USA > Texas > Dallas County > Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas > Part 54
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R. STEPHEN D. THRUSTON, phy- sician and surgeon, Dallas, Texas, was born in Gloucester county, Virginia, November 28, 1833. His parents were Emanuel J. and Catherine P. (Cook) Thrus- ton, natives of Gloucester county, Virginia. The father was a farmer by occupation. He was well and favorably known throughout the vicinity in which he lived, and for over twenty years was Chief Magistrate of his county. He was born and reared an Episco- palian. He was a Democrat, and in political affairs took a prominent part His death oceurred in June, 1842, aged forty-three years. Ilis wife, born in 1803, died in 1864. She was a devoted Christian woman and a member of the Baptist Church. They were the parents of five children, as follows: Frances Ann, wife of Robert C. Robins, died
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in 1869, aged fifty-six years; John M., who died in 1882, aged fifty-eight years, served for four years during the war as a private in the Fifth Regiment of Virginia Cavalry: Stephen I). was the third born; Emanuel J., who died in 1882, served in the same com- pany with his brother John M .; and Sarah Catherine, wife of Benjamin F. Heywood, re- sides in Gloucester county, Virginia.
Dr. Stephen D. Thruston received his liter- ary education at the King and Queen Aead- emy and the University of Virginia, and at the same time read medicine. Later, in 1854, he gradnated in medicine, at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1855 he settled in Wilmington, North Caro- lina. Ile practiced his profession there until April 13, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in the Wilmington Light Infantry. After serving one month he was made Captain of Company B, Third Regiment of North Caro- lina State troops, enlisted for the war, and was early made Colonel of the regiment. Ilis regiment was in the Third Brigade, Stonewall Jackson's division, from the first till the elose of the war. The Doctor was well acquainted with General Jackson and a great admirer of his military genins and Christian and gentlemanly qualities. He took part in all the battles and hardships of that division and corps through Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. During the siege of Petersburg he was under General Early, operating in the Valley of Virginia. The Doctor was wounded and permanently disabled from field duty at Winchester, Vir- ginia. September 19, 1864, being shot through both hips. Ile came near being taken prisoner at that time, and would have suffered that fate had it not been for an ambulance which was conveniently near, and a few faithful friends as well. After that date he was on
provost duty and detached service until the war closed. He surrendered at Chesterville, South Carolina, after the surrender of General Johnston. He stood the service well. In- deed, nothing seemed to hurt him except the Yankee bullets. Many a time he made a narrow escape. At Antietam or Sharpsburg, September 17, 1862, while in front of the Dunker Church, his jacket was punetured with forty-seven bullet holes, one of the balls entering his right lung, the others doing him no injury. At Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, he was struck with a bullet through the left foot, and at Spottsylvania, May 10, 1864, was shot through the right lung.
After the war closed Dr. Thruston returned to Wilmington and continued his practice in that city till 1872. That year he came to Texas and located in Dallas, where he has since had an extensive and lucrative practice, being classed with the leading physicians of this place. He is examiner for several in- surance companies, and is State referee for several. He is a member of the County and State Medical Associations, and occasionally writes for medical journals. He is not, how- ever, troubled with cacoethes scribendi.
The Doctor is a man of family. His first marriage occurred in Wilmington, North Carolina, with Annie Everitt, daughter of Dr. Sterling B. Everitt of that place. Mrs. Thruston died in 1887, aged forty-two years. Their union was blessed in the birth of two children. His second marriage was consum- mated in April, 1889, with Mrs. Ella V. Chappell, danghter of John Wilson of Lonisi- ana. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, being active workers in First Church. He is a Steward of the church and she has charge of the infant class in the Sunday-school. Mrs. Thruston is a graduate of the Female Institute,
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Louisiana. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic order, also of the Confederate Veter- ans' Association. He was chairman of the executive committee that planned the reunion of Veterans at Dallas, April, 1892, and the excursion to New Orleans.
Dr. Thruston is carnest, impulsive, kind- hearted and true. A large circle of valued acquaintances greatly admire him for his many manly qualities. In his profession his rating is first class.
In concluding this brief sketch we refer to the Doctor's ancestors. His great-great- grandfather, Edward Thruston, was one of five brothers-the others being Charles, Richard, John and Robert-who came from England to America in 1732. They brought with them the brick from Liverpool with which they built a mansion, called the eld Thruston mansion, in Virginia, where they settled. This mansion stood until it was torn down by the Fifth Rhode Island Artillery in the winter of 1862-'63, and was shipped aeross York river, where it was made into quarters for the Federal soldiers. These brothers participated in the Revolutionary struggle. Charles was an Episcopalian elergyman, and a colonel of a regiment as well. He was deservedly called " The Fighting Parson."
