WITT, EDWARD L
Edward L. Witt & Sons are prominent ranchers of Uvalde county, engaged extensively in the raising of goats and other live stock. The senior member is descended from a well known pioneer family. His birth occurred in Dallas county, Texas, March 26, 1849, and in his youth he attended the public schools, while during the periods of vacation he became familiar with agricultural pursuits, both in the line of stock raising and tilling the soil. His parents were Preston and Harriet (Huffman) Witt, who were born in Illinois and were married there. The paternal grandfather, John Witt, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Kentucky and afterward to Illinois, settling there at an early day. He became one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of his community and late in life he removed from the Prairie state to Texas, taking up his abode in Dallas county, where he spent his remaining days. Public office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to devote his energies to his business affairs. His children were: Harrison and Bartlett, who remained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest; Jack, Eli; Pleasant; Preston; Wade H. and Mrs. Polly Ellis.
Preston Witt was married in Illinois and about 1845 emigrated to Texas with a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon. He also had a saddle pony, but his possessions were very limited. He first located in Lamar county, where he raised two crops, and afterward removed to Dallas county, where he purchased land and developed a farm. There he carried on farming on an extensive scale, operating his land with the aid of slave labor. Prospering in his undertakings, he accumulated considerable property and built the first mill in his part of the county. It was one of the old style tread mills and both horse and oxen were used as motive power. Mr. Witt took toll from each grist which was brought to mill and his enterprise became quite an important and extensive one for a new country. He was very successful in his business interests and later he and his brother, W. H. Witt, built a steam mill with large capacity on the Elm fork of the Trinity river, about fourteen miles northwest of Dallas. This was called the Trinity mills and the brothers carried on an extensive business in both toll and merchant milling. Their trade extended for many miles around, the settlers coming as far as seventy-five or one hundred miles to get their grist ground. The brothers also took government contracts and furnished flour and meal to Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper. The mill and its owners became widely known and the old milling plant is yet well remembered by many a man who as a boy took the grain to that place to be converted into meal or flour. The enterprise proved of marked value to the county in pioneer times. At a later date Preston Witt sold his mill and engaged in the stock business. At that time all of the range was free and from time to time he would move his stock to a better feeding district. Eventually he located in Palo Pinto county, where he remained for a year and a half and had become well established in business when the hostile Indians caused him to turn back to Parker county. There he made permanent settlement and bought large tracts of land. He opened an extensive farm and was a successful agriculturist and stockman, remaining upon that place until 1862, when on account of illness he sold out and took up his abode in Jackson county near the coast. After a number of years he returned to Dallas, where he lived retired until his death. One of his sons also died in Dallas, after which Mrs. Preston Witt returned to Jackson county and subsequently went to Kansas, where she passed away. Mr. Witt was a strong secessionist and used his influence to further the cause, but was too old for active service in the army. Having implicit confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Confederate arms he sold all of his property and took Confederate money in exchange, so that he lived to see all the earnings of a lifetime swept away through the depreciation of that currency, so that there was naught or little left for the family. He manifested a valorous and loyal spirit in support of the Federal government during the Mexican war and raised a company, of which he became captain, serving as its commander throughout the period of hostilities with Mexico. He was in active duty under General Scott and while in the Mexican war he became acquainted with Beauregard and with Robert E. Lee, who at that time was General Scott's engineer.
