History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 492
[7], iv-vii, [2], 10-826, [2] p., [56] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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HISTORY OP TEXAS.
progressive in his views. The same catholicity
of spirit also characterizes his way of.
thinking on social, religious and economic
questions, his mind offering a generous hospitality
to the thoughts of others and his
heart beating in unison with the best impulses
of the age.
sir) 0. AND H. E. WILLSON, of the firm
of Willson Brothers, proprietors of the
Taylor Texan, of Taylor, are sons of
H. I. and Elizabeth (Otwell) Willson,
natives of Kentucky. They came to Texas in
1853, locating in Coryell county, but a short
time afterward removed to Cherokee county,
where they remained until the close of the
late war. At the opening of that struggle
Mr. Willson espoused the cause of the
Southern States, and in 1861 joined Colonel
Hubbard's regiment, was attached to General
Walker's brigade, and was appointed Lieutenant
of his company. He was never
wounded or captured. After the close of hostilities
lie was engaged in school-teaching for
some years, and then, being a civil engineer
by profession, accepted a position from the
Houston & Texas Central Railroad Company.
He also located the road from Waco to Bremond,
assisted in locating and surveying
towns on the Houston & Texas Central railroad,
and, on account of ill'health, retired
from railroad work in 1874. He afterward
resumed school-teaching for a time. He was
elected County Surveyor of Milam county in
1888. Mr. Willson now resides in Taylor,
Texas. His first wife died in 1869. They
had the following children: P. O., a member
of the firm of Willson Brothers; Mattie L.,
wife of H. A. Crossett, of Jones county; H.
E., the second member of the firm of Willson
Brothers, Frank, deceased; and Fred W., ofWaco. In 1873 Mr. Willson again married,
being united to Miss Allie Den man, a native
of Calvert, Texas. They had three children:
H. 1., Olive D. and Johnie S.
P. 0. Willson was born in Louisville, Kentucky,
in 1853. He was educated at different
points throughout Texas. In 1872 he
was employed in the printing office of the
Belton Journal, edited by Captain J. G. Batt,
and there remained eight years. In 1880 he
purchased the Belton Courier, but two years
afterward his office was destroyed by fire, and
he lost his entire possessions accumulated
during ten years. Mr. Willson then accepted
a position on the Cameron Herald, and for
three years was editor-in-chief of that paper.
In 1885 he started a job printing office in
Rockdale, and September 1, 1886, in company
with his brother, H. E. Willson, he
purchased the Taylor Texan, forming the
present partnership of Willson Brothers.
This paper was at first conducted in a small
room over the National bank, with a circulation
of about 600, but in 1890 they erected
their present magnificent two-story brick
.building on Broad street, where they now
have one of the finest offices to be found in
any small town in Central Texas. They have
the celebrated Cranston steam power press.
The building and machinery is valued at
$20,000. and the entire outfit was purchased
in 1886 for $750. The firm also owns considerable
real estate in Taylor.
Mr. Wilson was married in 1883, to Miss
Delia Goode, of Belton, Texas, a daughter of
Dr. Goode, deceased, whose widow still resides
in Belton. Mr. and Mrs. Willson have
had four children; Roy, deceased; Herbert
G.; Lottie and a babe unnamed. Mr. Willson
is a member of the I. 0. 0. F., of this
city, and both he and his wife are members
of the Baptist Church.A
492
I
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History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Book)
Book containing a brief overview of the state of Texas and more specific focus on six specific counties, with extensive biographical sketches about persons related to the history of those places. An alphabetical index of persons who are included follows the table of contents at the front of the book.
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Lewis Publishing Company. History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties., book, 1893; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/529/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.