Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 118

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 118

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diana. In 1838 Mr. New's wife died, aged forty-eight years, the date of her birth being January 29, 1790. Following are the names of the children born to them: John; Pollie, wife of Jonathan Limbaek; Sallie, wife of James Warrum, is deceased; Patsey, who died in infancy; Willie; Elizabeth, wife of Ambrose Miller; David F .; James J., who died when quite small; and Louisa, wife of Nathan Newby. June 14, 1841, Mr. New married for his second wife Miss Margaret Lewis, who was born September 21, 1820. IIer father was a pioneer of Indiana, having settled there in Hancock connty, in 1830. Mr. New was a pioneer of several States. He moved from Virginia to North Carolina, thenee to Kentneky, in 1815 to Indiana and in 1854 to Iowa. By his second wife he had eight children: Silas; Thomas M., deceased; Ambrose C., the subject of this sketeh ; Ellen K., wife of Thomas Snyder; Martha A., Naney A., and Lewis F., deceased; and one that died in infancy. Mr. New was a man of sterling qualities. In his make-up were found those elements that distinguish the true pio- neer in any country. He was the father of eighteen children. His death occurred in 1879, at the age of eighty-eight years, eleven months and twenty-four days. Mrs. New is now living with her son in Texas, and at this writing is seventy years of age. The grand- father of Ambrose C. New was one of five brothers that served in the Revolutionary war and witnessed the surrender of General Cornwallis. One of these brothers was killed at the battle of Brandywine. Mr. New re- members having seen his grandfather.

Jannary 31, 1866, Ambrose C. New was married to Miss Mary Porter, who was born June 28, 1848, daughter of A. J. and Sarah A. (Smith) Porter. Her father was born in Kentucky, December 25, 1820, and her

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

mother July 27, 1821, their marriage occur- ring in 1844. The former died in 1888, at the age of sixty-eight years, and the latter is still living aged seventy. Mr. Porter be- longed to the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and served three years in the Union army. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Porter, whose names are as follows: Lucinda R., wife of G. H. Smith; Mary A., wife of Am- brose C. New; M. P .; Lucy, who died in infancy; Olive and Levona, who also died when young: Elzora, wife of R. P. Curtis; Louisa E., wife of Stephen D. Lawrence; and one that died in infancy.

Mr. New came to Texas in September, 1879, and settled on the place where he now lives. IIe and his wife had nine children: Alice, wife of E. S. Keef, Wallace, Melvina, Virgil M., Cora, Lottie, Silas, Freddie (who died in infancy), and May. Mr. and Mrs. New and three of their children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one member of the family is a Presbyterian. Politically, Mr. New affiliates with the Demo- eratic party.

EWIS WILSON, a farmer of Mesquite, was born in Caledonia county, Alabama, March 1, 1840, a son of John Wilson, a native of middle Tennessee. The latter emigrated to Alabama when a young man, and was there married to a Miss Alexander, who died in that State. He was again mar- ried, and by his second wife had three chil- dren: Eliza, Lewis and one who died in · infancy. Lewis' mother died when he was small, and he was reared principally by John H. Florence, with whom he came to this State in 1856. He enlisted in the Fourteenth Texas Cavalry, aud was subsequently dis- charged, and in 1862 joined Colonel Bates'

regiment, and served until the close of the war. He was engaged as teamster most of the time, and participated in no important battles. After the war he returned home and rented land until 1876, when he bought 120 acres, and he now owns 193 acres.

Mr. Wilson was married January 9, 1879, to Mrs. Amanda (Florence) Willingham. She was married to D. Willingham March 20, 1856, and they were the parents of three children: John R .; Isaac and Sarah J., wife of E. C. Bechtol. The father died October 27, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one child, Martha Elizabeth, born February 1, 1880. They are both members of the Bap- tist Church.

M. SPILLER, of Dallas county, Texas, was born in this county, July

6 11. 1855, a son of Mitch Spiller, a native of Illinois. The father came to Texas over forty years ago, and settled on the farm where our subject now lives, and where he died July 4, 1878, at the age of fifty-six years. He was married in Illinois to Miss Priscie Little, who died when her son, A. M., was quite small. They reared a family of ten children, namely: Green, who died during the war; Wilson, also deceased; Mary, wife of Newton Keen: Minerva, wife of Marion Keen; Robert, deceased; Andrew; A. M., our subject; Dillie, wife of D. K. Brown- ing; and Lane. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Spiller married Mahala Jenkins, who now resides in Brownwood, Texas.

