USA > Texas > Indian wars and pioneers of Texas, Vol. I > Part 64
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L. W. GOODRICHI.
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stitutional Convention of 1875 and Judge of the Major of Cavalry. Judge McLean is a Royal Arch Fifth Judicial District from 1884 to 1888 and in 1891 Mason and a member of the Knights of Honor. He was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Batte. They have eight children: Annie, Ida, Thomas Rusk, Jefferson Davis, William Pinkney, Maggie, John Howell, and Bessie. was appointed by Governor James S. Hogg a mem- ber of the State Railroad Commission, a position which he held until October, 1894, when he tendered his resignation in order to resume the practice of bis profession at Fort Worth, where he now resides and is a member of the law firm of Humphreys & McLean.
At the beginning of the war between the States he resigned his seat in the Texas Legislature and en- listed in the Confederate army as a private in Com- pany D., Nineteenth Texas Infantry, and, owing to gallant and efficient service, was soon made Adjutant of the regiment and later Adjutant-General of the Third Brigade, Walker's Division, with the rank of
Judge McLean has been an active Democratic worker and has often canvassed for the principles and nominces of his party. He made an enviable record as asoldier, member of the Legislature, mem- ber of Congress, member of the Constitutional Convention, District Judge and member of the State Railroad Commission, and is a man of uncom- mon ability and learning. As a lawyer he has few equals at the bar and few men have a wider circle of friends.
L. W. GOODRICH,
WACO.
Honorable L. W. Goodrich was born May 31, 1836, in Loraine County, Ohio. His parents cmi- grated from Massachusetts to Ohio in 1833, and in 1845 moved back to the former State, and Pittsfield, Mass., became the permanent home of the family. The subject of our sketch attended school in Pittsfield at various times until 1854, at which time he entered Norwich University, Vt, where he pursued the studies included in the scientific course of that institution until 1855, when he returned to his home at Pittsfield. The following May he went to Chicago and from there to Wisconsin, where he was employed as civil engineer and surveyor. He later followed the same occupation in Illinois.
In the fall of 1859 he came overland, on horse- back, through Missouri and Arkansas to Texas. Locating in Brown County, on the very outskirts of civilization, he began teaching school, and in 1860 was elected District Surveyor of that district. At the commencement of the war between the States he joined what was afterwards known as McCulloch's regiment and was with the force that took possession of the military posts on the Texas frontier in February, 1861. Shortly afterwards the command was organized into a regiment under a commission issued by the Confederate government to Ben McCulloch. Henry McCulloch beenmne Colonel of the regiment and T. C. Frost, Lieutenant- Colonel. The command of the regiment sub-
sequently devolved on the latter, and by him the subject of this notice was appointed Adjutant. In 1863, Judge Goodrich became Captain of Company G., Thirtieth Texas Cavalry, and in that capacity served in Texas, Arkansas and the Indian Terri- tory, until the close of hostilities. Although wounded, he passed through the fiery ordeal without sustaining permanent injury.
Immediately after the closc of the war he engaged in school teaching at Robinson, McLen- nan County, and also took up the study of law, which he prosecuted with diligence. He was admitted to practice by the District Court at Waco in May, 1866, and since that time has followed bis profession in McLennan and Falls counties. In June, 1890, he was appointed Judge of the Nine- tecntli District and in November of the same year was elected to that position, and has since contin- nously held that office. He was admitted to prac- tice in the Supreme Court of Texas in 1871, and in the Supreme Court of the United States in 1875, and has appeared in both courts in some of the most important civil suits, involving titles to land, that have arisen in the section of the State in which he resides.
He was married in February, 1869, to Miss Alice Battle, daughter of Judge N. W. Battle, and has eight children : Frank Battle, now in the employ- ment of the Texas Central Railway Co., as civil
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engineer ; Abigail, Nick Whitney, Maria, Mary, Alice, Levi, and Thomas E.
