Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 



Biography of Thomas J. Oliver 
     (Sept 15, 1834-?, buried unknown)


Source - Brown, John Henry. Indian wars and pioneers of Texas / by John Henry 
Brown. Austin, Tex. 1880. p. 625.


                        THOMAS J. OLIVER
                            DALLAS
                            
  Thomas J. Oliver was born in Hardeman County, Tenn., September 15, 1834.
  
  His parents were Roderick and Temperance (Darley) Oliver, the former a 
native of North Carolina and the latter of Kentucky.  They came to Texas in 
1846 with their family, consisting of eight children (four boys and four girls),
and located in Limestone County, where they thereafter resided.  The mother 
died in 1853, and the father in 1857, and are buried in Fairfield, Texas.  The
children were: Narcissa, Ellen, Rosina, John E., F. C., W. W. and T.J., all of
whom are deceased except Ellen, widow of M. M. Miller, of Limestone County; 
Narcissa, widow of M. Stroud, of Hillsboro; F. C., engaged in the hardware 
business at Groesbeck and Thomas J., the subject of this brief sketch.
  Mr. Roderick Oliver opened the first farm in what is now Freestone County, 
Texas, and put in a cotton gin there in 1847.  The Indians at that time and for 
years subsequent thereto committed numerous minor depredations, but the 
settlers had no serious trouble with them.
  Thomas J. Oliver had but limited educational advantages, was reared on his 
father's farm until twenty years of age; clerked in his brother's store for a
year; worked in the district land office  as a clerk under Jesse J. Cunningham,
until 1856, and was then elected and served as Surveyor of the Robertson land
district for two years, after which he and his brothers, John E. and W. W., 
engaged in merchandise and stock-raising until the beginning of the war between
the States, and then entered the Confederate army.  He took twenty-nine men to 
Milligan to organize them into a company, but they became dissatisfied and went
on to Houston and enlisted in Terry's Texas rangers.  He did not enlist, but
accompanied Company C of that regiment, as a volunteer.  After the battle of 
Fort Donaldson he was detailed by Gen. Johnston to return to Texas and make 
arrangements for clothing and arms for certain Texas troops who had escaped 
from Fort Donaldson and some of whom were in the hospital.  He remained in 
Texas about two weeks and returned to the army just in time to participate in
the battle of Shiloh.  Among many other battles, he took part in those of 
Chickmaugua, Dalton and on to Atlanta.  After Hood assumed command, he was
detailed as one of the scouts under Capt. Shannon.  The Shannon scouts were to
report at head-quarters every day.  After the fall of Atlanta, Gen. Hood wheeled
down toward Newman, and Shannon was ordered to Stone Mountain on the left wing 
of the Federal army to report the movement of the enemy in that direction, got
lost, hovered around Sherman's forces until after the Federal army reached 
Savannah and then rejoined the Confederate army and reported to Gen. Wheeler, 
who had assumed command.  The Shannon scouts continued actively employed until
the final surrender.
  Mr. Oliver had three horses shot from under him and many perilous adventures
and narrow escapes, but was never captured or wounded.
  His brother, W. W., died in February, 1865, shortly before the close of the 
war.  T. J. Oliver reached home July 22, 1865; engaged in merchandising and 
stock-raising and the land business with his brother, John E., at Springfield,
and in September of that year was married to Miss Alice Peoples, daughter of
R. D. Peoples, of Limestone County.  They have six children, viz: Mattie, widow
of the late J. W. Webb, of Dallas; Lila, Kate, Emily, Dick and Fannie.  The 
brothers moved their business to Weatherford in 1870.  The following year John 
E. died in that place and the survivor sold out of the stock and returned to 
Springfield in 1872, and shortly thereafter established a private bank in 
Mexia, in copartnership with a Mr. Griggs, under the firm name of Oliver & 
Giggs, and built up a prosperous business, which they sold in 1883 to 
Prendergast & Smith, and moving to Dallas purchased a private banking business
at that place, which they conducted until 1887, and then merged into the Fourth
National Bank, organized by themselves and others with a capital of $200,000.
Mr. Griggs was elected president but died in November of that year, and Mr.
Oliver was elected to and filled the position for one year.  Thereafter, while
he remained a large stockholder, he did not devote much attention to the 
institution until 1890, when he was elected its cashier, an office that he 
filled until 1891.  In 1892 he took charge of another national bank as 
president, but found its affairs in bad condition and resigned in October.
  Mr. Oliver is one of the leading and most progressive men in the section of 
the State in which he resides.