Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 247 of 372
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ENCYCLOPEDIA.
197
in this remote section of our common country. He
'left for Texas, and reaching Dallas in the latter part
,of 1867, at once resumed the practice of his profession
and so continued until 1869, when the people
.called him to preside over the County Court, in
Which position his office as Justice of Precinct No.
I was involved. Since that time he has been twice
re-elected to fill the same position. In all the
material advancements that have occured in that
city and county during the past five years, Judge
Kerfoot has borne a conspicuous part. In all the
meritorious enterprises that have agitated this
people and demanded at their hands, mind as well
as money in their successful prosecution, no man
has been more prominent than he. The gorgeous
temple of Justice," in which the " blind goddess"
hol(Is her undisputed sway, and which is a pride
and an honor to that county, owes its very existence
to the will, the determination, and foresight of him
whose position in the esteem and affections of this
people can be neither diminished nor increased by
the vain glories that are often evidenced in the
aneaningless signification of empty words.
In the discharge of his duties, Judge Kerfoot
is impartial, and in all the characteristics that manifest
themselves in lis judgmlents, there is apparent
that clearness of intellect and honesty of intention,
that evidences in the highest degree the purity of
his motives.
'3^^^DAMS. S. J. Tle subject of this sketch
.23^ was born in Stewart county, Georgia, on
"*s H9 the 14th day of April, 1837; and under
the tutelage of his cousin, Col. Thadeus
W. Oliver, the author of that beautiful poem, " All
-quiet along the Potomac to-night, " tile supervision
and completion of his literary studies was attained.
When he left school he went to Arkansas,
where he entered the law office of W. D. Lee, as a
.student, and before he was twenty-one years of
age, was admitted to the bar of that State. He
.at once began the practice of his profession, which
be followed until the outbreak of the war, when
he- enlisted as a private soldier in the Third
Arkansas Regiment, under the command of Colonel
Yani H. Manning, and as a member of Gen.eral
Hood's Old Brigade, did faithful service as a
private until the fall of 1862, when he was
wounded, and returned to Richmond on the list
,of "incompetents for field service." While re:maining
in the Confederate capital to repair theinjuries he had received, he met Dr. Mitchell, Confederate
Senator from Arkansas, and his old friend,
Colonel Garland, the present Governor of that
State, through whose influence he was comnmissioned
a captain by the War Department, and instructed
to report to the Trans-Mississippi Departmenit
for duty. In a short time, Captain
Adams raised a splendid company of cavalry
which he commanded througl the war, an(l at the
head of which he established his reputation for
gallantry in a pitched biattle he fought with the Federal
forces on the Mernocthen Plantation, in Chicot
county, Arkansas, and in which lie gained, unaided,
one of the most signal and brilliant victories
of the late war.
When peace canme with her white wings and
hushed the horrible mutterings of war, he came to
Texas, and established himself as a lawyer in
Houston. He continued in the practice of his profession
until the winter of 1867-68, when lie entered
the ranks of the "Terminal Merchants " of
the Houston whenever
weighty responsibilities, upon which the welfare
and common interests of that community are
vitally dependent, are to be. assumed and disposed
of; whenever any important movement of whatsoever
character is to be advanced and prosecuted
to success, the name of Captain S. J. Adams, invariably
appears at the head of those who labor
with an " eye single" to successful results alone.
By common consent lhe has become the leader
under whose quick perception and comprehensive
observation nearly all the public enterprises that
have given to Dallas the enviable reputation it
now enjoys of being the first commercial mart of
Northern Texas, have been advanced and permanently
established. Dallas City possesses many
advantages, both of a geographical and topographi
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/247/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.