Hopkins County Texas Genealogy Collections – Page 2 of 4

Biography of James B. Sparks

James B. Sparks, deceased, father of W. J., John N. and A. W. Sparks and also the father of four daughters, came into Texas in the year 1851. He remained one year in the state and returned to his old home in the state of Alabama, and moved his family to the state of Texas in the fall of 1852. He settled on the county line separating Hopkins from Titus County, on the headwaters of Big Cypress Bayou. Mr. James Sparks’ brothers had moved into the state of Texas as early as the year 1836, and settled on Cypress Bayou … Read more

Biography of J. R. Lindley

J. R. Lindley was born in the state of Kentucky, in the year of 1824. His parents moved into Dade County, Missouri, in the year 1835 when J. R. was only 10 years of age, where he grew up into manhood. Filled with the spirit of adventure and fired by the stories of the wealth of California, he made an overland trip to the Pacific Coast in the year of 1840, traveling with an ox train and being four months on the road. He remained on the Pacific slope for three years, returning to Missouri he engaged in driving stock … Read more

Biography of J. Elias Chapman

J. Elias Chapman was born in the state of Indiana, July 15th, 1848, and came to Texas with his parents in the year 1851. His grandfather was born in the year 1793. He migrated from South Carolina to the state of Indiana and from there moved into the state of Texas in the year 1850. Elias’ grandmother was born in the year 1796. Her maiden name was Polly Gray. These old people were united in marriage in the year 1816. Elias’ grandfather was a Methodist preacher and lived for a while and preached in the state of Kentucky, where Elias’ … Read more

Biography of J. C. Stout

My father, Sealin Stout, was born in the state of Arkansas in the year 1818. He died in Hopkins County at the age of seventy-eight. No life in Hopkins County was more eventful or attended with more romance than was that of Sealin Stout. He has often been referred to as being prominent in many exciting incidents in this history. Sealin’s father crossed Red River on a raft built with his own hands, when Sealin was only one month old, and settled in Red River District, where Sealin grew to manhood amid the wilds of the country. In the year … Read more

Biography of Isaac Fanning

Isaac Fanning was born in the state of Alabama in the year 1832. The Fanning family came to Hopkins County in the year 1849. Isaac, the subject of this biographical sketch, was the second son of his father, Dr. Fanning, who was a prominent citizen and a useful man in the county in his day. Isaac came of a good, family, and inherited some of the noble traits of the character of his ancestors. In the year 1854 he married Mrs. Mary Tankersley; five children were born to this union, three of whom are, living. They are all girls and … Read more

Biography of Howard Hargrave

Howard Hargrave was born in the state of Indiana in the year 1840. It was in the city of Booneville that he first saw the light of day. His parents migrated to the state of Texas in the year 1843. Howard was therefore three years of age. His father settled at old Sulphur Bluff with the rest of the Hargrave family. At this infantile age Howard remembers many incidents that took place under his observation when the first mill was erected, the first blacksmith shop, the first wagon and wood shop, in fact was an eye witness to the upbuilding … Read more

Biography of Henry Barclay

This old Mexican warrior is familiarly known all over the county as Uncle Henry. He moved to Texas with his father, Hugh Barclay, in the year 1845. The United States and the Republic of Mexico were engaged in a war. In the year 1846 young Barclay volunteered and went to Mexico to fight the Mexicans, under Gen. Zachary Taylor. He was engaged in the battle of Monterey and had the satisfaction of seeing the Mexican General, Ampudia, surrender himself and his army to the American General. He then returned to Texas, where he had left his father, and the entire … Read more

Biography of Haywood Mooney

Haywood B. Mooney first saw the light of day in the state of Georgia, seventy-three years ago. His father moved to Alabama when Haywood was a child. When he had grown to be quite a lad, being rather precocious, he was stolen from his home and from his parents by sporting men who gambled on horse racing of fine-blooded stock. They used him for light riding and he proved to be the very chap they needed in their profession, so they kept him for a period of three years by offering such inducements as would please the boy. About this … Read more

Biography of Harrison Attaway

Harrison Attaway was born June 14th, 1848, in Henderson County, Tennessee. He came with his father into the state of Texas in the year 1855 he married Amanda Able in the year 1855. She was the daughter of Z. D. Able, an old-time citizen of Hopkins County, and one of its best men. His wife is a native of Texas, and is proud to be called a native Texan. They are the parents of sixteen children. There are thirteen of this number living. George F. is married and lives within half a mile of where he was born. Elbert D., … Read more

Biography of H. H. Nance

H. H. Nance was born in the state of Tennessee in the year 1838. He came to Hopkins County with his parents in the year 1857. Two years later he married Miss Susan Wells, a daughter of a Methodist preacher from the state of Georgia. From this union six children were born. Charles E. is a farmer and a good citizen of the county. He married Miss McGinnis. Elizabeth married J. K. Lewis. Joseph R. married Miss Lulu Bevis, an Alabama girl of good family. Miss Tealy married C. A. Bland and lives in Fannin County. Chester married Nora Harrison. … Read more

