Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 38

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 38

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).

Scott Beeman was reared to farm life, and educated in the subscription schools of this county. He aided his father in opening up and improving the home farm and afterward began farming on his own account. In 1862 he enlisted in Captain Beard's Company, and was in the battle of Yellow Bayou, in a num- ber of raids under General Marmaduke, and was in the Red River expedition, where he fought for thirty-two days. He was also in cavalry service, and at the close of the war Mr. Beeman returned to Dallas county, and later removed to the farm of 150 acres which he now owns, and which is in a good state of cultivation. He was married in this county, in 1865, to Betty Merrifield, a native of Kentucky, and daughter of Milton and Mar- garet Ann (Singleton) Merrifield, also na- tives of Kentucky. The parents moved to

356

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Dallas county, in 1849, settling in what is now West Dallas, were the father bought and improved a farm. His death occurred in November, 1889, and the mother now rc- sides near Cedar Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Bee- inan had seven children, viz .: Annie, wife of Richard Lagow, of Precinct No. 4; Emma, Lizzie, Milton, Katie, Grover and Ira. Polit- ically, Mr. Beeman is a member of the Democratie party, and socially of the Farmn- ers' Alliance.

M. FARGASON, a prominent citizen of Dallas county, was born in Henry county, Georgia, in 1827, the eldest of seven children born to John and Elizabeth (Mason) Fargason, natives of South Carolina and Georgia respectively. The father moved to Georgia at an early date, where he was married, and in 1852 emigrated to Talla- poosa, Alabama, where his death occurred in 1866; the mother survived him until 1878, dying at the age of eighty-two years.

L. M. Fargason, our subjeet, was reared in Henry county, Georgia, where he was en- gaged as a clerk in a store four years. He was then in the ambrotype business at West Point until 1861, when he came to Texas, and was associated with Dr. Bradfield in the drug business at Dangerfield one year. In 1862 he raised Company G, Nineteenth Texas In- fantry, was elected its Captain, and served in Arkansas and Louisiana. He was held in re- serve at Little Rock, Arkansas, to reinforce General Hindman or the Arkansas Post, and during the winter of 1862-'63 was at Pine Binff. He remained there until May, 1863, when he went to Louisiana, and was in Texas at the close of the war. He afterward returned home and engaged in the general mercantile business until 1881, when he was

burnt ont, losing $3,000 or $4,000. Coming to Dallas in 1882, he embarked in the grain and cotton trade one year, but since that time he has never engaged in active business. Mr. Fargason is identified with the Democratic party, was collector of water rents in 1887, for the city, and is now serv- ing his second year as Deputy County As- sessor of Dallas county. Socially, he is a member of Oasis Lodge, No. 79, A. F. & A. M., in eastern Texas, has been a Mason for over forty years, and is a prominent Odd Fellow.

Mr. Fargason was married in Henry county, Georgia, in 1849, to Elizabeth Odell, a na- tive of North Carolina and a daughter of Solomon and Sarah (Childress) Odell, also natives of North Carolina. The father, a farmer by ocenpation, moved to Henry county, Georgia, in 1845, and in 1859 to what is now Morris county, Texas, where he made his home until death, in 1862. His excellent wife survived him a few years, dying in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Fargason have had nine children, seven of whom still survive, viz .: John E .; Willie L., elerk in the Pacific Express Company ; David B., bill and rate clerk for the same company; Sarah E., wife of James T. Childress; Mary E., wife of J. M. McReynolds, of Texas; Georgie, widow of M. T. Mitchell, of Greenville, Texas; Mattie Lee, wife of Howell Bailey, collector of the Dallas ice factory. Mrs. Fargason is a member of the First Baptist Church at Dallas.

R. KELLEY H. EMBREE, a practicing physician and prominent citizen of Gar- land, Texas, dates his birth in Monroe county, Kentucky, February 9, 1848.

The Doctor landed in Texas in February

357

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

1873. Previous to his coming to this State he had devoted himself earnestly to the study of medicine, under the instruction of Dr. Chlowing of Tennessee, had graduated at the American Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio, and had practiced one year in Tennessee. After his arrival in Dallas county, he fol- lowed his profession seven years, at the end of which time he turned his attention to the mercantile business in Garland, continuing thus employed five years. Disposing of his stock of goods, he then returned to the prac- tice of medicine and has since devoted him- selt exclusively to his professional duties. Ile has won the confidence and estecm of all who know him, and has established an exten- sive practice in this vicinity. Starting out a poor boy, he has been successful in life, and is now comfortably situated. He owns a nice little home at the edge of Garland, and a grove of twenty acres near by,-one of the finest parks in the State. People come to it from far and near to hold pienies and re- ligious services.

