Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 108

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 108

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Mr. Doyle was married, September 20, 1875, to Miss Maggie Gilroy, danghter of Stephen H. and Celia Gilroy, both natives of Ireland. Her parents were married in Ire- land, and of their thirteen children seven are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Gilroy came from Kansas City, Missouri, to Dallas in 1871, and

are now residents of San Antonio, his age being eighty-three and hers sixty-five. Mr. Gilroy has been identified with the stoek interests of Texas ever since he came to the State. He is an old Government contractor, being now the oldest freighter alive on the road. Mr. and Mrs. Doyle have one ehild, Rosa Valen- tine, now entering her sixteenth year. She is a pupil at the Episcopal College, has de- veloped marked talent for music and drawing, and her amiable disposition and winning ways have endeared her not only to her fond parents but also to her teachers and school- mates and to all who know her. Mr. Doyle attributes much of his success in life to the counsel and companionship of his devoted wife and loving danghter.

L. McLAURIN, M. D., physician and surgeon, is a native of Mississippi, being born in Rankin county, that State, Angust 13, 1861. His parents were Hugh C. and Harriet (Lane) McLaurin, the former a native of South Carolina, the latter of Mississippi. Mr. MeLaurin, Sr., was a prominent physician and surgeon of Missis- sippi. He was a graduate of the literary course in the schools of Charleston, Sonth Carolina, a like course at Hanover College, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a son of one of the old Scotch Presbyters and Elders of the Pres- byterian Church, and he himself was an Elder in the same. His parents, Daniel and Cath- erine (Colquhoun), MeLaurin were natives of Balqnidder, Scotland. The former held the chair of Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburg. Our subject's father was a man of great business ability and he acquired a great many negroes and other prop-

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Mis. S & Pallessons Merson

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erty, but all this was lost during the war. He was sixty-seven when he died, in 1880, as he was born in September, 1813. He had an immense practice, being called in consultation from all parts of the country. He practiced for over forty years, serving in the war as a surgeon. He was prominent in politics and educational matters and was a devont church member. His wife is a daughter of Judge Robert Lane, of Mississippi. She is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church. Her family is one of the old Southern families of Missis- sippi, and she shows her good blood. She is in good health and lives with her son, our subject.

Our subject is the second in a family of five children, namely: Judge Lauch MeLau- rin, the oldest, a successful Judge and attor- ney of this county, also Judge in Mississippi ; Sallie has charge of a chair of art in the Mis- sissippi Industrial and Art College, a State art college of Mississippi. She is a ripe scholar, is one of the original faculty of that school, and has held her present position four years; Robert, an attorney at Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where he has a large practice; and Luella, who died at the age of twenty- three.

The Doctor graduated at the University of Mississippi at the age of nineteen. in 1881, in the literary course. He studied medicine under his father and attended the Medical College at the University of Louisiana, from which he graduated in 1884. The next year he was made Assistant Surgeon of the Mis- sissippi State Hospital at Vicksburg, which position he held one year, then resigned and came to Dallas, Texas, in 1886. Since then he has built up an excellent practice here. He is surgeon for the Santa Fé Railroad and for a number of insurance companies, is Vice- President of the Dallas County Medical As- 57

sociation and has been Secretary of the same. He is also a member of the State Medical Association.

Dr. MeLanrin was married April 23, 1890, to Miss Katie Gano, daughter of General R. M. Gano, of whom we have a history else- where in this volume. Mrs. MeLaurin is a graduate of Hamilton College, Lexington. Kentucky. She is a cultivated lady and dis- plays considerable talent in the direction of painting, music and dancing. They have one child, John Gano, a bright, promising babe.

The Doctor is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He is a well-read man in his pro- fession, has a very large practice for so young a man and is well liked, and his opinion is respected in all severe cases.

Mr. McLanrin is a member of the Presby- terian Church, while his wife is a member of the Christian Church. These two are among the most popular young people of Dallas and have a host of friends.

