Texas

Biographical Sketch of E. H. Lyday

Was born in Grundy County, Missouri, in 1852, and came to this state with his father’s family, who settled near Honey Grove, in ’61. In ’66, Judge Lyday moved his family to Bonham, and here it was that E. H. Lyday received his education and prosecuted his study of the law. He was admitted to the bar in ’77, and has been in public ever since. He was four times elected Mayor of Bonham, and at the election in ’84 was elected Justice of the Bonham precinct. Mr. Lyday is one of the “young democracy,” active in local politics, and … Read more

Biography of C. W. T. Weldon

Of Ladonia, this county, is one of the few southern men whom the misfortunes of the war failed to place upon the roll of codfish aristocracy, notwithstanding the fact that he suffered considerable loss. After four years service in the confederate ranks, during which time he was made a federal prisoner when the siege of Fort Hudson was raised he returned to his home to find his handsome property an utter waste. His natural good sense and judgment told him that the “milk was spilled and grief was useless. He laid his shoulder to the wheel, and success attended his … Read more

Terry Rangers, Company I

J. G. Jones, Captain, Gonzales County, resigned at Shiloh, April 6th, 1862. W. H. Harris, 1st Lieutenant, Gonzales County, resigned and died in 1861. A. D. Harris, 2nd Lieutenant, Gonzales County, promoted Captain May 7, and killed, Alay 9, 1862. J. H. Paramore, 3rd, Lieutenant, Gonzales County, wounded in 1862, promoted Captain June 2nd., 1864, wounded December 30, 1864. JaMes Harris, 1st Sergeant, Gonzales County, died May, 1862. Geo. W. Littlefield, 2nd Sergeant, Gonzales County, elected Lieutenant January, 1862, promoted Captain, wounded December 27, and resigned. Chas. W. Mason, 3rd: Sergeant, Gonzales County, killed at Gonzales by William Baltzell in … Read more

Terry Rangers, Company K

John G. Walker Captain, Harris, County, wounded at Woodsonville, Ky., in 1861, elected Lieutenant Colonel January, 1862, resigned in September, 1862, died September, 1869. A. W. Morris, 1st Lieutenant, Montgomery County, wounded at Woodsonville, KY., resigned and died. Henry Thomas, 2nd Lieutenant, Harris County, resigned January, 1862. S. P. Christian, 3rd Lieutenant, Harris County, elected Captain January, 1862, promoted to Major “July, 1863, Lieutenant Colonel in 1865, wounded at Farmington, Tenn. A. W. Hottle, 1st Sergeant, Montgomery County, promoted to Major and Quartermaster; died in Harris County. No other non-commissioned officers elected. Privates. J. D. Alexander, discharged at Bowling Green, … Read more

Biography of Jones, Randall, Capt.

Capt. Randall Jones, one of the historic characters of Fort Bend County, was born in Columbia County, Georgia, on the 19th of August 1786. In 1810 he went to Wilkinson County, Mississippi Territory. When the second war with England broke out in 1812 he joined the American army as a private, but such was his energy and gallantry in battle that he received a captain’s commission, which he held until near the close of the war, or, to be more exact, until 1814. During this service he fought the battle with Indians known as the “Canoe Fight.” An extract from … Read more

Biography of Calder, R.J., Capt.

Veteran Of San Jacinto Captain Calder was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 17th of July 1810, and was the son of James H. and Jane E. Calder (nee Miss Caldwell). His father dying when he was very small, young Calder was raised by his paternal uncle, Major James P. Caldwell (a noble and generous man), until he arrived at the age of manhood. From Maryland he, his mother, and Major Caldwell, moved to Kentucky, and from there to Texas in 1832, settling in Brazoria County. Soon after trouble commenced with the Mexican authorities, which culminated in the battle of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jones, Julia, Mrs.

Mrs. Julia Jones, daughter of Judge C. C. Dyer, was born in Fort Bend County in 1839. Her father was a native of Tennessee and was born at Dyersburg January 29, 1799, and came to Texas with William Stafford in 1824. In this same year he married Sarah Stafford, who was born February 5, 1809, near Raleigh, North Carolina, Judge Dyer had twelve in family six boys and six girls. He lived to quite an old age, served as county judge of Fort Bend County, and died in 1864 on his farm on the east side of the Brazos River, … Read more

Biography of Wilkinson, W. M., Gen.

General William M. Wilkinson, the father of Mrs. Jane Long, was a distinguished officer in the United States Army of the war of 1812. When. Aaron Burr, in 1806, was contemplating the conquest and revolutionizing of Northern Mexico, which then included Texas, his base of operations being Blennerhassetts Island, General Wilkinson was ordered with a part of the United States Army to watch his movements, and also the Spanish army who were coming toward the Sabine River to meet Burr’s invasion. Thomas Jefferson was President at this time, and it was the policy of the United States Government to prevent … 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

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 Smith Deaf Smith

Erastus Smith, better known as “Deaf Smith,” was the son of Chiliab and Mary Smith, and was born in New York on the 19th of April 1787. At the age of eleven years he emigrated with his parents to the Mississippi Territory, and settled near Natchez. His parents were strict members of the Baptist Church, and gave him such moral and intellectual training, as the circumstances around them would permit. He first came to Texas in 1817 likely with some of the patriot forces that were constantly arriving at that time in the Province. He soon, however, returned home; but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Baker, Mosley, Captain

Captain Baker, being closely identified with the people of Fort Bend County during the passage of the Mexican army, through what is now Fort Bend, but then Austin County, where he made such a heroic stand at San Felipe as to cause the Mexican army to abandon the attempt there and come on down the river to Fort Bend and make the passage, we add this notice of him in our history: He came from Alabama to Texas in 1834, and, becoming prominent in the affairs .of the country, and so opposed to Mexican aggression, that he was on the … 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 Martin, Wiley Captain

Captain Wiley Martin was born in Georgia in 1776. He led a very active, restless life, and when very young had been a soldier, schoolteacher and clerk in a store. In 1805 he became connected with Aaron Burr in some business enterprise, and in 1812 joined the army of General Harrison and served as a scout against the Indians in the army of the northwest, culminating in the decisive battle of Tippecanoe. In 1814 he joined the army of General Jackson against the Indians and participated in the famous battle of the “Horse Shoe.” For his gallantry on this hotly … 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 Davis, William Kinchen

Mier Prisoner One of the early pioneers of Fort Bend County, was born in the State of Alabama on the 11th day of November 1822, and came to Texas in the month of February 1830. Six years passed away, and when but fourteen years of age he helped to build a fort at the mouth of the Brazos, and in 1839 served in a campaign against the Indians around the head of the Brazos. In 1842 Captain Davis went out with the Somerville expedition, and when the command dissolved on the Rio Grande and a portion of the Texans went … 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 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

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 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