HON. W. S. HERNDON AND FAMILY, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 4 February 2001 ***************************************************************** HON. W. S. HERNDON 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 XV - Pages 79-93 - Picture on Page 80 The subject of this sketch, Hon. W. S. Herndon, has been a citizen of Texas forty-nine years and a resident of Tyler forty years. A native of the State of Georgia, he came with his parents to Texas before the days of railroads and when the savage and the buffalo held sway over the larger part of this state. His father, Reuben Herndon, was born in Virginia in 1806 and was the son of John Herndon who emigrated from England 1754, to the Colony of Virginia; served seven years in the Revolution; married Miss Canady and had seven sons and one daughter and died in 1813. In 1815 the widow and eight children moved to South Carolina. And from there in 1828 Reuben settled in Georgia and in 1830 married Miss Anna Hobbs. To them three children were born -- James, W. S. and Mary. James married in 1858 and three children were born to them -- the oldest, W. R. Herndon, who is now city treasurer of the City of Tyler. James enlisted in the Confederate army under Col. J. W. Throckmorton in 1861 and died 23rd of December, 1863. Mary married W. S. Parker in this city in 1873 and died in San Antonio, June 1st, 1893, leaving two children. Reuben Herndon died December 25th, 1867, and his widow, Mrs. Anna Herndon, resided in Tyler seven years, then resided with Mrs. Parker in Dallas and finally died in Denton, Texas, in 1891. W. S. Herndon worked on a farm in Wood county several years with his father and his slaves, and as an evidence of his industry, the post oak rails which he cut and slit then are still pointed out by his old friends of that vicinity. In 1854 young Herndon entered college and continued until he graduated at McKenzie College in 1859, with very high honors. From college he went to the frontier of Texas and remained with the Texas Rangers recuperating his phsical health, exploring the Great West and fighting savages until 1860. In that year he settled in Tyler and began the study of law, under himself as his tutor, and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State, and in the Federal Courts the same year. After his admission to the bar, Mr. Herndon married Miss Mary Louise McKellar and brought his bride to Tyler, Their future home. We have heard him often refer to his poverty at that period of his life, when he and his bride arrived in Tyler, and the bills incident to the wedding were settled, he had exactly $2.50 left, and no more, one little gold coin, yet he was not discouraged, but with that pluck and industry that have characterized his long business life, he seemed supremely happy. Herndon was a hard student and often said business would ere long come his way and leave no time for study, hence he was getting ready. And this was more than true; such a busy life he has led! He had hardly opened his law office for practice, until the tocsin of war was sounded and the drums beat for volunteers. Young Herndon enlisted for the war in 1861. Captain W. F. Hamilton and Herndon raised a company; Hamilton was elected Captain and Herndon elected First Lieutenant, and the company was mustered into the 13th Infantry. In 1862, Captain Hamilton was transferred to another arm of the service and Lieutenant Herndon promoted to Captain. His company was assigned to artillery service about two years. General J. Bankhead Magruder, in command of the Trans-Mississippi Department, after inspection, said that Capt. Herndon's command was the best drilled company in the service. Captain Herndon become master of the drill service and trained the 13th Infantry in military tactics for infantry and artillery service. In June, 1865, Captain Herndon's command was mustered out of service, and walked back to Tyler, barefooted, poorly clad and hungry. Capt. Herndon lost no time, and used to hardshhips, he began to prepare for lliving, by doing any work by which he could earn a dollar. In November, 1865, he formed a co-partnership with Judge John C. Robertson who was an able young lawyer, and the partnership continued twelve years. It was a union of strong forces; no law firm in Texas, perhaps, ever had such success and made as much money, in the same period of time. Pending the partnership in 1871, the democratic party was in serious trouble; defeated, and thousands of its number disfranchised, with no leader of note, and the followers nearly all poor Confederate soldiers, a strong military government in control, and the Freedman's Bureau - general manager of the negro vote. In this forlorn condition, Capt. Herndon, without effort or aspiration for office, was unanimously nominated as candidate for congress at Rusk, Texas. When informed of his nomination, Capt. Herndon declined to accept, but the committee and friends secured his acceptance. Capt. Herndon entered the race to win. He challenged the then sitting member of congress lately renominated, Hon. George W. Whitmore, to meet him in joint debate, and discuss the issues involved, at all important points in the First district of Texas, which was 300 miles long, and in width extended from the Trinity to Sabine and Red rivers. The race was the most remarkable ever witnessed in Texas. The enthusiasm of the people was unbounded. Barbecues nearly everywhere; immense cavalry and infantry processions; people rode for one hundred miles to witness these debates. The military followed the speakers in force to quell riots and mobs; parties were at a white heat because great issues where at stake. Some of the ablest speeches ever made in Texas were heard in that campaign. Old timers still refer with enthusiasm to these monster meetings. The result was, Herndon turned down the majority of his opponent over two thousand in the previous election, and won by 4212 votes majority. In the second race against the same opponent, nominated by the republican party, Herndon carried the district and was elected by more than 5,000 majority. Hon. W. S. Herndon was a working member of congress. He offered many wise measures and succeeded in doing much good. He was popular with the leading