Hopkins County TX

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 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 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 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

Biography of James D. Clifton

James D. Clifton, an old pioneer citizen, a plain, unassuming farmer, came with his parents into the state of-Texas in the year 1837. He was a boy at that time eight years of age. He lived in Titus County for a while and afterward came over into Hopkins County. When he came across Red River all the country lying south of Cypress Bayou was known as Nacogdoches District. Texas was at this time a republic, and the country wild and rough. At the age of twenty-seven years he met Miss Eliza Hudson of Hopkins County, with whom he fell deeply … Read more

Biography of Wilshire Bailey

Mr. Bailey was born in the State of Alabama, in the year 1824, and came to Texas with his parents in the year 1835. He married Miss Gage, a daughter of E. N. Gage, in the year 1852. To this union were born 8 children, seven of whom are still living, five girls and two boys. His boys are both married and are thrifty and well to do farmers and tax payers. Four of his daughters are married, their husbands are farmers and stock raisers, are good men, upright and honest in their business relations, and have the confidence of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. J. L. Preston

Rev. Mr. Preston was born in the state of Tennessee in the year 1839. When he arrived at his majority he migrated to Tutis County, Texas, where he met Miss Mahala J. Caudle and they were united in marriage. He then moved to Hopkins County. Eleven children were born to this union, eight of whom are living. They are all married, have homes and are doing well ; being good, substantial citizens of the county. Their mother is a hale hearty woman, possessed of great energy and an amiable disposition. Dr. B. J. Preston, a young physician of prominence, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of B. R. Cargile

B. R. Cargile was born in the state of Alabama in the year 1851. He has lived in this county since he left his native state. At the age of twenty-one years he married Miss Georgie Thompson. She died without offspring. He afterwards married Miss Alice Swafford of the state of Louisiana. From this marriage eight children were born, only four of whom are living. Tommie married Miss Martha Bruton, a daughter of Reed Bruton, a splendid citizen, a mechanic worthy of the name. She was just sixteen years of age, a nice, beautiful girl. Miss Corena is seventeen years … Read more

Biography of John B. Campbell

John B. Campbell, a strong and forceful representative of the Muskogee bar and a former judge of the court of appeals of Oklahoma, belongs to that class of men whose standards of life are true and whose endorsement of every plan or measure means a consistent and continuous support thereof. John B. Campbell comes to the southwest from Wisconsin, his birth having occurred in Lafayette county, on a farm near Gratiot, March 12, 1868, his parents being Francis and Mary (Cole) Campbell. The father was born in the north of Ireland and was of Scotch descent, while the mother, who … 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 Warner E. Williams

Warner E. Williams. While now one of the great trunk railway systems of the country, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad was largely developed as a Kansas corporation. The main offices of the company at Kansas are at Parsons, where 2,200 of its employes reside. The different lines of the road converge and diverge from that point in six directions: To Hannibal and St. Louis, Missouri; to Kansas City, Missouri; to Junction City, Kansas; to Joplin, Missouri, to Denison, Texas; and to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. For several years the general manager of the system with headquarters at Parsons was Warner … Read more

Biography of Rev. Joe Hooten

Joseph Hooten was born in the State of Tennessee, in the year 1824. He came to Hopkins County in the year 1848 and located in the same section where he has lived all of his long and useful life. He married Miss Manda Strother soon after he came into the county. By this union ten children were born to them, six of these are living. They all live near their parents, their eldest and youngest live at home with their aged parents and are a comfort and a joy to them in the evening of their days. Mr. Hooten is … Read more

Biography of Serena Millhollin

Serena Millhollin, a daughter of Sam Lindley, known all over Hopkins County as Aunt Serena, gives a graphic account of pioneer life in Hopkins County. She says: “My father was born in the state of Kentucky, and married my mother in the state of Arkansas, and then migrated to the Republic of Mexico and stopped on North Sulphur Creek. [By reference to the first chapter in this history the reader will notice that the territory of Texas once belonged to Mexico.] about where the village of Ben Franklin is located, and remained for only one year and then moved to … Read more

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 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

Biographical Sketch of J. J. Martin

J. J. Martin was born in Alabama and reared in the State of Tennessee. He is an octogenarian and has lived in Texas since 1845. He came to Hopkins County 45 years ago. He married Miss Nancy Everett in Cass County, Texas, at the age of 29 years. By this union six children were born. She passed away at the birth of her last child. J. B. and C. D. Martin and Mrs. James Lee are all children of this union. They are all well known citizens of Hopkins County, honest, upright in their dealings. He next married Miss Elvy … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. M. Calvert

G. M. Calvert was raised in Williamson County, Illinois. He came to the state of Texas when he was a young man, in the year 1854. Finally, after traveling almost across the American Continent, he returned to Illinois and married Miss Sophia Woodul in the year 1857. At the time of his marriage he was engaged in mercantile pursuits. Subsequently he sold his interests to other parties and migrated to Texas, and has, for a number of years, been a citizen of Hopkins County. He is well known as a practical-minded man, having introduced several important industries in the county. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. F. Youngblood

J. F. Youngblood is the oldest man living in Hopkins County. He was born in the year 1805, and is therefore ninety-seven years old. Tennessee is his native state. He came to Texas in the year 1848. He moved to Harrison County, but remained there only a short time. This was in the day of Regulators and Moderators. He has suffered great misfortunes, almost a calamity in his married life, having lost four companions. He is to day living with his fifth wife. He has six children. Four of this number are living.

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

Biographical Sketch of John Frank Clifton

The Clifton name is prominent in Hopkins County. Frank and John Clifton are pioneer citizens of Hopkins County. Uncle Frank is a primitive Baptist preacher, and is as straight and honest a man as the God of heaven desires man to be; his word is his bond, it is law and the people of the county understand it just that way. A pure, noble-hearted, God serving gentleman possessed of as few faults as any living man. John Clifton lives near Miller Grove and is a splendid citizen of Hopkins County. He has lived an upright, just and honest life, and … Read more