History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 808

80 H STR OF TEXAS.

expiration of this official term he was called
to serve in an even more important and representative
office, being elected District Attorney
of what was then the western district
of Texas. He was also the incumbent in
numerous other offices of trust and responsibility.
In his political opinions he was independent
and untrammeled by distinctive party
lines. This was to be expected from one of
his characteristics, but he but held the more
firmly for this reason the high regard of the
people, whose suffrages he secured as a result
of his personal popularity and of the implicit
confidence placed in him.
October 20, 1861, he was united in marriage
to Miss Mollie L. Sherman, a native of
Houston, Texas, where she was born April
11, 1843, being the daughter of William P.
and Elizabeth Ann (Teague) Sherman. She
was a celebrated beauty in her girlhood days,
and was referred to in the Galveston News
(1860) as a i" Southern beauty,' both of face
and form. The father was one of the Texas
pioneers and served with distinction through
the Texas wars. He was extensively engaged
in stock-raising for a number of years. His
wife, who was a native of Tennessee, was
married in Texas in 1832 and they died about
1848, within a few days of each other. After
the death of her parents Mrs. McFadin was
placed under the guardianship of John
IIamrblin, at whose home she remained until
lhe lime of her marriage.
To Mr. and Mrs. McFadin ten children
were born, and of the number only one has
passed away. Of them we make record as
follows; Alice was married March 6, 1887,
to Charles W. McAnulty; Zumna was married
in 1886, to Howard H. Jenkins; William A.
married Miss Irna Cavanaugh September 20,
1893; Ora J.; Ella married A. M. Ingram,
August 23, 1893; ZeVan died in infancy;

and the others are TeVan David, Auma J.,
Nina and Von Veree.
As the most conspicuous characteristic of
the life of our honored subject, and the one
for which his memory is revered to-day, it is
but consistent that attention be called to his
signal devotion to the cause of humanity,
than which no life can have a higher aim.
He was a statesman of the purest type, and
from the forum, the legislative halls and by
his pen he thundered denunciations of wrong
and pleaded the cause of right. He was a
hard student all his life, an ardent and independent
searcher for the truth, kneeling
humbly at this shrine for guidance. His
motto was, i" no worshipper of prescribed
rules." His judgment was clear, concise and
so logical that he is often spoken of as "a
man a quarter of a century ahead of his
time." He was a leader of advanced thought
and a tower of strength to thinking minds.
He bore also some distinction as an orator,
much of his time having been devoted to
serving the public in this capacity. More
than once he canvassed the State in the interest
of social and political economics.
After a life of activity, devotion to duty
and of success in the highest sense of the
term, Mr. McFadin entered into eternal rest
November 4, 1891, mourned by all to whom
had been granted a knowledge of his character,
his deeds of kindness and his generosity.
To all, however, must have come the
realization that thus came only the fitting
termination of a life beautiful on earth--a
life whose continuance could but follow in
more glorious realms of eternity. Mrs. McFadin
made her home with the children at
the old homestead after the death of her husband,
and, surviving him by only a few
months, she died July 30, 1892.

808
db

RISORYOP TX8