Another of the native citizens of this community who has fallen into line with the recent developments in the peach industry in this district is Benjamin F. Rountree, today one of the big producers in Franklin county of the famous Elberta peach. Thirty-five acres of one-time cotton land today represents his interest in growing fruit, and the success that was denied him while he directed his endeavors to other departments of agriculture has been his abundantly in recent years.

Benjamin F. Rountree was born near Mount Vernon, on May 1, T866, and is a son of Wiley B. Rountree, concerning whom further mention is made elsewhere in this historical and biographical work, so that further expression concerning the parentage of Mr. Rountree is not an essential feature of this sketch. In the country schools of Mount Vernon and vicinity Mr. Rountree received his early training in book lore, and he grew to manhood in close acquaintance with the duties of farm life, to which station he had been born. Upon reaching manhood, he felt an inclination to travel about some before he settled down definitely, and he spent a .few seasons in rambling here and there, getting his bearings and learning something about the country. In Jefferson County, Arkansas, for two seasons he was employed as a clerk in a country store, and later was occupied aa station agent at Linwood on the Iron Mountain Railway. With his return to Mount Vernon, he turned his attention to the farm again, continuing there until the autumn of 1891, when he went to Wise county, Texas, then on to Abilene, and finally to Jones county, Texas, in the latter place spending several months in the employ of his uncle, engaged in the prosaic task of grubbing mesquite. Here he eventually engaged in farming for himself and for five years he remained in that locality. It was while there that he married, and the serious business of his life actually began, his career as a home builder seeing its inception at that time.

Conditions then in West Texas, were, as now, unsuited to satisfactory general farming, and Mr. Rountree soon brought his family back to Franklin county and located at Purley, where his efforts were given to common farming until the fall of 1902, when he purchased a small place adjoining Mount Vernon and known as the Kutherford Farm. He entered with a right good will into the work of rejuvenating the old place and converting it into a live proposition as a fruit farm, planting a small orchard of Elberta peach trees, a crop that was then being exploited in Franklin county, and which gave promise of being a highly successful experiment. Mr. Rountree was among the first to test out the new idea, and he nursed his orchard anxiously but hopefully through the years of cultivation, pruning and worming, until a commercial orchard stood at his hand, ready and willing to bear luxuriantly each season. Encouraged by his experience, Mr. Rountree began adding to his orchard, until today he has thirty-five acres in bearing, and is continually adding to his operations in the peach industry.

On July 3, 1892, Mr. Rountree married Miss Dollie Long, a daughter of the pioneer James Long, who came to Texas from McNairy county, Tennessee, in 1845, and starting his career with the birth of the new commonwealth. Mr. Long was born in 1820, and was a man with a fair education, who devoted his life to the farming industry. He settled in the Purley locality, then a part of Titus county, and during the Rebellion served as a soldier in Walker's Division of Confederate Troops, in Colonel Waterhouse's regiment. He was a comrade of Wiley B. Rountree, the father of the subject, and with that honored veteran, participated in many activities of the Civil war. James Long was a son of Ned Long and his wife, Mary (O'Neal) Long, both having numerous relatives in and about Henderson, Tennessee. The issue of Ned Long and his wife were James; Polly, the wife of Robert Junell, who died in Hopkins county, Texas; William, killed in an accident in Hunt county, Texas, leaving a family; Dorcas married Dr. A. M. Wommack, and died in Erath county, Texas, and Robert passed away unmarried. The father died in Wood county, Texas, at an advanced age, as did also the mother.

James Long married in young manhood, and his death occurred in 1901, his wife having preceded him some years before. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist church and a stanch Democrat all his life. Their children were as follows: Sarah, who died unmarried; Jennie married J. D. Templeton and died in Franklin county; Warren passed away here in 1913, leaving a family; Robert lives at Commerce, Texas, and Silas at Purley; Thomas was killed in Franklin county; Dollie married Mr. Rountree; Lula is the wife of J. J. Nance and lives in Cleburne, Texas; and Parker is a resident of Franklin county, Texas.

Mrs. Rountree was educated in the country schools, in the schools of Mount Vernon and in the State Normal at Huntsville, graduating there in 1886. She became a teacher in the common schools before graduation and followed it subsequently for a few years. She gave up the work with her marriage, and thereafter devoted herself to the care of her home and growing family, carefully watching over their progress in an educational way, but in 1912 she was again induced to take up graded work in the Mount Vernon schools, and has thus once more identified herself with educational work of the community, in which she has gained a splendid popularity and proven most unmistakably her fitness for that phase of work. Mr. and Mrs. Rountree have three children. Mary is a graduate of the Mount Vernon high school class of 19il. She has taught in the public schools since then, and is now adding to her musical training in preparation for the work of instructor in that branch, to which she has given a deal of attention all her life. Lucile completed her high school course in 1912, took a diploma in music, and is well equipped for service in that work. Linnie Scott is still attending high school.

The family are members of the Christian church, and Mr. Rountree has fraternal relations with the Woodmen of the World and the Southern Woodmen. He is a Democrat, stanch and firm in his political convictions, but has never offered himself for office.