Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 102

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1128

USA > Texas > Dallas County > Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas > Part 102

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

833

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

imate result of years of devotion to the pro- fession.

Dr. Wandless is a native of Virginia, and is the fourth of a family of eleven children. His father was David Wandless, and his mother's maiden name was Bethell. They were both of English extraction, and were engaged in agricultural pursuits all their lives. They gave to each of their eleven children a good education, and thus be- queathed to them a legacy of greater value than gold.

2000222222

ILLIAM C. SICKLES, Dallas, Texas, who for many years was prominently identified with the business interests of Dallas, is now living a retired life. He is a native of the State of New York, born in the year 1840. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but during his youth they re- moved to Missouri, where he received a liberal education. His last school-days were spent in the city of New Orleans, where he enjoyed superior advantages. When he left the pur- suits of his youth and early manhood, he embarked in the mercantile trade in Louisi- ana, which he carried on until the breaking out of the Civil war. During the entire struggle he gave his services to the Southern Confederacy, and when hostilities ceased he resumed the occupations of civilization. He opened a sugar plantation in 1866, which he conducted until 1872. He then disposed of his interest and came to Texas, and after a brief sojourn there he selected Dallas as his future home. He at once engaged in the wholesale dry-goods business, and also carried a heavy line of groceries. As the city in- creased in population the business grew in volume, and finally became one of the lead- ing commercial interests. Mr. Sickles is a

man modest in his demeanor, strictly honest in all his dealings, and of a genial disposition which wins a friend and keeps him. He has inherited from his maternal ancestors. who were from Scotland, those sturdy traits of character that have been the backbone of much of our American civilization. As his means inereased he made investments in real estate, and erected many of the residence and business houses in Dallas. Some of these have been sold, and a portion retained. IIe built the spacious dwelling now occupied by Mr. C. Gibbs; this was planned for his own residence, and all the details were carried out perfectly ; but on account of the death of his wife soon after its completion he sold it. Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, but is liberal in his views ou all qnes- tions. He is one of the foremost thinkers of the State on the subject of political econ- omy, and his opinions carry weight wherever they find expression.

ILLIAM ENDERS, President of tire Dallas Club, and a traveling sales- man, representing the Simmons hard- ware establishment of St. Louis, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1851. His parents were Ilenry and Adelia (Jacobs) Enders, both natives of that State. The father was a dry- goods merchant for many years in Paducah, Kentucky, being the first to open in that line there. He was an old citizen well and favor- ably known, and a man of good business qualifications. He died in 1884, aged seventy years. His wife is still living, being seventy-eight years of age, in good health. She is an old settler, well-known and highly respected. They brought up a large family of children, of whom William, onr subject,

833

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

is the youngest, he has only three sisters living.

William Enders was educated in Lonis- ville, Kentucky, and then went into the hardware business for the company by whom he is still employed. This is the second firm he ever worked for, the other being the Shap- leigh Hardware Company, of St. Louis. He was with them seventeen years and with the present firm five years. He came in 1879 to Dallas, and has been here ever since, an honored citizen. He is a charter member of the Dallas Club; has been its President since March, 1892, and an officer since he was in it. As a citizen and a business man few persons in the city stands higher than the subject of this sketch.

B H. FISHER, a farmer and stock-raiser of precinct No. 1, Dallas county, was born in Barren county, Kentucky, in 1836, the fourth of eight children born to John and Margaret (Barbour) Fisher, also natives of Kentucky. The father was a farmer by occupation, and in 1842 they moved to Cole county, Missouri, and in 1844 to Polk county, Missouri, where he took up a claim. They made that county their home until 1866, when he moved to Dallas county, Texas, where his death occurred in 1872; he was born in 1804. His wife died in Polk county, Missouri, about 1851. Mr. Fisher took an active interest in the early history of Polk county, having assisted in organizing the county.

Our subject began farming in Polk county, Missouri, and during the war he lived in Moniteau county, same State. In 1866 he came to Dallas county, and the next year bought thirty-seven and a half acres of partly

improved laud, where he built a small box house. He has since added to this place until he now owns 250 acres, all of which is under a good state of cultivation, and in 1889 he erected a fine residence. About 1875 Mr. Fisher erected a gin, and has been engaged in ginning every year since. He raises a good grade of stock, and in addition to his other interests he is engaged in general farming.