After the death of his father our subject lived with his stepmother a short time, and then he and his brothers and sisters began housekeep- ing. He still continnes farming on the old homestead, his father having left him ninety -

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

three acres of land, which he has improved and made an attractive home. Mr. Spiller is a young man and full of energy, and the day is not far distant when he will be one of Dal- las county's foremost men. He was married December 25, 1879, to Miss Linnie M. Led- better, who was born June 24, 1858. Her father, Olive V. Ledbetter, was born in middle Tennessee May 30, 1827, and came to Texas in 1848. He was married March 4, 1848, to Miss Margaret Fox, who was born July 24, 1826, and they reared a family of ten children, viz .: T. J., who died when young; Nathan- iel B., who also died in infancy; W. C .; Minerva M., wife of Alfred Dusen; W. O .; Linnie, wife of A. M. Spiller; J. J., A. L., T. J., and C. E., all born in Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Spiller have had seven children, namely: Della, born December 5, 1880, died No- vember 17, 1881, Norah L., born August 3, 1882, died Angust 8, 1885; Allie L., born September 15, 1883, died July 5, 1883; Corrall A., born October 31, 1886; Rose, born July 7, 1885, died August 10, 1886; Elbert B., born August 22, 1889; and Earl, born August 22, 1889, died February 5, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Spiller are both members of the Methodist Church.

ILLIAM M. MOON, former Sheriff of the county, now night watchman of the Texas and Pacific railroad, was born near Independence, Missouri, March 18, 1830. His parents were Jesse and Mary J. (Gilman) Moon, natives of Pennsylvania and North Carolina respectively. The father was taken, when a small child to North Caro- lina, where the father, grandfather of subject, died, and his wife removed to Tennessee. Jesse went to Missouri, in 1818, and engaged

in farming, returning home in the latter part of the war of 1812. April, 1845, he removed to Texas and settled in what is now Dallas county and here he died in September of the same year. His settlement was made abont six miles north of the present site of the city of Dallas. He was only fifty-two when he died. His wife survived him for eight years and then died, aged forty. They had six children, namely: Julia A., wife of Ellis C. Thomas, both deceased, leaving five children, now all married; our subject; Sarah J., died, single, when abont thirty years of age; Jesse died when thirty-one, having been a soldier through the late war, was faithful and brave in danger; Martha, wife of M. I. More, de- ceased, resident of Dallas, and Nancy E., wife of J. C. McConnell, both deceased.

Our subject was reared on the farm and followed that pursuit until 1855, when he came to Dallas and engaged as a clerk in the general merchandise store of Gold and Donald- son, where he remained about two years, then served as Deputy Sheriff under Burnett M. Henderson, during his term, then bonght a blacksmith shop, which he ran until the open ing of the war. When he began he had two forges and at the time of the beginning of the war those two forges had increased to five. His partner was his brother-in-law, J. C. Mc- Connell, and in 1861 he sold ont to him and enlisted in July, 1861, in Company H, Third Texas Cavalry, in which he served four years, all but two days. He never returned home until the close of the war. His commanding officer was General Pine, and he took part with him in the battles of Oak Hill, or Wilson creek, and Pea Ridge, and was then ordered across the Mississippi, but did not get to the battle of Shiloh, which they intended to take part in. He served the remainder of the time, in Tennessee, under General Ross.

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

They fought the battles of Iuka and Corinthi as infantry, but later were mounted cavalry. He was captured just before the fall of At- lanta by Kilpatrick's cavalry, and was con- veyed to Johnson's Island, where he remained until the close of the war. He was in prison from September, 1864, to July, 1865, bnt the treatment was good. He came home on a Government transportation. When he en- tered the army he was a private, but was promoted, in Mississippi, and elected Second Lieutenant, to fill the place of a man who had cashiered. IIe never had a furlough or leave of absence, never was in a hospital and participated in all the battles of his regiment until his capture, and was with General Hood in his famous raid into Tennessee. During this time he received three flesh wounds, but none of them were serions and he stood the strain very well.

After the war he came to Dallas and mar- ried, on Christmas day, 1865, Mrs. Nancy J., widow of William A. Knight, who died in the army. Her father was Captain James Armstrong, who came to Texas in 1845, with his wife, Mary Stebbins, and a large family.