When he came to Texas Mr. Witt settled in the Peters colony and got a grant of land. During the early years of his residence in Dallas county he had much trouble with the Indians and with other settlers took part in many raids after them in order to recover the stock. He once had a hand to hand conflict with a brave and narrowly escaped with his life. The news came to the neighborhood that a large band of Indians had been south and were coming north with an extensive herd of horses. The settlers prepared for the fray, but the main body of Indians, with their horses did not come over this route. Four of the Indians, however, left the main body, made their way to the neighborhood and secured a bt1nch of horses. The settlers then took t1p the trail, which they followed for three clays to Wise county, where they overtook the red men and a hard fight ensued. Mr. Witt took the lead and was in the heat of battle. One Indian was about to get away and Mr. Witt, seeing this, started his horse on the rim and overtook the red man who. seeing that he could not escape through flight, halted and began to fire. Mr. Witt discharged his gun. which was his last load and he had no time to reload. The Indian had his quiver full of arrows and Mr. Witt found his only chance therefore was to get hold of the red man and keep him from using the arrows, so he closed in on him and they had a hard struggle, but Mr. Witt used his knife and killed his opponent. One of the Indian's arrows was well aimed, but Mr. Witt dodged it and though it cut across his breast the wound was not deep enough to occasion much alarm. All of this band of Indians were killed and the white men returned home with their stock. Mr. Witt was a strong, muscular man, fearless and brave, and saw much frontier service. He was broad minded and intelligent and was widely known and highly respected. He voted with the Democracy and could have commanded almost any office within the gift of the people and was often solicited to become a candidate for the legislature, but always declined to do so.
His wife was a daughter of John Huffman, a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he became prominently known as a leading farmer, continuing- his residence in that state until his death. In the Huffman family were two daughters: Harriet, who became Mrs. Witt: and Mrs. Sally Perry, who removed to Texas and died in this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Preston Witt were born five children: Margaret E.. the wife of W. D. Avers: John F., who died in childhood: Edward L., of this review: Lewis C. who died when twenty-four years of age, and Douglas, who died in Jackson county. Texas.
Edward L. Witt accompanied his parents on their various removals during the period of his childhood and when he attained his majority he was married and settled in Jackson count v. where he engaged in farming and in raising cattle and hogs. Success attended his efforts in this direction and he continued in business there until 1882, when he came to Uvalde county. Here he made a start in stock raisin"\ but after one year he returned to Jackson county, where he lived for son1c rime longer. He then again resided for a time in Uvalde county and in 1880 went to Kansas, where he remained for two rears. While in Uvalde county he had taken un the sheen industry and upon his return from Kansas he continued in the business until the tariff measure of Cleveland's administration caused the business to prove unprofitable. He suffered heavy losses thereby never receiving the full value of his sheep, some of which he sold and some of which he traded for goats. This led to his embarkation in the raising of goats. In the fall of 1894 he got started in this work and found a good sale for the mohair at a profitable price. He has since continued in the business with gratifying success and has been joined by his sons under the firm name of E. L. Witt & Sons. This is the strongest firm in the county in the goat industry, with which Mr. Witt has been connected for twelve years. He has found it a profitable business and now has fifty-five hundred head of goats. The firm leases thirteen thousand acres of land from the New York Land Company and has the herd divided into two ranches. They have eight hundred registered goats and in 1905 they imported a fine buck from South Africa at a cost of over fifteen hundred dollars. This is the finest animal of the kind in America, They also raise some registered sheep and are raising and trading in cattle. To some extent they likewise engage in farming, producing feed for their stock, and in addition to their other industries they are devoting considerable time to the raising of bees and the production of honey, having three hundred stands of bees. In fact, they are interested in all of the standard business enterprises of Uvalde county and are making a success. After the sheep failure in 1893 Mr. Witt began with two hundred and eighty goats and is now at the head of the largest goat firm in Uvalde county. They are extensive dealers in all kinds of stock and their success is attributable entirely to their own labors and has been achieved since 1893.
Edward L. Witt was married in Jackson county, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Rosa Rogers, who was born in Jackson county and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Evans) Rogers,
To Mr. and Mrs. Witt have been born seven children: Samuel P., Lewis E., Mack L. and Perry C., all of whom are partners with their father in business; Ray M., Thomas L. and Arthur P., all at home.