Joshua Embree, the Doctor's father, was born in Monroe county, Kentucky, and passed most of his life in that county. He was mar- ried April 1, 1845, to Miss Catherine B. Kelley, who was born January 1, 1823, a daughter of Mason and Sarah (Cowring) Kel- ley. To them seven children were born, viz .: Virginia, wife of Wesley Guthrey, is now deceased; Kelley II .; Chlowring A .; Sarah A., wife of Duncan A. Morgan; Venetia M., wife of Ranson Smith; Mary M., wife of N. Thorp; Ida S., wife of Frank Clark. In later life Mr. Embree moved to Tennessee, where, May 23, 1865, he was accidentally killed, at the age of fifty-one years. The Doctor was then only eighteen years of age, and he being the oldest son his mother and her family looked largely to him for support. In 1870

Mrs. Embree and her four daughters came from Tennessee to Texas, making the journey by teams and coming with another party, ar- riving here in safety after being six weeks en route.

Dr. Embree was married, November 26, 1876, to Miss Mary E. Erwin, who was born June 16, 1861. (For the history of Mrs. Embree's parents, see the sketch of Matthew Erwin.) He and his wife have five children, namely: Emma, born September 24, 1878; Earl, March 15, 1881: Edd, October 9, 1883; Ernestine, December 12, 1886; Evon, De- cember 11, 1889. Mrs. Embree is a mem- ber of the Christian Church. The Doctor is an Odd Fellow and belongs to the Duck Creek Lodge. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor, and has been a delegate to the Grand Lodge at Galveston, Texas, on two occasions.

J. LOGAN, proprietor of the Lo- gan Steam Laundry Manufacturing º Company, was born in Fayette county, Indiana, May 30, 1860, the youngest of five children horn to John and Adaline (Dean) Logan, natives of Ireland and Scot- land. At an early day the parents came to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father engaged as a merchant tailor, and thence to Connors- ville, Indiana. In 1862, he enlisted in the Sixteenth Indiana Regiment, and died at Indianapolis, from wounds received in the service. The mother survived him until 1864, her death occurring at Connersville, Indiana.

The subject of this sketeh was reared in Indiana, and edneated in the schools of Fay- ette county, and also attended school at Val- paraiso, Indiana, from 1878 until 1880. After

358

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY-

leaving college he was engaged as a book- keeper for Richmond & Hatcher, at Conners- ville, Indiana, and five months afterward embarked in the laundry business. He sub- sequently removed to Terre Haute, Indiana, and thence to Dallas, Texas, where he now conducts the oldest laundry in the city. He gives employment to fifty men, and is also engaged in the manufacture of soap. The business was first started under the firm name of W. J. Logan & Company, later, about 1886, was changed to Brand & Logan, in 1887 to W. J. Logan & Brother, and in December, 1890, Mr. Logan purchased his brother's interest and established the Logan Manufacturing Company.

He was married in this city, May 27, 1885, to Minnie Sites, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of John J. and Mary Sites, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Logan have three children,-Jessie Eugenia, John A. and Clarence Eugene. Mr. Logan is a mem- ber of the Republican party, is now serving his second term as Alderman of the First Ward, and has been represented in the City Council. Socially, he is a member of Dallas Lodge, No. 70, K. of P., of Dallas Division, No. 18, K. of P. Uniformed Rank, and is now Adjutant of the Third Texas Rank, is a member of Dallas Lodge, No. 44, I. O. O. F., and also of the Knights of Honor.

AMES ARBUCKLE, of the firm of Ar- The buckle & Sons, stock brokers of Dallas, was born Glasgow, Scotland, in 1840, the eldest of eleven children born to George and Margaret (Baird) Arbuckle, natives of Scotland. The father was a merchant in Glasgow, and lived in that country until his death in 1870; his wife died of diphtheria,

about 1864. Grandfather James Arbuckle was with Wellington during the war, being a member of the Scottish Greys.

