Texas

Biographical Sketch of J. B. Ryan

J. B. Ryan was born in Kentucky of Irish parents, in 1854, and moved to Fannin County, Texas, in 1866, a mere lad, brought nothing with him, stopped at the town of Honey Grove, and by honest toil, prompt action, and natural intelligence, got his start. In 1877, with a small capital, he opened up a drug business in Honey Grove, which under his business eye and careful management, soon grew into a large, safe and paying business. Alive to the rapid strides of improvement all around him, M r. Ryan invested his surplus earnings in real estate, as fast … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. Y. Davis

Of this city, was born in 1850, and raised in the state. While Mr. Davis is not, nor ever was a veritable “Cow Boy,” he was raised on a stock-farm and ranch, and followed that business, until a few years ago. Early in life he married a daughter of this state, and they two have presided over the “Crockett House,” since 1883. This commodious and well furnished hotel, is situated on South Main street, one block from the square, and has very justly acquired the reputation of being a favorite retreat, for the tired and hungry public. Two years of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Brainard Lindsay

The only “second-hand dealer” in Fannin County, came to Bonham and opened a large second-hand store on South Main street, in the fall of 1884. He has, in connection with his business of selling and buying second-hand goods of every description, a mattress factory, and a line of furniture. This is a new departure in the business world of Fannin, and its success is attracting some attention. Young Lindsay was born and raised in the state. At the early age of eighteen he contracted marriage with a young lady of Sherman, Texas, and moved to Bonham. Although young, the rough … 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

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

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 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 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

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

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

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 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 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 Hibbered, Loron

An old settler of Fort Bend County came to Texas with his parents in February of 1837, being then ten years of age. He was born in, New York in 1827. His father, Elmer Hibbered, started to Texas in 1836 with his family, but stopped in New Orleans on account of the invasion of Texas by Santa Anna, and came on after the war was over, landing at the mouth of the Brazos River. He had two brothers, Lovell and Lucius, who came to Texas with General Sam Houston and was in the Texas army of 1836. One was a … 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 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.

Company H

Colonel Frank Terry, commanding, killed at Woodsonville, Kentucky. Second Lieutenant-Robert J. Calder, killed at Moss Creek, East Tennessee. Third Lieutenant W. D. Adams, died on the way home, after resigning his commission in the service. Gustave Cook, promoted to Captain from Sergeant, January, 1862; to Major December, 1862; to Lieutenant Colonel May, 1863; to Colonel May, 1865; Wounded at Farmington, Griswoldville, Bentonville and Shiloh. Robert Hodges wounded at Decatur, Alabama. E. Griffin, captured, but escaped and died in 1869. Jack Adams wounded at Washington, Georgia, in 1864. Addie Autrey killed at Shiloh, April 8th, 1861. Clem Bassett, wounded at Eagleville … Read more