ODERICK ALEXANDER RAW- LINS, who is prominently identified with the growth and prosperity of Dal- las county, Texas, is a descendant of James Mason Rawlings, who was of pure English descent, and who came with two brothers, Charles and Roderick, from England to Amer- ica some years prior to the Revolutionary war. James Mason Rawlins lived at the beginning of that war in Massachusetts, near
Bunker Hill, with his family. They moved from there to North Carolina, while the war was in progress. The wife of James Mason Rawlins was Miss Priseilla Blount. They had five children, viz .: Charles, James. Rod- erick, Elizabeth and Naney. He was an adherent of the King of England, and fought on that side, while his brother espoused the cause of the Colonies. He was captured and imprisoned at Raleigh, escaped and went back to England, leaving his family, they never hearing of him afterward. During this war his two brothers, Charles and Roderick, drop- ped the g from their name, spelling it after- ward, " Rawlins." Subsequently the de- scendants of James Mason also discarded the same letter.
Roderick Rawlins, a son of James Mason Rawlins, and the father of our subject, was born near Bunker Hill, Massachusetts, March 11, 1776, was reared by his mother until eight or nine years of age, when she died, and Roderick was thrown on his own resour- ees. He first engaged as a farm hand, and continued at this occupation until 1797, when he was married to Sarah King, a member of the Van Rensselaer family. This occurred in Bedford county, Tennessee, on Duck river, where they lived about ten years. Three children were born from this marriage in Bedford county: William, born March 19, 1800; James S., born March 6, 1802; Angel- ina, born May 1, 1806, who became the wife of Valentine Wampler, one of the pioneers of Dallas county. They moved to Kentucky, where two children were born, viz .: Asa, born 1808, and Elizabeth, born September 8, 1811. In 1811, Roderick Rawbns, with his family, moved to Indiana, settled on East fork of White river, in Lawrence county. Here his wife, whose name before marriage was Sarah King, died in 1814. All of their
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children are now dead (1892), but have left a large number of descendants.
Shortly after Roderick Rawlins removed to Indiana, he enlisted with a company of Rangers, for protection against the Indians, and was thus engaged about two years; at the expiration of which time he was elected to the Legislature, as representative of Law- rence and Monroe counties. At the end of his teri as representative, he was elected County Clerk of Monroe county, and helped to lay out the county town, and gave it the name it now bears: " Bloomington." IIe also took a contract to build the first court- house in the county, at Bloomington. While serving as County Clerk of Monroe county, he donated a part of his salary for the pur- pose of putting a town clock on the court- honse. The county being then, and for some years afterward, out of funds, the matter was overlooked by the beneficiaries, and it was not until some fifty years later that the bequest was resurrected, and the provisions carried into effect, at which time the amount, including interest legally acerued, constituted quite a handsome sum.
He was a natural mechanic, at which trade he afterward worked in connection with farın- ing. In 1823, he moved from Indiana to Illinois, and remained there until 1844, when he moved to Texas, and settled on Ten Mile creek, in the southern part of Dallas county. He sold part of his headright to A. Bledsoe, a native of Kentucky, who came to Dallas county in 1847, and who proceeded to lay out a town on the land, and named it Lancaster, after the place of his birth, in Kentucky.
There came with Roderick Rawlins to Dal- las county, in 1844, his children with their families, as follows: Nancy P. Taylor, Elusia C. Ilall, Lucinda A. Keller, Talitha Wise. In 1846, his son William came with his family, 32
and in 1848 Pleasant King came with his family. Roderick Rawlins was an untiring worker in the Baptist Church, until the time of his second marriage, when he united with the Christian Church, with which he remained until his death, which occurred April 27, 1848. In politics, he was a Whig. In 1846 on the question of annexation of the State to the Union, he opposed annexation and it is said that he and Alex. Harwood w're the only ones in Dallas county who voted against it.
