Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Credit for this article goes to
"History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee
and Burleson Counties"
(Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 549-550)
"History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee
and Burleson Counties"
(Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 549-550)
Early Milam Resident
M. M. Ragsdale
M. M. Ragsdale, a representative farmer of Milam county, is a native of Texas, having been born in what is now Fayette county, November 25, 1835. His parents, James C. and Rebecca (Moss) Ragsdale, were early settler of Texas, moving here in 1833. The father served in the war by which Texas won its independence, being a member of that glorious band of patriots that won imperishable honors for themselves on the field of San Jacinto. In 1850 the senior Ragsdale moved to Milam county, where he died in March of the following year. He was an industrious farmer and a patriotic citizen. His wife, who was a daughter of Mathew Moss, another of Milam county’s worthy pioneers, survived her husband a number of years, dying here in 1878. She and her husband were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and under the influences of that church as well as in all correct ways of living they raised their family of ten children, most of whom are yet living and filling useful places in society. These are: Smith, who has been a teacher for over forty years, residing now at Llano, this State; Sarah, the widow of L. E. S. Williams, of Milam county; Mathew Moss, the subject of this notice; Andrew R., who was killed in the Confederate army in 1862; Harriet C., now the wife of Joseph Westmoreland, of Hardeman county, this State; Milton, a teacher of Dallas; Caroline, who was married to C. J. Harris, both of whom are deceased; James Madison, who resides in Waxahachie, Ellis county, Texas; Elizabeth R., now Mrs. Mangum, resides at Tacoma in the new State of Washington; and Alice, the wife of George L. Adkison, of Waxahachie, Texas.
M. M. Ragsdale was brought up as most boys were a half century ago in Texas, on the range and farm. His father knew the advantages of an education and used his utmost endeavor to give the children good training in this respect; but Texas during the first fifteen or twenty years after it threw off Mexican anthority [(sic) authority] had graver problems pressing on it for solution than the school question. Such school advantages, however, as existed in the community where the Ragsdale family lived were enjoyed by each member of that family and the subject of this notice got at least the rudiments of a good English education. Accompanying his parents to Milam county, in 1850, he married here nine years later and branched out immediately afterward in the stock business for himself. In 1862 he entered the Confederate army enlisting in an independent company commanded by Captain Armstrong, Ford’s regiment, and served with the command on the southwest frontier of Texas during the remainder of the war. Returning home he took up agricultural pursuits which he has followed steadily and successfully since. He owns a farm of somewhat over 200 acres, most of which is in cultivation, and furnished with suitable improvements necessary for carrying on pleasantly and profitably the business of farming and stock-raising.
In 1859 Mr. Ragsdale married Miss Elizabeth Harris, a daughter of Reuben and Dacey (Mynatt) Harris, who moved from Tennessee to Texas in 1844, but after a year’s residence returned to Tennessee, where they died in January, 1858. Mrs. Ragsdale is a native of Tennessee, born July 2, 1841. She is one of eight children and came to Texas in company with an older brother in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Ragsdale have never had any children, but an adopted daughter, Maud A. Harris, a niece of Mr. Ragsdale, has been a member of their household since infancy and in all things is as near to them as a daughter could be. Mr. Ragsdale is a member of the Presbyterian Church and his wife is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 549 & 550)
SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical
History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 481-485)
.
M. M. Ragsdale
M. M. Ragsdale, a representative farmer of Milam county, is a native of Texas, having been born in what is now Fayette county, November 25, 1835. His parents, James C. and Rebecca (Moss) Ragsdale, were early settler of Texas, moving here in 1833. The father served in the war by which Texas won its independence, being a member of that glorious band of patriots that won imperishable honors for themselves on the field of San Jacinto. In 1850 the senior Ragsdale moved to Milam county, where he died in March of the following year. He was an industrious farmer and a patriotic citizen. His wife, who was a daughter of Mathew Moss, another of Milam county’s worthy pioneers, survived her husband a number of years, dying here in 1878. She and her husband were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and under the influences of that church as well as in all correct ways of living they raised their family of ten children, most of whom are yet living and filling useful places in society. These are: Smith, who has been a teacher for over forty years, residing now at Llano, this State; Sarah, the widow of L. E. S. Williams, of Milam county; Mathew Moss, the subject of this notice; Andrew R., who was killed in the Confederate army in 1862; Harriet C., now the wife of Joseph Westmoreland, of Hardeman county, this State; Milton, a teacher of Dallas; Caroline, who was married to C. J. Harris, both of whom are deceased; James Madison, who resides in Waxahachie, Ellis county, Texas; Elizabeth R., now Mrs. Mangum, resides at Tacoma in the new State of Washington; and Alice, the wife of George L. Adkison, of Waxahachie, Texas.
M. M. Ragsdale was brought up as most boys were a half century ago in Texas, on the range and farm. His father knew the advantages of an education and used his utmost endeavor to give the children good training in this respect; but Texas during the first fifteen or twenty years after it threw off Mexican anthority [(sic) authority] had graver problems pressing on it for solution than the school question. Such school advantages, however, as existed in the community where the Ragsdale family lived were enjoyed by each member of that family and the subject of this notice got at least the rudiments of a good English education. Accompanying his parents to Milam county, in 1850, he married here nine years later and branched out immediately afterward in the stock business for himself. In 1862 he entered the Confederate army enlisting in an independent company commanded by Captain Armstrong, Ford’s regiment, and served with the command on the southwest frontier of Texas during the remainder of the war. Returning home he took up agricultural pursuits which he has followed steadily and successfully since. He owns a farm of somewhat over 200 acres, most of which is in cultivation, and furnished with suitable improvements necessary for carrying on pleasantly and profitably the business of farming and stock-raising.
In 1859 Mr. Ragsdale married Miss Elizabeth Harris, a daughter of Reuben and Dacey (Mynatt) Harris, who moved from Tennessee to Texas in 1844, but after a year’s residence returned to Tennessee, where they died in January, 1858. Mrs. Ragsdale is a native of Tennessee, born July 2, 1841. She is one of eight children and came to Texas in company with an older brother in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Ragsdale have never had any children, but an adopted daughter, Maud A. Harris, a niece of Mr. Ragsdale, has been a member of their household since infancy and in all things is as near to them as a daughter could be. Mr. Ragsdale is a member of the Presbyterian Church and his wife is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 549 & 550)
SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical
History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 481-485)
.