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Thomas Jefferson Poole, Jr.
Thomas Jefferson Poole, Jr., of Bay City, Texas, was born in Corsicana, Texas, when his mother was enroute to Kansas City from the Grimes Ranch on the Tres Palacios. The date was September 12, 1883. His parents were Thomas Jefferson Poole and Fannie Louise Grimes Poole. Fannie Louise was the daughter of William Bradford Grimes, pioneer cattleman who married Maria Louise Robbins, daughter of Philemon Robbins of Hartford, Connecticut, on December 18, 1855. Fannie Louise's grandfather was Captain Richard Grimes who married Charlotte Bradford of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, in 1824. Charlotte was an eighth generation descendent of Governor William Bradford of Plymouth, who was born in England and died in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1659. Governor Bradford came to America in 1620, and governed the colony of Plymouth from 1621 to 1657.
Charlotte's father, William Bradford, built the family home in Rocky Hill known as "Bradford Hill." Captain Richard and Charlotte had arrived in the Republic of Texas as early as 1837. He died on April 11, 1858, and is buried at the Grimes Cemetery on the Tres Palacios. Maria Louise died on August 29, 1876, and is buried there also.
Thomas J. Poole, Jr.'s, father, Thomas Jefferson Poole II of Indianola, was born on April 21, 1861, the son of Thomas Jefferson Poole I and Irene Tourne Twitchell. Thomas J. Poole I had moved from New Orleans to Indianola where he was agent for the Morgan Shipping Line and secretary of the G. W. T. & P. Railroad. Thomas J. II was born in Mexico where his mother had gone to stay because of the Civil War. He was named William Lawrence Poole at birth, but following his father’s death his mother had his name changed to Thomas Jefferson Poole. The first Thomas J. Poole was born in Portland, Maine, on October 4, 1827, and moved to New Orleans and later to Indianola. The first Thomas J . Poole's father was William L. Poole of Portland, Maine. William L. Poole moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and lived there for several years before moving to New Orleans. Thomas J. Poole I died in February of 1875, just prior to the devastating hurricane which virtually destroyed Indianola.
Following the storm, his widow Irene, having lost her home, moved to Tres Palacios to stay with old friends, the Grimes family. Her son, Thomas J. Poole II was fourteen and Fannie Louise Grimes was fifteen. After attending public schools and later the Kentucky Military Institute, Thomas J. Poole II returned home to marry Fannie Louise Grimes. W. B. Grimes had moved his family to Kansas City and it was there at the family home on Locust Street, on October 13, 1881, that Thomas J. Poole II and Fannie Louise were married. W. B. Grimes gave Fannie Louise the Tres Palacios ranch, and she and Tom became the third generation to live there. Two children were born to this union: a son, Thomas Jefferson III, was born on September 12, 1883; and a daughter, Irene, was born on May 8, 1886. Fannie Louise died on November 7, 1888, and was buried in the Grimes Cemetery. Thomas J. Poole II married second Martha Elizabeth Keller, who was born at Keller's Ranch on February 5, 1868. She was the daughter of Nolan Keller and Susan Louise Reed Keller. To this union six children were born: Donald, Frances, Kathryn, Susan Louise, Hardy, and Mark.
In 1898 the Poole family moved to El Campo to open that town's first bank, the Poole-Koch Bank. In 1905 the Poole family moved to Bay City, and in 1909, Thomas J. II became president of the Bay City Bank and Trust, a position he held until 1929. He was also a pioneer cattleman and operated two large cattle ranches, one in Brazoria County and one in Matagorda County, with his two older sons, Thomas J. Poole III, and Donald Keller Poole. He was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church as were his sons, Donald, Tom, and Mark. Elizabeth Poole was active in Christian work and a strong supporter of Foreign Missions. Thomas J . Poole II died on March 29, 1938, and Martha Elizabeth Poole died on July 18, 1934.
Donald Keller Poole (April 12, 1891-May 16, 1971) was a prominent cattleman and rice farmer in Matagorda and Brazoria Counties. He was a strong supporter of Christian Missions along with his wife, Marguerite Huebner Poole, whom he married on October 15, 1925. Marguerite Huebner was the daughter of Franz and Mary Louise Huebner, pioneer land owners in Matagorda County.
Frances Eleanor Poole (February 21, 1893-March 23, 1981) married George R. Burke, and they had three children: Elizabeth, who died young; Kathleen, who married first Robert Wright, second Blaine Dunbar, and third Bernard Freudenmann; and George R. 11, who married Marian Storey and had four children: George R. III , Mark, Elizabeth, and Marianne.
Kathryn (June 22, I 896-May 16, 1977) married John B. Muse and had a daughter Martha Twitchell, who became a prominent business executive in New York. Kathryn married second Dr. Reginald Burbank of New York, an outstanding authority on arthritis.
Susan Louise, born on April 28, 1900, married Dr. J. Lane Barbour and they had two children: Barry, who married Judy Rhea and had two children, Donald and Barry Gordon; and Dona, who married Tommy Worrell, and had Todd, Heather, and Sunni.
Hardy was born on August 12, 1906, in Bay City, and died on May 1, 1912, in Mineral Wells.
Mark (See Mark K. Poole Family)
Thomas Poole III, or Tom, Jr., as he was called, attended private school in San Antonio, and on November 10, 1904, he married Jessie Lea Logan. The ceremony was at the Logan home near Blessing, known as "Cedar Grange. Tom, Jr. and Jessie were the fourth generation to begin their married lives at the Grimes Ranch. Four daughters were born to this union: Fannie Louise Poole Davant (May 7, 1906-February 18, 1982); Beatrice Elise Poole Schultz (September 6, 1907); and twins, Thomas Jeanne Poole Keen and Jessie Lea Poole Davis (February 18, 1916). Tom Poole, Jr., sold the ranch property in the early 1900's, and he and his father formed the Poole Cattle Company. He was a director of the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association for more than thirty-two years, and was made honorary vice-president of that organization. He was one of the founders of the Matagorda County Fair and Livestock Show, and a director of the Chamber of Commerce from 1959 to 1964, and served as vice-president in 1963. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bay City for more than sixty years, and served as elder for thirty of those years.
Thomas J. Poole III died on September 2, 1969, and was buried in the Grimes Cemetery, as was Jessie Logan Poole who died on September 12, 1971.
Historic
Matagorda County,
Volume II, 1984, pages 410 - 412 |
