Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 121

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 121

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

jector of the Houston & Great Northern railroad, which he lived to see under process of completion ; and gave his ability, his valu- able counsel and experience to the aid of many other public enterprises. He had the confidence and esteem of the people, and died lamented by all who knew him.

Of the Mitchell family three children are now living, namely: Mrs. Nellie Stockton, of St. Louis, Missouri, now the widow of Cap- tain E. C. Stockton, of the United States Navy and afterward of the Confederate Navy; Joseph Burwell, a resident of Austin, Texas; and Charles S., the subject of this sketch.

Charles Mitchell was educated in the pri- vate school of Edwin Wyman, at St. Louis, at the Kemper schools of Booneville, Missouri, at the Arcadia College of Areadia, Missouri, at the Central College of Fayette, same State, and then under the private tutelage of Prof. Newton, of Yale College. After completing his education Colonel Mitehell went to St. Lonis and began reading law, but on account of the breaking out of the late war he returned home, enlisting, in 1861, in the Missouri State Guards, with which he remained until its re-organization. Mr. Mitchell was pro- moted from Sergeant to Lientenant, then to Captain, next to Major, then Lieutenant- Colonel and afterward Colonel. He also acted as Brigadier General. He commanded when only twenty-four years old a Confederate Brigade of Missouri Infantry, composed of Mitchell, Clark, Perkins and Searcy's regi- ments and Ruffner's Missouri battery. Col- onel Mitchell was in command at Shreveport at the surrender, after which he returned to Missouri. During the war he was in the battles of Booneville, Lexington, Elk Horn, Prairie Grove, Pleasant Hill, Mansfield, Saline River, and many others.

After his marriage Colonel Mitchell settled

in Dallas, Texas, and in 1872 he engaged in the wholesale hardware business, which he continued until 1885, and in that year he re- tired from aetive business. lle is capacitated by constitutional construction for the concep- tion and execution of extensive business affairs, and, although cautious in his under- takings, is bold to pursue a line of policy once determined on, and with a pertinacity that works uniformly through suecesses or embarrassments. Being a man of rare natural abilities, varied attainments and great eulture, Colonel Mitchell not only feels a deep interest, but also takes active part and is a potent factor in the progressive movements of the day. Devoted to his section and his State he is every ready to contribute freely of his coun- sel, his experience, his time and his funds to the advancement of both, politically, eom- mercially and industrially, yet this devotion begets neither the prejudices nor passions which often characterize those who are less traveled or read in the world's affairs. In his language and his manners he is the em- bodiment of courtesy and elegance, while his home has ever been noted for domestic happi- ness and hospitable entertainment. He was married in Arkansas, April 25, 1864, to Miss Julia Severe Rector, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, and daughter of Governor H. M. and Jane (Field) Rector, natives of Missouri and Kentucky, respectively. Governor Rec- tor resides in Little Rock; Mrs. Rector died in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1856. Mrs. Mitehell died in Dallas, 1880, leaving four children: Charles S., Jr., who is connected with the American National Bank of this city; Lillian, a graduate of the Ursuline Con- vent; Willie, attending school; and Julia S., who died at the home of her grandfather in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1882. Colonel Mitchell was again married in 1882, to Mrs.

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Fanani Thruston Rector, widow of E. R. Forman, and sister of his first wife, of Wash- ington, District of Columbia. She has one daughter by her former marriage, Helen, who is now attending the Episcopal College. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have two children: Grace and Margaret. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are members of the Episcopal Church.

W. FANT, druggist, 356 Bryant street, Dallas, Texas, has been identified with the growth and prosperity of this city since he located here in 1883, and is now one of its most prominent business men. Briefly given, a resumé of his life is as follows:

Mr. Fant was born in Virginia, December 31, 1838, son of Elias and Jane Fant, both Datives of the Old Dominion. IIis father was interested in the salt works of his native valley, and was a man of some prominence in his day. He was an earnest Christian and a leading member of the Methodist Church. Sometime in the early '40s he made a visit to his brother in Mississippi, traveling by coach, and on the journey contracted a severe cold. He died about 1844, after a year's sick- ness, aged thirty-eight years. The subject of our sketch was an only child, and his mother died when he was about six weeks old. She, too, was a Methodist and a devoted Christian.