republican members of the House of Representatives and rarely failed to enlist them in favor of his measures. He was a sound money and protective tariff democrat. He believed then and now that these were the most essential factors in the successful maintenance and operation of this government. In 1875, Col. Herndon retired from congress and has studiously declined all office since. He preferred independence of thought and action, and to make money and be master of his own time. But he always takes a deep interest in the policies and operation of our federal and state governments. For many years he was elected as a delegate to the State and National conventions of the democratic party, and was always a power in these meetings. Some of his ablest speeches were delivered in shaping the platforms on this occasion. In the memorable State convention held at Austin, in 1898, in which Gov. R. B. Hubbard and Hon. James W. Throckmorton contended for the nomination for governor, Col. Herndon lead the forces of Hubbard, and Buck Walton those of Throckmorton. This convention had over 1,200 delegates. Political ambitions, feeling and bitterness were intense, but it was admitted on all sides that Col. Herndon was master of the situation and handled his forces as a veteran general on the field of battle. It has been conceded by the political managers of Texas that no man has ever handled great bodies of men with greater skill and grander success than Col. Herndon. As a lawyer, in the State and Federal Courts, measured by results, Col. Herndon has been a great success. It is doubtful if any lawyer ever worked as many hours in the day, or argued as many litigated causes in the period from 1869 to 1887. It seemed that Herndon during that period had the affirmative of every great cause in the state. Col. Herndon's service for railroads began as an attorney in 1868 for the Southern Pacific Railway company; afterwards for the Texas & Pacific; later in 1878 to 1883 as attorney and executive adviser for Hays and Hoxie of the I. & G. N. railway; attorney for the Cotton Belt, foreclosing mortgages for the creditors, aiding in the re-organization of that line and serving many years as attorney; and serving as general solicitor of the I. & G. N. railway for three years. In 1881 he turned his attention to railroad construction, completing the K. & G. S. L. railway, being its president three years, then sold the road for cash and settled with all the part owners. In 1885, during the intense hostility against railroads in Texas and the organization of the Knights of Labor and the many strikes and destruction of property, Col. Herndon, in defiance of what seemed the popular will, wrote a series of articles and made many addresses in which he exposed the fallacies of the Knights and denounced in severe philippics the injustice of the people to corporations and railroad progress. In finance and business Col. Herndon has excelled perhaps all of his associates in Texas. It may be said truthfully that in every line of business to which he has lent his personal attention it has succeeded. He has made and saved a fortune, and raised and educated a family of Eight sons and daughters, offering them every advantage that the United States could afford. He and his admirable wife have been blessed with the following children: William Sidney, Mary H., John Henry, James M., Bessie H., Grace, Charles and Hugh Herndon. William Sidney is still single and in business in Kansas City, Mo. Mrs. Mary H. Gray, a widow, is now on a tour in Europe. J. H. Herndon married Miss Sallie Starley of this city and has one daughter, Grace. He is doing a prosperoous business and is a rising and successful young man. J. M. Herndon married Miss Lois E. Veasey, of San Francisco, California, and has two children, and is in business in Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Bessie H. Potter is a widow with one child, Dorothy Louise, and resides with her father. Charles Herndon has graduated at the University of Princeton and has just finished his commercial course and banking at Eastman's College. Hugh Herndon is a junior at the University of Princeton, and now on a tour of the Paris exposition. All of these eight young people, as they arrive at proper age, enter business life well equipped, to make useful citizens and a successful voyage of life. Mrs. Herndon is a very religious woman, a devoted member of the Baptist church, a strict temperance worker, and engaged in all kinds of religious and charitable work. During the great temperance campaign of 1887, when all Texans were divided, and arrayed for and against liquor traffic, Col. Herndon espoused the side of temperance. There is hardly a doubt that he did more to give shape, dignity and enthusiasm to the temperance cause than any other person in the state. The demand for him to address vast assemblages of people was so great that he had little time for sleep. His efforts drew thousands to the cause to hear him and only one orator on the liquor side met him in joint debate, Col. R. Q. Mills. The writer was present on that memorable occasion. The vast crowd greeted their champions from start to finish; both speakers were famous as orators; each believed in his cause, and the supporters of each were wild with enthusiasm. The occassion was grand, and it was a battle of giants. The mighty audience was moved and swayed as the speakers willed. The writer never witnessed a finer display of eloquence and a more impassioned oratory. But it was admitted by both sides, that Col. Herndon far surpassed Col. Mills in logic, magnetism and depth of pathos. Col. Mills nor any other orator on that side accepted a joint debate with him again in that campaign. It was during that campaign that the temperance forces met on the 30th of June, 1887, at Fort Worth for general consultation and organization. More than thirty thousand people were present, in a grand open air meeting. The program was elaborate and many distinguished orators were billed to speak, General Jno. H. Reagan, Senator S. B. Maxey, Dr. B. H. Carroll, Col. Herndon and many other being present. A grand barbecue was being made ready and the speaking began at 10 o'clock a. m. Col. Herndon was called at 12:;30 o'clock and began his