The family name of Goodrich, formerly Goodric or Godrie, is Saxon, and some members of the family, particularly S. G. Goodrich, known to the children of the last generation as Peter Parley and to all lovers of good literature as the author of the inimitable " Recollections of A Life Time," have inerested themselves in tracing the history of the family. Briefly stated it is as follows: Three brothers of the name left England in Cromwell's time and came to the American colonies, where they
settled, one in New England, one in Virginia, and one iu South Carolina. Their deeendants are numerous and widely scattered. Like many of the families that found homes in New England at that period, the Goodrich family were not Puritans and unlike many families that came to this country then, they did not return to England after the restoration in 1688.
On the bench Judge Goodrich is very careful . and painstaking in the trial of causes, and is an able lawyer; his rulings are very seldom re- versed.
JOHN H. TRAYLOR,
DALLAS.
John Henry Traylor was born at Traylorsville, Henry County, Va., March 27, 1839. His ancestors were of French Huguenot extraetion, and the first of the name in the Colony of Virginia of which the records make mention, was William Traylor, who was called a " planter " and was licensed to wed in Henrico County, December, 1695. Peter Jones, from whom Petersburg, Va., derived its name, was surety on his marriage bond. He had a grant of about 3,000 acres of land from the Crown, situated just opposite to the present site of the eity of Peters- burg, on the north side of the Appomatox river, in that part of Henrico, which is now Chesterfield County. His grandson, Humphrey Traylor, was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketeh, and was an active participant in the Revolutionary War, and died in Diniwiddie County, Va., in 1802.
The grandfather of John HI. Traylor was Rev. John C. Traylor, who was born in Henrico County, Va., in 1788. He was licensed an elder in the M. E. Church by Bishop MeKendre, at Lynchburg, Va., in 1815 ; he led an exemplary and useful life, dying in Troup County, Ga., in 1856.
The father of John H. Traylor was Robert B. Traylor, who was a Southern planter, and took an active interest in all public and political questions. was a member of the Georgia Legislature at seventy- five years of age, and died in Troup County, Ga., in 1893.
Jno. H. Traylor was reared and educated in Tromp County, Ga., where the family is prominent nia. He enlisted in Company B., Fourth Georgia Regiment, in 1861, and served during the
entire war in the army of Northern Virginia, and was in all the prominent battles in Virginia, Mary- land and Pennsylvania. He was wounded at the battles of Warrenton, Spottsylvania Court House and Chancellorsville. He was wounded in the lat- ter battle, and his only brother killed, on Saturday evening, May 2, 1863, near the same time and place where Stonewall Jackson received his death-wound. He was with Jackson during the entire day, in the capacity of sharpshooter and scout, and was in a few yards of him when he was shot. Later on he was appointed Quartermaster of the ordnance of of Gen. Early's corps. He came to Texas in 1867, and located at Jefferson, where he followed mer- chandising. He was married to Miss Pauline Lockett in 1969, and removed to Granbury, in Hood County, in 1871, where he engaged in selling and locating lands till 1875. He surveyed many thou- sand aeres in Hood, Parker, Palo Pinto and more western counties, often coming in dangerous prox- imity to the Comanche and Kiowa Indians, who visited these frontier counties monthly in quest of horses, which were disposed of at Fort Sill, and more northern frontier posts. These savages usually made their raids in the light of the moon. and their monthly visits were not considered doubt- ful ; hence, the surveyors took the precaution to have early supper and remove a mile or so from their camp-fire, and lariat their horses, and sleep in some retired spot, every one being at all times armed. Mr. Traylor was elected Sheriff and Tax Collector of Hood County, February, 1876, under the new Constitution and re-elected in November, 1878.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
In November, 1881, he was elected to the Seven- teenth Legislature, from the counties of Hood, Som- ervell and Bosque. Although a new member he was an active and efficient legislator and is said to have introduced and passed more bills than any other member, save one.
He was the author of the bill " providing for designating and setting apart three hundred leagues of land out of the unappropriated public domain for the benefit of the unorganized counties of the State, and to provide for the survey and location of the same " (see H. J., p. 128 q.); also bills regu- lating sheriffs' fees, tax sales, etc.