After the death of his father, young Fant, at the age of six years, was taken to Holly Springs, Mississippi, and reared by his unele, James W. Fant. This unele was a eivil en- gineer, and to him belongs the distinction of having established all the county lines in Arkansas and Mississippi. Mr. Fant was educated in private schools and at the State University of Mississippi. He quit school

on account of failing health, and began the drug business under Dr. Litchfield at Holly Springs.

When the war came on he enlisted in the first company that was made up as home guards in Holly Springs. This company was subsequently merged into the Fourth Missis- sippi Cavalry and was with General Forrest for thirty-six months. Mr. Fant was in all the raids with that noted general, serving on seout duty most of the time; was at Selma, the last battle of the war. He was never wounded, but at one time had his horse's tail shot off. He was in elose places many times and saw his share of hard fighting.

The war elosing Mr. Fant returned to the drug business. For thirteen years he was a druggist of Little Rock, and from there in 1883 came to Dallas. Here he has since been engaged in his present business.

He was married in January, 1859, to Miss M. E. Potts. daughter of E. P. Potts, of Mar- shall county, Arkansas. His only child by this union is Dora, now living in Virginia, wife of John M. Hughes, a merchant. His second marriage oceurred in 1878, with Miss M. A. Westmoreland, daughter of N. B. West- moreland of Tennessee. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Churel. Mrs. Fant is a Sunday-school teacher, a lady of mueh literary culture and social refinement. Both occupy high social positions.

A. SPAIN, one of the prosperous and representative citizens of this county, who is worthy of mention in this volume, was born March 7, 1850, in Logan county, Kentucky, the son of Matthew R. and Emeline (Seymore) Spain, both natives of Virginia, who came to Kentneky early in

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

life. About 1849 they moved to Washing- ton county, Illinois, where they resided till 1869, when they came by wagon to Texas, arriving in December, in the vicinity of Wheatland. After renting land for two years, they bought a traet of 140 acres, mostly wild, which they proceeded to im- prove. They were the parents of five sur- viving children, all of whom are married and till recently lived in this county.

Mr. D. A. Spain, the third child of the five living children, was reared on the farm, and married in October, 1885, Miss Fannie Brown, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of William G. and Susan (Bently) Brown, natives of Kentucky. The latter are the parents of eight living children. They have been identified with Dallas county sinee 1870, till two years ago, when they moved to Archer county, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Spain are the parents of two ehil- dren,-Walter and Ila. His father, being a cripple for a number of years previous to his death, left the responsibility of obtaining a livelihood for the family on the sons, of whom the subject of this sketeh was promi- nent. By his skill and industry he has ob- tained a considerable portion of this world's goods. He now has a well-improved farm of 145 acres, in a fine state of cultivation. On his premises everything points to the thrift and enterprise that is characteristic of a pros- perous farmer.

EV. M. M. DAVIS, the regularly in- stalled pastor of the Dallas Central Christian Church, residence at 833 Live Oak street, was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, June 21, 1850. IIis parents were Christopher and Martha (Edwards) Davis, both native Virginians. The father was a

farmer and trader, still supervising the farm ; was a very extensive trader before the war. He is still living on his farm on which he was born eighty-five years ago, and on that he has lived ever since; was quite an exten- sive farmer. He was too old to take part in the late war. Was one of the judges of the county for many years; he was extensively known over his county. Is now a member of the Christian Church. His wife died in 1860, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, for many years. These par- ents had twelve children, five of whom are still living: our subjeet and two brothers, C. T. and A. B., the latter two living in Missouri; the other two, John and Fred, farmers, still live in Virginia. The father had six sons in the late war: George, John, Fred, James, Christopher, and the subject of this memoir. George was killed in a cavalry engagement near the Wilderness; James was killed while in command of a line of sharp- shooters in front of Petersburg; John was disabled for life, wounded by a minie ball in the neck, in front of Petersburg. The other three came through withont a wound. Our subjeet enlisted June 21, 1864, in Company C, Moorman's battalion, on his fifteenth birthday. Four days later, as Orderly Ser- geant, he took part in his first engagement, at Roanoke Bridge, on the Richmond & Danville railway. He was in the army of Northern Virginia, with Lee on the lines in front of Lynchburg and Richmond; also did some service on the coast of North Carolina, repelling invasions. He weighed less than 100 pounds. He had been examined and recommended for the position of First Lieu- tenant at the time of the surrender. He was in Danville, and they disbanded on the 11th, at Danville, near his home. He stood the service exceedingly well.

