Monday, May 13, 2024
Thompson Branch
Benjamin Johnston Tillar

Benjamin Johnston Tillar

Male 1866 - 1938  (71 years)

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Generation: 1

  1. 1.  Benjamin Johnston TillarBenjamin Johnston Tillar was born 17 Sep 1866, Selma, Drew, Arkansas, USA (son of Joshua Thomas Westbrook Tillar and Antoinette Pruitt); died 7 Sep 1938, Paris, France; was buried , Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 39459069
    • Reference Number: 42294

    Notes:

    Benjamin Johnston Tillar, attorney and businessman, was born to John Thomas Westbrook and Antoinette (Pruitt) Tillar on September 17, 1866, at Selma, Arkansas. His father was prominent in Arkansas political and economic affairs; Tillar, Arkansas, was named for him. Benjamin Tillar was educated in the public and private schools of his hometown and entered the University of Arkansas at age thirteen. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1886 and studied law for a year in a law office in Little Rock before entering the University of Michigan law school, from which he graduated in 1888. He then returned to the Arkansas state capital and practiced law for two years. When ill health forced him to abandon his profession in 1890, he moved to West Texas. For three years Tillar worked as a cowboy on the Block Ranch, which was owned by his father and located twenty-five miles south of Midland. With his health restored he acquired his own ranch, although he apparently spent little time there. He moved to Fort Worth in 1894 and quickly established himself as a leading businessman in the Tarrant county seat. Soon after his arrival in Fort Worth, Tillar played a major role in the establishment of the National Live Stock Bank of Fort Worth, where he served as vice president until the bank merged with the American National Bank in 1897. He held a seat on the latter institution's board of directors. Before the merger Tillar and a partner had formed the company of Bush and Tillar, a ranch holding company, which eventually acquired some 100,000 acres in Howard, Borden, Mitchell, and Scurry counties. The ranches operated by the company made the Bush and Tillar Company one of the state's largest beef producers and apparently enabled Tillar to accumulate a considerable fortune. He sold his interest in the firm in 1906 and embarked upon the financing and construction of a million-dollar luxury hotel, the Westbrook, in Fort Worth.

    When his father died in June 1908 Tillar assumed the direction of the elder Tillar's multimillion-dollar estate, which included properties in Arkansas and Texas and stock in a number of corporations. He quickly tripled the value of these holdings, partly by using a portion of them to purchase property in Fort Worth. He became one of the city's largest property owners and Tarrant County's largest single taxpayer. By the early 1920s Tillar held seats on the boards of directors of the Farmers and Mechanics National Bank of Fort Worth, the Greater Fort Worth Realty Company, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, and the Syndicate Land Company. He also served as state delegate to the National Chamber of Commerce. He funded an endowment that financed twelve annual scholarships to Texas Woman's College (now Texas Woman's University) in Denton. In addition, he was a member and, in 1922, president of that institution's board of regents. Tillar was a Methodist and a Democrat. He married Genevieve Eagon. He died in Paris, France, while on vacation, on September 7, 1923, and was buried in East Oakwood Cemetery, Fort Worth.

    Buried:
    Oakwood Cemetery

    Died:
    While on Vacation

    Benjamin — Genevieve Eagon. [Group Sheet]


Generation: 2

  1. 2.  Joshua Thomas Westbrook TillarJoshua Thomas Westbrook Tillar was born 6 Apr 1833; died 5 Jun 1908; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 58298749
    • Reference Number: 42282

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Oakland Cemetery

    Joshua — Antoinette Pruitt. Antoinette (daughter of Jacob Madison Pruitt and Nancy Partridge Johnston) was born 30 Jan 1840, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; died 28 Apr 1918, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA. [Group Sheet]


  2. 3.  Antoinette PruittAntoinette Pruitt was born 30 Jan 1840, De Soto, Mississippi, USA (daughter of Jacob Madison Pruitt and Nancy Partridge Johnston); died 28 Apr 1918, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 58298653
    • Reference Number: 42281

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Oakland Cemetery

    Children:
    1. Flora Virginia Tillar was born 24 Mar 1859, Selma, Drew, Arkansas, USA; died 16 Jun 1931, Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.
    2. Thomas Frank Tillar was born 1861, Selma, Drew, Arkansas, USA; died 1911, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.
    3. 1. Benjamin Johnston Tillar was born 17 Sep 1866, Selma, Drew, Arkansas, USA; died 7 Sep 1938, Paris, France; was buried , Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA.
    4. Sillia May Tillar was born 3 Aug 1869, Drew, Arkansas, USA; died 9 Sep 1938, Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.
    5. James Garland Tillar was born 3 Aug 1875, Drew, Arkansas, USA; died 4 Aug 1930, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.


