History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 778

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HISTORY OP TEXAS.

becca, deceased, was the wife of James Holt,
of Lavaca county; Calvin, deceased; and
Noah, of Williamson county. The family
lived in Illinois until 1846, and in the fall of
that year started to Texas, crossing Red river
January 1, 1847. They located in Fayette
county, where the father died in 1867, and
the mother departed this life in Burnet
county, in August, 1890. The former was a
farmer by occupation, was quiet and reserved,
a member of the Primitive Baptist Church,
and was a very religious man.
S. B. Purcell, the subject of this sketch,
was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, November
9, 1839. He came with his parents
to Texas in 1847, was raised in Fayette
county, and in 1860 came to Williamson
county, locating in the southern part. In
1883 he moved to his present location,
twenty miles northwest of Georgetown,
where he has 500 acres of good land, 120
acres cultivated. In addition to general
farming, Mr. Purcell is giving considerable
attention to stock-raising. He is independent
in political matters, and religiously, is a
member of the Primitive Baptist Church.
August 14, 1861, in Williamson county,
our subject was married to Sabea C., a
daughter of Freeman and Nancy (Asher)
Smalley, natives of Indiana. The parents
came to Texas in 1845, locating in the southern
part of Williamson county, where the
father died in 1849, when Mrs. Purcell was
only two years of age. The mother afterward
married a Mr. Juvinall, and after his
death she became the wife of C. Purcell. Her
death occurred in 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Purcell
have had eleven children, viz.: Mary
Anna, now Mrs. Flood Snow, of Burnet
county, Texas; Alice B., wife of George
Adams, also that county; Hattie, wife of Joe
Jackson, of Williamson county; Ulysses, at

home; Joseph, deceased; Willie, deceased;
and Zela, Morton, Bruer, Dora and Samuel,
at home. Mr. Purcell is a successful farmer,
and is held in high esteem by his many
friends.
OHN T. HUDGINS, one of the well
known and prominent men of Bastrop
county, was born at Henderson, Rusk
county, Texas, December 29, 1857, a son of
James W. and Margaret (Warren) Hudgins.
John T. was educated in the public schools of
Miller county, Arkansas and at the age of
fifteen years was employed as clerk by N. B.
Flippin, of Texarkana, where he remained
eight years. From 1878 to 1883 he was successfully
engaged in general merchandising
for himself at Rich lond, Arkansas, but in the
latter year sold his store there and came direct
to Bastrop county, Texas. March 1,
1883, Mr. Hudgins engaged in business at
Old Smithville, under the firm name of J. T.
Hudgins & Co., but after the new town of
Sminithville was started they moved the store
to this place, erecting the first large store
building in the town. November 15, 1890
their building, stock and dwelling were destroyed
by fire, the loss amounting to about
$30,000. They did an annual business of
$80,000. Since that time Mr. Hudgins has
devoted his time and attention to agricultural
pursuits, owning a farm of 1,400 acres, 650
acres of which is cultivated. He raises about
250 bales of cotton each year, besides corn
and other supplies, and twenty families are
required to carry on the work of the plantation.
Mr. Hudgins is also president of the
Smithville Improvement Cotrpany, a chartered
institution, with a capital stock'of $15,000.
He has a large and handsome residence