Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 58

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 58

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Mr. Schupback was married, June 16, 1876, to Miss Eliza Sivalin, a native of North Ger- many and a daughter of Jack and Martha Sivalin, natives of the same place. She came to America and located at Shreveport, Lon- isiana, 1873. They are the parents of four children: Annie, Frederick, Lancie and Ilat- tie. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

ILLIAM E. PEARSON, a successful farmer of Dallas county, is a son of John H. and Minerva Pearson. The father was born in Hawkins county, Ten- nessce, January 29, 1820, remained in his native State until 1870, when he removed to Missouri and thence to Texas, settling on Grapevine Prairie, this connty, where he still resides. His father. Lawrence Pearson, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, but left his native place when a lad, and went to what is now Hawkins county, east Tennes- see, then a part of North Carolina. His peo- ple settled in that locality in the days of John Seiver, when this great leader attempted to found the new State of Franklin in what is now east Tennessee. Lawrence Pearson died

in Hawkins county in 1872, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife, nee Elizabeth De Vault, was a daughter of Abraham De Vault, a native of North Carolina. She was born in east Tennessee and died in IIawkins county in 1878, at the age of eighty-eight years. Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Minerva Green, is still living, and is a danghter of William Green, also a nativo of Hawkins connty. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were married August 19, 1842, in Hawkins county, and had the following children : Elizabeth Jane, the widow of Captain James W. Berry, of Dallas county; William E., our subject; Enoline, who became the wife of John Willmuth, and died in Dallas county some years ago; Ruthie, the wife of Thomas Swindle, a resident of Cherokee Nation, In- dian Territory; George A., of this county; Nicholas, who is still with his parents; Mary Catherine, the wife of William S. Sanders, of this connty; and James M., a resident of Tarrant county.

William E. Pearson, our subject, was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee, February 1, 1845. In March, 1863, he enlisted in the Union army, in Company G, Eighth Ten- nessee Infantry, entering the company raised by his brother-in-law, Captain J. W. Berry, which was formed at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, largely from refugees from east Tennessee. They served in Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, and the first active service was at Chattanooga in the fall of 1863. Mr. Pearson was in the Georgia campaign, and took part in all the engagements down to Atlanta; was then under Thomas on the return to Tennessee, taking part also in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, when the Confederate army, under Hood, was dispersed. Mr. Pearson's command was then placed on a boat at Clifton, Tennessee, and transported to Cincinnati,

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thence by rail to Alexandria, Virginia, next to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and then joined Sherman's army at Goldsboro, same State. Mr. Pearson enlisted as a private and was mustered out as sergeant. After the close of the war he returned to Tennessee, and in 1870 moved to Missouri, settling in Christian county, where he resided until com- ing to Texas in 1872. He settled in Dallas county, and in November of that year he rented a place on Grapevine Prairie, but a year later he purchased forty acres. He has since added to this farm until he now owns 215 acres, seventy acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation, and the remainder in pasture, timber and hay land.

Mr. Pearson was married in April, 1868, to Miss Minda Sanders, a daughter of Wiley Sanders, a native of Cleveland county, Ten- nessee. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson have had the following living children: John J., Dora, Cordia T., William, Eddie, Miney and Charlie. In politics, Mr. Pearson is a Republican; socially, a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and religiously, the family are members of the Baptist Church.

ARK ELLISON, a merchant of Gar- land and a farmer of Precinct No. 2, Dallas county, Texas, dates his birth in Kentucky in 1844. He was the third boru in the family of John W. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Ellison, natives of Kentucky. His ancestors were Scotch-Irish, and came to this country and settled in Kentucky at an early day. John W. Ellison was a blacksmith. He came to Texas in 1848, resided in Dallas county one year, and in 1849 moved to Tar- rant county, settling near where Birdville is now located, and following his trade there until 1857. He took up a section of land,

improving the same, and lived on it. A portion of the family still make their home on the old farm. The father was a prominent man in his day. For some years he was Justice of the Peace of Tarrant county. He was a devoted Christian man-a member of the Christian Church-and could repeat from memory the whole of the New Testament. He and his wife were the parents of five chil- dren, namely: Frank, who resides on the old homestead; Zarilda, who was the wife of Thomas James, is deceased; Mark, whose name heads this sketch; Mary, wife of H. S. Holman, Tarrant county; John W., who died while the family were en route to this State. In 1868 Mrs. Ellison married A. Bledsaw, a prominent and highly-esteemed citizen of this county, known as "Honest A." He served as Judge of this county during and after the war, and was subsequently elected to the office of Comptroller of the State of Texas. His death occurred in 1884. The mother now lives on on the homestead place in Tarrant county, with her son-in-law, H. Holman. She has been a member of the Christian Church for many years.

