Biographies   Abbeville County - South Carolina Genealogy Trails CHARLES CORNELIUS NASH, deceased -  Was a conspicuous factor in the business interests of Kaufman county, Texas, for a number of years and up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1878. He was a worthy representative of that numerous family which has rendered itself useful in the development of a modern commonwealth between the Sa'bine and the Trinity rivers and which was founded at San Augustine by two brothers, William and John D., or Jack Nash, who came hither as settlers from near Nashville, Tennessee. Their father, Dempsey Nash, was one of the pioneer settlers of that state from Norfolk, Virginia, where William was born. Jack was born in the new Tennessee home, and was the youngest of three children, Mrs. Lucretia Couch being the second child. William Nash married Louisa Temple, and Charles Cornelius was the third child in their family of five sons and three daughters. He was born in Tennessee, in 1833, and grew up and received his education at San Augustine, Texas, to which place the family moved when he was two years of age. He had reached young manhood when the family home was changed to Kaufman county. It was in 1850 that, with a Mexican and a negro, he brought a drove of cattle to Kaufman county, and he remained here during the winter alone, being joined by the rest of the family the following year. He soon busied himself with stock grazing, merchandising and public affairs. At the outbreak of war between the states he enlisted as a soldier in the Confederate army, but a few months later, on account of failing health, he was sent home and subsequently was made an enrolling officer of the Confederate government, which position he filled during the rest of the war. With the restoration of peaceful conditions, Mr. Nash became a merchant, and it was not long before he attained prominence and influence in business and political affairs. Indeed, he gained a popularity more universal than falls to the lot of the average citizen, and when he manifested a willingness to serve Kaufman county as its treasurer, the people gave him cheerful support and he rendered efficient service. Charles Cornelius Nash was twice married. His first wife, Allie (Gardner) Nash, of Tennessee, died when young. She came to Texas before the war with her brother, A. G. Gardner, who was a gallant Confederate soldier for four years. She bore him two sons, Charles Richard and William A., men of business and civic prominence in Kaufman. His second wife, Josephine Henrietta (Michaux) Nash, was born in Gadsden county, Florida, in 1840, and it was on May 10, 1865, that she and Mr. Nash were married. She comes from a patriotic family of the American Revolution and of French Huguenot blood. Her father was Obediah Woodson Michaux. He was born in Cumberland county, Virginia, about 1786, where his father, Joseph Michaux, spent his life, as an extensive planter and with a small army of slaves. Joseph was descended from French ancestry who fled from the Catholic persecution of the early century to Holland, from whence representatives of the family crossed the Atlantic to the American Colonies and took up their residence in Virginia. Joseph Michaux was a Revolutionary soldier. He received a British bullet through his chest, which sent him back to his plantation and ended his soldier life. He married a Miss Woodson, and Obediah was the youngest of a large family of children. As a young man Obediah Michaux went to South Carolina and there 'married Miss Elizabeth Runnels Swann. He spent his life as a successful slave-holding planter. His death occurred in 1852, near Quincy, Florida, to which place he had removed when well advanced in years. His children were: Thompson, who died in Florida; Judith Woodson, who became the wife of Judge Sweet and died in Georgia; Narcissa W., who married Maeon Micbaux and spent her last years in Texas; Eppouina, wife of Wesley H. Kyle, died in Texas; John T. S., who passed away in Florida; Capt. William of the Confederate Army was a citizen of Kaufman county at the time of his death; Harriet S., wife of Abner Rogers, resides near Kirbyville, Texas, and Mrs. Cornelius Nash, of Kaufman, Texas. Woodson Nash, universally known as "Wood" was born in Kaufman, Texas, May 5, 1868. At the close of his high school work, he went to Poughkeepsie, New York, where he took a course in Eastman's business college. He spent six years as clerk in the store of H. C. Hicks of Kaufman, after which he entered the banking business with the First National Bank of Kaufman, in which he officiated as cashier from September 12, 1892, to January 1, 1911, contributing much toward the phenomenal record which that institution made as a profit- earning concern. On severing his connection with the bank, Mr. Nash engaged actively in the real estate and loan business as a member of the firm of Shaw, Nash & Nash, which had been in existence several years. Here he dominates a field with wonderful opportunities for money making and has already proved that his efforts are effective for the welfare of his town as well as that of his own estate. He has large ranch interests throughout central Texas and carries on extensive stock and farming operations in Kaufman county. In connection with his brother, Temple Nash, he has developed new farms both on the virgin prairie and timber tracts, and built tenant houses of the best pattern, the expenditure along this line making the owners conspicuous among home-builders of the county. They cultivate two thousand acres, and thereby give homes to twenty-two families whose labor is their chief capital. Mrs. Cornelius Nash came to Texas with her brothers in 1854, and lived in Jasper county till 1861, when she came to Kaufman county, among others of the family, and met and married her husband. Their