the schools of his native place Mr. Kalteyer was a man of fine attainments as a chemist and a thoroughly good citizen, interesting himself in everything pertaining to the welfare of the communities in which he lived. While residing in New Orleans he was a member of a number of German benevolent associations and exerted him- self in every way to relieve the necessities of his countrymen and to enable them to get fair starts in the new world. While residing near Boerne in this State he acted as physician to the scattered settlers of that locality, served them as county judge and in difficult matters acted for them as a wise and faithful adviser. and completed his education at Mayenee and Geis- sen, studying chemistry in the last named place under Baron Von Liebig. He emigrated to New Orleans in 1846 and the same year came to Texas, stopping at Galveston, where he remained a short time and put up and operated the first soda foun- tain ever in the State. But the outlook was not favorable for him there and he returned to New Orleans, where he engaged in the drug business until 1854, when, through the persuasions of George Kendall, he sold out his interests and came to Texas and purchased a ranch near Boerne, on which he settled and undertook to raise stock. At After settling in San Antonio he gave bis atten- tion mainly to his business and, with the exception of the position of alderman, never held any public oflice. the end of three years he had lost everything he had except his land, and that he traded to Dr. F. Herff for a small drug store in San Antonio. Removing to that place he engaged again at his old business In New Orleans he married Miss Henrietta Leon- ardt, a native of Westphalia, Germany, of which union there were born two sons and two daughters. The daughters are Mrs. Adolph Herff and Mrs. and followed this with a fair measure of sucecss as long as he lived. The establishment which he pur- chased and built up is still running now under the
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George Altgelt, of San Antonio. The sous are among the leading business men of that eity. The .Ider, Mr. George II. Kalteyer, being the senior member of the firm of F. Kalteyer & Son, druggists, president of the San Antonio Drug Company, which he organized, the principal stockholder in the Alamo Cement Company, whielt he also organ-
ized, a stockholder in the Lone Star Brewing Com- pany and, in fact, is or has been connected in some capacity with almost every publie or private cor- porate enterprise in the city, including the railways for which he helped secure the right of way, and in other ways lent valuable aid when they were building into the city.
GEORGE W. GLASSCOCK, SR.,
AUSTIN.
G. W. Glasseock, Sr., was born in Hardin County, Ky., on the 11th day of April, 1810, and in that State was reared and spent his boyhood days. In 1830 he emigrated to St. Louis, Mo., and two years afterwards moved to Springfield, Ill., where he engaged in the mercantile business. Soon the toesin of war sounded. The Indian was on the war path. The noted Chief Black Hawk with his warriors had to be inet. A call for vol- unteers was made. Glasscock was among the first who enlisted. He was elected First-Lieutenant in Capt. J. M. Early's Company, and did his duty as a faithful soldier during that short but trying and wearisome campaign, in which his brother, Gregory Glasscock, lost his life in the defense of his coun- try. Next we find him flat-boating in partnership with President Abraham Lincoln on the Sangamon and Illinois rivers. When he quit this business he returned to his uncle near St. Louis, Mo., where he remained until tidings of deeds of daring going on in the Southwest started him on a new field of adventure.
He emigrated to Texas in 1834 and settled at Zavalla, in the municipality of Jasper, again fol- lowing the occupation of merchant in partnership with T. B. Huling and Henry Millard. It was here in 1837 that he married Miss Cynthia C. Knight, the daughter of John Knight, of Davidson County, Tenu., who departed this life in 1866 and left him and seven children surviving her.
In the latter part of 1836 his firm engaged exten- sively in the land locating business, and Glasscock was the surveyor. It was in this capacity that le first became acquainted with Western Texas, locating most of the land certificates of the firm in Travis, Williamson, Burnet, Hays, Lampasas, and M.lam counties. Once when locating land cer- ¿Gentes in Williamson County, the locating party
divided to search for good locations on Berry's ereek, and his party escaped a band of Indian warriors while the other party was massaered by them.
