Virgil Sullivan Rabb, Sr.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1870, Fayette Co, Texas

Notes:

Fayette County History features a bio of Virgil S. Rabb.

http://www.fayettecountyhistory.org/biographies_record_of_swtex.htm



VIRGIL S. RABB. The life of any man is of great benefit to the community in which he resides when all his efforts are directed toward its advancement, and when he is honest, upright and progressive. Such a man is Virgil S. Rabb, a native of Fayette County, Texas, born February 15, 1839, the son of John and Mary (Crownover) Rabb, and the grandson of William and Mary (Smalley) Rabb, and John and Mary (Chesney) Crownover. William Rabb was born in the Keystone State, in Fayette County. At an early date he moved with his family to near St. Louis, Mo., on the Illinois side of the river, where he erected a water mill for grinding flour, ran it successfully, sold out and moved to Washington, Ark., and there resided until 1819. He then came to Texas, but did not bring his family until 1822, coming with Austin's colony. However, be himself was here in 1821 and raised his first crop on Rabb's Prairie that year. This was the first crop made by an American in this section. His son, Capt. Thomas J. Rabb, accompanied him on both his early trips, and they assisted in building one of the first forts, or block-houses, of Austin's settlement. Early in 1822 William Rabb crossed the Colorado River where La Grange now stands, and one of the first block-houses in the county was erected four miles east of West Point and close to the Colorado River, at a blue called Indian Hill, the entire neighborhood taking part in the building. William Rabb first located on the west side of the river. In 1831 he built a water mill on the Colorado River, on Rabb's Prairie, getting the stones from Scotland, but the rest of the material from New Orleans. This was the first mill built in the county. In getting the stones from the coast Mr. Rabb made a wooden axle and used the stones for wheels, attaching the tongue to them, wagons not having yet come into fashion in Texas. In that way he brought them from Matagorda, a distance of over 200 miles. For this Mr. Rabb received from the Mexican Government three leagues of land, which he selected on Rabb's Prairie. In 1833 occurred the big overflow of the Colorado River and the mill was destroyed, this being the second overflow of the river after the settlement. Previous to this, in 1828, an Indian scare occurred, but the settlers had gathered in the fort, and although kept, there for three days by the Indians, they escaped with no loss greater than having some of their stock killed. After the Indians had left, Mr. Rabb and his friends moved to Wharton County, where his sons, Thomas and Andrew, had previously located, and resided there until 1829. He then returned to this county and settled for the first time on Rabb's Prairie, where he was actively and extensively engaged in raising stock. During the building of the mill before mentioned, or in 1882, he passed away when about sixty years of age. For some time during his life he resided in Illinois, and became the owner of fifty or sixty negroes, but later he lost them all when that State passed a law freeing them, except one called Frank, who came with him to Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Rabb reared a family of five children: Rachel, wife of A. M. Newman; Andrew, John, Thomas (called Captain Rabb), and Ulysses. John Rabb, father of our subject, came to Texas in 1822,. and located on the west side of Colorado River, nine miles north of La Grange. He immediately went into the Colorado bottom and commenced to clear land, but subsequently, on account of Indians stealing his stock, moved to Fort Bend County. From there he moved to Wharton County, 'Texas, where he improved a good farm and where he resided until 1829, when be located on Rabb's Prairie, this county, on the place now known as the Dr. McKinney place. On the mill mentioned as being built by William Rabb, John Rabb did most of the work and took charge of it until it was washed away. After this he turned his attention to farming and stock-raising and continued this until 1848. Previous to this, in 1835, he joined the Texas army and was in the fight at Gonzales, Conception and others, and when the army had fallen back to Burnham's block house on Colorado River and began again to retreat, Mr. Rabb came home and took his family, with others, as lain Robin's Ferry on the Trinity. He then returned to the army, but was not in the battle of San Jacinto. Returning home afterwards he devoted his energies to building up his fallen fortune, for he was a heavy loser during the war. Later he was in many Indian fights, but did not take part in the War of 1848, but was represented by his son Montgomery, who was a member of Hays' Regiment. In that year Mr. Rabb built the first steam saw mill in the county, located on Rabb's Creek in the northern portion of this county, and he operated this mill until 1859. He then sold to Alexander McDow for $45,000, this being the largest transaction made in the county up to that time, and bought Barton's Springs,. near the city of Austin, which embraced a track of laud of thirty acres. The remainder of his days were passed in retirement and he died June 5, 1861, after spending one of the most active lives of the early settlers. His wife survived him until October 13, 1882, dying when in her seventy seventh year. Both were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the first Methodist sermon ever preached west of the Brazos River was preached in his house. The nine children born to this worthy couple were named as follows: Montgomery, George W., Melissa, Marion, J. W., L. D., V. S., Mary, wife of David Croft of this county, and G. T. of Austin. All these children are deceased except our subject, Mary and G. T. Our subject's maternal grandfather, John Crownover, was a native of one of the Carolinas. V. S. Rabb was educated at Rutersville, and branched out for himself in 1862 by joining the Confederate army, Company I, Sixteenth Texas Infantry. He was made Third Lieutenant and served in the trans-Mississippi Department, and was in all the battles of Louisiana, except those that occurred while on "leave of absence." Later he was made Captain of his company by general promotion, and was honorably discharged from the army at Hempstead, Texas. After his return home he erected a saw mill, but only followed this for six years, when he engaged in farming, continuing this until 1884. He then moved to La Grange to educate his children, and while there was in the lumber business. In 1891 he moved to West Point, this county, and in connection with the lumber business here has been engaged in merchandising since 1890. In the latter occupation he has been successful, and has opened stores at Winchester and Smithville. Mr. Rabb was married in 1869 to Miss Dulcie Kenedy, a daughter of A. S. and Mary (Earthman) Kenedy. Mr. Kenedy came to Texas in 1837 from Alabama, his native State. Mr. and Mrs. Rabb are the parents of six living children: V. S., Jr., Gussie, David P., Dulcie, Jr., George F. and Sallie L. Two children are deceased. Mrs. Rabb is a member of the Christian Church. Like his father, Mr. Rabb is a strong Democrat in politics, and takes a deep interest in the welfare of his party. He is a prominent and influential citizen and a man who has done his share towards the county's advancement. His brother, J. W. Rabb, was a member of Captain Jarmon's Company of the Terry Rangers, known as the Eighth Texas Cavalry, and served through Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Georgia, and participated in all the battles. fought by that noted regiment, except during a short period when he was disabled by a wound, from which he never fully recovered. His death occurred in 1885.?pp.337-341


Census:
1870 West of Caldwell Road, Fayette, Texas
pg 15
residence 89
Ulyses Rabb 39 1831 Texas farmer 100
Malissa Rabb 37 1833 Mississippi
L B Rabb 13 1857 Texas
P M Rabb 11 1859 Texas
R H Tollmson 17 1853 Texas
Nancy Jones 75 1795 North Carolina

also res 15
J.W. Rabb 35 TX
Kittie 22 TX
Mina 1 1869
Wm J. 1/12 1870
also res 132
Rabb, Virgil S. 30 miller and Dulce 21 TX

Virgil married Dulcie Kennedy on 27 Jul 1869 in Fayette Co, Texas. Dulcie was born on 16 May 1849 in Texas; died on 29 Aug 1923 in Smithville, Bastrop Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]