Mr. Rawlins' second marriage was to Miss Milly Parks, in 1816. She was born in North Carolina, December 6, 1793, and was the daughter of George l'arks, a resident of Monroe county, Indiana. To this union were born eight children, two sons and six dangh- ters, who are named in the order of their births as follows: Pleasant King, born in Indiana, September 1, 1817, and died in Dal- las county, Texas, in 1889; Nancy P., born in Indiana, May 10, 1820, married Pleasant Taylor, a resident of Dallas, Texas, at the time of his death, which occurred February 4, 1891; Mrs. Taylor died also in 1891; Elusia Catherine, born in Indiana, Septem- ber 5, 1822, is the widow of Lewis Hall, and now resides in Montagne county, Texas; Lucinda Ann, born in Illinois, January 1, 1825, and died in 1889. She was the wife of Samnel Keller (deceased), who was a resident of Dallas county: Polly Parks was born in Illinois, October 5, 1826, and became the wife of M. M. Miller, a resident of Dal- las county, both are now deceased; Talitha was born in Illinois, September 18, 1828, and died in 1876: she was the wife of Carlos Wise, of Dallas county, Texas; Hannah M., was born September 1, 1831, and died Sep- tember 18, 1831; and Roderiek Alexander Rawlins, our subject, was born in Green
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county, Illinois, in 1833, where he re- mained with his parents until 1844. From there he moved with them to Dallas county, Texas, near the present town of Lancaster, which place is located on his father's head- right, and there he continued to live with his mother, until 1850, when housekeeping was broken up. The mother went to live with her danghter, Mrs. Nancy Taylor, and Roderick worked on a farm, and engaged with his brother-in-law Samuel Keller, in running a sawmill. £ In 1853, Mr. Rawlins was mar- ried to Miss Virginia Bledsoe, daughter of A. Bledsoe, who for several years was Comp- troller of the State of Texas. Mrs. Rawlins was a school teacher, and taught the first school in the neighborhood, her husband being one of her pupils. In 1855, Mr. Raw- fins moved to his present home, where he has since resided with the exception of four years when he lived on his place near Hutchins. In September 1861, he enlisted in the Sixth Texas Cavalry, Company F, under Captain R. S. Guy, and went out as Orderly Sergeant. At the reorganization of the army in 1862, he was elected Captain, and held that posi- tion until the close of the war. At the time of Lee's surrender, he was at home on a for- lough, but had gotten as far as Marshall, Texas, on his way to rejoin the army, when he heard the news of the surrender. He was in a number of the principal engagements, was dismounted and sent to Corinth, served in the Infantry, for six months, and was then remounted. Hle was with Price in his sec- ond unsuccessful attempt to capture Corinth, and was afterward with Van Dorn in the taking of Holly Springs. He was shot through the hip at the battle of Thompson Station. To Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins were born three children, one son and two daughters: A. Bledsoe, born February 8, 1855, was mar-
ried in 1876 to Miss Virginia Fisher, a na- tive of Dallas connty, Texas, and resides on a farm near Hutchins; Addie Blanche, born May 25, 1859, resides at home and is a teacher in the public schools of Lancaster; and Bettie Alexander, boru November 3, 1861, is now the wife of Dr. C. A. Shultz, of Alvarado, Johnson county, Texas. Mrs. Raw- lins was killed in 1890, being thrown from a buggy. Mr. Rawlins is identified with the Christian Church, and in politics is a Demo- crat.
LDER JOHN M. MYERS was born in Grayson county, Kentucky, in 1823. He moved with his parents to Indiana at about the age of five years. Two years later they moved from that State to Illinois and settled in what was then Greene connty. When it was divided, the part they were in was called Jersey county. There he grew to manhood, and in January, 1842, married his first wife. He remained there until 1845, when, in company with his father's family, he came to Texas. They had but little means and all was to gain and nothing to lose. In February, 1846, they settled in Dallas county. He located land under the Peters Colony, es- tablished a headright, improved a farm, and lived on it until 1857, when he sold out. About 1851, however, he had sold half of his headright. After selling out in 1867 he moved to Tarrant county and bought land, but soon became dissatisfied and sold again. Returning to Dallas connty he bought a farm adjoining his old home, and here he has since remained. He has 225 acres, all under fence, and also owns land at other places. He has always been identified with farming interests and has devoted his life to farming and preaching. To him belongs the distinction of
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having helped to organize the first church in Dallas county, the Union Baptist Church, located near the present village of Carrollton. In 1849 Mr. Myers was ordained to preach by the same church, being the first Baptist minister ordained in Dallas county.