Mr. Fisher was married in Hickory county, Missouri, April 5, 1860, to Eliza Inglis, a native of that county, and daughter of James and Eliza (Strain) Inglis, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively. The father was married in the latter State, and at a very early day moved to Cooper county, Missouri, and a few years later to Hickory county, where he settled among the Indians. He was a farmer and stock-raiser by occupa- tion, and his death occurred in Hickory county about 1844, and the mother survived him until 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have six children: John E., Margaret, Edna, wife of Kenneth Foree, an attorney of Dallas, Thomas, Wade Hampton and Omer. Politi- cally, Mr. Fisher is a Democrat, and both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.

J. NEWTON, a general contractor of Dallas, was born in Tarrant county, Texas, in 1862, a son of Anderson and Alsie (Dalton) Newton, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee. The parents were married in Kentucky, but moved at an early date to Missouri, and in 1851 to Dallas county, settling near Cedar Springs. The father took up a headright at Johnston's Station, Tarrant county, which he improved.

834

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

He is now a resident of West Dallas, having resided in this county since 1851.

The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life, and educated in the schools of Tar- rant connty. After his marriage he settled in Dallas county, and in 1885 he engaged in his present business, a contractor of ice, wood, railroad and street work. He employs an average of from twenty-five to 100 men, and his work is confined principally to Dallas city. Mr. Newton has always taken an aetive part in politics, voting with the Demo- cratic party, and is interested in every enter- prise for the good of his chosen city and county. Ile owns six good residences in Dallas, and a fine farm in Tarrant county.

He was married in the latter county, March 30, 1882, to Isabella Alford, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Robert H. and Elsie (Evans) Alford, natives of Tennessee.

ILLIAM J. KELLER, a wealthy capitalist and banker of Dallas county, is entitled to the space that has been aecorded him in this history of the sturdy pioneers who have bronght the country to its present advanced state of prosperity. Ile was born in Mississippi, June 28, 1832, and is a son of Jacob and Susan (Toole) Keller. The father was born on the Atlantic ocean while his parents were coming to America, whither they were being sent as missionaries. The mother of our subject was a Mississippian by birth. Jacob Keller be- came a prominent business man, and for many years was Treasurer of his county in Mississippi. He died of yellow fever in 1844. His wife passed away some time afterward. William J. received a limited education, and at an early age was apprenticed to learn the

printer's trade. For this purpose he went into the office of the Woodville ( Mississippi) Republican. He passed through all the successive steps of devil, compositor, editor, and proprietor. During the time that he was editor of the Republican the principles of the old Whig party were strongly sustained. The paper is still published, and is in its six- tieth volume.

When Mr. Keller retired from the editor- ship of the paper he began the banking busi- ness, which has since attained such an im- portant place in the commercial circles of the county. In 1875 he transferred his business to Dallas county, and with the eye of a true seer he beheld the future of the place. He at once began the construction of the street railway, which has developed into one of the most profitable enterprises of the city. He managed the line for ten years, and when he. had established the system on a paying basis he sold out his interest. He then invested his capital in the Merchants' and Bankers' National Bank of Dallas, and was elected the first president of the organization. He has brought to this corporation the experience of long years of active business life, and the naturally fine business qualifications for which he has won a wide reputation. The paid up capital is $500,000, and the directors are the most solid and reliable men of the county.

Mr. Keller was united in marriage, in 1854, to Miss Cornelia Angell, of Mississippi, and three children have been born to them: Edwin; Lucy, wife of R. B. Howard; and Henry W. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, having connected himself with it forty years ago. He is now president of the Board of Trustees. He has given freely of his time and means in carry- ing ont the various works of the church, and

835

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

has always supported those enterprises which tended to the general welfare. He has been a member of the City Council, and is now chairman of the Finance Committee. He owns one of the elegant residences on Ross avenne, where he is surrounded by his family and all the comforts that wealth and culture can bring.

