John T. Randle

History of Texas Together with a Biographical History of
Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee, & Burleson Counties

John T. Randle. The stock from which the subject of this sketch descended came originally from England and Ireland, or broadly speaking, from the British Isles. His progenitors emigrated to this country before the American Revolution and settled very probably in Virginia. William Randle, his paternal grandfather was born in the "Old Dominion," whence he moved in pioneer days to Georgia, where he was for many years in later life a wealthy and influential planter. He seems to have been in early life a bold, adventurous spirit, having much of the romantic and practical fused in his nature, but withal an industrious, patriotic citizen and devoted friend and companion. He penetrated the wilds of central and north Georgia early in the last century, and knew personally many of the heads of the Indian tribes that roamed over that section. Mr. Randle has in his possession a watch, the case of which is made of gold dug by this grandfather, in Georgia, in 1740. He died there and was succeeded in name and estate by a son, William, who was the father of John T. of this article. The second William Randle was born in Georgia in 1812 and reared there. About the time he reached his majority he married a Miss Durham of that state; who, however, died in a few years, leaving no issue. About 1839, he married Miss Frances E. Gibson, daughter of Churchill Gibson, an Alabama planter, and, with this lady and his family of six children whom he had by her, immigrated to Texas in 1850, settling on the Brazos River in Robertson county. Here he had the misfortune to lose his wife a year later, but married sometime afterward a Mrs. Terrell, and moved to Washington county and thence to Coryell county where in 1885 he died, in the seventy-third year of his age.

His residence in Texas thus covered 35 years, and having come soon after the State’s admission into the Union. He witnessed a large share of its growth and development, taking an active but unpretentious part in this work himself. By industry and good management he succeeded in accumulating considerable property before the war, but lost most of it in that great conflict, having sold his slaves and the greater part of his personal property for which he took notes, that turned out to be worthless. He still had some land, however, and by the practice of the same industry and frugal management that had characterized his career in early life he succeeded in making a comfortable living for himself down to his last days, and also rendered his children much aid as they came on and were settled off to themselves. He had enjoyed in youth only very limited educational advantages, but was a man of general information and possessed very correct habits and feelings. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and in later life of the Methodist church. By his second wife, Frances (Gibson) Randle, he had six children, all of whom became grown and were married. Theses are: William H., John T., Espie, Aurelia, Georgie, and Ella. William H. died in Bryan, this State, September 27, 1878; John T. is the subject of this notice; Espie is now the wife of William Jenkins, of Velasco, this State; Aurelia is the wife of H. S. Pipkin, of Midland, Texas; Georgia is the deceased wife of Dr. L. J. Turner, of Milam county; and Ella is the wife of Frank Brinkman, of Velasco.

John T. Randle was born in Coweta county, Georgia, June 10, 1842, and was in his seventh year when his parents moved to Texas. On the death of his mother the year after the family came to this State he went to live with an aunt, a Mrs. Susan Daniel, of Washington county, with whom he made his home until his father’s marriage the third time. He then returned to his father’s house and lived there, thus passing his early years on the farm. He attended Baylor University, then located at Independence, Washington county, from which he received a reasonably good education.

At the opening of the war in 1861, before any forces had been organized in this part of the State for the Confederate service; he in company with eight others went to Missouri, where he entered Price’s army and served for about six months, taking part in the raids of that date. He then returned to Texas, having heard that active steps were being taken by the people of the State to send Confederate troops to the front, and entered Company A, Captain Thomas Harrison, Eighth Texas Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John A. Horton. Joining General Albert Sidney Johnston’s army, under this command he got to Shiloh just before the engagement at the place, participating in it, and was with his command from that time on until the surrender, taking part in the battles of Perryville, Kentucky, Murphreesborough, Stone River, Chickamauga, the siege of Knoxville and all of the Georgia campaign, his regiment being one of the detachments that hung on the wing of Sherman’s army and gave it all the annoyance possible in its march to the sea.

Returning home in 1865, Mr. Randle farmed for about a year and a half in Washington county, when he came to Milam county, and in 1868 married Miss Frances L. Rogers, daughter of Michael and Frances Rogers, then of this county, and settled on a section of land which his father had given him, where he took up farming pursuits. Not content with his holdings then, he began to branch out as his means would allow, buying unimproved land for which he went partially in debt, paying out from year to year as he made the money to do it with. In this way he came to own a farm of 2,100 acres lying in the Little river valley in the west part of the county, all rich land and about one fourth in cultivation. He farms largely by the tenant system, having some ten or a dozen families living on his place. His farm is well stocked and conducted in a thoroughgoing business like way. In addition to this he owns valuable property in Rockdale, including a handsome residence, which he recently erected there, having moved to that place for the better education of his children. He has a family of eight, one being deceased, all of whom are still at home with their parents, these being; Lillian H., Forrest, Minnie, Ozell, John T., Lutitia (deceased), Edna, Brinkman, and Gibson. Mrs. Randle and two of her oldest daughters are members of the Baptist church, toward which church Mr. Randle inclines in belief but is not a member. He is liberal in his charities both toward this organization and all others, and is a stanch supporter of the schools.

History of Texas Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee, & Burleson Counties. Chicago, Lewis Publishing Company, 1893. pp. 405-407.

Provided by Mary Gravley.