Mark Ellison received his education in the common schools of Tarrant county, and at the early age of sixteen entered the Southern army as a member of Company A, Ninth Texas Cavalry. In the earlier part of the war he was in a number of engagements east of the Mississippi river, and later was transferred to the forces that operated west of the Mis- sissippi. Twice he was wounded; first at Corinth, in the arm, and in a skirmish in Louisiana was shot through the left shoulder. He never was captured nor sent to hospital.

After the war he returned to his home in Tarrant county and immediately engaged in farming. The following year, 1867, he moved to Dallas county and settled on a headright

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

that had been secured by his father-in-law, HI. C. Marsh, and farmed on it until 1889. He then moved his family to Garland and he engaged in the mercantile business, still, how- ever, having his farming operations carried on. In his agricultural pursuits he has been very successful. For twenty years his crib has never been empty of corn. He has re- fused $45 an acre for his farming land, and besides this also owns seventy five acres of timber land. He began the mercantile busi- ness with a stock worth $2,300. Since open- ing up his business has averaged from $25,000 to $30,000, and at this time he carries a stock worth some $11,000 or $12,000. He has the only strictly dry-good house in the town and does a larger business than any other estab- ment here.

Mr. Ellison was married January 1, 1866, to Miss Martha A. Marsh, danghter of H. C. and Mary (Raymond) Marsh, natives of Har- rison county, Kentneky. Their union has been blessed with four children, viz .: Hardy, a farmer of Tarrant county ; Zeluma, wife of () P. Thomas; and John W. and Harrison M., at home. They also have one daughter de- ceased, Elizabetlı.

Mr. Ellison is a member of the A., F. & A. M., James A. Smith Lodge, No. 395; is also a member of Dallas Chapter, No. 52, and has filled all the chairs in the order. He and his wife have been members of the Christian Church for a number of years.

M. HALSELL, Connty Commissioner of Dallas county, was born in Ken. tucky, in 1832, the fourth child of William and Mary (Garland) Halsell, natives of Warren county, Kentucky. The father was a blacksmith and farmer by occupation, and also served as Justice of the Peace for a

number of years. The paternal grandfather was a native of Ireland, who came to Amer- ica for a short time and afterward re. turned to Ireland, where he died, at the age of 104 years. The maternal grandfather moved from Kentucky to Missouri, where he died, at the age of 100 years. He was a farmer by occupation, and also taught school. Will- iam H. Halsell lived in the same house in Kentucky for fifty-five years, and died in 1887, at the age of eighty-two years. He had been a member of the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church for fifty years, and during most of his married life he never failed to have family prayer. He was twice married, first to the mother of our subject, who died in 1847. Of their nine children, seven lived to years of maturity: John E. resides in Kansas, and is an attorney of Wellington. He has served his Congressional district iu Congress for two terms, and prior to this was also Circuit Judge of a judicial district in Kentucky. He is known as one of the lead- ing attorneys and noted politicians in the Democratic party. Alvira, deceased, was the wife of the Feldin Robinson, and the family now reside in various States, two in Texas and two in Kentucky; William J., a mer- chant of Richardson, Dallas county, has served as Justice of the Peace of this county for several years. He came to this State in 1852; our subject is the next in order of birth; Mary, is the widow of S. Y. Garrison, of Gainesville, Texas; James M., of Waco, Texas. The latter is a minister of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church, and also col- lecting agent for the Cumberland Presby- terian College of this State. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Halsell married Sarah, daughter of Henry Skiles. Mrs. Halsell had one child, W. H., by a former husband, Mr. Harris, who is now a prominent member of

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

the Granger party, and one of the main speak- ers for his section of Texas.

