USA > Texas > Past history and present stage of development of Texas. Memorial and biographical history matter of the Lone Star state > Part 17
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Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Jennie Olsen, who was also born in Norway, Feb. +, 1895, and two sons and two daughters have blessed the union. The family worship with the Lutheran church, and reside in their comfortable home at 1122 North Tenth street. As previously stated, Mr. Johnson stands high in the contracting and building and business work of this part of the state, and is known for his strict rule of integrity in carrying out his agreement with customers to every honest letter, which has won him many friends. He employs an average of forty men the year round, and as high as one hundred.
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JORDON, Col. Harry Philip
The subject of this sketch, Col. Harry P. Jordon, can dis- tinetly trace his ancestry back to the "War of the Roses"-one white, the other red-in the feudal days of England, which lasted for about forty years, and in which the Prince of York and the Prince of Lancaster were the contestants In this war the Jordon's, clothed with titles and official power, were conspicuous commanders, and in many ways displayed their gal- lantry and bravery. One of those that survived the struggle-Merit Jordon-was afterwards eminently married, and three of his sons- Thomas, James and Henry-were among the colonists to come over and join the Jamestown settlement during the time, or soon after the trying experiences of Capt. John Smith, of Pocahontas stake-relief. Soon afterwards, in order to con- tent the pioneer colonists, England sent over a shipload of healthy marriageable young ladies from Holland, which were landed at Jamestown. It was customary for those that chose a wife to pay the ship commander for her passage with a hogshead of tobacco, and about this time the tobacco business was booming. The three Jordon brothers were rated as good tobacco producers and were among the first to choose wives, and from that time on down the line to the present hour this prolific family, distributed throughout the nation, have demonstrated their good citizenship from almost every standpoint.
Col. Harry P. Jordon, a direct descendant of the Jordon family, was born in Warring- ton, Va., Feb. 16, 1875. Shortly after his birth his father, the late Dr. Powhatan Jordon, yellow fever expert, received the appointment as Government Quarantine Officer at New Orleans, through the influence of his double cousin, Gen. William Mahone. United States Senator from Virginia, and the family moved to New Orleans, and there resided for abont four years. They then located in Beaumont when it was yet a village, where the son received his early schooling at the Beaumont Academy, presided over by Prof. Charles Stovall and Dr. William Alexander, both of whom have taken high rank as educators in Texas and the Southland. He finished the course at the academy before he was old enough to enter college, and as his father was largely interested in the Beaumont Ice, Light & Refrigerating Company, he spent one year in the office as assistant manager. He then entered the A. & M. College at Bryan. Texas, which was presided over as president by the late Gen. "Sul" Ross, of Indian and Civil war fame, and former governor of the state, and completed the course of that college-graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Civil Engineering in 1895. The Military Institute of Texas is included in that college, and while there he held high rank as officer in the Corps of Cadets. While there he also received direct appointment from the congressman of his (Beaumont) district to both the United States Military and Naval Aca- demies, but declined them. During his graduating year he received from Gov. Hogg the ap- pointment of Lieutenant and Adjutant in the Sixth Infantry, Texas Volunteer Guard, and has
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since risen to the position of Lieutenant-Colonel of Infantry, which position in the National Guard he now holds. As an officer of the National Guard he represented this state upon the staff of Gen. Corbin as special escort to President Roosevelt at the World's Fair in St. Louis. After receiving his degree from the technical branch of the University of Texas, he spent a year in the law offices of Judge W. H. Ford, of Beanmont, and Maj. W. M. Walton, of Austin, where he read law, and then entered the law department of the University of Texas-gradnating in June, 1898, with the degrees of bachelor of law and literature. He was immediately admitted to the bar and located for practice in the city of Waco, where he now has an extensively stocked library and office quarters on fourth floor of Provident building, and commands a wide clientele of the highest order of business.
