USA > Texas > Indian wars and pioneers of Texas, Vol. I > Part 65
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October 28, 1868, he was united in marriage, at Galveston, to Miss Josephine C. Mann, daughter of Col. William Mann, one of the early settlers of Corpus Christi. Mr. and Mrs. Gresham have seven children: Essie, wife of W. B. Lockhart, County Judge of Galveston County; Walter, Jr. ; Jose- phine, T. Dew, Frank, Buelah, and Philip. Mr. Gresham. although engaged in the conduct of im- portant affairs, finds time to enjoy the pleasures of social life. Surrounded by a happy family, he has made his elegant home in the Oleander City famous not only for its great architectural beauty, but the refined and generous hospitality dispensed within its walls.
MARCUS D. HERRING,
WACO.
Mareus D. Herring, one of the foremost and best known of the lawyers who grace the Texas bar, was born in Holmes County, Miss., Oetober 11, 1828, and was reared on a farm. He attended the Judson Institute at Middleton, Miss., and from that institution went to Centenary College, Jack- son, La., in 1845, entering the junior class in languages and the sophomore class in mathematics. After returning home he taught school, studied law, was admitted to the bar and located at Shreve- port, La. When he reached that place he had but five dollars. Nevertheless, he was by no means discouraged, and set resolutely to work to force his way to the front.
llis first success was in the delivery of a speech at a Democratie rally that took his auditors by storm, resulted in bringing him several clients and paved the way for a lucrative practice. In a short time he purchased a half interest in the Caddo
Gazette, the leading paper of the place, and con- dueted it one year under the firm name of Herring & Reeves.
In 1850 Mr. Herring moved to Shelbyville, Texas, where he practiced law until 1853, going from there to Austin, where he was elected First Assistant Sceretary of the Senate, serving in that capacity during one session of the Legislature. In the spring of 1854 he located in Waco. There he was at first in partnership with J. W. Nowlin (who was killed at Ft. Donelson) and later was a mem- ber of the firm of Herring & Farmer; Herring & Anderson ; Coke, Herring & Anderson; Herring, Anderson & Kelley, and at this writing is asso- ciated with Mr. Kelley, under the firm name of Herring & Kelley.
Mr. Herring is a prominent member of the I. O. O. F., having identified himself with that fraternity at San Augustine, Texas, in July, 1851.
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He took all the degrees, by dispensation, on that occasion, and the following work organized a sub- ordinate lodge as Shelbyville and was elected First Noble Grand. He has gone through the chairs of the Grand Lodge of Texas, served as Grand Master in 1871, and in 1875 was elected representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge, remaining a member for ten consecutive years, the most of that time being Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He would have been continued a member from Texas in that Grand Body by acclamation, as he had been returned after his first election in 1575, but posi- tively declined, giving as his reason that he intended to devote all the time he could apare from his pro- fessional engagements, to the establishment of a Widows' and Orphans' Home. The Texas Odd Fellow, of July, 1895, speaking of him in this eonneetion, says: " In 1885 he voluntarily retired, but was again elected at Warn in 1894, and is now one of our Grand Representatives.
" In the sovereign body, and in the Grand Lodge at home, his fertile brain has improved itself upon our legislation, many of our wisent and most whole- some laws emanating from his peu. The crowning glory with him, however, is in the fact that he was the prime mover in the matter of establishing a Widows' and Orphans' Home In Texas. He was the author of the first resolution introdneed on the subject, was chairman of the special committee which drafted the plan, wrote the report, and ear- ried it through the Grand Lodge amid the greatest enthusiasm. At critical moments, In the history of that institution, he has been found at his post, never faltering, never wavering, but ready at all times to break a lance with any one who attacked the objeet of his love. He even went at his own expense to the meeting of the Sovereign Grand Lodge at St. Louis, to press and worl. for legislation which would enable the Grand Lodge to provide for ample revenue with which to support the Home. His mis- sion was partially successful, but he continued his efforts until, at the last meeting of the sovereign body, in Chattanooga, the principle was clearly laid down that grand jurisdictions have the right to
assess their subordinates for support of widows' and orphans' homes. For this end he had labored for years, and the result was most gratifying. It is now believed that the important question of maintaining the Home has been solved, and that *every doubt in regard to its triumphant suecess has been dispelled. Others have nobly assisted in this grand work, but Bro. Herring will be accorded the chief credit by all."