E. M. Halsell, our subject, received his early education in this county, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced life for himself. He came to this State in 1852, and first settled in Dallas, which was then a small village, and here he assisted in the organiza- ation of the first city laws, and was elected one of the first Trustees of the place. He was at one time owner of the most of the prop- erty on Ross avenue, and erected for him- self the home now occupied by Mr. Ross. While there he was engaged in blacksmith- ing, and his shop was located on the north- east corner of the public square. In 1859 he returned to Kentucky, where he resided until 1879. He served in the late war as recruit- ing officer under General John H. Morgan, with the rank of Captain. After the war, and while still in Kentucky, lie engaged at his trade of blacksmithing, and also served as Justice of the Peace ten years. After com- ing to Texas in 1879, he engaged in farmning on land he had bought in Young county, where he remained until 1887, when he moved to this county. He now owns a farm of 400 acres in Young county, of which about fifty acres is improved. After coming to this county he located in Garland, where he was employed by his brother and son-in-law, S. A. Allen, lumber merchants. He now has a nice village residence. In 1890 was elected County Commissioner for two years.

Mr. Halsell was married in 1855, to Miss Mary Cook, a native of Kentucky and daugh- ter of William and Dincan Cook, natives of Kentucky. She was a granddaughter of Cap- tain Isaac Cook, a Captain of the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Halsell are the parents of six children: V. B., of the firmn of Alleu

& Halsell, hardware merchants of this place' Julius D., deceased; Rachel, wife of S. A. Allen, of the firm of Allen & Halsell, of Garland; Maggie, wife of L. C. Simpson, a farmer of this county; Millie, wife of A. E. Ryan, a druggist of Garland; Thomas and Edgar, ages fourteen and sixteen. Mr Halsell is a member of the Christian Church, and since 1855 has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. Mrs. Halsell is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

OAH S. EWALT, a young and success- ful business man of Dallas county, is a son of Noah S. Ewalt, Sr., who was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky. He was reared there to the age of twelve years, at which time his parents moved to Missouri, settling in Greene county. In 1856 Mr. Ewalt came to Dallas county, Texas, where he purchased a certificate for 160 acres of land on Grapevine Prairie, with which he be- gan his career as a farmer and stock-raiser. As his means allowed he added to this tract until at the time of his death he owned 858 acres, all of which lay on the prairie except sixty acres in the timber, and nearly all of which was in pasture. Mr. Ewalt was a good manager, economical and industrious, and at his death left his family a good es- tate. He was married in Texas, May 19, 1863, to Mary J. Johnson, a native of this State. Mr. Ewalt died at his home in this county October 18, 1878, at about the age of forty-five years, and his wife survived him some years, dying October 15, 1890, aged forty-four years. They were both buried at the old family burying-ground on the farm of William Haley. near the old Ewalt homestead, They were members of the Christian Church,

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and led lives consistent with their profession. Noah S. and Mary J. Ewalt had a family of nine children, viz .: Noah S., born June 11, 1864; Henry, October 24, 1865; Frances, October 3, 1866; Kitturah, July 23, 1870; Lela, August 18, 1872; Thomas Richard, January 2, 1875; Lucinda C. and Jane, twins, February 17, 1877; and Samuel Wal- ter, July 31, 1879. Of these, Henry died November 1, 1865; Thomas Richard, in November, 1890; Frances is now the wife of James Graham, of this county; Kitturah, the wife of Frank Crouch, also of Dallas county; and Lela is now Mrs. George Slater, of this county. The Ewalt estate has never been divided, and the unmarried children still reside on the old homestead, the manage- ment of the farin as well as the providing for the family, devolving on the eldest son, Noalı S.

This young man has assumed the respons- ibilities which have come to him by the death of his parents with a manly spirit, looking diligently not only after the financial interests committed to his care as administrator, but is attending to the wants of every nature of his younger brothers and sisters.

HOMAS F. NASH, an attorney of Gar- land, Dallas county, Texas, was born in Marion county, Kentucky, October 11, 1850. He was the eleventh born in the family of fifteen children of Thomas J. and Eliza (Flood) Nash, natives of Virginia and of Scotch and Irish descent. Thomas J. Nash was born in 1808; went to Kentucky in 1815, being one of the pioneers of that State. He was a farmer by occupation, as was also his father, Thomas Nash. His maternal grandfather was a Virginia farmer,

