James McFadin and Family, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Susie McFarland Lemin - susl@ccms.net 18 May 2001 ***************************************************************** James McFadin and Family "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XLVII - Pages 215-216 James McFadin was born in Bowling Green, Ky., March 21st 1800. He was left an orpan at the age of eight years, and had a hard struggle in life. Through his personla efforts, he acquired a common school education that was very useful to him in after life. In 1829, he married Miss Louisa Alvey, of Bowling Green, Ky. They had eight children born to them. I know of only two of the children being residents of Smith county, Ben A. and Mary. Ben a. McFadin married in this county, and I know of only two of his children Lee amd Dora. Lee has an important position as mail carrier in this city, and is a competent offical in the post office at Tyler. He is a married man. Dora married Mr. Sam B. Clay and resided in the city of Houston. Miss Mary McFadin married Dr. B. G. Selman, in 1868. Dr. Selman died in 1892 and his widow survives him, residing in Tyler. Dr. Sleman was a pominent physician in this county, and ably repersented Smith county for four years in the legislature. he was a strong minded man, with a good education that gave him great force of character, hence he was a leader in anything he undertook. He made a full fledged soldier in the civil war and died with a Yankee bullet in his body. He recieved it in the heat of battle. He was a man of most excellent character and lived upon the side of good morals and good government. Dr. and Mrs. Selman had two children--James Larkin and Jno. T. James Larkin Selman married Miss Anna Labry, of Galveston, Texas. She is quite an accomplished woman. Larkin is a bookkeeper in L. L. Jester & Co.'s bank in this city. He is a young man of excellent business acquirements. Jno. T. Sleman is devoting his time for the present down on the farm and is doing things in the best manner possible to reach a good success. Jno. T. is a single young man and is regarded as one of the best "ketches" in the country. James McFadin acquired large tracts of land in this and Cherokee counties. In a homely way, he was land poor, and taxes high, hence he tarried long on this line, but at his death, his children inherited an ordinary fortune, as prices in real estate advanced.