Col. Jordon's mother was Miss Alberta Edwards, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and there were born of this nnion two sons and two daughters, of whom only Col. Jordon and Mrs. Pat C. Byrne, of Duncan, Oklahoma, are now living. The mother died at Sabine, Texas, in 1877, and the father in 1904 at Beanmont. Several years ago Col. Jordon, was married to Miss Vera Higginson, youngest daughter of Capt. C. H. Higginson, who was captain in the Confederate army from Kentucky and is now one of Waco's most substantial and honored citizens, and they have one danghter, Margaret, to aid in the happiness of their home. After settling up his father's estate in Beanmont, Col. Jordon and his sister went to the City of Mexico, where they have a very distinguished uncle and aunt, Senor and Mme. Degollado. Gen. Degollado was Maximillian's Imperial Ambassador to the United States and was high in the confidence of this courageons martyr for his cause. Col. Jordon's father served thronghont the entire period of the Civil War-entered as Captain and Surgeon, and came ont as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Texas Cavalry. His two annts, Mme. Degollado and Mrs. Gen. Earl Rogers, of Veroqua, Wisconsin, are members of the Danghters of the American Revolution. Col. Jordon's grandmother's father, Connt Vonyard, came over from France with Gen. Lafayette during the Revolutionary War and fought with the Colonial troops under Gen. Lafayette. Col. Jordon's sister married Pat C. Byrne, of Duncan, Oklahoma, who is a nephew of Donn Panl Kreuger, of Boer War fame. Col. Jordon's other aunt is the wife of Gen. Earl Rogers, of Viroqua, Wis. Gen. Rogers served with distinction in the United States Army. He commanded the troops that guarded and made possible the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad against Indian raids. He was Adjutant- General of Wisconsin for many years and is one of the best known and highly esteemed public men of the State of Wisconsin. Col. Jordon is at present Commander of the "Sul" Ross Camp of United Sons of Confederate Veterans. As an alumnus of both the A. & M. College and University of Texas he takes much interest in the progress and development of these two noted institutions of learning prided by all Texans. A thirty- second degree Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner, he is a very active member in good standing of all the several branches of the Masonic fraternity, in which he finds much interest and pleasure. Col. Jordon has on more than one occasion demonstrated the fact that in choosing law for a profession he has selected as his life-work that for which Nature has best endowed him, being strong in logic, profound in argument, and painstaking to the last degree. Aside from serving as Assistant County Attorney .from 1898 to 1902, he has never held or sought public office, preferring to battle for his, the Democratic, party "as a private in the rear ranks." Being now in the flower of his vigor, he takes a warm interest in the current thought of the day, the development of Waco and the state at large, and is closely identified with the business and social interests of this city. It is safe to say that no young man of his age and acquaintance has more loyal supporters and friends in the grand old State of Texas than does Col. Harry Philip Jordon, and they are now looking forward to his future with great pride and expectancy.
JOHNSTON, Gen. Albert Sidney
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston was born in Mason county, Kentucky, Feb. 3, 1803 .. He obtained his literary education at Transylvania University, and was graduated from the
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United States Military Academy at West Point in June, 1826, being number eight in a brilliant class of which Jefferson Davis was a member. He was assigned as second lieutenant of the 2nd Infantry, transferred to the 6th Infantry in 1827, was regimental adjutant from 1828 to 1832, and participated throughout the Black Hawk war as chief of staff to Gen. Atkinson. Owing to the serious illness of his wife, who died the following year, he in 1834 resigned frem the army and engaged in farming until May, 1836, when he came to the Republic of Texas and enlisted as a private soldier in the army. His merit soon brought him promotion, and he was by Gen. Thos. J. Rusk made adjutant-general of the Army of Texas, and not long after chosen senior brigadier-general and chief commander of the army in the place of Gen. Felix Huston, then in command of the forces and a disappointed competitor for the place. In the duel which followed Johnston was seriously wounded. In 1838 he was made Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas. In 1839 he led an expeditiou against the hostile Cherokee Indians, and in a battle on the Neches defeated and routed them with great slaughter. After Texas had been annexed to the Union and the war between the United States and Mexico broke out he organized a regiment, the 1st Texas Rifles, and hastened to the Rio Grande. He was distinguished in various battles, especially at Monterey, where he had three horses shot from under him. He returned now to his Texas plantation and the care of his family, where he remained until 1849, wheu without his knowledge he was appointed by President Zachary Taylor to be paymaster in the United States Army with the rank of major. Six years later President Franklin Pierce appointed him colonel of the 2nd cavalry, a new regiment, and he was assigned to the command of the Department of Texas, where he remained until 1857, when he was put in command of an expedition to Utah to force the Mormons to submit to the laws of the United States Government. He overcame great diffi- culties and showed snch ability and tact in the delicate mission that he was made brevet Brigadier-General in the United States Army. When the war between the states broke out Gen. Johnston was in command of the Department of the Pacific. When he received the news of the secession of Texas he resigned his commission, and made his way by land to Rich- mond, Va., reaching there in September. He had a cordial reception, was made a full general and assigned to the command of the Department of the West, in which post he rendered heroic service to the Confederacy. He fell "on the field of glory" at Shiloh, April 6, 1862, while leading a desperate charge to victory. There are many military critics and world- famed soldiers who endorse the opinion of President Jefferson Davis that he was the greatest general whom the war produced. Gen. Johnston had many times expressed the wish to be buried in Texas, and so his remains are interred in the State Cemetery in Austin, and above his grave Texas has placed the exquisite recumbent statue by the Texan sculpturess, Eliza- beth Ney. Gen. Johnston was married in 1829 to Miss Henrietta Preston. Their son, William Preston Johnston, graduated from Yale in 1852; was aid-de-camp to Jefferson Davis through- out the whole war; professor of history and literature at Washington and Lee University (under presidency Gen. Robt. E. Lee) and from 1880 until his death, July 16, 1899, was president of Tulane University in New Orleans.