James, our subject, was reared and edu- cated in the city of Glasgow, and graduated at the Andersonian University of that city. At the age of nineteen years he left home and came direct to New Orleans, in connec- tion with a wholesale dry-goods honse, and be- came their adjuster for several years during the war, in Louisiana, Texas, and Indiana. During the war Mr. Arbuckle was also interested in vessels in Mexico, through Eagle Pass and Brownsville. In 1866 he established the first bank in East- ern Texas, at Jefferson, the head of navigation on the Red river, under the firm name of James Arbuckle & Co., and con- tinned there until the railroad facilities es- tablished business elsewhere. He then en- gaged in the cotton exporting trade at Galveston, and in 1884 came to Dallas, where he engaged in importing Jersey and Holstein cattle, being the first to establish that busi- ness in northern Texas. While in that city Mr. Arbuckle was also engaged in the insur- ance, banking and stock brokerage business, and was the first projector of the State Fair, of which he was a director for three years. In 1889 Mr. Arbuckle bought 178 acres of land in this county, which he has since improved.

He was married in Houston, Texas, in 1880, to Mary Helen Castleton, a native of New York, but reared in Virginia. She was a daughter of Rev. Thomas and Maria (Rut- land) Castleton, natives of Norwich, England, who emigrated to New York, and thence to Virginia. For many years the father was at the head of an institution of learning at Baton Rouge, and later was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Houston. He was lost at sea while en route from Galveston to

359

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

New York in 1865; the mother died some years previous in New York, and was buried at Syracuse. Mr. and Mrs. Arbuckle have had seven children, namely: George, now of St. Louis, was married to Marie Branconier, a member of an old French family of St. Louis; Maclyn, a leading member of the MeLeon Prescott Dramatic Company; James, Jr., who is in business with his father; Mary Clyde, attending the Episcopal College at Dallas; Alexander, also attending school; Andrew Egon, at home. Socially, Mr. Ar- buckle is a member of the Masonie lodge at Jefferson, and both he and his wife are mein- bers of the Episcopal Church.

T. OVERAND, contractor and builder, 204 Thomas avenue, has been follow- ing his calling here since 1886, erect- ing most of the fine residences in the Ninth Ward and some in the Eighth, besides the Thomas building at the corner of Kemp street and Griffith avenue, the Thomas resi- dence at the corner of Pearl street and Me- Kinney avenue, the residence of S. A. Mahon on MeKinney avenue, and the Worthington residence at the corner of Mckinney avenne and Boal street. At present he is engaged in erecting three fine briek residences in the Ninth Ward, to rent or sell.

Ile was born in Macoupin county, Illinois, in 1864, the second of the three children of Wesley and Mary (Campbell) Overand, na- tives of Ireland who came to America in their young days and settled in Pennsylvania. Next they moved to Illinois, and finally to Dallas, and for two years attended the mili- tary institute at Bryant, this State. Then he learned the carpenter's trade, commencing with his brother, at the age of nineteen years.

Ile opened Overand's Addition to the city of Dallas, selling his first lot in 1887. Since that he has sold eighteen lots, and lie las eighteen still left for sale, most of which have buildings upon them: they are for rent also, until sold. These houses have all the modern improvements,-apparatus for gas, hot water, etc. He dug and equipped the first well in the Ninth Ward, which furnishes water for the neighbors. The only peoplo there now are the families of Messrs. Bowen, Thomas, Fletcher and Smith. Mr. Overand has been one of the busy and energetic meu of the city, always taking an active interest in the public welfare and material advance- ment of Dallas.

December 25, 1887, he married Allie C. Bowen, a native of this county and a daugh- ter of William and Mary Bowen, natives of Missouri, who came to this county in 1868. The mother died in Navarro county, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Overand have two children: Eddie and J. W.

ANIEL C. LANDESS .- This gentle- man has been a resident of Texas since 1878. lle landed in Dallas county, Jannary 9, of that year, with a wagon and team and $10 in money. He at once rented a farm and commenced work, and from the first has been successful in his undertakings. He now owns a fine farm of about 400 acres, all well improved. His cozy and attractive residence has about it many fea- tures characteristic of the Northern home. All this property he has made since he came here, with the exception of fifty acres, which was a present to his wife from her father.

Mr. Landess was born in Highland county, Ohio, May 16, 1847. Ilis father, J. A.

360

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Landess, was a native of the same county, born in 1814. His mother, who before her marriage was Miss Rachel Michael, was born in 1818. In 1865 they moved to Illinois and settled in Pike county, where the father bought land and is still living. His wife died there in 1878, at the age of sixty years. To them were born ten children, and at this writing all are living except two. Their names are as follows: William, Levi, Naney (wife of E. A. Colvin), Asenath, Daniel C., John II., Merica, Harvey, Samuel, Thompson, Amanda, wife of Eustace Cumby, and Martin.

Daniel C. was married, October 17, 1878, to Miss L. J. Potter, who was born Decemn- ber 12, 1857. For further mention of her family see the sketch of J. P. Potter, in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Landess have five children: Valtie, born October 2, 1880; Zula, February 23, 1882; Leslie, February 13, 1884; Alvia, February 16, 1886; and Dona, March 10, 1889.