When the fate of Texas was quivering in the scales of destiny in 1835-6, the young surveyor threw aside the compass and surveying-chain to seize the musket and sabre and hurry to the front. Of how he conducted himself the survivors of the Grass Fight and those who participated in the storming and capture of the Alamo with him in December, 1835, can best tell, in both of which engagements he did his full duty as a soldier and patriot. He was First-Lieutenant in Capt. James Chesshire's Company from Jasper, and was in ten fect of Col. Milam who fell on the 10th of Deeem- ber, 1835, in the city of San Antonio, Texas, at the storming and recapture of that city by the Texians. He was in many engagements against the Indians in the pioneer days of Texas.
Enchanted by the beautiful prairies and valleys of the Colorado and San Gabriel rivers, he moved to the town of Bastrop, in 1840, where he remained until 1844, when he moved to a tract of land that he purchased and improved, one and one-half miles west of Webberville, in Travis County, Texas. In 1848 he moved to Williamson County, near George- town, and built the first flour-mill in Western Texas. In the same year he donated to William- sou County one hundred and seventy-two acres of land upon which the city of Georgetown is loca- ted and which place was named in honor of him. To the building up of Georgetown and Williamson County he devoted much of his energy, time and means. He moved to Austin, Travis County, in 1853, where he resided until his death, in 186S. From 1850 to the time of his death he filled many important positions. He represented Travis and
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
Williamson counties in the Tenth and Eleventh Legislatures. He was publie-spirited and generous, taking great interest in all publie enterprises.
In 1887, the Twentieth Legislature, in appreeia- tion of the distinguished services rendered by him to Texas, created and named Glasscoek County in his honor. The following language was used in the act creating the county: " The county of Glass- cock is named in honor of George W. Glasseock,
who participated in the struggle for Texas Inde- pendenec, and was at the storming and reeapture of the Alamo on the 10th of December, 1835, and was in the Grass fight and other engage- ments which resulted in the Independenee of Texas."
He was a Mason and Odd Fellow. His deatlı was a great loss, not only to his family, but to the country.
GEORGE W. GLASSCOCK, JR.,
GEORGETOWN.
Hon. George W. Glasseoek, Jr., was born Janu- ary 10, 1845, in Travis County, Texas, where he was reared, and resided until 1879, when he moved to Georgetown, in Williamson County, where he has sinee resided. He served as county attorney of Williamson Connty in 1879-80; was elected county judge in 1880, and re-cleeted in 1882, and in 1884 was elected to the State Senate from the Twenty- fourth District, composed of the counties of Travis, Williamson and Burnet (" capitol distriet ") and was re-elected to the Senate in 1888. Ile is the only man born in the district who has represented it in the State Legislature. He served in the Senate during the sessions of the Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-first and Twenty-seeond Legislatures. In the Nineteenth Legislature he was a member of the Senate Committee on Publie Buildings and Grounds. At that time the construction of the new eapitol was in progress and it was perhaps the most im- portant committee of the session. He was Chair- man of the Senate Committee on Education during the sessions of the Twentieth and Twenty-second Legislatures. Considering the interests to be guarded, this position was also one of great responsibility.
At least $2,500,000 of school money was being expended annually by the State of Texas. The permanent fund amounted to $7,000,000 in securi- ties ; about 25,000,000 acres of school lands that re- mained unsold and about $10,000,000 in land notes.
No chairman of the Committee on Education ever labored more zealously or effectively to guard this rich heritage, designed by the wise statesman-
ship of former years to deseend to and bless many passing generations. His labors and aecomplish- ments in other directions were equally patriotic, painstaking and productive of good and lasting results. He made a record seeond to that of none of his colleagues. He is a clear thinker and graceful and powerful speaker and would make his influenee felt in any popular assemblage or legislative body. In public life he has, in the support or opposition that he has offered to pending measures, been guided alone by a desire to secure the greatest good to the greatest number, to protect the weak and restrain and, if possible, prevent the injustiee of the power- ful and rapacious. He served in the Confederate army during the war between the States as a mem- ber of Duff's Thirty-third Texas Cavalry, Gano's brigade, Walker's division, and made a gallant and faithful soldier. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, Past Grand Master of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and a Knight Tem- plar and a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine in Masonry, being a member of Colorado Commandery No. 4, at Austin, and of Ben Hur Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Austin. He was united in marriage to Miss J. H. Boatner, a daughter of Mr. J. R. Boatner, at Tennessee Colony, Anderson County, Texas, on the 19th day of March, 1865.