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

The war closing he went npon the farm. He and two brothers (the negroes being free) took charge of their father's 1,500-acre farm, and tried their band at making a living. They succeeded well, made money, saved the farm, and went to school in the winters to the best schools they had. Mr. Davis then entered a musical academy and spent a year in that institution, then taught for several years, succeeding well, and then came to Missouri, in his nineteenth year, and taught for two years. In the meantime he united with the Christian Church, in Callaway county, Missouri.

After determining to devote his time to the ministry he entered the University of Kentucky, at Lexington, remained there two years, and then returned to Missouri, and has been filling pulpits ever since. His first work was with country churches in Boone and Howard counties. Then he located for three years at Rocheport, and then was at Nevada, Missouri, five years, next one and a half years at Butler, Missouri, five years at Sedalia, same State, and now is in his second year, in the Central Christian Church, the largest Protestant congregation in the city, the resi- dent membership being 650, and a non- resident membership forty, make nearly 700 members. The church has increased in membership, there being 320 additions since his advent as minister. They are building a church in which they are now worshiping, not completed, which will cost when finished about $75,000.

One peculiarity of the church work is that they have a flourishing Chinese Sunday- school, and, as an evidence of the good work being accomplished in this school, eight of the scholars have recently become Christians. The Chinese school numbers about twenty- five pupils. The other Sunday-school lias

300. The church has two flourishing Chris- tian Endeavor societies, the senior number- ing seventy-five, the junior fifty-one, persons. Mr. Davis' work speaks in unmistakable terms of his efficiency in his chosen calling.

Rev. Davis was married to Miss Mary E. Davis (not a relative), February 2, 1876, in Saline county, Missouri. She is a daughter of Prof. J. P. Davis. They have had one child, Emma, now in her fifteenth year, a bright and promising child, a member of the church, and teacher in the Sunday-school of the Central Church; and the wife also is a teacher and member of the same church.

ROFESSOR M. THOMAS EDGER- TON, an eminent educator and presi- dent of Oak Cliff College, for young ladies, is a native of Wayne county, North Carolina, where he was born December 5, 1856.

His parents are Michael and Chelly (Sullivan) Edgerton, natives of North Caro- lina. His father is an agriculturist, and has dealt largely in live-stock and provisions, but is now retiring from active business pursuits. He was born in 1820, and is a Quaker, and, as such was exempt, by the laws of North Carolina, from military duty. IIe is a promi- nent and active member of the Society of Friends. He and his worthy wife were the parents of nine sons, eight of whom are grown and married, and all but two, the subject of this sketch and the youngest, are farmers. Their school days came at the time of the war, and in consequence their educational facilities were limited, and they were almost obliged to resort to agricultural pursuits; they are, however, men of sterling qualities of character and thoroughly versed in their

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

vocation in which they are very successful.

The subject of this sketch is the eighth of the children, and graduated at Oak Ridge Institute, and later attended Carson College, Tennessee, subsequently graduating, in 1885, at the University at Nashville, in Nashville. In 1876 he commenced to teach in Fremont, North Carolina, continuing in that vocation at that point for six years. He then tanght for one year in Pine Forest Academy, locat- ing near Goldsboro, in the same State; after which he taught a year in Maple Hill Aead- emy, near Lewisburg, Tennessee. Following this, he was for six years president of the Tennessee Female College at Franklin, Ten- nessee, which college building occupies the site of the old college, that was used by the Federal army, at the time of the war, as a hospital. He has acted during the past year as Vice-President of Waco Female College. The changes he has made have always been to better his condition either in salary or studies.

