“William A. Nash, second son of Cornelius Nash, was born in Kaufman, Texas, December 25, 1862. He attended the public schools up to the time he was sixteen years of age , when his father having died, the young man’s time was given, to looking after the care of stock interests; and from that time forward his education was obtained in the broad and practical school experience. In 1880 he joined a surveying party which made a preliminary survey of the old Trunk line railroad and stayed with the party from Kaufman to the intersection of the I.&G.N. railroad. The he married and settled down on a farm, and for six years devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. At the end of that time he left the farm and became a clerk for W.E. Watkins, and later for Henry C. Hicks, his brother-in-law, in whose employ he remained three years. He next conducted a business of his own in Lawudale, Texas, now Maybank, for one year, and on January 1, 1895, became associated with Messrs. Erwin Spikes and others, and purchased the mercantile business of Taylor Brothers, and the firm name became Erwin, Spikes & Co. January 1, 1902, this business was incorporated as the Spikes-Nash Co., of which he is vice president and general manager . This is the principal department store in Kaufman. Mr. Nash is also interested in ranching in King county, Texas, as a partner of Messrs. Spikes & Pickard, who operate a stock ranch they purchased in 1909.
Politically, Mr. Nash is a Democrat. He bore his part in local party convention work in earlier days and contributed toward the expense as a loyal partisan, and was in attendance as an alternate at the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis in 1904, when Mr. Parker won the nomination for the presidency. He has fraternal identity with the Knights of Pythias and his religious faith is that of the Baptist church, of which he is a substantial member.
December 9, 1884, William A. Nash and Miss Dee Ware were untied in marriage, and they are the parents of six children: Neelie, Claude, Jo, Lela, Pliny and W.A. Jr. They reside in one of the splendid residences on Houston street, which Mr. Nash erected in 1903. Mrs. Nash’s father is James Ware and her mother’s maiden name was Erwin. Their other children are John Ware, of Abilene, Texas, and Samuel, of Kaufman.”
Source: A History of Texas and Texans,Vol. 3, by Frank W. Johnson, Eugene C. Baker, PH.D., and Ernest William Winkler, M.A.,The American Historical Society, Chicago and New York, 1914, page 1484