UDGE JAMES MARTIN PATTER- SON, the pioneer merchant of Dallas, Texas, was born on his father's farm, four miles from Lexington, Kentucky, on the Georgetown road, on July 31, 1812. His father, Francis Patterson, emigrated when a mere boy, with his sister and two half brothers and some twenty other families, from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, about the year 1780, floating down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers in a boat of their own construc- tion, carrying with them their horses, cattle, and farming implements, and landing at the mouth of Bear Grass creek, where now stands the city of Lonisville. Thence, proceeding to the interior, their first year was spent in

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

the fort at Boonesborough. In 1806 he mar- ried Mary Ann Martin, who emigrated with her brother from North Carolina to Kentneky, clearing the aforesaid farm, on which Judge Patterson was born, in what is now Fayette county, where they continued to reside until 1815, when they removed to Warren county and settled near Bowling Green, Kentucky. Five children were the resulted of this union, all of whom have passed away except the sub- ject of his biographical sketch.

Judge Patterson, after having received such education as the schools of that time af- forded, learned the trade of a millwright, and in February, 1846, he came to Texas, and settled on the Trinity river at Dallas, then a settlement of five or six families living in as inany cabins on the bank of the river, now a flourishing city of 50,000 inhabitants. In May the same year, he, with J. W. Smith, embarked in the mercantile business, buying their goods at Shreveport and transporting them on. wagons drawn by oxen to Dallas, a distance of 200 miles. They did business for five years under the firm name of Smith & Patterson, at the expiration of which time, J. N. Smith, a brother of J. W. Smith, became associated with them, and the new firm, under the name of J. W. Smith & Co., continued to do a thriving business until 1854. It was during this period, in 1851, that the first cotton erop was grown in Dallas county, and, in the winter of 1851-'52 this firm built a flat-boat seventy-five feet long, loaded it with cotton and hides and started it down the river in charge of Adam C. Haught, master, in March 1852, which was the first attempt to navigate the Trinity river from Dallas.

Judge Patterson was married October 5, 1848, on Farmers' branch in Dallas county, to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Self, who had, when a child, emigrated from Warsaw, Kentucky,

with her mother and stepfather, Win. Bowles, a Baptist minister, and their family. She was born Marelı 5, 1833, and came to Texas in 1845. Eleven children have been born of this marriage, of whom four daughters and two sons survive, all grown and settled in life.

In 1854 he was elected Chief Justice of Dallas county, which office he held through several successive terins, until the elose of the war in 1865. Having invested most of his means in personal property, all of which was swept from him by the results of the war, it became necessary for him to begin life anew. Returning to his first occupation, he pur- chased a steam saw and flouring mill on White Rock creek, four miles from Dallas, and en- gaged in the business of milling, which he condueted successfully for four years; then returning to Dallas he again engaged in the mercantile business with his friend, Captain James Thomas.

In 1876, Captain Thomas having died, Judge Patterson retired from business and has since devoted his time and energy to the development and improvement of his mag- nificent real estate in the city of Dallas.

Our worthy subject has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for forty years, and a communicant of the Episcopal Church for thirty years. In polities he was an old-line Whig, but since the dissolution of that party he has voted with the Democratic party.

The Judge's success in life is due to in- defatigable energy and unremitting persever- ance. Strictly honest, his word has ever been confided in by all who knew him. He is a man of genial, courteous manner, a typical representative of the Southern gentleman of the old school. Having relegated the active duties of life to his worthy sons, Judge Patterson is passing the evening of life in

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that tranquillity and repose vouchsafed to those whose lives have not been spent in vain, still cheered by the presence of the devoted wife whose willing hands and cheer- ful disposition have done so much to make attractive the home, dear alike to each, and surrounded by his dutiful children and grandchildren, eight in number, ever ready to listen with due consideration to any suggestion, or, with alacrity, to gratify any wish he may express.

JON. JOHN W. DANIEL, who is pleas- antly situated on his farm fourteen miles south of Dallas, is classed among the prosperous and representative citizens of Dallas connty.

He was born in Spottsylvania county, Vir- ginia, December 31, 1830, son of William H. and Ada (Cunningham) Daniel. He was born on the old homestead his great-grand- father had owned and which was at that time in the possession of his father. William H. Daniel was born and reared at the same place, the only son of his parents, and there he passed his life and died, his death occurring when the subject of our sketch was only a few years old. He had four children, three sous and one daughter. The oldest son, Os- car, died, leaving two children, one of whom is also deceased. The surviving one, Scott Daniel, was left to the care of his uncle, John W., and is now residing with him John W. was the second-born of his father's children. The third-born is Martha, who is now the widow of William Wright, and lives in Oglethorpe connty, Georgia. The fourth, William H., died in Austin, Texas, leaving five children to the care of his brother, John W. Of these, three are married and all are of age and live in Texas.

