Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 




Biography of Napoleon Stroud 
   (Dec. 2, 1856-	Apr. 2, 1920, buried at Ridge Park Cemetery in Hillsoro, TX.)
   
Source - A Memorial and Biographical History of Hill County, Texas
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892

pages 2-3

N. STROUD, of the firm of Stroud Bros., wholesale and retail grocers of 
Hillsboro, was born in Freestone county, Texas, in 1856, a son of M. Stroud, 
who was born in Alabama in 1820.  The latter came to Texas at the age of ten 
years, locating near the falls of the Brazos river, where he became an 
extensive farmer and stock-raiser.  He was a soldier in the Indian wars of 
Texas, and also of the Confederate army, being a member of Parsons' 
brigade.  Our subject's mother, nee Narissa Oliver, was a sister of T. J. Oliver, 
president of what was formerly know as the Bank of Oliver & Griggs, and now 
the Fourth National Bank of Dallas, and was also a sister of Frank Oliver, of 
Groesbeck, Texas.

The subject of this sketch was educated chiefly in Corsicana and Waxahachie,  
and at the age of twenty-one years he left school and engaged as salesman for 
S. A. Pace, of Corsicana.  He was thus engaged three years, devoting himself 
entirely to his employer's business, and acquiring a portion of that energy, 
push and good judgement which are necessary qualifications for a successful 
business man, and which he now possesses in a remarkable degree.  After his 
retirement from Mr. Pace's employ, he engaged in business on his own account in 
the same city; but six months later, in 1861, he closed out and came to 
Hillsboro.  Mr. Stroud then embarked in the grocery business in this city, under 
the firm name of Stroud & Yerby.  They opened their store with a capital of 
$4,000, and the first year's sales amounted to about $25,000. The popularity of 
the firm soon made the trade increase, and their safe methods of business 
multiplied profits, until they were enabled to handle the largest stock of 
groceries in the county.  In 1889, Mr. Yerby succeeded by E. B. Stroud, and a 
stock of from $12,000 to $50,000 is now carried, and the yearly sales amount to 
$150,000.  Six men are now in the employ of the firm, and a branch house at 
Mertens carries a stock of groceries and hardware of from $5,000 to $8,000.  
During the recent fire in Hillsboro the firm lost quite heavily.  These gentlemen 
have also handled cash and collection cotton for several years, the largest 
number of bales handled during a single session being 5,000.  They have adopted 
a safe method of doing business, opening their books in the spring and holding 
them open until October or November, for accommodation of reliable customers, and 
closing in the fall, and courteously insisting on collections, but in no way 
approaching severity or oppression.

In 1882, Mr. Stroud married Lilly Lee Scott, a daughter of J. B. Scott, a pioneer 
of Alabama.  She is the youngest of a family of five children by the second 
marriage of her father.  They have two children:  Ethel and Clyde.  Mr. Stroud 
is a member of the K. of P., and also takes an active interest in political 
matters.