History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 593

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

county, and was married in Polk county in
1853. At the opening of the late war he enlisted
as a private in Company C, Forty-third
Tennessee Regiment, took part in the siege
of Vicksburg, and died of measles during that
struggle. In 1866 the mother of our sullject
married John Mounds, who died in
1881, and she afterward came with her tfanily
to Texas, locating with a son in Fannin
county. She died in 1882. Mr. and Mrs.
Dennis were the parents of five sons: B. T.,
our subject; George B., of Fannin county;
LaFayette, whose residence is unknown;
Frank, of Burnet county; John D., a resident
of Fannin county. By her last marriage
the mother had three children: Joseph, of
Grayson county, Texas; Martha, wife of
Charles Ross, of Indian Territory; and
James, of Burnet county.
B. T. Dennis was born in McMinn county,
Tennessee, November 25, 1855, and was
reared to manhood in Polk county, that State.
He began life for himself at the age of fifteen
years, working as a farm laborer twelve
years; and, in 1878, drove a team for his
uncle to San Saba county, Texas. After residing
a short time in that county he came
to Williamson county, in March, 1879. After
marriage Mr. Dennis farmed on rented land
in Burnet county until 1884; in that year he
purchased and made four crops on a farmn
there, and then came to his present place of
500 acres. His land borders on North Gabriel,
nineteen miles northwest of the county
seat of Georgetown, and 120 acres is under a
fine state of cultivation. The farm is now
worth $5,000.
In Burnet county, October 24, 1880, Mr.
Dennis was united in marriage to Sallie E.
Ottinger. They have seven children: Daisy,
Cora, Sarah, Pearl, Byron L., Mattie M.,
Roy and Carl. Mr. Dennis affiliates with

the Democratic party, and both lie and his
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. He is truly a self-made mnan, having
started in life with comparatively nothing,
and now owns one of the finest farms in
Williamson county. He takes an active interest
in everything fobr the good of his county,
and is respected by all who know him.
]tJT AJOR A. B. SUMMERS, a farmer of
Bastrop county, was born in RPuther-
ford county, Tennessee, Marchl 8,
1834, a son of Alfred and Lucinda
(Summers) Summners, natives of North Carolina.
The parents were of the same name,
but no relation. The father, a carpenter and
millwright by trade, served through the
Mexican war, and in 1847 came to Cherokee
county, Texas, where he followed his trade
and farmning. Mr. and Mrs. Summers were
the parents of ten children, viz: Ellen, deceased
in Tennessee; Malinda, wife of J. E.
Wells, of the Panhandle of Texas; C. L.,
deceased, was a soldier in the late war; A.
B., our subject; William, who was killed at
the battle of Mansfield; Jane, deceased. was
the wife of A. Yost, and they had three
children; Rebecca, who has never married,
and resides with her brother-in-law, A. Yost;
Thomas J., deceased while a prisoner of war
in Illinois; Mary E., widow of J. G. Lee,
resides on a farm in this county; and the
youngest child died in infancy. The father departed
this life in 1868, and the mother
afterward made her home with a daughter in
this county until her death, in 1872.
In 1847, at the age of thirteen years, A
B. Summers, our subject, came with his
father to Cherokee county, Texas. He remained
under the parental roof until twenty