Paul Bremond

Paul Bremond, railroad builder, financier, and entrepreneur, was born in New York City on October 11, 1810, to Paul Barlie and Catherine (Green) Bremond of Fishkill, New York. The elder Bremond was a French émigré physician. The younger Bremond left school at the age of twelve to become apprentice to a firm of hatters. He engaged in the hat business in New York and Philadelphia but suffered large losses in the panic of 1837. In 1839 he moved to Galveston, Texas, where he opened an auction and commission house. About 1842 he moved to Houston and expanded his interests, along with the circle of businessmen that included William Marsh Rice, Thomas William House, and William A. Van Alstyne.

Bremond helped to incorporate the Galveston and Red River Railroad, which began construction in 1855. In 1856 the legislature changed the name of the road to Houston and Texas Central, and Bremond, as president, built it north through Hempstead. It was later built through Dallas to Sherman and became one of the major rail lines in the state. Bremond was also involved in the incorporation of the Brazos Plank Road.

He married Harriet Martha Sprouls of New York and with her had a son and two daughters, one of whom, Margaret, was the first wife of William Marsh Rice. Harriet died in 1846, and Bremond then married Mary E. Van Alstyne (daughter of his business partner), by whom he had five daughters. After her death he married the Viscountess Mary Louise de Valernes.

Although most of his family were Episcopalians, Bremond, a spiritualist, organized a Houston society for the study of spiritualism. He believed that he was spiritually guided by Moseley Baker, a soldier of the Texas Revolution. According to Bremond's own story, the spirit of Baker prodded him to build another railroad. He secured a charter in 1875 for the Houston, East and West Texas Railway, to run from Houston to Shreveport through the East Texas piney woods. Though the Houston and Texas Central and most railroads were standard gauge (4' 8"), Bremond now favored a narrow-gauge (3') road, which he thought would be more economical to build and operate. Construction began in 1876 and proceeded slowly. The line reached Livingston in 1879, the site of Lufkin in 1882, and Nacogdoches in 1883. Because local funds and the state land grant did not provide sufficient capital, Bremond mortgaged the railroad to borrow large sums from eastern bankers. The road continued to build north and east to the Sabine River and eventually to a junction with a sister railroad, the Houston and Shreveport, in January 1886. Bremond, however, did not live to see the completion of his work. He died on May 8, 1885, while visiting in Galveston and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston. The town of Bremond in Robertson County and Bremond streets in Houston, Lufkin, and Nacogdoches are named for him.

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From the Colorado Citizen of Thursday, May 14, 1885:

The death of Capt. Paul Bremond occurred at Galveston at 7 o'clock Friday evening. He was a man of great enterprise and ability, and was called the "Father of Texas Railroads," because of this early connection with the Houston and Texas Central and the East and West Texas Narrow Gauge. His remains were consigned to dust Sunday evening. He leaves a wife, a son, and five daughters to mourn his loss.

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From the Lazy J Family Register for the Bremond Family:

http://lazyjltd.com/genealogy/documents/bremond%20register.pdf

Paul Bremond,

• b. 14 Oct 1810 in New York, NY,[169],[170],[171]
• occupation 1822 apprentice to a firm of hatters,[172]
• occupation 1829 opened small hat store in Bowery, NYC,[173]
• resided 1830 in Philadelphia, PA,[174] occupation 1830 owner of hat making shop in Philadelphia, PA,[175]
• resided 1839 in Galveston, Texas,[176]
• occupation 1840 owner of auction and commission business in Galveston, TX,[177]
• occupation 1842 operator of general merchandise and commission business in Houston,
• resided 1846 in Houston, Texas,[178]
• occupation 1850 railroad builder and financier of Houston, East and West Texas Railway,
• d. 8 May 1885 in Galveston, Texas,[179],[180] cause of death peritonitis,[181]
• buried 10 May 1885 in Glenwood Cemetery in Houston,[182],[183],[184]
• event 1 Jan 1853 turned first shovel of dirt for Houstion and Texas Central Railroad,[185],[186]
• occupation 1837 Wholesale hat and cap store 186 Market Street Philadelphia, PA,
• occupation 1834 Bremond & Co sellers of Hats, caps and furs 186 Market Street,
• occupation 1831-1833 owner of hat store 70 Chestnut in Philadelphia, PA,
• occupation 1882-1883 President H E & W T R R office over 82 Main corner Prairie,[187]
• occupation 1884-85 President of Houston and Gulf Shore Railway office Rm 6 Sterne Building over 76 1/2 Congress,[188]
• resided 1839 in 48 Lombard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,[189]
• occupation 1839 hatter with P Bremond & Co. 176 High in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[190]
• He married (1) Harriet Martha Sprouls, married 4 Nov 1831 in New York City,[191]
  • b. in New York City,[192],[193]
  • d. 10 May 1847 in New Orleans, Louisiana,[194],[195],[196]
  • buried 14 May 1847 in Greenwood Cemetery, New York.[197]
• He married (2) Mary Elizabeth Van Alstyne, married 1 Jul 1848 in Houston Harris County, Texas,[198]
  • b. 4 Nov 1824,[199]
  • d. 27 Dec 1864 in Houston, Harris County, Texas,[200]
  • buried 27 Dec 1864 in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.[201],[202]
• He married (3) Mary Louise (Bailey) de Valernes, married 1870,[203]
  • b. 21 Nov 1827 in New York,[204],[205],[206]
  • d. 21 Dec 1907 in Houston, Texas,[207]
  • buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas.[208]