His marriage in Illinois has already been referred to. He was twenty years of age at that time and the lady he wedded was Miss Kizzie Wylie. Their union resulted in the birth of ten children and forty grandchildren. All of their children grew to maturity except one, and the nine are yet living, viz .: Eliza- beth, born March 1, 1845; Mary and Martha (twins), born August 15, 1847; John S., July 28, 1849; Delila, May 19, 1852, died at the age of one year; Latitia, April 1, 1854; George F., December 11, 1855: Lewis C., December 5, 1857; Stephen A. D., April 24, 1859; and Nancy, May 29, 1861. Ilis first wife died November 26, 1884. He was sub- sequently married to Mrs. M. E. Ricon, daughter of John Taylor. Her father was a native of Virginia, was a mechanic by trade, and died in Maryland, in 1850, when she was about eight years old. After his death she mnoved with her mother to Tennessee, where she grew up and was married to Mr. Charles Ricou. In 1877 they emigrated to Texas and located at Denton, she coming to this State with her stepfather, Mr. James Daley. Mr. Ricou served in the Confederate army, was taken prisoner and carried to Chicago, and after being exchanged was sent to Port IIudson, Louisiana, and there died. In Denton Mr. Myers met and married Mrs. Ricou. By her first husband she had two children: one died in Tennessee, and the other, a son, Charles, is now living at Den- nison, Texas. Mrs. Myers is a devoted Christian and a lady of much refinement.
Mr. Myers' father, Elder David Myers,
was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, October 15, 1797. At the age of twenty- five he married Miss Lutitia Reddish, who bore him fourteen children, eleven of whom lived to be grown. Soon after his marriage he professed faith in Christ, joined the church and was immersed by Elder Hugh Cole. His loving and devoted wife soon followed him, and thus they laid the foundation of a life that was devoted to the Christian faith. About 1829 he moved to Indiana, and two years later to Illinois. At the latter place he was first licensed to preach. He afterward changed his church membership, when, in 1841, he was regularly ordained to the sacred office of the ministry by Elders H. H. Witt and John Brown. In 1845 he emigrated to Texas and settled in Dallas . county, where he remained till his death. He was the first Baptist preacher in Dallas. His first sermon here was a funeral dis- course and was delivered in JJune, 1846. On the 10th of May, 1846, he organized Union Church, and soon afterward, Rowlett's Creek, Bethel, Liberty and perhaps. others. His last sermon was preached at Bethel Church, Collin county, from Galatians 5: 13. On the 9th of March, 1853, at the age of fifty-six, his redeemed spirit winged its flight to the blessed regions of eternal day. As a Texan pioneer preacher he suf- fered many privations and hardships. During his entire ministry it is believed he never re- ceived more than $500 for his services. flis father and mother were Germans by birth and education. All their children, however, were educated in English. David Myers was the youngest of eight sons; was a little below the average height, and was a man of pleasing address.
The subject of our sketch, while working on his farm for the support of his family,
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preached in Dallas, Denton, Kaufman and Tarrant counties, and, like his honored father, is an earnest worker in the cause of his Mas- ter. He has been instrumental in locating a member of churches in Texas, and has been a pastor and missionary for more than thirty years. He, too, has endured many of the hardships incident to pioneer life. While improving his first farm he went to the tim- ber and made his 100 rails per day, on corn bread and plantain greens boiled in Elm creek water, with no seasoning except a little salt. He had no taste for hunting, and does not remember to have fired a gun since living in the State. Politically, he is a Democrat. His politics like his religion has been handed down from his ancestors. A more sincere gen- tleman in both is not to be found in Texas. He is now 68 years old, hale and hearty, and preaches often; is the only member of Union Church living who went into the or- ganization forty-six years ago, May 10, 1846.
EORGE. H. HODGES was born in Keu- tucky in 1830. His parents, Leonard Y. and Mary A. (Holloway) Hodges, natives of Virginia, went to Kentucky while both were small. His father's people were of English descent. Grandfather Daniel Hodges was born in Virginia, and at an early day went to Kentucky, first settling in Fay- ette county, near Bryan Station, and after- ward near Frankfort. He died at the latter place, having attained a ripe old age. Ile was by trade a brick contractor and builder. His wife, nee Jane Young, was a sister of Major James Young, of Shelby county, Ken- tucky, the Youngs being a noted family in that State. Mary A. Hodges, the mother of George H., was a relative of the celebrated
Blackburn family of Kentucky, her mother's maiden name having been Blackburn. Grand- father George Holloway served as a Minute- man in the Revolutionary war.