KELLY, George Addison
But few men have lived and died in the history of Northeast Texas who left a more genuine impress for the good they have wrought, and set a higher model for young men to follow, than Mr. George A. Kelly, founder of the well-known Kelly Plow and Farm Machinery Manufactory, of Longview. We are pleased to briefly sketch the history of his life, because it is interesting. Born October 17, 1832, in Green county, East Ten- nessee, his father before him, Jacob Kelly, was a farmer. Leaving the historic moun- tains of East Tennessee, the family moved to Nachotoches Parish, Louisiana, where the father died in 1863, aged sixty-three years. George A. Kelly's earlier life was spent on the farm, at timber works, and toiling as a deck hand on the Red and Mississippi river steamboats. It was in 1854 that he came to Jefferson, then the metropolis and commercial distributing point for the Western country, and without means settled at a point four miles west of Jefferson, which was for many years known as Kellyville, and began to supply the much needed demand for cowbells and country hollowware for
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the thousands of wagoners passing and camping near his shop. He was among the first to realize the sore need of the country for a plow adapted to the local soil, and in 1860 fashioned and built the Kelly Blue plow, which became a household word and laid the foundation for his fame. His patronage gradually grew to large proportions and in the course of time his plant had been enlarged to where it was employing 250 people. During the Civil War he was detailed by the Confederate government to manufacture army supplies. In 1871 he discovered local iron ore beds and pioneered in the making of pig iron to supply his own plant and some outside demands, which he continued to do until 1882. The United States Steel Corporation uow owus these ore beds and the output is now being shipped to Pittsburg, Pa. His manufacturing plant burned in 1880 and was rebuilt in 1881; at which point of the proceedings he had met with financial reverses and voluntarily surrendered his resources for the benefit of his creditors. In 1882, with but a few dollars, he came to Longview aud on the strength of his good name organized a stock company aud began his industrial life anew. With what success is too well known by the people of Texas to be repeated in this connection. In 1894 the old plant at Kellyville was purchased by Mr. Kelly and continued in operation until 1908, when it was dismantled and the machinery moved to Longview. Beginning at Kellyville with the making of ouly one style of plow, the scope was enlarged to the manufacture of wagons, cooking and heating stoves, molasses mills, mill supplies, engiues, etc. At present the plant at Longview is putting upon the market both steel and cast-iron plows of all kinds and sizes, suitable for all kinds of soil, together with cultivators, harrows, planters and a complete line of implements-goods of honest and modern make and sold on the principle of close margins. The plaut is up to date iu its equipment and employs about 125 people.