Biography of Glen Hargrave

E. G. Hargrave is a son of Harvey Hargrave, whose name has been mentioned In this history. He was born in the state of Indiana in the year. 1839. He came to Texas with his father in the year 1842. He was, therefore, only three years old at the time. He has been raised in Hopkins County and has lived continuously in the county since 1845. He married Miss M. E. Chapman, daughter of Benjamin Chapman, in the year 1857. This union is a happy one. They have had ten children born to them. Eight of these children are living. … Read more

Biography of G. W. Harper

Mr. Harper came to Hopkins County when he was quite a young man, although he had a wife and child. He located on a tract of land where he lived all his life. He was very unfortunate in his married life, having lost three companions during his life. There were twenty-one children born to these three marriages. Out of this large number only three are living. Miss Minerva, the eldest daughter, married Lodwick Vaden, Jr., and lives upon one of the most fertile plantations on South Sulphur Creek. They have a nice, growing family of bright, intellectual children. He and … Read more

Biography of G. L. Stacy

G. L. Stacy was born in Williamson County, Tennessee, in the year 1825. He married Mary Bell in his native state when he was twenty-two years of age. In the year 1857 he came to Hopkins County, and began the business of farming, and has pursued this business all his life. Mr. Stacy has five children living, three of whom live in Hopkins County. Lark, his oldest son, married Miss Neely Earnest, the stepdaughter of Dr. Stark, a Baptist preacher; Miss Ellen married Mat Baker; Miss Dollie married Eff Kimmins, and lived upon their father’s farm. Mr. Stacy has lived … Read more

Biography of Frank Pierce

Frank Pierce is an old time citizen of Hopkins County, he came into the county in the early forties. He married Miss South at an early day and reared a large family in Hopkins County. This family was unfortunate and died in early life. J. K. Pierce, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser and a wealthy citizen of the county, is his son. Frank Pierce Jr. is another son. They had different mothers. In the year of 1848 Frank Pierce was a member of the Grand Jury, during the sitting of the District Court at old Tarrant, John T. Mills … Read more

Biography of Eli Lindley

John W. Lindley, elder son of Eli Lindley, deceased, gives this thrilling and graphic account of many incidents that occurred within his recollection during his father’s life in Hopkins County. He remembers quite distinctly when his father came into the territory of Hopkins County. J. W. Lindley is sixty-three years of age. He married Miss Nancy Rea, sister to Neal Rea, at the termination of the Civil war. He has raised a large family of healthy children who are respected citizens of the county. Jacob Marion, a prominent businessman of Peerless, is his oldest son. Uncle Eli Lindley married Sallie … Read more

Biography of Ed C. Petty

W. S. Petty, father of Ed Petty, was born in the state of North Carolina in the year 1804. He immigrated to the state of Texas in the year 1854. He married Mary Carlos in his native state. It is said that father Petty was the first man who conducted and controlled a railroad car in the United States. This car was propelled by horsepower. As soon as the engine was supplanted by the use of steam he became the engineer, the first in the United States. W. S. Petty reared a family of five children Robert E., James L., … Read more

Biography of David M. Smith

David M. Smith, one of the best men the writer ever knew, a man almost without a fault, and absolutely incorruptible. He died at his home in Sulphur Springs, with that awful scourge, cancer of the jaw; married Miss Lu Cade, as pure a woman as ever breathed the breath of life, an affectionate wife, a devoted mother and a sacrificing neighbor. William M. married Sallie Hopkins, daughter of Dave Hopkins. He lost his companion and afterwards married Neely Hay, daughter of Rev. Wm. Hay, she lived only eight months and passed to her long home, subsequently he married Elizabeth … Read more

Biography of Dave Hopkins

This grand old Texas hero was born in the state of Indiana in the year 1825. He is therefore seventy-seven years of age. He came to Texas with his parents when he was only fifteen years old. He has lived in the state for sixty-two years. His parents died in Red River County and are buried at the old McKinzie burial ground. He came into what is now Hopkins County in the year. 1844. It was at that time a republic, and very few people had ventured to cross over the trackless swamps of the Sulphur creeks. These creek bottoms … Read more

Biography of Capt. Merrett Branom

Merrett Branom was born in the state of Missouri in the year 1820. At the tender age of nineteen he left his home and came to Texas to seek his fortune, and to make the Lone Star state his future home. Soon after he came upon Texas soil he married Miss Ellen Finley, an old Missouri acquaintance. She was a sister to Ed Finley, who is well known as an honorable, just and esteemed citizen of Hopkins County, and an aunt to our worthy ex-tax-assessor, Dave Finley. By this marriage thirteen children carne to them, six boys and seven girls. … Read more

Biography of A. T. Melson

A. T. Melson was born in the state of Georgia on the 4th of February, 1827, and grew to manhood in the home of his birth. His ancestors were old southern aristocracy, and a noble and manly set of gentlemen, while the women were unexcelled for purity and gentleness. At the age of twenty-two years Mr. Melson married Miss Martha Ransom, a daughter of Col. Samuel Ransom, a large slaveholder and planter of great prominence in the county. Miss Martha was eighteen years of age when she married Mr. Melson. Within a few years after their marriage they moved to … Read more