Mr. Witt votes with the Democracy. He has no aspirations for office but has done much to advance public progress. He is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church, also of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. When disaster overtook him in his business career Mr. Witt did not yield to discouragement but resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and has become the pioneer in the promotion of a new industry in this section of the state. He is now meeting with success and is well known as a representative stock dealer of Southwestern Texas. (A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 2, Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907
Edward L. Witt & Sons are prominent ranchers of Uvalde county, engaged extensively in the raising of goats and other live stock. The senior member is descended from a well known pioneer family. His birth occurred in Dallas county, Texas, March 26, 1849, and in his youth he attended the public schools, while during the periods of vacation he became familiar with agricultural pursuits, both in the line of stock raising and tilling the soil. His parents were Preston and Harriet (Huffman) Witt, who were born in Illinois and were married there. The paternal grandfather, John Witt, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Kentucky and afterward to Illinois, settling there at an early day. He became one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of his community and late in life he removed from the Prairie state to Texas, taking up his abode in Dallas county, where he spent his remaining days. Public office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to devote his energies to his business affairs. His children were: Harrison and Bartlett, who remained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest; Jack, Eli; Pleasant; Preston; Wade H. and Mrs. Polly Ellis.
Preston Witt was married in Illinois and about 1845 emigrated to Texas with a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon. He also had a saddle pony, but his possessions were very limited. He first located in Lamar county, where he raised two crops, and afterward removed to Dallas county, where he purchased land and developed a farm. There he carried on farming on an extensive scale, operating his land with the aid of slave labor. Prospering in his undertakings, he accumulated considerable property and built the first mill in his part of the county. It was one of the old style tread mills and both horse and oxen were used as motive power. Mr. Witt took toll from each grist which was brought to mill and his enterprise became quite an important and extensive one for a new country. He was very successful in his business interests and later he and his brother, W. H. Witt, built a steam mill with large capacity on the Elm fork of the Trinity river, about fourteen miles northwest of Dallas. This was called the Trinity mills and the brothers carried on an extensive business in both toll and merchant milling. Their trade extended for many miles around, the settlers coming as far as seventy-five or one hundred miles to get their grist ground. The brothers also took government contracts and furnished flour and meal to Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper. The mill and its owners became widely known and the old milling plant is yet well remembered by many a man who as a boy took the grain to that place to be converted into meal or flour. The enterprise proved of marked value to the county in pioneer times. At a later date Preston Witt sold his mill and engaged in the stock business. At that time all of the range was free and from time to time he would move his stock to a better feeding district. Eventually he located in Palo Pinto county, where he remained for a year and a half and had become well established in business when the hostile Indians caused him to turn back to Parker county. There he made permanent settlement and bought large tracts of land. He opened an extensive farm and was a successful agriculturist and stockman, remaining upon that place until 1862, when on account of illness he sold out and took up his abode in Jackson county near the coast. After a number of years he returned to Dallas, where he lived retired until his death. One of his sons also died in Dallas, after which Mrs. Preston Witt returned to Jackson county and subsequently went to Kansas, where she passed away. Mr. Witt was a strong secessionist and used his influence to further the cause, but was too old for active service in the army. Having implicit confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Confederate arms he sold all of his property and took Confederate money in exchange, so that he lived to see all the earnings of a lifetime swept away through the depreciation of that currency, so that there was naught or little left for the family. He manifested a valorous and loyal spirit in support of the Federal government during the Mexican war and raised a company, of which he became captain, serving as its commander throughout the period of hostilities with Mexico. He was in active duty under General Scott and while in the Mexican war he became acquainted with Beauregard and with Robert E. Lee, who at that time was General Scott's engineer.
