History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 769

HISTOR OF T EA .'

an active interest in the political issues of the
day, is a stanch Democrat, is an honored and
respected citizen, and has been a consistent
Christian from childhood.
\Wh \ T. STARNES, Justice of the Peace
of Georgetown, was born in Franklin
county, Tennessee, November
19, 1849, a son of Benjamin C. and Temperance
J. (Knight) Starnes, who were born,
reared and married in that State. The father,
a farmer by occupation, was a soldier under
General Scott in the Mexican war, served as
a private twelve months, and was in many of
the leading battles under that general.
While in the army Mr. Starnes contracted a
disease from which he died in 1857, aged
thirty-four years. He had been a member of
the Methodist Church for many years. Mrs.
Starnes is still living, aged sixty-one years.
She came to Texas in 1882, and has been a
resident of Georgetown since 1887. She has
been a member of the Methodist Church
since sixteen years of age, and her life has
reflected the power and beauty of a Christian
character in relation to her family, the church
and the different communities in which she
has lived. Mr. and Mrs. Starnes had five
children, three of whom died in infancy.
One son, John A., is engaged in the grain
and feed business in Georgetown.
W. T. Starnes followed farming in Tennessee
until twenty-one years of age, when
be located on a farm in Travis county, Texas.
Four years later he returned to Tennessee,
and took charge of his grandfather's farm,
Benjamin B. Knight, eighteen months after
which he located on a farm in Williamson
county, Texas. In 1887 Mr. Starnes began
reading law under W. 0. Baker, of this city,

was admitted to the bar in July, 1888, after
which he immediately began the practice of
his chosen profession. In November of that
year, he was elected Justice of the Peace, reelected
in 1890, and ag'in in 1892.
In 1884 our subject was united in marriage
with Miss Mary E. Ray, a daughter of
Ezekiel M. Ray, a farmer living south of San
Gabriel. To this union have been born four
children: Calvin Ray, William Lovett, Mert
H. and Mary Beulah. Mr. and Mrs. Starnes
are members of the Methodist Church. The
foriner is also Junior Warden of the Masonic
order, and Past Grand of the I. 0. 0. F. He
takes an active interest in the Democratic
party, and is numbered among the highly esteemed
and valued citizens of the county.
Since coming to this county Mr. Starnes has
been identified with its development and
progress, and is now one of its prominent
and prosperous citizens.
OSEPH W. ROBERTSON, an attorney,
J a member of the firm of Makemson &
Robertson, of Georgetown, and a member
of the State Democratic Executive Committee,
was born in Roane county, Tennessee,
October 6, 1849. His parents were Dr.
James R. and Mary A. (Hunt) Robertson,
who were born, reared and married in Washington
county, Tennessee. The father was a
physician and a local minister in the Methodist
Episcopal Church South. He had an
extensive practice in Roane county, Tennessee,
for many years, and was well-known and
highly respected in several counties in that
portion of the State. As a minister he did
much good, having been not only talented,
but was a man of signal devotion and piety.
He was a man of intellectual force, pure life,

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