At the extra session of 1882, he was the chairman of the sub-committee of senatorial and represent- ative districts in the re-apportionment of the State, and did much arduous labor in this work. He also introduced and passed bills to amend the law reducing the maximum rate of passenger-fare from five to three cents per mile (see H. J., p. 5, 1882), and the " act to repeal all laws granting land or land-certificates to any person, firm or corpora- tion or company for the construction of railroads, canals and ditches." (See H. J., p. 22, Act 1882. )
In November, 1883, he was elected by a large majority to the Senate from the Thirtieth Senatorial District, composed of the counties of IIood, Somer- vell, Bosque, Erath and Palo Pinto.
He was well posted in land matters and the Senate journals will show that his knowledge was very thorough in shaping land legislation, which, with its various features of sale, lease and other dispo- sition, was the great and perplexing question of the day. The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Legisla- tures permanently adjusted these, and all collateral questions.
There being no provision for paying officers' fees in felony cases unless conviction was bad, Mr. Traylor contended that the result was a lax enforce- ment of the criminal laws, and, hence, introduced and passed a bill providing for the payment of fees to county and district officers in felony cases (see S. J., p. 16, 1883); also a bill providing for the payment of attached witnesses in felony cases (see S. J., 1883, p. 46).
He was very active and efficient in questions per- taining to school and public lands, public roads, penitentiaries, officials' fees, the new capitol, the State finances, and all matters relating to the ad- ministration of the State government. He opposed with great carnestness and success the fifteen-year lease of the penitentiary convicts entered into by the administration.
Just before the extra session met in 1884 to prevent, or rather, quell, the war between the pas-
ture men and the fence-cutters, he published an interview outlining the conditions of adjustment, which was copied by the papers throughout the State, and practically enacted into law during the extra session. This was probably the most difficult question that ever confronted the Legislature, as it involved unlawful feneing and its penalties, herd- ing, line-riding, the lease and sale of the school and public lands, public roads, free grass, fence- cutting and the penalties, and the grazing of sheep, cattle and horses on the State's lands, or the lands of another person. After a long and bitter contest in both houses and between the two houses, the whole question was settled on February 5th, 1884, by the second Free Conference Committee, com- posed of Jno. H. Traylor and John Young Gooch. on the part of the Senate, and A. T. Mckinney and A. M. Taylor on the part of the House (see S. J., p. 118).
He was. Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate in the Nineteenth Legislature, and left his impress on most of the important legislation during that time, especially those measures pertaining to the appropriations for the State government. He was author of the act " to provide for the issuanee. and sale of the bonds of the State to supply the deficiencies in the revenue" (see S. J. 1885, p. 42); also an act "to provide for the correction and revision of the abstract of located, patented and titled lands, (see S. J. 1885, p. 97), and sev- eral other less important measures. He served two years in the House and four in the Senate, where he made a State-wide reputation as a wise, prudent and far-seeing legislator. His recognized ability se- cured him important positions on the various Legis- lative Committees, and since retiring from public life, his name has often received favorable mention for various State offices, including chief executive.
Mr. Traylor has much of the character of the Virginian of fifty years ago in his composition. Hle has a profound sense of the importance of some counteracting agency to the inordinate desire for accumulating and laying up treasure; this danger- ous tendency of the age he believes if allowed to prevail, will make our people degenerate, will sover the moral ties which unite us to our forefathers, and take away all zest from the contemplation of the great performances achieved by them. Ile is a member of the Virginia Historical Society, has traveled much in the United States and Europe and is very fond of the antiquated and historical. Ile is now a successful business man of Dallas, well and widely known for his good practical sense and his association with commercial and benevolent movements.
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INDLIN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
R. B. PARROTT,
WACO.
R. B. Parrott was born in Amherst County, Va., in October, 1848. His father, William J. Parrott, died in 1893. His mother, nee Miss Jane C. Blanks, was a niece of the founder of the Smith- sonian Institute.
Mr. Parrott entered the University of Virginia before he was fourteen years of age, and was the youngest student who ever matriculated at that great college, before or since. When the war came on he ran away from college, having been there only six months, joined the Southern troops under Col. Mosby and served through the war as a non-commissioned officer. December 24, 1864, he was captured and taken to Boston Harbor, where he was kept in confinement with Hon. Alex. H. Stephens. He was released June 16, 1865.