When he came to Texas Mr. Witt settled in the Peters colony and got a grant of land. During the early years of his residence in Dallas county he had much trouble with the Indians and with other settlers took part in many raids after them in order to recover the stock. He once had a hand to hand conflict with a brave and narrowly escaped with his life. The news came to the neighborhood that a large band of Indians had been south and were coming north with an extensive herd of horses. The settlers prepared for the fray, but the main body of Indians, with their horses did not come over this route. Four of the Indians, however, left the main body, made their way to the neighborhood and secured a bt1nch of horses. The settlers then took t1p the trail, which they followed for three clays to Wise county, where they overtook the red men and a hard fight ensued. Mr. Witt took the lead and was in the heat of battle. One Indian was about to get away and Mr. Witt, seeing this, started his horse on the rim and overtook the red man who. seeing that he could not escape through flight, halted and began to fire. Mr. Witt discharged his gun. which was his last load and he had no time to reload. The Indian had his quiver full of arrows and Mr. Witt found his only chance therefore was to get hold of the red man and keep him from using the arrows, so he closed in on him and they had a hard struggle, but Mr. Witt used his knife and killed his opponent. One of the Indian's arrows was well aimed, but Mr. Witt dodged it and though it cut across his breast the wound was not deep enough to occasion much alarm. All of this band of Indians were killed and the white men returned home with their stock. Mr. Witt was a strong, muscular man, fearless and brave, and saw much frontier service. He was broad minded and intelligent and was widely known and highly respected. He voted with the Democracy and could have commanded almost any office within the gift of the people and was often solicited to become a candidate for the legislature, but always declined to do so.
His wife was a daughter of John Huffman, a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he became prominently known as a leading farmer, continuing- his residence in that state until his death. In the Huffman family were two daughters: Harriet, who became Mrs. Witt: and Mrs. Sally Perry, who removed to Texas and died in this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Preston Witt were born five children: Margaret E.. the wife of W. D. Avers: John F., who died in childhood: Edward L., of this review: Lewis C. who died when twenty-four years of age, and Douglas, who died in Jackson county. Texas.
Edward L. Witt accompanied his parents on their various removals during the period of his childhood and when he attained his majority he was married and settled in Jackson count v. where he engaged in farming and in raising cattle and hogs. Success attended his efforts in this direction and he continued in business there until 1882, when he came to Uvalde county. Here he made a start in stock raisin"\ but after one year he returned to Jackson county, where he lived for son1c rime longer. He then again resided for a time in Uvalde county and in 1880 went to Kansas, where he remained for two rears. While in Uvalde county he had taken un the sheen industry and upon his return from Kansas he continued in the business until the tariff measure of Cleveland's administration caused the business to prove unprofitable. He suffered heavy losses thereby never receiving the full value of his sheep, some of which he sold and some of which he traded for goats. This led to his embarkation in the raising of goats. In the fall of 1894 he got started in this work and found a good sale for the mohair at a profitable price. He has since continued in the business with gratifying success and has been joined by his sons under the firm name of E. L. Witt & Sons. This is the strongest firm in the county in the goat industry, with which Mr. Witt has been connected for twelve years. He has found it a profitable business and now has fifty-five hundred head of goats. The firm leases thirteen thousand acres of land from the New York Land Company and has the herd divided into two ranches. They have eight hundred registered goats and in 1905 they imported a fine buck from South Africa at a cost of over fifteen hundred dollars. This is the finest animal of the kind in America, They also raise some registered sheep and are raising and trading in cattle. To some extent they likewise engage in farming, producing feed for their stock, and in addition to their other industries they are devoting considerable time to the raising of bees and the production of honey, having three hundred stands of bees. In fact, they are interested in all of the standard business enterprises of Uvalde county and are making a success. After the sheep failure in 1893 Mr. Witt began with two hundred and eighty goats and is now at the head of the largest goat firm in Uvalde county. They are extensive dealers in all kinds of stock and their success is attributable entirely to their own labors and has been achieved since 1893.
Edward L. Witt was married in Jackson county, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Rosa Rogers, who was born in Jackson county and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Evans) Rogers,
To Mr. and Mrs. Witt have been born seven children: Samuel P., Lewis E., Mack L. and Perry C., all of whom are partners with their father in business; Ray M., Thomas L. and Arthur P., all at home.
