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Gregg County Biographies

If you have any Gregg County biographies you would like to see added, or information to add to the current biographies, please email:Etta, Sheila, & Elaine.   NOTE: Click on a picture to see the full size.

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Glover- Davis Glover, a youthful man, was owner of Glover Cleaners, said to be the finest cleaners in East Texas. Davis was known throughout East Texas as being generous with is money and time. A very energetic man, he was a member of the board of City Commissioners, worked toward the betterment of Longview with the development of the Glover Addition, and was known throughout the real estate circles and many civic clubs and lodges. 

 
Glover - Gay Glover is an individual who literally began at the bottom and ended up at the top of his chosen profession. Gay arrived in Longview about 1922 and began his career with a job in a cleaning plant. Nine years later he opened his own business, with the business sign reading Pantatorium Cleaners. Pantatorium Cleaners ended up being one of Longview's best & also one of the most modern. Gay was a very pleasant man and soon his business began to grow by leaps and bounds. He was active in anything that would help promote Longview and never missed an opportunity to help his fellow man.

 
 
(Left Picture: J.A. Godfrey. Right Picture: Mr & Mrs JA Godfrey with son Wilson in the carriage and sone Gordon on his fathers knee.)
GODFREY - The William Godfreys, with their son J.A., moved to Texas from South Carolina. They made their home between Kilgore and Tyler in the Hopewell community. William was a farmer and a carpenter by trade, and could climb a ladder with the best of them despite his wooden leg.

J.A. married Roxie McComic from the Friendship Community, which is just outside Gladewater on the Tyler Hwy. They built their home and their first child was born in the Friendship Community. James Gorden was raised on the Friendship farm, and as an adult raised cattle on the property. Wilson was born after they moved into "town", Gladewater, and they built a home on South Tyler Street. It was in this home that the Methodist Church of Gladewater was founded. J.A. & Roxie also donated the land for the first Methodist Church to be built. This same land is now a part of the Broadway School Campus. J.A. Godfrey was very active in the community and served for many years on the Board of Education for the Gladewater Independent School District. 


 
GREGG - (1828-1864). John Gregg, soldier, son of Nathan and Sarah (Pearsall) Gregg, was born on September 28, 1828, in Lawrence County, Alabama. He attended the "celebrated school" of Professor Tutwiller in La Grange, Georgia, graduated in 1847, and then taught mathematics and languages at the school. In 1851 he started his study of law in the office of a Judge Townes in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The next year he moved to Texas and settled in Fairfield. In 1855, after his first wife, Mollie (Winston), died, he married Mary Frances Garth. He had two children. 

Gregg practiced law the next few years and began the first newspaper in Freestone County, the Freestone County Pioneer. His partner in this venture was Morris Reagan, brother of John H. Reagan.qv He was elected district judge in 1855 and served in that position until 1860, when he also had a farm and substantial property holdings, including four slaves. At that time he became one of the signers and publishers of the call for the state Secession Convention. He was one of six elected by that body to go to the provisional congress of the Confederacy at Montgomery, Alabama. Gregg went with the Congress to Richmond, Virginia. But immediately after the first battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) in July 1861, he resigned and returned to Texas to recruit and organize the Seventh Texas Infantry, of which he was made colonel. 

He led the regiment in several battles before being captured at Fort Donelson, Tennessee, in February 1862. After his release, he was promoted to brigadier general on August 29, 1862, and rejoined the army in Mississippi, where he fought in the Vicksburg campaign in 1863. He fought against Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's forces at Raymond and Jackson, Mississippi, and was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga in Georgia. Gregg was then transferred to Virginia and placed in command of the famous Hood's Texas Brigade. He participated in most of the battles of the Army of Northern Virginia and was killed in action during the battle of New Market Road, near Richmond on October 7, 1864. 

His widow, Mary, went in person by wagon through battle lines to Virginia to claim her husband's body. Later, she was among the women whose efforts began a Memorial Day observance. Gregg and his wife were buried at Aberdeen, Mississippi. Gregg County, Texas, established in 1873, was named for General Gregg. It is one of eighteen Texas counties named for soldiers and statesmen of the Southern Confederacy. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (New York: Southern, 1880). Freestone County Historical Commission, History of Freestone County, Texas (Fairfield, Texas, 1978). Zachary T. Fulmore, History and Geography of Texas as Told in County Names (Austin: Steck, 1915; facsimile, 1935). Sidney S. Johnson, Texans Who Wore the Gray (Tyler, Texas, 1907). Jon L. Wakelyn, Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 
1977). 