George H Hodges is the oldest member of his father's family. The names of the others are as follows: Daniel, of Louisville, Ken- tucky; Mary J., deceased; Bettie, wife of B. W. Durrett, of Louisville; Henry C., Healds- burg, California; Laura V., wife of James Hughes of Frankfort, Kentucky; Mildred O., wife of Eb. Gains, died leaving a family in Kentucky; and James W., of Lexington, Kentucky. Leonard Y. Hodges was a gradu- ate of Transylvania Medical School, of Lex- ington, Kentucky, and was a prominent phy- sician in that State. He was born in 1806 and died in 1872. His wife, born in 1807, died in 1886. Both were members of the Baptist Church.
George H. Hodges was educated in the common schools of Kentucky, and at the age of nineteen started out in life for himself. He made the overland trip to California in 1849, and, after an unsuccessful experience in prospecting and mining, returned home via New Orleans. After his return he was en- gaged in farming one year. The following three years he served as Deputy Sheriff, and in his twenty-fifth year turned his attention to the mercantile business at North Benson, at the same time being railway agent on the L. & C. Railroad. That place is now called Hatton. He was also agent at Campbells- burg. In 1875 he came to Texas and lo- cated at Will's Point, where he was railway agent on the T. & P. Railroad, occupying that position five years. In the meantime he was interested in farming operations. In 1878 he purchased the farm on which he now resides. It consists of 240 acres, at the time of purchase 150 acres being fairly well im-
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proved. Mr. Hodges has fenced all the farın and now has 180 acres under a high state of cultivation, and of this forty acres are devoted to fruits of all kinds. Ile has 7,000 peach trees of different varieties; 1,000 plums, fifty apricots and fifty nectarines, and all are of the best assortments. A minute descrip- tion of this excellent fruit farm would require · inore space than can be given it on these pages. Mr. Hodges is also interested in rais- ing horses and mules.
He has been twice married. He first wedded Corrilla Macey, danghter of Gustavus S. and Fannie (Noel) Macey, natives of Vir- ginia. Mrs. Macey was a sister of the dis- tinguished minister, Rev. Silas M. Noel, of Frankfort, Kentucky. By his first wife Mr. Hodges had five children, viz .: Mollie B., wife of Dr. L. T. Bohannon, of Scyene, Texas; Henry L., who is engaged in the fruit busi- ness in Jacksonville, Texas, and also mana- ger of a fruit-canning establishment at that place; Gus. M., who was killed at Encinal, Texas, in 1885, by a Mexican; Leonard Y., deceased; Colie D., who married William C. Nicholas, resides at San Luis Potosi. Mrs. Hodges departed this life in 1887, aged fifty- five years and five months. She was a mem- ber of the Christian Church. In 1889 Mr. Hodges married Miss Margaret Holloway, daughter of G. B. Holloway, of Woodford county, Kentucky. Both Mr. Hodges and his wife are members of the Christian Church.
ILLIAM A. JONES, engaged in the real-estate business in Dallas, was born in Danville, l'ittsylvania conn- ty, Virginia, in 1840, the youngest of four children born to Allen and Martha W. (Bur- ton) Jones, the former a native of Virginia,
and the latter of Caswell county, North Carolina. The father died in his native State in 1841. and the mother survived him until 1857, dying at Martinsville, Ifenry county, Virginia.
The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his native State, and at the age of nineteen years he left home, going to Galveston, Texas, but on account of the yel- low fever he removed further north, to Cypress City. On account of the same dis- ease he remained there only one day, and then went to Montgomery, where he secured a position as clerk. Six months later Mr. Jones moved to Long Point, Texas, thence to Caddo Springs, where he had charge of a store. In 1861 he enlisted in Company C, Fourth Texas Infantry, and was in the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg and Chickamauga, and in all the engagements before Richmond and others in which his command fought. He held the office of Regimental Commissary Sergeant, but after the battle of Chickamauga he was placed on detached duty, in the Quartermaster's De- partment at Danville, Virginia, on account of ill health. After the close of the war Mr. Jones remained in Danville about six months, went thence to Memphis, Tennessee, a short time afterward to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1868 to Galveston, where he engaged in the tobacco business, and thence, in 1871, to Dallas. He now owns considerable property on North Akard street, also property in North Dallas and Alabama.
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