History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 821
[7], iv-vii, [2], 10-826, [2] p., [56] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
HISTORY OF TEXAS. 821~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
known, and his family, constituted an important
factor in the community aforesaid, and
still continue to exert an influence for good,
although the head of the family has passed
the borders of the dark river
The Rectors are a family of German descent,
emigrating to this country in early
colonial days. For generations they lived in
Virginia, and were connected in state-craft
and education with the best families of the
Old Dominion. The distinguished trait of
the family is its intellectuality, a larger proportion
of thie males being honored members
of the different professions. The father of
our deceased subject, Benjamin Rector, moved
to Sevier county, Tennessee, thence to Marshall
county, Alabama, and in 1847, together
with a large company of his children and relations
to Bastrop county, where he died.
During his lifetime he was a prominent mereber
of each community in which he lived,
passing much of his time in offices of public
trust. He reared a large family, all of whom
were more or less prominent in later Texas
development
Judge T. M. Rector was born in Sevierville,
Sevier county, Tennessee, November
14, 1801. He studied law with Judge Williamns,
of Knoxville, Tennessee, and at twenty-one
was admitted to the bar. He soon
hung out his shingle in Bellefonte, the
county seat of Jackson county, Alabama, and
was not long in establishing a reputation as
an expounder of the law, equaled by few in
north Alabama, where he practiced before all
the courts of the State. Recognizing his
merit, the people of Jackson county put him
in as their County Judge, and for a number
of years he served them in that capacity.
In 1853, he followed his relatives to Texas,
being the last of the family to leave old Alabama.
As inentioned before, he settled inthe eastern part of Travis county, where, in
his vocation as a tiller of the soil, he achieved
the same degree of success he attained as a
lawyer. So well was he pleased with husbandry,
he never again re-entered the cour t
room as a lawyer, although he continued to
have an interest in everything pertaining to
his profession.
Judge Rector died February 19, 1892, at
the advanced age of ninety years. He retained
his energies, both mental and physical,
to the very last, dying with an attack of la
grippe superinduced by a too free exposure
of himself in an inclement spell of weather.
In religious faith he was an Episcopalian
and an honored member of the Masonic fraternity,
Royal Arch degree. Of him, a
friend who w&s intimately acquainted with
him in life, says: >
"Judge Rector was twice married; first to
a Miss Wilson, of Jackson county, Alabama,
who lived but a few months, dying without
issue. About 1831 he married in the same
county a widow, Mrs. Lucy A. Lancaster,
nee Hudson, daughter of Captain John Hudson,
who went from Virginia to Alabama.
This lady had two children by her former
husband: Ann, deceased, and John N., now a
resident of Lockhart, Texas. To their marriage
were born five children: Kate E., living
at the old homestead, the wife of John
W. Brown; F. B., who died in infancy; T. M.
Jr., a prosperous farmer, near Manor; Lucy
J., an invalid lady living with her sister, Mrs.
Brown; and Landonia M., who married John
H. Washington, of Manor, and is now deceased,"A friend says: "T. M. Rector, Sr., took a
great interest in the education of the young.
Onie of his last acts before leaving Alabama
was to assist in building a Masonic hall and
female seminary, which was completed inHISTORY OP TEXAS.
821
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
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.
Relationship to this item: (Has Format)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
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/m1/878/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.