Thomas Benton McPherson

The founder of the McPherson family in Johnson County is Thomas Benton McPherson. He was born in Craig County, Virginia, January 20, 1841, and was reared on his father's plantation, acquiring a rural school education. He left school to go into the Confederate Army in May 1861, and served with Company C, 28th Virginia Infantry, under General Lee, in some of the hardest campaigns of the war, such as battle of Williamsburgh, battle of Seven Pines, seven days battle at Richmond, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg.

With the general impoverishment that followed the war Mr. McPherson sought opportunities in the new country of Texas and on the 28th day of December 1867, reached Dallas.

He soon afterward went to work on the farm of Col. T. C. Hawpe in Dallas County and in January, 1870 married the daughter of his employer, Miss Lizzie Hawpe. The next summer the young couple came out to Johnson County and bought a tract of new land in the cross timbers near old Lane Prairie. In December of that year they took possession of their purchase and ever since then Thomas B. McPherson was a factor in the development of the community.

He had been trained to the stock-raising feature of farming and that was the chief source of his enterprise as a farmer. He was one of the first settlers in Lane Prairie, there being only three others there when he came.

Thomas B. McPherson had always been in advance of his profession as a breeder and improver of stock. He took a leading part in the establishment of a rural school, being one of the first members of the board of the Lane Prairie School.

Thomas B. McPherson conducted his politics as a real and sturdy democrat, though he had no public record beyond his work for the school district. Without taking membership in any church, he was a church-goer and a contributor to religious causes.