PEOPLE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
J. Amos Fleming
J. AMOS FLEMING, president of the Citizens Guaranty State Bank of Lindale, has for many years been actively identified with the sawmilling interests of East Texas.
Mr. Fleming was born in Smith county, Texas, July 15, 1870, and his education - except that which he obtained at country school during the winter months - has been received through the chanels of business. He remained on the farm until he had passed his majority, when he turned his attention to sawmilling, at first on a small scale in Smith county. Afterward he moved into Wood county, where he laid the foundation for his subsequent business success. To detail the movements by which the smile of Fortune was attracted to him would add little more than personal or family interest to the narrative, so we forbear and give only the salient facts of Mr. Fleming's rather brief career.
Mr. Fleming engaged in the banking business in Lindale as the successor of W. E. Stewart in the First National Bank, which institution was liquidated and revived with a new name, The Citizens Guaranty State Bank, with a capital of $20,000. This reorganization was effected in February, 1912, and Mr. Fleming was made president; T. J. Morris vice president; W. R. Ward, cashier. Other enterprises with which Mr. Fleming is connected are the Lindale Canning Company and the Farmers Canning Company, in both of which he is a stockholder; and he has large fruit growing and stock interests. Also he is largely interested in cotton growing, and is a stockholder in the Lindale General Company.
Of Mr. Fleming's parentage, we record that the late Amos M. Fleming, who died near Lindale in 1892, was his father. Amos M. Fleming was born at Milton, Florida, in 1826. At the age of twenty years he came to Texas, and in Smith county this State he passed the rest of his life as a farmer. In the war between the States he served as a Confederate soldier. He married in Smith county Miss Aran Chambers, who survived him a number of years. She died in February, 1912. Their children are: J. Amos, the subject of this sketch; Jesse L., of Lindale, Texas; Julia, wife of James Thedford, of Palestine Texas and Ida who died unmarried. Amos M. Fleming had been previously married to Nancy Chambless and the children of his first wife are Maude, wife of Caleb Simmons, of Texas; "Sis," widow of William Heghey, of Smith county, Texas; Columbus and Sula, of the same county, the latter being the wife of John Bowman; Aden, deceased; Milton, of Smith county; Gus, of Rusk county; and Mattie, wife of Lon Franks, of Oklahoma.
In February, 1891, J. Amos Fleming married Miss Dora Perryman, daughter of James Perryman, a prominent citizen and farmer of Lindale. Seven children have been given to them, namely: Elmer, Esther, Amos, Eva, Ora, Pauline and J. W. all of whom are living except Eva, who died in childhood.
Mr. Fleming's fraternal relations are confined to a membership in the Woodmen of the World; politically, he is a Democrat, and his religious faith is that set out in the creed of the Baptist church, of which he is a member. His identity with Lindale has been marked with many activities, all of which have contributed to the material growth and welfare of the town. He has erected four of its several blocks of new brick business houses, and his support is always given to any movement tending toward betterment. While his own advantages for schooling were limited, he is a progressive on school matters and is a member of the school management of the town.
Source: Transcription from the book, A History of Texas and Texans, by Frank W. Johnson, published in 1914; located on the website, Internet Archive (http://archive.org), accessed 15 March 2024.
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