Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 



Biography of Peter Leonard Stubbs
   (5 Jul 1822-9 Sep 1906, buried Wortham Cemetery in Wortham, TX.)
   
A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, 
  Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1893; pages 880-881

    P. L. Stubbs, a farmer of Freestone county, was born in South Carolina in 
1822, the fourth child of David and Ann (McDaniel) Stubbs, natives of South and
North Carolina, respectively. They were marreid in the former State. The paternal
great-grandfather of our subject was a native of England; his son, the grandfather
of our subject, was a soldier in the war for independence, in which he held the
rank of Captain; and his son, David Stubbs, served for a short time in the war
of 1812. The family were prominent slave owners. The father of our subject moved
from Mississippi to Louisiana, and later to Houston county, Texas, where he died
in 1860, at the age of seventy years. He and his wife reared a family of six 
children, viz: Margaret J., deceased, was the wife of Captain J. Bridges, and 
the family now reside in Clark county, Arkansas; Silas, deceased at Charleston,
South Carolina; P. L., our subject; Lucy, wife of J. A. Smith, of Navarro county;
and Mary, widow of J. C. Dunnagan, of this county.
    P. L. Stubbs was educated in the common schools of South Carolina, and at the
age of twenty-one years began life for himself as a farmer in Mississippi. In the 
fall of 1849 he came overland to Freestone county, Texas, settling on land
belonging to his wife's mother. In 1852 he engaged in the grocery business at 
Fairfield, this county, which he continued two years, having been one of the 
pioneer grocery men of the city. At the time fo his settlement Fairfield had
only about twenty-five families, and the  county was also sparsely settled.
Milling was done by a Mr. Lindley, who lived twenty miles distant, and lumber was
brought by teams from eastern Texas.  Mr. Stubbs was engaged in that occupation
for several years.  After retiring from the mercantile business, he was elected
Tax Assessor and Collector, which position he held six years. In 1860 he embarked
in the hotel business at Fairfield, but three years later joined Captain John 
Oliver's company, Colonel Bradford's regiment, was stationed at Galveston island,
and was never engaged in any battles. In 1866 Mr. Stubbs began farming on rented
land, three years later entered the grocery business at what was called Woodland,
now Bonner, and in 1874 began the same occupation in this city. In the same year
he erected the only hotel in the village, which he conducted until 1891 and then 
rented the property. He also caried on the grocery business in connection with
his hotel, but since that time has conducted a general store, doing business 
under the name of J. J. Stubbs.
   Mr. Stubbs has been twice married, first in 1845, to Miss Caroline Dunnagan, 
a native of Mississippi, and they were the parents of nine children, six of whom
still survive: J. J. and Hiram, of this city; Columbus, a farmer by occupation;
Martha, wife of J. R. Knight, and Mamie, wife of C. J. Turner, of Freestone county.
The mother died in 1880, and the father afterward married Mrs. Nancy J. Robinson, 
nee Clark, a native of Mississippi, although an old settler of Texas.  Mr. Stubbs
is one of the most prominent men of his county, is one of the best business men
in this section, and is an old and respected Texas pioneer. He has watched with 
interest the development of Freestone county from its infancy to the present day.