As a private citizen he has managed his business affairs so as to be in independent circumstances and is public-spirited, often giving of his time and means to enterprises inaugurated for the building up of the country.
DR. M. A. TAYLOR.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEX.IS.
M. A. TAYLOR, M. D.,
AUSTIN.
Dr. M. A. Taylor was born at Columbus, Ohio, November 12, 1830. His father was of Scotch, his mother of English, descent.
Ilis grandfather, Matthew Taylor, emigrated to Ameries before the Revolution (1760) and settled with his large family near Richmond, Va., and after the War for Independence purchased large land claims from the Virginia soldiers. This land had been set apart by act of Congress and certifi- cates issued therefor. He purchased these certifi- cates in quantities and located the land in Ohio, between the Seioto river on the east and the Miami on the southwest. He removed to this land and settled on the spot where the flourishing city of Chillicothe now stands.
Dr. Taylor's father, also named Matthew, was an officer in the War of 1811-12 under command of Gen. Wm. H. Harrison, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel as a reward for conspicuous gal- Isntry. Col. Taylor was stationed for a time at Franklin, on the south side of the Scioto river, the county seat of Franklin County, Ohio, and during the winter he and an uncle (John Taylor) and Lyon Starling, laid off the site where now stands the city of Columbus, on the east bank of the Scioto, and here through their efforts and the active interest and co-operation of State Senator John MeKnight ( father-in-law of Col. Taylor) the State capital was subsequently located.
Dr. Taylor, the subject of this memoir, was the youngest of a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. The sons were in the order of their respective ages: John McKnight, Harvey Milton and Matthew Addison; the daughters, Rebecca, who became the wife of Jesse Cherry, and Elizabeth, who married William Watkins.
Col. Taylor upon retiring from military life en- saged in the peaceful pursuits of milling and firming. He died December 28, 1832. His widow, s lady of great force of character and deep piety, survived him something more than six years, dying in March, 1839.
Dr. Taylor, thus left an orphan when nine years of age, went to live with his oldest sister, Mrs. Rebecca Cherry ; remained with her for two years ktil then Matthew Taylor (a second cousin of his faller, and uncle by marriage to the lad) having Wwen appointed guardian, he thereafter lived with tim at his home near Columbus. IIe had been
placed at school during his stay with his sister and his guardian also gave him the benefit of school advantages, entering him as a pupil in the district school, where he remained for two years and theu entered the high school conducted by the celebrated instructor, Rev. Mr. Covert, and two years later matriculated at the University of Oxford, Ohio, where he finished his literary education. In 1846, at the age of sixteen, he entered the office of his brother, Dr. Harvey Taylor, and commenced the study of medicine and, later, his brother being honored by a call to a position on the staff of Gen. Winfield Scott, studied under Dr. W. H. Howard, professor of surgery at Starling Medical College. To be a private pupil of Dr. Howard was a dis- tinction which gave additional stimulus to the student's ambition and he applied himself to the acquisition of knowledge with such zeal and inter- est that in a short time lie was pronounced suffi- ciently advanced to enter college, and accordingly, matriculated at Starling Medical College, and, after two courses of lectures, was graduated M. D. in 1849, at the age of nineteen years. He had shown such proficiency in his studies, especially in applied anatomy, that at the suggestion of his dis- tinguished preceptor, he was retained some months as prosector for the chair of surgery and to make dissections for the demonstrator. He then chose Logan, the county seat of Hocking County, Ohio, as a suitable field, and locating there about fifty miles from Columbus, opened an office and began the practice of his profession.
December 25th, 1851, Dr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe Lowe, daughter of Peter B. Lowe, formerly a prosperous merchant at Bond Brook, New Jersey.
