Biographical Sketch of Andrus, E. P.

Fort Bend County, District Clerk Edgar P. Andrus was born in Richmond, Fort Bend County October the 34th, 1858. His father, Walter Andrus, was also born in Fort Bend: County in 1830, on the east side of the Brazos River, about four miles from Richmond. The grandfather, Williams Andrus, came with the first installment of Austin’s colonists, and his league and labor of land, was located on both sides of the Brazos, the league on the east and the labor on the west, in the bend. When the Mexican army came in 1836, the Andrus family were living on the … Read more

Biography of George T. Beebe

GEORGE T. BEEBE. In the fall elections of 1912, when the voters of Madison County elected George T. Beebe to the office of County treasurer, they voiced the expression of their confidence in his integrity, his absolute reliability and his ability to handle the affairs of one of Indiana’s leading counties, It is generally found that the people of a community are not slow in recognizing true worth in an individual, and the man selected to handle the financial resources of a section is invariably one who has made a success in his private affairs, In the case of Mr. … 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 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

History of Fort Bend County Texas

Fort Bend County Texas Map

This collection contains 42 biographies and various historical references from the manuscript History of Fort Bend County by W. M. Morrison. Included with the history are articles on the Meir Expedition, Billy Bowlegs, Terry Rangers, and a list of early land titles.

Biography of James M. Parsons

JAMES M. PARSONS, In the life history of the late James M. Parsons, one of Elwood’s honored residents and substantial business men, is found exemplification of the truth that success is the result of labor- and untiring labor. Starting out in life with no advantages save those of an energetic nature, an inherent ability and a commendable determination to gain a position for himself in the world, he worked ceaselessly and perseveringly, and became known as one of those belonging to the class which can lay claim to the American title of self-made man, Mr. Parsons was born in Butler … Read more

Biography of Foster, Randolph

“Uncle Ran.” Foster, as he was familiarly known in his old days, was among the first settlers of Fort Bend County, coming with Stephen F. Austin in the first installment. “Uncle Ran.,” however, had been to Texas and camped within the present limits of Fort Bend County prior to the advent of the colonist. He was a native of Mississippi, and married there Miss Lucy Hunter. His league of land was located in. Fort Bend County, nine miles above Richmond, on the east side of the Brazos River. During the time that Austin was with the colonists on the Brazos, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of McElroy, Charles S.

Mr. McElroy Is one of the old settlers of Fort Bend County who still survives those days of pioneer life, fraught with so much danger and hardships, danger from Indian raids and Mexican invasion, and hardships incident to a new and undeveloped country, where the wilderness had to be subdued, far removed from the necessaries of life, except as they could carve them out in their new homes with the ax and, rude agricultural implements. Sometimes the sole dependence for food was the ripe as the long months went by, waiting for the maturity of some primitive crop, which was … 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

Mier Prisoners, Fate Unknown

W. A. Alexander David Allen George Anderson Alexander Armstrong  James C. Armstrong E. Arthur James Barber Daniel F. Barney T. A. Barney D. H. E. Beasley Thomas W. Bell Bates J. Berry John Dusenbery Samuel P. Bennett Benjamin Z. Boone*  Henry Bridger Ransom Boswell B. F. Bowman John Brenon Gilbert R. Brush James Burke Bush, Zed Isam Captain Claudius Buster William T. Carter T. J. Censeleau Geo. Wilson Clark Charles Clark Wm. A. Compton Thomas Colville Willis Copeland Campbell Davis Stephen M. Coodman Daniel Davis William Davis Thomas Davis W. K. Davis* Dickson Freeman W. Douglas* N. G. Downs William … 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 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 Ryon, W. M., Colonel

Mier Prisoner Colonel William M. Ryon, of Fort Bend County, one of the most gallant of the heroes known to Texas history, was born in Winchester, Kentucky, resided for several years in Alabama, and came to Texas in 1837, landing at the mouth of the Brazos, where he clerked, kept hotel, and followed various occupations for a time. In 1839 he was a member of a surveying party that laid off the town of Austin, the newly selected site for the seat of government of the Republic of Texas, and later went to Fort Bend County, and made that his … Read more

