History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 521

HiSTORY OF TEXAS. 521

tucky. HIe was a noted tobacco-raiser. and
was a large slave-owner. Mr. and Mrs. Wil.
kins were the parents of ten children, viz.:
R. H., who served in the late wvar, is now in
California; Nathan, who died in Arkansas;
J. C., a farmer of Bastrop county; W. D.,
also engaged in agricultural pursuits in this
county; R. T., our subject; Mary married
J. C. Duvall, and both are now deceased;
Bettie, wife of W. J. King, editor of the
Advertiser of Bastrop, resides in Salado, Bell
county; America, deceased, was the wife of
J. M. Johnson, of Austin; Anna, wife of T.
N. Harris, of Galveston; and Ellen, who
married a Mr. Shanklin, a farmer of Bell
county. Mrs. Wilkins died in 1861. Both
she and her husband were members of the
Christian Chlurclh.
R. T. Wilkins, the subject of this sketch,
came with his parents to Texas in 1858,
locating at Bastrop, this county, where lie
received a good education. After reaching
suitable age he clerked in a store about five
years, and remained under the parental roof
until the opening of the late war. II 1861
he entered Company F, R. P. Allen's regiment
of infantry for six months, and was
then transferred to regular service in Walker's
division. Mr. Wilkins took part in the battles
of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Milliken's
Bend, and all the important engagements in
Louisiana and Arkansas. Twelve months
before the close of the war he was transferred
to J. R. Baylor's regiment of cavalry, of
which he was made First Lieutenant, and was
in command of the company at the surrender.
After returning home he superintended his
father's farm eight months, and from that
time was employed as clerk in a store until
1868. In that year he began agricultural
pursuits, and in 1871 purchased his present
fanirm of 400 acres, 200 acres of which are

under a good state of cultivation. Ilis land
lies in the Colorado river valley, and his
dwelling is located on the bluff overlooking
the valley and Smithlville, the latter about
two miles distant. Mr. Wilkins rents a part
of his land, is engaged in general farining,
and is also giving much attention to the raising
of horses and mules. He has a Morgan
and Cleveland bay stallion and a fine Kentucky
jack.
Mr. Wilkins was married April 23, 1868,
to Miss Josephine Faucett, a daughter of
John Faucett, a native of England. The latter
caine to America when young, was raised in
Cincinnati, Ohio, came to Texas in 1838, an-1
still resides in Bastrop county. Our subject
and wife have six children: John F., Ada
M., Claude R., Pearl, Sue, Sumpter, and
Cora. In his political views Mr. Wilkins is
a Democrat, and socially is a member of the
Masonic order. Both lie and his wife are
members of the Baptist Church.
J OHN T. BLACK, one of the pioneers
and leading farmers of Bastrop county,
was born in Talladega county, Alabama,
October 19, 184=6, a son of Lemuel and Virginia
(Crutchfield) Black, natives of Tennessee
and Virginia respectively. A sister of
Lenmuel, Agnes Black, married Ludwell L..
Rector, a member of one of the pioneer and
most prominent families of Bastrop county.
The parents of our subject removed to Ala.
bama with their parents when young, and
were afterward married in that State. About
the year 1849 they caine to Texas, locating first
in Bastrop county, but soon afterward purchased
a farm in Hays and Comal counties,
and located near Mountain City, in the former
county. In 1862 Mr. Black joined HIood's

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