Our subject farmed until 1871, and then moved to Dallas where he was salesman in a hardware store of J. C. McConnell, his brother-in-law. He clerked for abont five years, until he was elected Sheriff of Dallas county and served four years, having been re-elected in 1878, being a good officer, and was so popular that he could have been elected a third time had he allowed his name to be used. Ile then formed a partnership with John Bennett, a railroad contractor, and bonght an outfit for grading on the railroad, but this was not successful, although they graded on several roads. He returned to Dallas, and was Deputy Sheriff under W. H. W. Smith, for several years, also Deputy

Sheriff under Sheriff Lewis, for some time. Was one of the police force of the eity for four years, and then engaged as night watch- man and still occupies that position. IIe was elected Marshal of the city of Dallas, be- ing the first official of that naine of that city.

Mrs. Moon had two children by her first husband, James W. and John A. The former died December 23, 1891, aged thirty-one years. He was a good, reliable man. John A. is still living and conducts a feed store in Dallas under the firm name of Knight Brothers.

Our subject and wife had one child, Ander- son Armstrong, who died at the age of twenty-one. Mrs. Moon died January 28, 1889, aged fifty-five years, and she was a warm-hearted Christian woman, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from her girlhood and held a warm place in the hearts of all who came in contact with her. Her death was mourned by a large cir- cle of acquaintances. Both her sons, John and Anderson, joined the Methodist Epis- copal church in early manhood. Mr. Moon also has been a member of the same church since early boyhood, joining it when he was only sixteen. He has always been a good, Christian man and enterprising citizen. As a soldier he was ever ready to discharge every duty. As an officer, many friends and com- rades testify to the manly worth and charac- ter of Lientenant Moon. As an army officer he has a record well worthy of praise. He speaks in high praise of Charles W. IIill, Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, whose regi- inent was in charge of the prison where he was confined. The Colonel, while under strict orders from the Secretary of war did everything to make the prisoners as comfort-

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able as possible, allowing them all the privi- leges he could.

Lieutenant is one of the pioneer citizens of Dallas connty, is a worthy man, and is as widely respected as he is known. He has engaged in various occupations, blacksmith- ing, soldiering, clerking, official work and farming. He was engaged in the latter pro- fession for the last time from 1883 to 1885, on hie own ranch, but preferring city life he sold the ranch and returned to Dallas where le has remained ever since, respected by all.

OHN W. DAVIS, of Garland, was born in Harrison county, Virginia, Decem- ber 23, 1825, a son of Hanson C. Davis, who was born in the same county, May 21, 1802. His ancestors came from Wales to this county under Lord Delaware, and settled in the State of Delaware, between tlie settle- ments of Virginia and New York. Mr. Davis was married in Indiana, in 1835, to Sallie Paris, who was born in 1800, and they re- mained in that State until 1847, when they came to Texas, arriving in Dallas county the last day of 1847. He came with the Peters' colony, and all that arrived in Texas in 1847 had a right to claim 640 acres, and this col- ony soon availed themselves of this right. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were the parents of nine children: Benjamin F .; Deuressa A., wife of James Jackson; Pollie E., formerly Mrs. Jacob Miller, died in Indiana, leaving eleven children, who now reside in Tippecanoe county, Indiana; Maria N., wife of John Little; Sal- lie A., wife of John C. Tucker, and both were deceased in this county, leaving ten chil- dren: Nancy C., who died before marriage; James M., also deceased ; Mary, wife of Samuel Whittock.

When John W. Davis was in his twenty- second year he concluded to go to South, and in the spring of 1847 started for Texas to pre- pare for the family of his father. The first day the father hanled him thirty miles in a carryall, after which he left him to tramp the way the best he could. Mr. Davis walked to the Illinois river, where he took passage on a boat to the Mississippi river, then to the Red river, next up the Red river to Shreve- port, where, in company with another young man, they commenced the dangerous journey of 250 miles to Dallas county. The houses were from thirty to forty miles apart and they prepared themselves with provisions and camped out over night. After landing in this county Mr. Davis filed a claim for 320 acres of land, which he subsequently im- proved and sold, and later bought 200 acres where he now lives. He now owns 700 acres of fine black loam in the cotton belt of Texas, where he is an extensive cotton raiser. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted in Colonel Hawpe's regiment, and remained until the close of the war, after which he returned home with what was left of his regiment, there be- ing about one-third of the original number. He was first detailed as forage master, and served in that capacity during the entire term of enlistment, and was also in the battles of Prairie Grove, Carrion Crow, Mansfield, and many skirmishes. Mr. Davis was never wounded or taken prisoner, and received his discharge from the Confederate States army.

