A Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties, Texas. Page: 625

                                
BELL AND CORYELL COUNTIES.

battle of the Wilderness and at Spottsylvania
Court House, and was with Lee at the close of
the war. Immediately after the declaration of
peace, he entered the University of Virginia,
and was a student there during 1866-'67. He
then came to Texas and located at Galveston,
where he remained one year, removing thence
to. Wharton county, where he engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits. In 1872, he came to Waco
and embarked in commercial enterprises, but it
was not until 1887 that he began dealing in
real estate. He is a man of more than ordinary
business ability, and is highly esteemed in
commercial and business 'circles in McLennan
county.
Mr. Battle was united in marriage in Geor-
gia, to Miss Rosa Waddey, a native of that
State, and of this union three children were
born: Oliver L., Waddey W., and May Belle.
He is a member of the Baptist Church, and is
Treasurer of the Baptist General Convention
of Texas, and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
of Baylor University. He also belongs to the
Masonic fraternity.
Charles I. Battle, a brother of John T., is
connected with him in business. He was horn
January 12, 1842, and was educated in Georgia
and in the University of Virginia. When the
war began between the North and South, he,
with a band of students, enlisted in Company
A, Ninth Georgia Volunteer Infantry, and
served faithfully until the surrender. He came
to Texas with his father in 1855, and spent
much of his time in this State until the war,
and when that was ended he returned to Whar-
ton county, where he resumed farming. In
1889, he came to Waco and embarked in the
real-estate business with his brother.
He has been actively connected with the poli-
tics of the county, having held the offices of
Justice of the Peace and Commissioner. He
was a member of the twentieth General Assem-
bly of the State of Texas, representing the dis-
trict, including the counties of Matagorda,
Wharton, Brazoria and Galveston.
Mr Battle was married in 1865, to Miss

Letitia N. Walker, of Georgia, and to them
were born three children, all of whom died in
infancy. He is a member of the Masonic fra-
ternity, and of the Baptist Church.
ACOB CLOSNER, agriculturist and stock-
raiser. -Agriculture and stock-raising has
formed the principal occupation of this
gentleman, and  the wide-awake  manner in
which he has taken advantage of all methods
and ideas tending to the enhanced value of his
property, has had a great deal to do with ob-
taining the competence which he now enjoys.
Born in Switzerland, January 15, 1836, he was
the second of three children born to John and
Mary Closner, natives of Switzerland, where
the father now resides, engaged in farming.
Jacob Closner received his early education in
his native country, but afterward was sent to
school in Paris, France, when twelve years of
age, and made his home with an uncle who was
living there. He became acquainted with a
boy who had an uncle living in Illinois, and
was persuaded by this boy to go with him to
America. Accordingly in 1850 he landed in
New York, and came direct to Will county, Illi-
nois, where he worked for five years. In 1858
he came to Texas. On the 9th of April, 1862,
he enlisted in the Fifteenth Texas Infantry, and
served until the close of the war, participating
in the following battles: Mansfield, Pleasant
Hill, Bennett's Ferry, Mooreville and Yellow
Bayou.  At the last named   engagement he
went into the fight with eighteen privates, but
there were only six left afterward. He was in
many other battles of minor note, and escaped
without injury. Previous to the war, on the
30th of November, 1859, he was married to
Miss Sarah A. King, who was the fifth in a
family of twelve children, six of whom survive,
born to M. and Elizabeth (Bailey) King, natives
respectively of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
The father was a farmer, and followed that
occupation in Illinois until he came to the Lone

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