HERVEY R. SEWARD
Hervey R. Seward, b January 29, 1863 in Washington County, Texas, d
January 15, 1944 - son of George R. Seward, Sr., b 1824 in Adams County,
Illinois and Louisa (Robertson) Seward. Hervey R. Seward was educated at Baylor
University, as was his father, and when he was seventeen years old he attached
him- self to the engineering corps and was engaged in the construction of nearly
all the railroads in the State of Texas. His first position was that of front
chainman, and his last one that of division engineer. He continued in the
railroading profession until 1890, when he engaged in the mercantile business.
In 1892, he married Annie Hodges, b April 21, 1875 in Lott, Falls County,
Texas, d October 30, 1946 - a daughter of George Aylett and Rebecca (Senter)
Hodges.
Hervey R. Seward's father, George R.Seward, Sr., was the sixth child of
his parents, Samuel and Anna (Stewart) Seward of Pennsylvania and Virginia,
respectively, George R. married Louisa Robertson- daughter of H. J. Robertson
and Rebecca (Oldham) Robertson, and they had two children: Hervey R., and
Elizabeth ("Bettie") Seward. George R. Seward, Sr. was alive in 1892; his wife,
Louisa, died in 1866 when her second child was born. Louisa's father, H. J.
Robertson, was a near relative of General Sterling Clack Robertson.
Samuel Seward - grandfather of Hervey R. Seward - was born in
Pennsylvania, and moved into Ohio, where he married Anna Stewart, a native of
Washington County, Virginia. They moved from Ohio into Adams County, Illinois,
and in 1833 removed to Texas - settling in Coles settlement of Austin's Colony,
which became Washington County, Texas. Samuel was in frequent skirmishes with
the Indians, who were intent on stealing the settlers horses and eliminating the
settlers. On December 20, 1834, Samuel Se- ward obtained a grant of one league
of land in Robertson's Colony at Viesca - and this land was located in the area
which became Falls County, Texas. With the Texans fight for independence from
Mexico, the Indians began raiding the area now known as Falls County, and Samuel
removed his family back to his former residence near Independence in Washington
County, where he died in 1872 at the age of eighty-two years. Anna (Stewart)
Seward died there in 1881. Samuel served in the War of 1812, and was in General
Scott's Army and forced to surrender. Samuel Seward was a relative of the
Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln. He and his wife reared only
five of their nine children to adulthood: John H., George R., Columbus D. who
was killed at Richmond, Virginia; Elizabeth ("Bettie") who married a Mr. Clay -
a relative of Henry Clay; and Mary Frimey Seward. Their son, George R. Seward -
father of Hervey R. - joined in 1846, Captain Ben McCullough's Company of Texas
Rangers, attached to the U.S. Army during the U.S.- Mexican War of 1846-1847.
Hervey R. and Annie (Hodges) Seward had no children. They are both buried
in the Clover Hill Cemetery at Lott, Falls County, Texas.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 410 column 1 and 2.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
