History of Fort Bend County Texas Collections – Page 3 of 4

Biographical Sketch of Masterson, Willim

Fort Bend County, County Judge Judge Masterson is a native Texan, born in Brazoria, Brazoria County, on the 13th of August 1871. His father, Thomas Washington Masterson, was named for a distant relative of General George Washington, Thomas Washington being the great-uncle of Thomas W. Masterson, who was also born in Texas. The grandfather of Judge Masterson on his mother’s side was Dr. John G. Chalmers (gan historic name), who was secretary of the Texas navy during the days of the Republic. The mother of Judge Masterson was Annie T. Chalmers. She waft raised by General Thomas Green, being very … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin, Wiley Captain

Captain Wiley Martin was born in Georgia in 1776. He led a very active, restless life, and when very young had been a soldier, schoolteacher and clerk in a store. In 1805 he became connected with Aaron Burr in some business enterprise, and in 1812 joined the army of General Harrison and served as a scout against the Indians in the army of the northwest, culminating in the decisive battle of Tippecanoe. In 1814 he joined the army of General Jackson against the Indians and participated in the famous battle of the “Horse Shoe.” For his gallantry on this hotly … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. M. Newell

Fort Bend County, County Clerk Mr. Newell is a young man and is now serving his first term of office. He has proved himself to be very efficient in the management of his work. His is one of the historic names of Fort Bend County, his people coming here in 1830, performed their part during the trying times of frontier days and Mexican invasion, held offices of trust and were classed among the staunch, upright citizens of Fort Bend County.

Biographical Sketch of Long, Jane H., Mrs.

The Mother Of Texas Mrs. Jane Herbert Long, called “The Mother of Texas,” was born on the 23rd day of July 1798, in Clark County, the State of Maryland . Her father was General William McCall Wilkinson, of the United States Army, and her mother was Annie Herbert Dent. They were married February the 24th, 1774, and Jane Herbert was their tenth child. One of her sisters, Barbara, was born in June 1784, and she married a Mr. Wood. He died and she married Alexander Calvitt, December 18th, 1814, and she died December 19th, 1858, in Brazoria County, Texas, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jones, Wiley P.

Fort Bend County, Justice Of The Peace, Precinct No. 1. Judge Wiley Powell Jones was born in Fort Bend County, eight miles below Richmond, on October 17, 1843. His father, Henry Jones, came to Texas in 1822 among the first installment of Austin’s colonists, and first settled on New Year’s Creek in what is now Washington County, near Independence. There a brother, William Jones, was born, the first child born in the colony. They lived one year on New Year’s Creek, and then came on down the Brazos River and settled below the present town of Richmond, where the Henry … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jones, Julia, Mrs.

Mrs. Julia Jones, daughter of Judge C. C. Dyer, was born in Fort Bend County in 1839. Her father was a native of Tennessee and was born at Dyersburg January 29, 1799, and came to Texas with William Stafford in 1824. In this same year he married Sarah Stafford, who was born February 5, 1809, near Raleigh, North Carolina, Judge Dyer had twelve in family six boys and six girls. He lived to quite an old age, served as county judge of Fort Bend County, and died in 1864 on his farm on the east side of the Brazos River, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hodge, Robert

Mr. Hodge is now a resident of Richmond, Fort Bend County, and has been for nearly sixty-six years; was born on Galveston Island on the 18th of May 1836. His parents were colonists of Stephen F. Austin, and settled near Damon’s Mound. When the Mexicans came in 1836 the people around the mound fled before them, and took refuge at Galveston, except those who went with Houston’s army. This disagreeable flight caused the birthplace of Mr. Hodge to be on the famous island. After the battle of San Jacinto the family removed to Fort Bend County, and their descendants have … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hibbered, Loron

An old settler of Fort Bend County came to Texas with his parents in February of 1837, being then ten years of age. He was born in, New York in 1827. His father, Elmer Hibbered, started to Texas in 1836 with his family, but stopped in New Orleans on account of the invasion of Texas by Santa Anna, and came on after the war was over, landing at the mouth of the Brazos River. He had two brothers, Lovell and Lucius, who came to Texas with General Sam Houston and was in the Texas army of 1836. One was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gibson, J. T.

Fort Bend County, Tax Assessor John ‘T. Gibson, the present Tax Assessor of Fort Bend County, was born in the county December 16, 1878. His father, J. A. Gibson, was a native of Mississippi, and came to Texas when a boy, but returned home and came main, at an early day, and settled in Fort Bend County. He married, Miss Caroline Foster of Fort Bend, daughter of the old pioneer, Randolph Foster. She died and Mr. Gibson married his second wife, Missy Tennie Anderson, still living, and who is the mother of the subject of our sketch. J. A. Gibson, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Florer, J. C.

Fort Bend County, Superintendent Of Public Instruction. Mr. Flora is a young man of sterling qualities, affable, pleasant manners and has faithfully performed the duties of his office in looking after the schools of Fort Bend County. Recently he became the owner and publisher of the Texas [Richmond] Coaster, and is fully alive to the best interests of his patrons, and to that of Fort Bend County. No doubt under his management the Coaster will be up-to-date in all of the leading topics of the day, and be a credit to Fort Bend County as well as to himself.

