History of San Antonio, (Bexar County) Texas United States of America

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Biographies:

John Ireland, governor of Texas, was born in Hart county, Ky., Jan. 1, 1827; son of Patrick and Rachel (Newton) Ireland. He was brought up on a farm and was educated at the "old-field school." When not eighteen years old lie was made a candidate for sheriff of Hart county, and having his disabilities removed by special act of the legislature was elected to that office. He studied law at Mumfordsville, Ky., and in less than six months was admitted to the bar. He at once removed to Seguin, Guadalupe county, Texas, where he attained prominence as a lawyer. When the civil war broke out be advocated secession, and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1861. He enlisted in the Confederate army, and was promoted successively to the ranks of captain, major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, serving in the trans-Missis-sippi campaigns. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1866, and in the same year was elected district judge, but was removed in 1867 by military authorities. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1872, a state senator in 1873, and was appointed associate judge of the state supreme court in 1875. He was elected governor of Texas in 1882 by a majority of 48,000, and in 1884 by a majority of 98,000, serving, 1883-87. At the close of his second term he retired to private life at Seguin, declining further official honors. He was twice married: first, in 1854, to Mrs. Matilda Wicks Faircloth, and secondly, in 1857, to Anna Penn. But one child, the daughter of his first wife, survived him, and she became the wife of Evan Shelby Carpenter, of Seguin. Governor Ireland died at San Antonio, Texas, after a brief illness, and was buried in the state cemetery at Austin, with military, civic and Masonic ceremonies. The date of his death is March 5, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Alexander Chambers, soldier, was born in New York in 1832. He was graduated at West Point in 1853, and served in garrison and on frontier duty until 1855, when he escorted Captain Pope's artesian well expedition in New Mexico, and in 1856-57 was engaged in the war against the Seminole Indians in Florida. He was on frontier duty, 1857-60, being promoted 1st lieutenant Jan. 19, 1859. On May 14, 1861, he was promoted captain and transferred from the 5th to the 18th infantry regiment. On March 12, 1862, he engaged in the Tennessee campaign, and was twice wounded in the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and once at the battle of Iuka, Sept. 19, 1862. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. He then served in the Vicksburg campaign, and on July 4, 1863, received the brevet rank of colonel for gallantry at the siege of Vicksburg, and was brigadier-general of volunteers, 1863-64. He served on Sherman's raid to Meridian, and commanded a battalion at Lookout Mountain, Tenn., from Jan. 15, to Aug. 25, 1865. On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. volunteers, for gallant services in the battle of Champion Hills, Feb. 4, 1864, and at Meridian, Miss., Feb. 14, 1864. He was judge-advocate of the district of Nebraska in the early part of 1866, and of the department of the Platte until July 3l, 1867. He was promoted major, March 5, 1867, and lieutenant-colonel October, 1876, serving in the interim on garrison and frontier duty. From July, 1877, to Sept. 13, 1878, he was military attach? of the U. S. legation at Constantinople, Turkey, and in November, 1878, was stationed at Fort Townsend, Wash. He died at San Antonio, Tex., Jan. 2, 1888.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Anthony Domenec Ambrose Pellicier, R.C. bishop, was born in St. Augustine, Fla., Dec. 7, 1824. He attended St. Joseph's college, Ala., and was ordained priest, Oct. 15, 1850, by Bishop Portier of Mobile. He was pastor of St. Peter's church, Montgomery, Ala., and founded churches in Camden and Selma, Ala. He was transferred to the cathedral at Mobile in 1865, and was appointed a member of the bishop's council and vicar-general in 1867. He served as chaplain in the Confederate army during the civil war. He was consecrated bishop of the diocese of San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 8, 1874, at the cathedral at Mobile by Archbishop Perche of New, Orleans, assisted by Bishops Fitzgerald of Little Rock, and Gibbons of Richmond. During his administration he visited every parish in his diocese, on horseback, built several churches and schools, and the exposure undermined his health. He died at San Antonio, Texas, April 14, 1880.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Claude Neraz, R.C. bishop, was born in Arise, Rh?ne, France, Jan. 12, 1828. He was educated in the college of St. Godard and in the seminary of St. Jodard at Alix, and completed his theological studies in the Sulpitian seminary at Lyons, France, in 1859. He was ordained subdeacon and deacon by Bishop Odin, at Galveston, in September, 1852, and engaged in missionary work at Nacogdoches, Texas. He was ordained priest at Galveston, Feb. 19, 1853, by Bishop Odin; engaged in missionary work in Liberty county, Texas, 1854-66; served as an assistant priest in San Antonio, Texas, 1866-68; engaged in missionary work at Laredo, 1868-73, where he completed a church and convent, and was rector of the church of San Fernando, San Antonio, Texas, 1873-75. He was vicar-general and chancellor of the diocese of San Antonio, 1874-80; administrator of the diocese of San Antonio, after the death of Bishop Pellicer, April 14, 1890, and was consecrated bishop of San Antonio, May 8, 1881, by Bishop Fitzgerald. He also served as administrator of the vicariate-apostolic of Brownsville, on the promotion of Bishop Manucy in 1884, and as acting vicar-apostolic after the death of the bishop, Dec. 4, 1885, until the appointment of Bishop Verdaguer, July 3, 1890. He attended the third plenary council of Baltimore in 1884. He was influential in founding a college in Travis county and a seminary at Hallettsville. He died at San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 15, 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor