Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas, Part 76

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 76

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).

639

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

now occupies the old homestead, of 415 acres, 125 acres of which is in a fine state of cultivation.

Mr. Rape was married January 29, 1862, to Miss Julia A., a daughter of Jacob Boyd- son, a native of Kentucky. By this union there were six children, five of whom survive: Mary A., Ida J., William J., Oma D. and Hugh E. Mr. Rape lost his wife by death, and he was then married to Mary, daughter of M. G. Terry, a native of Virginia. They have had two children, Rufus II. and Lorena. He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows, and also of the Christian Church.

LLANSON DAWDY, one of the first settlers of Dallas county, Texas, is a son of Allanson and Nancy (Garrison) Dawdy. His father was born in Tennessee, July 12, 1786. From there, in 1815, he re- moved to Illinois, where he remained till death. He was an active member of the Baptist Church, and a man of strict integrity and good habits. His marriage to Nancy Garrison occurred May 12, 1805. To them were born twelve children, as follows: James, born August 12, 1807, died in 1867; Sarah, April 25, 1809, now deceased; Elizabetlı, June 11, 1811, is a resident of Illinois; Howell, January 13, 1813, is deceased; Matthew, November 23, 1815; George W., March 23, 1819, deceased; Daniel, Novem- ber 23, 1870; Rachel, February 27, 1822; Nancy, September 8, 1824, deceased; Allan- son, the subject of this sketch; Jesse, April 8, 1828; William C., June 28, 1831.

Allanson Dawdy, whose name heads this article, was born December 15, 1826. He remained with his parents until 1846, when he enlisted in the Mexican war and served

one year; was in the engagement at Buena Vista, under. Colonel Hardin. Returning from the war, he located in Dallas county, Texas. On the Trinity river he ran a ferry, known as Dawdy's Ferry. This he continued until 1881. In the mean time he purchased the farm where he now lives. During the civil war he enlisted, in Darnell's regiment, under Captain Perry; was in a number of skirmishes, and was First Lieutenant. At the time of Lee's surrender he was at Tyler, Texas.

In 1848 Mr. Dawdy was married to Re- becca Shelton, daughter of Williamn and Elizabeth Shelton, natives of Virginia. For his second wife he married Miss Mary Kin- ney, and for his present, Mary Batchelor, a native of Missouri.

Mr. Dawdy has had eight children, viz .: Samuel W., a farmer of Dallas county, Texas; Allanson, Jr., a farmer of Hamilton county, Texas; Jane, wife of R. Keithley; William, a farmer of Dallas county, Texas; and John Jesse, Olie, Byron and Ross, at home.

Politically, Mr. Dawdy is a Democrat. He is a member of the Masonic order and has been an active member of the Christian Church for several years, and was at one time a deacon of the church.

Such is a brief sketch of one of the pioneer settlers and substantial farmers of Dallas county.

ESSE M. RAMSEY, one of the pros- perous farmers of Dallas county, was born in Pettis county, Missouri, a son of Samuel and Salinda Ramsey. The parents came to Texas in November, 1845, settling on the farm where our subject now lives, having bought a patent on 570 acres. The father remained here about thirty years and

640

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

then moved to near Whitesborongh, Grayson county, Texas, where he died in the fall of 1888. He was the father of twelve children, namely: Martha, William R., John B., Jesse M., Mary Ann, James C., Henry, Laura, Fannie and Rose. Three of the children died when young. Mr. Ramsey's first wife was a Miss Fuller, who died in the winter of 1868, at the age of forty-six years.

Jesse M. was born in 1843, being but two years of age when his father settled on the place where he now lives. He has about 1,000 acres of fine blaek land, 300 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation.

He was married in September, 1869, to Miss Catherine Trees, the daughter of Craw- ford and Annie M. Trees, who were the first to procure license to marry after the organiza- tion of Dallas county. Mr. and Mrs. Trees were natives of Union county, Illinois, and eame to Texas in April, 1845, taking up the land where the father lived until his death, in February, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey are the parents of three children: W. C., John Ilenry Brown and Winnie Ann.

Politieally, Mr. Ramsey is a Demoerat, and religiously, is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. By elose attention and hard work he has gath- ered around him considerable of this world's goods.

AMES LYONS .- This enterprising farmer although not a native of Texas, has been identified with the interests of this State all his life.

He was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee, February 26, 1853, and that same year his father moved to Texas. in wagons, making the journey in nine weeks.

William M. Lyons, his father, was born in

Hawkins county, Tennessee, May 5, 1824. His first wife, who before her marriage was Ellen Smith, wedded in Tennessee, and by her had two children: Samuel S. and Ellen: the former is deceased. For his second wife William M. Lyons married Caroline Watter- son, daughter of Henry Watterson; she was born February, 27, 1825, married William M. Lyons, in 1852, and they had four ehil- dren: James, Rosanna E., Henry W., and George M .; James is the only one living; Rosanna E. married John B. Harris, and left one child, P. Arthur Harris. William M. Lyons settled in the eastern portion of Dal- las county, where he bought 640 aeres of land. James Lyons and his mother still live on the old place.

In 1862, William M. Lyons joined the Burford regiment, Captain Thomas' Company, and went into the Confederate army, believ- ing that it was his duty to try to protect the rights of the country he lived in: was with Price on his raid into Missouri. From ex- posure incurred while in service, Mr. Lyons was taken sick, and came home on a siek fur- lough, where he died, December 3, 1863, aged thirty-nine years. His father dying when James was only ten years of age, he, being the oldest of the family, still lives on the land his father purchased. It is located fif- teen miles east of Dallas, and eight miles south of Garland.

James Lyons was married, January 10, 1875, to Miss Lillie Stubblefield, who was born in Virginia, April 4, 1856. Her father, William Stubblefield, born in Tennessee, July 27, 1822, was first married to Miss Harriet Profit. Three children were born to them: Henrietta, John P. and Harriet. Of these three only the first named, who is the wife of Samnel Logins, is living. For his second wife Mr. Stubblefield wedded Miss Margaret

641

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Duff, in 1854, she, too, being a native of Vir- ginia. Seven children were born to this union, namely: Mrs. Lyons; Mollie, wife of Gus Jordan; Joseph; William, deceased; Lullie; Mattie, wife of Russell Jordan; and Charley.

Mr. and Mrs. Lyons have four children, viz .: William, born March 1, 1876; Ina, October 4, 1880; John H., November 8, 1883; and James J., July 11, 1886.

Mrs. Lyons is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

LBERT T. BURCHARDT was born in Lowenberg, Germany, September 14, 1864, son of Frederick and Gussie (Rouge) Burchardt, natives of Germany, and with them, in 1876, emigrated to America when he was twelve years old. The family came at once to Texas, and settled three miles east of Mesquite, where the father bought land and improved a farm. He and his wife now reside at Mesquite. The subject of our sketch was the fourth-born in a family of ten children, whose names are as follows: James; Bertha, wife of Henry Brannegen; and Har- mon, Albert T., Matilda, Theodore, Charley, Frederick, Gussie and Minnie,-all now living.

Albert T. lived with his father until he was twenty-two years of age, when he was mar- ried to Miss Minnie Bobe, October 8, 1887. She was born in Leese, Hanover, Germany, January 27, 1867, and when nine years old came to this country with her mother, nee Elizabeth Nehirmeyer, who was born in Ger- many, July 9, 1842, and married William Bobe in 1864. He died in 1876, at the age of thirty-four years. The next year Mrs. Bobe came from her native land to Texas.

They had three children, namely: Louisa, wife of Michael Greenbaum; Minnie, wife of Albert F. Burchardt; Mary, wife of Pole Beach.

Mr. - Burchardt began married life with little capital save a willing hand, and his honest and carnest efforts have been crowned with success. He bought a niee farm near New Hope, in the eastern part of Dallas county, and has since improved it, having erected a good house, barn and other build- ings. His land is all under fence, and his pastures are well stocked with horses, mules, and cattle. Mr. Burchardt belongs to that class of men who make a success of what- ever they undertake. He is good-natured, open-hearted, and possesses many estimable traits of character that render him a good neighbor and a inost worthy citizen. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. They have no children.

HOMAS McKEE ELLIS, deceased .- Another of the pioneers of Dallas county, whose name it is the province of this work to record in connection with the history of his adopted home, is Thomas Mc- Kee Ellis, who was of Scotch and Irish descent, some of whom served in the Revo- lutionary war. He was for nearly a half cen- tury a resident of this vicinity. Mr. Ellis was a pioneer in the broadest and best sense of the word, and came of pioneer ancestry.

He was born in Abbeville district, South Carolina, and there grew to years of maturity, but just as he was verging on manhood his parents moved to Kentucky, and he accom- panied them. However, he only remained in that State a short time, for the Territory of Illinois had been thrown open to settlement,

642

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

and he moved across the Ohio river and took np his residence in what is now Polk county of that State. There he was married, about 1820, the lady whom he selected as his life companion being Mary Witt, a daughter of John Witt, then of Polk county, but who subsequently became one of the pioneers of Dallas county, Texas, where many of his descendants now reside. From Polk county, Illinois, Mr. Ellis moved to Greene county, that State, and thence to Texas, whither he came in 1845, and made his first stop in this State, in Lamar county.

After a few months he came to Dallas county, which he reached in the month of January, 1846. He settled in this county a short distance south of where the village of Lancaster now stands, and became the pos- sessor of 640 acres of land in that locality. He thus became a resident of the county be- fore it was regularly organized, and it is need- less to say, therefore, at a time when the country was but sparsely settled. Mr. Ellis never made but the one move, residing till the date of his death on the tract of land on which he settled when he first came to the county. He was not a public character and there is nothing therefore to record of him of a political nature. He was one of those men who always contributed to the solid wealth of the community in which they re- side by the labor of their hands rather than by busying themselves with the affairs of others, whether of a public or private charac- ter. As a citizen, however, he discharged his duties faithfully, rendering such service as good citizens are expected to and rendering them promptly and cheerfully. Ile led the unpretentious life of a farmer, but as such was successful far beyond the average man, accumulating considerable property, mostly in lands which he managed with discretion

and from which his children received a large share of the benefits. Having been brought np at a time when the advantages of an edu- cation were not so fully appreciated as at this day, and when the facilities for obtaining one were by no means what they are now, his training in this respect was necessarily neg- lected. He did not even have the oppor- tunities to make up in some degree for this misfortune after growing up, for the reason that his youth and early manhood were wholly absorbed in the conflicts and rough experiences that mark the life of the first settlers in a new country, he having resided successively on the frontiers of Kentucky, Illinois and Texas when the only art at that time known was the art of war, the only science the science of life as narrowly viewed from the stand- point of bread and butter, and the only litera- ture taught the plain old Anglo-Saxon of our common Bible. Yet, in sound sense and discriminating judgment he was not lacking. In all the sterling virtues of manhood he rose to the full stature, and his life, though nn- assuming, was crowded with usefulness and he left the impress of his character npon those by whom he was surrounded. For more than thirty years he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and for abont fifteen years of his later life he was a communicant of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church, and while identified with that body he lived conscientiously with his professions. Quietly at his home, sur- rounded by many of his children and old friends and amidst the scenes of nearly half a century of his labors, he passed away from this earth, on the 7th day of March, 1890, at the advanced age of ninety-one years, his loss most deeply lamented by those who had known him longest and best. For the last ten years of his life he was blind. The wife of his youth who had borne him a faithful

643

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

companionship through the long years of his toils and hardships, had preceded him to the land of rest, abont a year, having died also at the old home place, on June 26, 1889, aged eighty-seven years. She, too, had been a member for many years of the Baptist Church and was a pious and exemplary Christian woman.

Thomas M. and Mary Ellis were the par- ents of eleven children, all of whom grew to maturity and were married, and the most are living at the present time, and are resi- dents of this county. Their eldest, Elizabeth Jane, became the wife of John Hoffman, of Greene county, Illinois, and there died, leav- ing one daughter to survive her. The second child of Thomas and Mary Ellis, Ellen Ma- linda, became the wife of Captain Middleton Perry, and at an early day came with him to Dallas county, Texas, and are now residing in the vicinity of Lancaster; Mary Ann is the widow of Jones Greene, of this county; Orilla Caroline has been married three times, and is now the wife of Judge John Stephens of Hillsboro, Hill county, Texas; Margaret was married to R. A. Lemmons, of Ellis county, of this State, but is now deceased; Martha Angeline was married twice, now the wife of Thomas Ramby of Dallas county, and resides about three miles south of Lancaster; Harriet Emeline is the widow of Calvin Tay- lor and lives just west of the village of Lan- caster; William F., the eldest son, resides in Howard county, this State, having spent the inost of his life, however, in this county, where he was reared and where he is well and favorably known in the southern part of the county; John T. is a resident of Lancaster; James Henry resides about one and one-half miles east of Lancaster, while the youngest, Lonisa F., is the widow of W. L. White, who was for many years a successful merchant of

Lancaster, and she still resides in the village. Some facts of more general interest concern- ing this lady will be found in the sketch of her deceased husband, which appears in the biographical department of this work.

ILLIAM A. HARRISON, the sub- ject of this sketch, is a native of Alabama, born August 2, 1854. In September, 1875, at the age of twenty-one, he came to Texas, and since that time has been a resident of this State. The first year he hired ont to a farmer and the second year cultivated land on the shares. December 24, 1876, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Coyle, and at the time of their marriage her father presented them with sivty-five acres of wild land. Mr. Harrison at once went to work to improve it, and he and his wife lived on it for thirteen years. Dispos- ing of that property, Mr. Harrison bought 113 acres where he now lives, and this being the best of land he has developed it into a fine farm. By honest industry and good inanagement he has worked his way up, like many other poor boys who came to Texas to seek their fortunes, and is now in easy cir- cumstances.

Sidney Harrison, father of Williamn A., was born in North Carolina. When a young man he went to Alabama and was there married to Miss Ruth Brooks, also a native of the State of North Carolina. He served four years in the Confederate army, and died in 1866, soon after his return from the war. His wife departed this life in December, 1873. They had a family of six children, whose names are as follows: William A .; W. M .; Martha; Mary E .; Lucy, wife of a Mr. Rogers; and Julia A., wife of Frank IIall.

644

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

Mrs. Harrison's father's name was Michael Coyle. He was born in St. Francis county, Arkansas, May 16, 1829. He came to Texas in 1849, and first settled in Harrison county. On the 6th of January, 1852, he wedded Miss Manerva J. Hunter, and in Deeember of the following year moved to Dallas county. Mrs. Coyle was born in west Tennessee, October 27, 1827, and came to Harrison county, Texas, in 1849. Mr. Coyle laid his elaim on 160 aeres of land in the eastern part of Dal- las county. He died January 14, 1863, at the age of fifty-three years and eight months. Mrs. Coyle died January 23, 1888, aged sixty years. They were the parents of nine ehil- dren, three of whom died in infancy. The names of the others are: William H .; J. H .; M. S .; Mary C., wife of W. A. Harrison; Mattie, wife of John T. Luper; and Sallie, deceased.

To William A. Harrison and his wife five children have been born: Lien Emma, Fan- nie M., Lillie Bell, Addie Jane and D. W., the first and fourth named being deceased. Mrs. Harrison is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Harrison is a Democrat in his politieal belief.

OHN P. POTTER dates his birth in Bedford county, Tennessee, February 17, 1827. Ilis parents, William and Jane (Kinby) Potter, were born in the years 1800 and 1803 respectively. In 1848, when John P. was twenty-one years of age, the family moved to Texas and settled in Smith county. They started South in wagons, but when they reached the river found their loads were too heavy, so they shipped the family and goods by boat, John P. and his father continuing on the journey with the teams. The senior

Mr. Potter bought land in Smith county and remained there until his death, which oceurred" in August, 1851, at the age of fifty-one years.

April 3, 1851, John P. Potter was nnited in marriage with Martha A. Oden, who was born in Texas, July 11, 1835, her father, Kinehen Oden, having moved with bis family from Illinois to Texas that same year. Mr. Potter first took a headright of 320 acres and improved it to some extent. Ile subsequently sold out and moved on a portion of his father's land. He next bought a farm in Tarrant county, engaged in the stock business and remained there two years. Disposing of his stoek and land, he moved baek to Smith county, and from there came to Dallas county, in 1861, and bought property near Haught's Store, where he now lives. At different times he added to his first purchase until his landed estate numbered 1,000 acres. As his children grew up he divided his land among them, re- taining 600 aeres for himself. Abont half of this is under cultivation and all is well feneed. Scattered over his estate are tenant houses, and as a proof of his kind treatment of and just dealings with his tenants we state that some of them have been with him fifteen years.

During the Civil war Mr. Potter enlisted in the army, in 1863, under Colonel Terrell, was in several battles and skirmishes and served until the war was over. Returning home, he again took up his agricultural pur- suits. During his absence mueh of his stoek had been taken by the Confederate soldiers.

Mr. Potter's wife died on the 24th of April, 1872, aged thirty-seven years. She had borne him nine children, whose names are as follows: William L. and Elizabeth, both now deceased; Lecie J., wife of D. C. Landess; Mary B., wife of J. M. MeKinzie; Sarah F., wife of W. II. Lumby; John K.,

645

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

deceased; Frank O .; Robert D .; and Martha E., deceased.

In 1874 Mr. Potter was again married,- this time to Mrs. Jane Hill, nee Porter.

Mr. Potter says that when they came to Texas they had little use for money. Year- lings were legal tender. If a man owed an- other $5 he gave him a yearling calf. All he has Mr. Potter has made for himself since he came to Texas, with the exception of a few hundred dollars which were left to him at his father's death. Having lived here forty-three years, he may justly be ranked with the pioneers of the State. For seven years he has served as Justice of the Peace.

Mrs. Potter is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

OSEPH B. D. YOUNG, real-estate dealer and capitalist, is one of the worthy pioneers of Texas, without whose per- sonal sketch a history of Dallas county would not be complete. He is a native of Tennes- see, born in Fayette county, April 21, 1836, the thirteenth of a family of sixteen children. His parents, Samuel and Judith (Palmer) Young, were natives of Virginia and removed to Tennessee while the Cherokee and Choctaw Indians were still in possession of a portion of the territory. The father was descended from one of the first families of Virginia, and was an extensive dealer in live-stock; he was also a slave-owner and did a large busi- ness in planting. He died in 1844, and his wife passed away in 1842. But twelve of their children grew to mature years, and only two daughters and two sons now survive.

At the age of fifteen years, Joseph B. D. began life for himself. He came to Harrison county, Texas, and secured employment on a

farm; for two years his chief occupation was following the plow. His educational advan- tages were very meager, and after these two years of service he took his earnings and went to school for a year; he was a student at Mckenzie College, one of his fellow students being the Hon. John H. Cochran, now representing the Sixth Congressional District of Texas. He was eighteen years old, and almost penniless, but he was pos- sessed of a courageous heart, and a will de- termined to win the day; with these two characteristics, success must come. He soon became known as a rising young dealer in live-stock, and his judgment became the standard of the community.

Mr. Young was married November 14, 1867, to Miss Visa Mahon, who was the sixth-born of a family of nine children of John and Elizabeth (Kinman) Mahon; her birth-day was April 27, 1837. Her father was a native of South Carolina, and the mother was born in the same State; she was a cousin of John C. Calhoun. The father died in Harrison county, Texas, 1863, and the mother in 1859.

In 1871 Mr. and Mrs. Young came to Dallas, where Mr. Young has by careful and judicious investments acquired an ample competency for the coming years. He is considered one of the most substantial real- estate dealers in Dallas county, and is the owner of property valued at $40,000. He has contributed liberally both of his means and personal effort to all those enterprises which go to make a progressive business center. He has given to every railroad that enters the city, has taken stock in banks as they have been organized, and has made liberal donations of real estate to the city. He owns five acres where his residence is lo- cated, and lias one of the most delightful

646

HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.

homes in the city. Two children were born to him and his wife, but both are deceased.

Mr. Young was a soldier in the late war, being a member of Company H, Seventh Texas Volunteer Infantry; he was in the battle of Mansfield and of Shiloh, and in many skirmishes; he was in the service three years and eight months, although not con- tinnously for that length of time. He votes with the Democratic party, but takes no act- ive interest in the issues of that organization.

EROME B. HATCH, deceased, was born in Winfield, Herkimer county, New York, January 8, 1839, and was the fourth son of Jerome L. and Pamelia K. Hatch, the parents of eight sons and two daughters. At the early age of sixteen years Jerome with an elder brother came West, stopping at Beloit, Wisconsin. Afterward his parents removed to Illinois, and his home was with them for several years. He joined an Illinois regiment, and was in the Union army about two years. His father died at Decatur, Illinois, aged sixty-six years; his mother is still living, remarkably strong in body, with her mental faculties well pre- served; she is eighty-five years of age.

In the year 1865, while living in Decatur, Illinois, Mr. Hatch was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Alger of Mishawaka, In- diana. He first came to Texas in the year 1872, in the interests of the Champion Ma- chine Company of Springfield, Ohio. Com- ing as far as Vineta, Indian Territory, by rail, then by stage to Denison and Dallas, he traveled over a large portion of the State with horses and wagon or by the regular line of stage coaches running in those days. Two years later, in 1874, he commenced to work

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 76

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