In 1856 Mr. Kelly was happily married to Miss Lucy Ann Stewart, who was born in Virginia. Mrs. Kelly's mother was a native of Scotland and was related to the Stewart family of that country. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelly were born four daughters and four sons, two of the latter being dead. The mother is still living at this writing. Mr. Kelly died October 2, 1909, aged seventy-seven years. During 1886-8 he was prevailed upon to serve as Mayor of Longview, against his wishes. Up to the time of his death he had been a Mason something like forty years, and as a conscientious and faithful member of the Methodist church derived much pleasure and profit in active church work and financially aiding the cause of his Master. He was a friend to young men just begin- ning life; was kind and charitable to the poor, aud as a public-spirited citizen was an effective factor in the development of East Texas, and especially in the making of Longview the prosperous little city it is today. A lifelong acquaintance of Mr. Kelly stated to the writer that "from early boyhood he manifested a pure mind and moral traits of character, and throughout his long, active and useful life was a high-toned Christian gentleman." Before passing out of this life Mr. Kelly had trained his two able-bodied sons-R. M. and L. D. Kelly-to take his place; and he having dedicated his business to clean hands, they will continue to do him credit and perpetuate the same in his honor. His gallant spirit went forth to meet death with the same smile . with which he faced the new country of East Texas as a poor Irish boy fifty-seven years ago. He worked his way to success with his strong hands, his unflinching courage, and with his big, open, boyish heart. A man of positive character, yet the gentlest, the most easily moved of men. He had friends in all walks of life, sprinkled all over the South- west. He worked hard and played hard, and he loved his fellowmen, not theoretically, but with a hearty and personal affection. Texas ueeds more such men as was the lamented and departed.
KEEBLE, Judge Humphrey Rob
One of the marked characteristics of American life is the parting line between the old and the new generations-where and when the father, rich in ripe age and having exhausted his force of vitality, willingly transfers the mantle of responsibility to the incoming son, with the solemn admonition that the family trailer must never lag in the dust. One
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of the young Texans-the son of a noble sire-that has accepted this duty with the full understanding of its importance, is Judge H. Rob Keeble, son of Rev. J. W. Keeble, one of the well known Episcopal ministers of the nation. Dating back for several generations, Rev. Keeble comes of a long line of sea captains-his father, Capt. Walter Keeble, having for years been at the head of a line of sea-faring vessels that plied between Baltimore and Liverpool, and he was the first of the lineal family to break away from the following of the great waters. Rev. Keeble, father of the son whose name initiates this sketch, was born in Virginia-on Gwinn's Island, Chesapeake Bay-and during his long career as a minister of the Episcopal church held charges in nearly every state in the Sonth and West, and was pastor in a number of the largest churches in the North and East. He has been making his home in Abilene for the past fourteen. years, where he is living a retired life, and is now in his eightieth year. Early in life-back in Virginia-he was joined in wedlock to Miss Lney Robinson, and two sons and one daughter were born to them, as follows: W. R. Keeble, assistant cashier Farmers and Merchants Bank of Abi- lene; Judge H. Rob Keeble, and Mrs. Alston Gowdy-all of Abilene. Mrs. Keeble's father, J. W. Robinson, was a member of the Virginia legislature, owned several plantations and about three hundred negroes, and died during the Civil war.
Judge Keeble was born Dec. 21, 1881 at St. Mary's, Maryland, and had the good fortune to receive his inspiration and be educated at Washington-Lee University, Lexing- ton, Va., where he attended from 1898 to 1902, and graduated in literature with a B. A. degree. During the years of his attendance his cousin, the Hon. William L. Wilson, anthor of the famous Wilson tariff bill during President Cleveland 's administration, was president of Washington-Lee University, and he resided with the family of this distinguished states- man during his college period. Mr. Keeble tanght two years in Fort Worth public schools, and studied law in the office of Cockrell & Gray, Dallas. He was admitted to the bar in 1906, and has since made Abilene his home. He was city attorney during 1907-8, and being elected justice of the peace in 1908, lie is now serving his second term. On Jan. 5, 1910, Judge Keeble was married to Miss Fay Wilson, daughter of Mr. Colbert Wilson, of Abilene. Yet on the sunny side of life and in the flower of his vigor and usefulness, Judge Keeble is a seasoned lawyer, commands the respect of his legal brothers and the bench, and his decisions in the equity of justice have met with general satisfaction. He is an Odd Fellow, W. O. W. and an Episcopalian, and his father is also an Odd Fellow and a Mason.
