History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 515
[7], iv-vii, [2], 10-826, [2] p., [56] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
HISTOR Y OF TEXAS.
Carolina, and died of sickness while in the
service of the late war, in October, 1862;
that the latter was married again, came to
Texas with her family in 1878, and is still
living. Mr. Groce and his present wife have
three children, namely: Jennie Malbel, born
February 14, 1883; Roger Q., July 22, 1885;
and Seth Shepard, September 12, 1888.
Mrs. Groce is a member of the Baptist
Church, as also was Mr. Groce's first wife.
Fraternally, Mr. Groce is a Mason. He
votes with the Democratic party, and while
he takes an active interest in politics does
.not aspire to official position, always having
declined to hold office when solicited
by his friends to become a candidate.
APTAIN J. W. RAGSDALE, an en1(
14terprising and successful business man
of Tunis, Burleson county, Texas, is a
good type of the genial Southern gentleinan.HIe was born in Mississippi, July 8, 1841,
and was reared on a farm, his early boyhood
days being spent chiefly at Aberdeen. He
is descended from prominent and respected
families of Mississippi and is connected with
some of the most distinguished families of
Texas. His parents were Daniel W. and
Nancy H. (Greer) Ragsdale, and his father
was a native of North Carolina. His grandfather
Ragsdale came to this country from
Scotland and settled in North Carolina,
where, while serving as Sheriff of his county,
he was killed. Daniel W. Ragsdale was a
planter all his life and was a prominent man
in his day. The Captain's mother was a
daughter of Henry Greer, who was of ScotcuhIrish
descent, and who was first a resident of
Georgia and afterward of Mississippi, wherehe was engaged in agricultural pursuits.
The parents of our subject had a family of
eleven children, as follows: Mary, wife of
Dr. Richard Harrison; Susan, wife of C. F.
Gates, Mr. and Mrs. Gates both being deceased;
Ruth T., wife of A. II. Davidson,
both deceased, he having been killed in the
army; Jane, wife of Major J. W. Wicks, both
now deceased; Lucy, first wife of Colonel M.
W. Sims, a wealthy farmer of Bryan, this
State; Dan H., who was killed in the war;
Major Sanuel G., a practicing lawyer of
Caldwell, Texas; Margaret N., who married
Captain T. J. Bell, a lawyer of El Paso,
Texas; James W., whose natne leads this
article; Walter G. and one (twins of Walter
G.) who died in infancy. Daniel W. Ragsdale,
the father, died in 1852, and in 1857
his widow and children came to Texas and
located at Austin. In 1859 J. W. was sent
to Virginia to complete hlis education in the
Emory and Henry College, and was a student
in that institution at the time of the firing
on Su nter.
At thel age of eighteen, young Ragsdale
followed his mother's advice, left college and
returned to his old home in Mississippi,
where he entered the army of the Confederacy
as a private in Company K, Twentythird
Mississippi Alcorn Rebels. During
the early part of his service he was captured
and was held as a prisoner at Indianapolis
six months. After being exchanged, he was
elected Second Lieutenant of his company, was
afterward promoted to First Lieutenant, and
still later to the rank of Captain. He remained
in active service until he was wounded
at Atlanta, Georgia. On one occasion he,
without assistance, captured a Yankee colonel
of the Eighty-eighth Illinois Regiment
and brought him into line and handed him
over to the proper authorities. At Atlanta51.5
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Book)
Book containing a brief overview of the state of Texas and more specific focus on six specific counties, with extensive biographical sketches about persons related to the history of those places. An alphabetical index of persons who are included follows the table of contents at the front of the book.
Relationship to this item: (Has Format)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Lewis Publishing Company. History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties., book, 1893; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/555/?rotate=270: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.