Mr. Herring was married in Waeo, Texas, Octo- ber 7, 1856, to Miss Alice G. Douglass, of Sumner County, Tenn. Four children were born of this union : Wm. Douglass, Joseph W., ( died in infancy ) ; Laura Belle, now the wife of W. H, Bagby, and Marcus D., Jr.
Soon after the beginning of the war between the States, Mr. Herring enlisted as a private soldier in one of the first volunteer companies organized in Texas for Confederate serviee, and was soon after promoted to the rank of Captain. He served three years and nine months in the field, in the Trans- Mississippi department. He aeted as Major and Lieutenant-Colonel of his regiment the latter two years of the war, and a part of that time was in com- mand. The contest for his rank, on appeal from Gen. E. Kirby Smith, was pending at Richmond, Va., when the war ended.
At the elose of the war he returned to Waeo and again resumed the practice of his profession, which he has continued since with eminent suceess, his practice extending to all parts of the State. He has especially distinguished himself in land litigation and as a criminal lawyer.
Mr. Herring possesses great energy, perseverance and will-power, and it might be said that when he has an important ease he never sleeps. As an advocate he is able, earnest and eonvineing. His language is easy, elaste and winning.
In private life he is kind-hearted and benevolent. He is one of the brightest ornaments that adorn his profession in this State, and there are few eases of any importance tried in his seetion in which he is not retained as leading counsel.
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DANIEL LANDES,
GALVESTON.
Daniel Landes was born in Botetourt County, Va., July 4th, 1804, and was reared in Muhlen- berg County, Ky., whither his parents moved and settled early in the present century. He subse- quently settled in Trigg County in that State, where he married Adeline Il. Thompson and en- gaged in the mercantile business at the little town of Cadiz. Later he turned bis attention to farm- ing, became sheriff of Trigg County, represented that county in the Legislature and finally, in 1851, to better his condition, sold out and came to Texas. He was accompanied to this State by one of his old neighbors, named Batteau, both settling in Washington County. The caravan in which they came was made up of their families and slaves and wagons loaded with a considerable part of their household effects.
The route followed was the usual line of travel, extending through Western Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, and Central and Western Arkansas ; strik- ing Texas not far from the present city of Texar- kana. "The time occupied in making the journey was forty-eight days. Mr. Landes settled on a farm between Chappell Hill and Brenham, where he soon took a prominent place in the community and engaged successfully in agricultural pursuits. Having been active in public matters in Kentucky, he at once interested himself in such matters in his new home. He-signed the first call ever made for a meeting of the people to take action in the matter of building a railroad in Texas, this move- ment orignating in Washington County and finally leading to the building of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. He was identified with the move- ment in its earlier stages, advocated and worked for the success of the enterprise and was chairman of the general convention which met at Houston and took the first decisive steps toward the construction of the road. In this connection it may be remarked that the Houston and Texas Central Railroad was originally chartered by act of the Legislature at its second session after annexation, March 11th, 1848, under the name of the Galveston and Red River Railroad; but it was not until 1853 that the build- ing of the road actually began. The intention, at first, was to begin at Galveston and build north- ward to the settlements on Red river; but a number of enterprising gentlemen, of whom Mr. Landes was one, conceived the idea of deflecting
the road from its northward course and construct- ing it westward through the then rich and populous county of Washington, hence the railroad move- ment just referred to and the convention at Hous- ton over which he was called to preside. As the presiding officer of that convention Col. Landes gave the casting vote, whereby the town of Houston was made the initial point, instead of Galveston, his reason for this action being that since Houston was at the head of tidewater on Buffalo bayou, it could be easily reached with vessels of light draft, and the proprietors of the road would thus be saved the cost of constructing and operating fifty miles of road --- a considerable item in the then primitive condition of railway development in Texas. The building of the road was begun at Houston in 1853, the name being changed from the Galveston and Red River Railroad to the Houston & Texas Central by act of the Legislature September 1st, 1856.