KIRKPATRICK, Addison Young
On the publisher's visit to Hillsboro he kindly requested Mr. A. Y. Kirkpatrick to supply him with a brief and reminis- cent sketch of his life; he being the accepted historian of Hill county, and having the happy faculty of being an easy and interesting writer. The fact, too, that Mr. Kirkpatrick came to Hill county before it was formed, helped to organize it, and has been a prominent and conspicnons figure in its transient welfare to the present time, naturally makes him a potent part of the history of the same. He takes an intense interest in all historical affairs, frequently contributes to the press, and recently published a book under the title of "Early Set- tler's Life in Texas, and the Organization of Hill County." Mr. Kirkpatrick is widely known for his redeeming qualities of heart and mind, is especially loved by Hill county people, and has a fine family. The following is his contribution to onr request:
I was born in Abbeville District, South Carolina, June 23, 1836-hence my age is seventy-five years. My grandfather, Thos. Kirkpatrick, came to the United States from Scotland before the war of 1812, and participated with conspicuons valor in same. My mother's maiden name was Biddie Jones, was a second cousin of John C. Calhoun, and
ยท
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died in South Carolina. My father left his South Carolina home and started to Texas in 1846, getting as far as Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and was water-bound for nearly three years among alligators, mosquitos and buffalo gnats. This was the trying time of my life -chilling every other day, and a spleen in my side that made a fellow walk side-wise. In 1849 we resumed our journey to Texas and landed in what is now Hill county territory that same year; our family being as follows: W. H. Kirkpatrick, my father; two brothers -W. P. and J. R. Kirkpatrick-both older than I, and three sisters, namely: Mary, Antoinette and Alleen. There were seven of us in the family, with six negroes. All of the family are dead but J. R. and myself-he being now eighty-one years old, and lives iu Falls county, near Chilton, Texas. My father died at New Braunfels, Texas, in 1863, while on his way from Mexico. Originally we settled on Bynum Creek, and lived in a small log hut, with dirt floor and stick and mortar chimney. This was then the territory of Navarro county, from which Hill county was formed May 14, 1853. The first election was held on Jack's Branch at Lexington, now known as Union Bluff, and this was the only' voting box in the new county. There were only about 150 voters in the county and all did not vote. I attended this election. J. H. Dyer was elected the first chief justice, now known as county judge; C. N. Brooks, the first county and district clerk, and was also justice of the peace; Charley Davis, first sheriff; A. R. Fancher, first assessor and collector; Geo. R. Hart, notary public, and Thomas Bragg, Thomas Stiner; J. Rans Davis and J. M. Sanford were the first commissioners. The people lived in log cabins, tents and camps. I have rode all day without seeing a road or a cabin, or a white man, and slept with my saddle under my head. The country was full of Indians, buffalo, deer, ante- lope, wild turkeys, etc., from which source we obtained our venison. I have known the time here when people did not have an item of bread in their camps for a period of six months. These were trying times on the first settlers, who blazed the way for civilization. All honors to those old pioneers and heroes who first came here and drove the savage Indians from our country. It was in the early fifties that we began to buy horses, mules and cattle-and it was then that I lived in the saddle, with my dragoon Colt's revolver and a U. S. Yorger, with both of which I became a perfect shot. I could kill most any- thing with my pistol on horseback at full speed, and it made little difference if the game was sitting, standing, running or flying, "he was my meat." During my long experience in the management of stock I learned to manipulate the rope like a Mexican, and could "rope" anything that tread the sod, to the largest bull on the prairie, tie him down, and never get off my horse. "It was easy done if you knew how." I was here during the Civil war, and the people lived easy at home during that eventful period. Being poisoned in the stomach in 1858 I was nearly a dead man for seven years, tried to enlist in the Confederate army during this time, but the officers would not accept me. Our most serious trouble came after the war-with the carpetbaggers and negro police. When a man retired for a night's rest, it was a question whether he would be a corpse or a live man next morning. It was before this-in the early fifties-that I experienced the happiest day of my life, when I found the handsomest looking girl in all of Johnson county, the daughter of Esquire A. J. Higgins, of Grandview, Texas, who had migrated with his good family from Pulaski, Tenn. In this I was happily married to Miss Elinor Higgins, at the home of the bride, Oct. 9, 1868. At this writing we have been living together for about forty-three years, and have five children living-two sons and three daughters- their names being as follows: Krum, Van, Ella, Florence and Gladys, and, singular as it may seem, all were born on Friday. Ammaer and Tobie are both dead, and two died in infancy. Krum is in the real estate business and Van is cashier of the Hill County State Bank-both residing in Hillsboro. Ella is at home with myself and her mother. Florence is living at Hooston, La., her husband being H. H. Rogers; Gladys lives five miles east of Hillsboro on the farm, her husband being Ira MeDaniel. Politically I am a rock-ribbed Democrat. Religiously I am a Christian, a member of Christ church. Yours, for true happiness and a perfect religious life. A. Y. KIRKPATRICK.
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