December 21, 1880, he was married to Miss Virginia Belle Stafford, an educated and cul- tivated lady, a daughter of Sheriff R. M. Stafford, of Oak Ridge, Guilford county, North Carolina. Mr. Stafford was Sheriff of that county for fifteen years, commencing in 1865, previous to which he held the office of Constable of the county for the same length of time, making thirty years of official life in the county. During the last four years of his term as Sheriff, he preached every Sunday in the Methodist Episcopal South. He is a very devoted man, is highly respected in his community, and belongs to a prominent family there. He was born in the year 1827, and married Miss Margaret Sapp, who is still living, and who is a most devout woman, pos- sessing great ability and almost unparalleled business tact. She raised a family of six

children on the farm, which place she man- aged alone for fifteen years, while her hus- band served as Sheriff. Mrs. Edgerton is the second of six children.

At Oak Cliff College, Mrs. Edgerton is manager and proprietor of the boarding de- partment, for which she is amply qualified, being a kind and motherly person, of superior education and culture, and perfectly self- reliant. Their prospeets here are most flat- tering, and their success is a foregone con- clusion.

Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton have one child, M. Thomas Edgerton, Jr.

In his social affiliations Mr. Edgerton is a prominent member of the Masonic fratern- ity. Both he and his worthy wife are earnest and useful members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church South, to the support of which they liberally contribnte.

Texas is determined to have the best of everything, and the selection of Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton to train her youth is confirmatory of her avowed principles, and reflects credit on all concerned.

II. CURTIS, a farmer ten miles west of the city of Dallas, was born in Mc- Dowell county, North Carolina, De- cember 5, 1838, a son of Robert Curtis, a native of the same county. The latter sub- sequently removed to Shannon county, Mis- souri, and shortly afterward to Bentonville, Arkansas, where he died March 6, 1891, at the age of seventy-five years. Our subject's mother, nee Emily Curtis, was a daughter of Moses Curtis, also a native of McDowell conn- ty, North Carolina. Mrs. Curtis was born and reared in that county, and died many years ago at Bentonville, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs.

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Curtis had seven children, viz .: J. H., our subject; William, a fariner and stock-raiser of Indian Territory; Moses, a physician of Bell county, this State; John W., a miller of Bentonville, Arkansas; Mollie, the widow of George Green, and a resident of Bentonville; Sarah, the wife of William Runnells, also of Bentonville; and George, deceased.

The subject of this sketch remained at Bentonville, Arkansas, until 1858, and at that date he decided to try his fortune in the West. He made a trip to Pike's Peak, and remained in the mountains abont twelve months, after which he returned to Benton- ville, and later to Texas, and was here at the opening of the Civil war. He enlisted in the Confederate service in the spring of 1861, in Company A, Twenty-fifth Texas Cavalry, and served in the Trans-Mississippi Depart- ment, from the Rio Grande to the Louisiana State line. He entered as a private, and was mustered out a Lientenant, and also served a part of the time as Captain of couriers. After the close of the war Mr. Curtis returned to Dallas county, and in 1865 settled down to farm life, and, with the exception of a few years spent in Young and Jack counties, this State, he has resided in Dallas county for the last twenty-five years, and has been alter- nately engaged in farming, stock-raising and the mercantile business. He now has a farm of 160 acres, a large part of which is under a fine state of cultivation.

Mr. Curtis was married in 1865, to a danghter of Wesley and Sarah (Wilson) Cnr- tis, natives of Fayette county, Kentucky. The latter came to this county in 1847, set- tling about six miles west of the city of Dallas. They located a farm of 160 acres, where the father died December 18, 1885, at the age of sixty-eight years, and the mother in March, 1875, at the age of fifty-eight years.

They both were members of the Baptist Church, having spent the greater part of their lives in the services of that church, and both were buried in the old family cemetery on the farm. They had a family of nine children, viz .: Paulina, the wife of D. A. La- cy, a sketch of whom appears in this work; Morgan, deceased; Parmelia, the wife of J. II. Curtis; William, deceased; Martha, who died at the age of four years; Ellis, residing on the old homstead; Susan, deceased; Nan- nie, who married T. A. Gray, of this county, and now deceased ; and Lee, a resident of Dallas county. Mrs. Curtis was born in Cass connty, Missouri, September 30, 1843, and was but four years of age when her parents came to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis have had seven children, as follows: Robert Wesley was born July 30, 1866; William Madison, Jmnie 10, 1869; Don Carlos, June 12, 1871; Dora Lee, February 17, 1874; Bir- die C., November 21, 1876; Lillie, October 24, 1881; and Leo, October 13, 1884. The eldest child, Robert Wesley, died December 23, 1874; Birdie C. died September 8, 1880; and Dora Lee was married to Thomas P. Ross, of Dallas county, December 30, 1888.