The young doctor soon established a fine prac- tice; but, " alas, all things bright and fair must fade," the worm was already at the heart of the rose, the fell destroyer had marked his fair young bride for an early grave, and, seeing the hectic glow upon her check and noting the unmistakable in- dications of pulmonary consumption, he determined to make every effort in human power to save her. He closed up his business, and having investigated the elaiins of many so-called health resorts, deter- mined to come South in the hope that the genial air and the sunny skies of far-famed Texas would restore her to health, and in 1852 reached Galves-
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ton, but soon beeame convinced that the excessive humidity of the atmosphere there was prejudicial, removed to Austin. The outlook was anything but encouraging. In fact, the surroundings were such as to make a less courageous heart quail. A young man, a total stranger, with nothing but his profession to rely upon for support, in a remote village of fifteen hundred inhabitants, with an invalid wife, and no money! He was, however, undismayed, realized the necessity of providing food and raiment, shelter, and even luxuries, for his invalid wife and went to work at manual labor, at anything honorable, no matter how humble or how hard, that would supply their needs until the dawn of brighter days. In a year he was able to open an office and resume the practice of medicine and to purchase a small home, for cash. His wife presented him with a winsome little daughter two years after their arrival in the State. Her health rapidly deelined after that event, and in 1857, being attacked with pneumonia, she perished with the roses in the autumn of that year.
On the 27th of April, 1859, Dr. Taylor married Miss M. H. Millican (his present wife ) daughter of Capt. O. H. Milliean, a staunch Mississippi planter who had adopted the Lone Star State for his home. Two sons and four daughters were born . of this marriage, Edward H., born in 1860; Mary O., born in 1862, now the wife of James Howell Bunton, Esq., of Travis County, Texas ; Addison, who died at the age of eighteen months, born in 1864; Elizabeth, born in 1868, now the wife of John W. Phillips, Esq., of Austin; Laura, who died in infancy, born in 1871 ; and Daisee Belle, born in 1878.
The daughter by the first marriage, Harriett Ann, married Wm. A. Dixon, Esq., of St. Louis, a brother of Dr. Charles Dixon of that city. He was killed accidentally, five years after their marriage, and his widow now resides in Austin.
Dr. Taylor was largely instrumental in 1855 in bringing about the first organization of medieal men ever effected in Texas. With a few leading physicians, among whom the matter was often freely diseussed, he ealled a meeting of the practic- ing physicians of the State to be held at Austin. There were present a respectable number of repre- sentative men, and an organization was effected. Facilities for travel and intercommunication between the different parts of the State were few and dif- ficult at the time and the population much less dense than at present. Henee, for lack of sup- port, this laudable movement failed to accomplish the purposes intended. There were but two meet- ings of the organization hield before its practical
dissolution. Notwithstanding this diseouragement, Dr. Taylor insisted on keeping up the Travis County Medica! Society, the local organization of physicians, the first in the State. When the present Texas Medical Association was organized at Houston in June, 1869, he promptly joined it and has since been one of its most active and valuable members, making rich and varied contributions to its litera- ture, working for the enactment of needed legislation by the State Legislature, laboring for the mainte- nance of the dignity of the profession, and filling, at various times, important offices in the association. He served one term as first vice-president, and was nominated for president in 1875, and eame within one vote of being elected, althoughi he was not a candidate and knew nothing of the intention of his friends until afterwards informed of their action. He represented Texas in the American Medical Con- gress in 1876 and 1886; and was a delegate to the Ninth International Medieal Congress that met in Washington City in June of the latter year. He was one of the first movers in the direction of rail- road building in Texas and largely influenced by his means and advocacy the construction of the first road to Austin, the central tap-road to Hem- stead. He was also largely instrumental in the building of the Austin & North Western Railroad, and served for a time as its vice-president. He was the first man in Austin to urge the construc- tion of a dam across the Colorado. He has eon- tributed thousands and thousands of dollars to the building of railroads, churches and school houses. The causes of religion and education, the develop- ment of the country, and the promotion of the happiness and prosperity of the people have been kept near to his heart, and no man in Texas has worked more untiringly or zealously in these noble fields of effort.
Shortly after the founding of the State Asylum for Deaf Mutes at Austin, Dr. Taylor was ap- pointed one of the trustees of that institution by Governor Sam Houston. He was also made visit- ing physician to the Blind Institute. Governor E. J. Davis, after the war between the States, made him one of the Board of Managers of the Insane Asylum and he was unanimously chosen president of that board. Ile was also a member of the Board of University Regents and filled this and other posi- tions of trust until the time of Governor Coke's ad- ministration. His services in these capacities were invaluable. Under the law, as it existed when he entered upon his duties as one of the University regents, the University lands, of which the Univer- sity fund of Texas mainly consists, were on the market and being sold for $1.50 per aerc. No one
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