History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 662

HISTOR Y OF TEXAS.

ette county, and in 1872 came to Smithville,
Bastrop county. After locating in this place
he began farming in addition to his medical
practice, later engaged in general merchandising,
but soon abandoned the practice of
medicine except with his particular friends,
and still continues in that way. After eight
years of merchandizing, Mr. Taylor closed
that branch of his business, and turned his
attention entirely to farming. He has now
retired from all active work. At one time
he served as Postmaster of Smithville.
Mr. Taylor was married in 1860, to Miss
Slsan N. Burleson, a native of this county,
and a daughter of Joseph Burleson, who came
to this State in 1833, and was among the first
to locate in Bastrop county. Indians and
game of all kinds were then plentiful, and the
father took part in all the Indian raids of
this part of the country. To this union was
born three children: Yancey D., a farnner ot
this county; John, of Smithville, and Tempie
F., wife of A. G. Fancette; a farmer and
merchant of this city. Mrs. Taylor died in
1867, and in 1872, our subject married his
first wife's sister, Mrs. Nancy A. Yancey,
nee Burleson. Mr. Taylor affiliates with the
Democratic party, and his wife is a member
of the Primitive Baptist Church.
J W. HENDERSON, one of Milamn county's
enterprising farmers, has been identified
with the interests of Texas for a
number of years, and is justly entitled to
some personal consideration in this work.
He was born in Moulton, Lawrence county,
Alabamla, May 25, 1833, son of J. T. and
Mary (Barclay) Henderson. The father died
about 1835, and the mother, having carriedd
again, moved to Texas in 1837, ani settled

near Woodville in Tyler county. There the
subject of this sketch was reared to farm
life, with educational advantages limited. In
January, 1851, being then in his twenty-first
year. he came to Milam county, where he secured
work on a farm of John Cullins, at
$15 per month. He remained thus employed
until September of that year, when lie joined
an expedition under Charles E. Travis, son of
one of the heroes of the Alamo, and for
twelve months ranged in the western and
northwestern part of Texas. Returning then
to Milam county, he was engaged in freighting
and overseeing until the opening of the
late war. He entered the Confederate army
in 1861, and was assigned to duty in the
commissary and transportation department,
where he served until the close of hostilities.
In 1867 he embarked in the live stock
business, which was then the principal industry
of the State, and gave it his attention until
1877, at first carrying on operations alone,
afterward being a member of Cragan Beef
Packing Company of New York, and still
later, being with the firm of Henderson, Beall
& Powers, raising and shipping cattle from
1873 to 1877.
In 1877 he closed out his stock business,
and, having made some investments from
time to time in Milam county lands, turned
his attention to the improvement of these
and to the inercautile business, which he entered
at Yarrellton. Farming, ginning, merchandising
and stock growing have since
former his business pursuits. His entire
time has been absorbed with these, and he
has met with the usual successes and reverses
incident to such interests and enterprises.
From 1887 to 1892 he was in the
cattle business in Menard county, in partnership
with Julius Range of Galveston. One
public position is all he ever filled, that be

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