John W. Daniel was reared on a farm. Some time after the death of his father, his mother was married to Kindred Jacks. Her marriage occurred when the subject of our sketch was nine years old, and the family moved to Wilkes county, Georgia, where he remained until he reached his majority. When he was fifteen, his step-father died, so the responsibility of his mother's plantation fell largely on him, and in the management of it he displayed mneh judgment and skill for one of his years. He continued in charge of the place until 1852, when he drew ont his part of his father's estate and bought a plantation of his own. In 1954 he sold his interests in Georgia, to Peter Norther, father of the present Governor of that State, and came to Texas.

While a resident of Georgia, Mr. Daniel was married to Miss Mary Beeman, a native of that State and a daughter of Samuel and Fannie (Combs) Beeman, natives of New York and Georgia respectively. Her father was a brother of the noted Nathan S. S. Beeman of New York city. Mr. Daniel and his wife became the parents of two children, namely: Annie, who married George David- son, died in Montgomery county, Texas, in 1884; and Fannie is the wife of W. D. Wooten, and lives in Kaufman county, Texas.

Landing in Texas in October, 1854, Mr. Daniel settled in Smith county, where he bought two sections of wild land and at once began the work of improving a farm and making a home. Hewing logs and making clapboards was the order of preparing timber for erecting houses, sawmills being almost unknown in the State. He remained in Smith county, operating his farm, until 1861, when he enlisted in Colonel Speight's command. With his company he was afterward ordered to Millican, Texas, where, with several com-

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

panies, Colonel Speight organized the Fif- teenth Infantry. Up to this time Mr. Daniel had been Captain of one of the companies, and when the Fifteenth Infantry was organized he was elected Major. The regiment was ordered from here to Arkansas, where they remained for some time, thenee to Indian Territory, where they spent the winter of 1862-63. They were then ordered to join General Taylor in Louisiana, where they par- tieipated in the raids of 1863-64. In 1864 Colonel Speight resigned his office, and soon aftorward Mr. Daniel was made Colonel of the regiment. He had had the responsibility of the office more or less from the organiza- tion of the regiment. continuing as Colonel until the surrender in 1865.

He then returned to his despoiled home in Smith county, and set about repairing the damages of the war. Finding it unpleasant as well as unprofitable to work hired help, he sold his farm and came to Dallas county, buying the property on which he now lives. This land was then wild, with the exception of fifteen acres, and as the result of his well- directed efforts it is now one of the best- kept farms in the county. lle is a great admirer of fine stock and keeps some of the best grades of hogs and cattle.

Mr. Daniel is a member of the Masonie fraternity, being a charter member of the chapter at Lancaster. Politically he is a De- mocrat. Twice he has been elected to the State Legislature, both times discharging the duties of that important position in a man- ner that reflected much credit on himself and his constituents. Ile introduced and urged many important measures, and his work saved to the State, in one term of office alone, over $100,000. lle was special agent of the Land Office in Washington during Cleve- land's administration, serving nearly four

years, and being located at Watertown, Da- kota. Ile was Superintendent of the State Penitentiary, under Governor Ireland, one year, all his public service being characterized by striet fidelity and giving entire satisfae- tion. Hle is a man who has the confidence and respect of all who know him. He has many warm personal friends throughout the United States, and especially among the leading men of his own State.

ARY ANN MARTIN .- The parents of this lady, William and Euphemia Rawlins, were natives of North Caro- lina. They emigrated to Illinois at an early day, where they lived until 1846, and where, in Greene county, Jannary 10, 1832. the sub- ject of our sketch was born. In 1846 the family came to Texas, landing in Dallas county October 6, in company with eleven other families. They headrighted a seetion of land on Ten-mile ereek, fourteen miles south of where the city of Dallas now stands, where the parents lived till death. Their family consisted of seven children, of whom Mrs. Martin is the only surviving one.

