TuleyRoots

Richard Henry Tooley

Family Search ID: KZ1G-8QW

Person Chart

Parents

Father Date of Birth Mother Date of Birth
John J. Tuley Jr. abt 1770 Elizabeth Taylor (Tuley)

Person Events

Event Type Date Place Description
Birth 25 Nov 1828 Pasquotank, North Carolina, United States
Marriage 08 May 1849 Gates County, North Carolina
Place of Residence 1860 Wilson, Wilson, North Carolina, United States
Census 1870 Barnesville, Pike County, Georgia
Occupation 1870 Barnesville, Pike County, Georgia Dry Goods Merchant
Place of Residence 1870 Georgia, United States
Census 1880 Precinct 3, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Death MAR 1891 Haskell, Haskell County, Texas
Burial 1891 Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States

Notes

Had the title of Doctor.
Richard's first wife's family was from Gates Co., NC. Richard and his w ife moved from the NC/VA border to Barnesville, Pike Co., GA around 186 0. They owned a dry goods store. Two of their sons were clerks.
On an internet search, found Richard H. Tooley in Pike Co., GA in 1850 o n the census. He was age 42 and a dry goods merchant. With wife Mary E . age 40, son William age 20 clerk in store, son John age 19 clerk in s tore, son James age 16 printer, daughter Emily age 14, daughter Virgini a age 11, son Richard age 7, daughter Virgie age 3 and son Luther age 1 .
They arrived in Paris, TX between 1872 and 1874. Richard built a gene ral merchandise store, hotel and livery stable in Dallas, TX on North E lm Street (now in the heart of Dallas). He also owned the land where t he Dallas Fairgrounds, the Coton Bowl Stadium and the Oak Cliff section a re now located. Note: This information was passed along to me and no d ocumentation or proof has been made.
There are two stories surrounding Richard's death. It is said he was o n his way to west Texas to buy land and was robbed and murdered and the c ulprits were never caught. He had quite a large sum of money in the li ning of his jacket. Another story istold that after his 2nd wife died , he sold his land in Dallas for about $9500.00 and made it to Seymour o r Granberry, TX. He purchased land for 5 cents per acre
from men who never transferred the land into Richard's name and they po isoned him. He let one of his sons know he had a lot of money in a tru nk before he died. The culprits were caught and imprisoned.
In the Dallas area, he was known as Watermelon Tooley as he sold waterm elons on the side of the road.
There was an R. H. Tooley in the Georgia Civil War, Co. A, Btn - Heavy A rtillery.
He is found in the 1884-85 City of Dallas directory as a farmer

Sources

Description Page Quality Information Evidence
Diann Tooley, drtooley@mail.ev1.net Don't know Don't know Don't know