and was a first consin to the celebrated l'eter Cartwright. Thomas J. Nash received a superior education for his day, and started out in life with fair prospects in Marion county, Kentucky. He was elected to vari- ous offices of minor importance, and when in his fortieth year he was chosen Represent- ative of his county to the State Legislature. Previous to this he raised a regiment of mnen and offered his services to the United States for the war with Mexico; he was not accepted, however, there being more men offered than needed. He came to Texas in 1854, first set- tling five or six miles north of Dallas. In 1857 he permanently located in the vicinity of Garland. Here he bonght 320 acres of wild land and developed a fine farm, his land cost- ing him $3.00 per acre. By the time the war came on he had a nice farm and plenty of stock. In 1858 he was elected County Commissioner. In 1861 he was chosen as a member of the Secession Convention, and was a recognized anthority on most subjects in regard to State rights. Being well ad- vanced in years, he took no part in the late unpleasantness, except as a civilian, but in that capacity aided and encouraged the Con- federate canse all he could. In 1876 he was again elected County Commissioner, and filled the office two years. This was the last of his politieal life. He died March 3, 1886, in his seventy-eighth year. For many years he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and nearly all his life was a prominent and devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife died July 7, 1873, aged fifty-six years. She was a member of the same church, possessed many amiable traits of character, and, like her honored husband, was held in high esteem by all who knew her. Of their fifteen children eleven lived to be grown and eight still survive. Names of

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

the eleven are as follows: Lucy J., widow of Jerry Brown, resides in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia; Marietta, deceased; Isabella, wife of J. W. Jones; George W., of Grayson county, Texas; C. L., of this county; J. J., deceased ; Adelia, deceased; Mary E., wife of T. J. Jackson; Thomas F .; Albert R., a Methodist minister of Kaufman county, Texas; Anna E., wife of John Jackson, of this county; Emma E., deceased.

Thomas F. Nash received his early educa- tion in the common schools of this county, as lie grew older attended some of the more advanced schools, and subsequently engaged in teaching in Dallas county. After teach- ing five years, he located on a farm and en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until he was thirty-three. In 1883 he became editor of a paper in Mesquite, called The Mesquiter, and was thus employed three years. Previous to this, in 1880, he was elected to the State Legislature, filling that honored position most acceptably four years. He had also served the public two years as Justice of the Peace previous to his election to the Legislature; was a member of the School Board when he was only twenty-three; has also served in other minor offices. During the time he was in the Legislature he was Chairman of the Committee on State Affairs, and was one of the leading young members of the House. In 1878 he began the study of law. It was not, however, until 1888 that he decided to make law his profession. IIe consulted with Charles F. Clint, of Dallas, but did not study under him; passed an excellent examination in May, 1889, and was admitted to the bar by Judge R. E. Burke. His practice is already assuming large proportions, and he starts out with flattering prospects for a brilliant career as a lawyer. He lias been a resident of Garland since 1887.

Mr. Nash was married, December 25, 1873, to Miss Mary F. Hobbs. Her father was killed while in the Confederate army when she was quite small, and her mother died when she was nine years old. IIer paternal great-grandmother was a first cousin of George Washington. She was rcared by her grandfather, James M. Ware, a promi- nent man in this section of the country. Mr. and Mrs. Nash are the parents of eight chil- dren : Eliza Adelia, Mary Leola, Lillian, Olin Welborn, Albert Ware, Flora Estelle, Effie Lee and Lorena Inge.

Mr. Nash is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Duck Creek Lodge, No. 441, of which he is Master; is also a Knight of Honor. He and his wife are members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church.

AMES M. KENNEDY, a prominent and highly respected citizen of Dallas county, Texas, was born in Fairfield district, South Carolina, March 14, 1830. When he was eight years old he moved with his parents to Alabama and settled in Tallapoosa county, and two years later his father died at that place, leaving a wife and eight children in fair circumstances. The settling up of the estate, however, consumed all the means, and the widow found herself almost penniless. In the meantime some of her children had mar- ried and settled in life. . Not content to re- main where she had lost her fortune, she with three of the youngest children moved to Arkansas. This was in 1843. In 1845 they again changed their location, settling in Dal- las county in May of that year, James M. being then fifteen years of age. There were few settlers here at that time. Mrs. Ken- nedy's capital consisted of only $55, and it

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was with difficulty that she managed to sup- port her family and get a start on the fron- tier. The year following her arrival she took a homestead claim of 320 acres under the Peters colony, and James M. secured 160 acres. He was a good hunter and kept the family well supplied with meat, and as time rolled on the prospeet brightened. Oppor- tunities for schooling were beyond his reach and his edneation was limited, but he pieked up enough learning to enable him to transact business and to carry him successfully through life.