B. JOHNSTON, a farmer and stock- raiser of Dallas county, was born in Shelby county, Illinois, November 16, 1848, the sixth of nine children born to Isaac P. and Thurza (Weaver) Johnston, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee. The father went to Shelby county. Illinois, when a young man, where he was married, and later, in 1854, came with his family to Dallas county, and died in this county in 1863; the mother, born in 1810, is still living, residing with her children. She is, as was her husband, a member of the Chris- tian Church. IIe was a Douglas Democrat. Of their nine children, eight are still living, viz .: Marion, of Farmers' Branch, Dallas county; Elizabeth, wife of M. De Frest, who resides on the old homestead; John A. and William L., who enlisted in this county, in Allison's company, which. was captured in February, 1863, and confined at Arkansas l'ost, where William L. died, at the age of eighteen years; Mary A., who married Jolin Warner, of Dallas county, and is deceased; H. B., the subject of this sketch; A. P., who resides in the West; Isaac W., who resides on part of the homestead; Senia H., wife of G. F. Banowsky, of Hamilton county, Texas.

The subject of this sketch was reared in Dallas county, and educated in the subscrip- tion schools. Since 1880 he has been en- gaged as collector for the McCormick Har-

vester Company, his field of operation being mostly in Texas. After his marriage he set- tled on his farin on Preston road, where he has 415 acres in a good state of cultivation.

Mr. Johnston was married in this county, August 31, 1882, to Fannie E. Smith, a native of Dallas county, and a daughter of La Fayette and Margaret S. (Daniel) Smith, natives of Mississippi and Alabama. The father came to Texas at an early day, was married in Dallas county, and afterward set- tled on a farm near the city of Dallas. He enlisted as Captain of a company in Gurley's regiment, and remained until the surrender, when he returned to Dallas county, and prior to the war he was Police Magistrate. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have two children,- William Earle and Annie Isabelle. Politi- cally, Mr. Johnston is a member of the Democratic party, and religiously both lie and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Johnston has a sis- ter, Sophronia, older than herself, and a brother, younger than herself,-James A., who married Mattie Layton and resides in Dallas.

W. SWOR, one of the representative men of Dallas county, was born in Henry county, Tennessee, May 31, 1834, the youngest of the twelve children of Robert and Sally (Rushin) Swor, natives of South Carolina. His parents, who were married in that State, emigrated to the west- ern part of Tennessee, where the father en- gaged in farming. They both died in that State, the father in 1872, at the age of about eighty-five years, and the mother in 1878, aged about eighty-three years. The father served as a private two years in the war of 1812, and drew a pension for that service.

836

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

He aided in building Fort Sumter, Sonth Carolina. Of the twelve children in the above family, the only living ones are the subject of this sketeh; Lively, who married Richard Granger, and is now a widow, living in Henry county, Tennessee, with her family on a farm; and Mary, the widow of John S. Ray, and now living on a farm in Calloway county, Kentucky.

J. W., the subject of this sketch, was reared in Tennessee, and in 1881 came to Dallas county, settling on a farm in the northern part of the county. He followed that vocation until coming to Dallas City in the fall of 1887, after which he engaged in the hotel business, and in December, 1891, he bought a lot just outside the city limits, which he has improved. Mr. Swor takes an active part in politics, voting with the Demo- cratic party, and both he and his wife are members of the Christian Churel.

He was married in western Tennessee in 1855, to Miss Ruth A. Ethridge, a native of Tennessee, and a daughter of David and Lu- cinda (Ray) Ethridge, natives of South Caro- lina. Mr. and Mrs. Swor have had eight children, namely: Charles, a resident of the Indian Territory; Betty, wife of William Milne, of Oak Cliff; Mattie, now Mrs. J. W. Wilson, of Kaufman county, Texas; Robert, a grocer of Dallas; Frank, at home; Shelton, who resides in Chicago; Minnie and Hole- man, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Swor have six grandehildren living, namely: Charles, who has one child, Eva; Bettie Milne, who has two children, Fred and Willa; Mattie Wil- son, who has two children, Oma and Ina; and Robert, who has one child, Randolph. Of the seven children of Mr. Ethridge five are still living: Jane, now Mrs. Brown Vena- ble; Mrs. Swor; Fletcher; Alice, now Mrs. John Booker; John Taylor; Martha, de-

ceased, was the next in order of birth: she married James Venable; and James, de- ceased. Mr. Etliridge died in 1849, in Memphis, with Asiatie cholera, at the age of twenty-six years. Mrs. Ethridge still sur- vives, living in Calloway county, Kentucky, now aged sixty-seven years.

