Hopkins County TX

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 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 T. L. Simms

Jesse M. Simms, deceased, was born in the state of Georgia in the year 1813. At the age of twenty-two years he married Miss E. G. White in an adjacent county. In the year 1857 he moved with his family to Hopkins County, Texas. They were the parents of three children-two girls and one boy. The eldest, Miss Martha, married John P. Orr, a distant relative, and raised a large and respectable family in Hopkins County. The youngest, Miss Penelope, married Rev. James Christian, a Baptist preacher and a splendid gentleman. T. L. Simms married Miss Minter at the age … 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

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

Biographical Sketch of R. Lindley

R. Lindley was born in Polk County, Missouri in the year 1835. He migrated to Hopkins County with his father Jahu Lindley in 1849 and located on South Sulphur Creek where he was living when he died. Jahu Lindley had a large family but there are only two of this family living at this time: the subject of this biographical sketch and R. J. Lindley, who lives in Decatur, Wise County, at this time. R. Lindley was raised in Hopkins County. At the age of 23 years he married Miss Effie Sayle of Commerce, Hunt County, a lady of excellent … Read more

Biography of L. A. Lollar

L. A. Lollar was born in the state of Tennessee in the year 1829, and came to Hopkins County in the year 1849. He married Miss Mary Veal in the year 1854, who still survives him. They had eight children born to them : seven sons and one daughter ; five of whom are living. John, the eldest son has been twice married and is living in the county with his second wife. Miss Lula married Sam Matthews, a common-sense businessman of good judgment. He is a just and honest man. Buster married Miss Lula Sparks, daughter of John Sparks, … 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 Luth Waggoner

Luth Waggoner was born in the state of Missouri in the year 1833, and moved with his parents in the year 1839 to Red River District, Texas, and stopped where Blossom Prairie is located. The family remained there and farmed and raised stock for a period of ten years, and moved to Hopkins County where L. Waggoner has lived all his life. Luth’s father, Solomon Waggoner, had a large family when they came into Hopkins County. There are only two of this family living in Hopkins County at this time, Luth and N. B. Waggoner. Luth married Miss Nancy Millsap … Read more