B F. MILLICAN, a farmer fifteen miles northwest of the city of Dallas, was

O born in Jackson county, Alabama, May 9, 1840, the youngest child of Benjamin F. and Rebecca (Howell) Millican, and a brother of Francis Marion Millican, a sketch of whom appears in this work. Benjamin F., our subject, removed to Missouri in 1860, and in the summer of 1861 he entered the Confed- erate army, enlisting in Company H, Six- teenth Missouri Cavalry, in the six-months troops. He served ont his term of culist-

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

ment, but being unsafe for himself and family to remain in Missouri, he decided to come to Texas, loeating his family on a farm ten miles west of Dallas. He returned as far east as Shreveport, Louisiana, where he entered the Sixteenth Missouri Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, being mus- tered out in June, 1865. He served as a private, and also as Sergeant, and was in the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, with Price on his raid into Missouri, and was in a number of small skirinishes. After the close of the war Mr. Millican returned to his family in Texas, settling on a farm which he and his brother, Francis Marion, had bought on Cedar mountain, west of the city of Dallas. He resided there until 1873, when he traded his interest in that farm for a tract of seventy- five acres lying on Grapevine prairie, in the northwest corner of the county. He has added to this place from time to time until he now owns 135 acres, and also twenty acres of timber land.

Mr. Millican was married in Jackson county, Alabama, December 15, 1858, to Miss Sarah Eliza Ellen Russell, a daughter of Conn and Elizabeth Russell. Mrs. Millican was born and reared in Jackson county, and ac- companied her husband to Missouri, sharing with him the hardships of the life which that move brought him, not the least of which were the outrages which the families of the Confederate soldiers and sympathizers were subjected to just preceding and during the early years of the war. She also managed the home affairs and took care of the little ones while her husband was away in the army. Mr. and Mrs. Millican have had five children, -- Nancy Davis, Mary Ellen, James Edward, Fannie Belle and Annic May. Mr. and Mrs. Millican and the two eldest daughters are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.

Socially, the former is a zealous Mason, hav- ing been a member of that ancient and hon- orable fraternity for nineteen years, joining Grapevine Lodge in 1871, and was an active member of that organization until his with- drawal to assist in organizing Estelle Lodge, No. 585. He was made Senior Warden of Estelle Lodge at the time of its organization, which position he held for two years, and sinee that time he has been Worshipful Mas- ter of the lodge, except two years, during one of which he was Treasurer.

AMES E. JACKSON, a successful and highly respected farmer of Dallas county, has been identified with the interests of this State since 1846. He came to Texas in 1846 with his father and family when he was about twenty years of age. The father and three sons, including James E., took a head- right under the Peters colony. Two of the brothers went to the Mexican war and one re- turned, one of them dying soon afterward. The others improved their land, and James E. is still residing on his. Here he has lived and reared his family. Six of his children are married and he has helped them to good farms, all within three miles of the old home place. The first year of their residence in Texas, the Jackson family lived in true pio- neer style. They had to go to the Red river country for bread stuff, but after the first ycar they had no difficulty, as they raised a good crop. Game of all kinds was plenty.

In 1851, on the 10th of January, Mr Jack- son was married. He then began improving his own claim, and continued thus employed until 1863. During these years he prospered, inade many substantial improvements on his farm, and had 100 acres under cultivation,

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

and a number of horses and other stock. The war continuing to rage, he enlisted, in 1863, in the Confederate army; was in Cap- tain Stratton's company, Stone's regiment, and took part in numerous engagements in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. He received only a few slight wounds and was never cap- tured. After the close of the war he was mnstered out at Houston, returned home and resumed his farming operations.

Mr. Jackson's father, John Jackson, was a native of East Tennessee. He grew to man- hood and was married there, the lady he wedded being Miss Eliza Brown, of Tennessee. In 1837 they moved to Missouri, and nine years later came to Texas, settling as above stated. The father was a cooper by trade, at which he worked in Tennessee. After com- ing to Texas, however, his attention was de- voted almost exclusively to farming and stock-raising.

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Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 121

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