Richmond Texas

Biography of Pleasants, George W.

Austin Colonist George Washington Pleasants was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, March 30th, 1809, and came from there to Texas in 1830, and first settled at Columbia, and lived there until 1833. There was a great cholera epidemic that year at Columbia, which nearly depopulated the town. Mr. Pleasants had two sisters to die there; one, Fannie, was the wife of Kinchen Davis, and mother of Captain W. K. Davis, father of Judge J. H. P. Davis, of Richmond. Captain W. K. Davis was a Mier prisoner, as will be seen from the account elsewhere of that expedition. After the … Read more

Biography of Foster, Randolph

In regard to the death of Mr. Foster, the following was published in the Galveston News in August, 1878: Richmond, August 27th. “Editors News: “To enable you to see what a mistake you made in your issue of 25th instant, in your extract from the “Four Counties,” I enclose both what you said and the obituary of Randolph Foster, which by mistake you convert into an obituary of T. M. Blakely, his son-in-law, at whose home Mr. Foster died. “Randolph Foster, as may be seen by the very terse and beautiful obituary as published in the Four Counties, which would … 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 McKnabb, John

Santa Fe Prisoner John McKnabb, one more of those unfortunate ones who accompanied the disastrous Santa Fe expedition in 1841, was a native of Scotland, and came to Fort Bend County in 1837. He was at Austin during the early building of that place, when the Indians harassed the few settlers almost continually. In 1841, when the expedition to Santa Fe was inaugurated, John McKnabb was there, and volunteered, as many other young men did, for the perilous trip, and suffered all the hardships of the long march across the plains and sandy deserts; want of water and provisions being … 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 Newell, John D.

Another prominent man of Fort Bend County, came from North Carolina to Texas in 1830, and was a member of the convention in 1833. He was a successful planter, and lived to make forty-five crops in Texas. He died in Richmond, Fort Bend County, in December 1875.

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 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

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 Wessendorff, T. B.

Fort Bend County, Treasure Tony B. Wessendorff, present County Treasurer, was born in Richmond, Fort Bend County, on the 19th day of November 1872. His father, Anton Wessendorff, came to this County from Hamburg, Germany, when but eighteen years of age and made Fort Bend his permanent home. Here, in the course of time, he married Miss Johanna Janske, was industrious in his habits and made a worthy citizen. When the great civil war broke out between the North and South, he served the Confederacy under Gen. John B. Hood in the famous Fourth Texas Regiment, his captain being Thomas … 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

Biographical Sketch of Worthington, R. H.

R. H. Worthington is an old Texan, and one of the good and worthy citizens of Fort Bend County. He was born in Pitt County, North Carolina, on June the 6th, 1826, but came from Alabama to Fort Bend County in 1849. During the great yellow fever epidemic of 1853 he nursed patients almost incessantly, being a member of the Howard Association, organized at that time for the purpose of taking care of the sick. He escaped all of the dangers to life and health while engaged in this laudable work, and still resides at Richmond. His wife, Mrs. Mary … Read more

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

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 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 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 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 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 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

Biography of Austin, Moses

For the information of our readers who are not familiar with the early colonial scheme of settling Texas with American colonists when it was a province of Spain, we will give a short sketch of the man in whose brain it originated and the various causes which led to it. Moses Austin was a native of Connecticut, born at the village of Durham in 1767. When a boy he went to Philadelphia, and in 1787 he married Miss Maria Brown. His brother, Stephen, was then at the head of an important house in Philadelphia, and Moses Austin soon after his … Read more