Mr. Landess formerly belonged to the Masonie and Odd Fellow fraternities, but has not affiliated with these orders since com- ing to Texas.

H. HARRELL, architect and super- intendent of publie works and of the school buildings of the city of Dallas, was born in Warren county, Georgia, in 1846, the eldest of the eight children of J. W. B. and Mary (Hubert) Harrell, natives of Georgia. The Harrell family settled in North Carolina before the Revolutionary war, in which both the subjeet's grandfathers par- ticipated. His father, a farmer, came to Pitts- burg, in what is now Camp county, Texas, in January, 1858, settling on a farm, when the country was so new that he had to go to Shreveport for supplies. In 1870 he removed

to Bell county, this State, and followed farm- ing there until his death, in April, 1881. His widow now resides with her children. Mr. Harrell, our subjeet, was about twelve years of age when the family came to this State, and he consequently obtained the most of his schooling at Pittsburg. In 1862 he en- listed, in Upshur county, Texas, in Company F, Fourteenth Texas Infantry, Walker's divis- ion, and was in the battle of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, forty days' fight at the Yellow bayou, Jenkins' ferry, Opelousas, etc. Then he was transferred to Company F, Second Texas, Partisan Rangers' Cavalry, and was engaged in many skirmishes and in the seonting service.

After the elose of the war he returned to Pitts- burg and lived at home until 1870, mean- while engaging in building and contracting. From 1870 to 1887 he was a resident of Bell county, Texas. He came to Dallas in Feb- rnary, 1887, and here he has erected the buildings of E. G. Knight, at the corner of Elm and Howard streets, Jones Bros. on Main street, D. N. Boren on Browder street, W. B. Gano and George Mellersh at Oak Lawn, R. D. Coughanour on Ross avenue, an addition to the Catholic convent, the first building in Oak Cliff, the Tenth street station, and the first school building, a two-story frame. He is connected with Isaac Taylor & Co. on Main street. He is superintending the con- struction of school buildings for the seventh, eighth and tenth wards. They are built of brick, contain eight rooms each and are equipped with all the modern improvements. Besides, he will superintend the building of the schoolhouse for colored children, the cost of which will be $2,500 each. Mr. Harrell has had charge of the city works since July, 1890, and is also a member of the Board of Trade.

HIe was married in Nachitoches parish,

361

IHISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Louisiana, December 2, 1889, to Luey A. Oliver, a native of Louisiana and a daughter of Theotrie and Lucy (Holloway) Oliver, na- tives of South Carolina, who in 1850 emi- grated to the above parish. Mr. Oliver, a planter, resided at his Louisiana home until his death. ITis widow resides with the subject of this sketch. Mr. Harrell has had eight children, of whom seven are living, namely: May L., Ella, Harmon, Anna, Willie, Belle and Pearl.

M ARGARET S. SMITHI, who resides in precinet No. 1, Dallas county, is the widow of Joseph L. Smith. His father, the Rev. James A. Smith, moved to Texas in 1847, coming from Tishomingo county, Mississippi, and settling in Dallas county, about eight miles north of this city. He was a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church Sonth, with four appoint- ments in the county. Ile was accompanied to this State by his wife and three children: Wesley, Joseph L. and Robert. Wesley married Sarah Ann Wilbun, and they had seven children, all of whom are now living. Joseph L. married the subject of this sketch in Dallas, in 1853, she being the daughter of the late John M. Daniel, of Tennessee, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. They had five children, three now living, viz .: James A., who married Mattie M. Lay- ton, of Dallas, and they had one daughter, Lillian: Fannie, who married II. B. John- ston, of Dallas, and they have two children; Sophronia A., who married a Mr. Moore of Dallas; Robert Smith, the third son of Rev. James A. Smith, married a Miss Winn, of this city.

