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Famous Millionaire Stockman Of Texas Passes Away His Wide Acquaintance Among Stockmen of a Poor Eastern Boy Who Went to Texas in the '50's-- Original of "Maverick Brander." Pierce, Tex.--Dec. 26, (1900)--A. H. Pierce, the famous millionaire stockman of Pierce, Tex., better known as "Shanghai" Pierce, is dead of Bright's disease. Mr. Pierce was a remarkable man in many respects and had a national reputation among stockmen and financiers. In his south he was given the soubriquet of "Shanghai" and it stuck to him through life. H possessed great business energy and accumulated a fortune variously estimated at from 4 to 5 million dollars. Mr. Pierce was born in Rhode Island 66 years ago. He stood six feet four inches and weighed 275 pounds. He was one of a family of ten children, and at an early age was sent to live with an uncle in Virginia. At the age of 13, he ran away from his uncle's home and set out for Texas. He went to work on a farm, but left in disgust when he discovered that a Negro was worth more than a white man. HIS START AS A COWBOY Then "Shanghai" became a cowboy and gradually worked into the cattle business on his own account. When the Civil War came on the reputation of "Shanghai" as a cowman was so well established that a contract was made with him to supply the Texas command with beef. Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Pierce formed a connection with the great firm of Allen & Poole. He traversed Texas for three years as the representative of the firm, buying droves of cattle and sending them to Galveston, where they were shipped to New Orleans. In 1869 this firm discontinued the business. Mr. Pierce drew out $100,000 as his share of the profits, and after puttering around several years he moved to Kansas and embarked in business on a large scale. Three years' experience in the Sunflower State convinced him that he was in the wrong pew, and it was only by exercising admirable business judgement that he managed to save himself from heavy loss. He returned to Texas and had made his home there ever since. Mr. Pierce's landed estate covers 400,000 acres, and much of it is in rice land. It embraces more than one whole county, and the average Texas county is not small. In addition he owned 30,000 head of cattle. He made regular trips to Kansas City, and usually stayed at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Withers. He last visited this city in August, and was then in good health. Mr. Pierce, it is said, was the original of Colonel Maverick Brander, in the satirical play, "A Texas Steer," written by the last Charles Hoyt. Hoyt met Mr. Pierce several years before he wrote the play, it is related, and was so impressed by his characteristics that he made him the basis of the part of the big hearted Texan in the play.
Soon after the war Mr. Pierce
married his first wife, Miss Lacy, who was a daughter of William
Lacy, a member of the Texas congress and of President Sam Houston's
cabinet during the days of the Republic. She was the mother of Mrs.
Withers of Kansas City, Mr. Pierce's only child. Later he married a
Miss James of Austin, Tex., who survives him.
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