July 12. 1855, she was united in marriage with Samuel Martin, a native of Coles county, Illinois, and a son of Joel and Elizabeth Mar- tin. Ile came to Texas about a year pre- vions to his marriage, and after that event occurred they settled near Dallas, where they lived till after his return from the war in 1865. Four years he was in the Confederate service, during which time Mrs. Martin re- mained at home, living with her brother-in- law, H. M. Rawlins. After his return home they bought a farm near Lancaster, and re- mained there two years. Selling out again, they purchased the property on which Mrs.

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Martin now lives. Here Mr. Martin lived and enjoyed life with the companion of his choiee till January 11, 1880. At his death he left a widow with two children, William R. and James Edward. William R. married Miss Sallie E. Roberts, and now resides in the Indian Territory, near Colbert. James E. still lives with his mother, caring for her in her declining years. She is a member of the old Rawlins Christian Church, one of the oldest churches in the county.

LIJAH P. BROOKS was born in Jaek- son county, Tennessee, November 3, 1820, and is a son of James and Eliza- beth (Yates) Brooks. His father was born in Stokes connty, North Carolina, and his mother near Caswell Courthouse, same State. When a young man, James Brooks went with his father, Matthew Brooks, from Stokes county, North Carolina, to Tennessee, and settled near Eaton Station, in Davidson county, across the river from where Nashville now stands, the country at that time being in- fested with Indians. A few years afterward a company of the settlers made a raft and crossed the river. Finding there a much better site for a town, they set about im- proving the land on which now is located the flourishing eity of Nashville. The leader in ereeting the raft and crossing the river was named Nash, and the new town was given his name, and it stands to-day a living monu- ment to him. James Brooks was reared on the farm, and followed agricultural pursuits all through life. His father bought what was known as the Winchester headright, whieli was donated to General Winchester by the Government. Since its purchase by Matthew Brooks it has been known as Brooks'

Bend. It was there James Brooks was mar- ried to Mrs. Elizabeth Yates. Following is the issue from their union: Aggie, wife of James Hudson, died in 1861, leaving two children, Elizabeth and James; Elijah P., the subject of this sketch; William, who married Mrs. Mary E. Lovette, died in 1863, leaving one child; and James M., who is now a resident of Illinois, has his second wife and a family of three children.

Elijah P. lived with his father nutil the latter's death in 1848. In the spring of 1851 his mother sold out her possessions in Tennessee and moved to Adams county, Illi- nois, where she bought land on Pigeon creek and lived on it the rest of her days, dying in 1852, of heart trouble. In 1853 Elijah P. Brooks sold his interest in the estate and came to Texas, buying 160 acres of wild land, known as the Holman survey. He at onee began the improvement of his property, and has since added to his original purehase, now owning 220 acres of fine, well-improved land, besides a number of town lots in Lan- easter.

Mr. Brooks was first married July 30, 1857, to Miss Violet Powers. His second marriage occurred with Mrs. Sarah A. Hicks, September 18, 1870. The latter was a dangh- ter of Burton and Sabra Davis. Burton Davis was a cousin of the late Jefferson Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks had one son, Elijah Davis Brooks. Mr. Brooks was mar- ried to Mrs. Area A. Goodrich, his third and present wife, July 27, 1876. She is a daugh- ter of Caster and Jane (Cobb) Hosford, and by her former marriage has one child, a daughter, who is now the wife of Joseph Duvall, of Ellis county, Texas.

Mr. Brooks is a genius, being an adept at anything to which he turns his hands. In 1861 he enlisted in Company 1, Burford's

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regiment, but soon afterward received a com- mission to remain at home and make shoes, which trade he followed in Dallas for two years. Since the war he has devoted most of his time to the farm. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at old Shiloh, at which place he has held member- ship for a number of years. His wife is a Baptist, and belongs to the Red Oak congre- gation.

EO WOLFSON, of Dallas, Texas, is prominently identified with many of the interests of this city. being secretary of the Board of Trade, manager of the Dallas Clearing House, Secretary of the Jewish Con- gregation Emanuel, Financial Secretary of Cœur De Lion lodge, No. 8, K. of P., Secre- tary of the Endowment Bank of K. of P., and Past Chancellor of the K. of P. Lodge and ex- Deputy Grand Chancellor of the same.