Mr. Davis was married June 25, 1855, to Miss Jennette Chenault, who was born in 1839, the daughter of Jesley Chenault, a native of Indiana. The father came to Texas in 1845, when Mrs. Davis was but six years old, and she well remembers the hardships the family endured in the early days of this State. They were obliged to live on what they could kill,

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

their nearest market being 250 miles distant, and even there they could not buy bread-stuff at any price. Mr. Chenault married Elizabeth Hatfield, and they reared thirteen children, namely: Angela, wife of John Tucker; Jen- nette, wife of John W. Davis; John. who died leaving six children: Lucy, wife of H. Beckner; Ellen, wife of William Ryne; A. G .; Jacob; Sarah, who died before marriage; Elizabeth, wife of W. Hardicut; Tansey, wife of George Tucker; and Wesley. Mr. Che- nault was married the second time, to Lney Sage, and they had two children, - James and Elizabeth, wife of Joe Bickney. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are the parents of fourteen chil- dren, only nine of whom survive: Elizabeth C., wife of T. N. Wallace; Mary C., wife of Thomas Brandenburg; Benjamin F. married Mrs. Ellen Baless; Martha C. is the wife of A. E. Derring; D. J., C. B., Daniel D. and Anna P. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Davis is a member of the Royal Arch Masons, Scyene Lodge, No. 295, and also of the I. O. O. F., Richards Lodge.

C. RUGEL, an ex-member of the Legis- Irture and a hardware merchant of Mes- quite, Dallas county, Texas, is one of the prominent men of this section of the country.

Mr. Rugel is a son of Ferdinand and Lanra Bell Rugel, natives of Germany snd Tennes- see respectively.^ Ferdinand Rugel came to America abont 1833, and traveled extensively over the United States before settling in Jef- ferson county, Tennessee. IIe was by pro- fession a naturalist, having come to this country in the interest of a scientific organi- zation of Germany. Ile was a graduate of a medical college in Würtemberg and was

otherwise highly educated. After settling in Tennessee he was engaged in the practice of medicine and also carried on farming oper- ations. After a long and eventful life he died there, in 1878. IIe and his wife were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are still living. Their son Ferdinand died in the army of Virginia, in 1865; Mollie became the wife of J. C. Chapman and resides in this county; J. C. forms the subject of this sketeh; G. A. resides in Hamblen county, Tennessee, where he is engaged in farming; Lou is the wife of W. H. Horner, of Jefferson county, Tennessee; F. C. is a member of the firm of J. C. Rugel & Co .; and Bettie, wife of J. F. Chapman, is deceased. Mrs. Rugel lives in Hamblen county, Tennessee, and is now sixty- six years of age.

J. C. Rugel was educated at Morristown, at what is called Ragan's High School, and at the age of twenty-one started out in life for himself. He asserted his majority by im- mediately emigating to this State. He settled in the vicinity of Mesquite and en- gaged in teaching school, which occupation he followed seven years, and during that time was considered one of the best instruct- ors in this part of the country. After leav- ing the school room he took charge of Sena- tor R. S. Kimbrangh's books, being occupied as bookkeeper eighteen months. He then engaged in his prseent business, with T. F. Nash, under the firm name of Nash & Rugel, dealing in hardware and farming implements ofall kinds. Two years later Mr. F. C. Rugel bought Mr. Nash's interest, the firm becom- ing J. C. Rugel & Brother,

In 1884 the subject of our sketch was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 4, and two years latter, in 1886, was elected member of the Twentieth Legislature of Texas. He served as Chairman of the sub-

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

committeee that prepared the Railway Com- mission Bill; was also a meniber of the regular committe on Internal Improvements. His services in the Legislature were highly ap- preciated by his coustituents and were ren- dered in a manner that reflected much credit on himself.

Mr. Rugel was married in 1876, to Miss Florence Freeson, a daughter of Daniel and Eliza (Ward) Freeson, natives of Mississippi. Mr. and Mrs. Rugel are the parents of four children: Pauline, Charles, Daniel and Car- rie.

Both he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he is an Elder. He is a member of Scyene Lodge, No. 295, A. F. & A, M., and has filled the various chairs in the order; is also a member of the K. of H. of Mesquite, and is secretary of said lodge.

A. UMPHRESS .- Among the prominent farmers of Precinct No. 4, Dallas county, Texas, is found the gentleman whose name appears above.