At the opening of the late war Mr. Landes mani- festcd great interest in the secession movement and advocated and believed thoroughly in it ; but, being past the age for military duty, was never under arms. As was the case with many of his neigh- bors, he lost nearly all of his possessions by the war, including bis slaves, after which he practically retired from all active pursuits, and spent the remainder of his life among his children. He con- tinued, however, to take an active interest in politics and attended almost every Democratic Convention which met in Austin County for the next twenty- five years, he having moved across the line from Washington to Austin County in 1858. He was also a delegate to many Congressional and State Conventions, and was once a delegate to a National Convention, that of the Southern wing of the Democratic party which mnet at Charleston, S. C., in 1860, and adjourned to Baltimore, Md., where Breckenridge and Lane were nominated as secession candidates for the presidency and vice- presidency. The last State Convention which Mr. Landes attended was that of 1886, which met at Galveston. He was present in the interest of his old friend, Col. D. C. Giddings, of Brenham, who was defeated for the nomination for Governor by Gen. L. S. Ross.
Mr. Landes was a life-long Democrat, and never belonged to any organization, secular or religious,
Henry A. Landes
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INDLIN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
other than that party. His religion was that of the nineteenth century: an abiding faith in the principles of morality. He was a man of good general information. He had enjoyed very limited educational advantages in his younger days, but possessed a well developed faculty of observation and a retentive memory, and was a good talker, and thus made an agreeable companion, and a ready and forcible speaker on public occasion. He always delighted to associate with his kind, and this disposition led to his ever keeping himself in touch with the progress of things around him and to his preserving an even temper to a serene old age. He
died June 16th, 1893, and was buried at Bell- ville, in Austin County, where he had previously purchased ground and made suitable preparation for his last-resting place. His widow still sur- vives him, being now in her eighty-second year. She makes her honic with her son, Henry A. Landes, at Galveston. Mr. Landes had three sons and one daughter ; Charles : who, went from Ken- tucky to Louisiana and died there at about the age of twenty-five ; S. Kate, now Mrs. J. E. Wallis, of Galveston; James E., residing now in Austin County, this State; and Henry A., of Galves- ton.
H. A. LANDES,
GALVESTON.
Henry A. Landes, a representative business man of Galveston, son of Daniel Landes, an old Texian whose biography appears elsewhere in this work, was born in Trigg County, Ky., on the 3d day of June, 1844. He was reared mainly in Washington County, Texas, where his parents settled in 1851, receiving his education at Soule University, at Chappel Hill, in that county. At the age of seven- teen he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in a Company commanded by Capt. John C. Wallis, Ellmore's Regiment, Twentieth Texas Infantry, with which he served on Galveston Island and in that vicinity during the entire period of the war. He participated in the battle of Galveston; but, with the exception of this engagement, saw very little active service. He was Orderly Sergeant of his company at the time of the surrender. After the war Mr. Landes went to Austin County, but in the fall of 1865 was induced by his old friend and com- rade Capt. John C. Wallis, to join him and his brother, Joseph E. Wallis, and engage in the mer- cantile business at Galveston. The house of Wal- lis, Landes & Co., was established that year, and from the start took rank among the foremost mer- cantile concerns in the city. On May 9th, 1872, Mr. John C. Wallis died, after which his interest was withdrawn, but the business was continued under the original name. The members of the finn now are Joseph E. Wallis, Henry A. Landes und Charles L. Wallis. The house is financially one of the strongest business firms in Texas and has for the past thirty years been identified with
the commercial growth of Galveston .. It is known to be a most liberal supporter of all publie enter- prises and its members give their personal aid to every movement which in their judgment will tend to stimulate industry or to promote the publie good. As a member of the firm and as an individual Mr. Landes has been among the foremost in rendering such aid. He was one of the organizers of the Island City Real Estate and Homestead Associa- tion which was set on foot in 1867 and was one of the first associations of the kind in the State, being succeeded by the present Island City Savings Bank. He was one of the originators of the Gulf Loan and Homestead Company of which he was a director and vice-president, an association which had a prosperous career of twenty years ; and he is now 3, director in the People's Loan and Homestead Company, and in the Galveston Improvement and Loan Company, and is vice-president of the Gal- veston National Bank. He has been a member of the Board of Education of the Galveston public schools for the past eight years, but has never filled any political office, having confined himself strictly to business pursuits.