 
Griffin - Larkin Porter Griffin Sr. and Corneilia Jane Davidson had the following children: Josephone Griffin (married W.H. Anderson, a Baptist preacher), Larkin Porter Griffin Jr. (married Emily Bell Barton), William Clyde Griffin (married Winnie Willis).

After Corneilia's death, Larkin married a 2nd time to Sally Elizabeth Westmoreland. They had the following children: Roy Griffin, James Griffin (married Pheobe Barton), Leon Griffin (married Spark Dickson) and Sally Mills Griffin (married H.E. Sherwood).

After Sally's death, Larkin married a 3rd time to Eliza Barber. (This information was found in a book titled Early Kilgore Families)


 



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Hagler - Willia Hagler, a Longview native and a local teacher. She was associated with educational associations from local to national levels. She was a devoted Methodist and a charter member of the Basileus of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. She received numerous awards through the years, one of which was from the Boy Scouts of America. She tirelessly worked with the boy scouts and other community endeavors. (This information was found among loose papers at the Longview Library in the Genealogy Dept.)

 
Hall - Pastor of the Methodist Church of Kilgore, Rev. Jimmie B. Hall was married twice. His first wife was M.O. Hall (born 1818 and died 1879. They had one daughter who married Isaac Alexander. They in turn had one daughter, Josie Alexander who married Dr. Solon Slade Barnett.

The Rev. Hall married 2nd Mrs. M.L. Hall. The Rev. was also the postmaster of Kilgore. In the 1890's the Rev.'s niece Miss Anna Lee Hall (married W.M. Pope) boarded with them. (This information was found in a book titled Early Kilgore Families)


 
Harper - Dr. Robert Lee Harper, Sr., a native of Longview, he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Meharry Medical College of Nashville, Tenn. He was very active in civic, political and religious affairs in the Longview area. His activities included: American Red Cross, United Fund, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Bi-Racial Committee, the Governor's Committee for the aged, Masonic Lodge, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Sigma Pi Fraternity, Selective Service Board, the East Texas Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Association, Chicago Dental Society, National Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the Gulf State Dental Association, and a member of the Galilee Baptist Church. (This information was found among loose papers at the Longview Library in the Genealogy Dept.)

 
Harnage - John G. & Emily W. Harnage lived in Kilgore. He was a member of the Cherokee Nation. In the 1890's they returned to the Cherokee Nation. The Rusk County records show John G. Harnage to be living in the Kilgore area from 1853 to at least 1877. (This information was found in a book titled Early Kilgore Families)

 
HAYNES - One of the pioneer families and farmers of East Texas, James M. Haynes played an important role in the development of the agricultural, political, economical and industrial development of Morris, Bowie, Red River and Gregg Counties. He frequently gave a helping hand to his neighbors during the early pioneer days, encouraging practical methods of farming. He supported the welfare and betterment of his community in every way. He farmed land that was 2 miles from Gladewater on the Longview Hwy., in the G.A. Thompson Survey, from 1911 until the time that he retired in 1931. Before his arrival in East Texas,  James spent some of his early years working for the railroad, which was just one of the many "signs of progress" that he saw. The East Texas Oil Field was another of those "signs of progress" that he saw.

Born in Georgia, Carroll County, in October of 1854, he was the son of Wm. H. & Hulda H. Haynes. Soon after James was born, they moved to Alabama. It was there, the following year, that James mother Hulda died. The family migrated on to Mississippi where James received his education. During this time his father, William, died. It was also here that James began his work with the railroad and thus moved on to East Texas in 1889.

James married Miss Millie O'Rear in Lee County, Mississippi in August of 1871. This union produced one child, Emma. Millie died before Emma was a year old. James remarried in 1877 to Miss Mary Jane Wise, who made the trip to Texas with James and Emma. Mary Jane and James had one child that lived, Marcus P. Haynes. Mary Jane died in 1911 in Gregg Co., Texas and was buried near Longview in Gregg County. James died in 1942 and Marcus resided near Gladewater on the land that his parents had lived their Gregg County lives on.


 
HAYNES - Son of James & Mary Jane Haynes, Marcus P. Haynes was born in Mississippi on June 17, 1884. He came to East Texas with his parents, who were one of the pioneer families of the Gladewater area and Gregg County. Marcus married Mary Lester and had 2 daughters, Willie and Helen M. Willie married a Allen and Helen married a Pierce. Both of his daughters were lifetime residents of Gladewater and gave Marcus 2 grandchildren, Bobby G. Allen and Carolyn Pierce (Linder).

Marcus, like his father, was known for his farming activities in Gregg County and took an active role in the development of agriculture and industry. Along with his farming he had oil interests on his property, thanks to the oil boom of the early 1930's. Marcus was a major factor in the building of the Baptist Church in Gladewater, where he remained an active member.