Mr. Witt votes with the Democracy. He has no aspirations for office but has done much to advance public progress. He is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church, also of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. When disaster overtook him in his business career Mr. Witt did not yield to discouragement but resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and has become the pioneer in the promotion of a new industry in this section of the state. He is now meeting with success and is well known as a representative stock dealer of Southwestern Texas. (A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 2, Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907
WITT, EDWARD L
Edward L. Witt & Sons are prominent ranchers of Uvalde county, engaged extensively in the raising of goats and other live stock. The senior member is descended from a well known pioneer family. His birth occurred in Dallas county, Texas, March 26, 1849, and in his youth he attended the public schools, while during the periods of vacation he became familiar with agricultural pursuits, both in the line of stock raising and tilling the soil. His parents were Preston and Harriet (Huffman) Witt, who were born in Illinois and were married there. The paternal grandfather, John Witt, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Kentucky and afterward to Illinois, settling there at an early day. He became one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of his community and late in life he removed from the Prairie state to Texas, taking up his abode in Dallas county, where he spent his remaining days. Public office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to devote his energies to his business affairs. His children were: Harrison and Bartlett, who remained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest; Jack, Eli; Pleasant; Preston; Wade H. and Mrs. Polly Ellis.
Preston Witt was married in Illinois and about 1845 emigrated to Texas with a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon. He also had a saddle pony, but his possessions were very limited. He first located in Lamar county, where he raised two crops, and afterward removed to Dallas county, where he purchased land and developed a farm. There he carried on farming on an extensive scale, operating his land with the aid of slave labor. Prospering in his undertakings, he accumulated considerable property and built the first mill in his part of the county. It was one of the old style tread mills and both horse and oxen were used as motive power. Mr. Witt took toll from each grist which was brought to mill and his enterprise became quite an important and extensive one for a new country. He was very successful in his business interests and later he and his brother, W. H. Witt, built a steam mill with large capacity on the Elm fork of the Trinity river, about fourteen miles northwest of Dallas. This was called the Trinity mills and the brothers carried on an extensive business in both toll and merchant milling. Their trade extended for many miles around, the settlers coming as far as seventy-five or one hundred miles to get their grist ground. The brothers also took government contracts and furnished flour and meal to Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper. The mill and its owners became widely known and the old milling plant is yet well remembered by many a man who as a boy took the grain to that place to be converted into meal or flour. The enterprise proved of marked value to the county in pioneer times. At a later date Preston Witt sold his mill and engaged in the stock business. At that time all of the range was free and from time to time he would move his stock to a better feeding district. Eventually he located in Palo Pinto county, where he remained for a year and a half and had become well established in business when the hostile Indians caused him to turn back to Parker county. There he made permanent settlement and bought large tracts of land. He opened an extensive farm and was a successful agriculturist and stockman, remaining upon that place until 1862, when on account of illness he sold out and took up his abode in Jackson county near the coast. After a number of years he returned to Dallas, where he lived retired until his death. One of his sons also died in Dallas, after which Mrs. Preston Witt returned to Jackson county and subsequently went to Kansas, where she passed away. Mr. Witt was a strong secessionist and used his influence to further the cause, but was too old for active service in the army. Having implicit confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Confederate arms he sold all of his property and took Confederate money in exchange, so that he lived to see all the earnings of a lifetime swept away through the depreciation of that currency, so that there was naught or little left for the family. He manifested a valorous and loyal spirit in support of the Federal government during the Mexican war and raised a company, of which he became captain, serving as its commander throughout the period of hostilities with Mexico. He was in active duty under General Scott and while in the Mexican war he became acquainted with Beauregard and with Robert E. Lee, who at that time was General Scott's engineer.
