Taylor County, TX - Obituary - Claiborn Walker Merchant **************************************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm **************************************************************************** The Abilene Daily Reporter News Tuesday, March 9, 1926 Texas Cattle Brands by Gus L. Ford, Dallas: Cockrell, 1936 Claiborn Walker Merchant was born in Nacogdoches County, 31 August 1836. His parents were J.D. and Sarah Prayter Merchant. On 9 July 1856 he married Mary Frances Bell, alos a native of Nacogdoches. At the outset of the Civil War, he organized a company of the Confederate Army and served through the war. At the close of the war he became a Ranger under Colonel Boland. In 1867 he started to Baxter Springs, Kansas, with a herd of steers. Enroute he met R.D. Hunter who was coming to Texas to buy steers. The two traded. During the next few years he engaged in the cattle business and was interested also in a store at Pilot Point, Texas. But in 1874 he sent 500 cows west to free grass and water by Jasper McCoy. He and his family soon followed. For a few years he ran his cattle in Callahan County, but Indian depredations and the buffalo dift to the south during the winter depleted his herds and in 1881 he moved to Dickens County. Then, the State of Texas passed a lease law and Merchant and his partner, J.H. Parramore, trailed their herds to New Mexico and Arizona. Within a short time he was back in Texas broke. For a time, he earned a living by working for some one else. Then with the backing of M.P. Buel, a pioneer live stock commission man, he recuperated in 10 years time his fortune, by buying South Texas steers and fattening them on the grass in the Panhandle. With no obligations to anoy him and with $143,000 as his own, he returned to the Abilene country and bought his former holdings. At an earlier date he had suggested the name Abilene for the capital of Taylor County and he was often referred to as the ÒFather of Abilene.Ó This comeback was staged after he was 50 years old. He died 9 March 1926 in his 90th year. Ð Mrs. Mack Merchant, Abilene, Texas, a daughter-in-law. Noted Stockman and Pioneer Passed away on Tuesday morning Colonel Clabe W. Merchant, 89 years old, known far and wide as ÒThe Father of AbileneÓ died Tuesday at his home in Abilene after an illness of several weeks. Colonel Merchant was one of the best known pioneers in Texas. Confederate captain, early day cattleman and town-builder, he played a major part in the great days having to do with the conquest of West Texas in the early days. With his twin brother, John D. Merchant, associated with J.T. Berry and John N. Simpson, Colonel Merchant bought 1,700 acres of land where the city of Abilene now stands and succeeded in inducing the Texas & Pacific railroad to establish the town when that road built into this section. The town sale took place in this month in the year 1881. For many years Colonel Merchant had been affectionately called ÒThe Father of Abilene.Ó His death was caused by influenza contracted two weeks ago. He had been beridden since 5 December 1924, due to a broken hip. Funeral services will be held from the historic Merchant residence in northwest Abilene Wednesday with buried in the local cemetery Born in 1836 Colonel Merchant was born 31 August 1836, said to have been the first white child born under the flag of the republic of Texas. The place of his birth was in Nacogdoches County. He was married 25 September 1856 to Miss Frances Bell. To this union seven children were born, five of whom are still living. All of the living children were at his bedside when he died. They are Mrs. H.M. Seay of Roswell, NM; John, Lige and Will Merchant of Carlsbad, NM; Mack Merchant of Abilene. Colonel Merchant came to West Texas in 1874 from Denton County, settling in Callahan County. He moved to Taylor County in 1881, where Abilene now stands. He was actively engaged in the cattle business up to the time of his death, with ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. His firm was known as the Merchant Livestock Company. Colonel Merchant was a member of the First Baptist church of Abilene, of the Odd Fellows, and Masonic lodges. He was recently appointed brigadier general of the United Confederate Veterans of Texas. His wife preceded him in death on 27 October 1908 in Abilene, Texas. Mary Frances Bell Merchant was born 9 July 1838 in Nacogdoches, Texas.