LEXANDER W. PERRY landed in Texas with his wife and three children in 1844 and located in Dallas county near where he now lives. He is a man pos- sessing keen observation and good judgment; and to these qualities, combined with his en- ergetic disposition, may be attributed his success in life. He brought with him to this eounty two teams and three extra horses, and upon his arrival here had $30 in money. Taking a headright under the Peters colony, he at onee began the work of developing a farm. This country was then sparsely set- tled, there being only seven families within a radious of five or six miles. The Indians were numerous and frequently caused much trouble. Mr. Perry, however, was always on his guard, and while others suffered from the depredations of the Red men he did not. In the fall of 1866, the Indians eame into the settlement and stole a number of horses. A small company of white men followed them, killing three Indians and recovering four horses. The pioneers always earried their guns when they went to work in the timber. Mr. Perry went after a load of wood one morn- ing and forgot his gun. He was aceom- panied by his little boy and his dog. The latter treed a bear and three cubs, and Mr. Perry told his boy to stay there while he went for his gun; but the child objected, and ac- companied his father to the honse. Mr.

Af Perry

Mow A.S. Perry

837

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Perry secured his gun and returned; he killed the old bear, but the cubs escaped. The year following his arrival here he raised a good crop, enough for himself and to spare, and has ever since had plenty. The crop of 1890 was the lightest since he came to Texas. The country then abounded in game and Mr. Perry supplied his larder by the use of his gun. Wolves were plentiful and frequently very an- noying. At one time a wolf attacked his dog and was abont to make way with the animal when Mr. Perry took off a single-tree and killed the wolf. Bear and buffalo were also plentiful. Ever since he came here Mr. Perry has been engaged in the stock business, rais- ing both eattle and horses. His fancy, how- ever, has been more for horses, and cach year he raises and sells a large herd. In all matters pertaining to stock his opinion is frequently sought and always valued. He keeps a fine stallion and jack, also a Durham bull.

Some time in 1850 or '52 Mr. Perry sold his headright, and in 1853, bought the farm on which he now lives, comprising at that time 800 acres. He afterward sold portions of it and bought other land; has giveu farms to eight of his children, and at this writing still owns 800 aeres. All of his children are settled around him, within three miles of the home place. Mr. Perry was one of the part- ners that built the Trinity mills ; subsequently disposed of his interest in that property. He was the original owner of the town site of Carrollton; laid off and sold lots, and now owns land all around the town; gave land to the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad for depot purposes. While he has about 185 acres under cultivation and is engaged in general farming, he gives his chief attention to the raising of horses and mules.

Mr. Perry's father, Franklin Perry, was

born in Virginia, October 3, 1779. He moved to Kentucky, then to Indiana, and from there to Illinois. He was called Cap- tain, but how he recived that title is not known. He was by trade a stone-mason; was, however, engaged in agricultural pur- suits for many years. Of his ancestors noth- ing is known more than that they were of English descent. While in Kentucky he mar- ried Miss Rebecca Harbeston, who was born in that State, November 15, 1776, and died in Illinois, during the Civil war. The father died there about 1835. They were the par- ents of ten children, namely: Sally, born July 6, 1802; Eliza, born December 5, 1803; Malinda, born September 9, 1805; Western, born May 6, 1807, came to Texas in 1846 and died abont 1870; Mary J., born June 9, 1809; Franklin, February 9, 1811; Rebecca, February 17, 1813; Middleton, December 15, 1814, came to Texas in 1844 and is now re- siding near Lancaster, Dallas county; Rod- erick, born August 7, 1817; and Alexander W., the youngest of the family, born in Illi- nois, November 26, 1819.

Alexander W. Perry was married January 9, 1840, in Illinois, to Sarah Huffman, who was born Jannary 11, 1824, daughter of William Huffman. Her father, a Kentuck- ian, went from that State to Illinois, where he was engaged in farming and where his death occurred. This happy nnion re- sulted in the birth of fourteen children, viz .: Margaret E., born September 25, 1840; Re- beeca A., January 7, 1842; William F., December 16, 1843; Mary L., February 23, 1846; Harriet M., August 30, 1848; Alex- ander, December 25, 1850; Sanford C., No- vember 1, 1852; John H. and Sarah (twins), March 5 and 6, 1855; DeWitt C., January 10, 1858; Waid H., February 15, 1860; Carry HI., May 9, 1862; Louria D., November

838

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY-

25, 1864; Roxanna, February 15, 1867. Alex- ander W. died January 29, 1852; Rebecca, January 7, 1860; Mary L., February 7, 1860; Sarah J., November 7, 1863; Commodore Perry was killed December 19, 1875; and Carry H. died November 23, 1881. Eight are yet living, all married and settled near the old homestead.