When he came to Texas Mr. Witt settled in the Peters colony and got a grant of land. During the early years of his residence in Dallas county he had much trouble with the Indians and with other settlers took part in many raids after them in order to recover the stock. He once had a hand to hand conflict with a brave and narrowly escaped with his life. The news came to the neighborhood that a large band of Indians had been south and were coming north with an extensive herd of horses. The settlers prepared for the fray, but the main body of Indians, with their horses did not come over this route. Four of the Indians, however, left the main body, made their way to the neighborhood and secured a bt1nch of horses. The settlers then took t1p the trail, which they followed for three clays to Wise county, where they overtook the red men and a hard fight ensued. Mr. Witt took the lead and was in the heat of battle. One Indian was about to get away and Mr. Witt, seeing this, started his horse on the rim and overtook the red man who. seeing that he could not escape through flight, halted and began to fire. Mr. Witt discharged his gun. which was his last load and he had no time to reload. The Indian had his quiver full of arrows and Mr. Witt found his only chance therefore was to get hold of the red man and keep him from using the arrows, so he closed in on him and they had a hard struggle, but Mr. Witt used his knife and killed his opponent. One of the Indian's arrows was well aimed, but Mr. Witt dodged it and though it cut across his breast the wound was not deep enough to occasion much alarm. All of this band of Indians were killed and the white men returned home with their stock. Mr. Witt was a strong, muscular man, fearless and brave, and saw much frontier service. He was broad minded and intelligent and was widely known and highly respected. He voted with the Democracy and could have commanded almost any office within the gift of the people and was often solicited to become a candidate for the legislature, but always declined to do so.
His wife was a daughter of John Huffman, a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he became prominently known as a leading farmer, continuing- his residence in that state until his death. In the Huffman family were two daughters: Harriet, who became Mrs. Witt: and Mrs. Sally Perry, who removed to Texas and died in this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Preston Witt were born five children: Margaret E.. the wife of W. D. Avers: John F., who died in childhood: Edward L., of this review: Lewis C. who died when twenty-four years of age, and Douglas, who died in Jackson county. Texas.
Edward L. Witt accompanied his parents on their various removals during the period of his childhood and when he attained his majority he was married and settled in Jackson count v. where he engaged in farming and in raising cattle and hogs. Success attended his efforts in this direction and he continued in business there until 1882, when he came to Uvalde county. Here he made a start in stock raisin"\ but after one year he returned to Jackson county, where he lived for son1c rime longer. He then again resided for a time in Uvalde county and in 1880 went to Kansas, where he remained for two rears. While in Uvalde county he had taken un the sheen industry and upon his return from Kansas he continued in the business until the tariff measure of Cleveland's administration caused the business to prove unprofitable. He suffered heavy losses thereby never receiving the full value of his sheep, some of which he sold and some of which he traded for goats. This led to his embarkation in the raising of goats. In the fall of 1894 he got started in this work and found a good sale for the mohair at a profitable price. He has since continued in the business with gratifying success and has been joined by his sons under the firm name of E. L. Witt & Sons. This is the strongest firm in the county in the goat industry, with which Mr. Witt has been connected for twelve years. He has found it a profitable business and now has fifty-five hundred head of goats. The firm leases thirteen thousand acres of land from the New York Land Company and has the herd divided into two ranches. They have eight hundred registered goats and in 1905 they imported a fine buck from South Africa at a cost of over fifteen hundred dollars. This is the finest animal of the kind in America, They also raise some registered sheep and are raising and trading in cattle. To some extent they likewise engage in farming, producing feed for their stock, and in addition to their other industries they are devoting considerable time to the raising of bees and the production of honey, having three hundred stands of bees. In fact, they are interested in all of the standard business enterprises of Uvalde county and are making a success. After the sheep failure in 1893 Mr. Witt began with two hundred and eighty goats and is now at the head of the largest goat firm in Uvalde county. They are extensive dealers in all kinds of stock and their success is attributable entirely to their own labors and has been achieved since 1893.
Edward L. Witt was married in Jackson county, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Rosa Rogers, who was born in Jackson county and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Evans) Rogers,
To Mr. and Mrs. Witt have been born seven children: Samuel P., Lewis E., Mack L. and Perry C., all of whom are partners with their father in business; Ray M., Thomas L. and Arthur P., all at home.