Generation: 3

  1. 6.  Jacob Madison Pruitt was born 5 Mar 1816, Madison, Alabama, USA (son of William Madison Pruitt and Sally Jane Cavett); died 7 Sep 1890, The Grove, Coryell, Texas, USA; was buried , Coryell, Texas, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 73758052
    • Reference Number: 42246

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Graham Cemetery

    Jacob — Nancy Partridge Johnston. Nancy (daughter of Joseph Johnston and Mary Darden) was born 11 Feb 1818, Georgia, USA; died 6 Nov 1883, The Grove, Coryell, Texas, USA; was buried , Coryell, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]


  2. 7.  Nancy Partridge Johnston was born 11 Feb 1818, Georgia, USA (daughter of Joseph Johnston and Mary Darden); died 6 Nov 1883, The Grove, Coryell, Texas, USA; was buried , Coryell, Texas, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 15547402
    • Reference Number: 42247

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Graham Cemetery

    Children:
    1. Caledonia Elizabeth Pruitt was born 14 Jul 1838, Mississippi, USA; died 5 Feb 1899, Pecos, Reeves, Texas, USA; was buried , Coleman, Coleman, Texas, USA.
    2. 3. Antoinette Pruitt was born 30 Jan 1840, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; died 28 Apr 1918, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA.
    3. Orleans Prewet was born 11 Apr 1842, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; died 2 Aug 1843, Selma, Drew, Arkansas, USA; was buried , Hernando, De Soto, Mississippi, USA.
    4. Aurelius Pruit was born 13 Aug 1856, Arkansas, USA; died 4 Apr 1925, Roswell, Chaves, New Mexico, USA; was buried , Roswell, Chaves, New Mexico, USA.


Generation: 4

  1. 12.  William Madison PruittWilliam Madison Pruitt was born 22 Dec 1786, Greene, Tennessee, USA (son of Jacob Pruet and Nancy Agnes Richey); died 5 Jul 1841, Moulton, Lawrence, Alabama, USA; was buried , Lawrence, Alabama, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 73767488
    • Reference Number: 16135

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Preuit Cemetery (no headstone)

    William — Sally Jane Cavett. Sally was born 3 Apr 1782, Roane, Tennessee, USA; died 30 Aug 1830, Lawrence, Alabama, USA; was buried , Lawrence, Alabama, USA. [Group Sheet]


  2. 13.  Sally Jane CavettSally Jane Cavett was born 3 Apr 1782, Roane, Tennessee, USA; died 30 Aug 1830, Lawrence, Alabama, USA; was buried , Lawrence, Alabama, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 81917912
    • Reference Number: 21590

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Preuit Cemetery (no headstone)

    Children:
    1. Richard Preuit was born 19 Sep 1808; died 23 Nov 1882, Lawrence, Alabama, USA; was buried , Colbert, Alabama, USA.
    2. 6. Jacob Madison Pruitt was born 5 Mar 1816, Madison, Alabama, USA; died 7 Sep 1890, The Grove, Coryell, Texas, USA; was buried , Coryell, Texas, USA.

  3. 14.  Joseph Johnston was born 14 Aug 1786, Henry, Virginia, USA; died 9 May 1845, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; was buried , Hernando, De Soto, Mississippi, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 24507729
    • Reference Number: 42248

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Johnston Family Cemetery

    Joseph — Mary Darden. Mary was born 17 Apr 1787, Warren, Georgia, USA; died 1854, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; was buried , Hernando, De Soto, Mississippi, USA. [Group Sheet]


  4. 15.  Mary Darden was born 17 Apr 1787, Warren, Georgia, USA; died 1854, De Soto, Mississippi, USA; was buried , Hernando, De Soto, Mississippi, USA.

    Other Events:

    • Find-A-Grave: 80550643
    • Name: Polly
    • Reference Number: 42249

    Notes:

    Buried:
    Johnston Family Cemetery

    Children:
    1. 7. Nancy Partridge Johnston was born 11 Feb 1818, Georgia, USA; died 6 Nov 1883, The Grove, Coryell, Texas, USA; was buried , Coryell, Texas, USA.