Biographical Sketch of Fenn, F. M. O.

Fort Bend County, County Attorney Francis Marion Oatis Fenn was born and raised in Fort Bend County, nineteen miles below Richmond. His father was John Rutherford Fenn, who came to Texas in 1833 and located on the Brazos River. His mother, Rebecca Williams, came to Texas in 1846, and her parents also settled on the Brazos, in Fort Bend County. F. M. O. Fenn was educated at Roanoke College, Virginia, and the holder of the orator’s medal from that institution against nine competitors on the 9th of June 1879. He then took two years course of law at the University … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dyer, J. E.

Son of Judge C. C. Dyer, was born at “Stafford’s Point,” Fort Bend County, July 11th, 1832, and was reared and educated in the town of Richmond, to which place his parents moved when he was but seven years of age. When he arrived at the age of manhood he engaged in stock-raising and merchandising, and in the banking business in Richmond, and in all branches of trade was a successful business man. He served as county treasurer of Fort Bend County from 1852 two 1859, a period of seven years, and at various times filled positions of honor and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Davis, William Kinchen

Mier Prisoner One of the early pioneers of Fort Bend County, was born in the State of Alabama on the 11th day of November 1822, and came to Texas in the month of February 1830. Six years passed away, and when but fourteen years of age he helped to build a fort at the mouth of the Brazos, and in 1839 served in a campaign against the Indians around the head of the Brazos. In 1842 Captain Davis went out with the Somerville expedition, and when the command dissolved on the Rio Grande and a portion of the Texans went … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Davis, John H. Pickens, Judge

A banker of Richmond, Fort Bend County, is a son of Captain William S. and Mrs. Jane (Pickens) Davis, and was born February 11th, 1851, in Fort Bend County, where he grew to manhood, and has since resided. He married Miss Susan E. Ryon, daughter of Colonel William Ryon, February 10th, 1875. She died October 30th, 1884, leaving two children, Mamie E. and Thomas W. She is buried in the family cemetery at the old homestead eight “Blue Grass” Region. Judge Davis is a prominent citizen, and has always aided every worthy public enterprise, and is a man thoroughly, in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Darst, Abraham

Abraham Darst came to Texas in the early ’20 from St. Charles County, Missouri, and settled at Damon’s Mound. This famous mound is situated partly in Fort Bend County and partly in Brazoria, all of the league of Mr. Darst being in the latter county. He was married twice, the children of the first wife being Emery, John, Edmund and Patrick. By his last wife were Rosetta and Richard. Emery Darst married Miss Mary Ann Moore. She was born in St. Charles County, Mo., and died in 1902, in the eighty-third year of her age. Her people came to Texas … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cason, Henry

There is an old Negro man of the above name still living at Richmond, who belonged to Captain Randall Jones. He says that Captain Wiley Martin lived with Captain Jones and died there, and that he waited upon him during his sickness, which lasted about three weeks. He also remembers Deaf Smith and when he died, and for many years knew where his grave was, but the spot is lost now. Henry was brought to Texas in 1832 by his master, Joseph Thompson, who sold him to Captain Jones soon after. Thompson came from North Carolina, and old man Henry … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cariesman, Horatio

Whose land grant fronts the Brazos River on the west side, where the station of Thompson is now on the Santa Fe road, was born in Virginia in 1792, but moved in early life first to Kentucky and then to Missouri, where he engaged in surveying. In 1818 he married Miss Mary Kinchaloe, and in the fall of 1821 prepared to immigrate to Texas with the Kinchaloe family. They embarked on boats to descend the river, but winter coming on, they held up until the next spring, when Mr. Kinchaloe preceded the party to New Orleans, where he chartered a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Blakely, Mary L., Mrs.

Mrs. Mary L. Blakely, daughter of Randolph Foster, Was born in Fort Bend County in 1833, and was therefore three years of age during the famous “Runaway Scrape,” as it was sometimes called by the old settlers in their flight from the Mexicans. While Mrs. Blakely was in this historic retreat she has no recollection-of it, being borne through all the trying scenes of that time in the loving and tender arms of a mother, all unconscious of the significance of this rapid flight from home. Mrs. Blakely still survives, and lives in Richmond. Only three of her eight children … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Bassett, Clem N.

Fort Bend County, Tax Collector Clement Newton Bassett, the present Tag Collector of Fort Bend County, was born in Richmond, Texas, on the 7th of January 1842. His father, Clem N. Bassett, Sr., was a. native of Virginia. and came to Texas in 18361 first stopping on the San Jacinto River at Lynchburg, where he married Miss Julia Lee Beale, also a native of Virginia. This was soon after the battle of San Jacinto, and the young people at once came to Richmond, Fort Bend County, and made that place their permanent home. Mr. Bassett was in the legal profession, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Baker, Mosley, Captain

Captain Baker, being closely identified with the people of Fort Bend County during the passage of the Mexican army, through what is now Fort Bend, but then Austin County, where he made such a heroic stand at San Felipe as to cause the Mexican army to abandon the attempt there and come on down the river to Fort Bend and make the passage, we add this notice of him in our history: He came from Alabama to Texas in 1834, and, becoming prominent in the affairs .of the country, and so opposed to Mexican aggression, that he was on the … Read more