address. It was the signal for the seated thousands present to come close to the speaker. Every word and sentence touched some tender chord and the vast audience was soon awed and hushed to silence. Old men wept and embraced, the women shed tears, the boys were quiet as death -- not a cheer went up -- all the people rose from their seats and pressed close to the speaker, until not six feet of space was left for the orator on the stage. The barbecue was forgotten -- the small venders of peanuts and ice cream ceased to cry their goods -- the orator lost sight of all but the immensity of his grand subject. Two hours swept by with lightning speed, when he closed with an impassioned peroration. The vast audience seemed suddenly awakened from a sensational dream to a delerium of joy. The speaker was embraced and bodily carried from the stage amidst the shouts and admiration of the thousands who had hung upon his wonderful thoughts. The press of the day tried to report that speech, but all admitted that they were so electrified and dazed that they only remembered it as the greatest master-piece of logic, passion and eloquence ever heard. This campaign settled the question that Col. Herndon had no equal on the hustings as a magnetic speaker. In the political campaign of 1888, when Grover Cleveland was nominated for the presidency against Mr. Harrison, Col. Herndon was urged and accepted the invittion of the National committee to deliver twenty set speeches for the democratic party in the State of California. He opened the campaign at Fresno, 25th of August, 1888, to over ten thousand people. At San Francisco he addressed about fifty thousand people, and at Los Angeles over 2,500, and never less than 5,000 present at twenty different cities. The press of that state regarded his speeches as master-pieces of statesmanship, logic and eloquence. As an orator Co. Herndon has had many opportunities to demonstrate his rich gifts. The last campaign in Texas made by him was in 1892 in the interest of George Clark for Governor against Gov. James S. Hogg. Thousands of people in Texas will remember his philippics against the policies of Gov. Hogg. Hogg delivered his opening campaign speech and declared "that if elected he would knock the wind out of the stock and squeeze the water out of the bonds of corporation." He claimed that the excessive issue of stock and bonds by railroads constituted a mortgage on all the real and personal property of the people to secure the payment of interest and dividends. This speech had a marked effect on Texas. It appeared to be sound and unanswerable, and the Governor gained immense popularity by this novel platform. It seemed that the Clark cause was suddenly overshadowered and likely to go down without a struggle. But Col. Herndon came to the rescue and opened the campaign for Clark at Greenville, Texas, to an immense gathering. A club of five hundred supporters of Hogg attempted to prevent Herndon from attacking the propositions of Governor Hogg. He defied them, and made a masterful speech, in which his keen logic overthrew and utterly destroyed, apparently, every proposition assumed by Governor Hogg. This speech was printed in full, and more than 300,000 copies were distributed in Texas. The effect of the speech was to drive Governor Hogg and his supporters from repeating his doctrines in the towns and cities, but they boldly announced them at the "forks of the creek," where the answer to them had not been heard. Col. Herndon predicted that if Gov. Hogg was elected, capital and capitalists would leave the State; that a Rail Commission (a close corporation) would be created; that it would cost Texas at least one hundred millions of dollars. In the light of subsequent events, who will say these predictions were not fully verified? Col. Herndon seeing the probable effect of the want of capital and enterprise and the incident hardships of this State, took all the available means he could raise and invested $300,000.00 in Kansas City, Missouri, in the year 1893. He says he owes Gov. Hogg a debt of gratitude for forcing him to put into practice what he preached, as his investments paid Seven per cent during the seven years of hard times that followed Gov. Hogg's policies in Texas. In politics Col. Herndon has always stood for good, honest government -- for the enforcement of the laws -- utterly against mobs and mobocracy -- for sound doctrines and policies, rather than for parties and partisans. He has ever held in contempt shams and makeshifts, contending for truth and progress, in business and government. No man has been more loyal to his government. In public spirit and liberality he has always headed the lists, and stood in the front rank. It is doubtful if there exists any church or public school in Tyler that he has not contributed means to build and support. It does not matter what the sect or kind of worshippers or teachers, he helps all. He does largely his own alms and many young people, and old ones, can attest to his charities. In religion he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in Tyler, in the year 1960, and is still a member of that association. For twenty-one years he, almost alone, managed the finances of that church and during that period, no deficits occurred, and few general collections. For forty years Col. Herndon has resided in the same house in this city, and has born every burden cheerfully of a good citizen. He had conducted any lines of business during that period, and never failed to meet punctually every financial obligation. He has made money and used it wisely, to build up and equip his own family, the city of Tyler, Smith county and his State. He has proven a safe man and adviser in peace and war, in church and state -- always conservative, yet withal progressive. Faithful to every trust, intelligent, charitable, conservative and progressive, society, the church, this city, county and state have been bettered by his influence and gained immensely by his presence and loyalty to every proper demand. Hon. W. S. Herndon is still possessor of "brain and brawn." full of business activity, with broad views of life. May he live long to enjoy the fruition of his varied labors in this city and state of his adoption.