 
Hays - Martin Hays (1883-1958) Respected Longview citizen. Married Clara Harris, daughter of Gregg County pioneer family. Active in civic affairs, first elected to public office, 1910, as city marshall and district clerk. County sheriff 1924-1932. Seldom carried a gun-- enforced law in a soft-spoken manner. Was among first Texas sheriffs to organize junior deputies. During the oil boom the county population count went from 15,000 to 2 years later being 100,000. During this time, Sheriff Hays managed to keep the worlds largest oil field free of major crime. Member, First Baptist Church, a Royal Arch Mason; and Woodman of the World.

 
Held - John Held, Jr. was co-owner of the E-Tex Cafe, established in 1931 and located at 105 E. Tyler Street in Longview. John and D.M. Elliott were proud of what had become one of the most popular restaurants in East Texas. They contributed one of the reasons for their success as the fact that the cafe had not been closed a single hour since it was established.

 
Henderson- Roger Henderson was a member of a pioneer Gregg County family. He was an employee of the United States Post Office for many years, and served as a Service Postmaster for Longview. He was a conscientious civic worker and gave tirelessly of his time and efforts. He played a key role in securing a new $230,000 federal building for Longview. He was a member of the Lions Club and a member of the Presbyterian Church. 

 
Howard- Jackson Connor Howard's family moved to Texas from Alabama the year he was born, 1847. He enlisted with the Confederate Army at the tender age of 15, Co. A 3rd Texas Regiment in 1862. In 1870 he bought numerous farms north & west of Longview, owning as many as 5 at one time. In 1870 he married Laura Buie and they had 8 children. She died in 1890. In 1891 he married Mary Belle Fowler and they had 4 children. 

The old Howard homestead one room home was built in 1846. In 1870 a large addition was added to make room for the family. Jackson owned the Howard dry Goods Company on the corner of the now Fredonia and East Tyler Streets. 

Jackson Howard was one of the earliest mayors of Longview, resigning to take the position of postmaster at Omega, Tx. Jackson ran for sheriff and won, only to be confronted with the Dalton Gang robbing the local bank. He captured Jim Knight, a Dalton Gang member, in Oklahoma Territory. 

Jackson Howard died in 1922, having seen Longview grow from a small "one horse" town to a booming city. 


 
Howard- Ray Howard was born April 25, 1914 in Granite, Oklahoma and attended the local schools there. He graduated from High School in 1931 and in 1932 he attended Southwest Oklahoma State Teachers College in Weatherford, Oklahoma and in 1933 he attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. Ray married Billie Campbell on December 31, 1932 in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Ray arrived in Longview in 1934 and worked for several of the grocery stores until 1937 when he and Butch Carmack decided to go into business for themselves. The opened the Fairway Food Store in 1937 and in 1938 they opened a second Fairway Food Store in Greggton.  Ray was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Baptist Church. 

 

Hughey - Born May 11, 1818, Willis H. Hughey married Nance Ann Hughey, born January 16, 1929. Willis died October 28, 1873 and Nance moved to Kilgore in 1885. Both are buried in the Mt Moriah Cemetery off of Hwy 135 between Gladewater and Kilgore. They had one daughter, Edna Ann Hughey who married James Brack Nicholson. Edna & James children were: Daisy Bell Nicholson (married James S. Ward) and Norma Nicholson (married Asa Lanier). (This information was found in a book titled Early Kilgore Families)

The fact that Edna Ann was the only daughter is incorrect.... they had a number of children & I think the number is 8.
Josephus Brock was a son who married Sallie P Barber ....they had another daughter named Colista Ann who married Arch Davis. Willis H, Jr married James Brack's sister.  Thanks to Linda Laminack for sending in this imformation.


 
Hurst- W.P. Hurst came to Longview in 1931 and was President and Manager of the W.P. Hurst Motor Company of Longview, a dealership of International Harvester trucks and McCormick-Deering farm equipment. He was considered to be one of the outstanding dealers for International Harvester in the United States, due to the large volume of motor trucks and farm machines in the area. His business has expanded numerous times and he is in the front ranks of the East Texas businessmen.

 
Hutchings- John D. Hutchings was a business owner and manager of Longview. He was a Longview native that received his formal education at Kilgore Junior College, the School of Upholstering and Furniture Dressing in Chicago, Ill, and a graduate of Molor Barber College, Los Angeles, California. He was a member of the Corinth Church of Christ, the Longview Chamber of Commerce, the Voter's League, the American Legion, the Masonic Lodge and was a veteran of WWII. 



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