After the war be returned to Virginia and engaged with a large commission house in Rich- mond, in which he was "on 'change." He was the youngest man on 'change in the city and car- ried off first premium on best sales every year that he was there. In 1872, he came to Texas and set- tled in Waco and at once identified himself with the interests of that eity and of the State. He embarked in the insurance business, which he has successfully continued. He is now the general manager for Texas, Arkansas and the Pacific Slope of the Provident Savings Life Insurance Company of New York. While in California he projected the novel and effective scheme for advertising Texas land by moving-cars. He was largely instru- mental in causing the organization of the Texas and Real-Estate Association, he having first sug- gested and urged the organization before the Waco Board of Trade, of which he is president. He is also president of the Provident Investment Company which owns a valuable suburban addition to the city. He has been honored by the bishop of the diocese by appointment as one of the trustees of the University of the South, at Sewanee, Tenn. During the World's Fair he filled the position of chairman of the Texas World's Fair Committee. It was through his influence that the Provident Savings Life Insurance Co. erected in Waco one of the most complete and magnificent office buildings in the South. He has always taken an active interest in the cause of popular education. He was chairman of the School Committee of the city of Waco for a number of years and has done much
to bring the schools up to their present state of efficiency. The nearest approach to a political office he ever consented to accept was a position on Governor Hubbard's staff, with the rank of Col- onel.
Owing to his efforts and those of S. W. Slayden and others, a splendid natatorium was built in Waco, one of the first, if not the first, constructed in Texas. It is located on Fourth street, near the Pacific Hotel, and cost $75,000.
Col. Parrott was united in marriage, June. 12, 1873, to Miss Alice Farmer Downs, the accomplished daughter of W. W. Downs. They reside at the old homestead of Maj. Downs, a beautiful and historic home on South Third street. Their union has been blessed with six children: Charles B., Rosa, Allee, Robert B., Jr., Willie, and Lillian. Rosa died at the age of three years.
Col. Parrott is a member of the Masonic, Elks and Knights of Pythias fraternities.
During the Hogg-Clark campaign he championcd the cause of George Clark and was indefatigable in his efforts to secure his nomination and then to elect him. He was called unanimously to the leadership of the Prohibition forces and the work accomplished by him shows how well he discharged the duties of the trust confided to him.
Few men have contributed more to the pros- perity of Texas, and especially of Waco, than Col. Parrott. His great efforts have been to introduce into the State a cheaper system of life insurance than that of the old hnes, which drained the State of money. After years of struggle against bitter opposition and obstacles that would have erushed a less resolute man, he has been eminently successful and has saved millions of dollars to the people and has greatly aided in advancing the material pros- perity and development of the State.
A pleasing phase of Col. Parrott's work in Texas, is its pure disinterestedness. He has no political aspirations and there is no official position which he could be induced to accept. He is a man of fine physique, dignified in his bearing and pleasing in address. He is broad and cosmopolitan in his views and strong in his advocacy of what he be- licves to be right. He stands high in the estima- tion of the people of the State aud of the city in which he dwells.
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R. B. PARROTT.
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WALTER GRESHAM.
INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
349
WALTER GRESHAM,
GALVESTON.
Walter Gresham, ex-member of the Texas Leg- islature, ex-member of Congress and a widely known lawyer and financier, was born in King and Queen County, Va. Although very young at the com- mencement of the war, he enlisted as a soldier in Lee's Rangers, commanded by Gen. W. H. F. Lee, son of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and afterwards served in Company II., Twenty-fourth Virginia Cavalry, and other regiments. Ile fought under Gen. Jeb Stewart ; was with Stonewall Jackson in 1862; took part in most of the battles fought by the army of Northern Virginia, and, at last, stood with the devoted band that surrendered with Lee at Appo- matox. The Secretary of War of the Confederate States gave him permission to complete his educa- tion at the University of Virginia. In the summer of 1863 he graduated from the law department of that institution, and the following summer rejoined his command in the field. His grandfather, Thomas Gresham, was a noted lawyer of Essex County, Va. His father, Edward Gresham, studied law and pro- cured lieense ; but, possessing a large estate that required much of his attention, and not being dependent upon bis labors at the bar, never regu- larly practiced his profession. As a result of the war, Edward Gresham's fortune was swept away. Nothing disheartened by the changed prospect that lay before him, Walter Gresham determined to move to Texas. He landed at Galveston on the last day of the year 1866 with only $5.00 in his poekets ; rented an office and began the practice of law. His early days were a hard struggle ; but, talent is never without appreciation in an intelli- gent community, when conjoined with other ele- ments of character essential to success, and his rise at the bar was rapid. He was elected to the responsible position of District Attorney for Galveston and Brazoria counties in 1872, served three years, and left the office with an excellent record. Early in his professional career Mr. Gresham was admitted to partnership with Col. Walter L. Mann and maintained this relation until Col. Mann's death in 1875. He then practiced alone until 1878, when he formed a eopartnership with S. W. Jones, Esq., the firm now being Gresham & Jones. Up to 1877 Mr. Gresham en- joyed, perhaps, a better paying practice than any other lawyer in Texas. At that time his financial interests became so large and began to demand so
mueli of his time that he, in a measure, abandoned eourt room practice and has since, while continuing the pursuit of his profession, mainly devoted his attention to other business.