Children:

• i. Margaret C. Bremond,
  • b. 1832 in New York, NY,[209],[210],[211]
  • d. 13 Aug 1863 in Houston, Texas,[212],[213] cause of death possibly yellow fever,[214]
  • buried AFT 1875 at Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.[215]
  • She married William Marsh Rice, married 29 Jun 1850 at Christ Church, Houston, TX,[216],[217]
    • b. March 14, 1816 in Springfield, MA,
    • occupation 1831 clerk in family grocery store, Springfield, MA,[218]
    • occupation 1835 opened his own grocery store in Springfield, MA,[219]
    • resided Oct 1938 in Houston, Texas,[220] occupation Rice and Nichols, Importers and Wholesale Grocers in Houston, Texas,
    • occupation 1839 private banking,[221] occupation founded the Houston and Galveston Navigation Company, occupation land, lumber, cotton and transportation,[222]
    • resided 1863 in Matamoros, Mexico,[223]
    • resided Aug 1865 in Houston, Texas,[224]
    • event 1891 established initial endowment for Rice University,
    • d. 23 Sep 1900 in New York City, buried at Rice University, Houston, Texas, cause of death Murder by chloroform.
• 17. ii. Edward L. Bremond
  • b. 1832.
• 18. iii. Harriet Gertrude Bremond
  • b. 4 Oct 1844.
• iv. Nettie C. Bremond,
  • baptized 30 Jun 1864 in Christ Church, Houston, Texas,[225]
  • resided 1880 in Galveston, Texas with father-in-law Abraham Lufkin.[226]
  • She married Walter Emerson Lufkin, married 29 Nov 1877 in Harris County, Texas,[227],[228]
    • b. 1856,[229]
    • d. 22 Nov 1936 in Spokane Wa,[230]
    • occupation 1880 railroad clerk in Galveston Texas,[231]
    • occupation 1888-1891 chief clerk for Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway in Galveston, Texas.[232]
• 19. v. Mary Pauline Bremond
  • b. 19 Sep 1848.
• 20. vi. Kate Bremond
  • b. 15 Aug 1852.
• vii. Henrietta Cruger Bremond,
  • b. 19 May 1856 in Houston, Texas,[233]
  • baptized 2 Apr 1865 in Christ Church Episcopal, Houston, TX.[234]
• 21. viii. Julia Southwick Bremond
  • b. 1867.

Footnotes:

• 169 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 170 Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas 1880 , Biographical Ency. TX.
• 171 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 172 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 173 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 174 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998), 6.
• 175 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 176 White, Gifford, First Settlers of Galveston County, Texas (Ingmire Publisher, St. Louis MO 1985), 25.
• 177 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 178 Texas Tax List Index, 1840-1849 Harris County (www.ancestry.com).
• 179 Another Gone (Houston Post, 9 May1885).
• 180 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 181 Another Gone (Houston Post , 9 May 1885), Houston Post, "Colonel Paul Bremond, President of the Houston, East and West Texas narrow gauge Railway, died in this city tonight. His death occurred at the residence of Captain E. P. Lufkin, corner Avenue H.and 25th Street at 7 PM and resulted from peritonitis. The deceased arrived in the city last Wednesday on a brief visit to his life-long friend Captain Lufkin. He had been in feeble health and hoped the change would prove beneficial. His death was sudden and somewhat unexpected although he was in his 75th year. His remains will be taken to Houston on the 9:30 train in the morning for interment.", page 32.
• 182 The Handbook of Texas Online (The Texas State Historical Association).
• 183 Glenwood Cemetery Records (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas), Glenwood.
• 184 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 185 Young, Dr. S.O.; Srpinger, Oscar, True Stories of Old Houston and Houstonians, Historical and Personal Sketches (Galveston, Texas 1913; reprinted by The Green Bottle Antique Shop and Press of Premier, Houston Texas 1974), pages 24-28.
• 186 Johnson, Marguerite, Houston: The Unknown City (Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas 1991), Page 54.
• 187 Morrison & Fourmy 1882, Houston City Directory 1882-83.
• 188 Morrison & Fourmy, Houston Directory 1884-85.
• 189 Philadelphia City Directory.
• 190 Philadelphia City Directory.
• 191 Daily Chronicle.
• 192 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 193 The Handbook of Texas Online (The Texas State Historical Association).
• 194 New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, New York Genealogical Records 1675-1920 (www.ancestry.com).
• 195 Green-Wood Cemetery, New York, Green-Wood Cemetery Database (http://www.green-wood.com/), Greenwood NY Database.
• 196 City of Philadelphia Death Certificate.
• 197 Green-Wood Cemetery, New York, Green-Wood Cemetery Database (http://www.green-wood.com/), Greenwood NY Database.
• 198 Texas Marriage Collection (1814-1909) and (1966-2002) (www.ancestry.com), TX Marriage.
• 199 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 200 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 201 Glenwood Cemetery Records (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas), Glenwood.
• 202 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 203 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998), 9.
• 204 US Federal 1880 Census Harris County, Houston (www.ancestry.com), 1880 Census Harris County.
• 205 US Federal 1900 Census Harris County, Houston (www.ancestry.com), 1900 Census Houston.
• 206 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 207 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 208 (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas).
• 209 Texas 1850 Census Houston, Harris County (www.ancestry.com), Texas 1850 Census Harris County.
• 210 Texas 1860 Census Houston, Harris County (www.ancestry.com), 1860 Census Harris County.
• 211 Dow, Christopher, William Marsh Rice: A Centennial Portrait (Houston, TX; Rice News, Vol. 10, No. 6, 28 Sep 2000).
• 212 William Marsh Rice, The Founder of Rice University (Houston, TX; Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University;), http://www.rice.edu/fondren/woodson/founder.html.
• 213 The Handbook of Texas Online (The Texas State Historical Association).
• 214 Aston, B. Rice, The Family of William Marsh Rice (Cornerstone, Rice University 1995).
• 215 Glenwood Cemetery Records (Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas), Glenwood.
• 216 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 217 Texas Marriage Collection (1814-1909) and (1966-2002) (www.ancestry.com), TX Marriage.
• 218 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 219 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 220 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 221 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 222 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 223 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 224 Nicholson, Patrick J, William Ward Watkin and the Rice Institute (Gulf Publishing Co. 1991).
• 225 IGI Public Record (www.familysearch.org), Batch: C539321 1843-1906 Source: 1378432.
• 226 US Federal 1880 Census Galveston, Galveston County, Texas (www.ancestry.com), 1880 Census Galveston.
• 227 Maxwell, Robert S., Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (University of North Texas Press 1998).
• 228 IGI Public Record (www.familysearch.org), Batch M591994 1872-1881 Source: 0025224 V. G-H.
• 229 US Federal 1880 Census Galveston, Galveston County, Texas (www.ancestry.com), 1880 Census Galveston.
• 230 IGI Public Record (www.familysearch.org), Batch M591994 1872-81 Source 0025224 V. G-H.
• 231 US Federal 1880 Census Galveston, Galveston County, Texas (www.ancestry.com), 1880 Census Galveston.
• 232 Galveston City Directory 1888-1891 (Morrison and Fourmy Co., 1889), Galveston City Directory.
• 233 US Federal 1860 Census Austin, Travis County, Texas (www.ancestry.com), 1860 Census Travis County.
• 234 IGI Public Record (www.familysearch.org), Batch: C539321 18443-1906 Souce:1378432.