Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 807 of 894

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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.

as the Indians not only became more troublesome
in their depredating expeditions but even more hostile
and murderous.
Maj. Rose was a duly accredited officer of the
Confederate army, served on the Indian frontier
first as Lieutenant and later as Major, and took
active part in numerous thrilling scenes and incidents,
doing his country valiant service. He also,
in the meantime, pushed his farm operations, and
raised quantities of corn and potatoes and farm
produce, which he distributed generously and with
an open hand to the needy families of soldiers who
were at the front. He also erected, at his home, a
grist and saw mill. He also erected a schoolhouse
on his premises and employed a teacher, receiving the
hearty co-operation of his neighbors in this good
work of schooling the children. He thus started
the nucleus for a thriving community, but owing to
the too frequent raids and the deadly hostility of
the Indians and lack of proper frontier protection,
he finally disposed of his holdings, and in February,
1868, located in Bell County. For two years he
lived near Belton, and in 1870 moved to Salado,
which is now (1896) his unofficial home.
Maj. Rose was married June 18, 1854, to Miss
Sallie A. Austin, of Missouri, daughter of Walker
and Eupham McKinney Austin. The McKinney
family were among the earliest settlers of Texas.
Thomas F. McKinney, uncle of Mrs. Rose, came
to Texas in 1834, was one of the old Santa Fe
traders, and was instrumental in selecting the site
of Austin. Following are the names of the children
born to Maj. and Mrs. Rose: Alice E., wife
of T. R. Russell, of Bell County; Mary H., wife
of A. J. Mackey; W. S., a farmer of Bell County;
Beatrice, wife of Levi Anderson, of Bell County;
Sallie A., wife of George W. Perry, of Macon
County, Mo; Callie M.; A. Johnson, Jr., and
Louselle are at home with their parents.
Maj. Rose joined the Missionary Baptist Church
in 1861, in San Saba, and is now deacon and treasurer
of Salado Baptist Church at Salado, Bell
County, Texas.
In October, 1861, Maj. Rose was initiated into
the mysteries of Freemasonry in San Saba Lodge
No. 225. In December, 1862, he was elected its
Senior Warden, and in 1863 its Master, which position
he filled consecutively until he removed to
Bell County in 1868. Affiliating with the Belton
Lodge No. 166, December, 1868, was elected Master
of this Lodge. In 1863 he received the Royal
Arch and appendant degrees in Mt. Horeb Chapter,
No. 57, in Williamson County. In 1864 he
received the Council degrees in the city of Austin,
and in 1872 the Knight Templar degrees in Colorado

Commandery No. 4. He was a charter member
of San Saba Chapter and served as High Priest
for several years. He also served as High Priest
of Belton Chapter No. 76. He was a charter member
of Salado Chapter No. 107, organized in 1872,
and filled the office of High Priest consecutively for
twenty-one years. He served as Master of Salado
Lodge No. 296, and was its secretary for four
years.
In 1882 he was elected R. W. Grand Junior Warden
of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas;
also Grand Senior Warden, Deputy Grand Master,
and Grand Master of Masons in Texas in 1887.
Being a farmer himself, he very naturally sympathizes
with any legitimate movement to improve
the farmer's condition. Hence we find him figuring
conspicuously in the Grange, a farmer's organization.
In 1873 he was admitted a member of the
first subordinate Grange organized in Texas. In
December, of the same year, he was elected its
Master, to which position he was elected annually
for six years. In 1875 he was elected Lecturer of
the State Grange of Texas, and in 1877 was elected
Overseer. In 1881 he became Worthy Master of
the State Grange, which position he held consecutively
for eleven years. He served as secretary
for two years, and now, 1896, is chairman of the
executive committee.
It will be seen from the foregoing that Maj. Rose
has spent about one-half of his life as a pioneer on
the frontiers of Missouri, California and Texas.
His father dying when our subject was yet a youth
in school, his cherished hope of securing a thorough
education was necessarily abandoned, and he
became practically the head of a large family.
Feeling keenly the loss of his father, and greatly
disappointed in the disarrangement of his school
plans, he bravely buckled on the armor of responsibility
and courageously met the grave duties and
cares of life. His successful career is conclusive
proof that he possessed the ambition, the nerve,
the fortitude, and the stability to turn to use the
misfortunes that would have discouraged and
crowded down the young man of common mold.
He has always been aggressive in forwarding the
cause of education, and one of the most hearty
indorsers and promoters of the general free school
system for which Texas is to-day famous. Having
served efficiently for more than twenty years on
school and college boards, Salado College,. Salado
public school, Baylor Female College, he was
appointed by Governor Ross, in 1887, a member of
the Board of Directors of the State Agricultural
and Mechanical College, near Bryan, and was, in
1889, elected president of the Board. This not