Before the late Civil war Joseph L. Smith was a salesman in the city of Dallas, and was

also for some years a Justice of the Peace; and as such had the reputation of being a magistrate of rare judgment, whose decisions were relied upon as elear, equitable and just. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Colonel Stone's Regiment, with whom he served two years, taking part in the battle of Elkhorn, and was also in several engage- ments with hostile Indians in the territory. His regiment crossed the Mississippi and came under the command of Colonel Ross, being then mounted as cavalry. This command was engaged at Corinth, and in several other im- portant battles. Mr. Smith returned home on account of sickness, caused by privation and exposure, and after having recovered his health he joined Colonel Gurley's Command, Gano's Brigade, and served principally in Arkansas and Indian Territory. In this last command he formed and commanded Com- pany I, and held a commission as Captain when his command was mustered out. After the close of the war he returned home, where he died in 1867, at the age of thirty-five years. During the last two years of the war, while her husband was in the field, Mrs. Smith took a few negroes and settled on a farm five miles north of Dallas, where she was engaged in farming. She subsequently purchased a farm eight miles north of Dallas, consisting of 30C aeres, which she has since divided among her children, but retains seventy aeres for a homestead. Joseph L. Smith always took a lively interest in public affairs, and, though not a politician, he was active and alert in matters affecting the best interests of the county. He was a member of the Masonic order, being at the time of his death a Knight Templar, and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Margaret S. Smith, our subject, came to

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Dallas county in 1850, with her mother, then the widow of John M. Daniel, who died in Tennessee, having previously lived in Ala- bama. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel had eight chil- dren, viz .: William, a lawyer, married Mary Chandler, of Mississippi; Jesse, a farmer five miles north of Dallas, married Ann Pur- vis; Francis R., also a farmer five miles north of Dallas, married Mary Robinson, of Ala- bama; John F., married Mary Harvey, of Dallas, and both are now deceased; Eliza, deceased, was the wife of Levi Windham, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Thomas B., a farmer five miles north of Dallas; Isabella O., wife of Alexander Howard; and Margaret S., our subject. William, the eldest son, served in the Mexican war, and was engaged in many important battles. Thomas B. served in Good's Battery, the Civil war, and was engaged East of the Mississippi river. During his service he was held a prisoner of war at Chi- cago for eloven months.

RANK AUSTIN. - Thehighly respected citizen whose name heads this notice is n jeweler, and a respectable old settler of Dallas county. He was born July 2, 1826. His parents were Charles and Grace (Busby) Anstin, both natives of Pennsyl- vanin. The father was a wagon-maker in Philadelphia and followed that business in that city for many years, being extensively known. He was a relative of the Austins after whom the city of that name was called. He and his good wife wore members of the Baptist Church and were of Welsh extraction. The father died in 1848, aged sixty, but his wile survived him for about five years when she too passed away, at about the same age. She was a devout Christian woman and prom-

inont in the church. There were nine chil- dron in the family, all raised to mature years, live of whom are still living.

Frank Austin was the seventh in the family and was reared in Philadelphia, where he received his education in the common schools of that city. After finishing his education he learned the jeweler trade, which he worked at for some six years in Phila- delphia and then came to Wisconsin, in 1856, and settled in Ripon, where he opened a jewelry store. Here he remained for three years and then removed to Warsaw, Missouri, and opened a store there and also remained there for three years. From there he went to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and opened a store which he ran until 1870, then came to Dallas, where he opened a store and has been en - gaged here in the jewelry business ever since, with considerable success.

Mr. Austin was elected Alderman of the city in 1872, but does not care for political honors, business claims engrossing his atten- tion.

Our subject was married, in 1848, to Miss Jane Colson, daughter of David Colson, of Pemberton, New Jersey, and she bore her husband three children, namely: D. C., who is in the jewelry business at Childress, Texas, married to a Miss J. T. Orr, of Dallas; Will- iam F. and Martha Jane.

The mother died in 1854, aged twenty- four. She was a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Austin's second marriage occurred February 16, 1856, and the lady of his choice was Miss Jane W. Wheeler, daugh- ter of Benjamin and Beatrice Wheeler, oľ Northamptonshire, England, where they wore married, and where Mrs. Austin Was born. There were eight children in her family, two of whom died in early childhood. Of the remainder, five are still living. Mr.

363

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Wheeler was a farmer who came to America with his family, in 1841, settling in Wan- kesha, Wisconsin, on a farm and removed from there to lowa, dying at Eddyville, lowa, in 1874, after a residence of four years. His age was seventy-one, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church. Ilis wife survived him two years and then died at the same age as her lamented hus- band.

Mr. and Mrs. Austin have had five chil- dren, namely: Frank, died at the age of cigh- teen months, October 18, 1858; Benjamin W., married Miss Fannie Swindells, dangh- ter of the publisher of the Dallas Herald, at that time, resides at Oak Cliff and is bookkeeper at the Waters-Pierce Oil Com- pany, and Florence Marie is their only living child; Jacob B. and Salina Jane (twins): the former married Miss Ida L. Hickman, resi- dent of Ilico, Texas, engaged in the jewelry business.

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 38

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