Terry Rangers, Company C

M. L. Evans, Captain, Gonzales: County, died of wounds at Perryville, Ky., October 18th, 1862; acting Major at the time. A. M. Shannon, 1st Lieutenant, Karnes County, promoted to Captain October 18th, 1862; afterwards commanded efficient scouts; promoted to Colonel, commanding special scouts and secret service February 8th, 1865. James M. Dunn, 2nd Lieutenant, Karnes County, resigned and died at Decatur, Alabama, February, 1863. J. W. Baylor, Jr., 2nd Lieutenant, Karnes County, promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, in 1863, now dead. B. F. Batchelor, 1st Sergeant, Gonzales County, promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and killed at Tome, Ga., October 13th, 1862. Daniel … Read more

Biography of Fields, W. I.

Who lived many years in Fort Bend County, and died there, and whose remains rest in her soil, was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, March 2, 1834. In 1855 he went to Howard County, Indiana, and was made a Royal Arch Mason there in 1857. In 1858 Mr. Fields moved to Grayson County, Texas, arriving here in January, but first returned to Kentucky from Indiana before concluding to make Texas his home. During those days the Indians often raided Cook and Montague Counties, and Mr. Fields accompanied several expeditions against them, in which battles were fought of more or less … Read more

Biography of Jones, Henry

Henry Jones, one of the “Old Three Hundred” of Austin’s colony was born in Madison County, Virginia, near the “Blue Ridge,” in 1798. In 1817, when but nineteen years of age, he left home in company with his brother, John, and went on a trip of adventure. They came down the Mississippi in a. flat boat to New Orleans, and there laid in supplies and ammunition and returned to the mouth of White River and was here joined by Martin Varner, Creason and two other young men of like temperament as themselves. They now laid their plans -to explore strange … Read more

Biography of Little, Walter W.

Walter W. Little was born in Fort Bend County, on the last day of October 1828, in what was then called the Fort settlement in the bend of the Brazos, where Richmond now is. William Little, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Pennsylvania, but came to Texas from Missouri as part of the colony of Stephen F. Austin in 1821. His headright league was located twelve miles below the present town of Richmond, on the east side of the Brazos River, opposite the league of Henry Jones. In November 1821, the Fort, from which the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Neel, Adam S.

Adam Sylvester Neel, named for James Sylvester, one of the captors of Santa Anna, was born in Fort Bend County, near Stafford’s Point, on the 25th of August, 1844. His father was William T. Neel, a native of Louisiana, who came to Texas with William Stafford. He was a young man and unmarried at the time, and was not entitled to as much land as heads of families, but located a labor near, Stafford’s Point, at which place he built a home, and afterwards located a league in the west on the Medina River during the Presidency of General Lamar. … Read more

Biography of Jesse Rothrock

JESSE ROTHROCK, An industry which during the past several decades has grown and flourished in eastern Indiana, is the operation of farm lands for the production of dairy goods, Ever since the necessity for pure milk has been recognized, many of the most progressive farmers and business men have devoted their activities to dairying, One of the best sources of good milk in the city of Anderson is supplied by Jesse Rothrock, who has a thoroughly equipped modern dairy farm in north Anderson. Jesse Rothrock was born on a farm six miles south of Columbus in Bartholomew County, Indiana, April … Read more

Men Of Company F, 24th Texas

Jasper Pharr, died at Arkansas Post. Henry McGaw, died at Arkansas Post. Kit Janes, died at Shreveport, La. Thomas Cary, died at Shreveport, La. Jake Roper, died at Shreveport, La. Ed. Walker, died in prison at Camp Butler, Ill. J. C. Williams, died in prison at Camp Butler, Ill. Joe and Johnston Williams, brothers, died in prison at Camp Butler, Ill. J. T. Corbett, died in prison at Camp Butler, Ill Lewis Lum, died in prison at Camp Butler, Ill. Killough, died. in prison at Camp Butler, Ill. Childress, died in prison at Camp Butler, 111. Wm. Latourny, killed at … Read more