Mr. Umphress was born in Jefferson connty, Florida, in 1849, son of M. B. and Martha Houston Umphress, natives of Georgia. His father moved to Florida in an early· day and settled in Jefferson county, where he became a planter and was also engaged in stock-rais- ing and butchering at Monticello, the county seat of Jefferson county. He died in Florida in 1860, at the age of forty-six years. He had been twice married. By his first wife he had three children, one dying in infancy and one at the age of eleven years. The third, Amaranth is the wife of Jesse Aldrige. By his second companion, nee Martha Hor- ton, a sister of his first wife, he had seven 62

children, five of whom lived to be grown, namely: Artemisia, wife of Levi Horton of Dallas county; John R., also of this county; Mitchell A., the subject of this sketch; S. E., of Hood county, Texas; Euphrates, who was killed in Dallas, June 16, 1884, left a family who reside in this county. Mrs. Umphress makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Horton, and is now sixty-three years of age. Mr. Umphress served with distinction in the Florida war.

The subject of our sketch was reared in his native county and received his education in the common schools there, and at the early age of sixteen commenced life for himself. He was engaged in farming in Florida until 1873, when he moved to Texas and settled in Dallas county. He lived near Scyene on rented land for more than a year. When he landed in Scyene he had only 75 cents in money and had a wife and four children. His money giving out when he got to Brazos, he had to send to his brother for means with which to reach his destination. Now he owns 144 acres of land, 104 acres being under cultivation and has good buildings, pleasant home and all his surroundings indicate pros- perity. All this property he has accnmu- lated since 1880. That year he purchased forty acres at $17.50 an acre; in 1887, bought twenty-four acres at $25 an acre; in 1888, forty acres, at $25 an acre; and in 1890, forty acres of timber land, at 88 an acre. The year 1876 Mr. Umphress spent in Hood county, this State; but not being satisfied there he returned to Dallas county.

He was married in 1865, when in his seventeenth year, to Mrs. Elizabeth Smith (nee Tucker), daughter of Dr. Isaac and Caro- lina (Turner) Tucker, natives of Florida. They were among the earliest residents of Jefferson county, Florida, and the Seminole

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Indians were frequent visitors at the Turner homestead. Osceola had no doubt been fed at the home of Dr. Turner. Mr. and Mrs. Umphress are the parents of six children: Lula; Minnie, wife of J. E. Spier, of this county ; Mitchel, who died in 1874, at the age of two years; Lucius, who died when one year old; Iola; and Arphaxad.

Mr. Umphress and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is associated with the Farmers' Alliance.

ICHARD BRUTON, one of the oldest living settlers of Dallas county, Texas, came to this State in 1845, arriving here in the month of March.

Mr. Bruton was born in Kentucky in 1812, the son of William and Rebecca (Pemberton) Bruton, natives of South Carolina and Vir- ginia respectively. William Bruton was a farmer by occupation and was a pioneer in the true sense of the word. He moved from Kentucky to Illinois in 1827, and settled in Morgan county. Land at that time could be purchased there for $1.25 per acre. He made his home in Morgan county until 1846, when he came to Texas. Here his death occurred in 1866, at the age of eighty-four years. He died December 31, and was buried January 1, 1867. His wife died about 1840. They were the parents of eleven children, Richard being the third-born and one of the four who are now living. His sister, Lavina, now re- sides with him. She was born in 1810, and is the widow of James Roberts of Illinois. The other two are Louisa and Rebecca, both residents of Illinois, the former being the wife of Harden Edwards and the latter of Robert Angelow.

Richard Bruton received his education in

the primitive log schoolhouses of Kentucky, and at the age of twenty-four left home and commenced life for himself. When he was twenty-five he went to the Territory of Iowa and settled near Salem, a Quaker village, in what is now Ilenry county. He was among the first settlers there; took a claim and after- ward sold it. He left Iowa in 1843 and went to Newton county, Missouri, where he re- mained eighteen months. From there he eame to Texas and settled on his present farm. Ile at first had 320 acres, and of this he has since sold 160 acres. His land is worth from $40 to $50 per acre. When he settled here game of all kinds was plenty, and the princi- pal erop raised by the carly settlers was corn. Mr. Bruton had the misfortune to lose his first corn erop by fire. The prairie caught fire, and, the corn being gathered and in a pen, pen and all were swept away.

Mr. Bruton eame here a single man, and in 1848 was united in marriage with Elizabeth Cox, danghter of Cornelius and Catherine (Jackson) Cox, natives of Indiana. They came to this State the same year Mr. Bruton did. Previous to their coming here they had lived in Newton county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Bruton are the parents of nine children : W. C., deceased; Lourina, wife of C. M. Elder, deceased; James W., a resident of Johnson county, Texas; Mary E., wife of C. M. Elder (formerly the husband of Lourina); Matilda, deceased; Josephine, wife of J. D. Miller, of Dallas county; J. D., a resident of this county; H. J., deceased; and Samantha A., also deceased.

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Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 118

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