History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 318

HISTOR Y OF TEXAS.

Wright family were originally from Virginia.
IMr and Mrs. Dawson have had seven chilren,
four now living: Mary J., principal of
the public school in South Austin; Nancy
E., a teacher in the high school at Austin;
Nicholas A., a lawyer of that city; and Belle,
attending the University of Texas, at Austin.
Mr. Dawson is independent in his political
views, although he votes principally with the
Democratic party. He is also liberal in
religious affairs, belonging to no church society,
but favors Universalism.
UG(I GOODWIN, a farmer of WillI
iamson county, was born in Louisa
county, Virginia, February 22, 1833,
a son of Hugh and Nicie Ann (Coleinan)
Goodwin, natives also of that State. The
father is a sun of Hugh Goodwin, and this
family originally came from England. The
father of our subject, a slave owner and prominent
farmer, died in Virginia, in 1850. He
had thirteen children, nine of whom grew to
years of maturity, namely: Robert, Huldah,
William, Hugh, Andrew, John, Coleman,
Bettie B. and Archie Tallach. William and
Coleman came to Texas in 1859. The former
practiced medicine in Burleson county from
that year until the opening of the late war,
when he enlisted in Parsons' brigade, served
through the entire struggle, after which he
went to Atlanta, Georgia, where he died in
1880. Coleman engaged in farming in
Washington county. He also entered the
army, and died while in service. Mrs. Goodwin
died in 1848.
Hugh Goodwin, the subject of this sketch,
remained under the parental roof until he
was eighteen years of age, when he Wade a
visit in Kentucky. After returning home he

again went to that State, where he was engaged
in trading two -years, and in 1851 located
in Missouri. He then went overland
to California, arriving in that State in 1852,
where he remained until 1866, and during
the first five years of that time was engaged
in mining, and later in the sheep business.
He handled laage herds besides those on his
own ranch, and also drove to Montana. In
1866 Mr. Goodwin sold his interests in California
and returned to Virginia, but, the war
having passed over and devastation taken the
place of peace and plenty, and the slaves gone
from the old home, he remained in that State
but a few months. In 1867 he came to
Texas, visited many of the best sheep ranches
of that State,after which he concluded that this
was not a sheep country. Mr. Goodwin was
next engaged in the wool business in Galveston
two years, but after the Eastern buyers
became so plentiful he began cattle-buying,
making trips through the country towns as
far north as Magnolia, and sold the product
at Galveston. In 1875 he caine to what was
then the terminus of the International &
Great Northern Railroad, at Rockdale, where
he was the only cotton-buyer for many years.
Two years later he made his first purchase of
land in this county, which he at once began
improving, and he now owns about 800 acres,
400 acres cultivated. HIe rents most of his
land, and his attention is devoted principally
to the raising of cattle, buying and feeding
for the market. His farm adjoins the town
of Hutto, is beautifully located, and it is only
a short walk from the depot to his stately
mansion.
August 13, 1884, Mr. Goodwin was united
in marriage with Miss Mary Farley, who was
born in Trinity county, Texas, March 9, 1861,
a daughter of W. H. and Lucy (Hargrove)
Farley, the former a native of Alabama and