In 1872, Mr. Landes married Miss Mary Eliza- beth Lockhart, a native of Washington County, Texas, and a daughter of Dr. John W. Lockhart, an old settler of Washington County, now resident in Galveston. The issue of this union has been a daughter, Elmina, now Mrs. E. A. Hawkins, and two sons, Daniel and Browning.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
SAMUEL L. ALLEN,
HOUSTON.
Samuel Louis, second son of Roland and Sarah (Chapman) Allen was born in 1808, in the village of Canasarcaugh, Madison County, N. Y. He has done much for Texas and the city in which he lives and no man in Houston is more highly respected and honored by his fellow-citizens. He has labored through many years, during the progress of which he has overcome many vicissitudes and has made of his life a successful one in the broadest and truest sense of the word. It is to be supposed that in such a long career he met with trials and reverses and had his periods of despondency and doubt. " Who," as a wise philosopher has said, " that has lived long enough in the world to know ' that man is born to trouble as the sparks to fly upward,' but has felt a sinking of spirit and prostration of energy, bodily and mentally, before he has become acclimated, as it were, to new and trying circumstances in which God in His providence has placed him from time to time ?- When the strong can no longer boast of their strength, nor the wise of their wisdom."
Such periods as these, however, were few and far between with him and were scarcely more than of momentary duration. Of a strong and clear in- tellectuality and an enterprising, courageous and in- domitable spirit, he rose to the necessities of each emergency and by sheer force of resolution trampled difficulties under foot and carried his plans into final and successful execution.
An incident that occurred when he was three years of age would seem to have indicated that he was born to accomplish a mission of usefulness in the world. The circumstances that attended it are yet indelibly impressed upon the tablets of his mem- ory. An older boy, an apprentice to a tanner and currier of the village, took him to a pasture in the environments of the place and told him to remain near the fence while he (the apprentice) went in search of some horses his master had ordered him to drive in and promised that when these were procured they would have a nice ride back to town. Thereupon the thoughtless apprentice left the little fellow and galloped off. An apple tree loaded with fruit was near at hand. It forked close to the ground and Samo had little trouble in climbing high enough among the limbs to reach an apple. The field belonged to John Denny, an educated Indian, partly of white descent, a lawyer by profession, and an excellent citizen. Ilis residence was sit-
uated on a hillside and commanded a view of the pasturc. His wife was a woman of ungovernable . temper and the vindictive and cruel nature of an untamed savage, espied the child in the apple tree and ran to the pasture, jerked him to the ground, and with a blow knocked his teeth out, and then, insane with fury, gathered stones with which she continued to beat him until life had apparently left his body. Then, fearing the consequences that would accrue to her from the inhuman deed, she laid the body in a fence-corner, hoping that some- one would discover it. She then made her way back to her dwelling unobserved. These events occurred in the forenoon. She returned to the field at sundown, and further investigation con- vinced her that the child was really dead, she hastencd to the village and reported that she had found a dead child in her field and that the indica- tions were that it had been kicked and trampled to death by horses. No one suspected her guilt, and the body was brought to the home of the parents, where it was found that the spark of life yet lingered in the mangled form. Medical skill and careful nursing finally restored consciousness, and then the little fellow told, with circumstantial detail, all that had transpired. His parents and the people of the village were horror-stricken at the recital, deeply incensed and determined to have fitting punishment inflicted upon the woman. John Denny had been assiduous in his attentions from the day the child had been brought home. He was no less shocked by the disclosure than his neighbors and told them that the woman was in their hands to whip, torture, hang, or do with as they pleased, and continued to devote himself to the child, nursing him, amusing him and bringing him every little gift in his power. His great kind- ness to the boy and regard for the occurrence, finally mollified the parents and community, and out of regard for him nothing was done to the woman.