Mr. Kennedy remained with his mother and assisted her until 1853, when he married and began life for himself. He progressed rapidly, and in 1860 was a full partner with a Mr. Witt in the Trinity mills and had a good store in connection with them. In the meantime he had had some misfortunes, namely, sickness in his family and the deatlı of his wife. In 1858 he married again. When the war came on he was the possessor of a snug little fortune. He out loose from everything, sold out, took slaves and Con- federate money as payment, and when the war was over he found his hard-earned for- tune swept away.

In 1861 he joined the Confederate army, Witt's Company, Darnell's Regiment, and soon after entering the field his company was transferred to Seantlan's squadron, in which he remained until the war closed. After the exemption law William Jackson was made Captain of their company and Mr. Kennedy was promoted to First Lieutenant. Ile par- ticipated in many skirmishes and a number of battles; was mustered out at Hempstead, Texas.

Returning home, he found himself withont anything save the 160 acres of land which he had kept. He rented it and turned his atten-

tion to trading, which he followed success- fully three years. He then settled down to farming and stoek-raising, and has since met with prosperity. He now has an estate con- sisting of 800 acres of fine land, well stocked with horses, cattle, hogs, ete., and improved with substantial buildings.

Mr. Kennedy first married Miss Prudence Rowe, daughter of W. B. Rowe. Her father, an Englishman by birth, and a farmer, came to Texas in 1848 and settled in Dallas county, where he died in June, 1871. He was a man of high standing, his family being one of the leading ones in the county. By this happy union one ehild was born, October 29, 1854, and was named William.

The young wife and mother departed this life September 29, 1855. October 3, 1858, Mr. Kennedy wedded Miss Charlotte Drake, daughter of George D. and Rachel (Tomp- kins) Drake. Her parents went from New York to Ohio and from there to Illinois, where, in Marshall county, she was born, Sep- tember 17, 1839, and in 1855 they emigrated to Texas. Her father was a briek mason by trade, but after coming to Texas was engaged in farming. He died at Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1883. By his second marriage Mr. Ken- nedy has had nine children, two dying in in- faney. Six are still living, viz .: George, born September 14, 1868; James M. and Samuel M. (twins), July 19, 1871; Emma, September 29, 1873; Mattie, September 10, 1875; and Marsh, March 27, 1877. Ella Prudence, the oldest, born March 3, 1866, married George F. Myers, Angust 20, 1885, and died February 4, 1890, leaving three chil- dren,-Amy, Willie and Jay. George F. Myers is the son of Rev. J. M. Myers and grandson of Rev. David Myers, an old pioneer who or- ganized the First Baptist Church in Dallas county.

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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Politically, Mr. Kennedy is a Democrat; socially, a member of the Masonic fraternity; and religiously, he and his family are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sonth, he having been a leader in church work for many years.

It should be further stated in connection with the family history of Mr. Kennedy that his father, Samnel Kennedy, was born in South Carolina, and that his grandfather, William Kennedy, a native of Ireland, came to America with five brothers, served through the Revolutionary war, and afterward settled in South Carolina. Samnel Kennedy married Miss Mary Mnrf, daughter of Samuel Murf, who was of German extraction, and of their four sons and four daughters the subject of this sketch was the seventh born. Mrs. Ken- nedy died in Texas, April 8, 1861.

Such is an epitome of the life of one of Dallas county's best citizens and Christian men.

W. GILBERT, M. D., of Dallas county, was born in Oktibbeha county, Mississippi, Jannary 31, 1854, a son of John W. and Sallie (Broughton) Gilbert. The father was born near DeKalb, Georgia, and when a young man he went to Missis- sippi and settled in Oktibbeha county, where he accumulated considerable property. He lost heavily by the war, and always made his home in Mississippi, where he died, in 1881, at the age of eighty-one years. Our subject's mother also died in Oktibbeha county. in 1877, at the age of sixty-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert were the parents of cleven children, as follows: Jackson Marion is a physician residing in Lewisville, Denton county, Texas; Franklin Monroe, also a phy- sician, resides in Hood county ; the two daugh-

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Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 58

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