Mr. Witt votes with the Democracy. He has no aspirations for office but has done much to advance public progress. He is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church, also of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. When disaster overtook him in his business career Mr. Witt did not yield to discouragement but resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and has become the pioneer in the promotion of a new industry in this section of the state. He is now meeting with success and is well known as a representative stock dealer of Southwestern Texas. (A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 2, Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907
Edward L. Witt & Sons are prominent ranchers of Uvalde county, engaged extensively in the raising of goats and other live stock. The senior member is descended from a well known pioneer family. His birth occurred in Dallas county, Texas, March 26, 1849, and in his youth he attended the public schools, while during the periods of vacation he became familiar with agricultural pursuits, both in the line of stock raising and tilling the soil. His parents were Preston and Harriet (Huffman) Witt, who were born in Illinois and were married there. The paternal grandfather, John Witt, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Kentucky and afterward to Illinois, settling there at an early day. He became one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of his community and late in life he removed from the Prairie state to Texas, taking up his abode in Dallas county, where he spent his remaining days. Public office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to devote his energies to his business affairs. His children were: Harrison and Bartlett, who remained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest; Jack, Eli; Pleasant; Preston; Wade H. and Mrs. Polly Ellis.
Preston Witt was married in Illinois and about 1845 emigrated to Texas with a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon. He also had a saddle pony, but his possessions were very limited. He first located in Lamar county, where he raised two crops, and afterward removed to Dallas county, where he purchased land and developed a farm. There he carried on farming on an extensive scale, operating his land with the aid of slave labor. Prospering in his undertakings, he accumulated considerable property and built the first mill in his part of the county. It was one of the old style tread mills and both horse and oxen were used as motive power. Mr. Witt took toll from each grist which was brought to mill and his enterprise became quite an important and extensive one for a new country. He was very successful in his business interests and later he and his brother, W. H. Witt, built a steam mill with large capacity on the Elm fork of the Trinity river, about fourteen miles northwest of Dallas. This was called the Trinity mills and the brothers carried on an extensive business in both toll and merchant milling. Their trade extended for many miles around, the settlers coming as far as seventy-five or one hundred miles to get their grist ground. The brothers also took government contracts and furnished flour and meal to Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper. The mill and its owners became widely known and the old milling plant is yet well remembered by many a man who as a boy took the grain to that place to be converted into meal or flour. The enterprise proved of marked value to the county in pioneer times. At a later date Preston Witt sold his mill and engaged in the stock business. At that time all of the range was free and from time to time he would move his stock to a better feeding district. Eventually he located in Palo Pinto county, where he remained for a year and a half and had become well established in business when the hostile Indians caused him to turn back to Parker county. There he made permanent settlement and bought large tracts of land. He opened an extensive farm and was a successful agriculturist and stockman, remaining upon that place until 1862, when on account of illness he sold out and took up his abode in Jackson county near the coast. After a number of years he returned to Dallas, where he lived retired until his death. One of his sons also died in Dallas, after which Mrs. Preston Witt returned to Jackson county and subsequently went to Kansas, where she passed away. Mr. Witt was a strong secessionist and used his influence to further the cause, but was too old for active service in the army. Having implicit confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Confederate arms he sold all of his property and took Confederate money in exchange, so that he lived to see all the earnings of a lifetime swept away through the depreciation of that currency, so that there was naught or little left for the family. He manifested a valorous and loyal spirit in support of the Federal government during the Mexican war and raised a company, of which he became captain, serving as its commander throughout the period of hostilities with Mexico. He was in active duty under General Scott and while in the Mexican war he became acquainted with Beauregard and with Robert E. Lee, who at that time was General Scott's engineer.