Mr. Wolfson was born in Campti, Louisi- ana, in 1853, son of Jacob A. and Caroline (Lorch) Wolfson, natives of Poland and Frankfort-on-the-Rhine respectively. His father came to America in 1884, landed in New York, went to Mexico, and later settled in Vicksburg, Mississippi. When peace was made with the Indians about 1843, he went to the head of navigation on the Red river and traded with the Indians, remaining there till Banks' raid up the Red river in 1864. The late war left him a financial wreck, his house burned, his property destroyed. He had been a merchant of Campti, carrying on extensive business there. He then moved to Natchitoches, Louisiana, and began the study · of law, and although he was sixty years of age, more than double the age of any other man in the class, there being thirty-two, he

was the third best. He then engaged in the practice of law, subsequently removed with his family to New Orleans, and continued practice there until, on account of declining health, he retired in 1886. His death oc- curred in 1888, aged eighty-two years. He was married in 1838, and leaves a widow and seven children, five of their children having died in early childhood. The mother and nearly all of her family, the youngest being now twenty-five years of age, are living in New Orleans. Soon after be came to Amer- ica, Mr. Wolfson enlisted in the Texan war, was all through that struggle, received an honorable discharge, and for services rendered received a land warrant for 640 acres in Van Zandt county. Texas.

The subject of this sketch left school when he was thirteen and commenced work at the crockery business, being thus employed five years. Ill health compelled him to seek other lines of work, and he accordingly went to St. Louis and engaged in buying cotton. While in St. Louis he was married, Septem- ber 21, 1876, to Miss Fanny Caston, the ac- complished daughter of H. Caston, of that city. She is related to many of the promi- nent families of St. Louis.

After his marriage, Mr. Wolfson returned to the old homestead in Louisana and engaged in merchandising with his brothers, with whom he remained four years. The Texas fever then brought him to Rockdale, this State, where he embarked in the grocery busi- ness : subsequently lived in Lampasas. Since the fall of 1887 he has been a resident of Dallas, and has been variously occupied. At first he was private secretary of Royal A. Ferris, vice-president of the National Exchange Bank; was afterward assistant secretary for the Great Texas State Fair and Dallas Expo- sition ; and three years ago was elected secre-

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tary of the Board of Trade and manager of the Dallas Clearing House.

Mr. Wolfson has traveled extensively and possesses mneh of that knowledge of people and affairs which is acquired only by contaet with the world. Enterprising, public-spirited and generous, he is ranked with the best citi- zens of Dallas. He has had an attractive home, and the presence of his amiable wife and two lovely children-Lena and Bessie- renders the happiness of that home complete.

Q. MURPHREE, of Garland, Dallas county, was born in Yalobusha county, Mississippi, October 31, 1848, the ninth of twelve children born to his father, S. M. Murphree. The latter was born in east Tennessee, October 4, 1813, and died January 17, 1884, at the age of seventy-one years, three months and thirteen days. In his in- fancy he moved with his parents to Alabama, where he lived until his marriage, in 1830; to Miss Phobe Nations, after which he moved to Yalobusha county, Mississippi. He next went to Smith county, Texas, in 1866, where he lived until 1875, when he removed to Van Zandt county, and remained there until his death. Mr. Murphree was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church and a good citizen: His wife died at the home of her son, J. P., in Hamilton county, Texas, at the age of seventy-four years.

D. Q. Murphree was eighteen years of age when his father moved to Texas, and he con- tinned to live at home until one year after his marriage, when he moved to Red River, and next to Dallas county. He bought fifty- eight acres of land near Dnek creek, but after four years sold this little farm and moved to near Mesquite, where lie bought

100 acres, which he farmed twelve years. He has since added to this place until he now owns 500 acres of valuable land. He next lived in Cedar Hill two years, and then moved to Garland, a small town fourteen miles northeast of Dallas.

Mr. Murphree was married in Smith county, December 1, 1870, to Miss Elizabeth Florence, a daughter of J. H. Florence, and who died in Cedar Hill. Mr. Murphree has one brother and three sisters living, viz .: J. P., a resident of Hamilton county, Texas; Catharine, wife of R. C. MeKenzie, of Van Zandt connty; Pauline, wife of John Prescott, of Smith county; and Selina, wife of Henry Montgomery, of Sorden valley, Smith county.

S. MILLS, another of the prosperous farmers and representative citizens of Dallas county, resides on his farin of 230 acres three miles northwest of Lancaster and thirteen miles south of Dallas. Briefly given, a sketch of his life is as follows:

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Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 108

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