Samuel was finally restored to health and at twelve years of age was a fine, robust, manly boy. At this age he was sent to school for three months but was then taken home and put to work by his parents, who were in straitened circumstances, had a large family to rear and educate and had come to the conclusion that they could keep only one of their children, the oldest, A. C. Allen, at
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school at the time. This finally mortified Samuel and, after brooding over the matter, he told his par- ents that he was determined to go out into the world and try to make his own way in it, and asked his mother to give him money to start with. In reply he was told by her to go to his father. This he did and his father said to him: " My son, go out among my customers and collect the money you need." This did not suit the young man, as he knew from experience that the chances for raising funds in the way proposed were very slim and that the only probable result of following his father's advice would be to delay his departure. Resolving therefore to set off at once, he returned to his mother and asked her for his clothes. These she brought to him tied in a small bundle, and handed them to him together with several loaves of bread, saying : " Here, Sam, these will last you some time." He remained firm, however, refused the bread and taking a change of clothing, bade the family good-bye and walked out of the house and down the road. After proceeding some distance, be came to a halt not knowing which way to bend his steps, as he had no idea what to do or where to go. After reflecting for a few minutes, he picked up a stick and tossed it into the air, resolved to journey in whatever direction it might point on falling to the ground. It pointed toward Syracuse and he made his way to that place. Upor his arrival there he went to the canal and took passage on a boat bound for Lockport. He had no money with which to pay his passage, but had a vague idea that he could be of some assist- ance in running the boat, and settle the seore in that way before reaching his destination. With this hope he staid near the steersman and asked to be allowed to steer the vessel, a request that was granted by the man, who proved to be a good- natured fellow and seemed to take pleasure in showing him, and at the end of the first day he could manage the boat as well as his instructor. At Rochester the steersman stopped off and the youngster applied for and was given the place at a salary of $14 per month. He filled the position for six months, during which time he practiced the most rigid economy and then, longing to see the dear ones at home, he dressed himself in a hand- some new suit and returned to the old homestead with his pockets well filled with silver dollars. Hlis parents had not heard from him since the day of his departure, and upon again beholding him folded him to their bosoms and wept for joy. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Chittenango, New York, where his father established a trip- hammer business in which he employed a large
number of workmen. Samuel followed these men in their labors and soon learned to make all man- ner of edged tools, blacksmith's vises and screw- plates. At the age of twenty he went to Baldwinsville, N. Y., where he borrowed money, erected two handsome granite-trimmed, three-story brick business houses, purchased a large stock of goods and engaged in merchandising with William R. Baker as his clerk. He carried on the business for two years and then sold the goods and turned over the buildings to pay the money used in their construction. His brothers had been back from Texas several times and had given such glowing accounts of the country that he decided to try his future there. In due time he accordingly started for Texas in company with Mrs. Charlotte M. Allen, wife of his brother Augustus C. Allen ( who was then living at San Augustine, Texas), and Mr. Kelly, a friend of the family, and traveled by boat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and up Red river to Natchitoches and from that point to San Augus- tiue on horses purchased by him. The party reached Natchitoches on the fourth of July and were regaled by a sumptuous dinner prepared in honor of the occasion by the patriotie proprietor of the hotel at which they stopped. The vegetables served were large and fresh and the fruits and melons so delicious and so far superior to any grown in their home in New York, that they thought : "Verily, we have reached a paradise in this Southern clime." The desserts and wines were also excellent. Many patriotie toasts were proposed, responded to and drunk in flowing bumpers of champagne by the guests scated around the festal board. The stay of the party in Natchitoches was much enjoyed and long pleasantly remembered. The first day's ride from Natchitoches brought the travelers to Gaines' ferry on the Sabine river and the next to San Augustine. The two brothers soon moved to Natchitoches, where the subject of this memoir re- mained until September and then returned to New York to wind up certain business matters prepara- tory to establishing himself in Texas. He also de- sired to settle a little affair of the heart which was causing him some anxiety at the time. Business matters disposed of, he called upon his sweetheart and had an interview that resulted in terminating their courtship.
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