When he came to Texas Mr. Witt settled in the Peters colony and got a grant of land. During the early years of his residence in Dallas county he had much trouble with the Indians and with other settlers took part in many raids after them in order to recover the stock. He once had a hand to hand conflict with a brave and narrowly escaped with his life. The news came to the neighborhood that a large band of Indians had been south and were coming north with an extensive herd of horses. The settlers prepared for the fray, but the main body of Indians, with their horses did not come over this route. Four of the Indians, however, left the main body, made their way to the neighborhood and secured a bt1nch of horses. The settlers then took t1p the trail, which they followed for three clays to Wise county, where they overtook the red men and a hard fight ensued. Mr. Witt took the lead and was in the heat of battle. One Indian was about to get away and Mr. Witt, seeing this, started his horse on the rim and overtook the red man who. seeing that he could not escape through flight, halted and began to fire. Mr. Witt discharged his gun. which was his last load and he had no time to reload. The Indian had his quiver full of arrows and Mr. Witt found his only chance therefore was to get hold of the red man and keep him from using the arrows, so he closed in on him and they had a hard struggle, but Mr. Witt used his knife and killed his opponent. One of the Indian's arrows was well aimed, but Mr. Witt dodged it and though it cut across his breast the wound was not deep enough to occasion much alarm. All of this band of Indians were killed and the white men returned home with their stock. Mr. Witt was a strong, muscular man, fearless and brave, and saw much frontier service. He was broad minded and intelligent and was widely known and highly respected. He voted with the Democracy and could have commanded almost any office within the gift of the people and was often solicited to become a candidate for the legislature, but always declined to do so.
His wife was a daughter of John Huffman, a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he became prominently known as a leading farmer, continuing- his residence in that state until his death. In the Huffman family were two daughters: Harriet, who became Mrs. Witt: and Mrs. Sally Perry, who removed to Texas and died in this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Preston Witt were born five children: Margaret E.. the wife of W. D. Avers: John F., who died in childhood: Edward L., of this review: Lewis C. who died when twenty-four years of age, and Douglas, who died in Jackson county. Texas.
Edward L. Witt accompanied his parents on their various removals during the period of his childhood and when he attained his majority he was married and settled in Jackson count v. where he engaged in farming and in raising cattle and hogs. Success attended his efforts in this direction and he continued in business there until 1882, when he came to Uvalde county. Here he made a start in stock raisin"\ but after one year he returned to Jackson county, where he lived for son1c rime longer. He then again resided for a time in Uvalde county and in 1880 went to Kansas, where he remained for two rears. While in Uvalde county he had taken un the sheen industry and upon his return from Kansas he continued in the business until the tariff measure of Cleveland's administration caused the business to prove unprofitable. He suffered heavy losses thereby never receiving the full value of his sheep, some of which he sold and some of which he traded for goats. This led to his embarkation in the raising of goats. In the fall of 1894 he got started in this work and found a good sale for the mohair at a profitable price. He has since continued in the business with gratifying success and has been joined by his sons under the firm name of E. L. Witt & Sons. This is the strongest firm in the county in the goat industry, with which Mr. Witt has been connected for twelve years. He has found it a profitable business and now has fifty-five hundred head of goats. The firm leases thirteen thousand acres of land from the New York Land Company and has the herd divided into two ranches. They have eight hundred registered goats and in 1905 they imported a fine buck from South Africa at a cost of over fifteen hundred dollars. This is the finest animal of the kind in America, They also raise some registered sheep and are raising and trading in cattle. To some extent they likewise engage in farming, producing feed for their stock, and in addition to their other industries they are devoting considerable time to the raising of bees and the production of honey, having three hundred stands of bees. In fact, they are interested in all of the standard business enterprises of Uvalde county and are making a success. After the sheep failure in 1893 Mr. Witt began with two hundred and eighty goats and is now at the head of the largest goat firm in Uvalde county. They are extensive dealers in all kinds of stock and their success is attributable entirely to their own labors and has been achieved since 1893.
Edward L. Witt was married in Jackson county, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Rosa Rogers, who was born in Jackson county and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Evans) Rogers,
To Mr. and Mrs. Witt have been born seven children: Samuel P., Lewis E., Mack L. and Perry C., all of whom are partners with their father in business; Ray M., Thomas L. and Arthur P., all at home.
Mr. Witt votes with the Democracy. He has no aspirations for office but has done much to advance public progress. He is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church, also of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. When disaster overtook him in his business career Mr. Witt did not yield to discouragement but resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and has become the pioneer in the promotion of a new industry in this section of the state. He is now meeting with success and is well known as a representative stock dealer of Southwestern Texas. (A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 2, Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907
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