Mr. Perry has been a member of the Grange and the Farmers' Alliance. Politically, he is a Democrat. He and his family are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, in which he is a Deacon.

Such is a brief outline of the life of one of Dallas county's wealthy and influential citi- zens.

AJOR I. B. GIBSON, a prominent attorney at law, Dallas, Texas, was born in county Monaghan, Ireland, May 10, 1827. Although born in a foreign land, he is a thorough American in principle; in time of war fought for her liberty; in time of peace supported her Government and free institutions. Ile comes from a worthy ancestry, and his life has been such that it entitles him to honorable mention among his contemporaries.

Major Gibson was three years old when he came to America with his parents, who set- tled on a farm in Oakland county, Michigan. His father was in the British army on the Peninsula, and served in every battle in which Lord Wellington commanded. He was wounded in the thigh at the battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815. After coming to America his life was uneventful. He lived to be ninety-four years of age. The Major's mother, nee Mary Lambert, was a daughter of John Lambert, who was killed in the In- surrection in Ireland in 1798. IIer great-

grandfather, also named John Lambert, was a General under Cromwell. When Charles II. came to the throne he left England, went to Ireland and settled at Castle Cole. Isaac Gibson, an uncle of the subject of this sketch and the twin brother of his father, was in the British war in 1812, and was wounded and captured at Chippewa. He returned to Ire- land after the war closed. William Gibson, the Major's grandfather, was a manufacturer of Irish linen in Monaghan, Ireland, and great-grandfather Robert Gibson, a native of Scotland, was surgeon in a Scotch regiment.

The subject of our sketch received a fair education, graduating at the Rochester Acad- emy in 1847. He and his oldest brother, William, enlisted April 6, 1847, in Company K, Third United States Dragoons, William H. Polk being Major of the battalion. His brother was killed at the battle in the valley of Mexico, August 10, that same year. I. B., however, stood the service well, had several horses shot and killed under him, and at the close of the war received an honorable dis- charge.

Returning to Michigan, Mr. Gibson began the study of law in the office of Patterson & Champlin, Grand Rapids, and in April, 1857, was admitted to the bar. HIe then moved to Olney, Illinois, and opened an office with John M. Wilson, which partnership continued two years. He attended the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore, not as a delegate, however, and after his return home made 100 speeches for Douglas. After Sum- ter was fired on he helped to raise a company in Olney for the war, and was engaged in raising other troops, until September, 1861. He then asked Governor Yates for a Cap- tain's commission in the cavalry service, but at that time the Government could not fur- nish the horses. Mr. Gibson was attorney

839

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

for the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and went to Cincinnati on business. From there he wrote to Governor Yates to the effect that he would furnish a company that would pro- vide their own horses. This he did, the boys all paying for their ontfit with their soldiers' earnings, and did it cheerfully. It should here be mentioned that at this time Mr. Gibson was editor and proprietor of the Richland County Herald, a paper published in the interest of the Democratic party. He entered the service October 8, 1861, as Cap- tain of Company E, Sixth Illinois Cavalry; was promoted to Major of the same regiment, February 13, 1862, and remained in the service until 1863, when on account of in- flammatory rheumatism he resigned and re- turned home. Several months later he joined General Steele, and afterward was with Gen- eral Reynolds, being in the Mississippi val- ley all the time. He has never recovered the use of his arm, and now draws a pension for the services he then rendered.

After the war Major Gibson resumed the practice of law in Michigan. He remained in that State until 1884, when he came to Texas. After about a month spent in Gal- veston, he came to Dallas, and has since been a worthy member of the Dallas bar, prac- ticing in all the courts. While in Michigan he was elected Circuit Court Commissioner, which is much the same as Circuit Judge in Texas, being elected on the Republican ticket. He has served as Supervisor, and also as a Justice of the Peace, and refused the nomi- nation (which was equivalent to an election) to the State Legislature. He has recently been nominated by the Republican League as Presidential Elector for the Sixth Congress- ional District of Texas.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 102

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1128

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1128