Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 217 of 894

IVDI)IAN WA.IRS AND PIONEEI?S OF TEXASS.

195

in Mississippi, the wife of Wm. McMullen; Elizabeth
(or Bettie) married T. P. Mills, was the
mother of two daughters and a son, and died in
Houston about 1860. Titus came to Texas with
his father, married and in 1870 died at Bryan,
leaving four children and a widow, who again

married; and William came to Texas with the
family, married, and died in the United States
mail service at Fort Worth about 1885, leaving
one son, Westbrook. William had held a responsible
position in the United States service for upwards
of twenty years.

ALEXANDER GILMER,
ORANGE.

Was born September 7, 1829, in County
Armagh, Ireland. His parents were George and
Jane Gilmer, both of whom died in Ireland.
He was educated in his native land, where he
remained until seventeen years of age, when he
came to America and located in Georgia, where he
engaged in getting out shipmasts for the French
government, working under his brother, John, who
was the contractor. He followed this employment
for three years, clearing about $700.00. He then
worked under his brother in building a schooner
and steamboat, putting all his earnings in the
steamboat, the Swan, which was to ply on the
Chattahoochie river. She was sunk during the
second season, leaving him but ten cents when she
went down, which he gave to a negro who blacked
his boots. He then helped to build a schooner, the
Altha Brooks, on the Chattahoochie river in Alabama
and came out to Texas on her, landing at Galveston,
from which place he went to Orange to repair
a schooner. This work completed, he took a contract
with a man named Livingston to build a
schooner, which they completed, and then helped to
build another schooner, the Mary Ellen.
This done, he formed a copartnership with Smith
Mattie, now Mrs.
II. S. Filson, of Orange; Effie, now Mrs. R. M.
Williamson, of Waco; Eliza, Cleora, Annie, and
Ollie. Two sons died in infancy.
Mr. Gilmer engaged in the saw-mill business in
1866. IIe sustained a number of severe losses by
fire, but in each instance by good management put
his financial affairs on a better basis than they
were before.
One of his largest mills was built at Orange in
1894.
Just before his last loss by fire, he established
lumber yards at Velasco; bought one at Beeville
(which he closed in 1895), bought one at Yoakum,
one at Cuero, one at Runge, one at Karnes City,
one at Victoria, and established one at Brazoria,
which are valued at about $100,000.00. H-is mill
property is valued at about $75,000.00.
Mr. Gilmer's property interests now aggregate
about 8300,000.00. He had but $500.00 when he
reached Texas.
He was on the G. H. Bell, commanded by
Charles Fowler, when the Morning Light was captured
in the battle of Sabine Pass, during the war
between the States.
Later he ran the blockade with a schooner loaded
with cotton, commanded by Capt. Whiting, and
made a successful trip to Balize, IHonduras; then
made an equally successful trip from Columbia to
the Rio Granle; sold one cargo from Galveston at
Havana; was captured at Sabine Pass, by the Hatteras,
which was sunk by the Alabama, the day
after his boat was taken, and then chartered a brig