From the organization of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad to the date of its sale to the Atchison, Topeka aud Santa Fe, he was a stock- holder and director in and attorney for the road and served for a time as its Second Vice-President. In the infancy of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe he was the main man in the field, selecting routes, se- curing right of way, locating towns and mapping out and superintending other important business. When this railway was sold it had over 1,000 miles of track, was well equipped and was one of the best pieces of railway property in the country. Mr. Gresham is now one of the promoters of a number of new railway enterprises of great magni- tude and that will, if successfully inaugurated, greatly enhance the prosperity of Texas.
He represented Galveston at the Deep Water Convention held at Fort Worth in 1888; was a del- egate to the Denver, Colo., Convention, held later in the same year, and was, also, a delegate to the Deep Water Convention held at Topeka, Kan., in 1889. He was made Chairman of the Special Committee, appointed by the Topeka Convention to go to Washington and work to secure favorable action on the part of the National Congress, looking to the speedy creation of a deep-water harbor at the most available point on the Texas coast. He was indefatigable in his efforts and sueceeded in having an amendment added to the River and Har- bor Bill that was passed by the Fifty-first Congress, authorizing the Secretary of War to enter into con- traets for the completion of the work (estimated to cost $6.200,000) necessary to give Galveston one of the finest harbors on the American sea-board. Hle has been an active participant in every move- ment looking to the up-building of the interests of that city and that promised to speed Texas on to the achievement of the proud destiny that awaits her - to the time when she will stand foremost in the sisterhood of States.
Hle represented Galveston in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Legislatures and the Sixty-fourth Dis- trict (Galveston and Brazoria counties), in the Twenty-second Legislature and in those bodies was Chairman of the Committee on Finance and a mem-
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ber of Judiciary Committee No. 1, and the Com- mittee on Internal Improvements, committees that dispatched at least four-fifths of the business trans- acted by the House of Representatives. His appointment to the chairmanship of the House Finance Committee in the Twentieth Legislature (being then a new member) was a recognition of his abilities as high as it was unexpected and well merited. He performed the important duties of that position so acceptably that he was retained as Chairman during his two subsequent terms as a member of the House. The medical branch of the State University had been located at Galveston by popular vote, but no appropriation had been made to give practical effect to the will of all the people as expressed at the polls.
In the Twentieth Legislature Mr. Gresham intro- dneed and, after a desperate parliamentary fight, secured the passage of an act making the necessary appropriations. Ile took an active part in the deliberations of the three legislatures of which he was a member and was recognized as a man of great and varied abilities. Two of the most im- portant provisions contained in the Railroad Com- mission Bill enacted by the Twenty-second Legisla- tures were drafted by him and introduced as amend-
ments. One provides for fixed rates, with a view to preventing useless cutting, and the other permits more to be charged for a short than a long haul, when necessary to prevent manifest injustice.
The splendid record that he made in the Legisla- ture led to his nomination and election to Congress by the Demoeraey of the Tenth District, composed of nine counties, in 1892. In that position he added newer and brighter laurels to those that he had already won. He at once took a position in the National House of Representatives, seldom accorded to any new member.
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