children are Mrs. H. C. Hicks of Kaufman; Woodson; Eppie; Allie, wife of Jed C. Adams, of Dallas, Texas; and Temple. Mr. Nash helped to organize, and was made president of the Kaufman Improvement Co., an enterprise for the promotion of real estate improvement and urban development in Kaufman. His interests here naturally make him in favor of good roads, the movement for which he substantially encourages; and he takes a hopeful view of everything relating to the public weal. The only official service rendered by him was flint of city treasurer. This office he filled for a period of fourteen years while in the bank. Fraternally he is identified with the B. P. O. E. and the K. of P., the latter of which he represented in the grand lodge of the state. He is a stockholder of the Southland Life Insurance Company of Dallas, Texas, the Texas Life Insurance Company of Waco, the General Bonding Company of Dallas and the Continental Trust Company of Houston. June 25, 1900, at Galveston, Texas, Woodson Nash and Miss Cecile Noble were united in marriage, and they are the parents of four children: Woodson Michaux, Robert Irvine, Edward Cornelius and Caroline Cecile. Mr. and Mrs. Nash are members of Episcopal Church at Kaufman. Mr. Nash's home in Kaufman, with its massive columns, broad corridors and lavish window effects, is a veritable mansion and is pointed out with pride by residents to visitors and sight-seers. His grounds are extensive and afford an attractive setting for his buildings, an important feature being his deer park. Mrs. Nash is a daughter of Hon. Samuel B. Noble, and granddaughter of Gov. Patrick Noble of South Carolina. Samuel B. Noble spent practically the whole of his active life in Galveston, Texas. He came to this state before the Civil war and served during that struggle as a Confederate soldier in Col. Terry's Rangers. He was born in Abbeville District, South Carolina, in 1832; was a graduate of the State University of South Carolina, and throughout his life in Texas was engaged in the practice of law at Galveston. His father, Patrick Noble, who died while filling the office of Governor of South Carolina, in 1843, was previous to his incumbency of that office engaged in the practice of law in partnership with John C. Calhoun, and had served in both branches of the State Legislature, being speaker of the house and. president of the senate. His death called forth a most complimentary proclamation from his successor,, who asked, among other honors of the public, that the ceremony of public mourning be continued for a period of thirty days. Governor Noble was born in 1787 in Abbeville District, South Carolina, son of Protestant Irish parents, Patrick N. Noble and wife, who came to this country from County Donegal, Ireland. The expatriation of this worthy couple was amply rewarded by their son being honored with the governorship of the state, if no other advantage or honors had accrued to the family. Governor Noble married Elizabeth Bonneau Pickens, a grand-niece of Andrew Pickens of Revolutionary fame. Mrs. Noble died in 1834. She was the mother of Ezekiel; Patrick, who died on Mexican soil while a soldier in the Mexican war; Edward, who was a major in the Confederate service; Alexander and Samuel Bonneau. Samuel Bonneau Noble married Knima Caroline Noble, a cousin, and a daughter of Samuel Noble. Mrs. Noble was born in 1848 and died in 1910. William A. Nash, second son of Cornelius Nash, was born in Kaufman, Texas, December 25, 1862. He attended the public schools up to the time he was sixteen years of age, when, his father having died, the young man's time was given,to looking after the care of stock interests; and from that time forward his education was obtained in the broad and practical school of experience. In 1880 he joined a surveying party which made a preliminary survey of the old Trunk Line railroad and stayed with the party from Kaufman to the intersection of the I. & G. N. railroad. Then he married and settled down on a farm, and for six years devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. At the end of that time he left the farm and became a clerk for W. E. Watkins, and later for Henry C. Hicks, his brother-in-law, in whose employ he remained three years. He next conducted a business of his own in Lawndale, Texas, now Maybank, for one year, and on January 1, 1895 he came associated with Messrs. Erwin Spikes and others, and purchased the mercantile business of Taylor Brothers, and the firm name became Erwin, Spikes & Co. January 1, 1902, this business was incorporated as the Spikes-Xash Co. of which he is vice president and general manager. This is the principal department store in Kaufman. Mr. Nash is also interested in ranching in King county, Texas, as a partner of Messrs. Spikes & Pickard, who operate a stock ranch they purchased in 1909. Politically, Mr. Nash is a Democrat. He bore his part in local party convention work in earlier days and contributed toward the expense as a loyal partisan, and was in attendance as an alternate at the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis in 1904, when Mr. Parker won the nomination for the presidency. He has fraternal identity with the Knights of Pythias and his religious faith is that of the Baptist church, of which he is a substantial member. December 9, 1884, William A. Nash and Miss Dee Ware were united in marriage, and they are the parents of six children: Neelie, Claude. Jo, Lela, Pliny and W. A. Jr. They reside in one of the splendid residences of Houston street, which Mr. Nash erected in 1903. Mrs. Nash's father is James Ware and her mother's... (page 1485 is missing) Source: A History of Texas and Texans by Francis White Johnson, Ernest William Winkler – 1920, pg 1470 Back to Abbeville County, South Carolina Genealogy Trails © all rights reserved to the original submitter